thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-15--Pro-Trump 'MAGA March' In D.C. Leads To Violent Clashes, At Least 20 Arrests

Several other cities on Saturday also saw gatherings of Trump supporters unwilling to accept Democrat Joe Biden ’ s Electoral College and popular vote victory as legitimate .
Cries of “ Stop the Steal ” and “ Count Every Vote ” continued in spite of a lack of evidence of voter fraud or other problems that could reverse the result .
After night fell , the relatively peaceful demonstrations in Washington turned from tense to violent .
Videos posted on social media showed fistfights , projectiles and clubs as Trump supporters clashed with those demanding they take their MAGA hats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended to Sunday morning .
A variety of charges , including assault and weapons possession , were filed against those arrested , officials said .
Two police officers were injured and several firearms were recovered by police .
Trump himself had given an approving nod to the gathering Saturday morning by dispatching his motorcade through streets lined with supporters before rolling on to his Virginia golf club .
People chanted “ USA , USA ” and “ four more years , ” and many carried American flags and signs to show their displeasure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Trump has baselessly asserted , fraud was the reason .
“ I just want to keep up his spirits and let him know we support him , ” said one loyalist , Anthony Whittaker of Winchester , Virginia .
He was outside the Supreme Court , where a few thousand assembled after a march along Pennsylvania Avenue from Freedom Plaza , near the White House .
Members of the Proud Boys clash with Black Lives Matter protesters during a protest following the “ Million MAGA March ” from Freedom Plaza to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gathered to protest the outcome of the 2020 presidential election .
( Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images ) A broad coalition of top government and industry officials has declared that the Nov. 3 voting and the following count unfolded smoothly with no more than the usual minor hiccups — “ the most secure in American history , ” they said , repudiating Trump ’ s efforts to undermine the integrity of the contest .
In Delray Beach , Florida , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs reading “ Count every vote ” and “ We can not live under a Marxist government.
” In Lansing , Michigan , protesters gathered at the Capitol to hear speakers cast doubt on results that showed Biden winning the state by more than 140,000 votes .
Phoenix police estimated 1,500 people gathered outside the Arizona Capitol to protest Biden ’ s narrow victory in the state .
Protesters in Salem , Oregon , gathered at the Capitol .
Among the speakers in Washington was a Georgia Republican newly elected to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories , urged people to march peacefully toward the Supreme Court .
Multiple confrontations appeared later in the day as small groups of Trump supporters attempted to enter the area around Black Lives Matter Plaza , about a block from the White House , where several hundred anti-Trump demonstrators had gathered .
In a pattern that kept repeating itself , those Trump supporters who approached the area were harassed , doused with water and saw their MAGA hats and pro-Trump flags snatched and burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , multiple police lines kept the two sides apart .
Videos posted on social media showed some demonstrators and counter-demonstrators trading shoves , punches and slaps .
A man with a bullhorn yelling “ Get out of here !
” was shoved and pushed to the street by a man who was then surrounded by several people and shoved and punched until he fell face first into the street .
Bloody and dazed , he was picked up and walked to a police officer .
In preparation , police closed off wide swaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices have been boarded up since Election Day .
Chris Rodriguez , director of the city ’ s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency , said the police were experienced at keeping the peace .
The issues that Trump ’ s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in every election : problems with signatures , secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots , as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost .
With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key battleground states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any impact on the outcome of the election .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Several thousand supporters of President Donald Trump in Washington protested election results and then hailed Trump’s passing motorcade before nighttime clashes with counter-demonstrators sparked fistfights, at least one stabbing and at least 20 arrests.
Several other cities on Saturday also saw gatherings of Trump supporters unwilling to accept Democrat Joe Biden’s Electoral College and popular vote victory as legitimate. Cries of “Stop the Steal” and “Count Every Vote” continued in spite of a lack of evidence of voter fraud or other problems that could reverse the result.
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After night fell, the relatively peaceful demonstrations in Washington turned from tense to violent. Videos posted on social media showed fistfights, projectiles and clubs as Trump supporters clashed with those demanding they take their MAGA hats and banners and leave. The tensions extended to Sunday morning. A variety of charges, including assault and weapons possession, were filed against those arrested, officials said. Two police officers were injured and several firearms were recovered by police.
Trump himself had given an approving nod to the gathering Saturday morning by dispatching his motorcade through streets lined with supporters before rolling on to his Virginia golf club. People chanted “USA, USA” and “four more years,” and many carried American flags and signs to show their displeasure with the vote tally and insistence that, as Trump has baselessly asserted, fraud was the reason.
“I just want to keep up his spirits and let him know we support him,” said one loyalist, Anthony Whittaker of Winchester, Virginia. He was outside the Supreme Court, where a few thousand assembled after a march along Pennsylvania Avenue from Freedom Plaza, near the White House.
Members of the Proud Boys clash with Black Lives Matter protesters during a protest following the “Million MAGA March” from Freedom Plaza to the Supreme Court, on November 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gathered to protest the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Tasos Katopodis via Getty Images
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A broad coalition of top government and industry officials has declared that the Nov. 3 voting and the following count unfolded smoothly with no more than the usual minor hiccups — “the most secure in American history,” they said, repudiating Trump’s efforts to undermine the integrity of the contest.
In Delray Beach, Florida, several hundred people marched, some carrying signs reading “Count every vote” and “We cannot live under a Marxist government.” In Lansing, Michigan, protesters gathered at the Capitol to hear speakers cast doubt on results that showed Biden winning the state by more than 140,000 votes. Phoenix police estimated 1,500 people gathered outside the Arizona Capitol to protest Biden’s narrow victory in the state. Protesters in Salem, Oregon, gathered at the Capitol.
Among the speakers in Washington was a Georgia Republican newly elected to the U.S. House. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has expressed racist views and support for QAnon conspiracy theories, urged people to march peacefully toward the Supreme Court.
The marchers included members of the Proud Boys, a neo-fascist group known for street brawling with ideological opponents at political rallies.
Multiple confrontations appeared later in the day as small groups of Trump supporters attempted to enter the area around Black Lives Matter Plaza, about a block from the White House, where several hundred anti-Trump demonstrators had gathered.
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In a pattern that kept repeating itself, those Trump supporters who approached the area were harassed, doused with water and saw their MAGA hats and pro-Trump flags snatched and burned, amid cheers. As night fell, multiple police lines kept the two sides apart.
Supporters of President Donald Trump attend a pro-Trump march Saturday Nov. 14, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Videos posted on social media showed some demonstrators and counter-demonstrators trading shoves, punches and slaps. A man with a bullhorn yelling “Get out of here!” was shoved and pushed to the street by a man who was then surrounded by several people and shoved and punched until he fell face first into the street. Bloody and dazed, he was picked up and walked to a police officer.
The “Million MAGA March” was heavily promoted on social media, raising concerns that it could spark conflict with anti-Trump demonstrators, who have gathered near the White House in Black Lives Matter Plaza for weeks.
In preparation, police closed off wide swaths of downtown, where many stores and offices have been boarded up since Election Day. Chris Rodriguez, director of the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said the police were experienced at keeping the peace.
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The issues that Trump’s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in every election: problems with signatures, secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots, as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost. With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key battleground states, none of those issues would have any impact on the outcome of the election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-15--Joe Biden Won. But Our Politics Are Incredibly Unstable.

