theguardian--2020-12-30--Georgia Senate runoff elections: how they work and why they matter

On 5 January the US state of Georgia will vote , again , on who to send to the Senate .
The control of the Senate is up for grabs , and thus the prospects for the Biden administration – at least for the next two years .
As millions of dollars and hundreds of campaigners descend on the state , here is an explainer about what is happening .
What is at stake ?
Two seats are up for grabs .
Republicans hold 50 of the 100 seats , and Democrats hold 48 .
There are 46 formally party-aligned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont – who caucus with the Democrats .
When there is a 50-50 tie , the deciding vote is cast by the vice president .
That will be Democrat Kamala Harris after the Biden administration is sworn in on 20 January .
If Democrats can win both seats they will control the Senate .
A Senate majority is crucial in deciding a range of legislative changes , cabinet appointments , potential presidential impeachments and nominations to the supreme court .
Republicans have controlled the Senate since 2014 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , so a Democratic Senate majority would make Joe Biden ’ s next two years much easier .
Conversely a Republican-controlled Senate under majority leader Mitch McConnell would be able to block much of his agenda , just as it did with former president Barack Obama ’ s .
Biden has a history of attempting compromise across the aisle and could try to entice one or more Republicans on individual votes , but given McConnell ’ s history of obstructionism that seems a distant prospect .
With so much hanging on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the state to support both sides .
More than US $ 400m was spent on political ads by the middle of December , most going to the two Republicans .
Who are the candidates ?
Both Georgia seats are contested between one Democratic candidate and one Republican .
One race pitches Republican David Perdue , incumbent senator since 2015 , against Democrat Jon Ossoff , a former journalist , who is only 33 .
Their battle has been vitriolic at times , Ossoff repeatedly calling Perdue a crook and referring to investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Perdue has mostly not risen to the bait , and he declined to meet Ossoff in their scheduled TV debate earlier this month , leaving Ossoff to make his points on an empty podium .
The other , much more colourful , race is between Republican Kelly Loeffler , a seriously wealthy former businesswoman , and Democrat Rev Raphael Warnock .
Warnock , bidding to become Georgia ’ s first black senator , is a pastor at the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King held the same position .
A long-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful orator in the tradition of King , and a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement .
As a result he has been denounced as a “ radical liberal ” by his opponent , Loeffler , at every possible opportunity , but has responded in disarming campaign ads by accusing Loeffler of having nothing positive to say about herself and stressing how much he loves puppies .
Loeffler ran into controversy when she criticised players from the WNBA team she owns – the Atlanta Dream – over their support for Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marxist foundations ” .
Loeffler is also technically an incumbent – she was appointed an interim senator on 6 January after former Republican senator Johnny Isakson resigned due to ill health .
Why are they runoffs ?
Georgia state law requires runoffs in both elections because no candidate in either seat reached 50 % in the November election .
For the Loeffler-Warnock seat , the vacancy was created by the resignation of a sitting senator .
This meant the November vote was contested by 20 people , in what is known as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary , which is to say it was almost always going to a runoff , with the top two from the first round going through .
In that blanket primary , Loeffler also faced strong competition from moderate Republican congressman Doug Collins , and Warnock competed against a range of Democrats .
Warnock topped the blanket primary with 32.9 % , Loeffler came second with 25.9 % and Collins came third with 19.95 % .
The top two – Warnock and Loeffler – then advanced to the runoff .
In the other seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2.32 % of the vote won by Libertarian party candidate Shane T Hazel was enough to ensure that neither main party candidate reached 50 % in a tight race : Perdue received 49.73 % and Ossoff 47.95 % .
Who is likely to win ?
A Democrat has not won a Senate race in Georgia in 20 years , so the odds of winning two at the same time do not look great .
However , Biden won the state in the November presidential election , the first time in 30 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How the outcome of the presidential race will affect the runoffs is the great unknown .
Will traditionally Republican voters who rejected Donald Trump return to the party to ensure the Biden agenda is tempered by Republican control of the Senate ?
Or will Trump ’ s insistence on continuing to campaign in Georgia on the basis that the election was a fraud – and tying the Senate candidates to that cause – again motivate Democratic voters to turn out in high numbers ?
As in the presidential election , voting is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge concern for both camps .
A few more younger voters will be eligible to vote in January .
Anyone who turns 18 on or before 5 January is eligible to vote , according to the Georgia Voter Guide .
Registration to vote closed on 7 December .
What do the polls say ?
By 24 December the poll average compiled by FiveThirtyEight had Perdue ahead of Ossoff by 0.5 % , but Warnock leading Loeffler by 0.6 % .
Real Clear Politics on 22 December gave the Republicans slightly better figures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loeffler by 0.2 % , but the numbers for the Democrats were improving over the past week or so with both agencies .
Both polling outfits came under sustained criticism over the presidential election when they drastically underestimated Republican support in some states .
When will we know the result ?
It depends how close the races are .
The first Ossoff-Perdue race from November was so close that the result was not known for three days , but under most circumstances the result should be apparent on the night .

On 5 January the US state of Georgia will vote, again, on who to send to the Senate.
The control of the Senate is up for grabs, and thus the prospects for the Biden administration – at least for the next two years.
As millions of dollars and hundreds of campaigners descend on the state, here is an explainer about what is happening.
What is at stake?
Two seats are up for grabs.
Republicans hold 50 of the 100 seats, and Democrats hold 48. There are 46 formally party-aligned and two independents – Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont – who caucus with the Democrats. When there is a 50-50 tie, the deciding vote is cast by the vice president. That will be Democrat Kamala Harris after the Biden administration is sworn in on 20 January.
If Democrats can win both seats they will control the Senate.
A Senate majority is crucial in deciding a range of legislative changes, cabinet appointments, potential presidential impeachments and nominations to the supreme court. Republicans have controlled the Senate since 2014.
The Democrats have a majority in the House, so a Democratic Senate majority would make Joe Biden’s next two years much easier. Conversely a Republican-controlled Senate under majority leader Mitch McConnell would be able to block much of his agenda, just as it did with former president Barack Obama’s. Biden has a history of attempting compromise across the aisle and could try to entice one or more Republicans on individual votes, but given McConnell’s history of obstructionism that seems a distant prospect.
With so much hanging on the result, money has been pouring in to the state to support both sides. More than US$400m was spent on political ads by the middle of December, most going to the two Republicans.
Today in Focus The Georgia Senate runoff Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $https://audio.guim.co.uk/2020/12/17-70532-20201218_TIF_Georgia.mp3 00:00:00 00:27:08
Both Georgia seats are contested between one Democratic candidate and one Republican.
One race pitches Republican David Perdue, incumbent senator since 2015, against Democrat Jon Ossoff, a former journalist, who is only 33.
Their battle has been vitriolic at times, Ossoff repeatedly calling Perdue a crook and referring to investigations into Perdue’s alleged insider trading.
But Perdue has mostly not risen to the bait, and he declined to meet Ossoff in their scheduled TV debate earlier this month, leaving Ossoff to make his points on an empty podium.
The other, much more colourful, race is between Republican Kelly Loeffler, a seriously wealthy former businesswoman, and Democrat Rev Raphael Warnock.
Warnock, bidding to become Georgia’s first black senator, is a pastor at the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King held the same position. A long-time civil rights campaigner, he is a powerful orator in the tradition of King, and a strong supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.
As a result he has been denounced as a “radical liberal” by his opponent, Loeffler, at every possible opportunity, but has responded in disarming campaign ads by accusing Loeffler of having nothing positive to say about herself and stressing how much he loves puppies.
Raphael Warnock puppy ad
Loeffler ran into controversy when she criticised players from the WNBA team she owns – the Atlanta Dream – over their support for Black Lives Matter, saying BLM had “Marxist foundations”.
Loeffler is also technically an incumbent – she was appointed an interim senator on 6 January after former Republican senator Johnny Isakson resigned due to ill health.
Why are they runoffs?
Georgia state law requires runoffs in both elections because no candidate in either seat reached 50% in the November election.
For the Loeffler-Warnock seat, the vacancy was created by the resignation of a sitting senator.
This meant the November vote was contested by 20 people, in what is known as a “blanket” or “jungle” primary, which is to say it was almost always going to a runoff, with the top two from the first round going through. In that blanket primary, Loeffler also faced strong competition from moderate Republican congressman Doug Collins, and Warnock competed against a range of Democrats.
Warnock topped the blanket primary with 32.9%, Loeffler came second with 25.9% and Collins came third with 19.95%. The top two – Warnock and Loeffler – then advanced to the runoff.
In the other seat, contested by Perdue and Ossoff, the 2.32% of the vote won by Libertarian party candidate Shane T Hazel was enough to ensure that neither main party candidate reached 50% in a tight race: Perdue received 49.73% and Ossoff 47.95%.
Who is likely to win?
A Democrat has not won a Senate race in Georgia in 20 years, so the odds of winning two at the same time do not look great.
However, Biden won the state in the November presidential election, the first time in 30 years a Democratic candidate had done so.
How the outcome of the presidential race will affect the runoffs is the great unknown. Will traditionally Republican voters who rejected Donald Trump return to the party to ensure the Biden agenda is tempered by Republican control of the Senate? Or will Trump’s insistence on continuing to campaign in Georgia on the basis that the election was a fraud – and tying the Senate candidates to that cause – again motivate Democratic voters to turn out in high numbers?
As in the presidential election, voting is not compulsory – so turnout will be a huge concern for both camps.
A few more younger voters will be eligible to vote in January. Anyone who turns 18 on or before 5 January is eligible to vote, according to the Georgia Voter Guide. Registration to vote closed on 7 December.
What do the polls say?
By 3 January the poll average compiled by FiveThirtyEight had both Democrats improving with Ossoff ahead of Perdue by 1.8 percentage points and Warnock leading Loeffler by 2.2 percentage points, with both Democrats improving in the average. The Real Clear Politics average from 14 December to 27 December has reversed its previous small leads for both Republicans to put Ossoff 0.8 percentage points ahead of Perdue and Warnock 1.8 percentage points ahead of Loeffler..
Both polling outfits came under sustained criticism over the presidential election when they drastically underestimated Republican support in some states.
When will we know the result?
It depends how close the races are. The first Ossoff-Perdue race from November was so close that the result was not known for three days, but under most circumstances the result should be apparent on the night.


