theguardian--2020-12-25--Donald Trump plays golf as Congress scrambles to salvage Covid relief bill

After tossing a grenade that threatens to blow up a massive Covid relief and government funding bill and force a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic , Donald Trump was golfing on Christmas for a second straight day .
Failure to agree on the bill could deny checks to millions of Americans on the brink .
Trump had no events on his public schedule on the first day of his winter vacation on Thursday , but travelled to his Palm Beach golf club , where he was spotted by CNN cameras on the links .
Reporters were given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , but told that , “ As the Holiday season approaches , President Trump will continue to work tirelessly for the American People .
His schedule includes many meetings and calls.
” Trump ’ s departure came as Washington was still reeling over his surprise , 11th-hour demand that an end-of-year spending bill that congressional leaders spent months negotiating give most Americans $ 2,000 Covid relief checks – far more than the $ 600 members of his own party had agreed to .
The idea was swiftly rejected by House Republicans during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposal in limbo .
The bipartisan compromise had been considered a done deal and had won sweeping approval in the House and Senate this week after the White House assured GOP leaders that Trump supported it .
If Trump refuses to sign the deal , which is attached to a $ 1.4tn government funding bill , it will force a federal government shutdown , in addition to delaying aid checks and halting unemployment benefits and eviction protections in the midst of the most dire stretch of the pandemic .
It was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a president who has been raging over his 3 November loss to President-elect Joe Biden and trying to come up with new , increasingly outrageous schemes to try to overturn the results of a Democratic election .
He has been egged on by allies like his lawyer , the former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani , who accompanied the president to Florida onboard Air Force One .
Trump ’ s ire has been focused , in part , on Republicans in Congress whom he believes have been insufficiently supportive of his quest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbing unfounded claims of mass voter fraud before Congress meets to tally the electoral college votes on 6 January .
Meanwhile , the nation continues to reel as the coronavirus spreads , with record infections and hospitalizations and more than 327,000 now dead .
And millions are facing the prospect of spending the holidays alone or struggling to make ends meet without adequate income , food or shelter thanks to the pandemic ’ s economic toll .
Meanwhile , the Democratic House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , and treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year-end legislation to try to prevent a shutdown .
Democrats will recall House lawmakers to Washington for a vote on Monday on Trump ’ s $ 2,000 proposal , though it would probably die in the GOP-controlled Senate .
They are also considering a Monday vote on a stopgap measure to at least avert a federal shutdown and keep the government running until Biden is inaugurated on 20 January .
In addition to the relief checks , the Covid bill that passed would establish a temporary $ 300-a-week supplemental jobless benefit , provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , restaurants and theaters and money for schools , and provide money for healthcare providers and to help with Covid vaccine distribution .

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After tossing a grenade that threatens to blow up a massive Covid relief and government funding bill and force a government shutdown in the midst of a pandemic, Donald Trump was golfing on Christmas for a second straight day.
Failure to agree on the bill could deny checks to millions of Americans on the brink.
Trump had no events on his public schedule on the first day of his winter vacation on Thursday, but travelled to his Palm Beach golf club, where he was spotted by CNN cameras on the links.
Reporters were given no details of his schedule for the day, but told that, “As the Holiday season approaches, President Trump will continue to work tirelessly for the American People. His schedule includes many meetings and calls.”
Trump’s departure came as Washington was still reeling over his surprise, 11th-hour demand that an end-of-year spending bill that congressional leaders spent months negotiating give most Americans $2,000 Covid relief checks – far more than the $600 members of his own party had agreed to. The idea was swiftly rejected by House Republicans during a rare Christmas Eve session, leaving the proposal in limbo.
The bipartisan compromise had been considered a done deal and had won sweeping approval in the House and Senate this week after the White House assured GOP leaders that Trump supported it. If Trump refuses to sign the deal, which is attached to a $1.4tn government funding bill, it will force a federal government shutdown, in addition to delaying aid checks and halting unemployment benefits and eviction protections in the midst of the most dire stretch of the pandemic.
It was an apparent act of antagonism toward congressional Republicans from a president who has been raging over his 3 November loss to President-elect Joe Biden and trying to come up with new, increasingly outrageous schemes to try to overturn the results of a Democratic election. He has been egged on by allies like his lawyer, the former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who accompanied the president to Florida onboard Air Force One.
Trump’s ire has been focused, in part, on Republicans in Congress who he believes have been insufficiently supportive of his quest to delegitimize Biden’s win by lobbing unfounded claims of mass voter fraud before Congress meets to tally the electoral college votes on 6 January.
Meanwhile, the nation continues to reel as the coronavirus spreads, with record infections and hospitalizations and more than 327,000 now dead. And millions are facing the prospect of spending the holidays alone or struggling to make ends meet without adequate income, food or shelter thanks to the pandemic’s economic toll.
Meanwhile, the Democratic House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, have been trying to salvage the year-end legislation to try to prevent a shutdown. Democrats will recall House lawmakers to Washington for a vote on Monday on Trump’s $2,000 proposal, though it would probably die in the GOP-controlled Senate. They are also considering a Monday vote on a stopgap measure to at least avert a federal shutdown and keep the government running until Biden is inaugurated on 20 January.
In addition to the relief checks, the Covid bill that passed would establish a temporary $300-a-week supplemental jobless benefit, provide a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters and money for schools, and provide money for healthcare providers and to help with Covid vaccine distribution.


theguardian--2020-12-26--Critics fear Trump could pressure William Barr’s successor for big favors

William Barr ’ s abrupt move to leave his post as attorney general this week has spurred fears among Department of Justice veterans that Donald Trump will put new pressures on Barr ’ s successor to do him big and potentially risky political and legal favors .
Former justice department officials say they are worried Trump will lean on Barr ’ s less experienced successor , the acting attorney general , Jeffrey Rosen , to push policies which Trump has suggested he backs , including naming special counsels to investigate President-elect Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s baseless charges of widespread election fraud .
Critics also fear Rosen could face pressure from Trump to help obtain a legal opinion that would allow Trump to pardon himself by reversing a justice department opinion that dates back to the Nixon era and bars a presidential self-pardon .
Such a move would probably trigger widespread outrage .
Mounting concerns that Trump will try to squeeze favors from Rosen , who became Barr ’ s deputy AG in early 2019 without previous DoJ experience , stem partly from Trump ’ s post-election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his strongest cabinet ally in the run-up to the November election But after losing to Biden , Trump has become furious at Barr for not publicly disclosing that Hunter Biden ’ s taxes were being looked at by a US attorney in Delaware during the 2020 campaign .
Trump was also livid over Barr ’ s statement that there was no sign of significant voting fraud in the elections .
At his last press conference on Monday , Barr said he had no intention of naming a special counsel to look into Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s baseless claims of widespread voting fraud .
Attorneys general are authorized to name special counsels and last week the Associated Press reported that Trump has floated the idea of tapping conspiracist and lawyer Sidney Powell , who Trump met with at least twice recently to discuss far-fetched election fraud claims , as a special counsel to investigate bogus claims the election was rigged .
Paul Rosenzweig , a former prosecutor under Ken Starr when he was a special counsel investigating President Bill Clinton , said Barr ’ s departure after heavy criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants a “ more malleable leader at the head of DoJ – one who will not resist his last-minute aberrations ” .
“ There are many things we might expect Trump to order the department to do in the waning days of his presidency , ” Rosenzweig said .
“ Most likely , is the appointment of a special counsel to probe Hunter Biden .
Another is a new Office of Legal Counsel ( OLC ) opinion , reversing the Nixon-era decision that presidential self-pardons are illegal.
” Rosenzweig added it remains to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malleable as Trump hopes he will be ” .
Before becoming Barr ’ s deputy attorney general , Rosen had been the transportation department ’ s deputy secretary , and spent many years doing corporate legal work at Kirkland & Ellis where Barr used to work .
The former DoJ inspector general Michael Bromwich foresees Trump trying to pressure Rosen to do him favors , but urged Rosen to ignore Trump ’ s pleas , noting that Trump may act on his own too in some matters .
“ I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of inappropriate actions Rosen could be asked to undertake , ” Bromwich said .
“ Unlike Barr , Rosen is an unknown and enigmatic figure to the outside world , with no reputation outside the narrow circle of people he has worked with .
I doubt that he wants his legacy to be kowtowing to the whims of a president who has taken leave of his senses.
” Some Trump prodding of Rosen would be hard to pull off , and Trump might just turn for advice to his legal allies , Bromwich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think an OLC opinion on the issue of self-pardon would be worth the exercise for anyone .
If it were to conclude that a self-pardon is constitutional , it would be dismissed as a coerced opinion and would further degrade the reputation of OLC , ” Bromwich said .
“ I doubt whether he [ Trump ] will feel the need to obtain such an opinion .
He will choose instead to rely on the legal advice of Rudy Giuliani , Sidney Powell , and the rest of the legal misfits he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were Rosen , I would change my phone number and go on an extended vacation , ” Bromwich said .
“ If that ’ s not possible , he should make it clear that he won ’ t do anything that violates his oath to the constitution , or his fundamental sense of right and wrong.
” Other DoJ veterans add that any Trump pressures on Rosen to name special counsels to investigate Hunter Biden or unfounded charges of major election fraud had a good chance of being overturned by Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need for them .
Paul Pelletier , a former acting chief of the DoJ fraud section in two administrations , said any of Biden ’ s reported candidates for AG would have the power to remove a special counsel for “ good cause ” , including “ obviously politically motivated investigations ” .
Besides pressing Rosen for favors , ex-DoJ hands say that Trump ’ s own actions involving potential pardons of family members and political allies , which Trump is said to be weighing on top of others he made this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him after he leaves office .
Some pardons might lead to charges of obstruction of justice , or spur incriminating testimony in investigations of Trump and his business by two New York prosecutors when he departs .
Barr noted at his 2019 confirmation hearing that a president ’ s broad powers to pardon carry risks .
While presidents have the right to pardon family members , Barr said that if a pardon to a family member is “ connected to some act that violates an obstruction statute , it could be obstruction ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AG under George HW Bush , noted that Trump might need to consider that some pardons “ could boomerang .
He may have reason for concern that people he pardoned will be compelled to testify , since once pardoned , and perhaps given some further modest grant of immunity , the people he pardons will have no right to refuse to testify against Trump or anyone else based on the fifth amendment .
”