Former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s decisive victory over President Donald Trump makes him the first challenger to defeat an incumbent president in the 21st century and only the fifth in the past 100 years .
From those who took to the streets in celebration on Saturday , to signs of relief around the globe , it ’ s clear that many people are relishing the defeat of an American president who has frequently exhibited dangerous authoritarian tendencies .
Trump also tapped into the deep divisions long stoked by political partisans and inflamed them more than anyone who came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to usher in a period of healing and unity .
But this year ’ s election shows that the unstable politics that produced Trump are not going anyway .
A 5 million vote lead ( and counting ) will not produce an easy governing mandate for Biden .
Even though his current 50.8 % share of the electorate will be higher than any challenger ’ s since Franklin Roosevelt , it could have easily gone the other way .
A change of less than 50,000 votes across Arizona , Georgia and Wisconsin would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered Trump ’ s reelection despite his losing the popular vote by more than 5 million votes .
The country is still divided in the way it came to be in the wake of the 2000 election between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov .
George W. Bush .
That election produced the first unpopularly elected president since the 19th century , the smallest House majority since before the Civil War and a Senate tied at 50-50 .
It was also the last presidential election in which 10 or more states voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than they had in the previous election .
The 2000 election saw a crescendo in the politics of partisan polarization created by the return of competitive congressional elections in 1978 and the victory of Ronald Reagan in 1980 .
The 2000 election even produced a symbolic representation of our divided politics : the red state-blue state map , which entered popular parlance during the long post-election stretch when there was no clear winner .
Politicians now reach for the red state-blue state language when they seek to transcend our polarized divisions , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Democratic National Convention , or to exploit them for political gain , as Trump does in statements denigrating “ Blue States ” that elect Democrats .
Democrats may be the majority party , in that they have won the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections .
But Republicans are a robust minority who can win elections even when they lose thanks to anti-majoritarian provisions of the Constitution .
What we are left with are two highly competitive parties polarized along ideological lines with neither able to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regime to supplant the one inaugurated by Reagan 40 years ago .
Reagan ’ s victory over President Jimmy Carter marked the beginning of a new conservative political cycle supplanting the New Deal era .
It was the culmination of a purposeful right-wing movement to transform the Republican Party into an ideologically conservative party that would use any tactic available to polarize the country .
Those GOP strategists believed that if liberals and conservatives were split into two camps , conservatives would hold a decisive majority .
They were right at that moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H.W .
Bush , won with sizable majorities .
But Reagan ’ s smashing 1984 reelection was the last landslide in American presidential politics .
Since then no presidential candidate has won the popular vote by more than 10 % , the longest such stretch in American history , while two have won the White House while losing the popular vote .
No president since Reagan has won 80 % or more of the Electoral College vote , the second-longest such stretch in history .
Congressional elections in this period have been just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won a House majority of 60 % or more since the 1990 elections .
A party has only once in the past 32 years won the House with a 60-seat majority .
These are both the longest such stretches of partisan competition in American history .
“ These changed competitive circumstances have had far-reaching effects on political incentives in Washington , ” political scientist Frances Lee wrote in her 2016 book , “ Insecure Majorities : Congress and the Perpetual Campaign.
” “ Intense party competition for institutional control focuses members of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When party control seemingly hangs in the balance , members and leaders of both parties invest more effort in enterprises to promote their own party ’ s image and undercut that of the opposition .
These efforts at party image making often stand in the way of cross-party cooperation on legislation.
” It is the Republican Party that led the way in partisan polarization after it was infused with the win-at-all-costs attitude of the New Right and that continues to lead the way in polarization and gaining power within the polarized system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prioritized negative partisanship in his blockade of Obama ’ s agenda , culminating in his refusal to even hold hearings on Obama ’ s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to an open Supreme Court seat .
Trump ’ s pugilistic mendacity and compulsion to break the rules are a natural fit for the Republican Party ’ s polarizing politics .
That explains why successful Democratic presidential candidates seek to run on bridging the nation ’ s divides , only to learn that they can ’ t .
Obama ’ s post-partisan high-mindedness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America and a conservative America , ” perhaps led Democrats to squander the only significant majority of the post-2000 period .
As then-Rep. Barney Frank ( D-Mass . )
put it , “ When he talks about being post-partisan , having seen these people and knowing what they would do in that situation , I suffer from post-partisan depression.
” The mood in the air is certainly not one of post-partisan unity .
Instead , Trump has pushed the politics of polarization and rule-breaking close to their limit by pretending to have won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president to refuse to concede his defeat and nearly all Republican Party actors are going along with it .
This is a nationalization of what previously happened in states like Kentucky and North Carolina , where Republican governors refused to concede initially and sought to overturn their losses by claiming voter fraud , and in Kentucky , North Carolina and Wisconsin , where lame-duck Republican legislatures gutted the incoming Democratic governor ’ s ability to govern .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden’s decisive victory over President Donald Trump makes him the first challenger to defeat an incumbent president in the 21st century and only the fifth in the past 100 years. From those who took to the streets in celebration on Saturday, to signs of relief around the globe, it’s clear that many people are relishing the defeat of an American president who has frequently exhibited dangerous authoritarian tendencies.
Trump also tapped into the deep divisions long stoked by political partisans and inflamed them more than anyone who came before him. President-elect Biden now pledges to usher in a period of healing and unity. But this year’s election shows that the unstable politics that produced Trump are not going anywhere.
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A 5 million vote lead (and counting) will not produce an easy governing mandate for Biden. Even though his current 50.9% share of the electorate will be higher than any challenger’s since Franklin Roosevelt, it could have easily gone the other way. A change of less than 50,000 votes across Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin would have produced an Electoral College tie and delivered Trump’s reelection despite his losing the popular vote by more than 5 million votes.
Biden’s Democratic Party will also hold one of the slimmest majorities in the still-gerrymandered House of Representatives, after losing seats in the election, and can only hope for a tie in the Senate, if two runoff elections in Georgia go the party’s way.
And this year wasn’t a one-off. Hillary Clinton famously won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College by a large margin. This is the era we’re living in. It’s one of divided government, competitive elections, ideological polarization, vicious partisan combat and anti-majoritarian obstacles that combine to create escalating crises as the parties ― but mostly the Republicans ― seek any advantage to hold and wield power.
The country is still divided in the way it came to be in the wake of the 2000 election between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush. That election produced the first unpopularly elected president since the 19th century, the smallest House majority since before the Civil War and a Senate tied at 50-50. It was also the last presidential election in which 10 or more states voted for a candidate from a different party than they had in the previous election. The 2000 election saw a crescendo in the politics of partisan polarization created by the return of competitive congressional elections in 1978 and the victory of Ronald Reagan in 1980.
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The 2000 election even produced a symbolic representation of our divided politics: the red state-blue state map, which entered popular parlance during the long post-election stretch when there was no clear winner. Politicians now reach for the red state-blue state language when they seek to transcend our polarized divisions, as Barack Obama did in his 2004 speech to the Democratic National Convention, or to exploit them for political gain, as Trump does in statements denigrating “Blue States” that elect Democrats.
President-elect Joe Biden became the first challenger to beat an incumbent in the 21st century when he defeated President Donald Trump. ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images
Democrats may be the majority party, in that they have won the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections. But Republicans are a robust minority who can win elections even when they lose thanks to anti-majoritarian provisions of the Constitution. What we are left with are two highly competitive parties polarized along ideological lines with neither able to win a breakout victory and establish a new regime to supplant the one inaugurated by Reagan 40 years ago.
Reagan’s victory over President Jimmy Carter marked the beginning of a new conservative political cycle supplanting the New Deal era. It was the culmination of a purposeful right-wing movement to transform the Republican Party into an ideologically conservative party that would use any tactic available to polarize the country. Those GOP strategists believed that if liberals and conservatives were split into two camps, conservatives would hold a decisive majority.
They were right at that moment. Reagan and his successor, George H.W. Bush, won with sizable majorities. But Reagan’s smashing 1984 reelection was the last landslide in American presidential politics. Since then no presidential candidate has won the popular vote by more than 10%, the longest such stretch in American history, while two have won the White House while losing the popular vote. No president since Reagan has won 80% or more of the Electoral College vote, the second-longest such stretch in history.
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Congressional elections in this period have been just as competitive. Neither political party has won a House majority of 60% or more since the 1990 elections. A party has only once in the past 32 years won the House with a 60-seat majority. These are both the longest such stretches of partisan competition in American history.
“These changed competitive circumstances have had far-reaching effects on political incentives in Washington,” political scientist Frances Lee wrote in her 2016 book, “Insecure Majorities: Congress and the Perpetual Campaign.” “Intense party competition for institutional control focuses members of Congress on the quest for partisan political advantage. When party control seemingly hangs in the balance, members and leaders of both parties invest more effort in enterprises to promote their own party’s image and undercut that of the opposition. These efforts at party image making often stand in the way of cross-party cooperation on legislation.”
Hyper-competitive elections push the parties into a kind of trench warfare where every little advance or retreat carries great significance. They incentivize obstruction and negative legislating, forcing votes on unpopular legislation to use in campaign advertisements. They also lead political parties to change the rules, break norms and, increasingly for the Republican Party, refuse to recognize the opposition as legitimate.
It is the Republican Party that led the way in partisan polarization after it was infused with the win-at-all-costs attitude of the New Right and that continues to lead the way in polarization and gaining power within the polarized system. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) prioritized negative partisanship in his blockade of Obama’s agenda, culminating in his refusal to even hold hearings on Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to an open Supreme Court seat. Trump’s pugilistic mendacity and compulsion to break the rules are a natural fit for the Republican Party’s polarizing politics.
Angry Trump supporters have rallied to back his false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Nathan Howard via Getty Images
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Polarization works for Republicans more than for Democrats because the Republican Party is far more homogenous, both ideologically and ethnically, than the Democratic Party. Democrats, who continue to pull in suburban moderates and the college-educated affluent, have a much larger ideological tent to tend to.
That explains why successful Democratic presidential candidates seek to run on bridging the nation’s divides, only to learn that they can’t. Obama’s post-partisan high-mindedness, where “there is not a liberal America and a conservative America,” perhaps led Democrats to squander the only significant majority of the post-2000 period. As then-Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) put it, “When he talks about being post-partisan, having seen these people and knowing what they would do in that situation, I suffer from post-partisan depression.”
Biden now finds himself in a familiar position. He has won a significant and rare victory over an incumbent president on a message of unity and “restoring the soul of America.” But the presidential election result did not bring clarity down-ballot.
The mood in the air is certainly not one of post-partisan unity. Instead, Trump has pushed the politics of polarization and rule-breaking close to their limit by pretending to have won the election. He is the first president to refuse to concede his defeat and nearly all Republican Party actors are going along with it. This is a nationalization of what previously happened in states like Kentucky and North Carolina, where Republican governors refused to concede initially and sought to overturn their losses by claiming voter fraud, and in Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin, where lame-duck Republican legislatures gutted the incoming Democratic governor’s ability to govern.
Whether congressional Republicans believe Trump or are simply humoring him doesn’t matter. By pandering to an increasingly agitated and heavily armed base, Republicans are making it normal to refuse to respect the results of future elections. Without belief in the legitimacy of elections, the country would no longer be a functioning democracy.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-15--Suspect Arrested In Attack On Actor Rick Moranis