theguardian--2020-12-31--Congressman-elect Kai Kahele represents an 'awakened generation' of Native Hawaiians

Kai Kahele had one ambition growing up in Hawaii , and that was to fly airplanes .
He achieved that goal by the age of 19 , and was happy working as a military and commercial pilot when a family tragedy propelled him into the world of politics .
Kahele , an indigenous Hawaiian , was appointed to the state senate in 2016 after the sudden death of his father senator Gil Kahele , 73 , a progressive stalwart in the Democrat party for over 40 years .
Two day before he died , Kahele ’ s father had asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Five years ago I was a working dad , living my dream as a pilot and raising my young family when things changed overnight .
I grew-up immersed in the progressive values of the Democrat party , but this is not something I planned to do , ” Kahele told the Guardian .
“ I think my dad knew that if there was someone who was going to continue his legacy , and be a leader in the Native Hawaiian community and for the indigenous peoples in our country , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am.
” On Sunday , Kahele , 46 , will be sworn into Congress as part of the most diverse Democrat freshman classes in US history , with newly elected women outnumbering men two to one .
He ’ ll also be among a record-breaking five Native Americans – three Democrats and two Republicans – in Congress .
It was going to be six , until New Mexico congresswoman Deb Haaland , a member of the Laguna Pueblo , was appointed as secretary to the interior by Joe Biden .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a very important cabinet level position a cultural and historical perspective that ’ s been missing .
Indigenous peoples in this country share a similar history , a history of colonization , oppression and marginalization , and whose economic benefit and social fabric is unfortunately directly dependent on the federal government .
I feel like we ’ re going to be able to do great things for our indigenous communities.
” They will have their work cut out , but for the first time many in Indian country are hopeful of meaningful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end to decades of treaty violations by the US government which has had devastating consequences for life expectancy , political participation and economic opportunities for Native Americans .
Currently there are 574 federally recognised sovereign tribal nations located across 35 states , and according to the 2010 census , 5.2 million people or about 2 % of the US population identifies as American Indian or Alaskan Native – descendants of those who survived US government policies to kill , remove or assimilate indigenous peoples .
In Hawaii , historical land grabs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US government in cahoots with western businessmen are at the root of some of the most difficult and polarizing issues today , according to Kahele .
This includes the contested decision to construct a huge telescope on Mauna Kea , the most sacred mountain to Native Hawaiians , as well as water rights amid growing shortages linked to overdevelopment .
Native Hawaiians are not currently recognised by the US government as sovereign indigenous people .
“ We have an awakened generation of Native Hawaiians that know their past , they understand and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not turning back… People are split about how to right the wrongs , whether it ’ s through sovereignty or federal recognition , and part of my role is trying to figure out what the future path looks like .
Having a voice in Congress and representation at the table is important.
” Representation is also important symbolically , argues Kahele .
“ It sends a message to indigenous peoples around the world that their voices matter , that their history , language and culture matter , and that you ’ ll have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States of America ’ s congress .
We can be an example for other countries dealing with these same issues.
” Kahele was born in 1974 in Miloli ’ i , an off-the-grid fishing community on the southern tip of the island of Hawaii where households generate electricity through solar panels and collect rain for water .
It ’ s one of the last surviving villages where pre-western migrants from China and Taiwan are believed to have settled .
Before politics Kahele ’ s father Gil was a marine who met his future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Hawaiian beach .
Kahele and his two siblings grew-up with three cousins who were orphaned by a drunk driver .
“ My dad conveyed to me the experiences he had in the military as a native Hawaiian travelling through the south in the 1960s seeing segregation and racism through his own eyes .
My mum took us on random trips all over the world , made sure we knew there was a bigger world than Hawaii , and would often take me into the cockpit which piqued my interest at a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress as a Lt Col with the Hawaii air national guard and will continue to fly part time with Hawaiian Airlines .
( His wife Maria is a flight attendant , and they have three daughters , aged four , six and 16 . )
Kahele served as the state senate majority leader and chaired the committee on land and water amid growing demands from native communities for environmental justice .
The climate crisis is also omnipresent in Hawaii , and islands across the world , as rising sea levels and temperatures are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as threatening the existence of coastal communities .
“ A few metres of sea could wipe out Waikiki , the economic engine of Hawaii .
On islands across the Pacific , most of the population lives near the ocean , around the shoreline you have the roads and homes on the verge of collapsing .
We need to reimagine and rethink how our communities will look like in the future… when you need to use natural resources to feed your families , you need to understand the changes in climate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I come from.
” He ’ s hopeful that America will start to take concrete steps forwards after four years of backtracking .
“ Joe Biden ’ s climate plan is definitely 100 % better than the Trump plan .
Just the fact that we ’ ll re-enter Paris is huge , so is having climate change champion Deb Haaland at the cabinet level and leading an agency that will make critical decisions.
” The geographical isolation of Hawaii , which is situated 2,500 miles from the mainland , has somewhat protected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health crisis .
But , the economic fallout has been devastating , and has renewed questions about the over-reliance on tourism – especially as natural resources like beaches and clean water are under threat from the climate crisis , over development and environmental degradation .
Amid mass layoffs , the pandemic has increased food insecurity by 50 % in Hawaii , with a quarter of people currently struggling with hunger ; Native Hawaiians are disproportionately affected .
“ Covid has been devastating to our economy which lives and breathes almost exclusively from tourism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the social fabric of our community , exposing many of the deep known issues in Hawaii .
We need to diversify , we need to be more sustainable .
“ A lot of people are hurting and face great uncertainty and fear about the future .
I see a migration of people leaving Hawaii for the mainland [ for work ] , the brain drain of teachers , doctors , firefighters doesn ’ t help our economy or social structure.
” Kahele is firmly on the party ’ s left , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicare for all and universal preschool education – policies dismissed as radical by many on the right .
He ’ s been assigned to the congressional transportation and infrastructure committee and hopes that they will pass a transformational green package advocated by lawmakers like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
“ Why do we have to label these changes as radical , this is where we need to go as a country , in order to invest in every young child , and to rebuild and strengthen our country … I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – which in Hawaii means see you later – to president Trump on January 20th , it ’ s time to move on .
”

