thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--Pennsylvania Ballot Count To Take 'Days' After Election, Official Says

Pennsylvania ’ s top election official predicted Sunday that it will be “ days ” after Election Day until all ballots in the swing state are counted .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump reportedly plans to declare victory Tuesday before results in key battleground states have been fully tabulated .
NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press ” host Chuck Todd asked Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to explain how much “ patience ” Americans should have this week regarding the election .
“ Nearly 2.4 million Pennsylvanians have already cast their ballot by mail , ” Broockvar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 times as many as the last time we had a presidential election in Pennsylvania .
So , yes , it will take longer .
But having said that , I want to be clear that elections have never been called election night.
” She added : “ I expect the overwhelming majority of ballots in Pennsylvania ... will be counted within a matter of days .
The counties are staffing up , have a ton of equipment , best practices in place and are planning for the most part to count 24/7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sunday , more than 50 million Americans had already voted by mail amid coronavirus concerns .
At least seven counties in Pennsylvania — which account for more than 550,000 voters in total — plan to wait until after Election Day to begin counting mail-in ballots .
Election officials in at least two other battleground states ― Wisconsin and Michigan ― aren ’ t allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until on or just before Election Day .
Trump has repeatedly tried to undermine the integrity of the election by claiming mail-in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials nationwide have disputed this claim . )
Though election experts have said it could take days for election results to be finalized , Trump has repeatedly said a winner should be declared on election night .
The president plans to claim victory Tuesday night if it appears as though he ’ s “ ahead , ” Axios reported Sunday , citing three unnamed sources familiar with the president ’ s private comments .
Recent polling showed Democrats are more likely than Republicans to mail in their ballots ahead of Election Day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of in-person voters on Tuesday , which could show results favorable to Trump on election night before mail-in ballots have been counted .
Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller baselessly claimed Democrats will try to “ steal ” the election should Trump appear ahead on election night .

Pennsylvania’s top election official predicted Sunday that it will be “days” after Election Day until all ballots in the swing state are counted. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump reportedly plans to declare victory Tuesday before results in key battleground states have been fully tabulated.
NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd asked Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar to explain how much “patience” Americans should have this week regarding the election.
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“Nearly 2.4 million Pennsylvanians have already cast their ballot by mail,” Broockvar said. “This is going to be 10 times as many as the last time we had a presidential election in Pennsylvania. So, yes, it will take longer. But having said that, I want to be clear that elections have never been called election night.”
She added: “I expect the overwhelming majority of ballots in Pennsylvania ... will be counted within a matter of days. The counties are staffing up, have a ton of equipment, best practices in place and are planning for the most part to count 24/7 until it’s done.”
As of Sunday, more than 50 million Americans had already voted by mail amid coronavirus concerns.
At least seven counties in Pennsylvania — which account for more than 550,000 voters in total — plan to wait until after Election Day to begin counting mail-in ballots.
Election officials in at least two other battleground states ― Wisconsin and Michigan ― aren’t allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until on or just before Election Day.
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Trump has repeatedly tried to undermine the integrity of the election by claiming mail-in voting is rife with fraud. (Election officials nationwide have disputed this claim.)
Though election experts have said it could take days for election results to be finalized, Trump has repeatedly said a winner should be declared on election night. The president plans to claim victory Tuesday night if it appears as though he’s “ahead,” Axios reported Sunday, citing three unnamed sources familiar with the president’s private comments.
Recent polling showed Democrats are more likely than Republicans to mail in their ballots ahead of Election Day. This suggests that Republicans could represent the majority of in-person voters on Tuesday, which could show results favorable to Trump on election night before mail-in ballots have been counted.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--Mary Trump Lashes 'Vile' President For Encouraging MAGA Truck Violence

Psychologist Mary Trump on Sunday attacked her uncle , President Donald Trump , as “ vile ” for encouraging violence by Trump-supporting truckers on the road .
Scores of trucks bristling with Make America Great Again signs and flags swarmed a Joe Biden bus caravan on a busy Texas highway Friday , and one appeared to collide with a car in the caravan , forcing it out of its lane .
These tactics have no place in Texas , my home state , and no place in America .
Please vote .
Please volunteer this weekend .
The future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Dr. Eric Cervini ( @ ericcervini ) October 31 , 2020 Donald Trump praised the action on Twitter and later at a rally Saturday , calling it a “ hot thing ” and boasting that the ambush was trending on Twitter .
The FBI is investigating the incident , The Texas Tribune reported .
“ He is vile , ” Mary Trump told Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC ’ s “ AM Joy.
” He is “ actively calling on American citizens to commit violence against other American citizens simply for voicing their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she added .
“ He is doing the same thing , [ encouraging ] his armed supporters to go watch the polls .
And we know which neighborhoods he ’ s sending these people to.
” The president is so “ desperate ” to win that he will do “ anything , ” she argued .
“ Unfortunately , he has considerable power at his disposal to ... create the kind of chaos to potentially put our elections in disarray.
” Mary Trump warned , “ Please understand that he will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name in order to take this election because he knows he can ’ t win it legitimately.
” “ Rather than engage in productive conversation about the drastically different visions that Joe Biden and Donald Trump have for our country , Trump supporters in Texas instead decided to put our staff , surrogates , supporters and others in harm ’ s way , ” said Tariq Thowfeek , Texas communications director for the Biden campaign .
Check out the video with Mary Trump ’ s interview up top .
Her comments about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Psychologist Mary Trump on Sunday attacked her uncle, President Donald Trump, as “vile” for encouraging violence by Trump-supporting truckers on the road.
Scores of trucks bristling with Make America Great Again signs and flags swarmed a Joe Biden bus caravan on a busy Texas highway Friday, and one appeared to collide with a car in the caravan, forcing it out of its lane.
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These tactics have no place in Texas, my home state, and no place in America.
Please vote. Please volunteer this weekend. The future of our democracy is at stake. pic.twitter.com/G0O4yg2vnJ — Dr. Eric Cervini (@ericcervini) October 31, 2020
Donald Trump praised the action on Twitter and later at a rally Saturday, calling it a “hot thing” and boasting that the ambush was trending on Twitter. The FBI is investigating the incident, The Texas Tribune reported.
“He is vile,” Mary Trump told Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC’s “AM Joy.” He is “actively calling on American citizens to commit violence against other American citizens simply for voicing their opinions.”
This is “so dangerous,” she added. “He is doing the same thing, [encouraging] his armed supporters to go watch the polls. And we know which neighborhoods he’s sending these people to.”
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The president is so “desperate” to win that he will do “anything,” she argued. “Unfortunately, he has considerable power at his disposal to ... create the kind of chaos to potentially put our elections in disarray.”
Mary Trump warned, “Please understand that he will allow violence to be committed in his name in order to take this election because he knows he can’t win it legitimately.”
The Biden campaign has slammed the truck ambush.
“Rather than engage in productive conversation about the drastically different visions that Joe Biden and Donald Trump have for our country, Trump supporters in Texas instead decided to put our staff, surrogates, supporters and others in harm’s way,” said Tariq Thowfeek, Texas communications director for the Biden campaign.
Check out the video with Mary Trump’s interview up top. Her comments about the MAGA truck operation begin at 1:40.
You can watch her comments about Donald Trump’s desperation below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--COVID-19 Surge Ahead Of Election Day Creates Concerns For Polling Places

In Iowa , where both presidential campaigns are competing feverishly , county officials said they were preparing for scores of confirmed or potentially infected people to vote curbside .
It ’ s an option typically used by disabled people that must be available outside every polling place .
In Wisconsin , Gov .
Tony Evers sought to assure voters in the critical swing state that going to the polls would not be risky , even as officials announced more than 5,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday .
In Cedar Rapids , public health officials called a news conference Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in Linn County , including a single-day high reported Thursday of more than 200 .
They urged residents to avoid gatherings while advising those who visit polling places to wear masks , stay 6 feet apart and wash their hands afterward .
Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said a woman who acknowledged she was positive for coronavirus voted curbside Thursday at a mall where early voting is taking place , the first known infected voter in the county .
Poll workers gave her a face shield and gloves and isolated everything she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters who were awaiting test results or wanted to avoid the line for health reasons also used it , and county auditors were preparing for a major increase in the rarely-used option Tuesday .
Miller , 65 , said he is concerned about contracting the virus after spending hours this week assisting voters and will get tested again Sunday .
He said he was worried about the virus spreading at polling places Tuesday , noting that voters can not be required to wear masks .
“ Heck yes I ’ m concerned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people working on Tuesday .
I don ’ t want it on my conscience that somebody caught COVID at a polling place and got sick , ” he said .
“ It could happen .
It could happen to me.
” County auditors have small full-time staffs and rely on experienced polling place workers to run smooth elections .
They say they are worried that any of those workers who test positive before Tuesday will be replaced with less experienced people , which could lead to long lines .
Moritz said she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have tested positive or are hospitalized with coronavirus seeking advice on how to vote .
One woman was crying over the situation .
Her staff is working with hospitals to deliver ballots to patients and is promoting curbside voting for those infected at early voting locations and on Election Day .
She said curbside voting is labor intensive and risky .
“ Some of my poll workers are a little bit concerned because they are older individuals , ” she said .
“ Still , I would rather do curbside than have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls.
” Moritz said she has been relieved by the high number of early voters in her county , which will ease the burden on Election Day .
Still , she said she worries that crowded polling places could become a source of spread for the coronavirus .

