theguardian--2020-11-05--'Republicans built the base': how Joe Biden lost Florida's Latino voters

As the coronavirus raged across Florida this summer , and the Democratic party was concentrating on locking in the support of the state ’ s hordes of senior voters , Donald Trump ’ s campaign was focused in an entirely different direction .
In the streets of Miami ’ s Little Havana and Doral neighborhoods , the Puerto Rican communities of Orlando and Kissimmee , and Cuban-American areas of Tampa , activists from Latinos for Trump and other Republican groups were knocking on doors and talking to families and business owners .
They delivered a simple message : “ Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is your friend.
” And for some of Miami ’ s Cubans and Venezuelans in particular , familiar with communism and authoritarian rule in their homelands , despite “ red baiting ” not being a new tactic , it was “ kryptonite ” , Trump activists claimed .
Whatever their motivations , on Tuesday , across the state but mostly in Miami-Dade county , home to 2 million Latinos , voters turned out in droves to hand the president victory by a margin significantly larger than his 2016 success .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to south Florida ’ s Latino voters , of course .
A Miami Herald analysis showed the president ’ s gains elsewhere would still have won him the state by some 170,000 votes , even without his supercharged performance in Florida ’ s most populous county .
But their support was a crucial building block , and part of a trend that appeared to be reflected nationwide as Trump made inroads with Latino and other minority voters .
Many prominent Democrats , including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , have long been concerned about the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in Florida , local workers were worried about the Republicans ’ strong ground game while their own campaigning was almost entirely virtual because of the pandemic .
In Miami , Trump didn ’ t win the county , but restricted his opponent ’ s margin of victory to fewer than 85,000 votes .
It denied Biden the valuable ballots he needed to counter a strong showing for the president in the mostly white rural counties in south-west Florida and the Panhandle .
As Ron DeSantis , Florida ’ s Republican governor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you lose Miami-Dade by only 10 points or thereabouts as a Republican , you ’ re going to win statewide.
” The Latino voter “ bloodbath ” in Miami , in the words of the Democratic activist Raul Martinez Jr , was not just limited to the presidential race .
Two established US congresswomen , Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala , were ousted by Republicans , and like Biden were falsely portrayed by their opponents as radicals with a socialist agenda .
“ Obviously anyone that has experienced socialism or communism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela , it ’ s basically just kryptonite when they hear those words , ” said Katrina Campins , a Cuban-American real estate agent in Miami and an advisory board member of Latinos for Trump .
“ So it was very important to them to go out and vote for President Trump because he stands for the same things that they stand up for , which is freedom first and foremost , and family .
No one wants to be a socialist and communist and a lot of people , my parents included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from what they went through , and the Castro regime.
” Campins , who was a contestant on Trump ’ s reality series The Apprentice in 2004 , said any candidate seeking the support of Hispanic and Latino voters needed a deep understanding of their diversity .
“ What people don ’ t understand is that you can ’ t just box anybody into Latinos or Hispanics , you have to understand the culture .
Everybody ’ s different , everybody has things that are important to them , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that .
He thought that by playing the song Despacito he would get the Latino vote .
It was embarrassing to watch him do that , you know ?
” Other analysts agree that Biden was “ out to lunch ” when it came to courting Latino voters .
“ For a state like this with a 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans , anybody who brings 150,000 votes to the party gets the girl , ” said Guillermo Grenier , a Cuban-born professor of sociology at Florida International University and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our Land : Immigrants and Power in Miami .
“ From Reagan , through the 80s and 90s to the present , Republicans built a strong ground game , they are on the ground filling out the immigration papers for the people who can ’ t speak English , filling out Social Security paperwork , driving people to the polls .
They actually built the base .
“ Democrats need to establish a ground game .
They can ’ t fly in Obama and talk about Cuba every four years .
They need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Cuban Hispanics as citizens not as exiles , not as folks that care more about foreign policy than they do about domestic policy.
” Grenier also believes Trump ’ s “ socialism ” messaging over Biden , while effective , was not the central issue that drove Latino voters to the polls .
“ I don ’ t know if people buy it , ” he said .
“ It was not an issue during the Clinton-Trump campaign , that meme did not make it into the Republican narrative .
Now the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as being democratic socialists in a way , so it entered the Republican narrative as a national message .
You have people in West Virginia saying we don ’ t want socialists right , like they ’ d know socialism .
“ But it does resonate more in south Florida because it is shorthand for all of the things that the Democratic party can be slammed on .
It resonates because the Republican party has done its work here for the last 40 years building a really strong echo chamber .
The Cubans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bubble here , and I think when the dust settles we ’ ll find Trump probably didn ’ t get a great amount of votes more than when he ran against Hillary Clinton .
It ’ s just that Hillary Clinton turned out more people .
”

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As the coronavirus raged across Florida this summer, and the Democratic party was concentrating on locking in the support of the state’s hordes of senior voters, Donald Trump’s campaign was focused in an entirely different direction.
In the streets of Miami’s Little Havana and Doral neighborhoods, the Puerto Rican communities of Orlando and Kissimmee, and Cuban-American areas of Tampa, activists from Latinos for Trump and other Republican groups were knocking on doors and talking to families and business owners. They delivered a simple message: “Joe Biden is a radical socialist. Donald Trump is your friend.”
And for some of Miami’s Cubans and Venezuelans in particular, familiar with communism and authoritarian rule in their homelands, despite “red baiting” not being a new tactic, it was “kryptonite”, Trump activists claimed.
Whatever their motivations, on Tuesday, across the state but mostly in Miami-Dade county, home to 2 million Latinos, voters turned out in droves to hand the president victory by a margin significantly larger than his 2016 success.
Donald Trump supporters in front of a Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami, Florida, on 3 November 2020. Photograph: Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP/Getty Images
Trump’s victory cannot be attributed solely to south Florida’s Latino voters, of course. A Miami Herald analysis showed the president’s gains elsewhere would still have won him the state by some 170,000 votes, even without his supercharged performance in Florida’s most populous county.
But their support was a crucial building block, and part of a trend that appeared to be reflected nationwide as Trump made inroads with Latino and other minority voters. Many prominent Democrats, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have long been concerned about the party’s vulnerabilities with Latino voters; and in Florida, local workers were worried about the Republicans’ strong ground game while their own campaigning was almost entirely virtual because of the pandemic.
In Miami, Trump didn’t win the county, but restricted his opponent’s margin of victory to fewer than 85,000 votes. It denied Biden the valuable ballots he needed to counter a strong showing for the president in the mostly white rural counties in south-west Florida and the Panhandle.
What people don’t understand is that you can’t just box anybody into Latinos or Hispanics, you have to understand the culture Katrina Campins
As Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor and a staunch Trump ally put it: “When you lose Miami-Dade by only 10 points or thereabouts as a Republican, you’re going to win statewide.”
The Latino voter “bloodbath” in Miami, in the words of the Democratic activist Raul Martinez Jr, was not just limited to the presidential race. Two established US congresswomen, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala, were ousted by Republicans, and like Biden were falsely portrayed by their opponents as radicals with a socialist agenda.
“Obviously anyone that has experienced socialism or communism, whether it be in Cuba or Venezuela, it’s basically just kryptonite when they hear those words,” said Katrina Campins, a Cuban-American real estate agent in Miami and an advisory board member of Latinos for Trump.
“So it was very important to them to go out and vote for President Trump because he stands for the same things that they stand up for, which is freedom first and foremost, and family. No one wants to be a socialist and communist and a lot of people, my parents included, were having and still have PTSD from what they went through, and the Castro regime.”
Campins, who was a contestant on Trump’s reality series The Apprentice in 2004, said any candidate seeking the support of Hispanic and Latino voters needed a deep understanding of their diversity. “What people don’t understand is that you can’t just box anybody into Latinos or Hispanics, you have to understand the culture. Everybody’s different, everybody has things that are important to them,” she said.
“Joe Biden really missed the mark on that. He thought that by playing the song Despacito he would get the Latino vote. It was embarrassing to watch him do that, you know?”
Other analysts agree that Biden was “out to lunch” when it came to courting Latino voters.
Joe Biden campaigns at the Florida state fairgrounds on 29 October 2020 in Tampa. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
“For a state like this with a 50-50 split between Democrats and Republicans, anybody who brings 150,000 votes to the party gets the girl,” said Guillermo Grenier, a Cuban-born professor of sociology at Florida International University and the co-author of the book This Land is Our Land: Immigrants and Power in Miami.
“From Reagan, through the 80s and 90s to the present, Republicans built a strong ground game, they are on the ground filling out the immigration papers for the people who can’t speak English, filling out Social Security paperwork, driving people to the polls. They actually built the base.
“Democrats need to establish a ground game. They can’t fly in Obama and talk about Cuba every four years. They need to develop a strategy that will deal with Cuban Hispanics as citizens not as exiles, not as folks that care more about foreign policy than they do about domestic policy.”
Grenier also believes Trump’s “socialism” messaging over Biden, while effective, was not the central issue that drove Latino voters to the polls.
Democrats need to establish a ground game. They can’t fly in Obama and talk about Cuba every four years Guillermo Grenier
“I don’t know if people buy it,” he said. “It was not an issue during the Clinton-Trump campaign, that meme did not make it into the Republican narrative. Now the Democrats kind of call attention to themselves as being democratic socialists in a way, so it entered the Republican narrative as a national message. You have people in West Virginia saying we don’t want socialists right, like they’d know socialism.
“But it does resonate more in south Florida because it is shorthand for all of the things that the Democratic party can be slammed on. It resonates because the Republican party has done its work here for the last 40 years building a really strong echo chamber. The Cubans live in a kind of a Republican bubble here, and I think when the dust settles we’ll find Trump probably didn’t get a great amount of votes more than when he ran against Hillary Clinton. It’s just that Hillary Clinton turned out more people.”


