thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Kamala Harris' Historic Candidacy Helped Asian American Turnout Soar

“ Traditionally , any time we ’ ve seen an Asian American candidate run , we typically see a lot larger numbers because suddenly you ’ re hearing more about their background , and the community is looking to identify with that candidate because of that similar background , ” said Christine Chen , executive director of APIAVote , which works to increase AAPI civic engagement .
“ [ With ] our community especially experiencing what we experienced in 2020 , with the rise of anti-Asian sentiment , we ’ re looking for someone that will not only see and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While it ’ s too early to say definitively , Sadhwani believes it ’ s likely Harris had the same positive effect because of the notion of “ linked fate.
” She explained that ’ s “ this idea that if one person in our community is doing better and advancing and taking on these kinds of roles and positions of power , then it ’ s going to be better for the community as a whole.
” Over the past few election cycles , AAPI voters have become a bigger and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyses of this year ’ s voter data suggest that AAPI turnout will likely exceed the record levels seen in 2016 and 2018 .
The number of AAPI voters participating in early or mail-in voting alone surpassed the total number of AAPI voters in the 2016 general election , according to TargetSmart , a Democratic political data firm .
In the American Election Eve Poll , 72 % of AAPI respondents said Trump “ does not care about ” or “ has been hostile toward ” AAPI communities , and 80 % said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our country.
” In addition , 58 % said they believe anti-Asian racism has increased under Trump , who has regularly referred to the pandemic in racist terms and often scapegoats China to deflect blame from his own disastrous response .
As a result , AAPI voters have been “ connecting the dots of how who gets elected really impacts decisions being made , ” Chen said .
“ In the past , we would have to do a lot more work convincing people why every vote counts and how that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think we had to do as much of that kind of heavy lifting because people were living and experiencing that every day.
” The influence of Asian American voters has been especially noted in the suburbs of key battleground states .
Even if they make up just a single-digit percentage of the electorate , they can have a decisive impact in close elections — like in Georgia , where organizers have been working for years to better engage and mobilize voters of color who have traditionally been left out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projected to win Georgia ’ s 7th Congressional District , flipping the suburban Atlanta seat from Republican to Democrat .
According to the American Election Eve Poll , which conducted additional analysis in the district , AAPI voters overwhelmingly voted for her over her GOP opponent ( 62 % to 36 % ) ; their numbers add up to 17 % of her vote total and 150 % of her winning margin .
Therefore , it ’ s possible she would have lost , had it not been for AAPI voters .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see more concerted efforts to engage these voters this year , especially on the Democratic Party side .
For example , every major candidate in the Democratic presidential primaries had at least one staffer working specifically on AAPI voter outreach .
Overall , advocates said candidates and campaigns are doing a somewhat better job of providing resources in a wider range of languages , attending events specific to AAPI communities , and hiring staffers and organizers who understand the cultures and speak the languages of the communities they ’ re trying to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I would acknowledge the reality that AAPIs are facing : fear , uncertainty , concern about their health , being able to afford health care , the fact that many are small business owners who aren ’ t even getting any sort of economic support , ” Lee said of the pandemic ’ s impact .
“ Some of it is common , and some of them are very particular .
It takes a little bit of messaging or acknowledgment of their unique experience as AAPIs.
” And if someone needs help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballot , it ’ s not just about having a form that ’ s translated into their language , said Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood , director of the Asian American Advocacy Fund , which organizes progressive AAPI voters in Georgia .
Voters might also need help filling out the form and navigating the process , which the AAAF has addressed by opening hotlines in several Asian languages for people to call or text if they have questions .
Mahmood said she appreciated how Bourdeaux , who had unsuccessfully run for the same seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for AAPI communities between the two election years .
Bourdeaux kept attending events and deepening relationships , “ remembering people ’ s faces and remembering their names and remembering what ’ s important to them , which you don ’ t always get from candidates , ” Mahmood said .
“ I have met so many people who just have the nicest things to say about her because she has spent a lot of time talking to them.
” All eyes are now on the runoff elections for Georgia ’ s two Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate .
Groups like the AAAF are working to make sure AAPI voters remain energized for the January elections , as Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock face off against GOP incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , respectively .
( During a Trump rally last month , Perdue mocked the pronunciation of Harris ’ first name , an experience far too familiar to many immigrants and people of color . )

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In one of the most stirring parts of her victory speech on Saturday, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris honored her late mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris.
“When she came here from India at the age of 19, maybe she didn’t quite imagine this moment,” Harris said. “But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible.”
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The historic candidacy of the first Black and Asian American woman to be elected vice president likely helped drive Asian American and Pacific Islander voter turnout to new heights, several AAPI advocates and scholars told HuffPost.
“Traditionally, any time we’ve seen an Asian American candidate run, we typically see a lot larger numbers because suddenly you’re hearing more about their background, and the community is looking to identify with that candidate because of that similar background,” said Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, which works to increase AAPI civic engagement. “[With] our community especially experiencing what we experienced in 2020, with the rise of anti-Asian sentiment, we’re looking for someone that will not only see and hear us but also respect us.”
Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, has researched the effects of Asian American candidates on Asian American voter turnout. In a study of candidates for the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2018, she found that in general, having an Asian American candidate boosted Asian American turnout in districts with a significant proportion of Asian American residents, although those results can vary depending on nationality or ethnicity.
While it’s too early to say definitively, Sadhwani believes it’s likely Harris had the same positive effect because of the notion of “linked fate.” She explained that’s “this idea that if one person in our community is doing better and advancing and taking on these kinds of roles and positions of power, then it’s going to be better for the community as a whole.”
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A supporter holds a national flag of India at a watch party in Miami as President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris deliver victory remarks on Nov. 7, 2020. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
Some recent surveys of AAPI voters also indicate that having Harris on the ticket influenced their vote. For example, 49% of AAPI respondents said then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden picking Harris made them “more enthusiastic about voting for him,” according to the American Election Eve Poll, conducted by the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund and Asian American Decisions.
Over the past few election cycles, AAPI voters have become a bigger and more influential slice of the electorate. Preliminary analyses of this year’s voter data suggest that AAPI turnout will likely exceed the record levels seen in 2016 and 2018. The number of AAPI voters participating in early or mail-in voting alone surpassed the total number of AAPI voters in the 2016 general election, according to TargetSmart, a Democratic political data firm.
Of course, there were many other factors driving turnout this year. President Donald Trump’s failure to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and his years of promoting racism and white supremacy weighed heavily on AAPI voters.
In the American Election Eve Poll, 72% of AAPI respondents said Trump “does not care about” or “has been hostile toward” AAPI communities, and 80% said white supremacy “is a major threat to our country.” In addition, 58% said they believe anti-Asian racism has increased under Trump, who has regularly referred to the pandemic in racist terms and often scapegoats China to deflect blame from his own disastrous response.
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Similarly, 76% of respondents in the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey ― conducted from July to September by APIAVote, AAPI Data and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC ― said they were worried about experiencing racism related to the pandemic. Throughout this year, Asian Americans have reported a surge in racist harassment and attacks, with Trump’s remarks pouring gasoline on the fire.
As a result, AAPI voters have been “connecting the dots of how who gets elected really impacts decisions being made,” Chen said. “In the past, we would have to do a lot more work convincing people why every vote counts and how that’s related to your life. I don’t think we had to do as much of that kind of heavy lifting because people were living and experiencing that every day.”
The influence of Asian American voters has been especially noted in the suburbs of key battleground states. Even if they make up just a single-digit percentage of the electorate, they can have a decisive impact in close elections — like in Georgia, where organizers have been working for years to better engage and mobilize voters of color who have traditionally been left out of the political process.
Carolyn Bourdeaux won in Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, flipping the suburban Atlanta seat from Republican to Democrat. According to the American Election Eve Poll, which conducted additional analysis in the district, AAPI voters overwhelmingly voted for her over her GOP opponent (62% to 36%); their numbers added up to 17% of her vote total and 150% of her winning margin. Therefore, it’s possible she would have lost, had it not been for AAPI voters.
In past elections, research has consistently shown that AAPI voters are among the racial or ethnic groups least likely to receive contact from the major political parties, individual campaigns or nonpartisan organizations.
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Many of the AAPI advocates said they did see more concerted efforts to engage these voters this year, especially on the Democratic Party side. For example, every major candidate in the Democratic presidential primaries had at least one staffer working specifically on AAPI voter outreach. Overall, advocates said candidates and campaigns are doing a somewhat better job of providing resources in a wider range of languages, attending events specific to AAPI communities, and hiring staffers and organizers who understand the cultures and speak the languages of the communities they’re trying to engage.
But there’s still a lot more work to be done. In both the 2020 Asian American Survey and the American Election Eve Poll, about half of AAPI voters said they had not received any contact from parties or community organizations, suggesting they’re still treated like an afterthought.
In addition, while the majority of AAPI voters tend to vote Democratic, about 30% are not registered with a party — in part because historically, neither party has communicated directly with them, Sadhwani said.
It’s not enough to just offer translated resources, according to EunSook Lee, director of the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. When developing their messaging, campaigns should acknowledge the specific ways AAPI voters are affected by the major issues, she said.
“If I were a candidate, I would acknowledge the reality that AAPIs are facing: fear, uncertainty, concern about their health, being able to afford health care, the fact that many are small business owners who aren’t even getting any sort of economic support,” Lee said of the pandemic’s impact. “Some of it is common, and some of them are very particular. It takes a little bit of messaging or acknowledgment of their unique experience as AAPIs.”
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And if someone needs help registering to vote or applying for a mail-in ballot, it’s not just about having a form that’s translated into their language, said Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood, director of the Asian American Advocacy Fund, which organizes progressive AAPI voters in Georgia. Voters might also need help filling out the form and navigating the process, which the AAAF has addressed by opening hotlines in several Asian languages for people to call or text if they have questions.
A sign in multiple languages at an early voting site in New York City on Oct. 24, 2020. AAPI advocates say providing resources in different languages is helpful, but not enough to engage voters. John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx
Candidates should also build on existing relationships and previous voter outreach efforts, especially those from community organizations, which have done the on-the-ground work for years and not just under the spotlight of a major election.
Mahmood said she appreciated how Bourdeaux, who had unsuccessfully run for the same seat in 2018, continued to show up for AAPI communities between the two election years. Bourdeaux kept attending events and deepening relationships, “remembering people’s faces and remembering their names and remembering what’s important to them, which you don’t always get from candidates,” Mahmood said. “I have met so many people who just have the nicest things to say about her because she has spent a lot of time talking to them.”
All eyes are now on the runoff elections for Georgia’s two Senate seats, which will likely determine control of the Senate. Groups like the AAAF are working to make sure AAPI voters remain energized for the January elections, as Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock face off against GOP incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively. (During a Trump rally last month, Perdue mocked the pronunciation of Harris’ first name, an experience far too familiar to many immigrants and people of color.)
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Beyond elections, political leaders also have to continue engaging AAPI communities once they’re in office, Chen said. They should seek out the perspectives of AAPI constituents and community leaders when staking out positions and developing policies.
She also hopes elected officials will appoint and hire more AAPI staff — like President-elect Biden this week selecting former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who is Indian American, to co-chair his transition team’s COVID-19 advisory board.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Stephen Colbert Shows How Quickly His Celebration Turned To Rage

