thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-04--International Community Anxiously Awaits U.S. Election Results As Trump Spreads Lies

The international community is locked in a tense holding pattern as the world awaits the final outcome of a contested U.S. election with profound global consequences .
Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump is yet projected to have the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to win the presidency , but Trump is aggressively and falsely claiming that not only did he win , but that the election is being stolen from him .
In that vacuum , some leaders abroad have chosen to issue only vague statements .
“ We respect the values of democracy and the checks and balances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are very confident will produce a result , ” Dominic Raab , the foreign secretary of America ’ s closest ally , Britain , said in a Wednesday morning interview on the BBC .
But others are being blunter , expressing their anxiety about what looks to be a world power in decline and their preference for a more measured process .
Many of these statements sound akin to what U.S. officials routinely say about undemocratic developments in other countries .
“ Americans have voted in historic numbers in this election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Penny Wong , an Australian senator and the top foreign policy official for the country ’ s opposition Labour Party , tweeted .
“ The democratic process must be respected , even when it takes time.
” Mohammed Shtayyeh , the Palestinian prime minister , sounded a note diplomats often use to avoid the appearance of interference by calling the process “ purely an American affair ” ― then urging the U.S. to be “ in favour of international law and international legitimacy , ” according to Reuters .
“ Nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – should limit the people ’ s right to vote ...
Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies , notably by the incumbent president , including on election night , harm public trust in democratic institutions , ” Michael Georg Link , with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , said on Wednesday .
But even leaders who are intensely skeptical of America ’ s current electoral mess likely don ’ t want to overstep or damage relationships with the eventual winner .
British lawmakers from both of the country ’ s major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes .
And while many officials abroad , even large numbers of conservatives who view the Republican Party as practicing an extreme version of right-wing politics , were hoping for a Democratic win that might restore a more thoughtful U.S. foreign policy , they have been cautious about appearing partisan .
Even those who were willing to do so on Wednesday largely couched their concern in a desire to see America ’ s democratic nature affirmed .
“ Time to wait for the final results of # USAElections2020 , in full respect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcia Perez , the Spanish leader of the biggest left-wing coalition in the European Parliament .
“ Trump ’ s behaviour undermines US democracy .
Hoping that @ JoeBiden will bring new hope both to US citizens and to the whole world.
” To the extent that ’ s happened , it ’ s in minor and predictable ways .
Janez Janša , the right-wing prime minister of Slovenia , tweeted a congratulatory message to the GOP .
“ More delays and facts denying from # MSM , bigger the final triumph for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking the press as Trump often does .
“ What a spectacle !
One says this is the most fraudulent election in US history .
Who says that ?
The president who is currently in office .
His rival says Trump intends to rig the election !
This is how # USElections & US democracy are , ” Iran ’ s supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , tweeted .
Repressive regimes like those in Moscow and Tehran want to raise doubt about democracy in large part to protect their own authoritarian rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutally crushed protests at home , killing hundreds of his own citizens just months ago , and has helped Syrian dictator Bashar Assad massacre hundreds of thousands of people who challenged his rule as well as uninvolved civilians .
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also aided Assad .
There aren ’ t yet signs that , as some U.S. intelligence officials worried would happen , foreign powers are aggressively interfering with the process in a way that could create more chaos , helping Trump cling to power .
That may be in part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , U.S. officials told The Washington Post they had launched a cyber-attack against Iran in the weeks before the election .
“ This election was ( sadly ) not the repudiation of Trump and Trumpism that many of us hoped for .
Even if Biden wins in the end , this will be relevant when it comes to selecting the 2024 GOP candidate .
The age of populism isn ’ t over , ” former British Justice Secretary David Gauke tweeted .

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The international community is locked in a tense holding pattern as the world awaits the final outcome of a contested U.S. election with profound global consequences. Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump is yet projected to have the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to win the presidency, but Trump is aggressively and falsely claiming that not only did he win, but that the election is being stolen from him.
In that vacuum, some leaders abroad have chosen to issue only vague statements. “We respect the values of democracy and the checks and balances reflected in the US system, which we are very confident will produce a result,” Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary of America’s closest ally, Britain, said in a Wednesday morning interview on the BBC.
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But others are being blunter, expressing their anxiety about what looks to be a world power in decline and their preference for a more measured process. Many of these statements sound akin to what U.S. officials routinely say about undemocratic developments in other countries.
Trump is risking “a constitutional crisis” amid a “very explosive situation,” German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the ZDF news network on Wednesday, saying the election should not be treated as settled.
“Americans have voted in historic numbers in this election. They deserve to have their voices heard,” Penny Wong, an Australian senator and the top foreign policy official for the country’s opposition Labour Party, tweeted. “The democratic process must be respected, even when it takes time.”
Mohammed Shtayyeh, the Palestinian prime minister, sounded a note diplomats often use to avoid the appearance of interference by calling the process “purely an American affair” ― then urging the U.S. to be “in favour of international law and international legitimacy,” according to Reuters.
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“Nobody – no politician, no elected official – should limit the people’s right to vote... Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent president, including on election night, harm public trust in democratic institutions,” Michael Georg Link, with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said on Wednesday.
But even leaders who are intensely skeptical of America’s current electoral mess likely don’t want to overstep or damage relationships with the eventual winner. British lawmakers from both of the country’s major parties emphasized the importance of counting all votes.
And while many officials abroad, even large numbers of conservatives who view the Republican Party as practicing an extreme version of right-wing politics, were hoping for a Democratic win that might restore a more thoughtful U.S. foreign policy, they have been cautious about appearing partisan. Even those who were willing to do so on Wednesday largely couched their concern in a desire to see America’s democratic nature affirmed.
“Time to wait for the final results of #USAElections2020, in full respect of the electoral process,” tweeted Iratxe Garcia Perez, the Spanish leader of the biggest left-wing coalition in the European Parliament. “Trump’s behaviour undermines US democracy. Hoping that @JoeBiden will bring new hope both to US citizens and to the whole world.”
“In South Korea, the newspaper Hankyoreh published a cartoon showing Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden fighting amid the rubble of the Statue of Liberty.”
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For now, the most dangerous scenario for democratic integrity hasn’t come to pass: Trump’s false claim of victory is not being echoed and given legitimacy internationally.
To the extent that’s happened, it’s in minor and predictable ways. Janez Janša, the right-wing prime minister of Slovenia, tweeted a congratulatory message to the GOP. “More delays and facts denying from #MSM, bigger the final triumph for #POTUS,” he continued, attacking the press as Trump often does.
Janša had endorsed Trump before the election and is viewed as a second-tier leader, at best, among influential Europeans.
The editor-in-chief of RT, the Kremlin-funded media outlet formerly known as Russia Today, declared the election illegitimate on Twitter, promoting a yearslong Russian effort to undermine Americans’ faith in their system. Margarita Simonyan declared the process “neither free nor fair.”
“What a spectacle! One says this is the most fraudulent election in US history. Who says that? The president who is currently in office. His rival says Trump intends to rig the election! This is how #USElections & US democracy are,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tweeted.
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Repressive regimes like those in Moscow and Tehran want to raise doubt about democracy in large part to protect their own authoritarian rule, tactics and allies. Khamenei has brutally crushed protests at home, killing hundreds of his own citizens just months ago, and has helped Syrian dictator Bashar Assad massacre hundreds of thousands of people who challenged his rule as well as uninvolved civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also aided Assad.
There aren’t yet signs that, as some U.S. intelligence officials worried would happen, foreign powers are aggressively interfering with the process in a way that could create more chaos, helping Trump cling to power. That may be in part because of preemptive measures: On Tuesday, U.S. officials told The Washington Post they had launched a cyber-attack against Iran in the weeks before the election.
Still, lingering damage to the U.S.’s standing in the world is almost certainly guaranteed.
“This election was (sadly) not the repudiation of Trump and Trumpism that many of us hoped for. Even if Biden wins in the end, this will be relevant when it comes to selecting the 2024 GOP candidate. The age of populism isn’t over,” former British Justice Secretary David Gauke tweeted.
Guy Verhofstadt, a prominent Belgian member of the European Parliament, tweeted that “the chaos across the Atlantic” made him “more certain than ever that Europeans are stronger together in an uncertain world.”
And in South Korea, the newspaper Hankyoreh published a cartoon showing Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden fighting amid the rubble of the Statue of Liberty, the Los Angeles Times reported.
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The world can’t just ignore the country that retains greater global influence than any other, however. So for now, many people abroad are simply hoping for good news.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-04--Legendary Notre Dame Coach Muffet McGraw Serves As Poll Worker

When the nation needed her on Tuesday , this coach didn ’ t take a timeout .
Notre Dame basketball icon Muffet McGraw , who led the Fighting Irish women ’ s basketball team to two national championships and 848 victories over 33 seasons , served as a poll worker on Election Day .
Sports Illustrated ’ s Jessica Smetana retweeted a photo of the coach in action at a polling place in South Bend , Indiana .
Muffet McGraw appears to be working at the polls in South Bend today .
Pls note the green nail polish ( that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NCAA tourney ) https : //t.co/QMnlA9AA1J — Jessica Smetana ( @ jessica_smetana ) November 3 , 2020 “ Working the polls today and we are busy here ― wait time about an hour ― thank you for your patience as you stand in line , ” McGraw wrote in her own tweet on Tuesday .
Working the polls today and we are busy here - wait time about an hour - thank you for your patience as you stand in line - I esp love seeing first time voters like this guy 👇🏼 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) November 3 , 2020 McGraw ’ s civic-mindedness shouldn ’ t come as a surprise .
The Hall of Fame coach , who retired in April 2020 , was hailed last year by former President Barack Obama as “ a voice everybody should hear ” after McGraw famously called out sexism at the Final Four .