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A surge in coronavirus cases across the country, including in key presidential battleground states, is creating mounting health and logistical concerns for voters, poll workers and political parties ahead of Election Day.
In Iowa, where both presidential campaigns are competing feverishly, county officials said they were preparing for scores of confirmed or potentially infected people to vote curbside. It’s an option typically used by disabled people that must be available outside every polling place.
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Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker, in Cedar Rapids, encouraged people to cast their ballot but said they should take safety precautions at polling places to protect themselves and their neighbors.
“We can’t afford to have Election Day serve as a superspreading event across the state and country,” he said.
At a news conference this past week, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said his office had distributed 145,000 gloves, 200,000 masks and 11,000 social-distancing markers for use by voters and poll workers.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers sought to assure voters in the critical swing state that going to the polls would not be risky, even as officials announced more than 5,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday.
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“For those who are voting in person now, I believe it’s safe,” Evers said, adding that polling places have adequate supplies to protect voters.
Chris Helps, of Earlham, Iowa, gets his hands sanitized by polling place volunteer Frank Hayer, right, during early voting, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, in Adel, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Across the country, Republicans worked to downplay any concerns that health risks will keep some of their voters home, after Democrats heavily promoted mail-in and early in-person balloting to their voters.
Republicans are counting on a huge Election Day turnout among their supporters to offset the big leads in early voting among Democrats in states that are pivotal to the presidential race.
“If you were worried about voting at the polls on Election Day, you’ve probably already voted,” said John March, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Virginia.
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Like many other states, Iowa this week reported its highest number of average daily new cases and hospitalizations to date.
In Cedar Rapids, public health officials called a news conference Friday to express alarm at the spike in cases in Linn County, including a single-day high reported Thursday of more than 200. They urged residents to avoid gatherings while advising those who visit polling places to wear masks, stay 6 feet apart and wash their hands afterward.
Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said a woman who acknowledged she was positive for coronavirus voted curbside Thursday at a mall where early voting is taking place, the first known infected voter in the county. Poll workers gave her a face shield and gloves and isolated everything she touched, he said.
Several other voters who were awaiting test results or wanted to avoid the line for health reasons also used it, and county auditors were preparing for a major increase in the rarely-used option Tuesday.
Under curbside voting, residents call a phone number for assistance from their vehicle and a bipartisan poll worker team is sent to help them cast ballots.
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Miller, 65, said he is concerned about contracting the virus after spending hours this week assisting voters and will get tested again Sunday. He said he was worried about the virus spreading at polling places Tuesday, noting that voters cannot be required to wear masks.
“Heck yes I’m concerned. I’m going to have 500 people working on Tuesday. I don’t want it on my conscience that somebody caught COVID at a polling place and got sick,” he said. “It could happen. It could happen to me.”
A senior citizen, left, is escorted to the head of the line, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, on the last day of early voting at P.S. 175 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) ASSOCIATED PRESS
County auditors have small full-time staffs and rely on experienced polling place workers to run smooth elections. They say they are worried that any of those workers who test positive before Tuesday will be replaced with less experienced people, which could lead to long lines.
In Davenport, Iowa, Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz asked her employees several days ago to self-quarantine to avoid the possibility of catching the virus before Tuesday.
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Moritz said she has received several calls this week from people who have tested positive or are hospitalized with coronavirus seeking advice on how to vote. One woman was crying over the situation.
Her staff is working with hospitals to deliver ballots to patients and is promoting curbside voting for those infected at early voting locations and on Election Day. She said curbside voting is labor intensive and risky.
“Some of my poll workers are a little bit concerned because they are older individuals,” she said. “Still, I would rather do curbside than have them (voters) go to the polls.”
Moritz said she has been relieved by the high number of early voters in her county, which will ease the burden on Election Day. Still, she said she worries that crowded polling places could become a source of spread for the coronavirus.
At a public library in Davenport on Friday, poll workers were sanitizing voting stations and pens between users. People waiting in line outside the library were wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart.
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Lenore Benton-Bey, a Davenport retiree, said the socially distanced crowd didn’t bother her: “I’ve got a whole bottle of hand sanitizer in the car,” she said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--Prince William Contracted COVID-19 In April: Reports

“ I think the hardest thing he found was having to stop , and not be able to go and @ @ @ @ @ for a walk , ” the Duke of Cambridge said .
“ He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ loves walking .
He found it quite difficult with his mental health not being able @ @ @ @ @ ” A representative of the Duke of Cambridge did not immediately respond to a request @ @ @

“I think the hardest thing he found was having to stop, and not be able to go and get fresh air and go for a walk,” the Duke of Cambridge said. “He’s a mad walker, he loves walking. He found it quite difficult with his mental health not being able to go outside on walks.”
A representative of the Duke of Cambridge did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--'SNL' Stages Musical Love Letter To NYC After Trump's 'Ghost Town' Diss

NBC via Getty Images New York City is famously not a ghost town on `` Saturday Night Live . ''
New York City never looked more alive than during an all-star musical tribute on this weekend ’ s “ Saturday Night Live.
” Returning as host for a fourth time in four seasons , John Mulaney expanded his NYC-themed theatrical universe to showcase a Times Square souvenir shop in all its gritty and unheralded glory , following in the footsteps of the now-iconic sketches “ Diner Lobster , ” “ Bodega Bathroom ” and “ Airport Sushi.
” This time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titled “ New York City Musical ” packed an extra punch after President Donald Trump labeled the city as a “ ghost town ” during the final presidential debate in October .
While the costumed characters that populate the typically bustling tourist district have certainly fallen on some hard times during the COVID-19 pandemic , they proved resilient as ever in a song-and-dance number .
It all began when a customer played by Pete Davidson asked to try on a used pair of “ I ❤NY ” underwear much to Mulaney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fitting room happened to be in “ the back of the store where the people of Times Square habitate.
” Cue Kenan Thompson as a “ Times Square Minion ” launching into a rendition of the Broadway classic “ Luck Be a Lady ” called “ Mascots Be Shady , ” in which he ’ s joined by a downtrodden Elsa from “ Frozen ” and a singing Minnie Mouse .
Not deterred by the display , however , Davidson , nearly breaking character , said he still wanted to make the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , and I want my modest bulge to show that.
” So out came a can-can line of characters to the tune of “ One ” from “ A Chorus Line , ” and then Kate McKinnon as Shrimp Louie , the Bubba Gump Shrimp mascot , who delivered a devastating “ Send in the Clowns ” parody , “ Send in the Crowds.
” My sexual preference is definitely Maya Rudolph on # SNL singing Sondheim 's `` I 'm Still Here '' but with changed lyrics that included a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Statue of Liberty .
( What can I say , I 'm picky ! )
pic.twitter.com/U7QEaQ4dvC — Dave Quinn ( @ NineDaves ) November 1 , 2020 “ Fools , you don ’ t give up on my city that easy , ” she said before performing a reworked version of Stephen Sondheim ’ s “ I ’ m Still Here.
” “ I lived through Warhol .
I lived through Bethenny Frankel .
But I ’ m here , ” she sang .
“ I lived through Times Square filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on ‘ Sex & The City ’ tours .
My first apartment was a drawer , but I ’ m here.
” After a brief appearance from Chloe Fineman as a woman from Westchester with “ visible ” COVID-19 signs , Mulaney explained that the underpants are ultimately a symbol for a divided America .
“ Sure , these underpants are riddled with ugliness and disease , but they still stand for something : love , ” he said , before launching into an election-themed final number .
“ That ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them ; because they give me hope .
”