“ Late Show ” host Stephen Colbert ’ s elation over President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory against President Donald Trump quickly took a dark turn on Tuesday .
“ Yesterday , I was pouring champagne to toast the new administration , ” Colbert said , the champagne bottle next to him .
“ And today ... ” Then , he broke the bottle and held it up menacingly .
“ I will cut you if you come near me because there ’ s some crazy [ bleep ] going on out there !
” : The reason for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use lawsuits to overturn the election results .
Colbert also noted that Attorney General Bill Barr had ordered prosecutors to investigate claims of voter fraud on Trump ’ s behalf around the nation , despite no evidence .
“ Now the DOJ is just chasing down urban legends that get passed around the Internet .
Get ready for their new task force to catch the Slender Man , ” Colbert said .
“ Hot tip : He ’ s married to Ivanka.
” Then , he debunked some of the more egregious @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert’s elation over President-elect Joe Biden’s victory against President Donald Trump quickly took a dark turn on Tuesday.
“Yesterday, I was pouring champagne to toast the new administration,” Colbert said, the champagne bottle next to him. “And today...”
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Then, he broke the bottle and held it up menacingly.
“I will cut you if you come near me because there’s some crazy [bleep] going on out there!”:
The reason for his anger? Trump’s relentless attempts to use lawsuits to overturn the election results. Colbert also noted that Attorney General Bill Barr had ordered prosecutors to investigate claims of voter fraud on Trump’s behalf around the nation, despite no evidence.
“Now the DOJ is just chasing down urban legends that get passed around the Internet. Get ready for their new task force to catch the Slender Man,” Colbert said. “Hot tip: He’s married to Ivanka.”
Then, he debunked some of the more egregious claims made by the Trump campaign:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Lucille Bridges, Mother Of Civil Rights Activist Ruby Bridges, Dead At 86

NEW ORLEANS ( AP ) — Lucille Bridges , the mother of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges , who walked with her then-6-year-old daughter past crowds screaming racist slurs as she became the first Black student at her all-white New Orleans elementary school , has died at the age of 86 , the city ’ s mayor announced Tuesday .
Bridges gave birth to Ruby in Tylertown , Mississippi , in 1954 — the same year as the landmark Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka , Kansas , decision that ended racial segregation in schools .
Her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Civil Rights Movement , memorialized in Norman Rockwell ’ s famous painting “ The Problem We All Live With ” which depicts a tiny Ruby in a white dress carrying her notebooks and a ruler surrounded by much taller U.S .
Marshals .
But Ruby Bridges once credited her parents as the forces behind her history-making achievement .
“ My parents are the real heroes , ” the U.S .
Marshals Service once quoted her as saying during a ceremony at an art gallery showing the painting .
“ They ( sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they felt it was the right thing to do.
” “ Today we mourn the loss of one of the mothers of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans with the passing of Lucille Bridges — mother of five , including Ruby Bridges , ” Cantrell said .
“ May she rest in God ’ s perfect peace.
” Cantrell said Ruby ’ s father , Abon Bridges , was initially reluctant to send his daughter to the all-white William Frantz Elementary School as a first-grader in 1960 , at the request of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the National Women ’ s History Museum , Lucille Bridges wanted her daughter to have the education she never had .
She walked her daughter to school every day , the museum said .
“ Lucille ’ s strength was unbounded during this period , ” Cantrell said , adding : “ Lucille insisted , seeing the action as an opportunity to help all Black children , and walked Ruby , with federal marshals , past chanting and taunting white protesters and to the schoolhouse .
Mother and daughter both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news outlet said Bridges was born to sharecroppers in Mississippi and did not finish an elementary school education .
But she was determined for her daughter to pursue the same opportunities that her white peers received .
The Bridges eventually moved to New Orleans in search of better work and education opportunities for their family , according to the National Women ’ s History Museum .
Abon Bridges died in 1978 .
An email and phone call to the The Ruby Bridges Foundation have not yet been returned .
The image of Ruby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renewed attention in recent days in an adapted version that shows Vice President-elect Kamala Harris walking alongside Ruby .
Harris is the first Black woman elected to the vice presidency .

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lucille Bridges, the mother of civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, who walked with her then-6-year-old daughter past crowds screaming racist slurs as she became the first Black student at her all-white New Orleans elementary school, has died at the age of 86, the city’s mayor announced Tuesday.
Bridges gave birth to Ruby in Tylertown, Mississippi, in 1954 — the same year as the landmark Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, decision that ended racial segregation in schools.
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U.S. Deputy Marshals escort 6-year-old Ruby Bridges from William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, in this November 1960, file photo. Bridges' mother, Lucille, died on Tuesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Her daughter went on to become an icon of the Civil Rights Movement, memorialized in Norman Rockwell’s famous painting “The Problem We All Live With” which depicts a tiny Ruby in a white dress carrying her notebooks and a ruler surrounded by much taller U.S. Marshals. But Ruby Bridges once credited her parents as the forces behind her history-making achievement.
“My parents are the real heroes,” the U.S. Marshals Service once quoted her as saying during a ceremony at an art gallery showing the painting. “They (sent me to that public school) because they felt it was the right thing to do.”
Mayor LaToya Cantrell recognized Lucille Bridges’ contributions in a statement Tuesday night.
“Today we mourn the loss of one of the mothers of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans with the passing of Lucille Bridges — mother of five, including Ruby Bridges,” Cantrell said. “May she rest in God’s perfect peace.”
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Cantrell said Ruby’s father, Abon Bridges, was initially reluctant to send his daughter to the all-white William Frantz Elementary School as a first-grader in 1960, at the request of the NAACP. But his wife insisted. According to the National Women’s History Museum, Lucille Bridges wanted her daughter to have the education she never had. She walked her daughter to school every day, the museum said.
“Lucille’s strength was unbounded during this period,” Cantrell said, adding: “Lucille insisted, seeing the action as an opportunity to help all Black children, and walked Ruby, with federal marshals, past chanting and taunting white protesters and to the schoolhouse. Mother and daughter both revealed their character and courage.”
Bridges, too, endured hardship as she pushed for her daughter to receive an equal education, WGNO-TV reported.
The news outlet said Bridges was born to sharecroppers in Mississippi and did not finish an elementary school education. But she was determined for her daughter to pursue the same opportunities that her white peers received.
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The Bridges eventually moved to New Orleans in search of better work and education opportunities for their family, according to the National Women’s History Museum. Abon Bridges died in 1978.
An email and phone call to the The Ruby Bridges Foundation have not yet been returned.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Trump's Election Party Sure Seems Like It's Another Superspreader Event