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When the nation needed her on Tuesday, this coach didn’t take a timeout.
Notre Dame basketball icon Muffet McGraw, who led the Fighting Irish women’s basketball team to two national championships and 848 victories over 33 seasons, served as a poll worker on Election Day.
Sports Illustrated’s Jessica Smetana retweeted a photo of the coach in action at a polling place in South Bend, Indiana.
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Muffet McGraw appears to be working at the polls in South Bend today. Pls note the green nail polish (that’s a NDWBB tradition during the NCAA tourney) https://t.co/QMnlA9AA1J — Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) November 3, 2020
“Working the polls today and we are busy here ― wait time about an hour ― thank you for your patience as you stand in line,” McGraw wrote in her own tweet on Tuesday.
Working the polls today and we are busy here - wait time about an hour - thank you for your patience as you stand in line - I esp love seeing first time voters like this guy 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/zne37qmKfz — Muffet McGraw (@MuffetMcGraw) November 3, 2020
McGraw’s civic-mindedness shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Hall of Fame coach, who retired in April 2020, was hailed last year by former President Barack Obama as “a voice everybody should hear” after McGraw famously called out sexism at the Final Four.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-04--'Witches' Movie Is Called Out For 'Scary' Depiction Of People with Limb Differences

Robert Zemeckis ’ s new adaptation of Roald Dahl ’ s 1983 children ’ s novel “ The Witches ” has been earning mixed reviews since its Oct. 22 premiere on HBO Max .
Among those who have limb differences , though , the movie has been widely panned .
Organizations like the U.K. ’ s Reach Charity and the Paralympic Games have taken the film to task for depicting Anne Hathaway ’ s Grand High Witch as having distinctly different hands from what Dahl described on the page .
In a statement provided to Deadline , a Warner Bros. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saddened to learn that our depiction of the fictional characters in ‘ The Witches ’ could upset people with disabilities ” and “ regretted any offense caused.
” Two-time British Paralympian Amy Marren was one of the earliest voices to speak out against “ The Witches , ” in which Hathaway ’ s character is revealed to have three fingers on each hand — a condition that ’ s similar in appearance to ectrodactyly , or “ split hand , ” which is typically identified by missing central digits on the hand or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marren noted that surgeons “ try to build hands like this for children/adults with certain limb differences , ” and criticizes the film for depicting it as being “ something scary.
” She also included a picture of the Grand High Witch from Dahl ’ s book that depicts her with five fingers .
( In the novel , the witches are said to have “ claws instead of fingernails.
” ) Marren ’ s criticisms were quickly echoed by other voices within the limb difference community , many adopting the hashtag # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We Are Not Monsters ” has also been created , pledging to boycott Zemeckis ’ s film .
Hey @ wbpictures , thanks for your attempt to convince audiences people with limb difference ( LD ) are evil , scary and the villain .
It 's not like children with LD have much against them already # notawitch pic.twitter.com/xGXFOo6vFQ — Becky Cant ( @ BeckyCant ) November 2 , 2020 We stand united with our ambassadors @ CatrinPugh and @ Red_Fringe – using scars and limb difference to portray a scary character in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lazy and damaging stereotyping .
The film industry can do better .
@ WarnerBrosUK we ’ d love to talk !
# NotAWitch pic.twitter.com/7VCG1Z1IMH — Changing Faces ( @ FaceEquality ) November 4 , 2020 Speaking to Deadline , a Warner Bros. spokesperson attempted to elaborate on why the controversial design choice was made .
“ In adapting the original story , we worked with designers and artists to come up with a new interpretation of the catlike claws that are described in the book .
It was never the intention for viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creatures were meant to represent them.
” Neither Hathaway nor Zemeckis has responded to the backlash as of yet .

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Robert Zemeckis’s new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1983 children’s novel “The Witches” has been earning mixed reviews since its Oct. 22 premiere on HBO Max.
Among those who have limb differences, though, the movie has been widely panned. Organizations like the U.K.’s Reach Charity and the Paralympic Games have taken the film to task for depicting Anne Hathaway’s Grand High Witch as having distinctly different hands from what Dahl described on the page.
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In a statement provided to Deadline, a Warner Bros. spokesperson stated that it was “deeply saddened to learn that our depiction of the fictional characters in ‘The Witches’ could upset people with disabilities” and “regretted any offense caused.”
Two-time British Paralympian Amy Marren was one of the earliest voices to speak out against “The Witches,” in which Hathaway’s character is revealed to have three fingers on each hand — a condition that’s similar in appearance to ectrodactyly, or “split hand,” which is typically identified by missing central digits on the hand or foot.
In her Twitter post, Marren noted that surgeons “try to build hands like this for children/adults with certain limb differences,” and criticizes the film for depicting it as being “something scary.” She also included a picture of the Grand High Witch from Dahl’s book that depicts her with five fingers. (In the novel, the witches are said to have “claws instead of fingernails.”)
@WarnerBrosUK was there much thought given as to how this representation of limb differences would effect the limb difference community?! @ReachCharity @RoaldFull pic.twitter.com/kiTEAuYt7i — Amy Marren (@amy_marren) November 2, 2020
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Marren’s criticisms were quickly echoed by other voices within the limb difference community, many adopting the hashtag #NotAWitch. A Change.org petition titled “We Are Not Monsters” has also been created, pledging to boycott Zemeckis’s film.
Limb difference is not scary. Differences should be celebrated and disability has to be normalised. #NotAWitch calls out ‘#TheWitches’ movie for portrayal of disability 👉 https://t.co/aSY1U6TymE pic.twitter.com/UCU87bUeV8 — Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) November 3, 2020
Hey @wbpictures , thanks for your attempt to convince audiences people with limb difference (LD) are evil, scary and the villain. It's not like children with LD have much against them already #notawitch pic.twitter.com/xGXFOo6vFQ — Becky Cant (@BeckyCant) November 2, 2020
Hey @warnerbros - missing fingers doesn’t make someone bad or equate evil. Lazy stereotyping on your part. It’s hard enough challenging assumptions and stereotypes about disability without major film companies perpetuating nonsense. PLEASE DO BETTER #NotAWitch #WarnerBros pic.twitter.com/0yAJNXtdWO — Dr Amanda Bates (@Red_Fringe) November 3, 2020
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We stand united with our ambassadors @CatrinPugh and @Red_Fringe – using scars and limb difference to portray a scary character in the latest adaptation of The Witches is lazy and damaging stereotyping. The film industry can do better. @WarnerBrosUK we’d love to talk! #NotAWitch pic.twitter.com/7VCG1Z1IMH — Changing Faces (@FaceEquality) November 4, 2020
Speaking to Deadline, a Warner Bros. spokesperson attempted to elaborate on why the controversial design choice was made. “In adapting the original story, we worked with designers and artists to come up with a new interpretation of the catlike claws that are described in the book. It was never the intention for viewers to feel that the fantastical, nonhuman creatures were meant to represent them.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Counties With Worst COVID-19 Surges Overwhelmingly Voted For Trump

U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic , with a surprising twist : In places where the virus is most rampant now , Trump enjoyed enormous support .
An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita , the overwhelming majority — 93 % of those counties — went for Trump , a rate above other less severely hit areas .
Most were rural areas in the Dakotas , Montana , Nebraska , Wisconsin and Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state health officials are pausing for a moment of introspection .
Even as they worry about rising numbers of hospitalizations and deaths , they hope to reframe their messages and aim for a reset on public sentiment now that the election is over .
“ Public health officials need to step back , listen to and understand the people who aren ’ t taking the same stance ” on mask-wearing and other control measures , said Dr. Marcus Plescia of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials .
“ I think there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get less charged and divisive , ” he said , adding that there ’ s a chance a retooled public health message might unify Americans around lowering case counts so hospitals won ’ t get swamped during the winter months .
The AP ’ s analysis was limited to counties in which at least 95 % of precincts had reported results , and grouped counties into six categories based on the rates of COVID-19 cases they ’ d experienced per 100,000 residents .
Thirty-six percent of Trump voters described the pandemic as completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 47 % said it was somewhat under control , according to AP VoteCast , a nationwide survey of more than 110,000 voters conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago .
Meanwhile , 82 % of Biden voters said the pandemic is not at all under control .
In Wisconsin , where the virus surged just before the election , 57 % said the pandemic was not under control .
In Washington state , where the virus is more in control now compared to earlier in the year , 55 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York and New Hampshire , where the virus is more controlled now after early surges , were roughly divided in their assessments , similar to voters nationwide .
Trump voters interviewed by AP reporters said they value individual freedom and believed the president was doing as well as anyone could in response to the coronavirus .
“ I feel like the most important issue facing the country as a whole is liberty at large , ” Lane said .
“ Infringing on people ’ s freedom , government overrule , government overreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently going on and just giving people back their rights.
” About half of Trump voters called the economy and jobs the top issue facing the nation , roughly twice the percentage who named the pandemic , according to VoteCast .
By contrast , a majority of Biden voters — about 6 in 10 — said the pandemic was the most important issue .
Trump ’ s failure to control the pandemic sealed his vote for Biden , Engstrom said , calling the coronavirus the most immediate threat the nation faces .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child , a girl , in January and fear “ the potential of one of us or both of us being sick when the baby is born , ” he said .
Engstrom called Trump ’ s response to the virus abysmal .
“ If there was any chance that I was going to vote for Trump , it was eliminated because of the pandemic , ” he said .
“ We really need to get our act together .
When I say ‘ we ’ I mean collectively , ” Sgaier said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if one of more of the vaccine candidates proves safe and effective and gains government approval , she said .
Dr. Anthony Fauci may be another unifying force .
According to VoteCast , 73 % of voters nationwide approve of the way Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has been handling the pandemic .