theguardian--2020-11-05--'This is our moment … I love you': Cori Bush's electrifying victory speech

I was running … I was that person running for my life across a parking lot , running from an abuser .
I remember hearing bullets whizz past my head and at that moment I wondered : “ How do I make it out of this life ?
” I was uninsured .
I ’ ve been that uninsured person , hoping my healthcare provider wouldn ’ t embarrass me by asking me if I had insurance .
I wondered : “ How will I bear it ?
” I was a single parent .
I ’ ve been that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting outside the payday loan office , wondering “ how much more will I have to sacrifice ?
” I was that Covid patient .
I ’ ve been that Covid patient gasping for breath , wondering , “ How long will it be until I can breathe freely again ?
” I ’ m still that same person .
I ’ m proud to stand before you today knowing it was this person , with these experiences , that moved the voters of St Louis to do something historic .
St Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my community .
We have been surviving and grinding and just scraping by for so long , and now this is our moment to finally , finally start living and growing and thriving .
So , as the first Black woman , nurse , and single mother to have the honor to represent Missouri in the United States Congress , let me just say this .
To the Black women .
The Black girls .
The nurses .
The single mothers .
The essential workers .
This .
Is .
OUR .
Moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured the eyes and ears of the entire world during the Ferguson uprising .
We could not stand the injustice any longer , so – in the tradition of every one of our ancestors who fought for a better world – we organized for Michael Brown , Jr. We organized for 400 days , side by side , arm in arm , St Louis strong .
And now in the face of a global pandemic and relentless attacks on our right to vote , we organized all the way to the ballot box @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we voted absentee , we reached our families , friends , neighbors , and peers – and we showed up … St Louis strong .
For years , we ’ ve lived under leadership that shut us out of our own government .
For years , we ’ ve been left out in the cold : protesting in the streets , sleeping in our cars or tents , working three part-time jobs just to pay the bills .
And today , today , we , all of us , are headed to Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today is to every Black , Brown , immigrant , queer , and trans person , and to every person locked out of opportunities to thrive because of oppressive systems ; I ’ m here to serve you .
To every person who knows what it ’ s like to give a loved one that “ just make it home safely baby ” talk ; I love you .
To every parent facing a choice between putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head ; I ’ m here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child in our failing foster system : I love you .
To every teacher doing the impossible to teach through this pandemic ; I ’ m here to serve you .
To every student struggling to the finish line ; I love you .
To every differently abled person denied equal access ; I love you .
To every person living unhoused on the streets ; I love you .
To every family that ’ s lost someone to gun violence ; I love you .
To every person who ’ s lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or healthcare , or hope ; I love you .
It is the greatest honor of my life to accept the responsibility to serve every single person across Missouri ’ s first congressional district , as your first-ever Black congresswoman-elect .
This is our moment .
Tonight , we the people are victorious .
We , we the people are going to Congress .
Because we the people have committed to a vision of America that works for all of us .
An America that treats every person with respect .
That recognizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes every person deserves food to eat , a home to live in , and a dignified life .
Our America will be led not by the small-mindedness of a powerful few , but the imagination of a mass movement that includes all of us .
That is the America we are fighting for .
Everything I do begins with those who have the least , who ’ ve suffered the worst , and who have the greatest to offer .
Why ?
Because I myself have lived paycheck to paycheck .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student debt .
I ’ ve been evicted by landlords .
I ’ ve worried about how I was going to put food on the table for my two kids .
I ’ ve been underinsured and uninsured .
And for every one of those stories that I can tell you about my life , I know there are thousands more in our community .
And those are the stories that I am carrying with me and will uplift in the People ’ s House as your congresswoman .
It is my job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead , not just demand , but serve you .
This moment is brought to us by us – by our movement for social , racial and economic justice .
Now , our movement is going to Congress .
And we will meet the challenges of this moment as a movement : side by side , arm in arm , and with our fists in the air – ready to serve each other until every single one of us is free .
This is a written version of the victory speech Cori Bush @ @ @ @

I was running … I was that person running for my life across a parking lot, running from an abuser. I remember hearing bullets whizz past my head and at that moment I wondered: “How do I make it out of this life?”
I was uninsured. I’ve been that uninsured person, hoping my healthcare provider wouldn’t embarrass me by asking me if I had insurance. I wondered: “How will I bear it?”
I was a single parent. I’ve been that single parent struggling paycheck to paycheck, sitting outside the payday loan office, wondering “how much more will I have to sacrifice?”
I was that Covid patient. I’ve been that Covid patient gasping for breath, wondering, “How long will it be until I can breathe freely again?”
I’m still that same person. I’m proud to stand before you today knowing it was this person, with these experiences, that moved the voters of St Louis to do something historic. St Louis: my city, my home, my community. We have been surviving and grinding and just scraping by for so long, and now this is our moment to finally, finally start living and growing and thriving. So, as the first Black woman, nurse, and single mother to have the honor to represent Missouri in the United States Congress, let me just say this. To the Black women. The Black girls. The nurses. The single mothers. The essential workers. This. Is. OUR. Moment.
Six years ago, St Louis captured the eyes and ears of the entire world during the Ferguson uprising. We could not stand the injustice any longer, so – in the tradition of every one of our ancestors who fought for a better world – we organized for Michael Brown, Jr. We organized for 400 days, side by side, arm in arm, St Louis strong. And now in the face of a global pandemic and relentless attacks on our right to vote, we organized all the way to the ballot box. We mailed in our ballots, we voted absentee, we reached our families, friends, neighbors, and peers – and we showed up … St Louis strong.
For years, we’ve lived under leadership that shut us out of our own government. For years, we’ve been left out in the cold: protesting in the streets, sleeping in our cars or tents, working three part-time jobs just to pay the bills. And today, today, we, all of us, are headed to Congress - St Louis strong!
My message today is to every Black, Brown, immigrant, queer, and trans person, and to every person locked out of opportunities to thrive because of oppressive systems; I’m here to serve you. To every person who knows what it’s like to give a loved one that “just make it home safely baby” talk; I love you.
We'll meet the challenges of this moment as a movement: side by side, arm in arm, with our fists in the air
To every parent facing a choice between putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head; I’m here to serve you. To every precious child in our failing foster system: I love you.
To every teacher doing the impossible to teach through this pandemic; I’m here to serve you. To every student struggling to the finish line; I love you.
To every differently abled person denied equal access; I love you.
To every person living unhoused on the streets; I love you.
To every family that’s lost someone to gun violence; I love you.
To every person who’s lost a job, or a home, or healthcare, or hope; I love you.
It is the greatest honor of my life to accept the responsibility to serve every single person across Missouri’s first congressional district, as your first-ever Black congresswoman-elect. This is our moment.
Tonight, we the people are victorious. We, we the people are going to Congress. Because we the people have committed to a vision of America that works for all of us. An America that treats every person with respect. That recognizes healthcare as a human right. That believes every person deserves food to eat, a home to live in, and a dignified life. Our America will be led not by the small-mindedness of a powerful few, but the imagination of a mass movement that includes all of us. That is the America we are fighting for.
Everything I do begins with those who have the least, who’ve suffered the worst, and who have the greatest to offer. Why? Because I myself have lived paycheck to paycheck. I struggled for years under the burden of student debt. I’ve been evicted by landlords. I’ve worried about how I was going to put food on the table for my two kids. I’ve been underinsured and uninsured. And for every one of those stories that I can tell you about my life, I know there are thousands more in our community. And those are the stories that I am carrying with me and will uplift in the People’s House as your congresswoman.
It is my job now to serve you – not just lead, not just demand, but serve you.
This moment is brought to us by us – by our movement for social, racial and economic justice. Now, our movement is going to Congress. And we will meet the challenges of this moment as a movement: side by side, arm in arm, and with our fists in the air – ready to serve each other until every single one of us is free.
This is a written version of the victory speech Cori Bush gave on 3 November


theguardian--2020-11-05--As America anxiously waits, voters find a bit of laughter in memes