The Trump administration may have declared the coronavirus pandemic to be over , but the disease is rapidly spreading ― both across the country and in President Donald Trump ’ s own White House .
Just over a month after the first COVID-19 superspreader event at the White House , which hospitalized the president and infected around three dozen others , it looks like team Trump is responsible for another one .
The cluster of cases this time appears linked to an election night watch party inside the White House East Room , where hundreds of guests mingled unmasked without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been just over a week since that event , and several cases have already been potentially connected to it .
Reported among them are Ben Carson , the secretary for Housing and Urban Development ; David Bossie , who ’ s overseeing the Trump campaign ’ s legal challenges over the election ; Mark Meadows , the White House chief of staff ; Healy Baumgardner , a former Trump campaign aide ; and Brian Jack , the White House political director .
Given the COVID-19 incubation period of up to 14 days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crop up shortly .
It may be hard to ever say with certainty that the event was responsible for the spread of so many infections .
The White House refused to do any robust contact tracing when it had an outbreak last month , despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offering to help , leaving little likelihood it will do so this time .
The outbreak comes as the U.S. nears a quarter-million coronavirus deaths .
In recent weeks , the country has been shattering records for daily new case numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high hospitalization rates .
On Monday , the U.S. became the first country in the world to surpass 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases ― about a fifth of all infections worldwide .
Trump has barely mentioned the pandemic in the past week , instead focusing nearly entirely on his baseless claims that the Democrats stole the election and rigged voting to be in Democratic President-elect Joe Biden ’ s favor .
Some members of Trump ’ s own party have called him out for being distracted .
“ I can ’ t think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transition than amid a deadly pandemic that the federal government continues to own primary responsibility for responding to , ” Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker ( R ) said at a press briefing Tuesday .
Trump also never acknowledged his role in the first superspreader event : a celebration for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett with more than 200 guests , many who scattered across the country after attending .
He was among those who fell ill and required a three-night hospital stay .
Everyone deserves accurate information about COVID-19 .
Support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it free for everyone — by becoming a HuffPost member today .

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The Trump administration may have declared the coronavirus pandemic to be over, but the disease is rapidly spreading ― both across the country and in President Donald Trump’s own White House.
Just over a month after the first COVID-19 superspreader event at the White House, which hospitalized the president and infected around three dozen others, it looks like team Trump is responsible for another one. The cluster of cases this time appears linked to an election night watch party inside the White House East Room, where hundreds of guests mingled unmasked without any social distancing.
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It’s been just over a week since that event, and several cases have already been potentially connected to it. Reported among them are Ben Carson, the secretary for Housing and Urban Development; David Bossie, who’s overseeing the Trump campaign’s legal challenges over the election; Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff; Healy Baumgardner, a former Trump campaign aide; Brian Jack, the White House political director; and Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski.
Trump speaks on election night in a packed White House East Room, where few guests wore masks. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Given the COVID-19 incubation period of up to 14 days, it’s possible more cases will crop up shortly.
It may be hard to ever say with certainty that the event was responsible for the spread of so many infections. The White House refused to do any robust contact tracing when it had an outbreak last month, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offering to help, leaving little likelihood it will do so this time.
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The outbreak comes as the U.S. nears a quarter-million coronavirus deaths. In recent weeks, the country has been shattering records for daily new case numbers, and several states are reporting record high hospitalization rates. On Monday, the U.S. became the first country in the world to surpass 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases ― about a fifth of all infections worldwide.
Trump has barely mentioned the pandemic in the past week, instead focusing nearly entirely on his baseless claims that the Democrats stole the election and rigged voting to be in Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s favor. Some members of Trump’s own party have called him out for being distracted.
“I can’t think of a worse time to stall a transition than amid a deadly pandemic that the federal government continues to own primary responsibility for responding to,” Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said at a press briefing Tuesday.
Trump also never acknowledged his role in the first superspreader event: a celebration for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett with more than 200 guests, many who scattered across the country after attending. He was among those who fell ill and required a three-night hospital stay.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--These 5 States Just Set Records For COVID-19 Deaths

According to the COVID Tracking Project , which is affiliated with The Atlantic , around 62,000 Americans are currently lying in hospital beds fighting off the worst symptoms of COVID-19 , which can leave some patients traumatized even after they make a recovery .
Hospital beds in some places , particularly in the center of the country , are rapidly becoming scarce resources .
These bleak statistics can not be set aside in light of this week ’ s good vaccine news , either .
Although Pfizer announced that the coronavirus vaccine it has been developing is showing very positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company showed the vaccine provided 90 % efficacy ― the country is still a long way away from widespread vaccination .
The U.S. may begin to vaccinate those at most risk of infection , including many health care workers , by the end of December , according to Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top expert on infectious diseases .
But for the average American without serious preexisting conditions , the vaccine likely will not be available until April .
Doctors are also getting better at treating the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how it tears through the human body .
How the virus may affect recovered patients over the long term , though , is much more uncertain .
With more than 10 million confirmed COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic , the U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus spread by significant amount ― and experts have repeatedly sought to warn the public that the crisis will get worse before it gets better .
One of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s newly appointed pandemic advisers , Michael Osterholm , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week on CNBC , where he said , “ What America has to understand is that we are about to enter COVID hell.
” Osterholm , who is also director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota , went on to explain that he was simply being realistic .
“ This is not to scare people out of their wits .
This is to scare people into their wits to understand that , because we still have control , ” he said .
Some local leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz ( D ) announced a 10 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants this week as cases surge across the heartland state .
And after spending days telling New York state residents that the former hotspot may be headed for a “ second wave ” of COVID-19 , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) followed suit , telling bars and restaurants they must close by 10 p.m. and capping indoor gatherings at 10 people .
A similar curfew is set to go into effect in Connecticut and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozen counties have already been ordered by the state ’ s secretary of health , Dr. Mark Ghaly , to reinstate more restrictive measures to slow the spread of illness , including banning movie theater operations .
And on Wednesday evening , Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine ( R ) is expected to address the rampant spread of infections across his state and potentially introduce new mandates .
Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D ) said this week that his state is seeing the worst surge in virus spread since the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has yet to implement stricter rules .
( Illinois reported a record 12,623 new cases Tuesday . )
Officials in St. Louis County , Missouri ― a state where cases have been rising steeply for weeks ― have also warned that tighter restrictions may become necessary but have not announced them just yet .
North Dakota , however , may offer the most dire picture of what could happen if areas that are already stretching their hospitals thin fail to slow the spread .
The state ’ s Republican governor , Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers may still come to work in COVID-19 units even if they have the virus , so long as they are asymptomatic , owing to alarming staffing shortages .
Early in the pandemic , states that were hard-hit by the virus , such as New York and New Jersey , benefitted from low ― or nonexistent ― case counts across much of the country and were able to welcome doctors from other places to help tend to patients .
But such resources are likely to be heavily strained if all 50 states are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .