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U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a surprising twist: In places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support.
An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita, the overwhelming majority — 93% of those counties — went for Trump, a rate above other less severely hit areas. Most were rural areas in the Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Iowa.
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Taking note of the contrast, state health officials are pausing for a moment of introspection. Even as they worry about rising numbers of hospitalizations and deaths, they hope to reframe their messages and aim for a reset on public sentiment now that the election is over.
“Public health officials need to step back, listen to and understand the people who aren’t taking the same stance” on mask-wearing and other control measures, said Dr. Marcus Plescia of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
“I think there’s the potential for things to get less charged and divisive,” he said, adding that there’s a chance a retooled public health message might unify Americans around lowering case counts so hospitals won’t get swamped during the winter months.
The AP’s analysis was limited to counties in which at least 95% of precincts had reported results, and grouped counties into six categories based on the rates of COVID-19 cases they’d experienced per 100,000 residents.
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Polling, too, shows voters who split on Republican Trump vs. Democrat Joe Biden differed on whether the pandemic is under control.
Thirty-six percent of Trump voters described the pandemic as completely or mostly under control, and another 47% said it was somewhat under control, according to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 110,000 voters conducted for the AP by NORC at the University of Chicago. Meanwhile, 82% of Biden voters said the pandemic is not at all under control.
The pandemic was considered at least somewhat under control by slim majorities of voters in many red states, including Alabama (60%), Missouri ( 54%), Mississippi (58%), Kentucky (55%), Texas (55%), Tennessee (56%) and South Carolina (56%).
In Wisconsin, where the virus surged just before the election, 57% said the pandemic was not under control. In Washington state, where the virus is more in control now compared to earlier in the year, 55% said the same. Voters in New York and New Hampshire, where the virus is more controlled now after early surges, were roughly divided in their assessments, similar to voters nationwide.
Trump voters interviewed by AP reporters said they value individual freedom and believed the president was doing as well as anyone could in response to the coronavirus.
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Michaela Lane, a 25-year-old Republican, dropped her ballot off last week at a polling site at an outdoor mall in Phoenix. She cast her vote for Trump.
“I feel like the most important issue facing the country as a whole is liberty at large,” Lane said. “Infringing on people’s freedom, government overrule, government overreach, chaos in a lot of issues currently going on and just giving people back their rights.”
About half of Trump voters called the economy and jobs the top issue facing the nation, roughly twice the percentage who named the pandemic, according to VoteCast. By contrast, a majority of Biden voters — about 6 in 10 — said the pandemic was the most important issue.
In Madison, Wisconsin, Eric Engstrom, a 31-year-old investment analyst and his wife, Gwen, voted absentee by mail in early October.
Trump’s failure to control the pandemic sealed his vote for Biden, Engstrom said, calling the coronavirus the most immediate threat the nation faces. He and his wife are expecting their first child, a girl, in January and fear “the potential of one of us or both of us being sick when the baby is born,” he said.
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Engstrom called Trump’s response to the virus abysmal. “If there was any chance that I was going to vote for Trump, it was eliminated because of the pandemic,” he said.
The political temperature has added to the stress of public health officials, Plescia said. “Our biggest concern is how long can they sustain this pace?” he said.
Since the start of the pandemic, 74 state and local public health officials in 31 states have resigned, retired or been fired, according to an ongoing analysis by AP and Kaiser Health News.
As the election mood dissipates, rising hospitalizations amid colder weather create “a really pivotal moment” in the pandemic, said Sema Sgaier, executive director of the Surgo Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that worked with Harvard University health experts to develop a tool for estimating vaccine needs in states.
“We really need to get our act together. When I say ‘we’ I mean collectively,” Sgaier said. Finding common ground may become easier if one of more of the vaccine candidates proves safe and effective and gains government approval, she said.
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“The vaccine provides the reset button,” Sgaier said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci may be another unifying force. According to VoteCast, 73% of voters nationwide approve of the way Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been handling the pandemic.
Even among Trump voters, 53% approve of Fauci’s performance. About 9 in 10 Biden voters approve.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Black Friday 2020 Deals On Ancestry And 23andMe DNA Test Kits

This year ’ s Black Friday isn ’ t going to be like the ones we ’ ve had in the past — instead it ’ s all about “ Black November ” with lots of deals dropping throughout the month .
Our shopping editors are guessing that Black Friday 2020 will have deals galore and your best bet might be to shop sooner rather than later , before you start seeing the words “ out of stock ” everywhere .
On the lookout for early Black Friday deals ?
Sephora , Wayfair , Target and Walmart are just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already spotted sales ahead of Nov. 27 .
But those aren ’ t the only Black Friday deals you can shop early .
With the holiday season just around the corner , these DNA testing kits might be a welcome gift for the person who ’ s ever wondered where their family comes from .
If you ’ ve been wondering where your family comes from , now ’ s your chance to save on a DNA kit that ’ ll help you get a bit more background — without having to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Usually $ 199 , you can get the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service : Personal Genetic DNA Test for $ 100 at Amazon .
The 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service : Personal Genetic DNA Test is usually pretty pricey at almost $ 200 .
Since it ’ s currently half-off , it ’ s the right time to buy for those who were waiting to click “ checkout.
” Of course , this kit can tell you where in the world your DNA is from across more than 2,000 different regions .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sample of saliva to 23andMe ’ s lab .
Once it ’ s in , the company can give you details about your ancestry and details to help form your family tree .
It also offers features that makes it a little different than other DNA kits , including one that tells you about own health predispositions , like if you ’ re more likely to have certain conditions because of your genetics .
But that ’ s not the only Black Friday deal from the brand .
The 23andMe Ancestry + Traits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discounted , too .
Originally $ 99 , it ’ s now priced at $ 89 at Amazon and slightly more marked down on 23andMe ’ s own website for $ 79 .
What ’ s the difference between the two ?
The cheaper 23andMe Ancestry + Traits Service : Personal Genetic DNA Test has a “ DNA Relatives tool ” to find others who share your DNA and can give you details about how your DNA affects some traits .
For the Ancestry-branded DNA test kit , you just have to mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test out in a lab .
It takes about six to eight weeks to get back your results , which you can see online .
The AncestryDNA + Traits : Genetic Ethnicity + Traits Test is now marked down to $ 69 ( usually retails for $ 119 ) .
This DNA kit offers a chance to see how your genes influenced particular traits like having freckles and a feature that gives an “ ethnicity estimate ” of the regions you come from .
Get it now on sale for $ 69 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethnicity Test , which was $ 99 , dropped to $ 59 .
It ’ s a little more than what it was on Prime Day , when it was marked down to $ 49 .
This kit also has an “ ethnicity estimate ” — it doesn ’ t offer information about traits but it does help figure out your origins from different places around the planet .
Get it now on sale for $ 59 at Amazon .

This article was updated on Nov. 12. HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
HuffPost Here are the Black Friday DNA kit deals to know now.
This year’s Black Friday isn’t going to be like the ones we’ve had in the past — instead it’s all about “Black November” with lots of deals dropping throughout the month.
Advertisement
Our shopping editors are guessing that Black Friday 2020 will have deals galore and your best bet might be to shop sooner rather than later, before you start seeing the words “out of stock” everywhere.
On the lookout for early Black Friday deals? Sephora, Wayfair, Target and Walmart are just a few of the places where we have already spotted sales ahead of Nov. 27.
But those aren’t the only Black Friday deals you can shop early. With the holiday season just around the corner, these DNA testing kits might be a welcome gift for the person who’s ever wondered where their family comes from.
Keep reading for all the details.
23andMe DNA Test Kit Black Friday Deal:
Amazon Get the 23andMe DNA kit for $100 on Amazon this Prime Day.
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If you’ve been wondering where your family comes from, now’s your chance to save on a DNA kit that’ll help you get a bit more background — without having to take too much out from your wallet.
Usually $199, you can get the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test for $100 at Amazon. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test is usually pretty pricey at almost $200. Since it’s currently half-off, it’s the right time to buy for those who were waiting to click “checkout.”
Of course, this kit can tell you where in the world your DNA is from across more than 2,000 different regions. All you have to do is mail a sample of saliva to 23andMe’s lab. Once it’s in, the company can give you details about your ancestry and details to help form your family tree.
It also offers features that makes it a little different than other DNA kits, including one that tells you about own health predispositions, like if you’re more likely to have certain conditions because of your genetics.
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What’s the difference between the two? The cheaper 23andMe Ancestry + Traits Service: Personal Genetic DNA Test has a “DNA Relatives tool” to find others who share your DNA and can give you details about how your DNA affects some traits.
Both of these deals are running until Nov. 30, giving you tons of time to shop.
Ancestry DNA Kit Black Friday Deal
Amazon Get the Ancestry DNA kit for $69 on Amazon this Prime Day.
For the Ancestry-branded DNA test kit, you just have to mail a saliva sample in a prepaid package to test out in a lab. It takes about six to eight weeks to get back your results, which you can see online.
The AncestryDNA + Traits: Genetic Ethnicity + Traits Test is now marked down to $69 (usually retails for $119). This DNA kit offers a chance to see how your genes influenced particular traits like having freckles and a feature that gives an “ethnicity estimate” of the regions you come from. Get it now on sale for $69 at Amazon.
The AncestryDNA: Genetic Ethnicity Test, which was $99, dropped to $59. It’s a little more than what it was on Prime Day, when it was marked down to $49. This kit also has an “ethnicity estimate” — it doesn’t offer information about traits but it does help figure out your origins from different places around the planet. Get it now on sale for $59 at Amazon.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--HuffPost Event: A Conversation On Race & COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a disproportionate toll on people of color , there are myths abound about @ @ @ @ @ Native Americans and Asian Americans are suffering the highest death tolls .
In ′A Conversation @ @ @ @ @ ” HuffPost will dive into some of the real reasons behind the inequitable outcomes , @ @ @ @ @ that could make a difference – and how people can effectively advocate for themselves and @ @ @ @ @ HuffPost Medical Correspondent Dr. Kavita Patel in a conversation hosted by HuffPost Supervising Producer Amita @ @ @ @ @ 5 pm ET .
Go here to sign up .
Dr. Patel will answer your @ @ @ @ @ on the job , discuss the research about healthcare disparities and impart practical advice and @ @ @ @ @ to seeing you there .