Kai Kahele had one ambition growing up in Hawaii, and that was to fly airplanes. He achieved that goal by the age of 19, and was happy working as a military and commercial pilot when a family tragedy propelled him into the world of politics.
Kahele, an indigenous Hawaiian, was appointed to the state senate in 2016 after the sudden death of his father senator Gil Kahele, 73, a progressive stalwart in the Democratic party for over 40 years. Two day before he died, Kahele’s father had asked him to consider following in his footsteps.
“Five years ago I was a working dad, living my dream as a pilot and raising my young family when things changed overnight. I grew up immersed in the progressive values of the Democratic party, but this is not something I planned to do,” Kahele told the Guardian. “I think my dad knew that if there was someone who was going to continue his legacy, and be a leader in the Native Hawaiian community and for the indigenous peoples in our country, that his son was ready. And here I am.”
On Sunday, Kahele, 46, will be sworn into Congress as part of the most diverse Democratic freshman classes in US history, with newly elected women outnumbering men two to one. He’ll also be among a record-breaking five Native Americans – three Democrats and two Republicans – in Congress. It was going to be six, until New Mexico congresswoman Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, was appointed as secretary to the interior by Joe Biden.
[Representation] … sends a message to indigenous peoples around the world that their voices matter Kai Kahele
“I’m elated because congresswoman Haaland brings to a very important cabinet level position a cultural and historical perspective that’s been missing. Indigenous peoples in this country share a similar history, a history of colonization, oppression and marginalization, and whose economic benefit and social fabric is unfortunately directly dependent on the federal government. I feel like we’re going to be able to do great things for our indigenous communities.”
They will have their work cut out, but for the first time many in Indian country are hopeful of meaningful change or at the very least, the end to decades of treaty violations by the US government which has had devastating consequences for life expectancy, political participation and economic opportunities for Native Americans.
Currently there are 574 federally recognised sovereign tribal nations located across 35 states, and according to the 2010 census, 5.2 million people or about 2% of the US population identifies as American Indian or Alaskan Native – descendants of those who survived US government policies to kill, remove or assimilate indigenous peoples.
In Hawaii, historical land grabs, cultural violations and economic abuses perpetrated by the US government in cahoots with western businessmen are at the root of some of the most difficult and polarizing issues today, according to Kahele. This includes the contested decision to construct a huge telescope on Mauna Kea, the most sacred mountain to Native Hawaiians, as well as water rights amid growing shortages linked to overdevelopment. Native Hawaiians are not currently recognised by the US government as sovereign indigenous people.
“We have an awakened generation of Native Hawaiians that know their past, they understand and speak their language and they’re not turning back… People are split about how to right the wrongs, whether it’s through sovereignty or federal recognition, and part of my role is trying to figure out what the future path looks like. Having a voice in Congress and representation at the table is important.”
Representation is also important symbolically, argues Kahele. “It sends a message to indigenous peoples around the world that their voices matter, that their history, language and culture matter, and that you’ll have people fighting for that in the United States of America’s Congress. We can be an example for other countries dealing with these same issues.”
Village
Kahele was born in 1974 in Miloli’i, an off-the-grid fishing community on the southern tip of the island of Hawaii where households generate electricity through solar panels and collect rain for water. It’s one of the last surviving villages where pre-western migrants from China and Taiwan are believed to have settled.
Before politics Kahele’s father Gil was a marine who met his future wife, a flight attendant, on a Hawaiian beach. Kahele and his two siblings grew up with three cousins who were orphaned by a drunk driver.
“My dad conveyed to me the experiences he had in the military as a Native Hawaiian travelling through the south in the 1960s seeing segregation and racism through his own eyes. My mum took us on random trips all over the world, made sure we knew there was a bigger world than Hawaii, and would often take me into the cockpit which piqued my interest at a very early age.”
Lt Col Kai Kahele, center, helps a C-17 flight crew account for passengers at Kalaeloa airfield in Kapolei, Hawaii. Photograph: John Linzmeier/AP
He’ll join Congress as a lieutenant colonel with the Hawaii air national guard and will continue to fly part time with Hawaiian Airlines. (His wife Maria is a flight attendant, and they have three daughters, aged four, six and 16.)
Kahele served as the state senate majority leader and chaired the committee on land and water amid growing demands from Native communities for environmental justice. The climate crisis is also omnipresent in Hawaii, and islands across the world, as rising sea levels and temperatures are devastating coral reefs and fish stocks, as well as threatening the existence of coastal communities.
“A few metres of sea could wipe out Waikiki, the economic engine of Hawaii. On islands across the Pacific, most of the population lives near the ocean, around the shoreline you have the roads and homes on the verge of collapsing. We need to reimagine and rethink how our communities will look like in the future… when you need to use natural resources to feed your families, you need to understand the changes in climate and environment to survive. That’s where I come from.”
He’s hopeful that America will start to take concrete steps forwards after four years of backtracking. “Joe Biden’s climate plan is definitely 100% better than the Trump plan. Just the fact that we’ll re-enter Paris is huge, so is having climate change champion Deb Haaland at the cabinet level and leading an agency that will make critical decisions.”
The geographical isolation of Hawaii, which is situated 2,500 miles from the mainland, has somewhat protected islanders from the worst of the Covid health crisis. But, the economic fallout has been devastating, and has renewed questions about the over-reliance on tourism – especially as natural resources like beaches and clean water are under threat from the climate crisis, over development and environmental degradation.
Amid mass layoffs, the pandemic has increased food insecurity by 50% in Hawaii, with a quarter of people currently struggling with hunger; Native Hawaiians are disproportionately affected.
Kai Kahele, center, waving at the Hawaii state capitol in Honolulu on February 2016. Photograph: Craig T Kojima/AP
“Covid has been devastating to our economy which lives and breathes almost exclusively from tourism, and it’s been detrimental to the social fabric of our community, exposing many of the deep known issues in Hawaii. We need to diversify, we need to be more sustainable.
“A lot of people are hurting and face great uncertainty and fear about the future. I see a migration of people leaving Hawaii for the mainland [for work], the brain drain of teachers, doctors, firefighters doesn’t help our economy or social structure.”
Kahele is firmly on the party’s left, an advocate for the Green New Deal, Medicare for all and universal preschool education – policies dismissed as radical by many on the right. He’s been assigned to the congressional transportation and infrastructure committee and hopes that they will pass a transformational green package advocated by lawmakers like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Why do we have to label these changes as radical, this is where we need to go as a country, in order to invest in every young child, and to rebuild and strengthen our country … I can’t wait to say a hui hou – which in Hawaii means see you later – to President Trump on January 20th. It’s time to move on.”


theguardian--2020-12-31--From Sarah Cooper to Fiona Hill: the ‘stars’ of the Trump era who emerged from obscurity