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Virtually every state in the union is trending in the wrong direction in the pandemic, setting grim records by the day as Americans prepare to spend a winter battling a virus that thrives indoors.
At least five states ― Alaska, Missouri, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming ― set records for COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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Simultaneously, at least five states — Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Ohio and Wyoming — surpassed single-day new caseload records Tuesday. (Wyoming appeared on both superlative lists.) Several other states, such as Pennsylvania, set records for new cases on Monday.
The U.S. as a whole also hit a new single-day high on Tuesday, recording more than 136,000 new cases and marking the seventh day in a row where new cases surpassed 100,000.
According to the COVID Tracking Project, which is affiliated with The Atlantic, around 62,000 Americans are currently lying in hospital beds fighting off the worst symptoms of COVID-19, which can leave some patients traumatized even after they make a recovery. Hospital beds in some places, particularly in the center of the country, are rapidly becoming scarce resources.
These bleak statistics cannot be set aside in light of this week’s good vaccine news, either. Although Pfizer announced that the coronavirus vaccine it has been developing is showing very positive signs of success ― initial data from the company showed the vaccine provided 90% efficacy ― the country is still a long way away from widespread vaccination.
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The U.S. may begin to vaccinate those at most risk of infection, including many health care workers, by the end of December, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top expert on infectious diseases. But for the average American without serious preexisting conditions, the vaccine likely will not be available until April.
Doctors are also getting better at treating the virus, having learned lessons during the first wave about how it tears through the human body. How the virus may affect recovered patients over the long term, though, is much more uncertain.
With more than 10 million confirmed COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic, the U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus spread by significant amount ― and experts have repeatedly sought to warn the public that the crisis will get worse before it gets better.
One of President-elect Joe Biden’s newly appointed pandemic advisers, Michael Osterholm, had a sobering message to share earlier this week on CNBC, where he said, “What America has to understand is that we are about to enter COVID hell.”
Osterholm, who is also director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, went on to explain that he was simply being realistic.
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“This is not to scare people out of their wits. This is to scare people into their wits to understand that, because we still have control,” he said.
Biden himself has repeatedly emphasized mask use and social distancing measures in the handful of national addresses he has made since being declared the winner of the 2020 election on Saturday.
Some local leaders are taking heed of the warnings. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) announced a 10 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants this week as cases surge across the heartland state. And after spending days telling New York state residents that the former hotspot may be headed for a “second wave” of COVID-19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) followed suit, telling bars and restaurants they must close by 10 p.m. and capping indoor gatherings at 10 people. A similar curfew is set to go into effect in Connecticut and New Jersey.
In California, nearly a dozen counties have already been ordered by the state’s secretary of health, Dr. Mark Ghaly, to reinstate more restrictive measures to slow the spread of illness, including banning movie theater operations. And on Wednesday evening, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) is expected to address the rampant spread of infections across his state and potentially introduce new mandates.
Yet leaders in other places are holding off on new restrictions. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued an executive order Wednesday that advises residents to stay home but falls short of a new mandate.
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) said this week that his state is seeing the worst surge in virus spread since the start of the crisis in March, but he has yet to implement stricter rules. (Illinois reported a record 12,623 new cases Tuesday.) Officials in St. Louis County, Missouri ― a state where cases have been rising steeply for weeks ― have also warned that tighter restrictions may become necessary but have not announced them just yet.
Similarly, Texas ― which became the first state to surpass 1 million infections this week ― has also not announced new rules, although local health officials say the surge is not surprising given residents’ uneven adherence to local and federal guidelines.
North Dakota, however, may offer the most dire picture of what could happen if areas that are already stretching their hospitals thin fail to slow the spread. The state’s Republican governor, Doug Burgum, announced Monday that health care workers may still come to work in COVID-19 units even if they have the virus, so long as they are asymptomatic, owing to alarming staffing shortages.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Leaked Recordings Reveal WHO’s Pandemic Analysis In Private

With its annual meeting underway this week , WHO has been sharply criticized for not taking a stronger and more vocal role in handling the pandemic .
For example , in private internal meetings in the early days of the virus , top scientists described some countries ’ approaches as “ an unfortunate laboratory to study the virus ” and a “ macabre ” opportunity to see what worked , recordings obtained by The Associated Press show .
Yet in public , the U.N. health agency lauded governments for their responses .
Biden has promised to overturn President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off funds to WHO and withdraw the U.S. WHO has also bowed to demands from member countries for an independent panel to review its management of the pandemic response , and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that the agency welcomed “ any and all attempts ” to strengthen it “ for the sake of the people we serve.
” Critics say WHO ’ s traditional aversion to confronting its member countries has come at a high price .
As COVID-19 spread , WHO often shied away from calling out countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France , and Britain made repeated mistakes , according to dozens of leaked recordings of internal WHO meetings and documents from January to April obtained by The Associated Press .
“ We need WHO to be bold and to use their political power to name and shame because the consequences are so devastating , ” said Sophie Harman , a professor of international politics at Queen Mary University in London .
“ This is their Spanish flu moment … By not speaking up when countries are doing questionable things , WHO is undermining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It ’ s not unprecedented , however , for WHO to publicly question its member states .
It threatened to close its China office when the country was hiding cases during the SARS outbreak , loudly called for Nigeria to reverse its boycott of the polio vaccine in 2003 , and accused Tanzania of not sharing enough information about an Ebola epidemic last year .
The review of WHO ’ s role in the pandemic comes at a critical time because the agency is now tasked with helping to buy and distribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prove effective , especially to poorer nations .
Some countries , including the U.S. and Russia , have refused to join the effort , but on Sunday , WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said she hoped Biden ’ s election would “ open the door ” to U.S. inclusion .
“ It was very obvious on that cruise ship that things were going badly wrong and WHO should have said something , ” said Lawrence Gostin , director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights at Georgetown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing is flat-out wrong , we need WHO to say so.
” “ This is not an experiment for WHO to learn lessons for the future , the stakes are too high for that , ” she said .
“ With the next wave of the pandemic , I think the time for quiet diplomacy has passed .
”

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GENEVA (AP) — As the coronavirus explodes again, the World Health Organization finds itself both under intense pressure to reform and holding out hope that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will reverse a decision by Washington to leave the health agency.
With its annual meeting underway this week, WHO has been sharply criticized for not taking a stronger and more vocal role in handling the pandemic. For example, in private internal meetings in the early days of the virus, top scientists described some countries’ approaches as “an unfortunate laboratory to study the virus” and a “macabre” opportunity to see what worked, recordings obtained by The Associated Press show. Yet in public, the U.N. health agency lauded governments for their responses.
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Biden has promised to overturn President Donald Trump’s decision in June to cut off funds to WHO and withdraw the U.S. WHO has also bowed to demands from member countries for an independent panel to review its management of the pandemic response, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that the agency welcomed “any and all attempts” to strengthen it “for the sake of the people we serve.”
One of the central dilemmas facing the WHO is that it has no enforcement powers or authority to independently investigate within countries. Instead, the health agency relies on behind-the-scenes talks and the cooperation of member states.
Critics say WHO’s traditional aversion to confronting its member countries has come at a high price. As COVID-19 spread, WHO often shied away from calling out countries, as big donors such as Japan, France, and Britain made repeated mistakes, according to dozens of leaked recordings of internal WHO meetings and documents from January to April obtained by The Associated Press.
Some public health experts say WHO’s failure to exert its influence lent credence to countries adopting risky outbreak policies, possibly compromising efforts to stop the virus.
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“We need WHO to be bold and to use their political power to name and shame because the consequences are so devastating,” said Sophie Harman, a professor of international politics at Queen Mary University in London. “This is their Spanish flu moment … By not speaking up when countries are doing questionable things, WHO is undermining its own authority while the planet burns.”
Others said it would be politically unwise for WHO to be too outspoken unless countries give the agency more power and the ability to censure countries — an option that Germany and France have recently proposed.
“If Tedros was to take a very aggressive stance toward member countries, there would be repercussions,” said Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, referring to WHO’s director-general.
WHO spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah said that since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, “WHO officials have had and continue to have, frank and open discussions with government counterparts … We are proud of an organizational culture that fosters candid discussion with the aim of reaching life-saving solutions.”
One of the scientists in the meetings, emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan, also laid out the WHO’s approach in answer to a media question on March 11 on whether the agency was willing to say which countries weren’t doing enough.
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“The answer to that question is, you know who you are,” Ryan said. “The WHO doesn’t interact in public debate or criticize our member states in public. What we try to do is work with our member states constructively.”
It’s not unprecedented, however, for WHO to publicly question its member states. It threatened to close its China office when the country was hiding cases during the SARS outbreak, loudly called for Nigeria to reverse its boycott of the polio vaccine in 2003, and accused Tanzania of not sharing enough information about an Ebola epidemic last year.
The review of WHO’s role in the pandemic comes at a critical time because the agency is now tasked with helping to buy and distribute coronavirus vaccines around the world once any prove effective, especially to poorer nations. Some countries, including the U.S. and Russia, have refused to join the effort, but on Sunday, WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said she hoped Biden’s election would “open the door” to U.S. inclusion.
WHO’s reticence to call out countries started with China, as the AP earlier reported. Despite a January meeting between Tedros and Chinese President Xi Jinping, information on the outbreak was still sparse throughout February. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, noted that the agency lacked “enough detail to say what has worked and what hasn’t.”
Yet at a media briefing shortly afterward, Tedros said, “China is doing many good things that are slowing the virus and the facts speak for themselves.”
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Also in February, WHO scientists were concerned about Japan. On Feb. 1, a passenger who disembarked the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Hong Kong tested positive for the coronavirus. At the ship’s next stop in Yokohama, 10 more cases were found and authorities put all 3,711 people on board under lockdown.
Ryan told reporters at the time: “Let’s be careful here not to overreact.” But on Feb. 10, the case count nearly doubled overnight.
“(That’s) not surprising given the nature of the response of the investigation,” Ryan said at an internal meeting, saying only a small number of epidemiologists had been assigned to the outbreak. “If you double the number of cases in a ship in a day, something is not right.”
Dr. Thomas Grein, WHO’s chief of acute events management team, reported to his colleagues that WHO had discussed the outbreak with their Japanese counterparts but failed to glean much useful information.
“It’s a very, very sensitive issue and we need to tread carefully,” he warned.
Although WHO was keenly aware the situation was deteriorating, scientists said the outbreak could help in understanding COVID-19 transmission patterns.
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“(It’s) unfortunate, but a useful opportunity to study the natural history of the virus,” Ryan said.
Several days later, Japanese outbreak specialist Dr. Kentaro Iwata went aboard the Diamond Princess and called the response “completely chaotic.” Soon afterward, WHO announced more than half of the world’s known COVID-19 cases outside China were aboard the Diamond Princess.
“It was very obvious on that cruise ship that things were going badly wrong and WHO should have said something,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights at Georgetown University. “When what countries are doing is flat-out wrong, we need WHO to say so.”
While WHO wasn’t specific, Tedros said on Feb. 26: “One of the biggest challenges we face is that too many affected countries are still not sharing data with WHO.”
Throughout February and March, COVID-19 triggered outbreaks in South Korea, Singapore, Iran, and elsewhere. The virus also gained a foothold in Italy, turning Europe into the epicenter of the pandemic.
At WHO, officials worried in internal meetings about the lack of information from European member states. Grein said WHO’s efforts to get more detail about the spiraling outbreaks had “spectacularly failed.”
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Yet on March 8, Tedros tweeted that “the government & the people of Italy are taking bold, courageous steps aimed at slowing the spread of the #coronavirus & protecting their country & world.” Three days later, Tedros declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, saying the announcement was made partly due to “alarming levels of inaction” by countries, which he didn’t name.
Georgetown University’s Gostin said WHO should be obligated to publicly report when countries aren’t sharing enough data.
“If a country is not providing vital epidemiological or biological information, then WHO and the world are flying blind in an outbreak and we can’t have that,” he said.
WHO also complained in private about Western countries hoarding scarce pandemic supplies.
“We had the terrible situation yesterday with (protective personal equipment) where all the supplies were requisitioned in France and we lost access,” Ryan told his colleagues. He said WHO needed to pressure countries and companies to avoid similar situations.
As countries across Europe moved to adopt social distancing measures and cancel mass gatherings in early March, Ryan noticed one country didn’t: Britain.
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“There isn’t a single sports event in Europe and yet all of the Premier League matches in the U.K. are to go ahead as normal,” he said. Ryan described Britain’s pandemic strategy as “problematic” after hearing the U.K.’s chief scientific officer publicly say the country was aiming for herd immunity.
“For that to happen, hundreds of thousands and millions of older people are going to become infected and there is just going to be so much death,” Ryan said. Still, he said, the different approaches to tackling COVID-19 globally could prove to be “a massive ecological study” that would allow WHO to document what worked best.
“It’s macabre in some ways, but it’s reality,” he said.
Going forward, WHO’s role in the continued unfolding of the pandemic will depend in part on the panel review. Harman, the expert from Queen Mary University, sympathized that WHO had enormous responsibility in the early months of COVID-19 but said even greater challenges loom now.
“This is not an experiment for WHO to learn lessons for the future, the stakes are too high for that,” she said. “With the next wave of the pandemic, I think the time for quiet diplomacy has passed.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--CDC Says Face Masks Protect You From COVID-19, Not Just Others