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a disproportionate toll on people of color, there are myths abound about why Black, Latinx, Native Americans and Asian Americans are suffering the highest death tolls.
In ′A Conversation On Race & COVID-19,” HuffPost will dive into some of the real reasons behind the inequitable outcomes, as well as the changes that could make a difference – and how people can effectively advocate for themselves and their loved ones.
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Join HuffPost Medical Correspondent Dr. Kavita Patel and a U.S. Navy anesthesiologist Dr. Steven Bradley, in a conversation hosted by HuffPost Supervising Producer Amita Patel on Nov. 12 at 5 pm ET. Go here to sign up.
The event will be able to accommodate up to 300 people. You can also watch the event live on HuffPost.com if you are on your computer or head to our Facebook page if you tune in using your mobile phone.
Dr. Patel and Dr. Bradley will answer your questions and share their experiences on the job, discuss the research about healthcare disparities and impart practical advice and solutions.
To find out more about our speakers and the event, please check out our event page.
We look forward to seeing you online.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Joe Biden On Cusp Of 2020 Election Victory As Swing State Vote Counts Trickle In

As states work on their official tallies , Trump and his allies continued to lash out and accuse Democrats of fraud ― without offering evidence that it ’ s true .
Trump spoke at the White House briefing room on Thursday evening to claim that Democrats were “ trying to steal ” and “ rig ” the election .
The states are counting legal votes ; ones that are perfectly valid , even if they ’ re still being tallied .
And those legal votes are increasingly not going for Trump .
For the latest results , maps and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hub Trump ’ s path to a second term has become increasingly narrow .
To hold on to the White House , he would need to win Georgia , Nevada , North Carolina and Pennsylvania .
In only one of those states — North Carolina — does he appear strongly favored to win .
Biden , on the other hand , can secure the electoral votes to win the presidency in numerous ways : A victory in Pennsylvania would put him over the top , as would wins in any of the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College tally is complicated by the fact that news outlets have not agreed on whether to call Arizona .
The AP , which HuffPost relies on for its projected results , and Fox News called Arizona for Biden on election night .
However , some outlets still have not done so .
It ’ s possible that Biden will get to 270 votes per AP projections without a formal concession from the Trump campaign or an end to legal challenges .
In a call with reporters on Thursday morning , Trump campaign officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who founded the FiveThirtyEight website , has publicly disagreed with the decision to call Arizona for Biden .
The Trump campaign , as it warned it would , has filed multiple legal challenges in swing states .
In Michigan and Pennsylvania , the campaign wants election officials to stop counting ballots until it receives “ meaningful ” access to ballot-counting sites and a review of ballots already counted , according to the AP .
And in Georgia , the campaign is demanding that state law regarding absentee ballots be followed .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its chances of victory depend on more ballots being counted .
The campaign said on a call with reporters Thursday morning that it expects that yet-to-be-counted votes in Pennsylvania , Arizona and Georgia could ultimately decide those states in the president ’ s favor .
“ What the president is pointing out is something that we have driven here at the campaign and reiterated time and time again : that these states and localities should not be counting ballots that are mailed in or magically appeared in a sack of ballots after Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comments are part of a broader strategy by the Trump campaign to baselessly suggest that the election has been the subject of illegal fraud and tampering .
Campaign officials on Thursday again referenced unspecified claims of voter fraud that they had received from across Pennsylvania .
Prior to Election Day , however , the only Pennsylvanian formally charged with election fraud was a registered Republican and Trump supporter in Luzerne County who allegedly tried to send in an absentee ballot for his dead mother .
The campaign also sought to discredit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrat overseeing the administration of elections in the state , because of a critical remark she made about Trump in 2017 .
On Thursday ’ s call with reporters , Trump campaign officials celebrated a ruling from a Pennsylvania judge that forces the city of Philadelphia to permit both campaigns to observe ballot-counting , provided they adhere to public health guidelines such as social distancing .
“ We ’ re going to demand that we ’ re able to review all the things that they ’ ve done to date , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― it ’ s typical of left-wing political machines in these big cities that are trying to steal a vote from the duly elected president .
”

As states worked on their official tallies, Trump and his allies continued to lash out and accuse Democrats of fraud ― without offering any evidence. On Thursday evening, Trump hosted a brazenly dishonest press conference at which he baselessly insisted that Democrats were “trying to steal” and “rig” the election.
Trump did not appear in public on Friday but continued his furious, fact-free attacks on the democratic process on Twitter. As anticipation built for Biden’s speech in the afternoon, Trump tweeted that “Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!”
The Trump campaign, as it warned it would, has filed multiple last-ditch legal challenges in swing states. In Michigan and Pennsylvania, the campaign wants election officials to stop counting ballots until it receives “meaningful” access to ballot-counting sites and a review of ballots already counted, according to The Associated Press. And in Georgia, the campaign is demanding that state law regarding absentee ballots be followed.
But judges in at least three states — Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania — have already rejected the campaign lawsuits.
Meanwhile, Republican leaders alternately embraced Trump’s baseless claims of fraud or began to distance themselves from the president as his likely loss became clear.
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said Friday morning that Trump’s fraud allegations were “very disturbing” and there was “simply no evidence” for them. But some potential contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination took a different approach. Nikki Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, tweeted a call on Friday for more “transparency” in the vote-counting process, while Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) baselessly declared Thursday night on Fox News that election officials in Pennsylvania were “setting the stage to potentially steal an election.”
For the latest results, maps and more, check out HuffPost’s elections hub.
Questions remain around five states.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Donald Trump Jr. Mocked For Urging Dad To Declare 'Total War' Over Election

The best thing for America ’ s future is for @ realDonaldTrump to go to total war over this election @ @ @ @ @ fraud , cheating , dead/no longer in state voters , that has been going on @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s time to clean up this mess & stop looking like a banana @ @

The best thing for America’s future is for @realDonaldTrump to go to total war over this election to expose all of the fraud, cheating, dead/no longer in state voters, that has been going on for far too long.
It’s time to clean up this mess & stop looking like a banana republic!


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Trump Lies About Winning Election, Baselessly Accuses Democrats Of Cheating

As Democrat Joe Biden continued to gain ground in ballot counting Thursday in key states , President Donald Trump again cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election , peddling conspiracy theories about fraud and suggesting he ’ d “ easily ” won the race .
“ If you count the legal votes , I easily win , ” Trump falsely claimed , adding without evidence that the election had been marked by “ historical interference from big media , big money and big tech.
” Speaking from the White House , Trump went on to accuse Democrats of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the election .
Trump also continued his now months-long attack on mail-in voting , falsely claiming the process was “ corrupt.
” Voter fraud of any kind ― including using mail-in ballots ― is exceedingly rare in the U.S.. And though the president has repeatedly attempted to cast aspersions on the process , voting by mail has a long history in this country .
Even before 2020 , voting in five states ― Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Utah and Washington ― had been conducted primarily by mail , and dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” mail-in absentee voting .
None of their elections have been contested on the basis of fraud .
Trump additionally claimed ― prematurely ― that Republicans have “ kept the Senate.
” In fact , a few key Senate races have yet to be called , including in Georgia where the races for both its seats headed for January runoffs .
The outcome of those two votes appears likely to determine which party holds a majority in the legislative body .
Trump took note of surprise GOP successes in the election ― including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Democrats of cheating .
He took no questions after his remarks , and thus could not be asked about this apparent contradiction .
Trump ’ s appearance was his first since early Wednesday , when he addressed the media as the first wave of election results was being reported .
Trump at the time baselessly declared victory and falsely claimed he ’ d already won several states in which a clear winner had yet to be determined .
He also , without evidence , suggested that the ongoing counting of votes amounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halted .
Since then , the Trump campaign has filed lawsuits in several states to halt vote counting and disqualify ballots .
Judges in at least two states have ruled against his campaign .
“ We think there will be a lot of litigation , ” he said , adding that “ it ’ s going to end up perhaps at the highest court in the land , ” referring to the U.S. Supreme Court .
As he departed his podium shouted questions he ignored from reporter included : “ Are you being @ @ @ @ @