Millions of lives across America and the world were touched by Donald Trump ’ s unlikely candidacy and presidency .
But some were upended completely , resulting in life-changing or career-ending experiences and instant fame or notoriety as four incredibly tumultuous and norm-shattering years played out .
Here are 20 examples of those who emerged from relative obscurity to become “ stars ” of the Trump era .
The “ smashmouth ” lawyer represented Stormy Daniels , an adult film actor , in her lawsuits against Donald Trump and relished goading the US president ’ s children on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning “ enough ” .
He even flirted with running for president .
But his relationship with Daniels soured and his fall from grace was complete in February when he was convicted of trying to extort more than $ 20m from Nike .
The former naval officer and rightwing media executive went from marginal status to arguably the second most powerful man in Washington .
Chairman of Trump ’ s election campaign and briefly White House chief strategist , he was doomed by clashes with the president ’ s daughter , Ivanka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Branded “ Sloppy Steve ” by Trump , he faded into the background and in August was arrested and charged with fraud over an online fundraising scheme to build a wall on the US-Mexico border .
A split-second decision changed everything .
In 2017 Briskman gave the middle finger to Trump as she cycled alongside the president ’ s motorcade outside his golf club in Virginia .
Photos of the incident went viral and the marketing company she worked for swiftly dismissed her .
Two years later , Briskman ran for election to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won , ousting a Republican .
It was a neat symbol of how the Trump years caused a political awakening among ordinary citizens .
Relatively late in the Trump ’ s presidency , comedian Sarah Cooper became an internet sensation by posting videos of her lip-syncs to the president ’ s remarks , complete with hilarious facial expressions .
Her meteoric rise earned her a slot at the virtual Democratic national convention .
Cooper told the New York Times : “ My success is forever linked to this person that I absolutely hate.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of Trump ’ s most ardent critics , and Kellyanne Conway , the first woman to run a winning presidential campaign , was the most intriguing in Washington .
George gained attention with sardonic tweets and occasional interviews as Kellyanne staunchly defended the president ’ s “ alternative facts ” and other offences before quitting in August this year .
The retired three-star army lieutenant-general led a “ Lock her up !
” chant about Hillary Clinton at the Republican national convention but spent just 23 days as Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia and faced a possible prison term , only to be granted a pardon by Trump .
He is now urging the president to declare martial law in an effort to overturn the 2020 election result .
One of the most divisive moments of a divisive presidency came in September 2018 when psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford appeared before a Senate committee to quietly but firmly accuse Judge Brett Kavanaugh , nominated by Trump for the supreme court , of sexual assault in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not because I want to be , ” she said .
“ I am terrified .
I am here because I believe it is my civic duty.
” Kavanaugh was confirmed .
The Manchester-born tabloid journalist turned music publicist was catapulted into the spotlight by his email setting up a Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr and a Russian lawyer in June 2016 .
Goldstone voluntarily testified to multiple congressional committees , special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s team and a grand jury .
He later published a memoir and launched a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the governor of California , and former Fox News personality became a prominent Trump cheerleader and girlfriend of his eldest son , Don Jr. She spoke often at campaign rallies but her greatest moment came at this year ’ s virtual Republican national convention when her high-octane speech ( to an empty room ) including a primal scream : “ The best is yet to come !
” Media columnist Ben Smith wrote that his New York Times colleague had “ one of the most astonishing runs in the history of American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who joined the paper with little fanfare in 2015 , produced many of the greatest scoops about Trump ’ s presidency , during which journalism never seemed more vital .
She landed a book deal with publication due in 2022 .
A former model , she joined Trump ’ s election campaign in 2015 at the age of 26 and was with him all the way , eventually becoming communications director at the White House .
She then left for the Fox Corporation , only to return earlier this year and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks at a Trump rally in Florida .
She also tested positive for the coronavirus .
A coalminer ’ s daughter from County Durham in the UK , she became senior director for Europe and Russia in the White House national security council and an eyewitness to Trump ’ s encounters with President Vladimir Putin .
Hill became a political star during Trump ’ s impeachment hearings with her cool , meticulous testimony , urging Republicans to stop pushing the “ fictional narrative ” that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election .
Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia and told how his son , an American Muslim and army captain , died in Iraq , then delivered a searing critique of Trump ’ s threats to ban Muslim immigrants .
Spurred into action , he carried out more than 280 speaking engagements in America and beyond , including the Democratic convention in 2020 .
The chief executive of pillow maker MyPillow became a major Trump donor and cheerleader at his campaign rallies .
He chaired the president ’ s re-election effort in Lindell ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lindell reportedly said he had spent more than $ 1m to bankroll efforts to overturn Joe Biden ’ s victory and called for Trump to declare martial law in Minnesota .
The South African comedian had big shoes to fill , taking over from Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central ’ s The Daily Show in 2015 .
But Noah won plaudits not only for his sense of humor but his deadly serious monologues – and global perspective – on topics such as the Black Lives Matter protests and interviews with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was among leaders of the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election .
But he was fired from the FBI when it revealed he had been swapping anti-Trump text messages with Page , with whom he was having an extramarital affair ( she also left the FBI ) .
After lying low , Stzrok published a memoir , entitled Compromised , and Page resurfaced on Twitter .
The little-known banker and hedge fund founder was hired by Trump as communications director in 2017 , despite the objections of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigned in protest .
Scaramucci ’ s debut in the briefing room was flamboyantly swaggering and ended with an air kiss to the press corps .
“ The Mooch ” lasted just 11 days , felled by an indiscreet interview , but re-emerged as a trenchant Trump critic .
Trump ran through four White House press secretaries but none captured the imagination like Spicer , with an assist from Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live .
His debut briefing in an ill-fitting suit included the false claim that Trump had the biggest inauguration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ write books and become a host on the pro-Trump TV channel Newsmax .
The Australian political reporter , formerly at the Sydney Morning Herald , moved to the US in 2014 to work as a congressional aide .
He joined the Axios website in 2016 and became a must-read for both political news and palace intrigue .
Swan won plaudits in 2020 for subjecting Trump to a grilling rivalled only by Chris Wallace of Fox News ; Swan ’ s perplexed expressions proved irresistible to meme makers .
The national security aide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was three , offered key testimony during the Trump impeachment hearings and , in apparent retaliation , was ousted from his job on the national security council .
Vindman announced his retirement in July and is writing a memoir called Here , Right Matters : An American Story .

Millions of lives across America and the world were touched by Donald Trump’s unlikely candidacy and presidency.
But some were upended completely, resulting in life-changing or career-ending experiences and instant fame or notoriety as four incredibly tumultuous and norm-shattering years played out.
Here are 20 examples of those who emerged from relative obscurity to become “stars” of the Trump era.
The lawyer: Michael Avenatti
The “smashmouth” lawyer represented Stormy Daniels, an adult film actor, in her lawsuits against Donald Trump and relished goading the US president’s children on social media with the hashtag “#Basta”, meaning “enough”. He even flirted with running for president. But his relationship with Daniels soured and his fall from grace was complete in February when he was convicted of trying to extort more than $20m from Nike.
The political guru: Steve Bannon
Steve Bannon talks to media during the ‘Sovereignism v Europeanism’ debate on 25 March 2019 in Rome, Italy. Photograph: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis/Getty Images
The former naval officer and rightwing media executive went from marginal status to arguably the second most powerful man in Washington. Chairman of Trump’s election campaign and briefly White House chief strategist, he was doomed by clashes with the president’s daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Branded “Sloppy Steve” by Trump, he faded into the background and in August was arrested and charged with fraud over an online fundraising scheme to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.
The unexpected politician: Juli Briskman
A split-second decision changed everything. In 2017 Briskman gave the middle finger to Trump as she cycled alongside the president’s motorcade outside his golf club in Virginia. Photos of the incident went viral and the marketing company she worked for swiftly dismissed her. Two years later, Briskman ran for election to the Loudoun county board of supervisors and won, ousting a Republican. It was a neat symbol of how the Trump years caused a political awakening among ordinary citizens.
The comic: Sarah Cooper
Relatively late in the Trump’s presidency, comedian Sarah Cooper became an internet sensation by posting videos of her lip-syncs to the president’s remarks, complete with hilarious facial expressions. Her meteoric rise earned her a slot at the virtual Democratic national convention. Cooper told the New York Times: “My success is forever linked to this person that I absolutely hate.”
The odd couple: George and Kellyanne Conway
The marriage of lawyer George Conway, one of Trump’s most ardent critics, and Kellyanne Conway, the first woman to run a winning presidential campaign, was the most intriguing in Washington. George gained attention with sardonic tweets and occasional interviews as Kellyanne staunchly defended the president’s “alternative facts” and other offences before quitting in August this year.
The soldier: Michael Flynn
The retired three-star army lieutenant-general led a “Lock her up!” chant about Hillary Clinton at the Republican national convention but spent just 23 days as Trump’s national security adviser. He twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia and faced a possible prison term, only to be granted a pardon by Trump. He is now urging the president to declare martial law in an effort to overturn the 2020 election result.
The heroine: Christine Blasey Ford
Christine Blasey Ford is sworn in before her testimony at the Senate judiciary committee in Washington DC on 27 September 2018. Photograph: Win McNamee/Reuters
One of the most divisive moments of a divisive presidency came in September 2018 when psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford appeared before a Senate committee to quietly but firmly accuse Judge Brett Kavanaugh, nominated by Trump for the supreme court, of sexual assault in 1982. “I am here today not because I want to be,” she said. “I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty.” Kavanaugh was confirmed.
The music man: Rob Goldstone
The Manchester-born tabloid journalist turned music publicist was catapulted into the spotlight by his email setting up a Trump Tower meeting between Donald Trump Jr and a Russian lawyer in June 2016. Goldstone voluntarily testified to multiple congressional committees, special counsel Robert Mueller’s team and a grand jury. He later published a memoir and launched a podcast.
The Trump cheerleader: Kimberly Guilfoyle
The ex-wife of Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, and former Fox News personality became a prominent Trump cheerleader and girlfriend of his eldest son, Don Jr. She spoke often at campaign rallies but her greatest moment came at this year’s virtual Republican national convention when her high-octane speech (to an empty room) including a primal scream: “The best is yet to come!”
The reporter: Maggie Haberman
Media columnist Ben Smith wrote that his New York Times colleague had “one of the most astonishing runs in the history of American journalism”. The hugely prolific Haberman, who joined the paper with little fanfare in 2015, produced many of the greatest scoops about Trump’s presidency, during which journalism never seemed more vital. She landed a book deal with publication due in 2022.
The PR: Hope Hicks
The former White House communications director Hope Hicks on 27 February 2018. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
A former model, she joined Trump’s election campaign in 2015 at the age of 26 and was with him all the way, eventually becoming communications director at the White House. She then left for the Fox Corporation, only to return earlier this year and, in October, she made rare public remarks at a Trump rally in Florida. She also tested positive for the coronavirus.
The witness: Fiona Hill
A coalminer’s daughter from County Durham in the UK, she became senior director for Europe and Russia in the White House national security council and an eyewitness to Trump’s encounters with President Vladimir Putin. Hill became a political star during Trump’s impeachment hearings with her cool, meticulous testimony, urging Republicans to stop pushing the “fictional narrative” that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election.
The dignified father: Khizr Khan
Before the 2016 election, Khan stood at the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia and told how his son, an American Muslim and army captain, died in Iraq, then delivered a searing critique of Trump’s threats to ban Muslim immigrants. Spurred into action, he carried out more than 280 speaking engagements in America and beyond, including the Democratic convention in 2020.
The pillow guy: Mike Lindell
The chief executive of pillow maker MyPillow became a major Trump donor and cheerleader at his campaign rallies. He chaired the president’s re-election effort in Lindell’s native Minnesota. When that effort failed, Lindell reportedly said he had spent more than $1m to bankroll efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory and called for Trump to declare martial law in Minnesota.
The late-night host: Trevor Noah
The South African comedian had big shoes to fill, taking over from Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show in 2015. But Noah won plaudits not only for his sense of humor but his deadly serious monologues – and global perspective – on topics such as the Black Lives Matter protests and interviews with figures such as Barack Obama.
The FBI agents: Lisa Page and Peter Strzok
Strzok was among leaders of the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. But he was fired from the FBI when it revealed he had been swapping anti-Trump text messages with Page, with whom he was having an extramarital affair (she also left the FBI). After lying low, Stzrok published a memoir, entitled Compromised, and Page resurfaced on Twitter.
The Mooch: Anthony Scaramucci
The little-known banker and hedge fund founder was hired by Trump as communications director in 2017, despite the objections of the press secretary, Sean Spicer, who resigned in protest. Scaramucci’s debut in the briefing room was flamboyantly swaggering and ended with an air kiss to the press corps. “The Mooch” lasted just 11 days, felled by an indiscreet interview, but re-emerged as a trenchant Trump critic.
The press secretary: Sean Spicer
Trump ran through four White House press secretaries but none captured the imagination like Spicer, with an assist from Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live. His debut briefing in an ill-fitting suit included the false claim that Trump had the biggest inauguration crowd ever. Spicer went on to write books and become a host on the pro-Trump TV channel Newsmax.
The interviewer: Jonathan Swan
Donald Trump being interviewed by Jonathan Swan on HBO. Photograph: HBO
The Australian political reporter, formerly at the Sydney Morning Herald, moved to the US in 2014 to work as a congressional aide. He joined the Axios website in 2016 and became a must-read for both political news and palace intrigue. Swan won plaudits in 2020 for subjecting Trump to a grilling rivalled only by Chris Wallace of Fox News; Swan’s perplexed expressions proved irresistible to meme makers.
The immigrant: Alexander Vindman
The national security aide, whose family fled the Soviet Union when he was three, offered key testimony during the Trump impeachment hearings and, in apparent retaliation, was ousted from his job on the national security council. Vindman announced his retirement in July and is writing a memoir called Here, Right Matters: An American Story.