The coronavirus predominantly spreads person to person through larger respiratory droplets .
An infected individual usually expels the virus by coughing , sneezing , speaking or breathing .
Up until now , the CDC ’ s language around face coverings has focused on how they help reduce community spread of COVID-19 rather than how a mask protects the person donning it .
So that ’ s the biggest takeaway in terms of your personal health .
But there ’ s more you should know about what this report means for you and for the bigger picture on the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Face masks reduce the transmission of infected droplets by a significant percentage .
As noted , the virus mostly spreads through larger respiratory droplets .
There ’ s also strong evidence to suggest the virus can be airborne , meaning a person can contract COVID-19 through inhaling smaller infected particles that have been lingering in the air sometimes for hours .
Cloth masks not only effectively block most large droplets ... but they can also block the exhalation of fine droplets and particles ( also often referred to as aerosols ) ... which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and specific types of phonation .
Multi-layer cloth masks can both block up to 50-70 % of these fine droplets and particles and limit the forward spread of those that are not captured .
This report corroborated other studies on the perks of using face masks .
The report detailed some previous research conducted on face coverings .
In one highlighted study from China , researchers found that mask use reduced secondary transmission from an infected person to others within their household by 79 % .
Another study in May found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t pass the virus to any salon clients because they were all wearing masks .
All of this only matters if more people wear masks and wear them properly .
How you wear your mask matters .
Make sure that you choose a covering that will fit over your mouth and your nose ( just blocking your mouth won ’ t cut it ) .
Research shows that some of the best types of cloth masks are made of heavier materials like denim and canvas and include proper filters .
Make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store it safely .
And finally , the best approach to all of this is synergistic .
The CDC report noted that “ individual benefit increases with increasing community mask use.
” In other words , your mask is more effective if the people you ’ re near are wearing them , too .
That ’ s because your mask will have fewer particles to block .
So if for some reason you ’ re hesitant to wear a mask for the people around you , then at the very least do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in conjunction with other COVID-19 safety measures .
That includes hand washing , physical distancing and making sure your home has adequate air filtration .

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new scientific brief on face masks this week, further underscoring the benefits of wearing them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One major perk the CDC is now highlighting is that using a face mask doesn’t just protect others from the coronavirus ― it also protects you.
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The coronavirus predominantly spreads person to person through larger respiratory droplets. An infected individual usually expels the virus by coughing, sneezing, speaking or breathing. Up until now, the CDC’s language around face coverings has focused on how they help reduce community spread of COVID-19 rather than how a mask protects the person donning it.
The new CDC report departs from that line, stating directly that masks “help reduce inhalation of these droplets by the wearer.”
So that’s the biggest takeaway in terms of your personal health. But there’s more you should know about what this report means for you and for the bigger picture on the pandemic. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Face masks reduce the transmission of infected droplets by a significant percentage.
As noted, the virus mostly spreads through larger respiratory droplets. There’s also strong evidence to suggest the virus can be airborne, meaning a person can contract COVID-19 through inhaling smaller infected particles that have been lingering in the air sometimes for hours.
Advertisement
This is where face masks can make a difference ― and in no small way. The CDC report states:
Cloth masks not only effectively block most large droplets ... but they can also block the exhalation of fine droplets and particles (also often referred to as aerosols) ... which increase in number with the volume of speech and specific types of phonation. Multi-layer cloth masks can both block up to 50-70% of these fine droplets and particles and limit the forward spread of those that are not captured.
And this doesn’t just go for someone who is clearly sick ― this applies to asymptomatic spread, too.
This report corroborated other studies on the perks of using face masks.
The new CDC endorsement finally aligns completely with what data has shown for a long time: Face masks work for everyone.
The report detailed some previous research conducted on face coverings. In one highlighted study from China, researchers found that mask use reduced secondary transmission from an infected person to others within their household by 79%. Another study in May found that two hairstylists who unknowingly had COVID-19 didn’t pass the virus to any salon clients because they were all wearing masks.
Mensent Photography via Getty Images A new CDC report highlights the economic and personal benefits of wearing face masks.
There’s a huge economic advantage to wearing face masks.
The new report also points to the monetary benefits of wearing face masks (cc: every pandemic-denier on Facebook who claims they’re concerned about the economy).
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The CDC wrote that “adopting universal masking policies can help avert future lockdowns” and that even increasing mask-wearing by only 15% could help avoid economic losses of up to $1 trillion.
All of this only matters if more people wear masks and wear them properly.
How you wear your mask matters. Make sure that you choose a covering that will fit over your mouth and your nose (just blocking your mouth won’t cut it). Research shows that some of the best types of cloth masks are made of heavier materials like denim and canvas and include proper filters. Make sure you wash your cloth mask frequently and store it safely.
And finally, the best approach to all of this is synergistic. The CDC report noted that “individual benefit increases with increasing community mask use.” In other words, your mask is more effective if the people you’re near are wearing them, too. That’s because your mask will have fewer particles to block.
So if for some reason you’re hesitant to wear a mask for the people around you, then at the very least do it for your own sake. And do it in conjunction with other COVID-19 safety measures. That includes hand washing, physical distancing and making sure your home has adequate air filtration.
Experts are still learning about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication, but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Texas Becomes First State To Top 1,000,000 COVID-19 Cases

Texas hit a grim new milestone this week as its number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 1 million .
According to data from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center , Texas has reported 1,010,364 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday , with 19,337 deaths due to the virus .
The state , which has grappled with a surge of hospitalizations in El Paso this week , also saw 12,337 new cases and 114 deaths within a 24-hour period .
Texas ’ numbers are closely trailed by California ’ s , which has 989,432 confirmed cases , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Following closely behind the figures for the Lone Star State are those for the countries of Italy , Mexico and Peru , where cases have surpassed 900,000 for each .
The statistics for Texas also place it just behind Colombia , which has 1,155,356 cases , and the U.K. , which has 1,237,226 cases .
Texas has a population of about 29 million , and each of these nations has more people than that , most of them substantially more .
Dr. David Callender , president of the Houston area ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Houston Chronicle that the numbers for Texas were “ a sobering statistic ” that had been exacerbated by politics .
“ To me , politics entered in an inappropriate way , ” Callender said .
“ People making a political statement with their behavior — that the pandemic is a hoax , that no one can make them wear a mask — really interfered with efforts .
It was the wrong mindset.
” Former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke ( D-Texas ) , an El Paso resident , slammed Abbott ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming that the governor had demonstrated “ one of the most craven , callous failures of leadership ” that he ’ d ever witnessed .