It ’ s day three of election week and we are no clearer who the president will be than on day one .
We ’ re all on an emotional rollercoaster ride : with Donald Trump and Joe Biden neck-and-neck , many of us are waiting , refreshing the internet while hoping to be put out of our misery .
But amid what feels like hour-by-hour updates of “ no news yet ” , the internet has turned towards what the internet does best : memes , of course .
Here is what ’ s been keeping us laughing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it appears the Trump team have been investing in some alternative remedies – not herbal , no , but spiritual .
Trump ’ s spiritual adviser Paula White led a passionate prayer service last night , which included speaking in tongues .
What she didn ’ t realize , perhaps , is that a few hours later , the internet would have her speaking in four-by-four beats .
Nevada has – let ’ s say - an idiosyncrasy in its vote count procedure , which means it takes the night off in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical issues and delays , means people are on the edge of their seats as they wait for Nevada ’ s result , and the election hangs in the balance .
Some have turned to memes to express their suspicion , asking what exactly is taking Nevada so long .
Others simply wonder whether Nevada ’ s vote count is conducted using some , ahem , eccentric counting methods .
Whatever the method , with it drawn out this much , we are all hoping for a Tyra Banks-style result .
As Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times when stopping the count would render him the loser ) ; and his supporters fight for the vote not to be counting in areas where he is winning ( and to be counted in areas where he is losing ) someone remembered an eerily reminiscent episode of Veep .
Life , imitation , art and all that .
Which wouldn ’ t be complete without a conspiracy theorist The media is covering up , the Biden crime family steals this election , and this guy just wants BBQ , beer and freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local news .
But not without the internet auto-tuning him first .
This one is not funny , but strangely heartwarming .
With Trump now suing over the vote in several states , it ’ s hard not to get all nostalgic about simpler times … like when the loser used to lose and just accepted it .
This is the world ’ s relationship to Twitter right now Get off Twitter , I mean it !
But special props for the week goes to … Last of all , how could we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our own Guardian US live bloggers – who have managed to remain cool and collected in the face of it all .

It’s day three of election week and we are no clearer who the president will be than on day one. We’re all on an emotional rollercoaster ride: with Donald Trump and Joe Biden neck-and-neck, many of us are waiting, refreshing the internet while hoping to be put out of our misery.
But amid what feels like hour-by-hour updates of “no news yet”, the internet has turned towards what the internet does best: memes, of course. Here is what’s been keeping us laughing.
It’s a rap for Trump’s spiritual adviser
In the long wait for the vote, it appears the Trump team have been investing in some alternative remedies – not herbal, no, but spiritual. Trump’s spiritual adviser Paula White led a passionate prayer service last night, which included speaking in tongues. What she didn’t realize, perhaps, is that a few hours later, the internet would have her speaking in four-by-four beats.
well sorry @Eminem for that. But that's the first instrumental track i thought about. pic.twitter.com/5uce3N3GSP — Capitaine OSEF (@Soapmoine) November 5, 2020
Nevada deserves its own section
Nevada has – let’s say - an idiosyncrasy in its vote count procedure, which means it takes the night off in between ballot counting. That, plus technical issues and delays, means people are on the edge of their seats as they wait for Nevada’s result, and the election hangs in the balance.
Some have turned to memes to express their suspicion, asking what exactly is taking Nevada so long.
USA: where u at?
Nevada: I’m on the freeway pic.twitter.com/YY3LmfIbWq — Blade 🗡 (@Fothousands) November 5, 2020
Others simply wonder whether Nevada’s vote count is conducted using some, ahem, eccentric counting methods.
Nevada counting ballots pic.twitter.com/GC85ZFZdMd — Liz Jenkins (@ej11lizzie) November 5, 2020
Whatever the method, with it drawn out this much, we are all hoping for a Tyra Banks-style result.
Nevada gonna wake up tomorrow and announce the presidency like “I have two photos in my hand...” pic.twitter.com/HpfDQZQ5Qh — 🦃TurkeyTime Tique🍁 (@nahtiqueee_) November 5, 2020
An HBO-worthy election
As Trump repeatedly tweets STOP THE COUNT (at times when stopping the count would render him the loser); and his supporters fight for the vote not to be counting in areas where he is winning (and to be counted in areas where he is losing) someone remembered an eerily reminiscent episode of Veep. Life, imitation, art and all that.
THIS IS LITERALLY AN EPISODE OF VEEP https://t.co/TkNdIRCxo9 pic.twitter.com/n5BpNwsuiZ — Alyssa hallucinated a pandemic? (@alyssalavacca) November 5, 2020
Which wouldn’t be complete without a conspiracy theorist
The media is covering up, the Biden crime family steals this election, and this guy just wants BBQ, beer and freedom, and to scream about it on local news. But not without the internet auto-tuning him first.
Sorry I had to pic.twitter.com/XDlnAabuf3 — Holly Herndon (@hollyherndon) November 4, 2020
Remember when times were simpler?
This one is not funny, but strangely heartwarming. With Trump now suing over the vote in several states, it’s hard not to get all nostalgic about simpler times … like when the loser used to lose and just accepted it.
At the time, this was a routine political moment. Now I find it quite moving pic.twitter.com/AnRmG7iNFs — Jonathan Freedland (@Freedland) November 5, 2020
This is the world’s relationship to Twitter right now
Get off Twitter, I mean it!
But special props for the week goes to …
Last of all, how could we forget to give a shout out to our own Guardian US live bloggers – who have managed to remain cool and collected in the face of it all.


theguardian--2020-11-05--Fight to Vote: what election experts warned about versus what really happened

By now many of you have already stared endlessly at election maps like me , hitting refresh every few minutes to find out if Nevada counted more ballots , or if the gap in Pennsylvania is narrowing more , as you also glance at your TV screen .
But if you ’ ve opened this newsletter , I ’ m going to assume that you ’ re hungry for more answers .
Today I ’ m thinking a lot about the warnings we ’ ve gotten for the past few months , and what has played out in reality so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red flags about the democratic process and voter suppression ?
Was 2020 really that bad if a record number of Americans turned out to vote ?
Here are some of the scenarios election experts warned about , and what has actually happened : Scenario 1 : there wouldn ’ t be a clear winner on election night True to form , there was no victor on Tuesday night , or on Thursday morning , with millions of ballots still left to count in key states like Pennsylvania , North Carolina , Nevada and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself a winner before the votes were all counted The president indeed attempted to claim victory both on Twitter and in a speech early Wednesday morning , while simultaneously calling any votes counted after election day corrupted .
Twitter flagged his tweet immediately , labeling it misleading , and Wednesday and Thursday showed a much different scenario on the electoral map .
Scenario 3 : election offices would be understaffed , underfunded and incapable of carrying out their jobs With record turnout and mail-in ballots , election officials were under immense pressure after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But despite only receiving a fraction of the necessary funding from Congress , there have not been reports of significant lapses or problems in their counts .
Scenario 4 : lawsuits would abound over every vote Partisan lawsuits were going strong until election day , with Republicans attempting to discount ballots in Texas drive-thru drop-offs , and local electors in Pennsylvania claiming certain counties were giving their voters an unfair chance to correct ballots .
This has only continued : the Trump campaign sued in Michigan and Georgia , setting the stage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanding , among other things , that campaign observers have better access to locations where ballot are being counted and raised questions over mail-in ballots .
On Wednesday , Trump also said he would contest election results in the supreme court .
It is normal for there to be legal battles after a US election , but this year ’ s challenges seem to be on track to be lengthier and uglier than most .
Scenario 5 : thousands , maybe millions of people would be disenfranchised by last-minute restrictions , deadlines or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new flood of United States Postal Service data had experts concerned that thousands of ballots could have been delayed and left uncounted in states with strict counting deadlines .
In states like North Carolina and Georgia , thousands of mail-in ballots had been rejected for voter errors .
In Texas , some students reported having their voter registration bungled last minute and casting provisional ballots instead .
We won ’ t know the scale of how Republican voting restrictions and procedural problems impacted voters , but there are likely a significant number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be mass chaos on the street and at polling stations on election day or in the days after Election day went relatively smoothly , and voter intimidation issues , though apparent , were not widespread .
As we await results , demonstrations have cropped up across the US from both camps .
About 150 Trump supporters – some of them armed and with gas masks – showed up at an election center in Phoenix , Arizona , on Wednesday to protest the fact that some media organizations ( including the Guardian ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the votes are counted .
Similar clusters have cropped up in cities like Detroit , Michigan , where the president has lost .
Meanwhile , anti-Trump protesters are also marching across the country , including in Minneapolis , where this summer ’ s George Floyd uprising started .
Many are demanding that Trump accept election results , since the president has launched several legal challenges to recount or stop counting votes .
We ’ ll continue to report on the key takeaways from the election , and the impact it has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
While most people had their eyes on the White House seat , there were several significant smaller races that will impact the US electoral map for the next 10 years , as David Daley wrote in the Guardian yesterday .
Here in the US , the maps that determine state and legislative and congressional maps are first apportioned according to a census count that happens every decade , and then finalized according to state rules .
Some states appoint independent commissions for the job , but most allow state legislators to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gerrymandering , which allows Republicans to manipulate maps for massive partisan gain in 2010 .
Through gerrymandering , politicians can dilute communities ’ political power by splitting them up , or carving up districts to isolate the voters they want .
Though Democrats poured millions into down-ballot races , Republicans ultimately pulled through in the key states of Texas , North Carolina , Florida , Ohio and Kansas .
This gives them a huge advantage when it comes to redrawing new state legislative and congressional maps next year .
And there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could propel conservative legislation on voting rights , healthcare , reproductive rights , education funding and much more .
If you ’ re still looking for ways to get involved , there are still trainings happening for people who want to help voters “ cure ” or fix ballots that were rejected for technical errors , like missing signatures .
States have different deadlines by which voters can cure their ballots .
Otherwise , can remain patient , and rested while the results are confirmed .
May I recommend the Atlantic ’ s @ @ @ @