theguardian--2020-12-31--Pelosi rebukes McConnell for saying 'no realistic path' for $2,000 relief stimulus bill – video

The Republican Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , says the bill that would direct $ 2,000 coronavirus relief payments @ @ @ @ @ path to quickly pass the Senate ' .
After Donald Trump and Democrats pushed for @ @ @ @ @ said he would not be 'bullied ' by Democrats into quickly approving the measure .
@ @ @ @ @ , criticised McConnell for adding a delay to the payments .
'These Republicans in the @ @ @ @ @ endless tolerance for other people 's sadness , ' she said • Mitch McConnell says @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000 relief checks bill

The Republican Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, says the bill that would direct $2,000 coronavirus relief payments to Americans has 'no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate'. After Donald Trump and Democrats pushed for larger relief cheques, McConnell said he would not be 'bullied' by Democrats into quickly approving the measure. House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, criticised McConnell for adding a delay to the payments.'These Republicans in the Senate seem to have an endless tolerance for other people's sadness,' she said


theguardian--2020-12-31--Republican senator David Perdue to quarantine after Covid-19 exposure

The Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with Covid-19 , taking him off the campaign trail just days before a fiercely-contested runoff election to keep his seat .
The senator was notified on Thursday that he had come into “ close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for Covid-19 ” , according to a statement released by his campaign .
“ Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today , but following his doctor ’ s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines , they will quarantine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not specify how long the senator planned to quarantine .
Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in support of the Republican candidates in Georgia on Monday , the eve of the runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate .
Perdue is being challenged by Jon Ossoff while the senator Kelly Loeffler , who was appointed to her seat last December , faces Raphael Warnock .
Neither Perdue or Loeffler cleared the 50 % threshold required to win their seats outright , triggering the runoffs on 5 January .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Senate chamber would be evenly divided between the parties , with Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote when she takes up her office of vice-president .
Polling suggests the contests are close and that the candidates ’ fates are likely bound up together .
The twin elections have drawn a surge of national attention after Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1992 to carry the state .
In a sign of that enthusiasm , more than 2.8 million voters in Georgia have already cast their ballots – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris will visit Georgia to campaign for the Democrats on Sunday , while Biden will hold an event on Monday .

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The Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia will quarantine after being exposed to someone infected with Covid-19, taking him off the campaign trail just days before a fiercely-contested runoff election to keep his seat.
The senator was notified on Thursday that he had come into “close contact with someone on the campaign who tested positive for Covid-19”, according to a statement released by his campaign.
“Both Senator Perdue and his wife tested negative today, but following his doctor’s recommendations and in accordance with CDC guidelines, they will quarantine,” the statement said.
Statement from our campaign: pic.twitter.com/3U3TJ9Va9l — David Perdue (@Perduesenate) December 31, 2020
The campaign did not specify how long the senator planned to quarantine. Donald Trump is expected to hold a rally in support of the Republican candidates in Georgia on Monday, the eve of the runoff elections that will determine control of the Senate.
Perdue is being challenged by Jon Ossoff while the senator Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last December, faces Raphael Warnock. Neither Perdue or Loeffler cleared the 50% threshold required to win their seats outright, triggering the runoffs on 5 January.
If Perdue and Loeffler lose their races, the Senate chamber would be evenly divided between the parties, with Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote when she takes up her office of vice-president. Polling suggests the contests are close and that the candidates’ fates are likely bound up together.
The twin elections have drawn a surge of national attention after Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1992 to carry the state. In a sign of that enthusiasm, more than 2.8 million voters in Georgia have already cast their ballots – record participation for a runoff election.
Harris will visit Georgia to campaign for the Democrats on Sunday, while Biden will hold an event on Monday.


theguardian--2020-12-31--Fauci calls for extra resources as US misses Covid vaccination target