New York City is famously not a ghost town on "Saturday Night Live." NBC via Getty Images
New York City never looked more alive than during an all-star musical tribute on this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live.”
Returning as host for a fourth time in four seasons, John Mulaney expanded his NYC-themed theatrical universe to showcase a Times Square souvenir shop in all its gritty and unheralded glory, following in the footsteps of the now-iconic sketches “Diner Lobster,” “Bodega Bathroom” and “Airport Sushi.”
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This time around, however, the eight-and-a-half-minute sketch titled “New York City Musical” packed an extra punch after President Donald Trump labeled the city as a “ghost town” during the final presidential debate in October.
While the costumed characters that populate the typically bustling tourist district have certainly fallen on some hard times during the COVID-19 pandemic, they proved resilient as ever in a song-and-dance number.
It all began when a customer played by Pete Davidson asked to try on a used pair of “I ❤NY” underwear much to Mulaney’s shop clerk’s surprise, as the fitting room happened to be in “the back of the store where the people of Times Square habitate.”
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Cue Kenan Thompson as a “Times Square Minion” launching into a rendition of the Broadway classic “Luck Be a Lady” called “Mascots Be Shady,” in which he’s joined by a downtrodden Elsa from “Frozen” and a singing Minnie Mouse.
Not deterred by the display, however, Davidson, nearly breaking character, said he still wanted to make the purchase, joking, “I love New York, and I want my modest bulge to show that.”
So out came a can-can line of characters to the tune of “One” from “A Chorus Line,” and then Kate McKinnon as Shrimp Louie, the Bubba Gump Shrimp mascot, who delivered a devastating “Send in the Clowns” parody, “Send in the Crowds.”
My sexual preference is definitely Maya Rudolph on #SNL singing Sondheim's "I'm Still Here" but with changed lyrics that included a Bethenny Frankel reference, all while dressed as the Statue of Liberty.
(What can I say, I'm picky!) pic.twitter.com/U7QEaQ4dvC — Dave Quinn (@NineDaves) November 1, 2020
But the real show stopper was Maya Rudolph as a beleaguered Lady Liberty.
“Fools, you don’t give up on my city that easy,” she said before performing a reworked version of Stephen Sondheim’s “I’m Still Here.”
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“I lived through Warhol. I lived through Bethenny Frankel. But I’m here,” she sang. “I lived through Times Square filled with whores and now they’re on ‘Sex & The City’ tours. My first apartment was a drawer, but I’m here.”
After a brief appearance from Chloe Fineman as a woman from Westchester with “visible” COVID-19 signs, Mulaney explained that the underpants are ultimately a symbol for a divided America.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--White House Coronavirus Adviser Warns Of 'Deadly Phase' As Trump Downplays Risks: Report

Dr. Deborah Birx , coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , urged the Trump administration in an internal memo to take “ much more aggressive action ” to tackle COVID-19 , The Washington Post reported .
“ We are entering the most concerning and most deadly phase of this pandemic … leading to increasing mortality , ” Birx wrote Monday in a report for top White House officials , according to the Post .
“ This is not about lockdowns — It hasn ’ t been about lockdowns since March or April .
It ’ s about an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented.
” Meanwhile , President Donald Trump has continued to downplay the threat of the virus .
He has held rallies with hundreds of attendees , many of whom don ’ t wear masks , and has falsely claimed the ballooning number of COVID-19 cases across the country is due to increased testing .
In the lead-up to Election Day , Trump has been campaigning by fearmongering about a “ Biden lockdown , ” saying there will be “ no weddings , no Thanksgiving , no Christmas ” if his rival wins .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases on Friday — a grim worldwide record .
As of Monday , more than 9.2 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 231,000 have died .
Dr. Deborah Birx speaks to the media outside the Broad Institute in Cambridge , Massachusetts , on Oct. 9 .
This week , she urged the White House to take “ much more aggressive action ” to tackle COVID-19 , according to The Washington Post .
Birx ’ s memo went out a day after Trump suggested he may fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top infectious disease expert , after the election .
Fauci has repeatedly and publicly warned that the pandemic is getting worse in the U.S .
He also praised Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in a Washington Post interview last week , saying the former vice president is taking the pandemic “ seriously from a public health perspective.
” Birx has been frustrated that Dr. Scott Atlas , a radiologist with no expertise in infectious diseases , increasingly has influence at the White House , according to CNN .
She has spent recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local officials about preventing the spread of COVID-19 .
During a visit to Chicago late last month , Birx warned that closing public spaces may not be enough to curb the virus ’ s spread .
She noted that some of the recent increases may be due to gatherings in people ’ s homes as many regions get colder , making outdoor activities more difficult .

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Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, urged the Trump administration in an internal memo to take “much more aggressive action” to tackle COVID-19, The Washington Post reported.
“We are entering the most concerning and most deadly phase of this pandemic … leading to increasing mortality,” Birx wrote Monday in a report for top White House officials, according to the Post. “This is not about lockdowns — It hasn’t been about lockdowns since March or April. It’s about an aggressive balanced approach that is not being implemented.”
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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has continued to downplay the threat of the virus. He has held rallies with hundreds of attendees, many of whom don’t wear masks, and has falsely claimed the ballooning number of COVID-19 cases across the country is due to increased testing. In the lead-up to Election Day, Trump has been campaigning by fearmongering about a “Biden lockdown,” saying there will be “no weddings, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas” if his rival wins.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. recorded nearly 100,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday — a grim worldwide record. As of Monday, more than 9.2 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 231,000 have died.
Dr. Deborah Birx speaks to the media outside the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Oct. 9. This week, she urged the White House to take “much more aggressive action” to tackle COVID-19, according to The Washington Post. Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Birx’s memo went out a day after Trump suggested he may fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, after the election. Fauci has repeatedly and publicly warned that the pandemic is getting worse in the U.S. He also praised Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in a Washington Post interview last week, saying the former vice president is taking the pandemic “seriously from a public health perspective.”
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Birx has been frustrated that Dr. Scott Atlas, a radiologist with no expertise in infectious diseases, increasingly has influence at the White House, according to CNN. She has spent recent months traveling to meet with state and local officials about preventing the spread of COVID-19.
During a visit to Chicago late last month, Birx warned that closing public spaces may not be enough to curb the virus’s spread. She noted that some of the recent increases may be due to gatherings in people’s homes as many regions get colder, making outdoor activities more difficult.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--Obama Goes After Trump’s Pandemic Rallies: A ‘COVID-Spreader Tour’

Former President Barack Obama lambasted President Donald Trump ’ s suggestion that he may soon fire the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert and accused Trump of going on a “ COVID-spreader tour ” around the nation rather than working to safeguard Americans against the deadly coronavirus pandemic .
“ What ’ s Trump ’ s closing argument right now ?
” Obama asked during an event for Democratic candidate Joe Biden in Atlanta .
“ Last night , on his COVID-spreader tour — he ’ s going around spreading COVID , he ’ s like a carrier because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than he does about keeping people safe — he told his supporters ‘ don ’ t tell anybody , ’ but he ’ s going to fire Dr. Fauci after the election.
” The comments came just a day after Trump suggested at a campaign event that he planned to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci , one of the nation ’ s leaders in its fight against the coronavirus , after the election .
The White House has grown increasingly frustrated with the doctor ’ s public statements that the country is not doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record for daily infections last week .
“ Don ’ t tell anybody , but let me wait until a little bit after the election .
I appreciate the advice , ” Trump told a crowd in Miami after they began chanting “ Fire Fauci !
” “ Nah , he ’ s been wrong on a lot .
He ’ s a nice man , though.
” Trump has maintained an active campaign schedule in the approach to Election Day , holding large , in-person events that many people attend without masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University released a report earlier this month that found a series of rallies the president held over three months this summer served as COVID-19 superspreader events , resulting in more than 30,000 new cases of the virus and more than 700 deaths .
Biden , on the other hand , has largely forgone in-person events , and those he has held have been socially distanced and in line with health guidelines .
Obama said Monday that Trump ’ s latest attacks on Fauci threaten “ the one person in this administration ” who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people .
“ He helped me deal with Ebola and H1N1 , was one of the people who was at the front lines of dealing with HIV/AIDS , one of the world ’ s leading experts on infectious disease , one of the few people in this administration who ’ s been taking this seriously all along , and what ’ d he say ?
” Obama asked of Trump .
“ His second-term plan is to fire that guy !
” The former president had some final words for frustrated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jeering the mention of Trump ’ s comments .