NEW YORK ( AP ) — A New York man was arrested Saturday in connection with an unprovoked assault against @ @ @ @ @ the 67-year-old actor was walking near Central Park in October .
New York City police @ @ @ @ @ whom authorities listed as homeless , was arrested Saturday afternoon .
It wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ an attorney who could comment .
Moranis , known for his work in the 1980s @ @ @ @ @ City Television ” and roles in movies such as “ Ghostbusters , ” “ Spaceballs @ @ @ @ @ Shrunk the Kids , ” was walking on a sidewalk near Central Park on the @ @ @ @ @ he was attacked .
Video released by police showed a man wearing a black “ @ @ @ @ @ ” sweatshirt hit Moranis with a sucker punch and knock him to the ground .
@ @ @ @ @ Moranis at the time , but Moranis ’ s representative , Troy Bailey , confirmed @ @ @ @ @ .
Police characterized it as a “ random , unprovoked assault .
”

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NEW YORK (AP) — A New York man was arrested Saturday in connection with an unprovoked assault against Rick Moranis that occurred as the 67-year-old actor was walking near Central Park in October.
New York City police said 35-year-old Marquis Ventura, whom authorities listed as homeless, was arrested Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t known if Ventura had retained an attorney who could comment.
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Moranis, known for his work in the 1980s sketch comedy series “Second City Television” and roles in movies such as “Ghostbusters,” “Spaceballs” and “Honey I Shrunk the Kids,” was walking on a sidewalk near Central Park on the morning of Oct. 1 when he was attacked.
Video released by police showed a man wearing a black “I (heart) NY” sweatshirt hit Moranis with a sucker punch and knock him to the ground.
Police didn’t identify Moranis at the time, but Moranis’s representative, Troy Bailey, confirmed the actor had been attacked. Police characterized it as a “random, unprovoked assault.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Sen. Sherrod Brown Asks GOP Colleague To Wear A Mask. He Refuses.

After Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D-Ohio ) asked his colleague Dan Sullivan ( R-Alaska ) to “ please wear a mask ” while speaking in the Senate , Sullivan refused , saying , “ I don ’ t need your instruction.
” “ I ’ d start by asking the presiding officer to please wear a mask as he speaks , ” Brown said from the Senate floor , referring to Sullivan .
“ I don ’ t wear a mask while speaking , like most senators , ” Sullivan shot back , remaining maskless .
“ I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know you don ’ t need my instruction , but there clearly isn ’ t much interest in this body in public health , ” Brown returned , going on to criticize Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) for calling senators back amid a worsening coronavirus pandemic to vote for “ judge after judge after judge , exposing all the people… all the staff here — and the majority leader just doesn ’ t seem to care.
” McConnell ’ s and Sullivan ’ s offices did not immediately respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I asked my Republican colleagues to stop endangering all the Senate workers - and simply wear a mask when presiding over the Senate .
Once again , they refused .
pic.twitter.com/lykJO8MWmI — Sherrod Brown ( @ SenSherrodBrown ) November 17 , 2020 Coronavirus cases are skyrocketing across the country , with a record high of more than 1 million confirmed cases last week alone .
More than 247,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 so far .
Several members of Congress have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days , including Reps. Tim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( D-Ill. ) and Don Young ( R-Alaska ) .
None of them had traveled back to Washington for the November session yet .
Reps. Mark Pocan ( D-Wis. ) and Debbie Lesko ( R-Ariz. ) are in isolation after separately being exposed to people with the coronavirus .
Sen. Todd Young ( R-Ind . )
is returning to Washington on Tuesday after a staff member contracted the coronavirus and caused the senator to quarantine .

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After Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) asked his colleague Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) to “please wear a mask” while speaking in the Senate, Sullivan refused, saying, “I don’t need your instruction.”
“I’d start by asking the presiding officer to please wear a mask as he speaks,” Brown said from the Senate floor, referring to Sullivan.
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“I don’t wear a mask while speaking, like most senators,” Sullivan shot back, remaining maskless. “I don’t need your instruction.”
“I know you don’t need my instruction, but there clearly isn’t much interest in this body in public health,” Brown returned, going on to criticize Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for calling senators back amid a worsening coronavirus pandemic to vote for “judge after judge after judge, exposing all the people… all the staff here — and the majority leader just doesn’t seem to care.”
McConnell’s and Sullivan’s offices did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Once again, I asked my Republican colleagues to stop endangering all the Senate workers - and simply wear a mask when presiding over the Senate.
Once again, they refused. pic.twitter.com/lykJO8MWmI — Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) November 17, 2020
Coronavirus cases are skyrocketing across the country, with a record high of more than 1 million confirmed cases last week alone. More than 247,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 so far.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Gretchen Whitmer Stunned By Trump COVID-19 Aide's Call For Michigan To 'Rise Up'

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D ) said Monday she was floored by a call from controversial White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Scott Atlas for people in her state to “ rise up ” against new rules imposed to mitigate the deadly surge in the disease ’ s cases there .
“ It actually took my breath away , to tell you the truth , ” Whitmer said on MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe.
” “ We are in the midst of the worst weeks of this pandemic , we ’ ve been going through this for nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are as bad as they ’ ve been at any given time , and so we have to take aggressive measures.
” Referring to the lack of a strong public response by President Donald Trump to the spike in COVID-19 cases , she added , “ With the vacuum of leadership in Washington , D.C. , it ’ s on the state ’ s governors to do what we can to save lives.
” Whitmer announced an epidemic order over the weekend that will halt indoor dining , in-person learning , group exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casinos and other venues for at least three weeks from Wednesday .
The order also halts all organized sports activities , with exemptions for some professional teams and colleges .
Atlas , a neuroradiologist with no background in infectious diseases or epidemiology , has been widely criticized by members of the scientific community for advice he ’ s offered since becoming a member of Trump ’ s COVID-19 task force in August .
He has discounted the effectiveness of many of the protocols issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing of masks .
Atlas ’ “ rise up ” call to was particularly startling , given that Whitmer , the repeated target of Trump ’ s ire for her strict COVID-19 mitigation measures , was the planned victim of a violent kidnapping plot foiled by the FBI last month .
According to the FBI , a Michigan militia planned to snatch her and put her on trial for “ treason.
” “ We know the White House likes to single us out here in Michigan , me out in particular , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists and medical professionals.
” “ I mean , I don ’ t want to say anything against Dr. Atlas as a person , but I totally disagree with the stand he takes .
I just do , period , ” Fauci told NBC ’ s “ Today ” show .
“ The idea that ( Atlas ) is saying that they should resist .
What the hell is the matter with these guys ?
What ’ s the matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked .
Whitmer said Monday she would continue to follow the advice of epidemiologists and health experts to limit indoor gatherings as temperatures continue to drop and flu season approaches .
“ The modeling shows that we will lose another 20,000 people here in Michigan between now and the middle of February if we don ’ t take aggressive action now , ” she said .
“ So for three weeks , we ’ re going to tighten things up , batten down the hatches , and try to get everyone to rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said Monday she was floored by a call from controversial White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Scott Atlas for people in her state to “rise up” against new rules imposed to mitigate the deadly surge in the disease’s cases there.
“It actually took my breath away, to tell you the truth,” Whitmer said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “We are in the midst of the worst weeks of this pandemic, we’ve been going through this for nine months, and right now the numbers are as bad as they’ve been at any given time, and so we have to take aggressive measures.”
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Referring to the lack of a strong public response by President Donald Trump to the spike in COVID-19 cases, she added, “With the vacuum of leadership in Washington, D.C., it’s on the state’s governors to do what we can to save lives.”
Whitmer announced an epidemic order over the weekend that will halt indoor dining, in-person learning, group exercise classes and all events at theaters, casinos and other venues for at least three weeks from Wednesday. The order also halts all organized sports activities, with exemptions for some professional teams and colleges.
Atlas, a neuroradiologist with no background in infectious diseases or epidemiology, has been widely criticized by members of the scientific community for advice he’s offered since becoming a member of Trump’s COVID-19 task force in August. He has discounted the effectiveness of many of the protocols issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stem the pandemic, including the wearing of masks.
He posted on Sunday his controversial tweet urging Michiganders to fight the new restrictions imposed by Whitmer:
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The only way this stops is if people rise up. You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp https://t.co/8QKBszgKTM — Scott W. Atlas (@ScottWAtlas) November 15, 2020
Atlas’ “rise up” call to was particularly startling, given that Whitmer, the repeated target of Trump’s ire for her strict COVID-19 mitigation measures, was the planned victim of a violent kidnapping plot foiled by the FBI last month. According to the FBI, a Michigan militia planned to snatch her and put her on trial for “treason.”
“We know the White House likes to single us out here in Michigan, me out in particular,” Whitmer told CNN on Sunday evening. “I’m not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists and medical professionals.”
Atlas’ comments also earned him rebukes from President-elect Joe Biden and from the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, and a fellow member of the White House task force, Dr. Anthony Fauci.
“I mean, I don’t want to say anything against Dr. Atlas as a person, but I totally disagree with the stand he takes. I just do, period,” Fauci told NBC’s “Today” show.
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Biden praised Whitmer’s measures during a press conference Monday.
“The idea that (Atlas) is saying that they should resist. What the hell is the matter with these guys? What’s the matter with them. Resist?” he asked.
Whitmer said Monday she would continue to follow the advice of epidemiologists and health experts to limit indoor gatherings as temperatures continue to drop and flu season approaches.
“The modeling shows that we will lose another 20,000 people here in Michigan between now and the middle of February if we don’t take aggressive action now,” she said. “So for three weeks, we’re going to tighten things up, batten down the hatches, and try to get everyone to rise to the challenge in front of us.”
Michigan has had more than 288,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 8,400 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Joe Biden Gets Modestly Positive Initial Marks On Coronavirus