The top infectious disease expert in the US , Anthony Fauci , called on the federal government on Thursday to deploy more resources to vaccinate Americans after the country missed its goal to get 20 million people inoculated by the end of the year .
As overworked , underfunded state public health departments scrambled to administer the vaccines , some senior citizens waited overnight to receive their first dose in Florida .
“ We would have liked to see it run smoothly and have 20m doses into people today , by the end of 2020 , which was the projection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it didn ’ t happen , and that ’ s disappointing , ” he told NBC in an interview .
The US failure to meets its end-of-year vaccine distribution goal comes as concerns grow about the newly identified variant of Covid-19 circulating in the UK , which was reported to have reached the US this week , with cases in Colorado and California .
More than 14m vaccine doses had been distributed in the US , but only 2.1 million people have been vaccinated , said leaders of the federal vaccine program , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference .
The chief adviser to Operation Warp Speed , Moncef Slaoui , said : “ We know it should be better and we are working hard to make it better.
” Terry Beth Hadler was so eager to get vaccinated that the 69-year-old piano teacher stood in line overnight in a parking lot in Florida with hundreds of other senior citizens .
She waited 14 hours and a brawl nearly erupted before dawn on Tuesday when people cut in line outside the library in Bonita Springs where officials were offering shots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those 65 or older .
“ I ’ m afraid that the event was a super-spreader , ” she said .
“ I was petrified.
” Overworked , underfunded state public health departments are scrambling to patch together plans for administering vaccines .
Counties and hospitals have taken different approaches , leading to long lines , confusion , frustration and jammed phone lines .
A multitude of logistical concerns have complicated the process of trying to beat back the scourge that has killed over 340,000 Americans .
“ It may not be today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
But over the next many weeks , as long as we continue getting the supply , you ’ re going to have the opportunity to get this , ” he said on Wednesday .
Fauci , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( Niaid ) , said to ramp up vaccine distribution , the federal government needs to provide more resources to the local governments tasked with administering the vaccine .
“ Namely , the states , the cities , the counties , the places where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms of individuals , ” Fauci said .
“ We have to support the local groups , the states and the cities to help them get this task done.
” Ashish Jha , a health policy researcher and dean of the Brown University School of Public Health , echoed Fauci in pointing out that states are not getting adequate financial or technical support from the federal government .
Jha said the Trump administration , principally the Department of Health and Human Services , has set states up to fail .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , ” he said .
“ But you need a much more active role from the federal government than what they have been willing to do .
They ’ ve largely said to states , ‘ This is your responsibility .
Figure it out.
” ’ James McCarthy , the chief physician executive at Memorial Hermann in Houston , said the hospital system there had administered about half of the roughly 30,000 doses that it has received since 15 December .
The system had to create a complicated plan from scratch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it out like candy , ” McCarthy said .
More details and concerns over new variant California this week became the second state , after Colorado , to report finding a new variant of the virus that was first confirmed in the United Kingdom .
The patient , who developed symptoms on 27 December , is a 30-year-old San Diego county man who didn ’ t have any history of travel , which could indicate that someone else already had brought the new variant into the state , officials said .
Although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US until this week , the CDC said it was probably already circulating through the country .
Concerns have been raised that it could already be widespread , and too late to stop .
It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population .
Scientists have found no evidence that the variant is more lethal or causes more severe illness , and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it .
But the fear is that mutations at some point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines .
Fauci said it was “ inevitable ” that the new variant , called B117 , would arrive in the US because of the high level of infections in the country .
“ The good news is that it does not appear to be more virulent , namely making people more sick and leading to more deaths , ” Fauci added .
The US has had 19.7m recorded cases of Covid-19 and more than 342,400 people have died from the infection , according to Johns Hopkins University , significantly more than any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s deadliest month since the pandemic began in early 2020 , and health officials have warned January could be worse .
More than 3,740 US coronavirus deaths were reported on Wednesday in the US , the highest death toll in a day yet , surpassing a record 24 hours for deaths the day before .
California is currently experiencing the nation ’ s worst surge .
This week the state passed a grim milestone , becoming the third state , behind New York and Texas , to surpass 25,000 deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have now topped 10,000 , and hospitals are struggling to handle an influx of patients .
The US has recorded more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country .
On Tuesday , the president-elect , Joe Biden , criticized the Trump administration ’ s vaccine distribution efforts .
Fauci said vaccine distribution would probably ramp up in the first weeks of January .
“ Hopefully as we look forward to 2021 , as we get well into the year , with a combination of vaccines and proper adherence to public health measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crush it , the same way we have done with other outbreaks like polio and measles and other important infectious disease , ” Fauci said .
“ So that ’ s the aim and hopefully we ’ ll accomplish it .
”

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The top infectious disease expert in the US, Anthony Fauci, called on the federal government on Thursday to deploy more resources to vaccinate Americans after the country missed its goal to get 20 million people inoculated by the end of the year.
As overworked, underfunded state public health departments scrambled to administer the vaccines, some senior citizens waited overnight to receive their first dose in Florida.
“We would have liked to see it run smoothly and have 20m doses into people today, by the end of 2020, which was the projection,” Fauci said.
“Obviously it didn’t happen, and that’s disappointing,” he told NBC in an interview.
The US failure to meets its end-of-year vaccine distribution goal comes as concerns grow about the newly identified variant of Covid-19 circulating in the UK, which was reported to have reached the US this week, with cases in Colorado and California.
More than 14m vaccine doses had been distributed in the US, but only 2.1 million people have been vaccinated, said leaders of the federal vaccine program, Operation Warp Speed, at a Wednesday news conference.
The chief adviser to Operation Warp Speed, Moncef Slaoui, said: “We know it should be better and we are working hard to make it better.”
Terry Beth Hadler was so eager to get vaccinated that the 69-year-old piano teacher stood in line overnight in a parking lot in Florida with hundreds of other senior citizens.
She waited 14 hours and a brawl nearly erupted before dawn on Tuesday when people cut in line outside the library in Bonita Springs where officials were offering shots on a first-come, first-served basis to those 65 or older.
“I’m afraid that the event was a super-spreader,” she said. “I was petrified.”
Overworked, underfunded state public health departments are scrambling to patch together plans for administering vaccines. Counties and hospitals have taken different approaches, leading to long lines, confusion, frustration and jammed phone lines.
A multitude of logistical concerns have complicated the process of trying to beat back the scourge that has killed over 340,000 Americans.
Syringes of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines at a hospital in Miami, Florida. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, noted the vaccine supply was limited.
“It may not be today for everyone, may not be next week. But over the next many weeks, as long as we continue getting the supply, you’re going to have the opportunity to get this,” he said on Wednesday.
Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid), said to ramp up vaccine distribution, the federal government needs to provide more resources to the local governments tasked with administering the vaccine.
“Namely, the states, the cities, the counties, the places where the vaccine is actually going into the arms of individuals,” Fauci said. “We have to support the local groups, the states and the cities to help them get this task done.”
Ashish Jha, a health policy researcher and dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, echoed Fauci in pointing out that states are not getting adequate financial or technical support from the federal government.
Jha said the Trump administration, principally the Department of Health and Human Services, has set states up to fail.
“There’s a lot states still need to do,” he said. “But you need a much more active role from the federal government than what they have been willing to do. They’ve largely said to states, ‘This is your responsibility. Figure it out.”’
James McCarthy, the chief physician executive at Memorial Hermann in Houston, said the hospital system there had administered about half of the roughly 30,000 doses that it has received since 15 December.
The system had to create a complicated plan from scratch.
“We can’t just hand it out like candy,” McCarthy said.
More details and concerns over new variant
California this week became the second state, after Colorado, to report finding a new variant of the virus that was first confirmed in the United Kingdom.
The patient, who developed symptoms on 27 December, is a 30-year-old San Diego county man who didn’t have any history of travel, which could indicate that someone else already had brought the new variant into the state, officials said.
Although the new variant had not been found in the US until this week, the CDC said it was probably already circulating through the country. Concerns have been raised that it could already be widespread, and too late to stop.
Paramedics prepare to transport a potential Covid-19 patient in Los Angeles, California. Photograph: Apu Gomes/AFP/Getty Images
It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. Scientists have found no evidence that the variant is more lethal or causes more severe illness, and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it. But the fear is that mutations at some point will become significant enough to defeat the vaccines.
Fauci said it was “inevitable” that the new variant, called B117, would arrive in the US because of the high level of infections in the country.
“The good news is that it does not appear to be more virulent, namely making people more sick and leading to more deaths,” Fauci added.
The US has had 19.7m recorded cases of Covid-19 and more than 342,400 people have died from the infection, according to Johns Hopkins University, significantly more than any other country.
December has been the nation’s deadliest month since the pandemic began in early 2020, and health officials have warned January could be worse.
More than 3,740 US coronavirus deaths were reported on Wednesday in the US, the highest death toll in a day yet, surpassing a record 24 hours for deaths the day before.
California is currently experiencing the nation’s worst surge. This week the state passed a grim milestone, becoming the third state, behind New York and Texas, to surpass 25,000 deaths. In hard-hit Los Angeles county, deaths have now topped 10,000, and hospitals are struggling to handle an influx of patients.
The US has recorded more coronavirus cases and deaths than any other country. On Tuesday, the president-elect, Joe Biden, criticized the Trump administration’s vaccine distribution efforts.
Fauci said vaccine distribution would probably ramp up in the first weeks of January.
“Hopefully as we look forward to 2021, as we get well into the year, with a combination of vaccines and proper adherence to public health measures, we can end this thing and crush it, the same way we have done with other outbreaks like polio and measles and other important infectious disease,” Fauci said. “So that’s the aim and hopefully we’ll accomplish it.”


theguardian--2020-12-31--Trump returns to Washington early as allies plot challenge to Biden victory