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Good morning Fight to Vote readers,
By now many of you have already stared endlessly at election maps like me, hitting refresh every few minutes to find out if Nevada counted more ballots, or if the gap in Pennsylvania is narrowing more, as you also glance at your TV screen. But if you’ve opened this newsletter, I’m going to assume that you’re hungry for more answers.
Today I’m thinking a lot about the warnings we’ve gotten for the past few months, and what has played out in reality so far. Were we right to wave red flags about the democratic process and voter suppression? Was 2020 really that bad if a record number of Americans turned out to vote?
Here are some of the scenarios election experts warned about, and what has actually happened:
Scenario 1: there wouldn’t be a clear winner on election night
True to form, there was no victor on Tuesday night, or on Thursday morning, with millions of ballots still left to count in key states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada and Georgia
Scenario 2: Trump would declare himself a winner before the votes were all counted
The president indeed attempted to claim victory both on Twitter and in a speech early Wednesday morning, while simultaneously calling any votes counted after election day corrupted. Twitter flagged his tweet immediately, labeling it misleading, and Wednesday and Thursday showed a much different scenario on the electoral map.
Scenario 3: election offices would be understaffed, underfunded and incapable of carrying out their jobs
With record turnout and mail-in ballots, election officials were under immense pressure after the polls closed on Tuesday evening. But despite only receiving a fraction of the necessary funding from Congress, there have not been reports of significant lapses or problems in their counts.
Scenario 4: lawsuits would abound over every vote
Partisan lawsuits were going strong until election day, with Republicans attempting to discount ballots in Texas drive-thru drop-offs, and local electors in Pennsylvania claiming certain counties were giving their voters an unfair chance to correct ballots. This has only continued: the Trump campaign sued in Michigan and Georgia, setting the stage to contest election results. The lawsuits are demanding, among other things, that campaign observers have better access to locations where ballot are being counted and raised questions over mail-in ballots. On Wednesday, Trump also said he would contest election results in the supreme court.
It is normal for there to be legal battles after a US election, but this year’s challenges seem to be on track to be lengthier and uglier than most.
Scenario 5: thousands, maybe millions of people would be disenfranchised by last-minute restrictions, deadlines or ballot rejections
On Wednesday morning, a new flood of United States Postal Service data had experts concerned that thousands of ballots could have been delayed and left uncounted in states with strict counting deadlines. In states like North Carolina and Georgia, thousands of mail-in ballots had been rejected for voter errors. In Texas, some students reported having their voter registration bungled last minute and casting provisional ballots instead. We won’t know the scale of how Republican voting restrictions and procedural problems impacted voters, but there are likely a significant number of votes threatened.
Scenario 6: there would be mass chaos on the street and at polling stations on election day or in the days after
Election day went relatively smoothly, and voter intimidation issues, though apparent, were not widespread. As we await results, demonstrations have cropped up across the US from both camps. About 150 Trump supporters – some of them armed and with gas masks – showed up at an election center in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday to protest the fact that some media organizations (including the Guardian) have called the state for Biden before all the votes are counted. Similar clusters have cropped up in cities like Detroit, Michigan, where the president has lost.
Meanwhile, anti-Trump protesters are also marching across the country, including in Minneapolis, where this summer’s George Floyd uprising started. Many are demanding that Trump accept election results, since the president has launched several legal challenges to recount or stop counting votes.
We’ll continue to report on the key takeaways from the election, and the impact it has had on voting access in the days to come.
Beyond the presidential
While most people had their eyes on the White House seat, there were several significant smaller races that will impact the US electoral map for the next 10 years, as David Daley wrote in the Guardian yesterday.
Here in the US, the maps that determine state and legislative and congressional maps are first apportioned according to a census count that happens every decade, and then finalized according to state rules. Some states appoint independent commissions for the job, but most allow state legislators to draw district lines. This can enable gerrymandering, which allows Republicans to manipulate maps for massive partisan gain in 2010. Through gerrymandering, politicians can dilute communities’ political power by splitting them up, or carving up districts to isolate the voters they want.
What happened this year?
Though Democrats poured millions into down-ballot races, Republicans ultimately pulled through in the key states of Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Kansas. This gives them a huge advantage when it comes to redrawing new state legislative and congressional maps next year.
And there’s real-world impact at stake: these wins could propel conservative legislation on voting rights, healthcare, reproductive rights, education funding and much more.
What now?
If you’re still looking for ways to get involved, there are still trainings happening for people who want to help voters “cure” or fix ballots that were rejected for technical errors, like missing signatures. States have different deadlines by which voters can cure their ballots.
Otherwise, can remain patient, and rested while the results are confirmed. May I recommend the Atlantic’s election anxiety playlist?


theguardian--2020-11-06--MSNBC cuts away from Trump's address after he again falsely declares election victory – video

MSNBC anchor Brian Williams stopped broadcasting Donald Trump 's remarks after the US president falsely claimed 'If you count the @ @ @ @ @ win ' .
The anchor 's interruption came less than a minute into Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ saying , 'Here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the @ @ @ @ @ but correcting the president of the United States' • Why are the media reporting different @ @ @ @ @ Trump v Biden – full results as they come in • Senate and House elections @ @ @ @ @ come in

MSNBC anchor Brian Williams stopped broadcasting Donald Trump's remarks after the US president falsely claimed 'If you count the legal votes, I easily win'. The anchor's interruption came less than a minute into Trump's news conference, with Williams saying, 'Here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the president of the United States but correcting the president of the United States'


theguardian--2020-11-05--Joe Biden urges calm: 'In America, the vote is sacred' – video

Joe Biden issued a very short statement on the current state of play in the presidential race , emphasizing that @ @ @ @ @ valid vote that was cast .
Biden noted he and his running mate , Kamala @ @ @ @ @ very good ' about the ultimate result .
Speaking at the Queen Theater in Wilmington @ @ @ @ @ nominee also noted the country was nearing 240,000 deaths from Covid-19 and expressed sympathy for @ @ @ @ @ ones to the virus • ‘ Count every vote ’ : protesters take to streets @ @ @ @ @ Biden – full results as they come in

Joe Biden issued a very short statement on the current state of play in the presidential race, emphasizing that election officials must count every valid vote that was cast. Biden noted he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, 'continue to feel very good' about the ultimate result.
Speaking at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Delaware, the Democratic nominee also noted the country was nearing 240,000 deaths from Covid-19 and expressed sympathy for Americans who had lost loved ones to the virus


theguardian--2020-11-05--Cori Bush delivers electrifying victory speech: 'This is our moment … I love you' – video

Cori Bush is set to become the first Black congresswoman in the history of Missouri after storming to victory over @ @ @ @ @ with more than 75 % of the vote in the state 's 1st district , @ @ @ @ @ St Louis .
Bush , a single mother , nurse and former Covid patient , @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , saying : 'This is our moment to finally , finally start living @ @ @ @ @ My message today is to every Black , brown , immigrant , queer , and @ @ @ @ @ every person locked out of opportunities to thrive because of oppressive systems : I ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
To every person who knows what it ’ s like to give a loved @ @ @ @ @ it home safely , baby '' talk : I love you' • ‘ Count every @ @ @ @ @ to streets across US • Why are the media reporting different US election results ?
@ @ @ @ @ full results as they come in

Cori Bush is set to become the first Black congresswoman in the history of Missouri after storming to victory over her Republican rival Anthony Rogers with more than 75% of the vote in the state's 1st district, which includes the city of St Louis.
Bush, a single mother, nurse and former Covid patient, gave a rousing victory speech on Tuesday, saying: 'This is our moment to finally, finally start living and growing and thriving ... My message today is to every Black, brown, immigrant, queer, and trans person, and to every person locked out of opportunities to thrive because of oppressive systems: I’m here to serve you. To every person who knows what it’s like to give a loved one that "just make it home safely, baby" talk: I love you'


theguardian--2020-11-05--'Doing their jobs': Georgia official defends electoral employees – video

A spokesperson for the Georgia secretary of state , Brad Raffensperger , said on Thursday it was hoped the state @ @ @ @ @ by the end of the day .
Gabriel Sterling stressed election directors and staff counting @ @ @ @ @ in voter fraud ' or 'voter suppression ' and that every ballot would be counted @ @ @ @ @ .
About 60,000 votes were left to be counted , with Donald Trump leading by @ @ @ @ @ 0.4 % of the total count • US election 2020 : Joe Biden holds lead @ @ @ @ @ wait for results – live • ‘ Count every vote ’ : protesters take to @ @ @ @ @ v Biden – full results as they come in