William Barr’s abrupt move to leave his post as attorney general this week has spurred fears among Department of Justice veterans that Donald Trump will put new pressures on Barr’s successor to do him big and potentially risky political and legal favors.
Former justice department officials say they are worried Trump will lean on Barr’s less experienced successor, the acting attorney general, Jeffrey Rosen, to push policies which Trump has suggested he backs, including naming special counsels to investigate President-elect Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and using the DoJ to investigate Trump’s baseless charges of widespread election fraud.
Critics also fear Rosen could face pressure from Trump to help obtain a legal opinion that would allow Trump to pardon himself by reversing a justice department opinion that dates back to the Nixon era and bars a presidential self-pardon. Such a move would probably trigger widespread outrage.
Mounting concerns that Trump will try to squeeze favors from Rosen, who became Barr’s deputy AG in early 2019 without previous DoJ experience, stem partly from Trump’s post-election anger at Barr, despite being arguably his strongest cabinet ally in the run-up to the November election
But after losing to Biden, Trump has become furious at Barr for not publicly disclosing that Hunter Biden’s taxes were being looked at by a US attorney in Delaware during the 2020 campaign. Trump was also livid over Barr’s statement that there was no sign of significant voting fraud in the elections.
At his last press conference on Monday, Barr said he had no intention of naming a special counsel to look into Hunter Biden, or to investigate Trump’s baseless claims of widespread voting fraud.
William Barr said at his last press conference on Monday he had no intention of naming a special counsel to look into Hunter Biden. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/AP
Attorneys general are authorized to name special counsels and last week the Associated Press reported that Trump has floated the idea of tapping conspiracist and lawyer Sidney Powell, who Trump met with at least twice recently to discuss far-fetched election fraud claims, as a special counsel to investigate bogus claims the election was rigged.
Paul Rosenzweig, a former prosecutor under Ken Starr when he was a special counsel investigating President Bill Clinton, said Barr’s departure after heavy criticism by Trump seems to signal that Trump wants a “more malleable leader at the head of DoJ – one who will not resist his last-minute aberrations”.
“There are many things we might expect Trump to order the department to do in the waning days of his presidency,” Rosenzweig said. “Most likely, is the appointment of a special counsel to probe Hunter Biden. Another is a new Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) opinion, reversing the Nixon-era decision that presidential self-pardons are illegal.”
Rosenzweig added it remains to be seen if Rosen “is as malleable as Trump hopes he will be”.
Before becoming Barr’s deputy attorney general, Rosen had been the transportation department’s deputy secretary, and spent many years doing corporate legal work at Kirkland & Ellis where Barr used to work.
The former DoJ inspector general Michael Bromwich foresees Trump trying to pressure Rosen to do him favors, but urged Rosen to ignore Trump’s pleas, noting that Trump may act on his own too in some matters.
“I don’t think we can fully imagine the range of inappropriate actions Rosen could be asked to undertake,” Bromwich said. “Unlike Barr, Rosen is an unknown and enigmatic figure to the outside world, with no reputation outside the narrow circle of people he has worked with. I doubt that he wants his legacy to be kowtowing to the whims of a president who has taken leave of his senses.”
Some Trump prodding of Rosen would be hard to pull off, and Trump might just turn for advice to his legal allies, Bromwich added.
“I don’t think an OLC opinion on the issue of self-pardon would be worth the exercise for anyone. If it were to conclude that a self-pardon is constitutional, it would be dismissed as a coerced opinion and would further degrade the reputation of OLC,” Bromwich said.
“I doubt whether he [Trump] will feel the need to obtain such an opinion. He will choose instead to rely on the legal advice of Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and the rest of the legal misfits he has surrounded himself with.”
“If I were Rosen, I would change my phone number and go on an extended vacation,” Bromwich said. “If that’s not possible, he should make it clear that he won’t do anything that violates his oath to the constitution, or his fundamental sense of right and wrong.”
Other DoJ veterans add that any Trump pressures on Rosen to name special counsels to investigate Hunter Biden or unfounded charges of major election fraud had a good chance of being overturned by Biden’s AG given Barr’s statements rejecting the need for them.
Paul Pelletier, a former acting chief of the DoJ fraud section in two administrations, said any of Biden’s reported candidates for AG would have the power to remove a special counsel for “good cause”, including “obviously politically motivated investigations”.
Besides pressing Rosen for favors, ex-DoJ hands say that Trump’s own actions involving potential pardons of family members and political allies, which Trump is said to be weighing on top of others he made this week, could create legal headaches for him after he leaves office.
Some pardons might lead to charges of obstruction of justice, or spur incriminating testimony in investigations of Trump and his business by two New York prosecutors when he departs.
Barr noted at his 2019 confirmation hearing that a president’s broad powers to pardon carry risks. While presidents have the right to pardon family members, Barr said that if a pardon to a family member is “connected to some act that violates an obstruction statute, it could be obstruction”.
Donald Ayer, who was deputy AG under George HW Bush, noted that Trump might need to consider that some pardons “could boomerang. He may have reason for concern that people he pardoned will be compelled to testify, since once pardoned, and perhaps given some further modest grant of immunity, the people he pardons will have no right to refuse to testify against Trump or anyone else based on the fifth amendment.”


theguardian--2020-12-26--Blueprint for Biden? How a struggling Irish town gambled on its links to JFK

After its factories died and its port withered , New Ross , a town perched by the River Barrow in south-east Ireland , decided in the 1990s to tap a unique asset : John F Kennedy .
The US president ’ s great-grandfather had sailed from the quays of New Ross to America during the 1840s famine , leaving behind a modest homestead that JFK twice visited , including a few months before his assassination in 1963 .
Like many Americans , not least the current US president-elect , Joe Biden , Kennedy was proud of his Irish connections and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ross gambled that tourists would be enticed by those links , too , and set about reinventing itself as a de facto shrine to the Kennedy dynasty .
A museum was built at the homestead .
The dilapidated quays were transformed with a new boardwalk , a bronze statue of JFK , a visitor centre and an emigrant hall of fame .
Most ambitious of all was a full-size replica of the ship on which the president ’ s ancestor had sailed .
The plan worked .
In an average year , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70,000 visit the ship , the Dunbrody , generating 50 jobs and an estimated €3m in spinoff spending , adding up to a big impact on a County Wexford town of just 8,000 people .
There is also a park , the JFK Arboretum , which draws about 110,000 people a year , mostly locals , and an annual “ Kennedy summer school ” festival of Irish American culture and politics .
“ In the late 80s and early 90s the town was in decline , really down at heel , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the JFK Trust from 1991 to 2014 , during which New Ross built up its Kennedy heritage industry .
The result of the effort was employment , optimism and a physical renaissance around the quays , he said .
“ It ’ s developed a pride of place.
” It has also created a blueprint of sorts , because the inauguration of Joe Biden on 21 January will give three other Irish towns the opportunity to alchemise their own Oval Office connection into tangible benefits .
One branch of the president-elect ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayo , where the Blewitt clan claim him as one of their own , and another branch leads to Carlingford in County Louth , home of the Finnegan wing .
The village of Maree in County Galway has emerged as a third claimant to another Biden great-great-grandfather .
Biden is the most Irish American president since JFK .
He made multiple visits to Ireland when he was a senator and vice-president , and cited his heritage in the campaign for the White House when he accused Donald Trump of belonging to a caste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their nose on people like Irish Catholics and like me , ” he said in a debate .
After Biden won the election , one of his first overseas calls was to the taoiseach , Micheál Martin .
Laurita Blewitt , a third cousin of Biden , organised a gathering of the clan when he visited Ballina in 2016 and remains in close contact with his family .
Biden ’ s sense of Irishness is genuine , she says .
“ It ’ s not just something he created for the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him.
” Ballina has a pop-art mural of Biden that has drawn visitors and international TV crews to Market Square .
The town ’ s hospice , for which Biden turned the sod , has a plaque honouring his late son , Beau .
Residents of the town have expressed their hope Biden will visit them again during his presidency , as have the people of Carlingford and Maree .
Reidy advised the towns to find creative ways to personalise the emigration experiences of Biden ’ s ancestors .
“ If they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would be an opportunity create something.
” New Ross ’ s claim to JFK benefited from the fact that the president cast his 1963 visit as a sort of homecoming .
“ It took 115 years to make this trip , and 6,000 miles , and three generations , ” Kennedy told locals and the travelling White House press corps in a quayside speech .
“ That was a priceless piece of intellectual property for the town , and that ’ s what we tried to exploit , ” Reidy said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a statue and an “ emigrant flame ” dedicated to the diaspora , lit from the eternal flame by his grave in Arlington , Virginia .
In a recently published book , Dunbrody , A Famine Odyssey : How JKF ’ s Roots Helped Revive an Irish Town , Reidy had a cautionary tale about being too eager .
Upon learning that the flame might first travel around parishes and appear on RTE ’ s Late Late Show before reaching New Ross for a 2013 ceremony , JFK ’ s sister , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gasket ” at the perceived commodification .
It took a week of Irish government shuttle diplomacy and a revised itinerary to mollify her .
“ We sorted it out , she came and it was brilliant , ” Reidy said .