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As Democrat Joe Biden continued to gain ground in ballot counting Thursday in key states, President Donald Trump again cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election, peddling conspiracy theories about fraud and suggesting he’d “easily” won the race.
“If you count the legal votes, I easily win,” Trump falsely claimed, adding without evidence that the election had been marked by “historical interference from big media, big money and big tech.”
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Speaking from the White House, Trump went on to accuse Democrats of “trying to steal” and “rig” the election.
“They’re trying obviously to commit fraud,” he said.
Again, no evidence supports his claim.
Trump also continued his now months-long attack on mail-in voting, falsely claiming the process was “corrupt.” Voter fraud of any kind ― including using mail-in ballots ― is exceedingly rare in the U.S.. And though the president has repeatedly attempted to cast aspersions on the process, voting by mail has a long history in this country. Even before 2020, voting in five states ― Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington ― had been conducted primarily by mail, and dozens of other states allowed “no excuse” mail-in absentee voting. None of their elections have been contested on the basis of fraud.
Trump additionally claimed ― prematurely ― that Republicans have “kept the Senate.” In fact, a few key Senate races have yet to be called, including in Georgia where the races for both its seats headed for January runoffs. The outcome of those two votes appears likely to determine which party holds a majority in the legislative body.
Trump took note of surprise GOP successes in the election ― including gains in House seats ― as he accused Democrats of cheating. He took no questions after his remarks, and thus could not be asked about this apparent contradiction.
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Trump’s appearance was his first since early Wednesday, when he addressed the media as the first wave of election results was being reported. Trump at the time baselessly declared victory and falsely claimed he’d already won several states in which a clear winner had yet to be determined. He also, without evidence, suggested that the ongoing counting of votes amounted to “fraud” and should be halted.
Since then, the Trump campaign has filed lawsuits in several states to halt vote counting and disqualify ballots. Judges in at least two states have ruled against his campaign.
Trump vowed on Thursday to continue filing legal challenges.
“We think there will be a lot of litigation,” he said, adding that “it’s going to end up perhaps at the highest court in the land,” referring to the U.S. Supreme Court.
As he departed his podium shouted questions he ignored from reporter included: “Are you being a sore loser?”
Sarah Ruiz-Grossman contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Trump Supporters Are Already Trying To Tank A Potential Biden Presidency

There is good reason to think that Joe Biden got enough votes to defeat Donald Trump in the Electoral College and become the next president .
But with the final result dependent on a few key states where officials are still counting ballots , the Trump campaign and its allies are out in force , accusing Democrats of stealing the election .
The interview was on Fox News , where some of the Trumpier hosts have been pushing the same kinds of theories .
Tucker Carlson said that “ clearly corrupted city bureaucrats ” are rigging the count , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of votes ” showing up in the official Biden tallies .
There is , to be clear , no evidence of fraud .
The supposedly suspicious nature of the tallying , with Trump falling behind as officials work through the backlog of mail-in ballots that largely favor Biden , is nothing more than the predictable ― and predicted ― consequence of the pandemic and how some state-level Republicans insisted the election play out .
GOP officials in several states rebuffed requests to start counting mail-in ballots before Election Day , even though everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to process an unprecedented number of them .
That helps explain why the count is taking so long in Pennsylvania , for example .
The theory makes no sense at all .
Officials have made clear that Sharpies would work just fine and that , in any event , they have a way to count ballots with such problems .
It ’ s also not self-evident how officials in Maricopa could selectively give the markers to Trump voters .
The story went viral anyway ― including on the Facebook page for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” which had more than 300,000 members with a few hundred or so joining every minute before Facebook shut it down on Thursday .
Some were bots , undoubtedly , but some just as surely were not .
The short-term goal for Trump and his allies is to find some way of extracting a victory ― if not through official legal challenges , then maybe by creating enough chaos and confusion that they can persuade friendly state legislatures to appoint pro-Trump electors in defiance of the offical returns .
That effort faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Good candidates for that role are Sens .
Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) and Rob Portman ( R-Ohio ) .
Johnson is chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee ; Portman , according to Politico , will succeed him assuming Republicans hold the Senate .
Both were advocates for investigating Benghazi ( the deaths of several Americans in a deadly attack on an embassy in Libya ) back in the day .
These hearings would be no more likely to produce incriminating evidence than the Benghazi hearings or any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a sense that Biden didn ’ t really get the support of the American people , which would reinforce an argument from more respectable Republicans that Biden ’ s election isn ’ t an indicator of the popular will ― and that , as a result , Republicans can obstruct his agenda and even his basic ability to govern with impunity .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) is already sending that signal , via an anonymous adviser who told Axios that the Senate would block Biden Cabinet appointments if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden could always rely heavily on naming acting Cabinet officials and making recess appointments , McConnell ’ s statement is a sign of how he ’ s thinking and a reminder of how he conducted himself during the Obama presidency .
To be clear , the margins in the swing states really are razor-thin .
That ’ s why the final election outcome remains in doubt .
But by the time it is done , Biden could win 306 electoral votes , which would be as many as Trump got in 2016 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either 2000 or 2004 .
And the close state counts that have left the Electoral College in doubt make it easy to overlook the significance of Biden ’ s showing in the popular vote .
Biden could end up with about 52 % , according to FiveThirtyEight ’ s Nate Silver .
That would be more than Trump or George W. Bush ever got ― and even Ronald Reagan in 1980 , for that matter .
And in both cases , the elections actually were tainted .
Ballot problems famously spoiled pro-Gore votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shut down by five Republican-appointed justices on the Supreme Court ; Trump won while Russian operatives ( with or without inside help from Trump associates ) were trying actively to tip the outcome toward him .

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“Maricopa!” or maybe “Philadelphia!” is on its way to becoming the next “Benghazi!”
There is good reason to think that Joe Biden got enough votes to defeat Donald Trump in the Electoral College and become the next president. But with the final result dependent on a few key states where officials are still counting ballots, the Trump campaign and its allies are out in force, accusing Democrats of stealing the election.
“The Democrats know the only way to win this election is to cheat in Pennsylvania … this is fraud,” Eric Trump said at a press conference on Wednesday, before making claims about finding pro-Trump ballots in ditches and Biden supporters posting propaganda inside polling places.
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Pam Bondi, the Trump campaign adviser and former Republican Florida attorney general, said in a television interview that “we have evidence of cheating” in Pennsylvania and talked about “fake ballots” and “ballots being dumped.”
The interview was on Fox News, where some of the Trumpier hosts have been pushing the same kinds of theories. Tucker Carlson said that “clearly corrupted city bureaucrats” are rigging the count, while Laura Ingraham warned about “unverifiable dumps of votes” showing up in the official Biden tallies.
Trump, who early on Thursday tweeted “STOP THE COUNT” followed two hours later with “STOP THE FRAUD.”
There is, to be clear, no evidence of fraud. The supposedly suspicious nature of the tallying, with Trump falling behind as officials work through the backlog of mail-in ballots that largely favor Biden, is nothing more than the predictable ― and predicted ― consequence of the pandemic and how some state-level Republicans insisted the election play out.
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Mail ballots are counted on Election Day in Philadelphia on Nov. 3. Rachel Wisniewski / Reuters
GOP officials in several states rebuffed requests to start counting mail-in ballots before Election Day, even though everybody knew that the pandemic meant the states would have to process an unprecedented number of them. That helps explain why the count is taking so long in Pennsylvania, for example.
Conservatives are taking advantage of the interregnum to make arguments about supposedly implausible voter turnout, or election workers allegedly burning ballots, or preventing Republican observers from watching the counts.
The claims have fallen apart with even mild scrutiny, and in one particularly telling episode, a group of Trump advisers in Las Vegas Thursday morning refused to answer (and escaped into a van) when MSNBC host Jacob Soboroff asked them to provide evidence of the alleged ballot fraud.
But the stories keep spreading anyway. An example is “Sharpiegate,” the theory that election officials in Maricopa County, Arizona, gave voters markers that would spoil ballots as ink seeped through the paper.
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The theory makes no sense at all. Officials have made clear that Sharpies would work just fine and that, in any event, they have a way to count ballots with such problems. It’s also not self-evident how officials in Maricopa could selectively give the markers to Trump voters.
The story went viral anyway ― including on the Facebook page for a group called “Stop the Steal,” which had more than 300,000 members with a few hundred or so joining every minute before Facebook shut it down on Thursday. Some were bots, undoubtedly, but some just as surely were not.
Conspiracy Theories Serve A Long-Term Purpose, Too
The short-term goal for Trump and his allies is to find some way of extracting a victory ― if not through official legal challenges, then maybe by creating enough chaos and confusion that they can persuade friendly state legislatures to appoint pro-Trump electors in defiance of the offical returns. That effort faces some pretty steep odds, of course.
But the conspiracy theories could serve some long-term purposes as well ― for Trump, who could use the myth of a stolen election to fuel a political comeback, and for Republicans in Congress, who could weaponize it to undermine a Biden presidency.
Good candidates for that role are Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Johnson is chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Portman, according to Politico, will succeed him assuming Republicans hold the Senate. Both were advocates for investigating Benghazi (the deaths of several Americans in a deadly attack on an embassy in Libya) back in the day.
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It’s not hard ― actually, it’s too easy ― to imagine their committee convening hearings on the 2020 election count.
Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pounds on a table responding to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) while testifying about the attack on U.S. diplomatic sites in Benghazi, Libya, on Jan. 23, 2013. Jason Reed / Reuters
These hearings would be no more likely to produce incriminating evidence than the Benghazi hearings or any other right-wing fishing expedition. But they could create a sense that Biden didn’t really get the support of the American people, which would reinforce an argument from more respectable Republicans that Biden’s election isn’t an indicator of the popular will ― and that, as a result, Republicans can obstruct his agenda and even his basic ability to govern with impunity.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is already sending that signal, via an anonymous adviser who told Axios that the Senate would block Biden Cabinet appointments if they are not sufficiently centrist. Although Biden could always rely heavily on naming acting Cabinet officials and making recess appointments, McConnell’s statement is a sign of how he’s thinking and a reminder of how he conducted himself during the Obama presidency.
To be clear, the margins in the swing states really are razor-thin. That’s why the final election outcome remains in doubt. But by the time it is done, Biden could win 306 electoral votes, which would be as many as Trump got in 2016 and more than George W. Bush got in either 2000 or 2004.
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And the close state counts that have left the Electoral College in doubt make it easy to overlook the significance of Biden’s showing in the popular vote. Biden could end up with about 52%, according to FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver. That would be more than Trump or George W. Bush ever got ― and even Ronald Reagan in 1980, for that matter.
The comparisons to George W. Bush and Trump are especially interesting because they both lost the popular vote. Bush in 2000 got about 500,000 fewer votes than Democratic nominee Al Gore; Trump got almost 3 million fewer than Hillary Clinton.
And in both cases, the elections actually were tainted. Ballot problems famously spoiled pro-Gore votes in Florida and a potentially decisive recount was shut down by five Republican-appointed justices on the Supreme Court; Trump won while Russian operatives (with or without inside help from Trump associates) were trying actively to tip the outcome toward him.
These circumstances didn’t stop either Bush, Trump, or their Republican allies in Congress from claiming mandates and immediately pursuing ambitious agendas, which for Bush was a massive tax cut for the rich and for Trump was repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
Bush succeeded. Trump failed. But the thinking was the same: Do whatever it takes to win, paying no attention to facts or what the public actually wants.
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Now, a similar effort appears to be underway. Trump and his allies want to hold onto the presidency. If they can’t do that, they want to make sure Biden can’t do anything with it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Former GOP Prosecutor And Voter Fraud 'True Believer' Says Trump 'Smells Of Desperation'