By an 11-point margin , 47 % to 36 % , voters say they approve of the way Biden has been handling issues related to the coronavirus .
The Trump administration also began this year with positive ratings on the coronavirus .
Among the full American public , approval of the federal response to the coronavirus reached as high as 57 % in late March .
Trump ’ s approval rating on the issue among all Americans also reached the 50 % mark around that time , higher than his overall approval ratings .
But ratings for both Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by May and have not recovered .
Just 6 % of voters currently approve of both Trump and Biden ’ s handling of the coronavirus , with another 6 % disapproving of the way both politicians have handled it ; 41 % approve only of Biden , and 30 % only of Trump .
The remainder are unsure about one or both politicians ’ actions .
The latest poll coincides with a wave of both optimistic and dispiriting news about the pandemic .
Newly announced early results look promising for the eventual rollout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imminently , the U.S. faces a nationwide surge of new coronavirus cases heading into what ’ s expected to be a difficult winter .
The Trump administration , meanwhile , has so far refused to formally acknowledge the Biden transition team .
Biden said Monday that the Trump administration ’ s refusal to cooperate with the transition process could have stark consequences for government handling of the pandemic .
“ More people may die if we don ’ t coordinate , ” Biden told a reporter .
“ As my chief of staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine is important .
It ’ s of little use until you ’ re vaccinated .
So how do we get the vaccine , how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated ?
What ’ s the game plan ?
” Roughly three-quarters of voters say they ’ re at least somewhat concerned about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. , with 48 % calling themselves very concerned .
Just 23 % say there are currently too many coronavirus-related restrictions where they live , with 36 % saying there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36 % that there are not enough restrictions in place .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups : The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted Nov. 13-16 among U.S. registered voters , using a sample selected from YouGov ’ s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the population .
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also be @ @

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President-elect Joe Biden is starting out with modestly positive ratings for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds.
By an 11-point margin, 47% to 36%, voters say they approve of the way Biden has been handling issues related to the coronavirus.
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In contrast, voters disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus issues by a 14-point margin and disapprove of the federal government’s handling of such issues by a 20-point margin.
Results of a HuffPost/YouGov survey on the coronavirus pandemic. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
The Trump administration also began this year with positive ratings on the coronavirus. Among the full American public, approval of the federal response to the coronavirus reached as high as 57% in late March. Trump’s approval rating on the issue among all Americans also reached the 50% mark around that time, higher than his overall approval ratings. But ratings for both Trump and the federal government sank into the red by May and have not recovered.
Just 6% of voters currently approve of both Trump and Biden’s handling of the coronavirus, with another 6% disapproving of the way both politicians have handled it; 41% approve only of Biden, and 30% only of Trump. The remainder are unsure about one or both politicians’ actions.
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The latest poll coincides with a wave of both optimistic and dispiriting news about the pandemic. Newly announced early results look promising for the eventual rollout of a vaccine. But, more imminently, the U.S. faces a nationwide surge of new coronavirus cases heading into what’s expected to be a difficult winter.
The Trump administration, meanwhile, has so far refused to formally acknowledge the Biden transition team. Biden said Monday that the Trump administration’s refusal to cooperate with the transition process could have stark consequences for government handling of the pandemic.
“More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” Biden told a reporter. “As my chief of staff, Ron Klain, would say … a vaccine is important. It’s of little use until you’re vaccinated. So how do we get the vaccine, how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? What’s the game plan?”
Roughly three-quarters of voters say they’re at least somewhat concerned about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., with 48% calling themselves very concerned.
Just 23% say there are currently too many coronavirus-related restrictions where they live, with 36% saying there’s about the right level, and 36% that there are not enough restrictions in place.
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Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups:
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted Nov. 13-16 among U.S. registered voters, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors. YouGov’s reports include a model-based margin of error, which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling. If these assumptions are wrong, the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--The 'Logistical Nightmare' Of Being A NICU Parent During COVID-19

Laura Elkins found out she was pregnant with her second child right around the time that her home state , Virginia , went on lockdown due to COVID-19 last spring .
It was certainly strange being pregnant during a pandemic , the 32-year-old told HuffPost , but her pregnancy was pretty uneventful until suddenly , at 30 weeks , she developed symptoms of severe preeclampsia .
She was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to her daughter a few days later , more than two months before the child was due .
Having a baby spend any length of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any parent hopes or plans for , but estimates suggest up to 15 % of babies born in the U.S. each year do so — including the overwhelming majority of preterm babies .
Under even the absolute best of circumstances , it can be excruciating and take a huge toll on parents ’ emotional health .
An estimated 70 % of mothers whose babies spend time in the NICU grapple with symptoms of postpartum depression , and up to 25 % experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder .
“ It was completely overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who , after years of in vitro fertilization , gave birth to her first baby over the summer at 30 weeks after she developed HELLP syndrome — a life-threatening variant of preeclampsia .
Her son spent 58 days in the hospital battling what seemed like one health complication after the next — all with the threat of COVID-19 lurking in the background .
“ They talk to you about how even the common cold is a risk , and our baby is extra , extra , extra sensitive .
You start to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we going to keep him safe ?
’ ” said Becky , who asked that only her first name be used because she was discussing her own health and that of her son ’ s .
The need for other safety protocols practiced because of the pandemic also has been a source of difficulty for NICU parents .
Hospitals have needed to limit the number of visitors allowed , often requiring parents to trade off who can sit with the baby — and limiting how long .
Parents like Elkins fully understand why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that does not mean they are easy to manage .
She swapped out hours visiting her baby with her husband , while they also had to care for their 5-year-old at home who was not in school because of COVID-19 closures .
“ While these restrictions are implemented for patient and staff precaution and safety , there is a significant emotional impact on families , ” said Jamie Kreiter , a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in maternal health .
It can be much more difficult for those families to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to come to the hospital , Kreiter added , or to meet and connect with other NICU families .
With all of these added layers of emotional and logistical difficulty bearing down on parents with babies in the NICU during the pandemic , it is imperative that they get help .
Unfortunately , that help may be hard to come by in hospitals buckling under the strain of the pandemic and at a time when steering clear of friends and family is one of the best things we can do for our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be taken , however .
Hospitals should consider providing iPads that parents can use to FaceTime when only one partner is allowed to visit , Kreiter said .
They should also routinely screen parents for mental health issues like postpartum depression , now more than ever .
And friends and family can help as well , even if it is from a distance .
“ If you know a family who has an infant in the NICU , there are many ways to show support , ” Kreiter urged .
“ Send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books , puzzles , and other activities to help occupy the time ; and check in regularly.
” Having spent time in the NICU during the pandemic herself , Elkins agreed — urging other parents to accept that help , which is something she struggled with .
Let people drop off meals , she said .
If there is a stretch when you can get some sleep , take it , even if it means you are not necessarily by your baby ’ s side .
Her boys were born in July and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A few of her family members have met them , but the twins are largely isolated .
She and her husband will head out for infrequent trips to the grocery store and take their boys for walks outside .
She knows how important it is to be constantly vigilant against the threat of COVID-19 , but it is not easy .