After its factories died and its port withered, New Ross, a town perched by the River Barrow in south-east Ireland, decided in the 1990s to tap a unique asset: John F Kennedy.
The US president’s great-grandfather had sailed from the quays of New Ross to America during the 1840s famine, leaving behind a modest homestead that JFK twice visited, including a few months before his assassination in 1963. Like many Americans, not least the current US president-elect, Joe Biden, Kennedy was proud of his Irish connections and keen to re-emphasise the links.
New Ross gambled that tourists would be enticed by those links, too, and set about reinventing itself as a de facto shrine to the Kennedy dynasty. A museum was built at the homestead. The dilapidated quays were transformed with a new boardwalk, a bronze statue of JFK, a visitor centre and an emigrant hall of fame. Most ambitious of all was a full-size replica of the ship on which the president’s ancestor had sailed.
JFK meets cousins at the Kennedy family homestead outside New Ross in June 1963. Photograph: Brownes Photography
The plan worked. In an average year, more than 20,000 tourists visit the homestead and 70,000 visit the ship, the Dunbrody, generating 50 jobs and an estimated €3m in spinoff spending, adding up to a big impact on a County Wexford town of just 8,000 people.
There is also a park, the JFK Arboretum, which draws about 110,000 people a year, mostly locals, and an annual “Kennedy summer school” festival of Irish American culture and politics.
Musicians and tourists aboard the Dunbrody in New Ross, Ireland. Photograph: Brownes Photography
“In the late 80s and early 90s the town was in decline, really down at heel,” said Sean Reidy, the chief executive of the JFK Trust from 1991 to 2014, during which New Ross built up its Kennedy heritage industry. The result of the effort was employment, optimism and a physical renaissance around the quays, he said. “It’s developed a pride of place.”
It has also created a blueprint of sorts, because the inauguration of Joe Biden on 21 January will give three other Irish towns the opportunity to alchemise their own Oval Office connection into tangible benefits.
One branch of the president-elect’s family tree leads to Ballina in County Mayo, where the Blewitt clan claim him as one of their own, and another branch leads to Carlingford in County Louth, home of the Finnegan wing. The village of Maree in County Galway has emerged as a third claimant to another Biden great-great-grandfather.
The Dunbrody ship in New Ross. Photograph: Paddy Delaney
Biden is the most Irish American president since JFK. He made multiple visits to Ireland when he was a senator and vice-president, and cited his heritage in the campaign for the White House when he accused Donald Trump of belonging to a caste of plutocrats. “They look down their nose on people like Irish Catholics and like me,” he said in a debate.
After Biden won the election, one of his first overseas calls was to the taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
Laurita Blewitt, a third cousin of Biden, organised a gathering of the clan when he visited Ballina in 2016 and remains in close contact with his family. Biden’s sense of Irishness is genuine, she says. “It’s not just something he created for the election, it’s very much part of him.”
Ballina has a pop-art mural of Biden that has drawn visitors and international TV crews to Market Square. The town’s hospice, for which Biden turned the sod, has a plaque honouring his late son, Beau.
Residents of the town have expressed their hope Biden will visit them again during his presidency, as have the people of Carlingford and Maree.
Joe Biden visiting his ancestral home County Mayo, in Ireland, in 2016. Photograph: Planet P/REX/Shutterstock
Reidy advised the towns to find creative ways to personalise the emigration experiences of Biden’s ancestors. “If they have any physical remains of the family homesteads that would be an opportunity create something.”
New Ross’s claim to JFK benefited from the fact that the president cast his 1963 visit as a sort of homecoming. “It took 115 years to make this trip, and 6,000 miles, and three generations,” Kennedy told locals and the travelling White House press corps in a quayside speech.
“That was a priceless piece of intellectual property for the town, and that’s what we tried to exploit,” Reidy said.
Sean Reidy guides JFK’s daughter Caroline Kennedy around New Ross in 2013. Photograph: Paddy Delaney
The spot where JFK spoke is marked by a statue and an “emigrant flame” dedicated to the diaspora, lit from the eternal flame by his grave in Arlington, Virginia.
In a recently published book, Dunbrody, A Famine Odyssey: How JKF’s Roots Helped Revive an Irish Town, Reidy had a cautionary tale about being too eager.
Upon learning that the flame might first travel around parishes and appear on RTE’s Late Late Show before reaching New Ross for a 2013 ceremony, JFK’s sister, Jean Kennedy Smith, “blew a gasket” at the perceived commodification. It took a week of Irish government shuttle diplomacy and a revised itinerary to mollify her. “We sorted it out, she came and it was brilliant,” Reidy said.


theguardian--2020-12-26--Saturday Night Live seeks fresh Biden as political comedy faces new era

The US presidential election may be over but another keenly watched contest is just beginning .
Who should play Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live ?
Jim Carrey quit the role last Saturday after poor reviews .
Alex Moffat , a regular cast member , stepped in for that night ’ s episode .
But it still remains uncertain which actor will portray Biden on a show that helps define each American presidency in the popular imagination .
It is just one example of the new challenges facing political satire as Donald Trump leaves the presidential stage .
The 45th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hosts , standup comedians and cartoonists .
His Democratic successor appears to be a less obvious target .
“ There is about a two-minute hole in every late-night monologue beginning on January 20 , ” observed Bill Whalen , a former media consultant for the ex-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger .
“ Two minutes every night reserved to Trump jokes and Trump bashing : that ends as soon as Biden takes office .
So how do you fill the void ?
” Based in New York , SNL started on the NBC network in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nailing presidents ever since .
Chevy Chase played Gerald Ford as bumbling and accident-prone .
Dana Carvey was so spot-on as George HW Bush that he earned an invitation to the White House .
Will Ferrell captured George W Bush ’ s word-mangling incoherence .
Jay Pharoah was praised for his Barack Obama impression but left the show prematurely .
Whalen added : “ Obama they had a hard time mocking because Obama was Mr Cool , and how do you make fun of Mr Cool ?
So I think comedy took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama years and came roaring back with Trump.
” Alec Baldwin ’ s devastating rendition of Trump as an ignorant idiot , complete with pursed lips and blond wig , frequently went viral and earned the president ’ s wrath .
Melissa McCarthy ’ s fast and furious take on his first press secretary , Sean Spicer , also struck comedy gold .
On one level it is entertainment , but SNL ’ s cultural significance should not be underestimated , argues Michael Cornfield , a political scientist at George Washington University in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to a president ’ s character is through the Saturday Night Live caricature , ” he said .
SNL has already found its Kamala Harris in Maya Rudolph , but Biden is proving a tougher nut to crack .
He has been played by cast members and guest stars including Jason Sudeikis , Woody Harrelson and John Mulaney .
Carrey signed on for this year ’ s election campaign but his manic performances arguably missed the mark .
So Moffat , who has previously played Trump ’ s son Eric , took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which the vice-president , Mike Pence ( Beck Bennett ) , received a Covid-19 vaccine .
But Moffat is only 38 , less than half Biden ’ s age , leaving next year ’ s all-important casting an open question , along with broader questions of where to find humour in the coming presidency .
Cornfield commented : “ To me , the comedy of the administration shapes up as one of these workplace sitcoms where the central character , Biden , has to be carrying on gamely while everything around him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s personality is tough because you don ’ t want to make fun of his stuttering .
You don ’ t want to make fun of his tragedies .
What you want to make fun of is he ’ s going to pretend that everything is right : ‘ Oh sure , I ’ ll negotiate with the Republicans .
No problem .
Oh sure , I ’ ll make the federal government work .
No problem.
’ That ’ s his pretence and that ’ s up for lampooning because it won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , I don ’ t think it will be what we ’ ve lived through the last four years .
We don ’ t need [ Armando ] Iannucci-level viciousness because I don ’ t think that ’ s called for .
But there is a need to make fun of the president .
That ’ s very American.
” Cornfield has a suggestion for the role : Ted Danson , who turns 73 next week and appeared with Harrelson in the long-running sitcom Cheers .
“ He ’ s got that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demeanor and he knows how to react to people who are just not doing the job or are completely nuts .
There ’ s great comedy to be had when somebody is trying to pretend that everything is is going smoothly when it ’ s not.
” Even so , just as cable news is reportedly bracing for a loss of viewers after the “ Trump bump ” , political satirists could be forgiven for thinking that a golden age is coming to an end .
Trump ’ s crass remarks , badly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gazing up at a solar eclipse to slow-walking down a ramp – have been the gift that keeps on giving .
It is safe to assume that Biden will not suggest bleach as a coronavirus cure .
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver are among the TV programmes that have thrived on dark humour in the Trump years , making sense of the chaos for viewers , channeling their anger and fear and conveying a pointed message .
Colbert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late-night rivals Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel , neither of whom targeted Trump so directly .
He also had a hand in Our Cartoon President , a barbed animated series about Trump and his entourage .
Stephen Farnsworth , co-author of Late Night with Trump : Political Humor and the American Presidency , said in an email : “ From President Trump ’ s angry , blustery falsehoods to his clown car entourage , Saturday Night Live and late night comedy have never had it so good .
When America has an over-the-top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the public eye 24/7 , the jokes practically write themselves .
“ That ends in January .
When compared to the current president , Joe Biden is a far less compelling character for humor and doesn ’ t display the same neediness for public attention .
What ’ s more , Trump ’ s exaggerated physical mannerisms and speech patterns , captured so effectively by Alec Baldwin , made him easier to imitate than many political figures.
” Farnsworth , political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more measured in what he says and does than is Trump , and that ’ s not good for comedy .
Biden used to be known for a malapropism or two , but his 2020 campaign was a highly controlled exercise , particularly compared to Biden ’ s time as vice-president or as a senator.
” Trump ’ s departure , however , is also coming as a relief to comedy performers and writing .
There are have been moments when he can seem beyond satire and when it is easier to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find him frustratingly two-dimensional .
Steve Bodow , a former head writer and executive producer of The Daily Show , told the Washington Post last month : “ I feel confident saying most writers of late night will not only be politically and patriotically happier , but they ’ ll be comedically happier .
The thing about Trump is there ’ s nothing new there ; there ’ s just not that much to chew off the bone .
It can be utterly exhausting.
” Trump was a Falstaffian figure but the consequences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly coronavirus pandemic , were anything but funny .
Biden ’ s own life has been scarred by personal loss and he inherits a country facing multiple crises – and where Trump is likely to remain a political player .
Sidney Blumenthal , a former assistant and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton , said : “ The larger-than-life element about Biden is tragedy .
Making fun of his speech is making fun of someone who through immense willpower overcame the disability of stuttering.
” He added : “ The one person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who , like Biden , is a deeply rooted liberal Catholic .
“ The fundamental problem is that we have yet to reckon with the immensity of the mourning and grief of what will likely be a half-million dead , which should have been largely preventable by the clownish sadist who provided so much fun before he ushered in a reign of death .
”