A former Republican-appointed top federal prosecutor says that President Donald Trump ’ s wild and unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud are a “ fantasy ” that make clear he ’ s lashing out while in a state of despair over Vice President Joe Biden ’ s impending victory .
“ As somebody who has been a registered Republican for virtually his entire adult life , I can tell you it smells of desperation , ” former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias told HuffPost .
“ It appears to me he ’ s grasping at straws , and straws will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former “ true believer ” in the idea that voter fraud is a problem in the United States .
As the top federal prosecutor in New Mexico , he formed a task force to examine allegations of voter fraud but was then pushed out of the Justice Department in 2006 as part of a politically motivated effort targeting federal prosecutors who didn ’ t bring the voter fraud cases the George W. Bush administration wanted to see .
Iglesias agrees with experts and others who have fruitlessly searched for widespread problems : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , ” he said .
Trump has long claimed voter fraud cost him a popular vote win in 2016 .
This year , as mail-in voting ballooned due to the COVID-19 pandemic , he began to insist the process was ripe for fraud .
And now , as Trump ’ s Democratic opponent Joe Biden nears a projected Electoral College victory , Trump and his allies are going to the courts and the public to claim that legitimate ballots should not be counted due to the potential for fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak out as Trump ― who is on the verge of defeat in the Electoral College ― tries to undermine the election process .
“ I ’ d like to see them stand up and be counted , and not buy into fantasy , ” Iglesias said .
“ There is no voter fraud problem in this country .
Time to move on.
” Then-President George W. Bush appointed Iglesias U.S. attorney for New Mexico in 2001 .
In 2006 , however , the Bush administration dismissed Iglesias and several of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General later found was an effort improperly motivated by politics .
Around the time of the dismissals , Karl Rove was pushing the Justice Department to crack down on voter fraud cases , and the DOJ IG report “ found evidence that complaints to Rove and others at the White House and the [ Justice ] Department by New Mexico Republican political officials and party activists about how Iglesias was handling voter fraud cases and a public corruption case led to Iglesias ’ s removal.
” Iglesias said that when he formed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully expected to find cases to prosecute .
He held a press conference and invited citizens to register complaints so they could be investigated .
But , long story short , he says , there wasn ’ t a case worth bringing forward .
“ That told me , as a true believer in voter fraud , that it was a phantom allegation .
It ’ s easy to make , but the truth of the matter is prosecutors have a high burden , they have to prove any case beyond a reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anywhere near that , ” Iglesias said .
During the Trump administration , the Justice Department has similarly failed to find any major mass voter fraud scandals .
Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country put out press releases ahead of the election telling the American public that they were watching closely for voter fraud .
But as Trump spreads conspiracy theories about mass voter fraud that are undermining the integrity of the election , those Trump-appointed federal prosecutors have stayed silent .
As of Thursday afternoon , neither the Justice Department nor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations .
Iglesias says that he ’ s hopeful that responsible Republicans will step up and speak out once it becomes clear that Biden has secured the Electoral College .
As for Republicans who believe that there are massive criminal conspiracies to steal hundreds of thousands of votes in states across the country , Iglesias says it ’ s time they “ wake up and smell the coffee .
”

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A former Republican-appointed top federal prosecutor says that President Donald Trump’s wild and unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud are a “fantasy” that make clear he’s lashing out while in a state of despair over Vice President Joe Biden’s impending victory.
“As somebody who has been a registered Republican for virtually his entire adult life, I can tell you it smells of desperation,” former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias told HuffPost. “It appears to me he’s grasping at straws, and straws will not resuscitate this.”
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Iglesias is a self-described former “true believer” in the idea that voter fraud is a problem in the United States. As the top federal prosecutor in New Mexico, he formed a task force to examine allegations of voter fraud but was then pushed out of the Justice Department in 2006 as part of a politically motivated effort targeting federal prosecutors who didn’t bring the voter fraud cases the George W. Bush administration wanted to see.
Iglesias agrees with experts and others who have fruitlessly searched for widespread problems: “There is no systemic voter fraud in the United States,” he said.
Trump has long claimed voter fraud cost him a popular vote win in 2016. This year, as mail-in voting ballooned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he began to insist the process was ripe for fraud. And now, as Trump’s Democratic opponent Joe Biden nears a projected Electoral College victory, Trump and his allies are going to the courts and the public to claim that legitimate ballots should not be counted due to the potential for fraud.
Iglesias said it was important for Republicans to speak out as Trump ― who is on the verge of defeat in the Electoral College ― tries to undermine the election process.
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“I’d like to see them stand up and be counted, and not buy into fantasy,” Iglesias said. “There is no voter fraud problem in this country. Time to move on.”
David C. Iglesias, a former U.S. attorney forced out by the George W. Bush administration, says Donald Trump's claims of voter fraud smell of desperation. Scott J. Ferrell via Getty Images
Then-President George W. Bush appointed Iglesias U.S. attorney for New Mexico in 2001. In 2006, however, the Bush administration dismissed Iglesias and several of his colleagues in what the Justice Department Inspector General later found was an effort improperly motivated by politics.
Around the time of the dismissals, Karl Rove was pushing the Justice Department to crack down on voter fraud cases, and the DOJ IG report “found evidence that complaints to Rove and others at the White House and the [Justice] Department by New Mexico Republican political officials and party activists about how Iglesias was handling voter fraud cases and a public corruption case led to Iglesias’s removal.”
Iglesias said that when he formed a task force on voter fraud, he fully expected to find cases to prosecute. He held a press conference and invited citizens to register complaints so they could be investigated. But, long story short, he says, there wasn’t a case worth bringing forward.
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“That told me, as a true believer in voter fraud, that it was a phantom allegation. It’s easy to make, but the truth of the matter is prosecutors have a high burden, they have to prove any case beyond a reasonable doubt, and I wasn’t anywhere near that,” Iglesias said.
During the Trump administration, the Justice Department has similarly failed to find any major mass voter fraud scandals. Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country put out press releases ahead of the election telling the American public that they were watching closely for voter fraud.
But as Trump spreads conspiracy theories about mass voter fraud that are undermining the integrity of the election, those Trump-appointed federal prosecutors have stayed silent. As of Thursday afternoon, neither the Justice Department nor the FBI provided comment on Trump’s allegations.
Iglesias says that he’s hopeful that responsible Republicans will step up and speak out once it becomes clear that Biden has secured the Electoral College.
As for Republicans who believe that there are massive criminal conspiracies to steal hundreds of thousands of votes in states across the country, Iglesias says it’s time they “wake up and smell the coffee.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Why The Brooks Brothers Riot Matters Now