Hannah McKay - PA Images via Getty Images A mom rests with her premature baby during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Laura Elkins found out she was pregnant with her second child right around the time that her home state, Virginia, went on lockdown due to COVID-19 last spring. It was certainly strange being pregnant during a pandemic, the 32-year-old told HuffPost, but her pregnancy was pretty uneventful until suddenly, at 30 weeks, she developed symptoms of severe preeclampsia. She was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to her daughter a few days later, more than two months before the child was due.
“I was a complete basket case, to put it lightly,” Elkins told HuffPost of the six-and-a-half weeks her baby spent in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) while the pandemic raged on.
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“Emotionally, it was the most stressful time of my entire life,” she said.
Having a baby spend any length of time in the NICU is not something any parent hopes or plans for, but estimates suggest up to 15% of babies born in the U.S. each year do so — including the overwhelming majority of preterm babies. Under even the absolute best of circumstances, it can be excruciating and take a huge toll on parents’ emotional health. An estimated 70% of mothers whose babies spend time in the NICU grapple with symptoms of postpartum depression, and up to 25% experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Add in a global pandemic, and experts fear the emotional load has become nearly impossible for mothers and fathers to bear.
“Isolation and stress are big factors for why NICU parents have had higher rates of PPD [postpartum depression] and PPA [postpartum anxiety] prior to the pandemic,” said Sarah Levine-Miles, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating perinatal mood disorders. “The impact of COVID-19 has made isolation and stress even more intense for these parents.”
“It was completely overwhelming,” said Becky, a 37-year-old who, after years of in vitro fertilization, gave birth to her first baby over the summer at 30 weeks after she developed HELLP syndrome — a life-threatening variant of preeclampsia. Her son spent 58 days in the hospital battling what seemed like one health complication after the next — all with the threat of COVID-19 lurking in the background.
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“They talk to you about how even the common cold is a risk, and our baby is extra, extra, extra sensitive. You start to think, ‘My gosh, how are we going to keep him safe?’” said Becky, who asked that only her first name be used because she was discussing her own health and that of her son’s.
She recalled the nurses’ hands, which would often be chapped and bleeding from all the handwashing they were doing.
The need for other safety protocols practiced because of the pandemic also has been a source of difficulty for NICU parents. Hospitals have needed to limit the number of visitors allowed, often requiring parents to trade off who can sit with the baby — and limiting how long.
Parents like Elkins fully understand why these added protections are in place, but that does not mean they are easy to manage. She swapped out hours visiting her baby with her husband, while they also had to care for their 5-year-old at home who was not in school because of COVID-19 closures.
“It’s a logistical nightmare,” she said. “You’re trying to live in two worlds at one time,” Elkins said.
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“Our baby is extra, extra, extra sensitive. You start to think, 'My gosh, how are we going to keep him safe?'”
“While these restrictions are implemented for patient and staff precaution and safety, there is a significant emotional impact on families,” said Jamie Kreiter, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in maternal health. It can be much more difficult for those families to get support from loved ones who are not able to come to the hospital, Kreiter added, or to meet and connect with other NICU families.
With all of these added layers of emotional and logistical difficulty bearing down on parents with babies in the NICU during the pandemic, it is imperative that they get help. Unfortunately, that help may be hard to come by in hospitals buckling under the strain of the pandemic and at a time when steering clear of friends and family is one of the best things we can do for our collective health.
There are simple steps to be taken, however. Hospitals should consider providing iPads that parents can use to FaceTime when only one partner is allowed to visit, Kreiter said. They should also routinely screen parents for mental health issues like postpartum depression, now more than ever.
And friends and family can help as well, even if it is from a distance. “If you know a family who has an infant in the NICU, there are many ways to show support,” Kreiter urged. “Send a meal to the hospital; lend books, puzzles, and other activities to help occupy the time; and check in regularly.”
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Having spent time in the NICU during the pandemic herself, Elkins agreed — urging other parents to accept that help, which is something she struggled with. Let people drop off meals, she said. If there is a stretch when you can get some sleep, take it, even if it means you are not necessarily by your baby’s side.
Because, as is the case for all parents but particularly those who have had a baby in the NICU, the challenges don’t stop at discharge.
As one 36-year-old mom of preterm twins born who both have chronic lung diseases (and who asked to remain anonymous given the sensitive nature of her boys’ condition) put it: “The isolation doesn’t end when you get to come home.”
Her boys were born in July and spent two months in the hospital. A few of her family members have met them, but the twins are largely isolated. She and her husband will head out for infrequent trips to the grocery store and take their boys for walks outside. She knows how important it is to be constantly vigilant against the threat of COVID-19, but it is not easy.
“I do sort of feel like the walls of our house are coming in around me,” she said. “But we’re making the best of a shitty situation.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--South Dakota Nurse: Dying COVID-19 Patients ‘Still Don’t Believe The Virus Is Real’

A South Dakota nurse has gone viral after explaining her ongoing frustrations with trying to convince COVID-19 patients they actually have the virus .
Doering was sitting on her couch Saturday night and was attempting to soothe herself on a night off by cuddling her dog and eating Oreo ice cream , when she felt the urge to publicly express the obstacles she ’ s facing at work .
Going to ruin the USA .
All while gasping for breath on 100 % Vapotherm .
They tell you there must be another reason they are sick .
They call you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear all that “ stuff ” because they don ’ t have COViD because it ’ s not real .
Yes .
This really happens .
And — Jodi Doering ( @ JodiDoering ) November 15 , 2020 “ I can ’ t help but think of the Covid patients the last few days , ” she tweeted .
“ The ones that stick out are those who still don ’ t believe the virus is real .
The ones who scream at you for a magic medicine and that Joe Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She added : “ All while gasping for breath on 100 % Vapotherm .
They tell you there must be another reason they are sick .
They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that ‘ stuff ’ because they don ’ t have COViD because it ’ s not real.
” Some state officials and residents in South Dakota — a coronavirus hot spot in which a majority of voters cast ballots for President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election — have been vocal about downplaying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kristi Noem ( R ) has refused to put a mask mandate in place .
In response to President-elect Joe Biden ’ s proposed idea that there be a nationwide lockdown and mask mandate once he takes office to help quell the spread of the virus , Noem ’ s office told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader in a statement Friday that she has no intention of using state resources to enforce any federal COVID-19 orders .
In August , an estimated 460,000 visitors from all across the country entered the city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally , despite other large events being canceled due to the pandemic .
By the end of the month , Sturgis attendees began testing positive for COVID-19 and by early September , a working paper from the IZA Institute of Labor Economics said the 10-day event may have led to nearly 267,000 cases across the country .
Noem , however , rejected the paper ’ s findings , and called it “ fiction.
” She also told Fox News that the four economists from three U.S. universities that researched the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they did a lot of speculation , did some back-of-the-napkin math , made up some numbers and published them.
” Yet , factors that contribute to the spread of the coronavirus are hard to ignore when Doering emphasized to CNN ( above ) the extent of some of her COVID-19 patients ’ denial .
“ People want it to be influenza , they want it to be pneumonia , we ’ ve even had people say , ‘ I think it could be lung cancer , ’ ” Doering told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she suggests that some patients should FaceTime with their friends and family for a final conversation , they say , “ ‘ No , because I ’ m doing fine.
’ ” I can ’ t stop thinking about it .
These people really think this isn ’ t going to happen to them .
And then they stop yelling at you when they get intubated .
It ’ s like a fucking horror movie that never ends .
There ’ s no credits that roll .
You just go back and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doering ( @ JodiDoering ) November 15 , 2020