The US presidential election may be over but another keenly watched contest is just beginning. Who should play Joe Biden on Saturday Night Live?
Jim Carrey quit the role last Saturday after poor reviews. Alex Moffat, a regular cast member, stepped in for that night’s episode. But it still remains uncertain which actor will portray Biden on a show that helps define each American presidency in the popular imagination.
It is just one example of the new challenges facing political satire as Donald Trump leaves the presidential stage. The 45th president offered endless material for late-night TV hosts, standup comedians and cartoonists. His Democratic successor appears to be a less obvious target.
“There is about a two-minute hole in every late-night monologue beginning on January 20,” observed Bill Whalen, a former media consultant for the ex-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Two minutes every night reserved to Trump jokes and Trump bashing: that ends as soon as Biden takes office. So how do you fill the void?”
Based in New York, SNL started on the NBC network in 1975 and has been more or less nailing presidents ever since. Chevy Chase played Gerald Ford as bumbling and accident-prone. Dana Carvey was so spot-on as George HW Bush that he earned an invitation to the White House.
Will Ferrell captured George W Bush’s word-mangling incoherence. Jay Pharoah was praised for his Barack Obama impression but left the show prematurely. Whalen added: “Obama they had a hard time mocking because Obama was Mr Cool, and how do you make fun of Mr Cool? So I think comedy took a bit of a time out during the Obama years and came roaring back with Trump.”
Alec Baldwin’s devastating rendition of Trump as an ignorant idiot, complete with pursed lips and blond wig, frequently went viral and earned the president’s wrath. Melissa McCarthy’s fast and furious take on his first press secretary, Sean Spicer, also struck comedy gold.
On one level it is entertainment, but SNL’s cultural significance should not be underestimated, argues Michael Cornfield, a political scientist at George Washington University in Washington. “The central angle of approach to a president’s character is through the Saturday Night Live caricature,” he said.
SNL has already found its Kamala Harris in Maya Rudolph, but Biden is proving a tougher nut to crack. He has been played by cast members and guest stars including Jason Sudeikis, Woody Harrelson and John Mulaney. Carrey signed on for this year’s election campaign but his manic performances arguably missed the mark.
“Jim Carrey was doing Jim Carrey,” Cornfield observed. “He didn’t communicate Biden.”
So Moffat, who has previously played Trump’s son Eric, took over as Biden for an opening sketch in which the vice-president, Mike Pence (Beck Bennett), received a Covid-19 vaccine. But Moffat is only 38, less than half Biden’s age, leaving next year’s all-important casting an open question, along with broader questions of where to find humour in the coming presidency.
Alex Moffat played Biden on SNL on 20 December. Photograph: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Cornfield commented: “To me, the comedy of the administration shapes up as one of these workplace sitcoms where the central character, Biden, has to be carrying on gamely while everything around him is going nuts.
“Biden’s personality is tough because you don’t want to make fun of his stuttering. You don’t want to make fun of his tragedies. What you want to make fun of is he’s going to pretend that everything is right: ‘Oh sure, I’ll negotiate with the Republicans. No problem. Oh sure, I’ll make the federal government work. No problem.’ That’s his pretence and that’s up for lampooning because it won’t.
“Now having said that, I don’t think it will be what we’ve lived through the last four years. We don’t need [Armando] Iannucci-level viciousness because I don’t think that’s called for. But there is a need to make fun of the president. That’s very American.”
Cornfield has a suggestion for the role: Ted Danson, who turns 73 next week and appeared with Harrelson in the long-running sitcom Cheers. “He’s got that big smile and that cocky how-you-doin’ demeanor and he knows how to react to people who are just not doing the job or are completely nuts. There’s great comedy to be had when somebody is trying to pretend that everything is is going smoothly when it’s not.”
Even so, just as cable news is reportedly bracing for a loss of viewers after the “Trump bump”, political satirists could be forgiven for thinking that a golden age is coming to an end.
Trump’s crass remarks, badly spelled tweets and bizarre behaviour – from gazing up at a solar eclipse to slow-walking down a ramp – have been the gift that keeps on giving. It is safe to assume that Biden will not suggest bleach as a coronavirus cure.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver are among the TV programmes that have thrived on dark humour in the Trump years, making sense of the chaos for viewers, channeling their anger and fear and conveying a pointed message.
Colbert now draws far more viewers than his late-night rivals Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, neither of whom targeted Trump so directly. He also had a hand in Our Cartoon President, a barbed animated series about Trump and his entourage.
Stephen Farnsworth, co-author of Late Night with Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency, said in an email: “From President Trump’s angry, blustery falsehoods to his clown car entourage, Saturday Night Live and late night comedy have never had it so good. When America has an over-the-top president, one who needs to be in the public eye 24/7, the jokes practically write themselves.
“That ends in January. When compared to the current president, Joe Biden is a far less compelling character for humor and doesn’t display the same neediness for public attention. What’s more, Trump’s exaggerated physical mannerisms and speech patterns, captured so effectively by Alec Baldwin, made him easier to imitate than many political figures.”
Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on SNL. Photograph: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Farnsworth, political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, added: “Biden is much more measured in what he says and does than is Trump, and that’s not good for comedy. Biden used to be known for a malapropism or two, but his 2020 campaign was a highly controlled exercise, particularly compared to Biden’s time as vice-president or as a senator.”
Trump’s departure, however, is also coming as a relief to comedy performers and writing. There are have been moments when he can seem beyond satire and when it is easier to cry than laugh. A novelist might find him frustratingly two-dimensional.
Steve Bodow, a former head writer and executive producer of The Daily Show, told the Washington Post last month: “I feel confident saying most writers of late night will not only be politically and patriotically happier, but they’ll be comedically happier. The thing about Trump is there’s nothing new there; there’s just not that much to chew off the bone. It can be utterly exhausting.”
Trump was a Falstaffian figure but the consequences of his actions, especially during the deadly coronavirus pandemic, were anything but funny. Biden’s own life has been scarred by personal loss and he inherits a country facing multiple crises – and where Trump is likely to remain a political player.
Sidney Blumenthal, a former assistant and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, said: “The larger-than-life element about Biden is tragedy. Making fun of his speech is making fun of someone who through immense willpower overcame the disability of stuttering.”
He added: “The one person who gets Biden best is Stephen Colbert, who, like Biden, is a deeply rooted liberal Catholic.
“The fundamental problem is that we have yet to reckon with the immensity of the mourning and grief of what will likely be a half-million dead, which should have been largely preventable by the clownish sadist who provided so much fun before he ushered in a reign of death.”


theguardian--2020-12-26--Frankie Boyle’s big quiz of 2020: ‘How much have you subconsciously tried to suppress?’