A spokesperson for the Georgia secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, said on Thursday it was hoped the state would have counted all votes by the end of the day. Gabriel Sterling stressed election directors and staff counting the votes were 'not involved in voter fraud' or 'voter suppression' and that every ballot would be counted in the extremely tight race.
About 60,000 votes were left to be counted, with Donald Trump leading by about 18,000 votes, or 0.4% of the total count


theguardian--2020-11-05--'Every vote counts': peaceful protests spread as election goes down to wire – video

'Count the vote ' demonstrators gathered in cities across the US after Donald Trump falsely claimed victory in the presidential @ @ @ @ @ vote-counting in crucial battleground states .
Demonstrations took place from Philadelphia to Los Angeles , @ @ @ @ @ with police .
Meanwhile , Trump supporters attempted to halt ballot-counting in Michigan as Joe @ @ @ @ @ Trump in the state vote • US election 2020 live : Biden wins Michigan in @ @ @ @ @ Trump tries to challenge results • US election 2020 live results : Donald Trump takes @ @ @ @ @ presidential race

'Count the vote' demonstrators gathered in cities across the US after Donald Trump falsely claimed victory in the presidential election and sued to halt vote-counting in crucial battleground states. Demonstrations took place from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, with some ending in clashes with police. Meanwhile, Trump supporters attempted to halt ballot-counting in Michigan as Joe Biden looked set to overtake Trump in the state vote


theguardian--2020-11-06--US election live: Biden takes lead in Pennsylvania and Georgia as he edges closer to beating Trump

Joe Biden , the US Democratic presidential challenger , has edged closer to the White House after dramatically overtaking Donald Trump ’ s vote tally in Georgia for the first time and further closing the gap in Pennsylvania .
By Friday morning in the US , Biden had moved to a 1,097-vote advantage in Georgia with thousands of ballots still left to be counted – many in counties where the former vice-president was in the lead .
The Georgia secretary of state reported late on Thursday there were about 10,000 ballots still to be counted in the state , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any chances of re-election alive in the race for the 270 electoral college votes that will determine the presidency .
Biden ’ s narrow lead late in the Georgia count came as he urged calm on Thursday night , after an inflammatory and falsehood-filled Trump address from the White House where the president once again claimed he had won .
The latest voting figures were disclosed as an increasingly frantic Trump and his campaign continued to undermine confidence in the election , threatening a rash of litigation amid unfounded claims of election rigging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grasp , Trump ’ s path to a victory in the electoral college appeared to be closing as election workers in undeclared states including Pennsylvania , Nevada and Arizona continued to count ballots .
Read our latest full election round-up from Julian Borger and Peter Beaumont : Joe Biden inches closer to White House as US election reaches climax

Joan E Greve (now); Martin Belam; Tom McCarthy and Maanvi Singh (earlier)

6 Nov 2020 19.01 GMT Donald Trump’s reelection campaign has released another statement from the president, in which he calls for “full transparency” in the vote count.
“We believe the American people deserve to have full transparency into all vote counting and election certification, and that this is no longer about any single election. This is about the integrity of our entire election process,” Trump said. “From the beginning we have said that all legal ballots must be counted and all illegal ballots should not be counted, yet we have met resistance to this basic principle by Democrats at every turn. We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government. I will never give up fighting for you and our nation.” Okay, so there are a few fact-checks we need to make here. It is not true that Trump has consistently called for all legal ballots to be counted. He sent a tweet yesterday that said, “Stop the count!” The tweet made no distinction between legal and illegal ballots; it simply called on election officials to stop counting votes. And every ballot that is being counted right now represents a valid vote. There has been absolutely no evidence election officials are trying to count invalid ballots. In the lawsuits it has filed in several battleground states, the Trump campaign has failed to produce any evidence that invalid ballots are being counted. Election officials in multiple battleground states have also consistently defended the integrity of their counts.
6 Nov 2020 18.34 GMT Today so far Here’s where the day stands so far: Joe Biden appears poised to win the White House, after taking the lead in Pennsylvania. Biden now leads Donald Trump by 12,497 votes in Pennsylvania, but the AP has not yet declared a winner in the state. Biden is clearly intending to declare victory, with plans to deliver a primetime address tonight.
Biden now leads by 12,497 votes in Pennsylvania, but the AP has not yet declared a winner in the state. Biden is clearly intending to declare victory, with plans to deliver a primetime address tonight. Georgia will hold a recount to settle the virtual tie between Biden and Trump in the state. As of now, Biden leads Trump by just 1,558 votes in the state, where about 5 million ballots were cast in the presidential race.
As of now, Biden leads Trump by just 1,558 votes in the state, where about 5 million ballots were cast in the presidential race. Biden’s lead in Nevada grew to 20,137 votes, following an update from Clark county, where Las Vegas is located. But the AP has not yet called that state either. The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
6 Nov 2020 18.23 GMT Joe Gloria, the Clark County Registrar of Voters in Nevada, said the county would provide another ballot update this afternoon. Clark county posted the results of about 30,000 ballots this morning, and Joe Biden’s lead in the state has grown to 20,137 votes. Gloria had said yesterday that the county would report the results of 51,000 ballots today, but he clarified that a staffer made an error because they incorrectly equated the number of ballots and the number of pages for the machine to process. (Some ballots had two pages.) According to Gloria, there about 63,000 mail-in ballots and 60,000 provisional ballots left to be processed. The counting is expected to continue through the weekend, Gloria said.
Updated at 18.36 GMT
6 Nov 2020 18.15 GMT Biden to deliver primetime address Lauren Gambino Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are expected to address the nation in a primetime speech this evening, a campaign official confirmed to The Guardian. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are expected to deliver primetime remarks this evening, according to a campaign official — Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) November 6, 2020 Biden is on the verge of victory after taking the lead in Pennsylvania, whose 20 electoral college votes would lift him above the 270-vote threshold to become the next president. Both candidates are expected to speak.
6 Nov 2020 18.07 GMT It appears Donald Trump is now in the Oval Office, as a Marine is stationed outside the door. The Marine has taken his post. The president is therefore expected to be in working areas of the West Wing like the Oval Office. pic.twitter.com/KpxqvmJfPB — Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) November 6, 2020 The president has nothing on his public schedule today, but he has continued to tweet out baseless allegations of voter fraud, as Joe Biden looks poised to declare victory in the presidential race. Trump has not been seen on camera since last night, when he held a White House press conference that was just a stream of lies about the election.
Updated at 18.09 GMT
6 Nov 2020 17.59 GMT The Guardian’s Nina Lakhani reports from Pennsylvania: The arduous wait continues in Pennsylvania, where Joe Biden currently leads by 12,497 votes. At a press conference a few minutes ago, Lisa Deely, chairwoman of the city commissioners overseeing the count in Philadelphia, said 40,000 votes are still to be counted there, including military and provisional ballots. It could take several days to complete this reporting, as some of these ballots will need to be adjudicated. Biden has so far won 81% of votes in Philadelphia. Another big batch of outstanding votes are in Alleghany county, home to PA’s second biggest city Pittsburgh, where counting was suspended yesterday due to a legal challenge over 29,000 ballots. We’re still waiting on 37,000 or so ballots to be counted there. In short, Biden will almost certainly pull off a comfortable win in Pennsylvania with 40,000 to 100,000 votes depending on who’s back of the envelope math you want to believe. But, the state may not be called for a few hours yet. Speaking at a press conference, Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney was asked for his response to Trump’s baseless accusations of voter fraud in the city. Kenney replied, “I think what the president needs to do is, frankly, put his big boy pants on. He needs to acknowledge the fact that he has lost, and he needs to congratulate the winner.” 01:45 Philadelphia mayor tells Trump to accept he lost – video
Updated at 18.53 GMT
6 Nov 2020 17.49 GMT Philadelphia officials hold press conference on vote count Philadelphia officials are holding a press conference, as the vote count continues in the city. US election: Philadelphia officials provide update as Biden holds Pennsylvania lead – watch live Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney said, “While some including the president continue to spew baseless claims of fraud — claims for which his team has not produced one iota of evidence — what we see in Philadelphia is democracy, pure and simple.” The Philadelphia vote has already helped Joe Biden build a lead in Pennsylvania, and the remaining ballots are expected to bolster that lead. Asked if he believed Biden would be elected president when all the ballots were counted, Kenney said, “Yes.”
6 Nov 2020 17.44 GMT Johnson expresses confidence in 'checks and balances' of US government Simon Murphy UK prime minister Boris Johnson has refused to be drawn on the outcome of the US election, insisting “we should wait and see” while the votes are being counted. Amid unfounded voter fraud claims by Donald Trump, Johnson also stressed he had every confidence in the checks and balances of the US constitution, as well as making clear he would work with whoever emerges as the winner in the contest. Speaking on Friday as Joe Biden edged towards victory by taking the lead in the remaining key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Georgia, Johnson said: “If I were a voter in America I don’t think I’d want anybody in another government commenting on my election, our election in our country, and I think while the votes are being counted … we should wait and see. “And I have every confidence in the checks and balances of the American constitution.” Questioned on whether he would miss Trump – who has been supportive of Johnson – if he did exit the White House, Johnson said: “Let’s be clear, the prime minister of the United Kingdom is always going to work very, very closely with whoever is … the president of the United States and that’s going to be the case whatever the outcome of this election.”
6 Nov 2020 17.36 GMT Mitt Romney criticized Donald Trump for peddling baseless accusations of voter fraud in the presidential election, as Joe Biden appears poised for victory. pic.twitter.com/oXLhsGxWma — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) November 6, 2020 The Republican senator said the president is “within his rights” to request recounts in close states and call for investigations of specific alleged irregularities. But Romney noted Trump was “wrong” to push baseless claims of a rigged election because “doing so damages the cause of freedom here and around the world.” Some of Romney’s Republican colleagues have said Trump should produce evidence if he believes the election was tainted by fraud. The president’s reelection campaign has produced no evidence to back up these claims.
6 Nov 2020 17.25 GMT To briefly turn away from the presidential race, the AP just announced Republican Jeff Van Drew won reelection to his House seat BREAKING: Republican Jeff Van Drew wins reelection to U.S. House in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. #APracecall at 12:10 p.m. EST. #Election2020 #NJelection https://t.co/lGfinjTqT4 — AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 6, 2020 Van Drew was originally elected as a Democrat in 2018, but he switched parties out of alleged outrage over the impeachment of Donald Trump. The New Jersey congressman was viewed as very vulnerable because of his party-switching, and Democrats had high hopes of flipping his seat, but it didn’t happen. Freshman House Democrats in several vulnerable seats also lost reelection, so Republicans gained seats in the chamber, even though Democrats were expected to build upon their majority.
6 Nov 2020 17.15 GMT Julian Borger Senator Roy Blunt, who is close to Mitch McConnell, signaled that many in the Republican leadership are reluctant to follow Donald Trump along the path to constitutional chaos if the president attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. “You can’t stop the count in one state and decide you want the count to continue in another state. That might be how you’d like to see the system work but that’s not how the system works,” Blunt said. Blunt added, “Part of the obligation of leadership is you should always have in your mind how do I leave.” Reports have indicated Trump does not intend to concede if the presidential race is called for Joe Biden. Asked about that possibility today, Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates said, “As we said on July 19th, the American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.”
6 Nov 2020 17.02 GMT Lauren Gambino Mitch McConnell refused to answer reporters’ questions about what he would do as the highest-ranking Republican in Congress if the president of the United States refused to concede the election.
“I’m not going to answer any hypotheticals about where we go from here,” the Senate majority leader told reporters when asked what he would do. He declined several more times to answer the question and, referring to an earlier tweet, said that was the extent of his comments on the matter. Here’s how this must work in our great country: Every legal vote should be counted. Any illegally-submitted ballots must not. All sides must get to observe the process. And the courts are here to apply the laws & resolve disputes.
That's how Americans' votes decide the result. — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) November 6, 2020 Donald Trump has made a series of startling and baseless claims about voter fraud and a rigged election, falsely asserting that he would have won the election already had it not been for a conspiracy involving “illegal” votes. Senate Republicans have largely been cautious of endorsing – and some have even rebuked – Trump over his baseless claims of a rigged election. But on Thursday night, Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz appeared on Fox to support a number of the president’s evidence-free claims about voter fraud. Asked by the host, Sean Hannity, if the Pennsylvania state legislature should nullify the delegates that voters select, Graham said, “Everything should be on the table.”
Updated at 17.09 GMT
6 Nov 2020 16.53 GMT With the latest batch of ballots from Pennsylvania, Joe Biden’s lead decreased a bit -- from 9,027 votes to 8,867 votes. The overall trendline has been very favorable for Biden because the outstanding mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania are going to the Democratic nominee by a ratio of about 4:1. But the AP has not yet made a call in Pennsylvania.
6 Nov 2020 16.47 GMT The AP has sent a tweet basically instructing everyone to chill out, as the nation awaits a call in the presidential race. The Associated Press continues to count votes in the presidential election and has not declared a winner.
When the AP does declare a winner, it will be tweeted from @AP and @AP_Politics#Election2020https://t.co/65yySH06TJ — The Associated Press (@AP) November 6, 2020 “The Associated Press continues to count votes in the presidential election and has not declared a winner,” the AP said.
“When the AP does declare a winner, it will be tweeted from @AP and @AP_Politics.” As a reminder (which I don’t think anyone needs), Joe Biden only needs to win one more state, and he will clinch the presidency.