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Former President Barack Obama lambasted President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he may soon fire the nation’s top infectious disease expert and accused Trump of going on a “COVID-spreader tour” around the nation rather than working to safeguard Americans against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
“What’s Trump’s closing argument right now?” Obama asked during an event for Democratic candidate Joe Biden in Atlanta. “Last night, on his COVID-spreader tour — he’s going around spreading COVID, he’s like a carrier because he cares more about having big crowds than he does about keeping people safe — he told his supporters ‘don’t tell anybody,’ but he’s going to fire Dr. Fauci after the election.”
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President Obama called Trump's rallies a 'COVID-spreader tour' and ripped Trump for insinuating that he'll fire Dr. Fauci after the election pic.twitter.com/T2iUl5So78 — NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 2, 2020
The comments came just a day after Trump suggested at a campaign event that he planned to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the nation’s leaders in its fight against the coronavirus, after the election. The White House has grown increasingly frustrated with the doctor’s public statements that the country is not doing well after the U.S. set a new record for daily infections last week.
“Don’t tell anybody, but let me wait until a little bit after the election. I appreciate the advice,” Trump told a crowd in Miami after they began chanting “Fire Fauci!” “Nah, he’s been wrong on a lot. He’s a nice man, though.”
Trump has maintained an active campaign schedule in the approach to Election Day, holding large, in-person events that many people attend without masks. A group of researchers at Stanford University released a report earlier this month that found a series of rallies the president held over three months this summer served as COVID-19 superspreader events, resulting in more than 30,000 new cases of the virus and more than 700 deaths.
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Biden, on the other hand, has largely forgone in-person events, and those he has held have been socially distanced and in line with health guidelines.
Obama said Monday that Trump’s latest attacks on Fauci threaten “the one person in this administration” who has actively worked to try and safeguard the American people.
“He helped me deal with Ebola and H1N1, was one of the people who was at the front lines of dealing with HIV/AIDS, one of the world’s leading experts on infectious disease, one of the few people in this administration who’s been taking this seriously all along, and what’d he say?” Obama asked of Trump. “His second-term plan is to fire that guy!”
The former president had some final words for frustrated Biden supporters gathered in Georgia who began jeering the mention of Trump’s comments.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--5 New Things We Learned About COVID-19 In October 2020

It ’ s understandable , given the massive scale of the global pandemic .
Right now , there are more than 47 million known cases around the world and counting .
The virus is also relatively new to the medical world , so researchers are learning as they go .
1. Who is considered a “ close contact ” in regard to COVID-19 exposure .
As HuffPost ’ s senior wellness editor , Lindsay Holmes , explained : “ The CDC previously defined close contact as being within 6 feet of someone infected with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for a cumulative total of 15 minutes ( or more ) over a 24-hour period.
” The change is rooted in new information from a prison guard who came down with COVID-19 after spending 17 minutes with infected individuals over the course of a work day , not all at once .
( He wore a mask , but there were times during the day when he was with individuals who did not . )
And the new definition matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out , contact tracers will now need to consider a much broader pool of individuals when notifying people about potential exposures .
And it will likely change how schools and offices handle positive cases .
If , say , a child is exposed to a person with COVID-19 for five minutes at three points during the day , there may need to be considerations for quarantine .
2 .
Reinfection is possible , but we don ’ t need to panic yet .
3 .
Antibodies probably last around five months .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ care centers ( and therefore teachers , caregivers and parents ) have been struggling to make decisions about when their facilities should close or open , and whether it ’ s safe for children to spend time in groups .
There just has not been a lot of data so far .
The research did not look at how COVID-19 may have spread from child to child .
Nor did it find that there was absolutely no risk .
There were still cases of day care staff getting COVID-19 during the period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases may age the brain by 10 years .

nadia_bormotova via Getty Images Researchers are constantly discovering new information about COVID-19 and will likely continue to do so as time goes on.
What we know about COVID-19 seems to change by the minute.
It’s understandable, given the massive scale of the global pandemic. Right now, there are more than 47 million known cases around the world and counting. The virus is also relatively new to the medical world, so researchers are learning as they go.
The amount of information out there is dizzying. It’s hard to keep track of what’s known, what’s a myth and what guidance we should follow. That’s why we’ve rounded up the following new things we learned about COVID-19 in October:
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1. Who is considered a “close contact” in regard to COVID-19 exposure.
In late October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new guideline about what it means to have been in “close contact” with someone infected with COVID-19.
As HuffPost’s senior wellness editor, Lindsay Holmes, explained: “The CDC previously defined close contact as being within 6 feet of someone infected with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes or more. The updated guidance now defines close contact as being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for a cumulative total of 15 minutes (or more) over a 24-hour period.”
The change is rooted in new information from a prison guard who came down with COVID-19 after spending 17 minutes with infected individuals over the course of a work day, not all at once. (He wore a mask, but there were times during the day when he was with individuals who did not.)
And the new definition matters for a few reasons. As Holmes pointed out, contact tracers will now need to consider a much broader pool of individuals when notifying people about potential exposures. And it will likely change how schools and offices handle positive cases. If, say, a child is exposed to a person with COVID-19 for five minutes at three points during the day, there may need to be considerations for quarantine.
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2. Reinfection is possible, but we don’t need to panic yet.
Last month, the United States recorded its first case of COVID-19 reinfection in an otherwise healthy 25-year-old who came down with the virus twice. (There had been a handful of confirmed instances of reinfection elsewhere in the world prior to that.)
The news was unsettling for a few reasons. It happened relatively quickly, so the patient first got sick in April, recovered, then fell ill with COVID-19 again in June. Also, his second round of illness was much more severe and required hospitalization.
But experts have cautioned against freaking out too much. While reinfection has now been shown to be possible, it appears to be extremely rare as of now.
Moreover, the same strategies that protect against a first COVID-19 infection also protect against a second round: hand-washing, physical distancing and wearing face masks.
3. Antibodies probably last around five months.
Scientists have been wondering how long a person is immune to COVID-19 after they get infected. While there are always exceptions, a major new study released in October suggests that most people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 infections have antibodies for around five months.
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The research is a pretty important contribution to our collective understanding of how COVID-19 antibodies work because it included more than 30,000 people.
“More than 90% of people who were mildly or moderately ill produce an antibody response strong enough to neutralize the virus, and the response is maintained for many months,” said study researcher Florian Krammer, a professor of vaccinology at New York City’s Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in a press release.
It is pretty typical for antibodies to diminish and then disappear over time. Also, just because a person no longer has antibodies does not mean they’ve necessarily lost immunity — how that all works with COVID-19 is still being researched.
In the meantime, it’s just as important as ever for everyone — including people who’ve been infected and are in that five-month window — to wear a mask.
4. Day cares are probably pretty safe.
During the pandemic, schools and child care centers (and therefore teachers, caregivers and parents) have been struggling to make decisions about when their facilities should close or open, and whether it’s safe for children to spend time in groups. There just has not been a lot of data so far.
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In October, the first major study of how child care settings like day cares and preschools might contribute to the spread of COVID-19 found that they’re actually doing pretty well at controlling it.
Researchers analyzed child care centers that stayed open throughout the pandemic and found that employees who watched those kids all day were not at any greater risk of contracting COVID-19 than they would have been otherwise.
This suggests that kids under the age of 6 (which is the age group the study focused on) probably aren’t COVID-19 superspreaders, even if they’re together in a group setting all day.
And the study was large, including more than 57,000 child care centers across the U.S.
The research did not look at how COVID-19 may have spread from child to child. Nor did it find that there was absolutely no risk. There were still cases of day care staff getting COVID-19 during the period of the study.
Perhaps most importantly, day cares were generally very good about preventive measures, especially hand-washing and disinfecting frequently. (Many centers did not require masks.)
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5. Some COVID-19 cases may age the brain by 10 years.
Researchers are starting to get a better handle on the many ways COVID-19 can affect the body. A pretty startling (but still preliminary) new study suggests the virus may be associated with significant mental decline in some cases.
Researchers in the United Kingdom analyzed results from more than 84,000 people who’d taken an “intelligence” test, which asked them to solve puzzles and remember words and images. They found that some test-takers who had had COVID-19 had an “equivalent to the average 10-year decline in global performance between the ages of 20 to 70,” the researchers said.
While the findings are definitely intriguing and point to another potential consequence of COVID-19, the study was not subject to peer review. And outside experts have urged caution, pointing out that the team behind the new study did not have important information like individuals’ scores pre-COVID. It’s also unclear how long these declines, if they are confirmed, may last.
Still, the new research provides clues about COVID-19′s long-term effects, and it’s certainly something experts will be paying attention to moving forward.
Experts are still learning about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication, but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--Yet Again, Trump Rally Attendees Stranded On-Site For Hours After Trump Leaves