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A South Dakota nurse has gone viral after explaining her ongoing frustrations with trying to convince COVID-19 patients they actually have the virus.
“Their last dying words are, ‘This can’t be happening. It’s not real,’” Jodi Doering told CNN. “Even after positive results come back, some people just don’t believe it.”
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Doering was sitting on her couch Saturday night and was attempting to soothe herself on a night off by cuddling her dog and eating Oreo ice cream, when she felt the urge to publicly express the obstacles she’s facing at work.
Going to ruin the USA. All while gasping for breath on 100% Vapotherm. They tell you there must be another reason they are sick. They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that “stuff” because they don’t have COViD because it’s not real. Yes. This really happens. And — Jodi Doering (@JodiDoering) November 15, 2020
“I can’t help but think of the Covid patients the last few days,” she tweeted. “The ones that stick out are those who still don’t believe the virus is real. The ones who scream at you for a magic medicine and that Joe Biden is … Going to ruin the USA.”
She added: “All while gasping for breath on 100% Vapotherm. They tell you there must be another reason they are sick. They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that ‘stuff’ because they don’t have COViD because it’s not real.”
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Some state officials and residents in South Dakota — a coronavirus hot spot in which a majority of voters cast ballots for President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election — have been vocal about downplaying the threat of the virus.
Gov. Kristi Noem (R) has refused to put a mask mandate in place. In response to President-elect Joe Biden’s proposed idea that there be a nationwide lockdown and mask mandate once he takes office to help quell the spread of the virus, Noem’s office told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader in a statement Friday that she has no intention of using state resources to enforce any federal COVID-19 orders.
This report isn't science. It's fiction.
Under the guise of academic research, it's nothing short of an attack on those who exercised their personal freedom to attend Sturgis. (THREAD 1/) https://t.co/3zkmabJV2y — Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) September 8, 2020
She also told Fox News that the four economists from three U.S. universities that researched the paper “took a snapshot in time, and they did a lot of speculation, did some back-of-the-napkin math, made up some numbers and published them.”
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Yet, factors that contribute to the spread of the coronavirus are hard to ignore when Doering emphasized to CNN (above) the extent of some of her COVID-19 patients’ denial.
“People want it to be influenza, they want it to be pneumonia, we’ve even had people say, ‘I think it could be lung cancer,’” Doering told the outlet. The nurse said that when she suggests that some patients should FaceTime with their friends and family for a final conversation, they say, “‘No, because I’m doing fine.’”
I can’t stop thinking about it. These people really think this isn’t going to happen to them. And then they stop yelling at you when they get intubated. It’s like a fucking horror movie that never ends. There’s no credits that roll. You just go back and do it all over again. — Jodi Doering (@JodiDoering) November 15, 2020
She said this attitude is taking a serious toll on health care workers.
“It’s like a fucking horror movie that never ends,” she tweeted Saturday. “There’s no credits that roll. You just go back and do it all over again.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Joe Biden Says ‘More People May Die’ If Trump Keeps Obstructing Transition

President-elect Joe Biden said Monday that the biggest threat posed by President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to cooperate with Biden ’ s transition team is that “ more people may die ” if he can ’ t access the outgoing administration ’ s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans .
When Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered remarks on the economy in Wilmington , Delaware , an NBC reporter asked Biden what he saw as the biggest threat to his transition , “ given President Trump ’ s unprecedented attempt to obstruct and delay a smooth transfer of power.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t coordinate , ” Biden answered .
“ As my chief of staff , Ron Klain , would say … a vaccine is important .
It ’ s of little use until you ’ re vaccinated .
So how do we get the vaccine , how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated ?
What ’ s the game plan ?
” Q : `` What do you see as the biggest threat to your transition right now given President Trump 's unprecedented attempt to obstruct and delay a smooth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` More people may die if we do n't coordinate . ''
Full video : https : //t.co/WANwvEyYLg pic.twitter.com/ZvJ6FiCi1s — CSPAN ( @ cspan ) November 16 , 2020 Trump has refused to concede the election , despite all major media networks projecting Biden , who is far ahead in both the popular and electoral votes , as the winner .
Trump ’ s campaign continues to allege voter fraud and ballot-counting irregularities , but lacks the evidence to prove it .
The Trump-appointed head of the General Services Administration has refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstructing his team ’ s access to necessary funds , offices and personnel that would facilitate a smooth transfer of power .
Part of that transition includes sharing vital information from Operation Warp Speed , the Trump administration ’ s program that facilitates and accelerates the development , manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines .
“ It ’ s a huge , huge , huge undertaking to get it done , prioritize those greatest in need , and work our way through it ― and also cooperate with the World Health Organization and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this , ” Biden said .
“ If we have to wait until Jan. 20 to start that planning , it puts us behind over a month , month and a half , ” he explained .
“ So it ’ s important that it be done , that there be coordination ― now , or as rapidly as we can get that done.
” In his remarks on Monday , the president-elect also implored Americans to continue wearing face masks as the nation heads into the winter with COVID-19 cases surging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Biden said of wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
“ It ’ s about being patriotic .
It ’ s about saving lives , for real ; it ’ s not a hyperbole.
” Meanwhile , Trump and many Republican leaders claim that mask mandates take away Americans ’ freedoms and don ’ t make a difference in curbing the virus ’ spread .
Public health experts have long said that wearing a mask can help stop the spread of the virus and save lives .

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President-elect Joe Biden said Monday that the biggest threat posed by President Donald Trump’s refusal to cooperate with Biden’s transition team is that “more people may die” if he can’t access the outgoing administration’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans.
When Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris delivered remarks on the economy in Wilmington, Delaware, an NBC reporter asked Biden what he saw as the biggest threat to his transition, “given President Trump’s unprecedented attempt to obstruct and delay a smooth transfer of power.”
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“More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” Biden answered. “As my chief of staff, Ron Klain, would say … a vaccine is important. It’s of little use until you’re vaccinated. So how do we get the vaccine, how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? What’s the game plan?”
Q: "What do you see as the biggest threat to your transition right now given President Trump's unprecedented attempt to obstruct and delay a smooth transfer of power?"
President-Elect Biden: "More people may die if we don't coordinate."
Full video: https://t.co/WANwvEyYLg pic.twitter.com/ZvJ6FiCi1s — CSPAN (@cspan) November 16, 2020
Trump has refused to concede the election, despite all major media networks projecting Biden, who is far ahead in both the popular and electoral votes, as the winner. Trump’s campaign continues to allege voter fraud and ballot-counting irregularities, but lacks the evidence to prove it.
The Trump-appointed head of the General Services Administration has refused to acknowledge Biden as the president-elect, obstructing his team’s access to necessary funds, offices and personnel that would facilitate a smooth transfer of power.
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Part of that transition includes sharing vital information from Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s program that facilitates and accelerates the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
“It’s a huge, huge, huge undertaking to get it done, prioritize those greatest in need, and work our way through it ― and also cooperate with the World Health Organization and the rest of the world in dealing with this,” Biden said.
“If we have to wait until Jan. 20 to start that planning, it puts us behind over a month, month and a half,” he explained. “So it’s important that it be done, that there be coordination ― now, or as rapidly as we can get that done.”
In his remarks on Monday, the president-elect also implored Americans to continue wearing face masks as the nation heads into the winter with COVID-19 cases surging.
President-Elect Biden: "There's nothing macho about not wearing a mask."
Full video: https://t.co/WANwvEyYLg pic.twitter.com/7SwkpYST7w — CSPAN (@cspan) November 16, 2020
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“It’s about patriotism,” Biden said of wearing masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. “It’s about being patriotic. It’s about saving lives, for real; it’s not a hyperbole.”
Meanwhile, Trump and many Republican leaders claim that mask mandates take away Americans’ freedoms and don’t make a difference in curbing the virus’ spread. Public health experts have long said that wearing a mask can help stop the spread of the virus and save lives.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--HuffPost Event: A Conversation On Building Resilience In The Workplace

At this virtual event , Lu , Torres and Orbé-Austin will explore how to be resilient and adaptable when so @ @ @ @ @ our sense of normalcy — gatherings with friends , family vacations , a sense of @ @ @ @ @ no longer available , while also acknowledging that for many communities , resilience isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ act of survival .
We ’ ll also dispel some myths about productivity and talk @ @ @ @ @ downplay our pain in the workplace — and how self-care looks different for everyone .
@ @ @ @ @ everyone .
Please sign up here !

At this virtual event, Lu, Torres and Orbé-Austin will explore how to be resilient and adaptable when so much of what contributed to our sense of normalcy — gatherings with friends, family vacations, a sense of safety and well-being — is no longer available, while also acknowledging that for many communities, resilience isn’t a choice but an act of survival. We’ll also dispel some myths about productivity and talk about what happens when we downplay our pain in the workplace — and how self-care looks different for everyone.
The event is open to everyone. Please sign up here!


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Moderna Says Its COVID Vaccine Is 94.5% Effective; Fauci Calls Results 'Truly Striking'