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Texas hit a grim new milestone this week as its number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 1 million.
According to data from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center, Texas has reported 1,010,364 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, with 19,337 deaths due to the virus. The state, which has grappled with a surge of hospitalizations in El Paso this week, also saw 12,337 new cases and 114 deaths within a 24-hour period.
Texas’ numbers are closely trailed by California’s, which has 989,432 confirmed cases, as well as Florida’s, with 852,174 cases.
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Following closely behind the figures for the Lone Star State are those for the countries of Italy, Mexico and Peru, where cases have surpassed 900,000 for each. The statistics for Texas also place it just behind Colombia, which has 1,155,356 cases, and the U.K., which has 1,237,226 cases.
Texas has a population of about 29 million, and each of these nations has more people than that, most of them substantially more.
Dr. David Callender, president of the Houston area’s Memorial Hermann Health System, told The Houston Chronicle that the numbers for Texas were “a sobering statistic” that had been exacerbated by politics.
“To me, politics entered in an inappropriate way,” Callender said. “People making a political statement with their behavior — that the pandemic is a hoax, that no one can make them wear a mask — really interfered with efforts. It was the wrong mindset.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--‘Karen Was Upset’: Trump Suit Cites Mostly Trivial Complaints By GOP Poll-Watchers

The day after the election , Trump supporters gathered at TCF Center in Detroit to chant “ Stop the count ” and bang on windows as election workers went about their jobs .
There was even a bomb threat against the facility .
Because all the ballots weren ’ t yet counted , Republicans falsely believed that Trump had won Michigan .
( Biden now leads in the state by an enormous margin : more than 146,000 votes . )
One such complainant was Jacqueline Zaplitny , a Trump supporter who has posted multiple COVID-19 conspiracy theories on her Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was certified as a ballot box inspector and poll challenger , Zaplitny complained that a supervisor motioned for her to stand back when she tried to register a complaint and that she was “ able to observe closely for only a couple of minutes.
” Another affidavit , from John M. Downing , a New Jersey attorney who was working as a volunteer with Lawyers for Trump , laid out how a Republican poll challenger named Karen had parked in the wrong location .
She called Downing several times , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let her into the building , and they eventually summoned the security manager of the TCF Center , who arrived on a Segway .
“ Karen was upset , ” Downing wrote .
“ They were all on the roof top parking deck ( where they parked because there was free parking ) of the Convention Center , and were not being allowed into the building.
” Downing complained that a security guard never tried to redirect the poll challengers to where they were actually supposed to park , so they never did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time they got to the convention center doors , their fellow Republicans had created a massive disturbance outside , blocking their way .
One woman complained about a “ tactic of fake befriending , ” and said some people would “ ask lots of questions to Republican challengers to either gather info or distract you while trying to observe.
” The observer , Kristy Klamer , also complained that a Democratic challenger had asked her a reasonable question : “ Why did you come here ?
” When Klamer said they needed more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote that the Democratic challenger said , “ I ’ m sure there is fraud everywhere I think I ’ ll go to your town next time.
” The Trump campaign lawsuit , filed by a St. Louis-based lawyer who previously litigated for the George W. Bush campaign and defended Virginia ’ s voter ID law , complains that “ unlimited members of the media ” were allowed inside to observe ballot-counting while Republican challengers were not .
It seeks a court order to bar Michigan from certifying its election results until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all ballots that were tabulated and included in the final reported election results were cast in compliance with the provisions of the Michigan Election Code.
” But overall , what the Trump campaign offered up is a mishmash of complaints from a number of poorly trained poll watchers who didn ’ t seem to know what they were doing or what they were looking for .
One GOP poll challenger who signed an affidavit notably said they were given 20 minutes of training .
Yet many of them seem convinced there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about to break wide open , if they could just get a few feet closer .
He also said an election supervisor made him “ uncomfortable ” by remarking that Gaicobazzi was “ playing with ” him , and Gaicobazzi claimed the supervisor either said he would “ kick my ass or kick me out.
” He also complained that , based on his “ casual , friendly conversation ” with other poll watchers that “ EVERY single one of the lawyers/law students ” he spoke with were “ ideologically far-left , supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crime skyrocketing around the country.
” “ I put my foot in the doorway , which kept it from closing , ” wrote James P. Frego , a Michigan bankruptcy attorney .
“ The officer asked me to remove it.
” But Fego didn ’ t .
Eventually , he was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace .
“ At no time did I swear at the officer , and up to this point had never been arrested in my life ( I am 57 years old ) , ” wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican who ran against Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D ) as a congressional candidate for the U.S. Taxpayers Party , wrote that she heard one man “ say racist remarks about black people who support Donald Trump ” and that she believed the remarks were directed at her .
Bomer also claimed that she witnessed elections workers roll their eyes when they opened ballots with Trump votes .
Without citing any evidence , Bomer speculated that “ some of these ballots may not have been properly counted.
” Another woman , Amanda Posch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for GOP challengers on the Facebook page of the Michigan Conservative Coalition , which has since posted conspiracy theories about voting and promoted the # StopTheSteal movement .
She said that when Republicans began pounding on the glass outside the room , a worker remarked how they were “ acting like kindergarteners ” and how they hoped the police would “ come and shoot them , like you do to us .
”