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images People listen while President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Richard B. Russell Airport in Rome , Georgia , on Nov. 1 , 2020 .
On Sunday night ― and for the second time in one week ― hundreds of Trump supporters leaving a rally were forced to wait hours in the cold for buses meant to drive them back to their cars .
In footage first shared by NBC News , hundreds of rally attendees in Rome , Georgia , could be seen huddled together long after President Donald Trump had ended his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his next campaign stop .
As the temperature hovered around 46 degrees , some among the stranded sat and lay on the ground as they waited , and others tried to hitch rides from strangers .
A chaotic scene where hundreds lined the road a mile up from where President Trump held his rally in Rome , GA — attempting to exit the event .
Some people were sitting and laying on the ground .
It ’ s 46 degrees and windy in the area tonight .
pic.twitter.com/AqyAYpZBLA — Julie Tsirkin ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump supporters at a rally in Omaha , Nebraska , last Tuesday also found themselves stranded for hours after Trump left , waiting on buses to take them back to their cars .
Throughout his campaign , Trump ’ s choice to hold large , in-person rallies ― in defiance of public health guidelines and with coronavirus cases and deaths spiking in states across the country ― has not been without consequence .
According to a recent study out of Stanford University , a series of Trump rallies from June to September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 30,000 new cases of the coronavirus and at least 700 deaths in communities he visited .
During a Trump rally in Florida last Thursday , authorities reported that dozens of attendees were rushed to the hospital after being overcome by the heat as the temperature reached a humid 87 degrees .
Trump , who contracted the coronavirus in September and received care at Walter Reed Medical Center , has insisted on hosting large events even as more attendees experience health issues and face health risks clearly linked to his campaign .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to express the policies of the Trump administration — which has floated the dangerous theory of “ herd immunity ” — they are the president ’ s policy as it pertains to coronavirus .
Weeks after Trump contracted the virus , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , said he was “ absolutely not ” surprised that Trump had become infected , citing Trump ’ s defiance of social distancing guidelines and his opposition to masks .
At a rally Sunday , with the pandemic ravaging states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would fire Fauci “ a little bit after ” the upcoming election .

People listen while President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Richard B. Russell Airport in Rome, Georgia, on Nov. 1, 2020. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
On Sunday night ― and for the second time in one week ― hundreds of Trump supporters leaving a rally were forced to wait hours in the cold for buses meant to drive them back to their cars.
In footage first shared by NBC News, hundreds of rally attendees in Rome, Georgia, could be seen huddled together long after President Donald Trump had ended his remarks and taken off for Florida, his next campaign stop.
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As the temperature hovered around 46 degrees, some among the stranded sat and lay on the ground as they waited, and others tried to hitch rides from strangers.
A chaotic scene where hundreds lined the road a mile up from where President Trump held his rally in Rome, GA — attempting to exit the event.
Some people were sitting and laying on the ground. It’s 46 degrees and windy in the area tonight. pic.twitter.com/AqyAYpZBLA — Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) November 2, 2020
Hundreds of Trump supporters at a rally in Omaha, Nebraska, last Tuesday also found themselves stranded for hours after Trump left, waiting on buses to take them back to their cars.
Throughout his campaign, Trump’s choice to hold large, in-person rallies ― in defiance of public health guidelines and with coronavirus cases and deaths spiking in states across the country ― has not been without consequence.
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According to a recent study out of Stanford University, a series of Trump rallies from June to September effectively served as superspreader events, resulting in 30,000 new cases of the coronavirus and at least 700 deaths in communities he visited.
During a Trump rally in Florida last Thursday, authorities reported that dozens of attendees were rushed to the hospital after being overcome by the heat as the temperature reached a humid 87 degrees.
Trump, who contracted the coronavirus in September and received care at Walter Reed Medical Center, has insisted on hosting large events even as more attendees experience health issues and face health risks clearly linked to his campaign. These superspreader events are not just a platform to express the policies of the Trump administration — which has floated the dangerous theory of “herd immunity” — they are the president’s policy as it pertains to coronavirus.
Weeks after Trump contracted the virus, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he was “absolutely not” surprised that Trump had become infected, citing Trump’s defiance of social distancing guidelines and his opposition to masks.
At a rally Sunday, with the pandemic ravaging states across the country, Trump suggested he would fire Fauci “a little bit after” the upcoming election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--Prince William Slammed For Coronavirus Cover-Up That May 'Haunt' Him

Prince William is facing backlash after reports emerged Sunday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus in April and kept his diagnosis secret .
The Sun , which first reported the news , said that the Duke of Cambridge was “ hit pretty hard by the virus ” and at times “ was struggling to breathe , so obviously everyone around him was pretty panicked.
” William reportedly hid his diagnosis “ because he didn ’ t want to alarm the nation ” and continued to carry out engagements via video , though he took a week off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not have an on-the-record comment for HuffPost on Monday , though its communications team did not deny the story .
Many criticized the prince , who is second in line to the throne , for hiding his diagnosis while his father , Prince Charles , and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were both struggling with the coronavirus at the same time .
“ The UK expects honesty from public figures , particularly during a pandemic .
This may be a cover-up that will haunt William and those advising him , ” Palmer tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up , that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say , ” Palmer added .
I ’ m on holiday but it seems Kensington Palace is confirming that the Duke of Cambridge had Covid-19 in April and kept it secret .
The UK expects honesty from public figures , particularly during a pandemic .
This may be a cover-up that will haunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Palmer ( @ RoyalReporter ) November 1 , 2020 If the future King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up , that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say .
— Richard Palmer ( @ RoyalReporter ) November 1 , 2020 Palmer added that it made no sense to praise the future king for his cover-up when other global figures like Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others would ’ ve been criticized for the same thing .
“ If the unthinkable had happened and the Queen , Charles and William all passed away , the next in line would be Prince George , who is seven years old , ” said Kate Williams , a historian , novelist and professor of public engagement with history at the University of Reading , told CNN Monday .
The public clearly expects transparency from other members of the royal family .
People are still upset that William ’ s brother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t publicly name their son Archie ’ s godparents , for example .
And while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were the first in the British royal family to wear masks while attending engagements or volunteering , the Duke of Cambridge recently attended an event with the queen where the two didn ’ t wear masks ( though the prince did wear a mask when required in a car at the event with the queen , and has worn masks at other events ) .
“ I bet everyone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , I ’ m dying , ’ and you ’ re like , ‘ No , you ’ ve just got a cough , ’ ” William said during a royal tour of Ireland while speaking with first responder Joe Mooney on March 3 .
The prince also asked Mooney if the crisis had been “ a little bit hyped up ” by the media and also joked about spreading the virus in separate video captured at the event .
“ By the way , the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quipped .
“ We ’ re keeping an eye on that , so do tell us if we need to stop .
”

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Prince William is facing backlash after reports emerged Sunday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus in April and kept his diagnosis secret.
The Sun, which first reported the news, said that the Duke of Cambridge was “hit pretty hard by the virus” and at times “was struggling to breathe, so obviously everyone around him was pretty panicked.”
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William reportedly hid his diagnosis “because he didn’t want to alarm the nation” and continued to carry out engagements via video, though he took a week off, according to The Sun.
The prince’s wife, Kate Middleton, and children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis reportedly did not test positive.
Kensington Palace did not have an on-the-record comment for HuffPost on Monday, though its communications team did not deny the story.
Many criticized the prince, who is second in line to the throne, for hiding his diagnosis while his father, Prince Charles, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson were both struggling with the coronavirus at the same time.
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Richard Palmer, royal correspondent for the Daily Express, said William’s decision to keep his positive diagnosis private may “haunt” him.
“The UK expects honesty from public figures, particularly during a pandemic. This may be a cover-up that will haunt William and those advising him,” Palmer tweeted on Sunday.
“If the future King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up, that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say,” Palmer added.
I’m on holiday but it seems Kensington Palace is confirming that the Duke of Cambridge had Covid-19 in April and kept it secret. The UK expects honesty from public figures, particularly during a pandemic. This may be a cover-up that will haunt William and those advising him. — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) November 1, 2020
If the future King contracts a potentially fatal virus that the entire world is worried about during a lockdown and he and those around him cover it up, that raises serious questions about whether we can trust anything he or his advisers say. — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) November 1, 2020
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Palmer added that it made no sense to praise the future king for his cover-up when other global figures like Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Donald Trump and others would’ve been criticized for the same thing.
If Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, or Joe Biden had covered up a positive test for Covid-19, many people would not be praising them for “not wanting to worry people”. — Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) November 1, 2020
Others pointed out another reason the prince should’ve come forward: the British line of succession.
“If the unthinkable had happened and the Queen, Charles and William all passed away, the next in line would be Prince George, who is seven years old,” said Kate Williams, a historian, novelist and professor of public engagement with history at the University of Reading, told CNN Monday.
The public clearly expects transparency from other members of the royal family. People are still upset that William’s brother, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan didn’t publicly name their son Archie’s godparents, for example.
And while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were the first in the British royal family to wear masks while attending engagements or volunteering, the Duke of Cambridge recently attended an event with the queen where the two didn’t wear masks (though the prince did wear a mask when required in a car at the event with the queen, and has worn masks at other events).
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“I bet everyone’s like ‘I’ve got coronavirus, I’m dying,’ and you’re like, ‘No, you’ve just got a cough,’” William said during a royal tour of Ireland while speaking with first responder Joe Mooney on March 3.
The prince also asked Mooney if the crisis had been “a little bit hyped up” by the media and also joked about spreading the virus in separate video captured at the event.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--How To Stop Stress Eating Unhealthy Foods