2020 : what a time to still briefly be alive .
Let ’ s look back on the year , after a Christmas so grim for Great Britain that it was almost as if Santa had been reading some history .
They said it was political correctness that would end Christmas but now , after the humble office worker was reduced to getting off with their own partner at the Zoom Christmas do , we realise it was actually ended by electing people who try to source medical supplies through their mate ’ s pest control firm .
The Tardis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Doctor Who to empty its chemical toilet .
Every so often , I remember we will be leaving the EU in the middle of a plague and the worst recession in modern history , and then black out and wake up at the bottom of my garden in a pile of canned goods .
As Brexit negotiations continued , a 27-acre site in Kent was set to become a lorry park that can take 2,000 lorries .
Complaining about your locked gym will soon seem very quaint , when every source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can ’ t be processed because the driver has an apostrophe in his name .
One way to not get too down about 2020 is to remind yourself that next year will be worse .
But how much of the year can you remember , and how much have you subconsciously tried to suppress ?
Let ’ s find out !
In many ways , the Labour party should be the natural choice to run a bitterly divided country full of people who hate each other .
Keir Starmer , looking like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s “ unstoppable ” before getting fired first on the Apprentice , and an Anglican vicar trying to hold in a fart at a funeral , has been pursuing the approval of newspapers that wouldn ’ t stop backing the Tories if they crop-dusted the whole country in hot shit .
The nationalist posturing required makes him look deeply uncomfortable , as if he ’ s been asked if he personally would sleep with the Queen and is afraid of both answers .
By withdrawing the whip from Jeremy Corbyn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat posed by the left of the party , which currently consists of a handful of MPs , maybe 10 journalists , and a couple of dozen shitposters called things like @ WetAssProletariat .
Where did Keir Starmer choose to deliver his keynote Labour conference speech ?
a ) His own kitchen .
b ) Labour party HQ in Westminster .
c ) A socially distanced PPE factory in the East End of London .
d ) A corridor in a deserted Doncaster arts centre .
The government spent £12bn on it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for alerting you to the fact that someone deadly is nearby is the one that shows you when your Uber driver has arrived .
Of course Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed complaints from people who had to travel 200 miles for a test : he regularly commutes between now and the 1840s , strapped into something built from plans drawn up to the final words of the tortured HG Wells , with a groundsman furiously shovelling venison into a flux capacitor .
Which of these organisations was not given contracts to help implement the NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ b ) Capita .
c ) The NHS .
d ) Sitel .
It ’ s difficult to speculate on the long-term effects that the pandemic will have on British politics ; all we know for certain is that 40 % of the survivors will vote Conservative .
One flaw in Labour ’ s relentless framing of prime ministerial incompetence is that the Conservatives can just replace him with someone more competent – possibly Rishi Sunak , and his air of a sixth former who still wears their school uniform .
Boris Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funeral pyre of Britain , a post-apocalyptic snowman with the increasingly dishevelled air of something that ’ s been tied to the front grille of a bin lorry , a demented , sex-case vacuum cleaner bag ; but there ’ s no denying he does possess some Churchillian qualities : racism and obesity .
Which of these did Boris Johnson fail to do in his first 365 days as prime minister ?
a ) Get divorced .
b ) Have a baby .
c ) Contract coronavirus .
d ) Secure a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out from tweeting denials of his privilege while wearing three-piece pyjamas , Laurence ( 19th-century ) Fox announced the launch of his new political party .
He certainly looked determined .
Or was it sad ?
I just never quite know which one he ’ s doing .
No doubt he considers himself to be on the Reich side of history , but he may yet regret his statements on Black Lives Matter : the way his acting career ’ s going , there could well be auditions where he ’ ll have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s head points to a combination of robust genes and forceps pressure , showing that from the very start he had a reluctance to face the real world .
The sort of people who went to his famous boarding school would never be so gauche as to actually mention the name Harrow , except when phoning up for a Chinese takeaway , pissed .
In 2020 , Fox received large donations for his laughable new culture-war party , and it must have been odd to receive millions of pounds that wasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his children .
We can only hope that his interest in politics wanes soon , and he can get back on stage and give us his long overdue Othello .
Which of these is not something Laurence Fox did this year ?
a ) Announced a personal boycott of Sainsbury ’ s .
b ) Got dropped by his acting agent over the phone .
c ) Acted in a film .
d ) Got told to fuck off by the Pogues .
In 2020 , the only thing you could say for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they weren ’ t on Facebook .
Hate-sharing app Twitter has again spent the year setting itself up as an arbiter of morals , a role it ’ s as convincing in as the Love Island casting department .
Personally , I left Twitter because of death threats : Eamonn Holmes just didn ’ t seem to be reading them any more .
Which of these Twitter users has the most followers , and which the least ?
One point for each correctly placed .
a ) Donald Trump .
b ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
d ) BTS .
The broad takeaway from the US election is that Americans count as slowly as one would expect .
Joe Biden is not exactly overflowing with presence .
You see his picture and the first thing you think is , “ Was that already in there when I bought the frame ?
” Even at his most strident , he barely has the presence of a finger-wagging , spectral grandparent that appears as you hover , undecided , over a perineum .
He could become the first president assassinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
Still , Biden performed surprisingly well during the campaign , especially when you consider that he had to put up with the distraction of his mother ’ s voice calling his name gently from a bright light .
He ’ s now so close to death that he can talk directly to the Ancestors , and has been ending every press conference by asking people if they have any questions for David Bowie .
How old would Joe Biden be by the end of a second term in office ?
a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 88. d ) 90 .
Peter Sutcliffe died and Priti Patel didn ’ t move on the list of Britain ’ s 10 Worst People , whereas I went up one .
Patel has stood out as uniquely dreadful even in a cabinet that is basically Carry On Lord Of The Flies , dresses as if she ’ s going to the funeral of someone she hates , and often speaks as if trapped in a loveless marriage with her interviewer .
Which of the following proposals did Priti Patel ’ s Home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deterring people from seeking asylum in Britain ?
a ) Building a giant wave machine in the English channel .
b ) Processing asylum seekers on a volcanic outcrop in the South Atlantic , a thousand miles from the nearest landmass .
c ) Training swordfish to burst dinghies .
d ) Housing asylum applicants on decommissioned oil rigs in the North Sea .
Grant Shapps looks like a Blackpool waxwork of Clive Anderson , and has the permanent expression in every TV appearance of a man watching his train pull away behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual job title ?
a ) Secretary of state for transport .
b ) Minister for Brexit .
c ) Minister of state for international development .
d ) Chief whip .
The pandemic has been hard on many conspiracy theorists : eight months of men keeping their distance , too .
There are people who believe Covid-19 is spread by 5G .
If only that were true : put Virgin Media in charge and we ’ d be clear of it in days .
An anti-mask demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these countercultural celebrities did not speak ?
a ) Piers Corbyn .
b ) David Icke .
c ) Chico Slimani from The X Factor .
d ) Bill Drummond from the KLF .
Our disposable culture isn ’ t all bad .
Without it , I ’ d miss that warm glow on Boxing Day when my son stuffs my gift in the bin and I imagine , in just a couple of years ’ time , the joy on the face of the kid who pulls it from a pile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jeff Bezos has become the world ’ s wealthiest man by pioneering a kind of delivery Argos .
I look at Bezos and wonder if the rest of us evolved too much : his acquisitiveness is possibly explained by the fact he looks like a newborn constantly searching for a nipple .
What was the most money Bezos made in a single day of the pandemic ?
a ) $ 100m .
b ) Nothing .
He has said all his profits will go towards developing Covid therapies .
c ) $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested .
For those of you too young to remember , Ghislaine is the daughter of a media mogul whose death sent ripples around the world – because he was obese and fell in the ocean .
Steve Bannon was also arrested and charged with fraud .
On the wing , prisoners described his potential arrival as “ whatever ’ s the opposite to fresh meat ” .
But which of the following are not currently in jail ?
a ) Harvey Weinstein .
b ) Bill Cosby .
c @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Power Ranger .
d ) The cops who killed Breonna Taylor .
This year ’ s presidential debates were like looking through the window of a care home on the day the staff thought they ’ d play prescription roulette .
By managing only to speak to his base and alienating everyone else , Trump ended up being the definitive Twitter president .
There ’ s so much wrong with him you could talk about his presidency for ever and never run out of things to criticise .
It ’ s the equivalent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Sistine Chapel and then pointing out all the bits that aren ’ t as good as Michelangelo ’ s .
“ Is that meant to be God , Timmy ?
Why is he eating a Babybel ?
” In hospital , Trump was given a new drug made by Regeneron , which sounds like the robot who ’ ll present Match Of The Day once Gary Lineker ’ s been strapped into the re-education dinghy .
He seemed to pull through , but it ’ s hard to gauge the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s monster won a holiday , and who chooses to have the skin colour of a dialysis machine emptied on to snow .
Which of these is not something Trump achieved this year ?
a ) The most votes for an incumbent candidate .
b ) The most retweeted tweet of all time .
c ) The highest US death toll in a century .
d ) The most golf ever played by a sitting President .
Scotland qualified for next year ’ s Euros after beating Serbia .
Facing a team that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1990s , Serbia lost on penalties .
When did Scotland last qualify for a major tournament ?
a ) Argentina 1978. b ) Italia 1990. c ) France 1998. d ) Mexico 1986 .
If only late-stage capitalism could get behind equality and lead us to a golden age where people of all skin colours are considered equally dispensable .
For the time being , we needn ’ t fear AI .
The robot that steals your job is expensive .
You are cheap .
You can only die , whereas it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our leaders ’ go-to platitude , “ We ’ re all in this together ” , will ever ring true ?
Perhaps after the next wave of austerity , as it blares through speakers in the bunk-bedded dormitory of a derelict Sports Direct , rousing us at dawn so that we can harvest kelp in the shallows in exchange for the fibre waste collected from the juicers of gated communities , wearing nothing but underpants : ones we never seem to fully own , underpants where there always seems to be one more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will dream of one day having our own igloo built from blocks cut from sewer-fat , maybe even moving to a better neighbourhood , just as soon as it ’ s hot enough to slide our house there .
As we heave our bales on to the gangmaster ’ s counter , the ex-performers among us will kid ourselves it ’ s still showbiz , as we ’ re permitted to crack a joke , and if the gangmaster smiles he ’ ll throw us a treat .
We opt for a classic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laughed at one where bagpipes are confused with an octopus wearing pyjamas ?
But just as we can almost taste sugar , a mangled tentacle drops from our kelp block into our open mouth and ruins the moment .
Which one of these was not a scientific breakthrough in 2020 ?
a ) The discovery that bacteria can survive in space for several years .
b ) A bionic breakthrough that allows people with paralysis to control computers using their thoughts .
c ) The confirmation that there are several large saltwater lakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region of the planet Mars .
d ) An AI which can alter magnetic fields in the human brain , influencing thoughts .
1. d. 2. c. 3. d. 4. c. 5 .
Most to least : Perry , Trump , BTS , Paul .
6. a .
7. c. 8. a .
9. d. 10. d. 11. d. 12. b .
13. c. 14. d .