theguardian--2020-11-06--'Time for a cool head': Germany urges Trump to be calm, while UK stays silent

Germany led European calls for Donald Trump to end his claim that the American election was fraudulent , urging the president and his followers to stop “ pouring oil ” on the tense situation in the US and noting that “ decent losers ” were vital to upholding democracy .
The German foreign minister , Heiko Maas , said : “ America is more than a one-man show .
Anyone who continues to pour oil on the fire in a situation like this is acting irresponsibly .
Now is the time to keep a cool head until an independently determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the result – which has not yet been determined – to be accepted , everyone must first show restraint .
Decent losers are more important for the functioning of a democracy than radiant winners.
” Maas said he expected that once the election result was settled , “ the USA will probably not return to the international stage with full energy for the time being ” , but he added : “ The world needs the USA as a force for order , not as a factor of chaos.
” Germany is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most invested in a return to US multilateralism of the kind offered by Joe Biden .
In the UK ministers continued to refuse to comment on the election , or Donald Trump ’ s claims that it was fraudulent .
The UK will face a dilemma if Trump refuses to concede defeat and Biden claims victory , since it is traditional for the UK to congratulate the victor .
Britain could continue to evade the issue until all legal challenges are exhausted , or if the Republican leadership desert Trump in the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legitimately defeated .
The UK shadow justice minister , David Lammy , said : “ Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab ’ s silence as Donald Trump attempts to undermine the American people ’ s right to free and fair elections is a national disgrace .
We must have the courage to stand up for democracy whoever attacks it .
No exceptions.
” The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed concern about the fraud allegations and urged the US to return to the Paris agreement on the climate crisis and the nuclear deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the French foreign minister , said he had faith in the US institutions validating the result , adding that even if Biden was elected , the US and the EU “ will not return to the status that prevailed before , to a kind of good old days in the transatlantic relationship .
The world has moved in four years .
Europe is trying to become a power unto itself , instead of relying on US support.
” He described the US election as “ a historic vote , in terms of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
The Hungarian prime minister , Viktor Orbán , declined to back Trump ’ s fraud claims , but suggested the US would not be in a position to lecture others on democracy after this .
“ If things happened in Hungary , like over there , then here , I don ’ t know , the sky would have fallen .
It ’ s unimaginable , ” the Hungarian leader said .
Hungary has a cool relationship with the Democrats , since some of its leading foreign policy figures have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .

Germany led European calls for Donald Trump to end his claim that the American election was fraudulent, urging the president and his followers to stop “pouring oil” on the tense situation in the US and noting that “decent losers” were vital to upholding democracy.
The German foreign minister, Heiko Maas, said: “America is more than a one-man show. Anyone who continues to pour oil on the fire in a situation like this is acting irresponsibly. Now is the time to keep a cool head until an independently determined result is available.”
“In order for the result – which has not yet been determined – to be accepted, everyone must first show restraint. Decent losers are more important for the functioning of a democracy than radiant winners.”
Maas said he expected that once the election result was settled, “the USA will probably not return to the international stage with full energy for the time being”, but he added: “The world needs the USA as a force for order, not as a factor of chaos.”
Germany is probably the leading European power with the most invested in a return to US multilateralism of the kind offered by Joe Biden.
In the UK ministers continued to refuse to comment on the election, or Donald Trump’s claims that it was fraudulent. The UK will face a dilemma if Trump refuses to concede defeat and Biden claims victory, since it is traditional for the UK to congratulate the victor. Britain could continue to evade the issue until all legal challenges are exhausted, or if the Republican leadership desert Trump in the face of overwhelming evidence that he has been legitimately defeated.
The UK shadow justice minister, David Lammy, said: “Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab’s silence as Donald Trump attempts to undermine the American people’s right to free and fair elections is a national disgrace. We must have the courage to stand up for democracy whoever attacks it. No exceptions.”
The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed concern about the fraud allegations and urged the US to return to the Paris agreement on the climate crisis and the nuclear deal with Iran.
Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, said he had faith in the US institutions validating the result, adding that even if Biden was elected, the US and the EU “will not return to the status that prevailed before, to a kind of good old days in the transatlantic relationship. The world has moved in four years. Europe is trying to become a power unto itself, instead of relying on US support.”
He described the US election as “a historic vote, in terms of the tension and the size of the turnout”.
The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, declined to back Trump’s fraud claims, but suggested the US would not be in a position to lecture others on democracy after this.
“If things happened in Hungary, like over there, then here, I don’t know, the sky would have fallen. It’s unimaginable,” the Hungarian leader said.
Hungary has a cool relationship with the Democrats, since some of its leading foreign policy figures have been critical of the trend to authoritarianism in the country.


theguardian--2020-11-06--Networks cut Trump speech as some Republicans chastise president over election lies