From COVID-19 to election season , there ’ s no shortage of things stressing us out this fall .
And unfortunately , when the going gets tough , the tough get hungry .
Tension triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol , which can signal hunger cravings and send us on a search for food ( especially the junk variety ) to soothe our uneasy souls .
Using food as a coping mechanism for stressful situations ― think emotional eating ― can cause more harm than good .
But on the other hand , food doesn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when you make mindful choices , food can be a useful tool for taking the edge off .
It all boils down to selectivity .
Food and stress are connected and should be managed concurrently “ The gut is our second brain , ” explains Nikki Ostrower , an integrative nutritionist and founder of NAO Wellness .
“ Some of the brain ’ s neurotransmitters , aka happy chemicals , are manufactured in the gut ― 90 % of serotonin , for example [ a neurotransmitter associated with mood , sleep , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the gut , which means there ’ s a direct correlation between mental health , well-being , digestion and food cravings.
” Comfort in the moment can be consequential in the future Judith Joseph , a psychiatrist and professor at New York University , has noticed an uptick in patients “ cooking more decadent foods that remind them of happier times ” during the pandemic .
She warns , however , that “ typical comfort foods like fried and sugary dishes boost a chemical in our brain called dopamine , so initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But those good feelings are short-lived , Joseph reminds us , because “ these foods can cause unhealthy spikes in insulin and lead to a buildup of unhealthy cholesterol in your organs , which puts stress on the body and brain.
” “ We reach for the usual comfort food suspects because they initially help us feel better , but they all cause stress in the body ’ s organs and ultimately end up making things worse , ” Joseph said .
In order to tap into food ’ s ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foods “ as an important component of self-care that can lead to decreased anxiety.
” What to eat when you ’ re stressed The urge to stress eat makes it tough to make mindful choices , but fighting that urge can prove beneficial to keeping your emotions in check .
Rheumatologist Magdalena Cadet recommends eating any foods rich in zinc ( which lowers cortisol levels ) , magnesium ( which encourages relaxation and sleep ) and vitamin E ( which reduces oxidative stress on the brain ) to help with stress reduction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are great starting points , ” she suggested .
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon , tuna and walnuts have been known to help with combating stress since , according to Cadet , they can “ reduce inflammation in the body and help prevent spikes in blood pressure.
” Based on their similar stress-busting capabilities , Cadet suggests “ opting for flaxseed , soybean or canola oil when cooking ” and is also a fan of sweet potatoes and other nutrient-rich complex carbohydrates “ for their ability to lower cortisol levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which are important stress fighters.
” Choose healthy foods with similar qualities to your favorite snacks “ Instead of seeking the crunchy sensation from chips , try crunchy almonds ; instead of sipping two glasses of wine , sip one glass of wine and one cup of chamomile tea , which has natural relaxants , ” she suggests .
“ Instead of overdosing on coffee , replace a cup of joe with a cup of matcha , which contains antioxidants and boosts attention without the high buzz or anxiety .
”

From COVID-19 to a stressful news cycle, there’s no shortage of things stressing us out. And unfortunately, when the going gets tough, the tough get hungry. Tension triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol, which can signal hunger cravings and send us on a search for food (especially the junk variety) to soothe our uneasy souls.
Using food as a coping mechanism for stressful situations ― think emotional eating ― can cause more harm than good. But on the other hand, food doesn’t have to be the enemy. In fact, when you make mindful choices, food can be a useful tool for taking the edge off. It all boils down to selectivity.
Choosing wisely between what will help alleviate overall stress in the long run versus the instant gratification given by unhealthy fixes is how the war on stress can be fought (and won) with food.
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Food and stress are connected and should be managed concurrently
The brain and the gut literally feed off each other, so the idea that what we eat triggers and affects our emotions is by no means far-fetched.
“The gut is our second brain,” explains Nikki Ostrower, an integrative nutritionist and founder of NAO Wellness. “Some of the brain’s neurotransmitters, aka happy chemicals, are manufactured in the gut ― 90% of serotonin, for example [a neurotransmitter associated with mood, sleep, appetite and gastrointestinal activity] is produced in the gut, which means there’s a direct correlation between mental health, well-being, digestion and food cravings.”
Kwangmoozaa via Getty Images Feeding on empty calories can cause unhealthy spikes in insulin and lead to a buildup of unhealthy cholesterol in your organs, which puts stress on the body and brain.
What drives people in the direction of comfort food is those aforementioned cravings, plus a lack of healthy options at hand. “People turn to food when they’re stressed because it provides easy albeit temporary relief,” Ostrower said. Unfortunately, the quick and easy fixes often don’t offer any health benefits.
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Comfort in the moment can be consequential in the future
Often, what we eat for contentment increases physical and mental stress. Those sluggish, tired or foggy feelings that follow an overindulgent meal are no accident, and the side effects are far from comforting.
Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist and professor at New York University, has noticed an uptick in patients “cooking more decadent foods that remind them of happier times” during the pandemic. She warns, however, that “typical comfort foods like fried and sugary dishes boost a chemical in our brain called dopamine, so initially it feels really good eating these things.” But those good feelings are short-lived, Joseph reminds us, because “these foods can cause unhealthy spikes in insulin and lead to a buildup of unhealthy cholesterol in your organs, which puts stress on the body and brain.”
“We reach for the usual comfort food suspects because they initially help us feel better, but they all cause stress in the body’s organs and ultimately end up making things worse,” Joseph said. In order to tap into food’s ability to control angst, Joseph advises choosing healthy foods “as an important component of self-care that can lead to decreased anxiety.”
What to eat when you’re stressed
The urge to stress eat makes it tough to make mindful choices, but fighting that urge can prove beneficial to keeping your emotions in check. Rheumatologist Magdalena Cadet recommends eating any foods rich in zinc (which lowers cortisol levels), magnesium (which encourages relaxation and sleep) and vitamin E (which reduces oxidative stress on the brain) to help with stress reduction. “Sunflower seeds and legumes like chickpeas are great starting points,” she suggested.
Ostrower, who documented her personal battle with pandemic-induced stress eating on social media, attests, “A diet rich in natural whole foods and absent of the packaged processed stuff, can be a strong ally in fending off stress. After one day of mindful and conscious food choices, feelings of clarity and strength slowly returned.”
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Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna and walnuts have been known to help with combating stress since, according to Cadet, they can “reduce inflammation in the body and help prevent spikes in blood pressure.” Based on their similar stress-busting capabilities, Cadet suggests “opting for flaxseed, soybean or canola oil when cooking” and is also a fan of sweet potatoes and other nutrient-rich complex carbohydrates “for their ability to lower cortisol levels and provide adequate vitamin C and potassium, which are important stress fighters.”
Chocolate devotees have options as well, according to Ostrower, who “always suggests dark chocolate for clients craving something decadent because it’s filled with essential calming minerals like magnesium.” Citrus fruits, chamomile and turmeric are also high on Ostrower’s list because they “support healthy gut function and have mood-boosting qualities.”
Choose healthy foods with similar qualities to your favorite snacks
Switching from potato chips to an apple feels like a downgrade, right? To combat that, Joseph recommends searching for reasonable facsimiles.
“Instead of seeking the crunchy sensation from chips, try crunchy almonds; instead of sipping two glasses of wine, sip one glass of wine and one cup of chamomile tea, which has natural relaxants,” she suggests. “Instead of overdosing on coffee, replace a cup of joe with a cup of matcha, which contains antioxidants and boosts attention without the high buzz or anxiety.”
If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorder Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Self-Quarantines After Exposure To Coronavirus

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization says he has been identified as a contact of a person @ @ @ @ @ and will self-quarantine .
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on Twitter late Sunday that he is @ @ @ @ @ ” but will self-quarantine in “ coming days , in line with WHO protocols , @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced plans to self-quarantine after a person who @ @ @ @ @ positive for coronavirus .
The WHO director-general has been at the forefront of the global @ @ @ @ @ , which has infected at least 46.5 million people and led to more than 1.2 @ @ @ @ @ a count of confirmed cases by Johns Hopkins University .
Tedros ’ tweet came the @ @ @ @ @ Geneva , where the U.N. health agency is based , announced a tightening of restrictions @ @ @ @ @ of the virus .
A recent spike has more than 1,000 new cases recorded each @ @ @ @ @ of about 500,000 people .