2020: what a time to still briefly be alive. Let’s look back on the year, after a Christmas so grim for Great Britain that it was almost as if Santa had been reading some history. They said it was political correctness that would end Christmas but now, after the humble office worker was reduced to getting off with their own partner at the Zoom Christmas do, we realise it was actually ended by electing people who try to source medical supplies through their mate’s pest control firm. The Tardis would stop in 2020 barely long enough for Doctor Who to empty its chemical toilet.
Every so often, I remember we will be leaving the EU in the middle of a plague and the worst recession in modern history, and then black out and wake up at the bottom of my garden in a pile of canned goods. As Brexit negotiations continued, a 27-acre site in Kent was set to become a lorry park that can take 2,000 lorries. Complaining about your locked gym will soon seem very quaint, when every source of dietary protein is in a parked lorry that can’t be processed because the driver has an apostrophe in his name.
One way to not get too down about 2020 is to remind yourself that next year will be worse. But how much of the year can you remember, and how much have you subconsciously tried to suppress? Let’s find out!
1. The Labour party
In many ways, the Labour party should be the natural choice to run a bitterly divided country full of people who hate each other. Keir Starmer, looking like a cross between the bloke who says he’s “unstoppable” before getting fired first on the Apprentice, and an Anglican vicar trying to hold in a fart at a funeral, has been pursuing the approval of newspapers that wouldn’t stop backing the Tories if they crop-dusted the whole country in hot shit. The nationalist posturing required makes him look deeply uncomfortable, as if he’s been asked if he personally would sleep with the Queen and is afraid of both answers. By withdrawing the whip from Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer signalled that he can contain the threat posed by the left of the party, which currently consists of a handful of MPs, maybe 10 journalists, and a couple of dozen shitposters called things like @WetAssProletariat.
Where did Keir Starmer choose to deliver his keynote Labour conference speech?
a) His own kitchen.
b) Labour party HQ in Westminster.
c) A socially distanced PPE factory in the East End of London.
d) A corridor in a deserted Doncaster arts centre.
2. Test and trace
The government spent £12bn on it, and yet still the only reliable app for alerting you to the fact that someone deadly is nearby is the one that shows you when your Uber driver has arrived. Of course Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed complaints from people who had to travel 200 miles for a test: he regularly commutes between now and the 1840s, strapped into something built from plans drawn up to the final words of the tortured HG Wells, with a groundsman furiously shovelling venison into a flux capacitor.
Which of these organisations was not given contracts to help implement the NHS test-and-trace system?
a) Serco.
b) Capita.
c) The NHS.
d) Sitel.
3. Boris Johnson
It’s difficult to speculate on the long-term effects that the pandemic will have on British politics; all we know for certain is that 40% of the survivors will vote Conservative. One flaw in Labour’s relentless framing of prime ministerial incompetence is that the Conservatives can just replace him with someone more competent – possibly Rishi Sunak, and his air of a sixth former who still wears their school uniform. Boris Johnson may be a marshmallow toasting on the funeral pyre of Britain, a post-apocalyptic snowman with the increasingly dishevelled air of something that’s been tied to the front grille of a bin lorry, a demented, sex-case vacuum cleaner bag; but there’s no denying he does possess some Churchillian qualities: racism and obesity.
Which of these did Boris Johnson fail to do in his first 365 days as prime minister?
a) Get divorced.
b) Have a baby.
c) Contract coronavirus.
d) Secure a trade agreement with the EU.
4. Laurence Fox
Taking time out from tweeting denials of his privilege while wearing three-piece pyjamas, Laurence (19th-century) Fox announced the launch of his new political party. He certainly looked determined. Or was it sad? I just never quite know which one he’s doing.
No doubt he considers himself to be on the Reich side of history, but he may yet regret his statements on Black Lives Matter: the way his acting career’s going, there could well be auditions where he’ll have to take a knee. Fox’s head points to a combination of robust genes and forceps pressure, showing that from the very start he had a reluctance to face the real world. The sort of people who went to his famous boarding school would never be so gauche as to actually mention the name Harrow, except when phoning up for a Chinese takeaway, pissed.
In 2020, Fox received large donations for his laughable new culture-war party, and it must have been odd to receive millions of pounds that wasn’t a divorce settlement from the mother of his children. We can only hope that his interest in politics wanes soon, and he can get back on stage and give us his long overdue Othello.
Which of these is not something Laurence Fox did this year?
a) Announced a personal boycott of Sainsbury’s.
b) Got dropped by his acting agent over the phone.
c) Acted in a film.
d) Got told to fuck off by the Pogues.
5. Social media
In 2020, the only thing you could say for sure when you met an optimist was that they weren’t on Facebook. Hate-sharing app Twitter has again spent the year setting itself up as an arbiter of morals, a role it’s as convincing in as the Love Island casting department. Personally, I left Twitter because of death threats: Eamonn Holmes just didn’t seem to be reading them any more.
Which of these Twitter users has the most followers, and which the least? One point for each correctly placed.
a) Donald Trump.
b) Katy Perry.
c) Logan Paul.
d) BTS.
6. Trump v Biden
The broad takeaway from the US election is that Americans count as slowly as one would expect. Joe Biden is not exactly overflowing with presence. You see his picture and the first thing you think is, “Was that already in there when I bought the frame?” Even at his most strident, he barely has the presence of a finger-wagging, spectral grandparent that appears as you hover, undecided, over a perineum. He could become the first president assassinated by an icy patch outside the post office.
Still, Biden performed surprisingly well during the campaign, especially when you consider that he had to put up with the distraction of his mother’s voice calling his name gently from a bright light. He’s now so close to death that he can talk directly to the Ancestors, and has been ending every press conference by asking people if they have any questions for David Bowie.
How old would Joe Biden be by the end of a second term in office?
a) 86.
b) 84.
c) 88.
d) 90.
Composite: Getty Images/Guardian Design Team
7. Asylum
Peter Sutcliffe died and Priti Patel didn’t move on the list of Britain’s 10 Worst People, whereas I went up one. Patel has stood out as uniquely dreadful even in a cabinet that is basically Carry On Lord Of The Flies, dresses as if she’s going to the funeral of someone she hates, and often speaks as if trapped in a loveless marriage with her interviewer.
Which of the following proposals did Priti Patel’s Home Office not consider as a way of deterring people from seeking asylum in Britain?
a) Building a giant wave machine in the English channel.
b) Processing asylum seekers on a volcanic outcrop in the South Atlantic, a thousand miles from the nearest landmass.
c) Training swordfish to burst dinghies.
d) Housing asylum applicants on decommissioned oil rigs in the North Sea.
8. Grant Shapps
Grant Shapps looks like a Blackpool waxwork of Clive Anderson, and has the permanent expression in every TV appearance of a man watching his train pull away behind the camera.
But what is his actual job title?
a) Secretary of state for transport.
b) Minister for Brexit.
c) Minister of state for international development.
d) Chief whip.
9. Conspiracy theorists
The pandemic has been hard on many conspiracy theorists: eight months of men keeping their distance, too. There are people who believe Covid-19 is spread by 5G. If only that were true: put Virgin Media in charge and we’d be clear of it in days.
An anti-mask demonstration in Trafalgar Square on 29 August drew thousands of protesters: which of these countercultural celebrities did not speak?
a) Piers Corbyn.
b) David Icke.
c) Chico Slimani from The X Factor.
d) Bill Drummond from the KLF.
10. Jeff Bezos
Our disposable culture isn’t all bad. Without it, I’d miss that warm glow on Boxing Day when my son stuffs my gift in the bin and I imagine, in just a couple of years’ time, the joy on the face of the kid who pulls it from a pile of dirty syringes in a Philippines landfill. Jeff Bezos has become the world’s wealthiest man by pioneering a kind of delivery Argos. I look at Bezos and wonder if the rest of us evolved too much: his acquisitiveness is possibly explained by the fact he looks like a newborn constantly searching for a nipple.
What was the most money Bezos made in a single day of the pandemic?
a) $100m.
b) Nothing. He has said all his profits will go towards developing Covid therapies.
c) $150m.
d) $13bn.
11. Prison
Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested. For those of you too young to remember, Ghislaine is the daughter of a media mogul whose death sent ripples around the world – because he was obese and fell in the ocean. Steve Bannon was also arrested and charged with fraud. On the wing, prisoners described his potential arrival as “whatever’s the opposite to fresh meat”.
But which of the following are not currently in jail?
a) Harvey Weinstein.
b) Bill Cosby.
c) Ricardo Medina Jr, the red Power Ranger.
d) The cops who killed Breonna Taylor.
12. Donald Trump
This year’s presidential debates were like looking through the window of a care home on the day the staff thought they’d play prescription roulette. By managing only to speak to his base and alienating everyone else, Trump ended up being the definitive Twitter president. There’s so much wrong with him you could talk about his presidency for ever and never run out of things to criticise. It’s the equivalent of letting a child repaint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and then pointing out all the bits that aren’t as good as Michelangelo’s. “Is that meant to be God, Timmy? Why is he eating a Babybel?”
In hospital, Trump was given a new drug made by Regeneron, which sounds like the robot who’ll present Match Of The Day once Gary Lineker’s been strapped into the re-education dinghy. He seemed to pull through, but it’s hard to gauge the health of someone who looks like Frankenstein’s monster won a holiday, and who chooses to have the skin colour of a dialysis machine emptied on to snow.
Which of these is not something Trump achieved this year?
a) The most votes for an incumbent candidate.
b) The most retweeted tweet of all time.
c) The highest US death toll in a century.
d) The most golf ever played by a sitting President.
13. The Euros
Scotland qualified for next year’s Euros after beating Serbia. Facing a team that grew up in a war zone in the 1990s, Serbia lost on penalties.
When did Scotland last qualify for a major tournament?
a) Argentina 1978.
b) Italia 1990.
c) France 1998.
d) Mexico 1986.
14. Dystopia
If only late-stage capitalism could get behind equality and lead us to a golden age where people of all skin colours are considered equally dispensable. For the time being, we needn’t fear AI. The robot that steals your job is expensive. You are cheap. You can only die, whereas it may get scratched.
I wonder if our leaders’ go-to platitude, “We’re all in this together”, will ever ring true? Perhaps after the next wave of austerity, as it blares through speakers in the bunk-bedded dormitory of a derelict Sports Direct, rousing us at dawn so that we can harvest kelp in the shallows in exchange for the fibre waste collected from the juicers of gated communities, wearing nothing but underpants: ones we never seem to fully own, underpants where there always seems to be one more payment due to the Corporation.
We will dream of one day having our own igloo built from blocks cut from sewer-fat, maybe even moving to a better neighbourhood, just as soon as it’s hot enough to slide our house there. As we heave our bales on to the gangmaster’s counter, the ex-performers among us will kid ourselves it’s still showbiz, as we’re permitted to crack a joke, and if the gangmaster smiles he’ll throw us a treat. We opt for a classic: surely no one has ever not laughed at one where bagpipes are confused with an octopus wearing pyjamas? But just as we can almost taste sugar, a mangled tentacle drops from our kelp block into our open mouth and ruins the moment.
Which one of these was not a scientific breakthrough in 2020?
a) The discovery that bacteria can survive in space for several years.
b) A bionic breakthrough that allows people with paralysis to control computers using their thoughts.
c) The confirmation that there are several large saltwater lakes under the ice in the south polar region of the planet Mars.
d) An AI which can alter magnetic fields in the human brain, influencing thoughts.
Composite: Guardian Design Team/EPA/Getty/SNS/AP/Reuters: HM Treasury/PA/Rex/Shutterstock
Answers
1. d.
2. c.
3. d.
4. c.
5. Most to least: Perry, Trump, BTS, Paul.
6. a.
7. c.
8. a.
9. d.
10. d.
11. d.
12. b.
13. c.
14. d.