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Late Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s campaign announced a lawsuit focused on “irregularities, incompetence, and unlawful vote counting” in Detroit, a city that helped President-elect Joe Biden win Michigan and the presidency.
But HuffPost’s review of 234 pages of affidavits released by the Trump campaign — which White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was waving around on Fox News Monday night — found only a mix of routine election issues, complaints about lines of sight and social distancing measures, and an environment supposedly hostile to white Republican poll watchers who seemed ready to treat any and all actions by election workers as nefarious criminal activity.
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The day after the election, Trump supporters gathered at TCF Center in Detroit to chant “Stop the count” and bang on windows as election workers went about their jobs. There was even a bomb threat against the facility. Because all the ballots weren’t yet counted, Republicans falsely believed that Trump had won Michigan. (Biden now leads in the state by an enormous margin: more than 146,000 votes.)
The mostly white Republican suburbanites who went to watch ballots being counted in Detroit — because the Trump campaign had suggested that elections officials in the majority-Black city were engaged in a massive criminal conspiracy to steal the election — didn’t find any direct evidence of mass voter fraud.
But they did find a lot of “suspicious” people who weren’t as welcoming as they thought they should have been. A common complaint in the affidavits was that some people in the room were wearing “Black Lives Matter” masks and shirts.
Jacqueline Zaplitny, a Republican election challenger, watches as election inspectors count votes into the early morning hours of Nov. 4, 2020, at the central counting board in Detroit. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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One such complainant was Jacqueline Zaplitny, a Trump supporter who has posted multiple COVID-19 conspiracy theories on her Facebook page. In an affidavit stating she was certified as a ballot box inspector and poll challenger, Zaplitny complained that a supervisor motioned for her to stand back when she tried to register a complaint and that she was “able to observe closely for only a couple of minutes.”
An Associated Press photographer snapped a photo of Zaplitny lingering over elections workers, a loose face mask hanging below her nose. The Republican later posted the photo on her Facebook page, which also features a painting of Jesus Christ with his arms resting on Trump’s shoulders, numerous debunked right-wing memes, and a lengthy post about the rapture, the Antichrist and microchips.
Zaplitny says she was asked to leave the area, which she found suspicious. Another thing she found suspicious: a “man of intimidating size with a BLM shirt on.”
Another affidavit, from John M. Downing, a New Jersey attorney who was working as a volunteer with Lawyers for Trump, laid out how a Republican poll challenger named Karen had parked in the wrong location. She called Downing several times, he said, because a security guard wouldn’t let her into the building, and they eventually summoned the security manager of the TCF Center, who arrived on a Segway.
“Karen was upset,” Downing wrote. “They were all on the roof top parking deck (where they parked because there was free parking) of the Convention Center, and were not being allowed into the building.” Downing complained that a security guard never tried to redirect the poll challengers to where they were actually supposed to park, so they never did find the right garage. By the time they got to the convention center doors, their fellow Republicans had created a massive disturbance outside, blocking their way.
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Many of the complaints centered on how election workers weren’t very nice to Republicans. One said they were told they were part of a Trump “cult.” One said they were called “a bigot and a c*nt.” Another said she was called “Karen.”
“I was told ‘go back to the suburbs Karen’ and other harassing statements,” Jennifer Lindsey Cooper wrote. “The Democrat challengers would say things like ‘Do you feel safe with this [woman] near you’ and ‘is this Karen bothering you?’ I believe this was designed to intimidate me and obstruct me from observing and challenging.”
One woman complained about a “tactic of fake befriending,” and said some people would “ask lots of questions to Republican challengers to either gather info or distract you while trying to observe.” The observer, Kristy Klamer, also complained that a Democratic challenger had asked her a reasonable question: “Why did you come here?” When Klamer said they needed more Republicans at the location in Detroit, she wrote that the Democratic challenger said, “I’m sure there is fraud everywhere I think I’ll go to your town next time.”
The Trump campaign lawsuit, filed by a St. Louis-based lawyer who previously litigated for the George W. Bush campaign and defended Virginia’s voter ID law, complains that “unlimited members of the media” were allowed inside to observe ballot-counting while Republican challengers were not. It seeks a court order to bar Michigan from certifying its election results until officials have “verified and confirmed that all ballots that were tabulated and included in the final reported election results were cast in compliance with the provisions of the Michigan Election Code.”
“Many of the complaints centered on how election workers weren’t very nice to Republicans. One said they were told they were part of a Trump “cult.””
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There are a few actually disturbing accusations among the Trump campaign’s affidavits. One poll watcher, an American of Chinese descent who speaks Mandarin, said a young man asked why the poll-watcher was allowed to be there, wrongly believing the poll-watcher wasn’t American. The poll watcher wrote that the “ethnic intimidation and discrimination continued for five minutes.”
Another person said an election worker remarked that they should not be taking part in the process because English wasn’t their first language. Another said that because they were admittedly not respecting social distancing guidelines, an election worker shoved them.
But overall, what the Trump campaign offered up is a mishmash of complaints from a number of poorly trained poll watchers who didn’t seem to know what they were doing or what they were looking for. One GOP poll challenger who signed an affidavit notably said they were given 20 minutes of training. Yet many of them seem convinced there was a massive criminal scheme afoot that they were about to break wide open, if they could just get a few feet closer.
Take Braden Gaicobazzi, who says police eventually escorted him out of the facility. Gaicobazzi wrote that he showed up because he saw “an online note” from someone “within my GOP network of friends” about 35,000 ballots being received “in the middle of the night.”
Despite his admittedly minimal training, Gaicobazzi exuded enormous confidence about how he thought the ballot counting process should work. He said elections workers laughed at him and that he got the “Covid runaround” from elections workers who said he was trying to “kill or endanger their ballot counters with Covid.”
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He also said an election supervisor made him “uncomfortable” by remarking that Gaicobazzi was “playing with” him, and Gaicobazzi claimed the supervisor either said he would “kick my ass or kick me out.” He also complained that, based on his “casual, friendly conversation” with other poll watchers that “EVERY single one of the lawyers/law students” he spoke with were “ideologically far-left, supporting things like CHAZ/CHOP in Seattle and condoning the crime skyrocketing around the country.”
He also didn’t like that a woman who appeared to be doing temperature checks “had a BLM mask on.”
Police escort a poll challenger out after he refused to leave due to room capacity at the TCF Center in Detroit on Nov. 4, 2020. Rebecca Cook / Reuters
Gaicobazzi also thought it very suspicious that so many members of the military from the Detroit area would vote for Biden, who he estimated received 80% of the military ballots he saw.
“I had always been told that military personnel tended to be more conservative, so this stuck out to me as the day went on,” Gaicobazzi wrote.
Yet another Republican poll watcher, an actual lawyer, wrote and signed an affidavit laying out precisely how he interfered with a police officer performing their duties as an “agitated” crowd banged on the windows outside and created a civil disturbance.
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“I put my foot in the doorway, which kept it from closing,” wrote James P. Frego, a Michigan bankruptcy attorney. “The officer asked me to remove it.” But Fego didn’t. Eventually, he was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace. “At no time did I swear at the officer, and up to this point had never been arrested in my life (I am 57 years old),” wrote Frego.
Articia Bomer, a Black Republican who ran against Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) as a congressional candidate for the U.S. Taxpayers Party, wrote that she heard one man “say racist remarks about black people who support Donald Trump” and that she believed the remarks were directed at her. Bomer also claimed that she witnessed elections workers roll their eyes when they opened ballots with Trump votes. Without citing any evidence, Bomer speculated that “some of these ballots may not have been properly counted.”
Another woman, Amanda Posch, said she found out about the need for GOP challengers on the Facebook page of the Michigan Conservative Coalition, which has since posted conspiracy theories about voting and promoted the #StopTheSteal movement. She said that when Republicans began pounding on the glass outside the room, a worker remarked how they were “acting like kindergarteners” and how they hoped the police would “come and shoot them, like you do to us.”
GOP poll challengers react after being asked to leave due to room capacity at the TCF Center in Detroit on Nov. 4, 2020. Rebecca Cook / Reuters
Despite assertions by Trump and many of his supporters to the contrary, there’s simply no evidence of mass voter fraud. The New York Times contacted officials in every state in the country, and none of them said there were any major issues in the 2020 election.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--‘A Loss Is A Loss’: Democratic Senators Frustrated After Party Falls Short

The party had hopes of winning a dozen Republican-held seats on Election Day after spending hundreds of millions of dollars of both grassroots and big-donor money to put the GOP on defense .
Instead , Republicans have swept most of the competitive races , and Democrats have only netted a single seat after losing incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in Alabama and ousting Republicans in Colorado and Arizona .
Senators interviewed for this story said the party needs to reexamine its message , polling methods and how it spends the tens of millions of dollars it collects from donors every election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party ’ s operations , including reorienting the party to focus more on long-term goals instead of supporting individual candidates .
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz , who worked with Murphy to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democratic Senate candidates from online donors , said the party owes “ the majority of voters across America who are desperate for a Democratic Senate our very best , most disciplined , and most effective effort.
” “ If you lose a football game , you never say everything went perfectly , even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was close , ” Schatz said .
“ A loss is a loss .
Every Democratic organization , including the DSCC [ Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ] , should be looking at what strategies , processes , candidates , consultants and messages were most effective.
” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , whose tight control of the DSCC is legendary among operatives , was unanimously reelected to another two years in his job on Tuesday .
Schumer is known to put in a full day on senatorial work , then work late into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices near the Capitol .
“ We are happy .
We have won the most important election that we ’ ve faced , ” he told reporters .
“ When it comes to the Senate , it ’ s not over at all .
Georgia is close .
We are working very hard to win Georgia and we believe we have a very good chance of winning.
” Senators did not vote for a new chair of the DSCC , though two Democratic sources said Ben Ray Luján , a newly elected senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of House Democrats ’ campaign arm , was seen as a front-runner for the job .
Other Democratic Senate staffers said there was some desire among some senators for a more experienced member of the caucus to take the job .
“ There are always lessons we can apply to future elections , which is how we flipped two seats in Colorado and Arizona , forced Republicans on defense everywhere and are still in a position to win the majority with the Georgia runoffs , ” Passalacqua said .
The Senate map ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes it more difficult for Democrats to win control of the chamber , and only two GOP incumbents up for reelection were in states Hillary Clinton won in 2016 .
But senators were particularly upset by losses in Iowa and Maine , where candidates they saw as strong contenders ended up losing by significant margins .
“ There ’ s just become such a convergence between how presidential candidates do and how Senate candidates do .
It doesn ’ t mean you can ’ t buck the trend , but it means there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the top when your presidential candidate is losing , ” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen , who chaired the DSCC during the 2018 election cycle .
“ I really think it ’ s important not to jump to conclusions in races like this.
” “ I think the truth is that even though none of our candidates were supporting defunding the police or socialism , or so on , you still got tagged by it , ” Stabenow said .
“ So the question becomes addressing how do you rise above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and didn ’ t believe it when they attacked him because people knew him and he had a track record .
When you have a new candidate running who people don ’ t know , it ’ s easier to make something like that stick.
” Montana Sen. Jon Tester , who watched Gov .
Steve Bullock lose by 10 percentage points in what was supposed to be a close race , was focused on fixing the party ’ s internal polls .
Tester , who chaired the DSCC in 2016 , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years ago and were even worse this cycle .
“ We need to get some answers on what ’ s going on the last few cycles with polling , ” said Tester .
“ I got on the phone with many a donor and told them Montana was tied or within the margin , and you need to send money .
And it wasn ’ t .
That ’ s false advertising .
That means we ’ re putting funds in places that aren ’ t working .
”