Donald Trump addressed Americans from the White House on Thursday evening , illegitimately declaring victory in the presidential election for the second time this week .
Several US news networks cut their feeds of the 16-minute speech , and numerous Republicans condemned the many falsehoods proclaimed in it .
MSNBC halted its live stream of the speech just a few minutes in , with host Brian Williams saying : “ Here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the president of the United States but correcting the president of the United States .
“ It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point , where our country is , it ’ s dangerous.
” On Friday morning , the Pennsylvania Republican senator Pat Toomey told NBC : “ The president ’ s allegations of large-scale fraud and theft of the election are just not substantiated .
I ’ m not aware of any significant wrongdoing here.
” As the president spoke the evening before , CNBCalso cut away from Trump ’ s remarks , to anchor Shep Smith who said : “ What the president of the United States is saying , in large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Associated Press – which the Guardian relies on to project election results – swiftly clarified that it “ has not declared a winner in the presidential race , with several states still too early to call ” .
The speech came as former Vice-President Joe Biden was ahead in the electoral college and ballots in key states continues to be counted .
While many Republicans have avoided commenting on the president ’ s false claims of victory and undemocratic assertion that votes should not be counted , several did speak out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots are counted .
Chris Christie became the first major Trump ally to chastise the president for falsely claiming that the election is being stolen from him .
“ Show us the evidence , ” he said on ABC News .
“ We heard nothing today about evidence.
” Paul Mitchell , a Republican congressman of Michigan , said : “ Every legal vote should and will be counted – as they always are.
” “ Anything less harms the integrity of our elections and is dangerous for our democracy , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the heart of democracy , ” tweeted Mitt Romney , the senator of Utah and former Republican presidential candidate .
“ That process is often long and , for those running , frustrating .
The votes will be counted.
” Larry Hogan , the Republican governor of Maryland , tweeted there was “ no defense for the president ’ s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process ” , while Tom Ridge , the former secretary of homeland security under George W Bush , said the speech “ disrespected every single American who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid a pandemic ” .
Will Hurd , the Republican congressman of Texas , said : “ A sitting president undermining our political process and questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not only dangerous and wrong , it undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon .
Every American should have his or her vote counted.
” Joe Biden also responded shortly after the speech , saying , “ No one is going to take our democracy from us ” , while his running mate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to invalidate these ballots ” .
Meanwhile , CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper had perhaps the most bruising words of the night : “ That is the most powerful person in the world and we see him like an obese turtle on his back , flailing in the hot sun , realizing his time is over .
”

Donald Trump addressed Americans from the White House on Thursday evening, illegitimately declaring victory in the presidential election for the second time this week. Several US news networks cut their feeds of the 16-minute speech, and numerous Republicans condemned the many falsehoods proclaimed in it.
MSNBC halted its live stream of the speech just a few minutes in, with host Brian Williams saying: “Here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the president of the United States but correcting the president of the United States.
“It was not rooted in reality – and at this point, where our country is, it’s dangerous.”
WATCH: "OK. Here we are again in the unusual position of not only interrupting the president of the United States, but correcting the president of the United States," Brian Williams says on @MSNBC moments into the president's statement tonight. pic.twitter.com/2AliTQuSsr — MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 6, 2020
On Friday morning, the Pennsylvania Republican senator Pat Toomey told NBC: “The president’s allegations of large-scale fraud and theft of the election are just not substantiated. I’m not aware of any significant wrongdoing here.”
Watch @SavannahGuthrie’s full interview with @SenToomey, who says he sees no evidence of fraud in the election and that President Trump still has a very narrow path to victory in Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/YVJ5Bq7tyC — TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 6, 2020
As the president spoke the evening before, CNBCalso cut away from Trump’s remarks, to anchor Shep Smith who said: “What the president of the United States is saying, in large part, is absolutely untrue.”
President Trump just spoke at the White House, as key states continue to count votes.
Shep has the facts: “What the President of the United States is saying, in large part, is absolutely untrue.” #Election2020 https://t.co/E6DBt6OodD pic.twitter.com/HVa87qUCzB — The News with Shepard Smith (@thenewsoncnbc) November 6, 2020
And the Associated Press – which the Guardian relies on to project election results – swiftly clarified that it “has not declared a winner in the presidential race, with several states still too early to call”.
The speech came as former Vice-President Joe Biden was ahead in the electoral college and ballots in key states continues to be counted.
While many Republicans have avoided commenting on the president’s false claims of victory and undemocratic assertion that votes should not be counted, several did speak out on Thursday night, urging patience as the ballots are counted.
Chris Christie became the first major Trump ally to chastise the president for falsely claiming that the election is being stolen from him.
“Show us the evidence,” he said on ABC News. “We heard nothing today about evidence.”
Chris Christie says it’s Trump’s “right to pursue legal action, but show us the evidence. We heard nothing today about any evidence.”
“This kind of thing, all it does is inflame without informing, and we cannot permit inflammation without information.” https://t.co/GwwRl4EUb3 pic.twitter.com/d8EZc9rDIy — ABC News (@ABC) November 6, 2020
Paul Mitchell, a Republican congressman of Michigan, said: “Every legal vote should and will be counted – as they always are.”
“Anything less harms the integrity of our elections and is dangerous for our democracy,” he said.
“Counting every vote is at the heart of democracy,” tweeted Mitt Romney, the senator of Utah and former Republican presidential candidate. “That process is often long and, for those running, frustrating. The votes will be counted.”
Larry Hogan, the Republican governor of Maryland, tweeted there was “no defense for the president’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process”, while Tom Ridge, the former secretary of homeland security under George W Bush, said the speech “disrespected every single American who figured out a way to safely vote amid a pandemic”.
Will Hurd, the Republican congressman of Texas, said: “A sitting president undermining our political process and questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not only dangerous and wrong, it undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon. Every American should have his or her vote counted.”
A sitting president undermining our political process & questioning the legality of the voices of countless Americans without evidence is not only dangerous & wrong, it undermines the very foundation this nation was built upon. Every American should have his or her vote counted. — Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) November 6, 2020
With his remarks from the White House tonight, the President disrespected every single American who figured out a way to safely vote amid a pandemic that has taken 235,000 lives. Not to mention those who are dutifully counting that vote. Absolutely shameful. Yet so predictable. — Gov. Tom Ridge (@GovRidge) November 6, 2020
There is no defense for the President’s comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before. No election or person is more important than our Democracy. https://t.co/BOO2iaTsEf — Larry Hogan (@LarryHogan) November 6, 2020
Joe Biden also responded shortly after the speech, saying, “No one is going to take our democracy from us”, while his running mate, Kamala Harris, said Trump “is trying to invalidate these ballots”.
Meanwhile, CNN’s Anderson Cooper had perhaps the most bruising words of the night: “That is the most powerful person in the world and we see him like an obese turtle on his back, flailing in the hot sun, realizing his time is over.”


theguardian--2020-11-06--‘The risks are now off the table’: Wall Street looks forward to Biden presidency

Wall Street is supposed to hate uncertainty but as the fight over the presidential contest continues , investors couldn ’ t be happier .
If , as appears likely , Joe Biden wins , he will become the first president since George HW Bush to enter office without control of both the House and Senate – an outcome that indicates at least two years of legislative gridlock .
It ’ s a scenario Wall Street appears to love .
One that may give Republicans in the Senate little incentive to enact a new , larger coronavirus stimulus package that Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block tax increases , big spending programs and tougher regulations .
Stocks jumped again on Thursday , the first time since 1982 that the Dow and S & P 500 rose at least 1 % on four straight sessions , giving the stock indices their biggest weekly gains since April , with the Dow up 7.1 % week , the S & P 500 and Nasdaq up 7.4 % and 9 % in the week to date .
Oliver Jones , senior markets economist at Capital Economics , told the Guardian : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things like tougher tax policy , tougher corporate reforms look to be off the table without democrats having more control over congress.
” “ Essentially , it ’ s going to look more like a continuation of the status quo , which is the outcome favoured by most firms , ” Jones added .
Brad McMillan , chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial Network , attributed some of the gains to the election ’ s smooth running and , notwithstanding legal challenges , the likelihood of an imminent outcome .
Looking forward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged by prospects that a Biden administration ’ s more progressive , high spending proposals are less likely to get through a politically-split legislature .
“ Biden ’ s economic plan included substantial new corporate taxes and capital gains taxes , all of which would have been very disruptive to the market , ” McMillan said .
“ The risks from a blue wave and a green new deal are now off the table.
” Wharton professor of finance Jeremy Siegel also welcomed the result , even as the final outcome of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that combination is excellent for the economy and it ’ s excellent for the markets , ” Siegel told CNBC on Wednesday Market enthusiasm for a split government has historical roots going back decades .
In 2018 , after voters handed control of the lower House to Democrats in the midterm elections , markets soared .
“ The better performing periods are periods where the houses were split in terms of leadership , ” financial adviser Mellody Hobson noted at the time .
Since Tuesday , markets have also been buoyed up by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could also pump billions of taxpayer dollars into an overhaul of the nation ’ s energy and transportation systems .
For big tech , which is facing antitrust investigations under the Trump administration , the political scenario could also be rosy .
Ahead of the election , FAANG ( Facebook , Apple , Amazon , Netflix and Google ) stocks , in particular , showed jitters after months of impressive pandemic gains .
“ The Street appears to have gotten the ‘ Goldilocks election outcome ’ for tech stocks with no ‘ blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and a likely Biden White House now on the horizon , ” said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities in an investors note on Thursday .
“ With the Republicans likely to control the Senate , the chances of major legislative changes to antitrust law now is off the table in the eyes of investors which posed the biggest risks to tech stalwarts with a ripple impact across the sector , ” Ives added .
Ives said the likely election outcome is a “ green light to buy tech stocks ” and predicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 % to 15 % into year-end .
“ We continue to be bullish on owning the secular growth stories for 2021 , ” he wrote .