theguardian--2020-12-26--Trump continues to block pandemic relief package as shutdown looms

As unemployment benefits were due to expire for millions of Americans on Saturday , Donald Trump , who spent Christmas playing golf in Florida , continued to block a $ 900bn pandemic relief bill that would extend them .
The package , which Congress passed with bipartisan support on Monday after months of negotiations , would keep unemployment benefits in place until March and expand state benefits by $ 300 a week – as well as extending an evictions moratorium , providing federal loans to small businesses and $ 600 direct payments to many Americans .
But without Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to be the second biggest in US history – is stalled and the US government now faces a shutdown on Tuesday .
“ I simply want to get our great people $ 2,000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill .
Also , stop the billions of dollars in ‘ pork ’ ” , he tweeted on Saturday morning .
It comes after he indicated on Tuesday that he might veto the bill , describing it as a “ disgrace ” .
Larry Sabato , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Virginia , said Trump ’ s motivation for increasing the payments to $ 2,000 is “ so he looks good ” .
“ And maybe he sees this as the crowning achievement as he leaves office , where he is defeating Congress and his own party , ” he added .
“ He ’ s probably more resentful toward members of his own party than he is the Democrats … He ’ s a hurt creature and he ’ s going to make all the other creatures hurt.
” With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Republicans could yet be swayed to vote for a bill including $ 2,000 payments , at which point Trump will “ claim a great victory ” .
He added : “ I think he actually now believes his own lies about the election .
It was stolen because he has said it so many times.
” But with the eviction moratorium due to expire on 31 December he said any deal will have to be done this week .
“ Hundreds of thousands of people who could lose the roof over their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this eviction prohibition .
There are just so many pieces to this that are damaging .
But of course , Trump will blame it all on Congress and his followers will then attack Congress , not realising it all comes down to Donald Trump.
” The 5,000-page bill was reportedly flown to Mar-a-Lago , his Palm Beach club , on Christmas Eve .
On Christmas Day he was pictured playing golf – his 309th visit to one of his golf courses of his presidency – despite having vowed to be “ working tirelessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday morning the bill remained unsigned .
As the country continued to reel from the surging pandemic , and amid an explosion in Nashville , he also took time to enter a debate over the first lady ’ s legacy , responding to a Christmas Day tweet by Breitbart News accusing “ elitist snobs in the fashion press ” of not featuring Melania Trump on their covers for four years .
“ The greatest of all time .
Fake News !
” he tweeted .
Around 24 hours after Congress passed the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he criticised the bill and called for direct payments to be raised to $ 2,000 per adult – despite his own party opposing it – and denounced spending on foreign aid and arts venues .
“ Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach , Florida , ” he tweeted on Friday .
“ Why would politicians not want to give people $ 2,000 , rather than only $ 600 ?
It wasn ’ t their fault , it was China .
Give our people the money !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden in November , an election in which he has still not conceded , Trump appears even more willing to oppose his own party and its leadership .
After Republican Senator Mitch McConnell acknowledged Biden ’ s win after the Electoral College vote , Trump had an email sent to Republicans hitting out at the Senate majority leader .
A graphic attached to the email reportedly showed a timeline of McConnell ’ s polling numbers and said : “ Sadly , Mitch forgot .
He was the first one off the ship !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined on the golf course by Graham who , having previously been supportive of the relief package , subsequently appeared to change his mind .
“ After spending some time with President @ realDonaldTrump today , I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $ 2,000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection , ” he tweeted .
“ Both are reasonable demands , and I hope Congress is listening .
The biggest winner would be the American people.
” But with insufficient support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was blocked by Republicans on Thursday – a solution to the relief bill is unclear .
Previously Trump has made his annual address to overseas service members public and attended evening mass on Christmas Eve at Bethesda-by-the-Sea , near Mar-a-Lago , but this year he has kept to his club or golf course , refraining from inviting the press to his speech and did not comment on the Christmas Day explosion in Nashville though he was reportedly briefed on it .

As unemployment benefits expired for millions of Americans on Saturday, Donald Trump, who spent Christmas playing golf in Florida, continued to block a $900bn pandemic relief bill that would extend them.
The package, which Congress passed with bipartisan support on Monday after months of negotiations, would keep unemployment benefits in place until March and expand state benefits by $300 a week – as well as extending an evictions moratorium, providing federal loans to small businesses and $600 direct payments to many Americans.
But without Trump’s signature, the entire package – set to be the second biggest in US history – is stalled and the US government now faces a shutdown on Tuesday.
“I simply want to get our great people $2,000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill. Also, stop the billions of dollars in ‘pork’”, he tweeted on Saturday morning.
It comes after he indicated on Tuesday that he might veto the bill, describing it as a “disgrace”.
Larry Sabato, director of the Centre for Politics at the University of Virginia, said Trump’s motivation for increasing the payments to $2,000 is “so he looks good”.
“And maybe he sees this as the crowning achievement as he leaves office, where he is defeating Congress and his own party,” he added. “He’s probably more resentful toward members of his own party than he is the Democrats … He’s a hurt creature and he’s going to make all the other creatures hurt.”
With the support of senator Lindsey Graham, he said Republicans could yet be swayed to vote for a bill including $2,000 payments, at which point Trump will “claim a great victory”.
He added: “I think he actually now believes his own lies about the election. It was stolen because he has said it so many times.”
But with the eviction moratorium due to expire on 31 December he said any deal will have to be done this week.
“Hundreds of thousands of people who could lose the roof over their head if they don’t get this eviction prohibition. There are just so many pieces to this that are damaging. But of course, Trump will blame it all on Congress and his followers will then attack Congress, not realising it all comes down to Donald Trump.”
The 5,000-page bill was reportedly flown to Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach club, on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Day he was pictured playing golf – his 309th visit to one of his golf courses of his presidency – despite having vowed to be “working tirelessly” over the festive period. On Saturday morning the bill remained unsigned.
As the country continued to reel from the surging pandemic, and amid an explosion in Nashville, he also took time to enter a debate over the first lady’s legacy, responding to a Christmas Day tweet by Breitbart News accusing “elitist snobs in the fashion press” of not featuring Melania Trump on their covers for four years.
“The greatest of all time. Fake News!” he tweeted.
Around 24 hours after Congress passed the bill, Trump released a surprise video in which he criticised the bill and called for direct payments to be raised to $2,000 per adult – despite his own party opposing it – and denounced spending on foreign aid and arts venues.
“Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach, Florida,” he tweeted on Friday. “Why would politicians not want to give people $2,000, rather than only $600? It wasn’t their fault, it was China. Give our people the money!”
Following his loss to president-elect Joe Biden in November, an election in which he has still not conceded, Trump appears even more willing to oppose his own party and its leadership.
After Republican Senator Mitch McConnell acknowledged Biden’s win after the Electoral College vote, Trump had an email sent to Republicans hitting out at the Senate majority leader.
A graphic attached to the email reportedly showed a timeline of McConnell’s polling numbers and said: “Sadly, Mitch forgot. He was the first one off the ship!”
On Christmas Day, Trump was joined on the golf course by Graham who, having previously been supportive of the relief package, subsequently appeared to change his mind.
“After spending some time with President @realDonaldTrump today, I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $2,000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection,” he tweeted.
“Both are reasonable demands, and I hope Congress is listening. The biggest winner would be the American people.”
But with insufficient support for $2,000 payments – an attempt was blocked by Republicans on Thursday – a solution to the relief bill is unclear.
Previously Trump has made his annual address to overseas service members public and attended evening mass on Christmas Eve at Bethesda-by-the-Sea, near Mar-a-Lago, but this year he has kept to his club or golf course, refraining from inviting the press to his speech and did not comment on the Christmas Day explosion in Nashville though he was reportedly briefed on it.


theguardian--2020-12-27--Trump continues to block pandemic relief package as millions lose benefits