On election night , Nov. 7 , multiple news outlets had called Florida and its crucial 25 electoral votes for Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore .
A few hours later , the networks retracted their call , moving the state into the “ too close to call ” column .
Then they awarded it to Republican George W. Bush , only to retract that too .
Gore phoned Bush to concede ; he later retracted that concession as well .
At night ’ s end , Bush led Gore by a meager 1,784 votes , instigating an automatic recount and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s edge .
By Nov. 10 , a statewide machine recount had narrowed Bush ’ s lead to just 327 votes , and the Gore campaign requested manual recounts in four counties , as allowed under state election law .
For the next two weeks , canvassers endeavored to perform that task , peering through thousands of butterfly ballots , hanging chads , dimpled chads , fat chads — so many chads — under the gaze of national TV cameras .
( Chads are the paper fragments created by holes in punch cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered and rejected ; deadlines were missed ; and new , more arbitrary deadlines were set .
By Nov. 17 , the outcome of the recount in Miami-Dade County , Florida ’ s most populous , loomed large in determining who would be the next president .
Canvassers there had begun a manual recount of more than 650,000 ballots , but up against a court-ordered Nov. 26 deadline , they decided to focus on just the 10,750 ballots that had been unreadable to computer scanners .
And that ’ s when chaos struck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretense of an organic uprising of concerned citizens , dozens of paid Republican operatives descended on the recount center , where they shouted and banged on windows , kicking and punching several officials in a violent stampede .
The proximate target of their ire was Joe Geller , the chairman of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party , whom they falsely accused of trying to steal ballots — who had , in fact , merely requested a single sample ballot to test the theory that a machine error was responsible for an undercount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wore button-up shirts and ties more befitting congressional staffers rather than , say , random people who happened to be on vacation in Florida , the incident became known as the Brooks Brothers Riot .
And indeed , its participants include a who ’ s who of GOP operatives then and now .
As Rachel Maddow memorably summarized , the “ spontaneous ” protest photo above included 10 GOP staffers , including aides to Reps. Tom Delay , Van Hilleary , Don Young and Jim Ross Lightfoot , and Sens .
Fred Thompson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the whole thing off by urging a crowd to “ shut it down.
” Convicted felon and President Donald Trump ’ s longtime adviser Roger Stone claims to have been the riot ’ s architect , although his account is disputed by Bush consultant Brad Blakeman , who claims credit as well .
This mob ’ s actual target was not just Geller but the process in which he played just a small part : the constitutionally mandated and imminently feasible fair count of all votes cast by Miami-Dade citizens .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rioters made clear to county officials that a social cost would be extracted if they continued to perform these legal obligations .
The gambit worked .
The Gore campaign , fixated on and trusting of the legal process , was caught flat-footed , and had not planned a comparable counter-mobilization .
Mere hours after the riot , the board voted unanimously to suspend the count , citing , in part , the protests .
“ This was perceived as not being an open and fair process .
That weighed heavy on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , David Leavy , told The New York Times .
On Nov. 26 , Florida ’ s Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified a result that put Bush ahead by 537 votes , with those Miami-Dade ballots left uncounted .
On Dec. 12 , the Supreme Court sided with Bush on partisan lines , and Gore conceded the next day .
The sequence of events had enormous global consequences .
For one : Within a few years , terrorists had attacked the United States , which responded by invading Iraq under false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraqis and thousands of Americans dead .
In a sense , Trump ’ s entire reelection campaign has been one long extended Brooks Brothers Riot ― a methodical , partisan attempt to baselessly sow distrust over the electoral process and foment large scale , violent social unrest .
All summer long , he used his Twitter feed and media appearances to cast doubt on the legitimacy of mail-in voting , absent any evidence of significant voter fraud .
He floated delaying the election , which is not within his power ; refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested he could remain in office beyond two terms ; and , in late September , refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power should he lose .
Asked to condemn white supremacists at the first presidential debate , Trump instead told the Proud Boys , a loosely organized far-right group , to “ stand back and stand by.
” Now , as former Vice President Joe Biden appears poised to win the election if he prevails in Nevada , Georgia or Pennsylvania , this strategy is coming to fruition .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan showed an insurmountable lead for Biden , dozens of Trump supporters descended on vote counting centers in Detroit chanting , “ Stop the count !
” In Arizona , which both the Associated Press and Fox News called for Biden , Trump supporters rallied outside a Maricopa County election center shouting “ Stop the steal !
” and “ Fox News sucks !
” and demanding to be let inside .
Republican Rep. Paul Gosar also joined the rally , saying , “ We ’ re not going to let the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voter fraud has been found in either state , and the vote counts there have been continuously live-streamed for the public .
On Facebook , a group called “ STOP THE STEAL , ” created on Wednesday , ballooned to more than 330,000 members overnight , and continued to grow by around 1,000 members every few minutes until Facebook shut it down mid-day on Thursday .
( However , some affiliated pages still appeared to be live . )
Its organizers are coordinating nationwide rallies to protest Democrats ’ supposed theft of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with far-right conspiracy theories and disinformation , and Mother Jones reported that the effort is connected to GOP consultants .
There are , of course , major differences between Florida 2000 and the 2020 election .
Amply warned by Trump ’ s repeated and transparent attempts to incite his supporters and spread disinformation , Democrat-aligned groups and citizen watchers were quick to mobilize counter-protests calling for a complete and fair vote count .
And with access to social media channels , GOP staffers no longer need to pretend to be citizens putting their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump supporters will turn out , based on a firehose of conspiracy theories and unsupported claims that come from the president himself .
There ’ s a real danger that these nationwide rallies will turn violent in a way that makes the original Brooks Brothers Riot seem like a polite scuffle .
This would put election officials in charge of counting votes in key states in a familiar bind — restore a semblance of order by caving to demands to stop the count , or follow the rule of law to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , in 2020 , they will be able to satisfy both demands at the same time .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Nobody today associates Florida election laws with rationality, due process and deliberate speed, but actually, in the third week of November 2000, things were going as well as could be expected at the Miami-Dade County Canvassing Board.
On election night, Nov. 7, multiple news outlets had called Florida and its crucial 25 electoral votes for Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore. A few hours later, the networks retracted their call, moving the state into the “too close to call” column. Then they awarded it to Republican George W. Bush, only to retract that too. Gore phoned Bush to concede; he later retracted that concession as well. At night’s end, Bush led Gore by a meager 1,784 votes, instigating an automatic recount and setting the nation on a knife’s edge.
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By Nov. 10, a statewide machine recount had narrowed Bush’s lead to just 327 votes, and the Gore campaign requested manual recounts in four counties, as allowed under state election law. For the next two weeks, canvassers endeavored to perform that task, peering through thousands of butterfly ballots, hanging chads, dimpled chads, fat chads — so many chads — under the gaze of national TV cameras. (Chads are the paper fragments created by holes in punch cards.) Lawsuits flew; injunctions were considered and rejected; deadlines were missed; and new, more arbitrary deadlines were set.
By Nov. 17, the outcome of the recount in Miami-Dade County, Florida’s most populous, loomed large in determining who would be the next president. Canvassers there had begun a manual recount of more than 650,000 ballots, but up against a court-ordered Nov. 26 deadline, they decided to focus on just the 10,750 ballots that had been unreadable to computer scanners.
And that’s when chaos struck. On Nov. 22, under the pretense of an organic uprising of concerned citizens, dozens of paid Republican operatives descended on the recount center, where they shouted and banged on windows, kicking and punching several officials in a violent stampede. The proximate target of their ire was Joe Geller, the chairman of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party, whom they falsely accused of trying to steal ballots — who had, in fact, merely requested a single sample ballot to test the theory that a machine error was responsible for an undercount of Gore votes.
Feel familiar yet?
A snapshot of the Brooks Brothers Riot, in which dozens of paid Republican operatives pretending to be concerned citizens descended on election workers recounting ballots to determine whether Al Gore or George W. Bush won Florida's electoral votes in the 2000 presidential election. Reuters Photographer / Reuters
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“This one guy was tripping me and pushing me and kicking me,” Geller later recalled to The Washington Post. “At one point, I thought if they knocked me over, I could have literally got stomped to death.”
Because the ersatz protesters wore button-up shirts and ties more befitting congressional staffers rather than, say, random people who happened to be on vacation in Florida, the incident became known as the Brooks Brothers Riot. And indeed, its participants include a who’s who of GOP operatives then and now. As Rachel Maddow memorably summarized, the “spontaneous” protest photo above included 10 GOP staffers, including aides to Reps. Tom Delay, Van Hilleary, Don Young and Jim Ross Lightfoot, and Sens. Fred Thompson and Jim DeMint. Then-Rep. John Sweeney set the whole thing off by urging a crowd to “shut it down.” Convicted felon and President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Roger Stone claims to have been the riot’s architect, although his account is disputed by Bush consultant Brad Blakeman, who claims credit as well.
This mob’s actual target was not just Geller but the process in which he played just a small part: the constitutionally mandated and imminently feasible fair count of all votes cast by Miami-Dade citizens. By creating the perception of public unrest, the rioters made clear to county officials that a social cost would be extracted if they continued to perform these legal obligations.
The gambit worked. The Gore campaign, fixated on and trusting of the legal process, was caught flat-footed, and had not planned a comparable counter-mobilization. Mere hours after the riot, the board voted unanimously to suspend the count, citing, in part, the protests. “This was perceived as not being an open and fair process. That weighed heavy on our mind,” the supervisor of elections, David Leavy, told The New York Times.
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On Nov. 26, Florida’s Republican Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified a result that put Bush ahead by 537 votes, with those Miami-Dade ballots left uncounted. On Dec. 12, the Supreme Court sided with Bush on partisan lines, and Gore conceded the next day. The sequence of events had enormous global consequences. For one: Within a few years, terrorists had attacked the United States, which responded by invading Iraq under false pretenses, leaving hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and thousands of Americans dead.
In a sense, Trump’s entire reelection campaign has been one long extended Brooks Brothers Riot ― a methodical, partisan attempt to baselessly sow distrust over the electoral process and foment large scale, violent social unrest. All summer long, he used his Twitter feed and media appearances to cast doubt on the legitimacy of mail-in voting, absent any evidence of significant voter fraud. He floated delaying the election, which is not within his power; refused to commit to accepting the election results; suggested he could remain in office beyond two terms; and, in late September, refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power should he lose. Asked to condemn white supremacists at the first presidential debate, Trump instead told the Proud Boys, a loosely organized far-right group, to “stand back and stand by.”
Supporters of President Donald Trump protest at the Maricopa County Elections Department office on Nov. 4 in Phoenix. The demonstration came after Arizona broke for Democrats on Election Day. Courtney Pedroza via Getty Images
Now, as former Vice President Joe Biden appears poised to win the election if he prevails in Nevada, Georgia or Pennsylvania, this strategy is coming to fruition. On Wednesday, as the vote tally in Michigan showed an insurmountable lead for Biden, dozens of Trump supporters descended on vote counting centers in Detroit chanting, “Stop the count!” In Arizona, which both the Associated Press and Fox News called for Biden, Trump supporters rallied outside a Maricopa County election center shouting “Stop the steal!” and “Fox News sucks!” and demanding to be let inside. Republican Rep. Paul Gosar also joined the rally, saying, “We’re not going to let the election be stolen. Period.” No evidence of voter fraud has been found in either state, and the vote counts there have been continuously live-streamed for the public.
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“STOP THE COUNT!” the president tweeted on Thursday morning.
On Facebook, a group called “STOP THE STEAL,” created on Wednesday, ballooned to more than 330,000 members overnight, and continued to grow by around 1,000 members every few minutes until Facebook shut it down mid-day on Thursday. (However, some affiliated pages still appeared to be live.) Its organizers are coordinating nationwide rallies to protest Democrats’ supposed theft of the election. The page is rife with far-right conspiracy theories and disinformation, and Mother Jones reported that the effort is connected to GOP consultants.
There are, of course, major differences between Florida 2000 and the 2020 election. Amply warned by Trump’s repeated and transparent attempts to incite his supporters and spread disinformation, Democrat-aligned groups and citizen watchers were quick to mobilize counter-protests calling for a complete and fair vote count. And with access to social media channels, GOP staffers no longer need to pretend to be citizens putting their bodies on the line. Huge numbers of Trump supporters will turn out, based on a firehose of conspiracy theories and unsupported claims that come from the president himself. There’s a real danger that these nationwide rallies will turn violent in a way that makes the original Brooks Brothers Riot seem like a polite scuffle.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-05--Deliberate Vote Counting Delays By GOP Legislatures Have Destabilized Election Week