Donald Trump returned to Washington on Thursday , abruptly cutting short a holiday retreat to his private south Florida resort as the president ’ s allies on Capitol Hill prepare to mount a last-ditch challenge to Joe Biden ’ s election victory .
The president had reportedly been in a stormy mood since his arrival at Mar-a-Lago , where he decamped days before Christmas and was originally expected to remain through the New Year ’ s Eve celebrations .
It was not clear what triggered the president ’ s change of plans .
He declined to answer questions upon boarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House on Thursday morning .
But hours before the White House announced that Trump would spend New Year ’ s Eve in Washington , the Republican senator Josh Hawley of Missouri announced that he would object to the electoral college result when Congress meets on 6 January to affirm Biden as the winner of November ’ s presidential election .
Trump had been goading his most loyal backers in Congress to stage a final intervention on the floor of the House to try to overturn the results of the election .
The effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but destined to fail , but it will test Republicans ’ loyalty to the president , who maintains a vice-like grip on their party , even after Americans voted to remove him from office after a single term .
Many Senate Republicans had hoped to avoid such a showdown over the certification process , typically a formality .
The move by Hawley , a conservative freshman believed to have presidential ambitions , will force his colleagues to publicly affirm or oppose the election results .
Trump lost several battleground states by clear margins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter fraud in six states he lost have been almost uniformly dismissed , including by the supreme court .
Officials at local and national level declared it the most secure election in American history , and the electoral college voted earlier this month to certify Biden ’ s 306-232 win .
And yet Trump has refused to concede , spending his last holiday season as president fuming over his loss .
On Twitter , the president continued to amplify conspiracy theories about voter fraud and lashed out at Republican officials who have refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their states .
On Wednesday , he called on the Republican governor of Georgia , Brian Kemp , to resign even though multiple recounts affirmed Biden ’ s narrow , historic victory in the state .
Trump ’ s premature departure from Mar-a-Lago came amid growing concern in Washington that Iran may be planning further military retaliation ahead of the first anniversary of the US killing of the top Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani on 3 January .
His return also comes a day after the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress increase the size of coronavirus relief checks to Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 .
Trump for days delayed signing the massive stimulus package – threatening a government shutdown – over his insistence that the legislation include the $ 2,000 checks .
Trump ultimately relented , but continued to press Republican leaders , calling their inaction “ pathetic ” and a political “ death wish ” .
On Wednesday , McConnell said there was “ no realistic path ” for the Senate to pass a House bill that would raise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grappling with the public health and economic toll of the virus .
The Senate is also preparing to override Trump ’ s veto of a military defense bill that was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support .
As the pandemic rages , officials in Colorado and California announced the discovery of a new and possibly more contagious variant of the coronavirus , while the vaccine rollout fell behind its goals amid complaints of chaos and underfunding for states , Trump maintained a relatively low public profile during the holiday break , remaining mostly out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment about the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville , nor the death of a newly elected Republican congressman , Luke Letlow , from complications related to Covid-19 .
Instead , Trump has remained fixated on undermining the results of the November election since he arrived at Mar-a-Lago on 23 December , accompanied by the first lady , Melania Trump .
Already sour , his mood was darkened further when he saw the renovations to his private quarters at the club , which had been overseen by his wife in an effort to prepare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , according to CNN .
Trump ’ s earlier than expected departure means the president will not attend the resort ’ s annual New Year ’ s Eve party , a lavish , black tie affair he and his family traditionally attend .
According to CNN , as many as 500 reservations had already been confirmed for the event .
The network reported that the party is expected to go ahead without the guest of honor , despite a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and pleas from public health officials to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings .

Donald Trump returned to Washington on Thursday, abruptly cutting short a holiday retreat to his private south Florida resort as the president’s allies on Capitol Hill prepare to mount a last-ditch challenge to Joe Biden’s election victory.
The president had reportedly been in a stormy mood since his arrival at Mar-a-Lago, where he decamped days before Christmas and was originally expected to remain through the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It was not clear what triggered the president’s change of plans. He declined to answer questions upon boarding for his flight back to the White House on Thursday morning.
But hours before the White House announced that Trump would spend New Year’s Eve in Washington, the Republican senator Josh Hawley of Missouri announced that he would object to the electoral college result when Congress meets on 6 January to affirm Biden as the winner of November’s presidential election.
Trump had been goading his most loyal backers in Congress to stage a final intervention on the floor of the House to try to overturn the results of the election.
The effort to keep Trump in power is all but destined to fail, but it will test Republicans’ loyalty to the president, who maintains a vice-like grip on their party, even after Americans voted to remove him from office after a single term.
Many Senate Republicans had hoped to avoid such a showdown over the certification process, typically a formality. The move by Hawley, a conservative freshman believed to have presidential ambitions, will force his colleagues to publicly affirm or oppose the election results.
Trump lost several battleground states by clear margins. His volley of lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud in six states he lost have been almost uniformly dismissed, including by the supreme court.
Officials at local and national level declared it the most secure election in American history, and the electoral college voted earlier this month to certify Biden’s 306-232 win.
And yet Trump has refused to concede, spending his last holiday season as president fuming over his loss.
On Twitter, the president continued to amplify conspiracy theories about voter fraud and lashed out at Republican officials who have refused his demands to overturn his loss in their states.
On Wednesday, he called on the Republican governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, to resign even though multiple recounts affirmed Biden’s narrow, historic victory in the state.
Trump’s premature departure from Mar-a-Lago came amid growing concern in Washington that Iran may be planning further military retaliation ahead of the first anniversary of the US killing of the top Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani on 3 January.
His return also comes a day after the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, effectively denied Trump’s demand that Congress increase the size of coronavirus relief checks to Americans from $600 to $2,000.
Trump for days delayed signing the massive stimulus package – threatening a government shutdown – over his insistence that the legislation include the $2,000 checks. Trump ultimately relented, but continued to press Republican leaders, calling their inaction “pathetic” and a political “death wish”.
On Wednesday, McConnell said there was “no realistic path” for the Senate to pass a House bill that would raise the amount of money disbursed to American families grappling with the public health and economic toll of the virus.
The Senate is also preparing to override Trump’s veto of a military defense bill that was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
As the pandemic rages, officials in Colorado and California announced the discovery of a new and possibly more contagious variant of the coronavirus, while the vaccine rollout fell behind its goals amid complaints of chaos and underfunding for states, Trump maintained a relatively low public profile during the holiday break, remaining mostly out of view.
He made no public comment about the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville, nor the death of a newly elected Republican congressman, Luke Letlow, from complications related to Covid-19.
Instead, Trump has remained fixated on undermining the results of the November election since he arrived at Mar-a-Lago on 23 December, accompanied by the first lady, Melania Trump.
Already sour, his mood was darkened further when he saw the renovations to his private quarters at the club, which had been overseen by his wife in an effort to prepare their family for life after the White House, according to CNN.
Trump’s earlier than expected departure means the president will not attend the resort’s annual New Year’s Eve party, a lavish, black tie affair he and his family traditionally attend.
According to CNN, as many as 500 reservations had already been confirmed for the event.
The network reported that the party is expected to go ahead without the guest of honor, despite a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and pleas from public health officials to stay home and limit the size of holiday gatherings.


theguardian--2020-12-31--Year ends on low note as 787,000 more Americans file for unemployment

Another 787,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the week before Christmas , the last snapshot of 2020 ’ s appalling jobs market before the New Year .
Unemployment claims have been rising again in recent weeks to their highest levels since the autumn as surging coronavirus rates have slowed hiring and led to more layoffs .
At current levels the weekly claims figures are almost four times their pre-pandemic average .
The latest weekly figure from the Department of Labor was 19,000 lower than the previous week ’ s 803,000 claims but the average number of claims over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than the population of the city of Seattle .
The national unemployment rate started the year at 3.6 % in January and hit a record high of 14.7 % in April as the coronavirus shut down much of the US economy .
The unemployment rate has since declined dramatically , it was 6.7 % in November , but the recovery has been uneven with women and black , Hispanic and young people still experiencing high levels of unemployment .
The numbers of long-term unemployed are rising .
The recent increases in weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to the Economic Policy Institute , 25.7 million workers in the US remain officially unemployed , otherwise out of work due to the pandemic , or have experienced a reduction in work hours or pay .
After months of wrangling Congress has finally brokered a deal to extend unemployment assistance to the millions laid off during the pandemic .
The $ 900bn Covid-19 relief bill will give those receiving unemployment benefits an extra $ 300 a week and extends two pandemic-specific programs used by about 14 million people .
But the delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country face delays in payments and more hardship .
Fernando Comas of Secaucus , New Jersey , worked as a video engineer in the entertainment industry before the pandemic and has been furloughed since March until at least 2021 .
Six weeks ago , his benefits were exhausted .
He has been unable to receive answers from his state unemployment agency to try to resolve the issue .
“ I have a family to feed , a mortgage to pay , a car payment , and I ’ m a single father of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide for them , ” said Comas , who can not afford to find other work because his family ’ s health coverage is still being covered by his employer .
“ I ’ m going to lose everything , probably going to be evicted and will start to go to the food banks for food for my family .
”