As unemployment benefits expired for millions of Americans on Saturday , Donald Trump , who spent Christmas playing golf in Florida , continued to block a $ 900bn pandemic relief bill that would extend them .
The package , which Congress passed with bipartisan support on Monday after months of negotiations , would keep unemployment benefits in place until March and expand state benefits by $ 300 a week – as well as extending an evictions moratorium , providing federal loans to small businesses and $ 600 direct payments to many Americans .
But without Trump ’ s signature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second biggest in US history – is stalled and the US government now faces a shutdown on Tuesday .
“ I simply want to get our great people $ 2,000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill .
Also , stop the billions of dollars in ‘ pork ’ ” , he tweeted on Saturday morning .
It comes after he indicated on Tuesday that he might veto the bill , describing it as a “ disgrace ” .
Larry Sabato , director of the Centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Trump ’ s motivation for increasing the payments to $ 2,000 is “ so he looks good ” .
“ And maybe he sees this as the crowning achievement as he leaves office , where he is defeating Congress and his own party , ” he added .
“ He ’ s probably more resentful toward members of his own party than he is the Democrats … He ’ s a hurt creature and he ’ s going to make all the other creatures hurt.
” With the support of senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet be swayed to vote for a bill including $ 2,000 payments , at which point Trump will “ claim a great victory ” .
He added : “ I think he actually now believes his own lies about the election .
It was stolen because he has said it so many times.
” But with the eviction moratorium due to expire on 31 December he said any deal will have to be done this week .
“ Hundreds of thousands of people who could lose the roof over their head if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are just so many pieces to this that are damaging .
But of course , Trump will blame it all on Congress and his followers will then attack Congress , not realising it all comes down to Donald Trump.
” The 5,000-page bill was reportedly flown to Mar-a-Lago , his Palm Beach club , on Christmas Eve .
On Christmas Day he was pictured playing golf – his 309th visit to one of his golf courses of his presidency – despite having vowed to be “ working tirelessly ” over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill remained unsigned .
As the country continued to reel from the surging pandemic , and amid an explosion in Nashville , he also took time to enter a debate over the first lady ’ s legacy , responding to a Christmas Day tweet by Breitbart News accusing “ elitist snobs in the fashion press ” of not featuring Melania Trump on their covers for four years .
“ The greatest of all time .
Fake News !
” he tweeted .
Around 24 hours after Congress passed the bill , Trump released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill and called for direct payments to be raised to $ 2,000 per adult – despite his own party opposing it – and denounced spending on foreign aid and arts venues .
“ Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach , Florida , ” he tweeted on Friday .
“ Why would politicians not want to give people $ 2,000 , rather than only $ 600 ?
It wasn ’ t their fault , it was China .
Give our people the money !
” Following his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an election in which he has still not conceded , Trump appears even more willing to oppose his own party and its leadership .
After Republican Senator Mitch McConnell acknowledged Biden ’ s win after the Electoral College vote , Trump had an email sent to Republicans hitting out at the Senate majority leader .
A graphic attached to the email reportedly showed a timeline of McConnell ’ s polling numbers and said : “ Sadly , Mitch forgot .
He was the first one off the ship !
” On Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ golf course by Graham who , having previously been supportive of the relief package , subsequently appeared to change his mind .
“ After spending some time with President @ realDonaldTrump today , I am convinced he is more determined than ever to increase stimulus payments to $ 2,000 per person and challenge Section 230 big tech liability protection , ” he tweeted .
“ Both are reasonable demands , and I hope Congress is listening .
The biggest winner would be the American people.
” But with insufficient support for $ 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans on Thursday – a solution to the relief bill is unclear .
Previously Trump has made his annual address to overseas service members public and attended evening mass on Christmas Eve at Bethesda-by-the-Sea , near Mar-a-Lago , but this year he has kept to his club or golf course , refraining from inviting the press to his speech and did not comment on the Christmas Day explosion in Nashville though he was reportedly briefed on it .


theguardian--2020-12-27--Democrats in Georgia’s runoff elections raise more than $200m in two months

Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , both running for crucial US Senate seats in Georgia that will decide the fate of Joe Biden ’ s new administration , have raised over $ 100m each in just two months .
The announcement of the recent record-breaking hauls – which considerably exceed that of their Republican opponents – comes with less than two weeks to go until the runoff races are decided in special elections on 5 January .
Ossoff , who runs a media production company and is running against the incumbent Republican senator David Perdue , raised over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to his campaign ’ s latest finance report .
Meanwhile , Warnock , who is pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and is running against incumbent Kelly Loeffler , raised just over $ 103m .
The Georgia races are the focus of intense national political interest as they will decide which party controls the Senate – currently held by the Republicans – and in turn the legislative power of President-elect Biden .
If the Republicans win one race , they will narrowly maintain power and be a huge break on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions , including being able to appoint who he wants to his cabinet .
But if the Democrats win both races , the Senate will be split 50-50 , meaning Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris would decide tie-breaking votes , enabling the Democrats to deliver a more ambitious agenda .
The two seats went to runoffs after Perdue and Loeffler , one of the Senate ’ s wealthiest members , got less than 50 % of the vote on election day in November .
The previous fundraising record was held by Democrat Jamie Harrison who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his unsuccessful bid to unseat Senator Lindsey Graham in South Carolina in November .
Warnock ’ s campaign manager Jerid Kurtz said : “ We ’ re humbled by the grassroots support and generosity that continues to power Reverend Warnock ’ s campaign to represent all Georgians in the US Senate.
” Early voting in the state began on 14 December .
As of Thursday , over 2m people – over a quarter of the state ’ s registered voters – had already cast ballots in the election , suggesting that overall turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when President-elect Biden became the first Democrat to win the state since 1992 , about 4m Georgians voted early .
FiveThirtyEight currently has Perdue and Warnock very narrowly ahead .
For the Democrats , both President-elect Biden and Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris have campaigned in the state .
While for the Republicans , President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka have both made campaign stops .
The Democrats have tried to highlight the stock trades of their Republican opponents and their support of Trump , while the Republicans have focused on Warnock , repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal ” .
A group of Black pastors wrote an open letter to Loeffler in which they said her rhetoric against Warnock was “ a broader attack against the Black church and faith traditions for which we stand ” .
Meanwhile , Trump has attacked Republicans in the state , calling Governor Brian Kemp a “ clown ” and a “ fool ” and branding Kemp and other prominent Georgia Republicans “ Republicans in name only ” .
Campaigning in Columbus , Georgia on Monday , Harris told supporters at a drive-in rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ til January 5 ” .
She added : “ That ’ s when 2020 will be over .
That ’ s when we ’ ll get this thing done.
” Michelle Obama is due to campaign virtually in the state in a drive-in concert put on by her organisation When We All Vote to mobilise voters .
Celebrate Georgia !
on 3 January will also feature performances by Rick Ross , Jack Harlow , Pastor Troy and Monica .

Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both running for crucial US Senate seats in Georgia that will decide the fate of Joe Biden’s new administration, have raised over $100m each in just two months.
The announcement of the recent record-breaking hauls – which considerably exceed that of their Republican opponents – comes with less than two weeks to go until the runoff races are decided in special elections on 5 January.
Ossoff, who runs a media production company and is running against the incumbent Republican senator David Perdue, raised over $106m from 15 October to 16 December, according to his campaign’s latest finance report.
Meanwhile, Warnock, who is pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and is running against incumbent Kelly Loeffler, raised just over $103m.
The Georgia races are the focus of intense national political interest as they will decide which party controls the Senate – currently held by the Republicans – and in turn the legislative power of President-elect Biden.
If the Republicans win one race, they will narrowly maintain power and be a huge break on a wide range of Biden’s actions, including being able to appoint who he wants to his cabinet.
But if the Democrats win both races, the Senate will be split 50-50, meaning Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris would decide tie-breaking votes, enabling the Democrats to deliver a more ambitious agenda.
The two seats went to runoffs after Perdue and Loeffler, one of the Senate’s wealthiest members, got less than 50% of the vote on election day in November.
The previous fundraising record was held by Democrat Jamie Harrison who raised $57m in a quarter in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Senator Lindsey Graham in South Carolina in November.
Warnock’s campaign manager Jerid Kurtz said: “We’re humbled by the grassroots support and generosity that continues to power Reverend Warnock’s campaign to represent all Georgians in the US Senate.”
Early voting in the state began on 14 December. As of Thursday, over 2m people – over a quarter of the state’s registered voters – had already cast ballots in the election, suggesting that overall turnout will be high.
In November, when President-elect Biden became the first Democrat to win the state since 1992, about 4m Georgians voted early.
FiveThirtyEight currently has Perdue and Warnock very narrowly ahead.
For the Democrats, both President-elect Biden and Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris have campaigned in the state. While for the Republicans, President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka have both made campaign stops.
The Democrats have tried to highlight the stock trades of their Republican opponents and their support of Trump, while the Republicans have focused on Warnock, repeatedly referring to him as a “radical liberal”.
A group of Black pastors wrote an open letter to Loeffler in which they said her rhetoric against Warnock was “a broader attack against the Black church and faith traditions for which we stand”.
Meanwhile, Trump has attacked Republicans in the state, calling Governor Brian Kemp a “clown” and a “fool” and branding Kemp and other prominent Georgia Republicans “Republicans in name only”.
Campaigning in Columbus, Georgia on Monday, Harris told supporters at a drive-in rally, “2020 ain’t over til January 5”. She added: “That’s when 2020 will be over. That’s when we’ll get this thing done.”
Michelle Obama is due to campaign virtually in the state in a drive-in concert put on by her organisation When We All Vote to mobilise voters. Celebrate Georgia! on 3 January will also feature performances by Rick Ross, Jack Harlow, Pastor Troy and Monica.