Democrat Joe Biden is winning the presidential popular vote by more than 3.9 million votes and is on his way to being the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president in 28 years ― and only the fourth in the last 100 .
He did so by flipping Arizona , Michigan and Wisconsin away from President Donald Trump , and likely Pennsylvania and perhaps even Georgia as well .
But approaching 48 hours since polls closed nationwide , Biden has not been declared the winner .
This has opened a wide avenue for Trump to falsely claim the presidency is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in turn provoking angry supporters to turn out in increasing numbers outside vote-counting centers and in state capitols .
Biden has won Michigan by over 150,000 votes , Wisconsin by a slimmer 21,000 or so and he appears on pace to win Pennsylvania .
These leads may grow as provisional ballots are counted .
Had these three states been allowed to process and count mailed absentee ballots ahead of time , Biden would have hit 270 electoral votes on election night .
Michigan and Wisconsin were not called for Biden until Wednesday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projected result in Pennsylvania .
One likely motivation for that delay was to create a window for the Trump campaign to mount legal challenges to block counting of presumed Biden-heavy mailed votes .
Trump is now down in too many states by , in many cases , too many votes , for that strategy to work .
But it ’ s still created a dangerous vacuum for his claims of illegitimacy and fraud .
The coronavirus pandemic dramatically altered the way Americans voted .
Far more used absentee ballots , as nearly every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow everyone to cast one without an excuse .
Like so much else in the country , how people decided to vote polarized along partisan lines .
Democrats chose to cast absentee ballots in substantial numbers , while more Republicans chose to vote in-person on Election Day .
This split created a skewed view of the results based entirely on when election officials were allowed to count mailed ballots .
This scenario was predicted as early as the spring when the coronavirus first spread through the country and states began to loosen their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of election law experts called on states to allow officials to , at the very least , allow ballot processing as they come in , if not count them .
In Michigan , election clerks begged the Republican-controlled Legislature ahead of the state ’ s Aug. 4 primary election to allow them to process and count ballots ahead of time .
But the lawmakers did not budge .
It took 40 hours to count all ballots in the primary .
As the general election approached , the Legislature passed a law allowing officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , a minor change .
The same dynamic played out in Wisconsin , where election clerks sought the same change from the Republican-controlled Legislature , only to be ignored and rebuffed .
Even Republican Sen. Ron Johnson , a staunch Trump supporter , called on the Legislature to let clerks process and count ballots ahead of time .
“ I think we should change the law so the ballots can be counted well before Election Day , so that Wisconsin results are known by 9 , 10 , 11 o ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t part of the problem , ” Johnson said in September .
And then there ’ s Pennsylvania , the most populous and the last of these three states to finalize their tally .
Throughout the summer and fall , election clerks of all partisan persuasions begged the legislature ― known as the General Assembly ― to let them process ballots and prepare them to be counted on Election Day .
“ As it currently stands , our state ’ s 67 counties are not permitted to pre-canvass , ” Gene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wrote in September .
“ If we are not given the authority to do this , we ’ ll be forced to contend with a man-made disaster — one that easily could be avoided if our legislature and governor would work together.
” The Republican-controlled legislature insisted that it would only allow clerks to process , or pre-canvass , absentee ballots if they could also enact laws making it harder to vote and easier to intimidate voters .
The Republican-run state House of Representatives passed a bill to allow the pre-canvas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of almost all ballot drop-boxes in the state , banned voters from being able to personally hand in their ballots at remote locations and let poll watchers from anywhere in the state observe voting and ballot counting in Philadelphia .
These were non-starters for Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf , and the state Senate never passed the bill .
No compromise was ever reached .
Pennsylvania Republican leaders have decided to use the uncertainty created by the slow count that they created to unfairly cast doubt on their state ’ s democratic process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pennsylvania secretary of state , a Democrat and the top election official , to resign on election night based on a couple of minor issues blown out of proportion .
One of those leaders , Majority Leader Jake Corman , had reportedly talked to the Trump campaign before the election about using the delayed count to cast doubt on the election and then move for the legislature to throw out the vote totals and hand the electoral college votes to Trump .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Democrat Joe Biden is winning the presidential popular vote by more than 3.9 million votes and is on his way to being the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president in 28 years ― and only the fourth in the last 100. He did so by flipping Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin away from President Donald Trump, and likely Pennsylvania and perhaps even Georgia as well.
But approaching 48 hours since polls closed nationwide, Biden has not been declared the winner. This has opened a wide avenue for Trump to falsely claim the presidency is being stolen from him, which is in turn provoking angry supporters to turn out in increasing numbers outside vote-counting centers and in state capitols.
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This is happening because Republican-controlled legislatures in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin refused to update their laws to allow election officials to open, process and count mailed ballots early enough to get close to a complete tally on Election Day.
Biden has won Michigan by over 150,000 votes, Wisconsin by a slimmer 21,000 or so and he appears on pace to win Pennsylvania. These leads may grow as provisional ballots are counted. Had these three states been allowed to process and count mailed absentee ballots ahead of time, Biden would have hit 270 electoral votes on election night. Michigan and Wisconsin were not called for Biden until Wednesday afternoon, and there is not yet a projected result in Pennsylvania.
One likely motivation for that delay was to create a window for the Trump campaign to mount legal challenges to block counting of presumed Biden-heavy mailed votes. Trump is now down in too many states by, in many cases, too many votes, for that strategy to work. But it’s still created a dangerous vacuum for his claims of illegitimacy and fraud.
The coronavirus pandemic dramatically altered the way Americans voted. Far more used absentee ballots, as nearly every state liberalized their rules for this to allow everyone to cast one without an excuse. Like so much else in the country, how people decided to vote polarized along partisan lines. Democrats chose to cast absentee ballots in substantial numbers, while more Republicans chose to vote in-person on Election Day. This split created a skewed view of the results based entirely on when election officials were allowed to count mailed ballots.
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Same day in-person votes went heavily for Trump, while the early returned absentee ballots, which constituted the vast majority of votes in strong Democratic counties, had to wait.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden appears on course to become the 46th president. The result of the presidential race would have been much clearer much sooner had Republican state lawmakers in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin allowed clerks to process mail ballots before Election Day. JIM WATSON via Getty Images
This scenario was predicted as early as the spring when the coronavirus first spread through the country and states began to loosen their absentee voting requirements. A cross-partisan group of election law experts called on states to allow officials to, at the very least, allow ballot processing as they come in, if not count them.
In Michigan, election clerks begged the Republican-controlled Legislature ahead of the state’s Aug. 4 primary election to allow them to process and count ballots ahead of time. But the lawmakers did not budge. It took 40 hours to count all ballots in the primary. As the general election approached, the Legislature passed a law allowing officials to begin processing ballots the day before the election, a minor change.
The same dynamic played out in Wisconsin, where election clerks sought the same change from the Republican-controlled Legislature, only to be ignored and rebuffed. Even Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, a staunch Trump supporter, called on the Legislature to let clerks process and count ballots ahead of time.
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“I think we should change the law so the ballots can be counted well before Election Day, so that Wisconsin results are known by 9, 10, 11 o’clock on Election Day, so Wisconsin isn’t part of the problem,” Johnson said in September.
And then there’s Pennsylvania, the most populous and the last of these three states to finalize their tally. Throughout the summer and fall, election clerks of all partisan persuasions begged the legislature ― known as the General Assembly ― to let them process ballots and prepare them to be counted on Election Day.
“As it currently stands, our state’s 67 counties are not permitted to pre-canvass,” Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican Bucks County Commissioner, wrote in September. “If we are not given the authority to do this, we’ll be forced to contend with a man-made disaster — one that easily could be avoided if our legislature and governor would work together.”
The Republican-controlled legislature insisted that it would only allow clerks to process, or pre-canvass, absentee ballots if they could also enact laws making it harder to vote and easier to intimidate voters. The Republican-run state House of Representatives passed a bill to allow the pre-canvas, but it also would have gotten rid of almost all ballot drop-boxes in the state, banned voters from being able to personally hand in their ballots at remote locations and let poll watchers from anywhere in the state observe voting and ballot counting in Philadelphia. These were non-starters for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, and the state Senate never passed the bill. No compromise was ever reached.
Pennsylvania Republican leaders have decided to use the uncertainty created by the slow count that they created to unfairly cast doubt on their state’s democratic process. Republican state Senate leaders called on the Pennsylvania secretary of state, a Democrat and the top election official, to resign on election night based on a couple of minor issues blown out of proportion. One of those leaders, Majority Leader Jake Corman, had reportedly talked to the Trump campaign before the election about using the delayed count to cast doubt on the election and then move for the legislature to throw out the vote totals and hand the electoral college votes to Trump.
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These partisan refusals and acts has allowed Trump to send false tweets like “STOP THE FRAUD!,” which he has continued to do into Thursday afternoon.