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GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization says he has been identified as a contact of a person who tested positive for COVID-19 and will self-quarantine.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on Twitter late Sunday that he is “well and without symptoms” but will self-quarantine in “coming days, in line with WHO protocols, and work from home.”
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World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced plans to self-quarantine after a person who came in contact with tested positive for coronavirus. FABRICE COFFRINI via Getty Images
The WHO director-general has been at the forefront of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected at least 46.5 million people and led to more than 1.2 million deaths, according to a count of confirmed cases by Johns Hopkins University.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-01--Federal Judge Orders USPS To Reinforce 'Extraordinary Measures' To Deliver Ballots

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - The U.S .
Postal Service ( USPS ) must remind senior managers they must follow its “ extraordinary measures ” policy and use its Express Mail Network to expedite ballots ahead of Tuesday ’ s presidential election , under an order signed by a U.S. judge .
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ’ s order on Sunday , to which the USPS agreed , said the postal service must reinforce its “ special procedures ” to ensure it “ delivers every ballot possible by the cutoff time on Election Day.
” USPS will also reinforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local destination must be cleared and processed on the same day or no later than the next morning for delivery to local offices , from now through at least November 7.
” Sullivan , of U.S. District Court in Washington , on Friday had ordered USPS to adopt “ extraordinary measures ” at numerous processing locations to ensure the timely delivery of millions of ballots before Tuesday ’ s presidential election .
Sunday ’ s order , following a series of court hearing over the weekend , directed USPS to redistribute to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9 p.m .
ET Sunday the “ extraordinary measures ” policy providing specific guidance for the final week of the 2020 election , “ and that it is recirculating this policy at the instruction of a federal district court.
” Sullivan also said the USPS must reinforce the need to apply a legible postmark to every ballot reflecting the date it was collected .
USPS must postmark all ballots , even those without postage , Sunday ’ s order said .
USPS must use its “ Express Mail Network on Monday , Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots out of local service area to ensure timely delivery of ballots , unless there is a faster surface option , ” the order said .
Sullivan said Sunday he was also ordering daily status reports “ regarding the situation at the Princeton post office in Miami-Dade County regarding allegations of a backlog of Election Mail.
” The postal service does not recommend mailing ballots less than seven days before state deadlines .
Some states accept ballots for up to a week if postmarked by Election Day , while others require receipt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Thursday , the Postal Service said it had delivered 122 million blank and completed ballots ahead of Tuesday ’ s presidential election , in which there has been record early voting .
The push to get ballots delivered by Election Day evening has taken on new significance , as President Donald Trump has repeatedly said , without evidence , that mail voting would lead to widespread fraud .
On Sunday , he insisted that the results should be known by Tuesday evening , even though counting absentee ballots often takes much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to get their ballots in , they should have gotten their ballots in long before that , ” Trump told reporters .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must remind senior managers they must follow its “extraordinary measures” policy and use its Express Mail Network to expedite ballots ahead of Tuesday’s presidential election, under an order signed by a U.S. judge.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan’s order on Sunday, to which the USPS agreed, said the postal service must reinforce its “special procedures” to ensure it “delivers every ballot possible by the cutoff time on Election Day.”
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USPS will also reinforce to managers that “all ballots with a local destination must be cleared and processed on the same day or no later than the next morning for delivery to local offices, from now through at least November 7.”
Sullivan, of U.S. District Court in Washington, on Friday had ordered USPS to adopt “extraordinary measures” at numerous processing locations to ensure the timely delivery of millions of ballots before Tuesday’s presidential election.
Sunday’s order, following a series of court hearing over the weekend, directed USPS to redistribute to all division directors and plant managers by 9 p.m. ET Sunday the “extraordinary measures” policy providing specific guidance for the final week of the 2020 election, “and that it is recirculating this policy at the instruction of a federal district court.”
Sullivan also said the USPS must reinforce the need to apply a legible postmark to every ballot reflecting the date it was collected. USPS must postmark all ballots, even those without postage, Sunday’s order said.
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USPS must use its “Express Mail Network on Monday, Tuesday, and after Election Day to expedite ballots out of local service area to ensure timely delivery of ballots, unless there is a faster surface option,” the order said.
Sullivan on Friday had ordered measures in places where election mail processing scores for completed ballots returned by voters were recently below 90%.
Sullivan said Sunday he was also ordering daily status reports “regarding the situation at the Princeton post office in Miami-Dade County regarding allegations of a backlog of Election Mail.”
The USPS issued a memo on Friday outlining numerous extra measures it is taking to deliver ballots, including arranging for after-hours handoffs with boards of elections.
The postal service does not recommend mailing ballots less than seven days before state deadlines. Some states accept ballots for up to a week if postmarked by Election Day, while others require receipt by then. Louisiana requires receipt by Monday.
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On Thursday, the Postal Service said it had delivered 122 million blank and completed ballots ahead of Tuesday’s presidential election, in which there has been record early voting.
The push to get ballots delivered by Election Day evening has taken on new significance, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly said, without evidence, that mail voting would lead to widespread fraud. On Sunday, he insisted that the results should be known by Tuesday evening, even though counting absentee ballots often takes much longer than that.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--Trump Campaign Sets The Stage For Election Night Coup

“ The [ Democratic ] operatives are advising surrogates and media to create a smoke screen by casting blame all around — imagining postal delays or falsely claiming that mail-in ballots that have simply not been returned should be considered legitimate votes that need to be counted .
None of this will be true , but it will be held up as proof that President Trump ’ s victory is a so-called ‘ Red Mirage.
’ No one should fall for it , ” read the statement from Justin Clark , Trump deputy campaign manager .
Clark added on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats will be in court arguing to extend deadlines for accepting and counting votes mailed and received well past deadlines enacted by individual state laws .
...
The last gasp of the Biden campaign will be ugly and it will be ruthless.
” But in many cases , it will be impossible to know the results on election night .
A number of states accept ballots that arrive by mail after Election Day , as long as they are postmarked on or before Nov. 3 .
Some states aren ’ t even allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail until Election Day , making it almost certain that the results will be delayed .
But a day before the election , the Trump campaign is underscoring that it is going to fight delayed ballots ― even though such ballots are legal and legitimate .
“ In states that do not permit election officials to process absentee ballots until Election Day , the process of accurately counting all valid votes will inevitably take time , given the millions of absentee ballots in a state such as Pennsylvania , ” said Rick Pildes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York University School of Law .
“ This is exactly what voters should expect : the ballots must be verified , to ensure they are valid , and then counted .
It is inevitable that will take time in states that start as late as Pennsylvania.
” Over the summer , Trump funder and new postmaster general Louis DeJoy implemented cost-cutting measures , which were challenged in court over concerns that they could delay ballots being sent out and returned .
He called off some of those changes , but mail service was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in effect .
Republicans have fought to make it significantly harder to vote during the pandemic , believing that the more people vote , the more likely it is that Democrats will do well .
In March , Trump himself lamented that Democrats in Congress were trying to provide more funding to increase vote-by-mail options , saying , “ The things they had in there were crazy .
They had ... levels of voting that , if you ever agreed to it , you ’ d never have a Republican elected in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican secretary of state fought curbside voting for people who may be immunocompromised ― and thus may not want to stand in a line with other people during the pandemic .
The Republican governor of Texas limited the number of ballot collection boxes to one per county , meaning some populous counties had to get rid of 11 of their boxes to comply with the governor ’ s rule making it harder for people to vote .
And so on .
The “ Red Mirage ” referenced by Clark refers to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in on Nov. 3 make it look like Trump is leading Democrat Joe Biden , or at least doing better than polls predicted .
The Trump campaign wants those results to be the final word .
But those results are not the end , since mail-in ballots will still be counted after Election Day .
They could benefit Biden more because Democrats have been doing more to encourage voting by mail .
Some state Republicans in places like Florida ― where the GOP has traditionally had a strong vote-by-mail operation ― recognized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee voting and tried to counter it by sending out robocalls and mailers encouraging people that the method was safe .