Of the 95 people in the experiment who developed COVID-19 symptoms , 90 were in the placebo group , with several getting the most severe form of the disease .
Of the five in the vaccine group who developed COVID-19 symptoms , none got its severe form .
“ The results in this trial are truly striking , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said during a telephone press conference convened by the National Institutes of Health .
“ I ’ d said I would be satisfied with a 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like 95 % was really aspirational ... Well , our aspirations have been met , and that is really very good news.
” Both manufacturers have indicated they intend to seek emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration , and that if they get approval , they stand ready to start mass production .
Moderna says it could produce enough to vaccinate 10 million people in the U.S. by the end of 2020 , and Pfizer has said it could produce even more .
Fauci and other experts were quick to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week ― that this is still based on interim data , and that approval will , and should , depend on more information about safety .
The vaccine ’ s long-term effectiveness is also an open question .
It ’ s not clear how long immunity would last , assuming the preliminary data holds up .
The vaccines have an artificially engineered version of mRNA that contains the instructions to create part of the COVID-19 virus ― in particular , the now widely recognizable spiky protein on the virus surface .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to produce the protein and the immune system reacts to it , developing a response that can then prevent the disease when people come into contact with the real virus .
Or , at least , that ’ s always been the hope .
Although mRNA vaccines have been in development for many years , nobody has produced and deployed one successfully , as both Pfizer and Moderna now seem to be on the verge of doing .
The Moderna news increases confidence in COVID-19 vaccines for another reason .
Although other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they are similarly focusing on the spiky protein .
If both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have indeed succeeded in generating an immune response , that ’ s more reason to think those other vaccines will too .
“ One of the things that we find is potentially good news for the future ... is the consistency across different platforms , ” Fauci said .
“ All of them use the spike protein as the target ...
Although you never want to get ahead of yourself and make predictions before the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this looks good.
” Nahid Bhadelia , an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at Boston University , told HuffPost that the announcement is “ good news for sure ” and bodes well for other vaccines , although she cautioned that the data still needs more review .
Also , she said , “ there are still questions regarding whether these vaccines protect from disease alone or also asymptomatic infection ― which could allow the vaccinated to continue transmitting ― and longevity.
” Pfizer did not use Warp Speed money to underwrite its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have secured advance purchases and both expect to profit from sales , though the Trump administration has said the goal is to make sure all Americans get the vaccine for free .
“ The progress here , I think , does reflect this all-hands-on-deck approach , which has been taken since January by the entire scientific community ― that being NIH , academic centers and industry all working together in an unprecedented and seamless way , ” NIH Director Francis Collins said .
“ Operation Warp Speed came along to make sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together , moving swiftly.
” The news from Pfizer and Moderna comes just as the U.S. is setting new daily records for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations , with deaths rising as well .
The situation looks more dire than it has at any point since the pandemic ’ s early phases , when the virus was brand-new to scientists and providers were still figuring out how to treat it .
Medicine has now developed much better therapeutics , which has helped to reduce fatality rates .
But rising caseloads are overwhelming providers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rio Grande Valley in Texas ― and even if the early returns from Pfizer and Moderna hold up , it will be many months before most of the population can get vaccinations , given production timetables .

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Another experimental COVID-19 vaccine is proving highly effective in trials, according to its manufacturer, offering the best hope yet that a large portion of the U.S. population will be getting immunized sometime in the coming year.
The company, Moderna, said on Monday that its vaccine is 94.5% effective, based on a study of people who got either the actual vaccine or a placebo as part of a large-scale test that has been underway since the summer.
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Of the 95 people in the experiment who developed COVID-19 symptoms, 90 were in the placebo group, with several getting the most severe form of the disease. Of the five in the vaccine group who developed COVID-19 symptoms, none got its severe form.
“The results in this trial are truly striking,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a telephone press conference convened by the National Institutes of Health. “I’d said I would be satisfied with a 70, 75% efficacy, that something like 95% was really aspirational ... Well, our aspirations have been met, and that is really very good news.”
Last week, Pfizer announced that its own vaccine was more than 90% effective, based on similar findings.
Both manufacturers have indicated they intend to seek emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and that if they get approval, they stand ready to start mass production. Moderna says it could produce enough to vaccinate 10 million people in the U.S. by the end of 2020, and Pfizer has said it could produce even more.
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Fauci and other experts were quick to issue the same cautionary notes they did last week ― that this is still based on interim data, and that approval will, and should, depend on more information about safety. The vaccine’s long-term effectiveness is also an open question. It’s not clear how long immunity would last, assuming the preliminary data holds up.
Still, the Moderna news is especially encouraging, because its vaccine works in the same way that Pfizer’s does. Both use “messenger RNA,” which the human body uses as code to manufacture proteins.
The vaccines have an artificially engineered version of mRNA that contains the instructions to create part of the COVID-19 virus ― in particular, the now widely recognizable spiky protein on the virus surface. When people get the vaccine, their cells start to produce the protein and the immune system reacts to it, developing a response that can then prevent the disease when people come into contact with the real virus.
Or, at least, that’s always been the hope. Although mRNA vaccines have been in development for many years, nobody has produced and deployed one successfully, as both Pfizer and Moderna now seem to be on the verge of doing.
The Moderna news increases confidence in COVID-19 vaccines for another reason. Although other manufacturers have tried approaches other than mRNA, they are similarly focusing on the spiky protein. If both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have indeed succeeded in generating an immune response, that’s more reason to think those other vaccines will too.
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“One of the things that we find is potentially good news for the future... is the consistency across different platforms,” Fauci said. “All of them use the spike protein as the target ... Although you never want to get ahead of yourself and make predictions before the results of the trials are in, conceptually this looks good.”
Nahid Bhadelia, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at Boston University, told HuffPost that the announcement is “good news for sure” and bodes well for other vaccines, although she cautioned that the data still needs more review. Also, she said, “there are still questions regarding whether these vaccines protect from disease alone or also asymptomatic infection ― which could allow the vaccinated to continue transmitting ― and longevity.”
The sort of rapid vaccine development associated with the coronavirus is unprecedented in human history. Experts said it was a product of decades of research, including into the development of the mRNA technique, as well as federal efforts through the Trump administration’s “Warp Speed” operation.
Pfizer did not use Warp Speed money to underwrite its research, but Moderna did. Both have secured advance purchases and both expect to profit from sales, though the Trump administration has said the goal is to make sure all Americans get the vaccine for free.
“The progress here, I think, does reflect this all-hands-on-deck approach, which has been taken since January by the entire scientific community ― that being NIH, academic centers and industry all working together in an unprecedented and seamless way,” NIH Director Francis Collins said. “Operation Warp Speed came along to make sure that all parts of the government were working together, moving swiftly.”
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The news from Pfizer and Moderna comes just as the U.S. is setting new daily records for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, with deaths rising as well. The situation looks more dire than it has at any point since the pandemic’s early phases, when the virus was brand-new to scientists and providers were still figuring out how to treat it.
Medicine has now developed much better therapeutics, which has helped to reduce fatality rates. But rising caseloads are overwhelming providers in hot spots like the Dakotas and the Rio Grande Valley in Texas ― and even if the early returns from Pfizer and Moderna hold up, it will be many months before most of the population can get vaccinations, given production timetables.
Distribution will be a huge challenge of its own, especially since the mRNA vaccines require cold storage, although Moderna’s does not appear to require the same sub-freezing temperatures as Pfizer’s.
For those reasons, even experts enthusiastic about the vaccine trials say it’s critical that Americans, and their political leaders, not become complacent.
“It’s more promising evidence that science will help us end this pandemic, and more reason for everyone to be especially vigilant now to stop this wave of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths,” Joshua Sharfstein, a former FDA deputy commissioner who is now a vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told HuffPost.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Smithfield Fined $58,000 For Serious COVID Hazards At California Plant

Investigators with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health found that Smithfield , through its Farmer John subsidiary , failed to space workers apart on the processing lines at its Vernon , California , plant .
An outbreak among the workforce there left more than 100 workers positive for COVID-19 and three hospitalized .
Altogether , the fines against Smithfield and Citistaff at the one facility came to more than $ 100,000 , making it one of the biggest workplace safety fines so far against a U.S. employer stemming from a coronavirus investigation .
The fines were issued Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smithfield procured and provided masks , face shields and other personal protective equipment early and aggressively and , without question , during the time period covered by the citation , ” Lombardo said .
“ As a company , we took seriously our obligation to protect employee health while also producing safe food for millions of people .
We implemented aggressive measures to ensure our employees were safe , healthy and protected so that they could continue the vital mission of producing food for millions of people.
” Officials opened the investigation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ union , the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 770 .
The union had demanded that the plant be closed after more than 130 infections became known at that point .
The plant remained open .
“ In the absence of leadership from Smithfield , we have taken it on ourselves to call for safer working conditions and an investigation from [ the state ] , ” Guzman said .
“ They ’ ve never taken our health seriously ― we are disposable to them as long as their profits keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no surprise to see this many citations given.
” In late May , the union ’ s president , John Grant , said that workers were still too close together on the processing lines several weeks into the pandemic .
It appears investigators corroborated those allegations , finding that workers were within 6 feet of each other in at least six different processing areas of the plant , and that plexiglass screens were not put up to separate them .
They also cited Smithfield for the “ failure to provide or ensure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ possibility of contamination ” of masks due to the way they were stored and handled .
“ The working conditions there have been horrific , and these citations show exactly what workers were exposed to every day they were on the job , ” he said .
Meatpacking plants were home to some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country earlier in the pandemic .
Workers in many plants complained of standing side by side on processing lines despite a rise in infections , and encountering crowded break rooms , locker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon advertises job openings in May after more than 150 workers tested positive for COVID-19 .
California issued more than $ 100,000 against the plant and a temp firm .
( Photo by David McNew/Getty Images ) Companies like Smithfield have defended their practices during the pandemic , saying they were following government guidelines and trying to maintain the food supply .
The Trump administration issued an executive order in April aimed at keeping meatpacking plants open despite obvious outbreaks among the workforce .
The citation against Smithfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital with COVID-19 ― one in late February and two in late April .
Officials fined Smithfield for allegedly failing to notify the state about those hospitalizations .
Employers are supposed to tell the state within 24 hours when a worker has suffered a serious injury or illness that appears to be work-related .
Under the Trump administration , the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not issued any new regulations for employers due to the coronavirus .
Nor has it issued any big citations .
In September , federal officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Dakota , plant with a fine of just $ 13,434 .
The plant had lost four workers to COVID-19 .
But California has what ’ s known as a state OSHA plan , which means the state carries out enforcement , rather than the federal government .
The fines California issued against Smithfield may be small for an employer whose parent company had more than $ 1 billion in profits last year , but they are still more significant than the tiny fines coming from federal OSHA .
In September , California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frozen food company Overhill Farms and its temp firm more than $ 330,000 due to coronavirus hazards at another plant in Vernon .
Those fines appear to be the largest against any meat processing operation so far related to the pandemic .