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Democratic senators are pushing for significant changes to how the party runs campaigns after its efforts to make major gains in Congress’ upper chamber faltered for the third cycle in a row.
“We’d be fools not to engage in some amount of self-reflection,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
The party had hopes of winning a dozen Republican-held seats on Election Day after spending hundreds of millions of dollars of both grassroots and big-donor money to put the GOP on defense. Instead, Republicans have swept most of the competitive races, and Democrats have only netted a single seat after losing incumbent Sen. Doug Jones in Alabama and ousting Republicans in Colorado and Arizona.
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The party still has a chance at claiming a narrow majority if it’s able to sweep two runoff elections in Georgia set for early January.
Senators interviewed for this story said the party needs to reexamine its message, polling methods and how it spends the tens of millions of dollars it collects from donors every election cycle. Some suggested significant overhauls to the party’s operations, including reorienting the party to focus more on long-term goals instead of supporting individual candidates.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is focused on the possibility that Democrats could win both Georgia runoff races in January and gain a slim majority in the Senate. Caroline Brehman via Getty Images
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who worked with Murphy to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Democratic Senate candidates from online donors, said the party owes “the majority of voters across America who are desperate for a Democratic Senate our very best, most disciplined, and most effective effort.”
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“If you lose a football game, you never say everything went perfectly, even if you did some things well and it was close,” Schatz said. “A loss is a loss. Every Democratic organization, including the DSCC [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee], should be looking at what strategies, processes, candidates, consultants and messages were most effective.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose tight control of the DSCC is legendary among operatives, was unanimously reelected to another two years in his job on Tuesday. Schumer is known to put in a full day on senatorial work, then work late into the night at the committee’s offices near the Capitol.
During his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Schumer was focused on the possibility that victories in both Georgia runoff elections could bring Democrats to 50 seats, and to the barest of majorities.
“We are happy. We have won the most important election that we’ve faced,” he told reporters. “When it comes to the Senate, it’s not over at all. Georgia is close. We are working very hard to win Georgia and we believe we have a very good chance of winning.”
Senators did not vote for a new chair of the DSCC, though two Democratic sources said Ben Ray Luján, a newly elected senator from New Mexico and a former chair of House Democrats’ campaign arm, was seen as a front-runner for the job. Other Democratic Senate staffers said there was some desire among some senators for a more experienced member of the caucus to take the job.
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“I got on the phone with many a donor and told them Montana was tied or within the margin. .... And it wasn’t.” - Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.)
In a statement, DSCC spokeswoman Lauren Passalacqua said the committee was constantly examining its own work.
“There are always lessons we can apply to future elections, which is how we flipped two seats in Colorado and Arizona, forced Republicans on defense everywhere and are still in a position to win the majority with the Georgia runoffs,” Passalacqua said.
The Senate map’s bias toward rural voters and states makes it more difficult for Democrats to win control of the chamber, and only two GOP incumbents up for reelection were in states Hillary Clinton won in 2016. But senators were particularly upset by losses in Iowa and Maine, where candidates they saw as strong contenders ended up losing by significant margins.
“There’s just become such a convergence between how presidential candidates do and how Senate candidates do. It doesn’t mean you can’t buck the trend, but it means there has to be something that pulls you over the top when your presidential candidate is losing,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who chaired the DSCC during the 2018 election cycle. “I really think it’s important not to jump to conclusions in races like this.”
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Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a member of Schumer’s leadership team, said she thought Republicans were able to effectively label lesser-known first-time candidates as more leftist than they were.
“I think the truth is that even though none of our candidates were supporting defunding the police or socialism, or so on, you still got tagged by it,” Stabenow said. “So the question becomes addressing how do you rise above that. People knew President-elect Biden enough and didn’t believe it when they attacked him because people knew him and he had a track record. When you have a new candidate running who people don’t know, it’s easier to make something like that stick.”
Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who watched Gov. Steve Bullock lose by 10 percentage points in what was supposed to be a close race, was focused on fixing the party’s internal polls. Tester, who chaired the DSCC in 2016, said the party’s surveys were off four years ago and were even worse this cycle.
“We need to get some answers on what’s going on the last few cycles with polling,” said Tester. “I got on the phone with many a donor and told them Montana was tied or within the margin, and you need to send money. And it wasn’t. That’s false advertising. That means we’re putting funds in places that aren’t working.”
Murphy said he was hoping to refocus small-dollar donor energy and cash toward “building permanent political infrastructures in every state rather than just channeling it toward the flavor-of-the-week candidate.”
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“Why does Nevada move into the Democratic column more quickly than other Southwestern states?” Murphy asked rhetorically. “It’s because Harry Reid built the permanent political organization. Why does Georgia look different than Florida and North Carolina? Because of Stacey Abrams.”
Igor Bobic and Amanda Terkel contributed reporting


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Jenna Bush Hager Posts Sweet Photos Of Giving The Obama Girls A White House Tour

Bush Hager , alongside her twin sister Barbara and mother , Laura Bush , showed the girls around the White House shortly after Barack Obama won the 2008 election .
“ Twelve years ago ( !
!
! )
today—I drove from my job teaching in Baltimore to meet my mom and sister in DC to show the next residents of this house their new home , ” the author and co-host of “ Today with Hoda & Jenna ” wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday , alongside three sweet photos .
“ Barbara and I taught the girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the secrets of the White House we loved as little girls—the best hiding spots , the movie theatre , and bowling alley , ” she said .
“ We showed them our rooms that would soon be theirs .
Twelve years !
” Bush Hager said , adding , “ PS I love my ‘ teacher outfit ’ it makes me nostalgic for that time.
” Bush Hager has spoken about giving the Obama family a White House tour before , but the story seemed especially poignant this week , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite losing the popular vote and failing to secure the electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency , President Donald Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Joe Biden , and continues to make dangerous , baseless accusations of voter fraud .
Biden secured the necessary electoral votes on Saturday .
Trump ― and his staff ― have refused to promise a peaceful transition of power and have yet to invite Biden and his family to the White House .
Malia and Sasha Obama pass former President Bill Clinton , then-Sen. Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown to their seats at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama on Jan. 20 , 2009 .
Bush Hager ’ s post ― and the reaction to it ― came days after she spoke about the letter that her grandfather , the late President George H.W .
Bush , left for his successor , President Bill Clinton , on the latter ’ s Inauguration Day .
“ You will be our president when you read this note .
I wish you well .
I wish your family well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success now is our country ’ s success .
I am rooting hard for you.
” The letter is “ about a love and a respect for our country , ” Bush Hager said on Monday ’ s episode of “ Today.
” She added that her grandfather “ had that so much that he created this beautiful tradition that I hope will continue .
”

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Jenna Bush Hager remembered a heartwarming moment her family shared with Malia and Sasha Obama 12 years ago.
Bush Hager, alongside her twin sister Barbara and mother, Laura Bush, showed the girls around the White House shortly after Barack Obama won the 2008 election.
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“Twelve years ago (!!!) today—I drove from my job teaching in Baltimore to meet my mom and sister in DC to show the next residents of this house their new home,” the author and co-host of “Today with Hoda & Jenna” wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday, alongside three sweet photos.
Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram
“Barbara and I taught the girls how to slide down the banister and all the secrets of the White House we loved as little girls—the best hiding spots, the movie theatre, and bowling alley,” she said.
“We showed them our rooms that would soon be theirs. Twelve years!” Bush Hager said, adding, “PS I love my ‘teacher outfit’ it makes me nostalgic for that time.”
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Bush Hager has spoken about giving the Obama family a White House tour before, but the story seemed especially poignant this week, given the country’s fraught political situation.
Despite losing the popular vote and failing to secure the electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency, President Donald Trump has yet to concede to President-elect Joe Biden, and continues to make dangerous, baseless accusations of voter fraud. Biden secured the necessary electoral votes on Saturday.
Trump ― and his staff ― have refused to promise a peaceful transition of power and have yet to invite Biden and his family to the White House.
Malia and Sasha Obama pass former President Bill Clinton, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Jenna Bush as they are shown to their seats at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Barack Obama on Jan. 20, 2009. Rick Wilking / Reuters
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Bush Hager’s post ― and the reaction to it ― came days after she spoke about the letter that her grandfather, the late President George H.W. Bush, left for his successor, President Bill Clinton, on the latter’s Inauguration Day.
In the poignant letter, Bush wrote that he wished Clinton “great happiness” and offered advice.
“You will be our president when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well,” the letter said. “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-11--Trump-Supporting Pastor Breaks Ranks, Calls Biden President-Elect

“ When Joe Biden becomes president , we should commend him for the things he does right .
We should @ @ @ @ @ wrong .
And above all , we must pray fervently for our president .
“ @ @ @ @ @ we all succeed .
May God bless Joe Biden , and may God bless the @ @ @ @ @ ”

“When Joe Biden becomes president, we should commend him for the things he does right. We should condemn the things he does wrong. And above all, we must pray fervently for our president.
“If President Biden succeeds, we all succeed. May God bless Joe Biden, and may God bless the United States of America.”