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President Donald Trump’s election campaign put out an ominous statement Monday, making clear that it is going to fight to make sure every vote will not be counted.
“The [Democratic] operatives are advising surrogates and media to create a smoke screen by casting blame all around — imagining postal delays or falsely claiming that mail-in ballots that have simply not been returned should be considered legitimate votes that need to be counted. None of this will be true, but it will be held up as proof that President Trump’s victory is a so-called ‘Red Mirage.’ No one should fall for it,” read the statement from Justin Clark, Trump deputy campaign manager.
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For months, Trump has declared that he believes the winner should be declared on election night.
“Must know Election results on the night of the Election, not days, months, or even years later!” he declared on July 30.
Clark added on Monday that campaign officials “fully anticipate that Democrats will be in court arguing to extend deadlines for accepting and counting votes mailed and received well past deadlines enacted by individual state laws. ... The last gasp of the Biden campaign will be ugly and it will be ruthless.”
But in many cases, it will be impossible to know the results on election night. A number of states accept ballots that arrive by mail after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked on or before Nov. 3. Some states aren’t even allowed to start counting ballots that arrive by mail until Election Day, making it almost certain that the results will be delayed.
President Donald Trump's campaign is fighting to make sure fewer votes are counted. Jim Rassol/Associated Press
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But a day before the election, the Trump campaign is underscoring that it is going to fight delayed ballots ― even though such ballots are legal and legitimate.
“In states that do not permit election officials to process absentee ballots until Election Day, the process of accurately counting all valid votes will inevitably take time, given the millions of absentee ballots in a state such as Pennsylvania,” said Rick Pildes, an election law expert at New York University School of Law. “This is exactly what voters should expect: the ballots must be verified, to ensure they are valid, and then counted. It is inevitable that will take time in states that start as late as Pennsylvania.”
Postal delays are a very real problem. Absentee ballots are taking longer to reach election offices in swing states than in other parts of the country, according to The Washington Post.
Over the summer, Trump funder and new postmaster general Louis DeJoy implemented cost-cutting measures, which were challenged in court over concerns that they could delay ballots being sent out and returned. He called off some of those changes, but mail service was significantly delayed in the five weeks they were in effect.
Republicans have fought to make it significantly harder to vote during the pandemic, believing that the more people vote, the more likely it is that Democrats will do well.
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In March, Trump himself lamented that Democrats in Congress were trying to provide more funding to increase vote-by-mail options, saying, “The things they had in there were crazy. They had ... levels of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
In Alabama, the Republican secretary of state fought curbside voting for people who may be immunocompromised ― and thus may not want to stand in a line with other people during the pandemic. The Republican governor of Texas limited the number of ballot collection boxes to one per county, meaning some populous counties had to get rid of 11 of their boxes to comply with the governor’s rule making it harder for people to vote. And so on.
The “Red Mirage” referenced by Clark refers to a very real possibility that election results coming in on Nov. 3 make it look like Trump is leading Democrat Joe Biden, or at least doing better than polls predicted. The Trump campaign wants those results to be the final word.
But those results are not the end, since mail-in ballots will still be counted after Election Day. They could benefit Biden more because Democrats have been doing more to encourage voting by mail.
Some state Republicans in places like Florida ― where the GOP has traditionally had a strong vote-by-mail operation ― recognized the problem with Trump’s fear-mongering about absentee voting and tried to counter it by sending out robocalls and mailers encouraging people that the method was safe.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-02--Federal Judge Rejects Republican Bid To Toss Out 127,000 Ballots In Texas

The lawsuit was brought by conservative Texas activists who have railed against expanded voting access in Harris County , where a record 1.4 million early votes have already been cast .
The county is the nation ’ s third largest and a crucial battleground in Texas , where President Donald Trump and Republicans are bracing for the closest election in decades on Tuesday .
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ’ s decision to hear arguments on the brink of Election Day drew concern from voting rights activists , and came after the Texas Supreme Court rejected a nearly identical challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response to a lawsuit by conservative GOP activists who have filed a battery of court challenges over moves to expand voting options during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The challenges have not involved Trump ’ s campaign .
Another 20,000 or more voters were expected to use drive-thru polling locations Tuesday , said Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins , the county ’ s top elections official .
Several voters who already used the drive-thru centers rushed to join mounting opposition to the lawsuit , including a Houston attorney whose wife was 35 weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She gave birth to twins Friday .
Trump won Texas by nine points in 2016 but polls have shown Democrat Joe Biden still within reach in America ’ s biggest red state .
Democrats also need to flip only nine seats to reclaim a majority in the Texas House for the first time in 20 years , and have aggressively targeted several races in Harris County .
Harris County offered 10 drive-thru locations as an option for its nearly 5 million residents amid worries of spreading the coronavirus .
Jared Woodfill , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , argued that Texas election law makes no explicit allowances for drive-thru voting and framed it is as an unlawful expansion of curbside voting , which is legal in Texas but limited to people who are unable to enter polling places because of their health .
Woodfill ’ s lawsuit noted that all but one of the drive-thru centers were set up “ in Democrat areas of the county.
” More than 40 % of Harris County residents are Latino , and about one in five residents are Black .
The lawsuit drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas House Speaker Joe Straus .
Republican Sen. John Cornyn , who is facing the toughest reelection battle of his career Tuesday against Democrat MJ Hegar , also said during a weekend campaign stop that the Texas Supreme Court made the right decision earlier in rejecting an identical challenge .
The Texas Supreme Court , which is controlled entirely by Republicans , rejected an identical lawsuit last month and on Sunday refused to invalidate the votes already cast .
The state ’ s highest court did not explain its decision .
Texas is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allow for widespread mail-in voting this year during the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed more than 18,000 people statewide .
Abbott instead expanded early voting by one week , and that extra time helped Texas already surpass 2016′s total votes even before Tuesday ’ s election .
More than 9.7 million people have cast early ballots in Texas , where turnout typically ranks among the lowest in the country .
Some elections experts predict that total turnout in Texas could surpass 12 million , and Harris County officials have taken more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday rejected another last-ditch Republican effort to invalidate nearly 127,000 votes in Houston because the ballots were cast at drive-thru polling centers established during the pandemic.
The lawsuit was brought by conservative Texas activists who have railed against expanded voting access in Harris County, where a record 1.4 million early votes have already been cast. The county is the nation’s third largest and a crucial battleground in Texas, where President Donald Trump and Republicans are bracing for the closest election in decades on Tuesday.
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U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen’s decision to hear arguments on the brink of Election Day drew concern from voting rights activists, and came after the Texas Supreme Court rejected a nearly identical challenge over the weekend.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit by conservative GOP activists who have filed a battery of court challenges over moves to expand voting options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges have not involved Trump’s campaign.
Another 20,000 or more voters were expected to use drive-thru polling locations Tuesday, said Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins, the county’s top elections official. Several voters who already used the drive-thru centers rushed to join mounting opposition to the lawsuit, including a Houston attorney whose wife was 35 weeks pregnant when she cast her ballot. She gave birth to twins Friday.
“My vote counts,” David Hobbs said. “My wife’s vote counts.”
Trump won Texas by nine points in 2016 but polls have shown Democrat Joe Biden still within reach in America’s biggest red state. Democrats also need to flip only nine seats to reclaim a majority in the Texas House for the first time in 20 years, and have aggressively targeted several races in Harris County.
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Harris County offered 10 drive-thru locations as an option for its nearly 5 million residents amid worries of spreading the coronavirus. Jared Woodfill, a former chairman of the Harris County GOP, argued that Texas election law makes no explicit allowances for drive-thru voting and framed it is as an unlawful expansion of curbside voting, which is legal in Texas but limited to people who are unable to enter polling places because of their health.
Portions of the hearing were consumed by debate over what exactly qualified as a legal structure for a polling place under Texas law.
“You have a fundamental right to vote in a car?” Hanen tersely asked an attorney for the ACLU.
Woodfill’s lawsuit noted that all but one of the drive-thru centers were set up “in Democrat areas of the county.” More than 40% of Harris County residents are Latino, and about one in five residents are Black.
The lawsuit drew objections even from Republicans, include former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is facing the toughest reelection battle of his career Tuesday against Democrat MJ Hegar, also said during a weekend campaign stop that the Texas Supreme Court made the right decision earlier in rejecting an identical challenge.
The Texas Supreme Court, which is controlled entirely by Republicans, rejected an identical lawsuit last month and on Sunday refused to invalidate the votes already cast. The state’s highest court did not explain its decision.
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Hollins had asked Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to affirm that the drive-thru locations are legal but received no response.
Texas is one of just five states that did not allow for widespread mail-in voting this year during the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 18,000 people statewide. Abbott instead expanded early voting by one week, and that extra time helped Texas already surpass 2016′s total votes even before Tuesday’s election.
More than 9.7 million people have cast early ballots in Texas, where turnout typically ranks among the lowest in the country. Some elections experts predict that total turnout in Texas could surpass 12 million, and Harris County officials have taken more steps than most to expand voting access.
The county tripled the number of polling places and last week had eight locations that stayed open for 24 hours.
____
Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report.