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The state of California issued more than $58,000 in fines against Smithfield Foods after investigating the meat producer for coronavirus hazards.
Investigators with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health found that Smithfield, through its Farmer John subsidiary, failed to space workers apart on the processing lines at its Vernon, California, plant. An outbreak among the workforce there left more than 100 workers positive for COVID-19 and three hospitalized.
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The state also issued coronavirus-related fines totaling roughly $46,000 against Citistaff Solutions, a temp staffing firm used by Smithfield at the same plant. Investigators cited the firm for the same general failures in protecting workers from exposure to COVID-19.
Altogether, the fines against Smithfield and Citistaff at the one facility came to more than $100,000, making it one of the biggest workplace safety fines so far against a U.S. employer stemming from a coronavirus investigation. The fines were issued Thursday after a nearly six-month investigation.
In a statement, Keira Lombardo, a Smithfield spokesperson, called the fines “perplexing” and said the company plans to appeal.
“Smithfield procured and provided masks, face shields and other personal protective equipment early and aggressively and, without question, during the time period covered by the citation,” Lombardo said. “As a company, we took seriously our obligation to protect employee health while also producing
safe food for millions of people. We implemented aggressive measures to ensure our employees were safe, healthy and protected so that they could continue the vital mission of producing food for millions of people.”
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Officials opened the investigation in late May after complaints from the workers’ union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 770. The union had demanded that the plant be closed after more than 130 infections became known at that point. The plant remained open.
On Monday, the union released a statement attributed to Jose Guzman, an employee at the plant.
“In the absence of leadership from Smithfield, we have taken it on ourselves to call for safer working conditions and an investigation from [the state],” Guzman said. “They’ve never taken our health seriously ― we are disposable to them as long as their profits keep going up, and it’s no surprise to see this many citations given.”
In late May, the union’s president, John Grant, said that workers were still too close together on the processing lines several weeks into the pandemic. It appears investigators corroborated those allegations, finding that workers were within 6 feet of each other in at least six different processing areas of the plant, and that plexiglass screens were not put up to separate them.
They also cited Smithfield for the “failure to provide or ensure the use of” masks, and the “possibility of contamination” of masks due to the way they were stored and handled.
Grant said in a statement that at least 315 workers from the plant have tested positive for the virus to date.
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“The working conditions there have been horrific, and these citations show exactly what workers were exposed to every day they were on the job,” he said.
Meatpacking plants were home to some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country earlier in the pandemic. Workers in many plants complained of standing side by side on processing lines despite a rise in infections, and encountering crowded break rooms, locker rooms and entrances.
A sign on the Farmer John slaughterhouse in Vernon advertises job openings in May after more than 150 workers tested positive for COVID-19. California issued more than $100,000 against the plant and a temp firm. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) David McNew via Getty Images
Companies like Smithfield have defended their practices during the pandemic, saying they were following government guidelines and trying to maintain the food supply. The Trump administration issued an executive order in April aimed at keeping meatpacking plants open despite obvious outbreaks among the workforce.
The citation against Smithfield cites three workers who ended up in the hospital with COVID-19 ― one in late February and two in late April. Officials fined Smithfield for allegedly failing to notify the state about those hospitalizations. Employers are supposed to tell the state within 24 hours when a worker has suffered a serious injury or illness that appears to be work-related.
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Under the Trump administration, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not issued any new regulations for employers due to the coronavirus. Nor has it issued any big citations. In September, federal officials hit Smithfield’s Sioux Falls, South Dakota, plant with a fine of just $13,434. The plant had lost four workers to COVID-19.
But California has what’s known as a state OSHA plan, which means the state carries out enforcement, rather than the federal government. The fines California issued against Smithfield may be small for an employer whose parent company had more than $1 billion in profits last year, but they are still more significant than the tiny fines coming from federal OSHA.
In September, California officials announced that they were fining the frozen food company Overhill Farms and its temp firm more than $330,000 due to coronavirus hazards at another plant in Vernon. Those fines appear to be the largest against any meat processing operation so far related to the pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-16--Fauci Warns Trump's Stalled Handoff To Biden Could Delay Vaccine Rollout

During an interview with NBC ’ s “ Today , ” Fauci said he ’ s “ concerned ” about the Trump administration ’ s refusal to recognize Biden as the election winner .
“ I ’ ve served in six administrations so I ’ ve seen a number of transitions , ” Fauci said .
“ So I know that transitions are very important .
... You just want things to go very smoothly .
So , hopefully , we ’ ll see that soon.
” Trump has refused to concede the election , despite all major media networks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world leaders and Republican lawmakers have congratulated Biden on his victory , though the vast majority of GOP lawmakers have either declined to do so or have remained silent .
Trump has repeatedly ― and falsely ― declared himself the winner .
His campaign has alleged voter fraud and ballot-counting irregularities , but has failed to provide evidence of widespread issues .
The head of the government ’ s General Services Administration ― a Trump appointee ― has refused to “ ascertain ” Biden as the president-elect , blocking funds and access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transition between presidencies .
Moncef Slaoui , a pharmaceuticals executive whom Trump appointed to accelerate the development of a vaccine , called on the White House last week to make contact with Biden ’ s transition team .
“ I totally agree with him , very much so , ” Fauci told NBC , referring to Slaoui ’ s comments .
“ I mean the virus is not going to stop and call a timeout while things change .
The virus is just going to keep going .
The process is just going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news Monday that biotechnology company Moderna reported that preliminary data shows its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5 % effective .
Last week , pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced its vaccine was 90 % effective .
“ This is something that is just now going in the very , very strong , right direction , ” Fauci said of the vaccines .
“ We want to get it approved as quickly as we possibly can .
We want to get doses to people starting in December and then we want to really get the ball rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and March.
” “ We want a smooth process for that , ” he continued .
“ And the way you do that is by essentially having the two groups speak to each other and exchange information.
” Fauci told CNN on Sunday that it would be “ better ” if his team could begin working with the incoming Biden administration .

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert on the White House’s coronavirus task force, suggested Monday that President Donald Trump’s delayed handoff to President-elect Joe Biden could slow the coronavirus vaccine rollout.
During an interview with NBC’s “Today,” Fauci said he’s “concerned” about the Trump administration’s refusal to recognize Biden as the election winner.
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“I’ve served in six administrations so I’ve seen a number of transitions,” Fauci said. “So I know that transitions are very important. ... You just want things to go very smoothly. So, hopefully, we’ll see that soon.”
“Now we have two vaccines that are really quite effective.”
Watch @SavannahGuthrie’s full interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the new coronavirus vaccine candidate results from Moderna, battling COVID fatigue, and the importance of a smooth White House transition. pic.twitter.com/mosSOEyMzo — TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 16, 2020
Trump has refused to concede the election, despite all major media networks projecting Biden as the winner. Several world leaders and Republican lawmakers have congratulated Biden on his victory, though the vast majority of GOP lawmakers have either declined to do so or have remained silent.
Trump has repeatedly ― and falsely ― declared himself the winner. His campaign has alleged voter fraud and ballot-counting irregularities, but has failed to provide evidence of widespread issues.
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The head of the government’s General Services Administration ― a Trump appointee ― has refused to “ascertain” Biden as the president-elect, blocking funds and access to offices and personnel that would facilitate a transition between presidencies.
Moncef Slaoui, a pharmaceuticals executive whom Trump appointed to accelerate the development of a vaccine, called on the White House last week to make contact with Biden’s transition team.
“I totally agree with him, very much so,” Fauci told NBC, referring to Slaoui’s comments. “I mean the virus is not going to stop and call a timeout while things change. The virus is just going to keep going. The process is just going to keep going.”
Fauci applauded the news Monday that biotechnology company Moderna reported that preliminary data shows its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective. Last week, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced its vaccine was 90% effective.
“This is something that is just now going in the very, very strong, right direction,” Fauci said of the vaccines. “We want to get it approved as quickly as we possibly can. We want to get doses to people starting in December and then we want to really get the ball rolling as we get into January, February and March.”
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“We want a smooth process for that,” he continued. “And the way you do that is by essentially having the two groups speak to each other and exchange information.”