Wall Street is supposed to hate uncertainty but as the fight over the presidential contest continues, investors couldn’t be happier.
If, as appears likely, Joe Biden wins, he will become the first president since George HW Bush to enter office without control of both the House and Senate – an outcome that indicates at least two years of legislative gridlock.
It’s a scenario Wall Street appears to love. One that may give Republicans in the Senate little incentive to enact a new, larger coronavirus stimulus package that Democrats have hoped for and the power to block tax increases, big spending programs and tougher regulations.
Stocks jumped again on Thursday, the first time since 1982 that the Dow and S&P 500 rose at least 1% on four straight sessions, giving the stock indices their biggest weekly gains since April, with the Dow up 7.1% week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up 7.4% and 9% in the week to date.
Oliver Jones, senior markets economist at Capital Economics, told the Guardian: “There’s definitely some relief that things like tougher tax policy, tougher corporate reforms look to be off the table without Democrats having more control over Congress.
“Essentially, it’s going to look more like a continuation of the status quo, which is the outcome favoured by most firms,” Jones added.
Brad McMillan, chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial Network, attributed some of the gains to the election’s smooth running and, notwithstanding legal challenges, the likelihood of an imminent outcome.
Looking forward, McMillan told the Guardian, markets were encouraged by prospects that a Biden administration’s more progressive, high spending proposals are less likely to get through a politically split legislature.
“Biden’s economic plan included substantial new corporate taxes and capital gains taxes, all of which would have been very disruptive to the market,” McMillan said. “The risks from a blue wave and a Green New Deal are now off the table.”
Wharton professor of finance Jeremy Siegel also welcomed the result, even as the final outcome of the presidential election remained unresolved. “Truthfully that combination is excellent for the economy and it’s excellent for the markets,” Siegel told CNBC on Wednesday
Market enthusiasm for a split government has historical roots going back decades. In 2018, after voters handed control of the lower chamber to Democrats in the midterm elections, markets soared.
“The better-performing periods are periods where the houses were split in terms of leadership,” financial adviser Mellody Hobson noted at the time.
Since Tuesday, markets have also been buoyed by the prospect of government infrastructure spending that could also pump billions of taxpayer dollars into an overhaul of the nation’s energy and transportation systems.
For big tech, which is facing antitrust investigations under the Trump administration, the political scenario could also be rosy. Ahead of the election, FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) stocks, in particular, showed jitters after months of impressive pandemic gains.
“The Street appears to have gotten the ‘Goldilocks election outcome’ for tech stocks with no ‘blue wave’ expected (Senate staying red) and a likely Biden White House now on the horizon,” said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities in an investors note on Thursday.
“With the Republicans likely to control the Senate, the chances of major legislative changes to antitrust law now is off the table in the eyes of investors which posed the biggest risks to tech stalwarts with a ripple impact across the sector,” Ives added.
Ives said the likely election outcome was a “green light to buy tech stocks” and predicted that big tech stocks could rally another 10% to 15% into year-end. “We continue to be bullish on owning the secular growth stories for 2021,” he wrote.


theguardian--2020-11-06--CNN’s John King and his ‘magic wall’ keep viewers entranced

As the US election has dragged on and people remain glued to their screens , a new type of celebrity has emerged : the results analyst .
And none has been more popular than CNN ’ s John King .
King , CNN ’ s chief national correspondent since 2005 , has been a nearly constant presence for viewers , fronting the broadcaster ’ s “ magic wall ” tirelessly through the week .
With the coronavirus pandemic leading to vastly more postal votes , which take longer to process than in-person ballots , analysts such as King and MSNBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must-watch stars of the small screen .
The Los Angeles Times has said King ’ s indefatigable efforts and insight have made him the election ’ s “ MVP ” .
King , who said he managed just two-and-a-half hours ’ sleep on election night and four hours on Wednesday , has fronted The Wall at every election since 2008 .
A giant interactive touchscreen that allows CNN anchors to see up-to-date voting detail by district and to analyse every possible voting permutation , The Wall has come into its own as this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 59-year old has fronted The Wall for 12- to 14-hour shifts on-screen , dissecting updates county by county and state by state , and informing viewers of the changing “ pathways ” for Donald Trump and Joe Biden to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to make it to the White House .
King ’ s unflagging omnipresence , coupled with an ability to drop in small surprising facts of political history about even the smallest counties , has kept viewers enthralled and seen his popularity transcend generations and go beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the social video platform favoured by many younger people , has crowned him “ King of the election ” .
Users are uploading short video clips , known as fancams and backed with music soundtracks , of King at work , with the hashtag # johnking receiving more than 2.5m views so far and users posting comments such as “ He don ’ t fear sleep … sleep fears him.
” The efforts of the Inside Politics host , who was formerly married to CNN colleague Dana Bash , have drawn admiration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeremy Bowen , the BBC ’ s Middle East editor , singled out King ’ s efforts and praised his impartiality .
“ Brilliant @ cnn coverage of the US elections , ” Bowen tweeted on Friday .
“ I ’ ve watched & appreciated hours of it .
@ johnkingCNN & his magic wall are outstanding & rightly emulated .
He seems immaculately partial but interesting how partial some of [ the ] other CNN anchors have become after 4 years of Trump.
” King has been at pains to explain and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead Trump seemed to build in key battleground states , which has subsequently been whittled away by Biden , is not due to vote-rigging but to the slower counting of postal votes , which have been favoured by Democrats .
King has treated his fame with equanimity .
“ Overall , to me , it is more than anything proof of the high interest in the election , and the trust we have worked hard to earn with people at key moments , ” he told the New York Times .
“ Corny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and love seeing turnout up across the board .
”

As the US election has dragged on and people remain glued to their screens, a new type of celebrity has emerged: the results analyst. And none has been more popular than CNN’s John King.
King, CNN’s chief national correspondent since 2005, has been a nearly constant presence for viewers, fronting the broadcaster’s “magic wall” tirelessly through the week.
With the coronavirus pandemic leading to vastly more postal votes, which take longer to process than in-person ballots, analysts such as King and MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki have become the must-watch stars of the small screen. The Los Angeles Times has said King’s indefatigable efforts and insight have made him the election’s “MVP”.
King, who said he managed just two-and-a-half hours’ sleep on election night and four hours on Wednesday, has fronted The Wall at every election since 2008. A giant interactive touchscreen that allows CNN anchors to see up-to-date voting detail by district and to analyse every possible voting permutation, The Wall has come into its own as this year’s vote count drags on.
The 59-year old has fronted The Wall for 12- to 14-hour shifts on-screen, dissecting updates county by county and state by state, and informing viewers of the changing “pathways” for Donald Trump and Joe Biden to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to make it to the White House.
John King Photograph: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for WarnerMedia
King’s unflagging omnipresence, coupled with an ability to drop in small surprising facts of political history about even the smallest counties, has kept viewers enthralled and seen his popularity transcend generations and go beyond the typical election analysis nerds.
TikTok, the social video platform favoured by many younger people, has crowned him “King of the election”. Users are uploading short video clips, known as fancams and backed with music soundtracks, of King at work, with the hashtag #johnking receiving more than 2.5m views so far and users posting comments such as “He don’t fear sleep … sleep fears him.”
John King is being appreciated on tik tok pic.twitter.com/ymyvApDGg5 — Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) November 4, 2020
The efforts of the Inside Politics host, who was formerly married to CNN colleague Dana Bash, have drawn admiration from news colleagues around the world. Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s Middle East editor, singled out King’s efforts and praised his impartiality.
“Brilliant @cnn coverage of the US elections,” Bowen tweeted on Friday. “I’ve watched & appreciated hours of it. @johnkingCNN & his magic wall are outstanding & rightly emulated. He seems immaculately partial but interesting how partial some of [the] other CNN anchors have become after 4 years of Trump.”
King has been at pains to explain and reiterate to viewers that the huge initial lead Trump seemed to build in key battleground states, which has subsequently been whittled away by Biden, is not due to vote-rigging but to the slower counting of postal votes, which have been favoured by Democrats.
King has treated his fame with equanimity. “Overall, to me, it is more than anything proof of the high interest in the election, and the trust we have worked hard to earn with people at key moments,” he told the New York Times. “Corny, maybe, but I love elections and love seeing turnout up across the board.”