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Another 787,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the week before Christmas, the last snapshot of 2020’s appalling jobs market before the New Year.
Unemployment claims have been rising again in recent weeks to their highest levels since the autumn as surging coronavirus rates have slowed hiring and led to more layoffs. At current levels the weekly claims figures are almost four times their pre-pandemic average.
The latest weekly figure from the Department of Labor was 19,000 lower than the previous week’s 803,000 claims but the average number of claims over the last four weeks is now 836,750, more than the population of the city of Seattle.
The national unemployment rate started the year at 3.6% in January and hit a record high of 14.7% in April as the coronavirus shut down much of the US economy. The unemployment rate has since declined dramatically, it was 6.7% in November, but the recovery has been uneven with women and black, Hispanic and young people still experiencing high levels of unemployment. The numbers of long-term unemployed are rising.
The recent increases in weekly unemployment claims signal more trouble ahead.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, 25.7 million workers in the US remain officially unemployed, otherwise out of work due to the pandemic, or have experienced a reduction in work hours or pay.
After months of wrangling Congress has finally brokered a deal to extend unemployment assistance to the millions laid off during the pandemic. The $900bn Covid-19 relief bill will give those receiving unemployment benefits an extra $300 a week and extends two pandemic-specific programs used by about 14 million people. But the delay in the agreement means many across the country face delays in payments and more hardship.
Fernando Comas of Secaucus, New Jersey, worked as a video engineer in the entertainment industry before the pandemic and has been furloughed since March until at least 2021.
Six weeks ago, his benefits were exhausted. He has been unable to receive answers from his state unemployment agency to try to resolve the issue.
“I have a family to feed, a mortgage to pay, a car payment, and I’m a single father of two small girls who rely on me to provide for them,” said Comas, who cannot afford to find other work because his family’s health coverage is still being covered by his employer. “I’m going to lose everything, probably going to be evicted and will start to go to the food banks for food for my family.”


theguardian--2020-01-31--Trump impeachment: president faces key vote on calling witnesses – live updates

If today does turn out to be the end of the road for Trump ’ s impeachment , there will surely be some soul-searching in the Democratic party about whether or not they made the right decision in triggering this process .
Democratic leaders went into it knowing it was almost certain Trump would be acquitted , but they hoped to put his impeachment on the record for posterity , gum up his legislative agenda , and damage him ahead of this November ’ s election .
They seem to have succeeded on the first two counts , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point – and we won ’ t be able to judge that for sure until election night .
Certainly Trump and the Republicans have been forcefully making the case that the impeachment process was an attempt by the Democrats to overturn Americans ’ democratic choice in 2016 , and take away their democratic choice this year .
“ Washington Dems have spent the last 3 years trying to overturn the last election – and we will make sure they face another crushing defeat in the NEXT ELECTION , ” the president tweeted overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument may succeed in rallying support for Trump .
But Democrats may feel that if even half a percentage point ends up being knocked off Trump ’ s vote tally by impeachment , that ’ s a success .
Polling so far has been a bit inconclusive .
More Americans have consistently supported putting him through the impeachment process than oppose it – although that support has never been higher than 52 % .
Support for removing him has been more flaky - after starting surprisingly strongly earlier this year , it dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two are running neck and neck .
Meanwhile Trump ’ s approval rating remains pretty much where it has been since mid-2018 , with around 52 % disapproving of the president and 44 % approving .
None of the many dramas that have shaken Trump ’ s presidency in the last 18 months have substantially shifted those figures .

1 Feb 2020 02.06 GMT As they headed out for the weekend, Democratic senators representing swing states indicated they’re still weighing whether or not to acquit Donald Trump on Wednesday. “I swear to God I won’t know until I walk in,” said Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator of West Virginia. He’s “back and forth”, he said. Senator Doug Jones, a Democrat of Alabama is also mulling. “I’m still working on all of that,” he said.
Updated at 02.06 GMT
1 Feb 2020 01.53 GMT Tom McCarthy What’s next? The U.S. Capitol tonight. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Monday The Senate convenes at 11am with the chief justice, John Roberts, presiding. The prosecutors in the case, known as House managers, will make closing arguments, to be followed by Trump’s defense, with two hours allotted to each side. The Senate would adjourn as a court of impeachment until Wednesday. Tuesday
Speeches by the senators. For the first time in two weeks, Roberts will not be on hand. The president will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday night without the trial having concluded, a scenario he had hoped to avoid. But Trump’s acquittal does not seem in doubt. Wednesday The Senate holds two afternoon votes, at 4pm, one on each article of impeachment. If a majority of senators votes to acquit Trump in each case – and any other result would be shocking – Trump is acquitted and he remains in office. With that, the impeachment process would be concluded. Trump would become the third president in US history to be impeached and then to escape removal at trial. Trump's impeachment trial is racing to a close. Here's what the final days will look like Read more
1 Feb 2020 01.37 GMT Senator Lisa Murkowski told reporters she’s “just gonna chill” after a dramatic day at the Capitol. Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska who was initially undecided on the question of witnesses, announced this morning that she’d be voting against considering new testimony and dashed any hopes that Democrats could secure the votes needed to subpoena John Bolton and other officials who might deliver damning new evidence in the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.
Asked by reporters whether she’ll vote to remove Trump from office, Murkowski responded: “I’ve had so much drama today, I’m just gonna chill.” “I’m at that point where I’m frustrated and disappointed and angry at all sides,” she added.
Updated at 01.38 GMT
1 Feb 2020 01.04 GMT Senate leader Mitch McConnell reportedly ran his plan for the final days of the impeachment trial by the president, according to multiple reports. “Leader McConnell called President Trump before he introduced the resolution. They discussed the details and the president signed off,” source familiar says — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 1, 2020 Both CNN and the New York Times are reporting that McConnell called Donald Trump and got the president’s approval before presenting it to Senators for a vote. The Guardian has not independently confirmed these reports.
Updated at 01.06 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.58 GMT Rules for deliberating and voting on articles of impeachment approved The rules were approved, 53-47 along party lines, as proposed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The trial is adjourned until 11am ET, on Monday February 3.
Updated at 00.59 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.51 GMT Senators have voted to kill two more amendments proposed by the Democrats. The third amendment to subpoena John Bolton, spend one day on his deposition and one day on live testimony — both of which must occur within five days — was defeated 51-49, with Republicans Romney and Collins voting with the Democrats. And the fourth amendment, from Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, to require the Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents was also voted down, 53-47 along party lines. The Senate is now voting on the rules for deliberating and voting on the articles of impeachments.
Updated at 00.55 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.38 GMT Nancy Pelosi: 'Republicans are 'accomplices to the President’s cover-up' Nancy Pelosi called Republicans ‘accomplices to the President’s cover-up’. Photograph: Michael Brochstein/Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media The House leader, who opened and oversaw the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, has delivered a harsh rebuke to the Senators who voted against hearing witnesses and considering new evidence. “The Senate Republicans’ vote against calling witnesses and compelling documents in the impeachment proceedings makes them accomplices to the president’s cover-up,” Pelosi said. “It is a sad day for America to see Senator McConnell require the chief justice of the United States to preside over a vote which rejected our nation’s judicial norms, precedents and institutions to uphold the constitution and the rule of law,” she said in a statement. Even if Trump is acquitted, she said, “he is impeached forever”. “There can be no acquittal without a trial,” she said. “ And there is no trial without witnesses, documents and evidence.”
Updated at 00.49 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.33 GMT Chuck Schumer’s second amendment, to subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton, whose unpublished book reportedly contains shocking allegations that Donald Trump directly oversaw a pressure campaign in Ukraine. Senators voted it down, once again along on party line, though this time Republican senators Mitt Romney and Susan Collins voted with the 47 Democrats. The remaining two documents are also efforts to subpoena additional evidence and are also likely to be voted down.
Updated at 00.41 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.27 GMT Senators have swiftly moved to vote on Chuck Schumer’s first of four anticipated amendments, to subpoena Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Michael Duffey and Robert Blair as well as documents from White House, OMB and the Defense and State Department. The amendment was defeated by a party-line, 53-47.
Updated at 00.28 GMT
1 Feb 2020 00.23 GMT The Chief Justice John Roberts said it would be “inappropriate for me, an unelected official from a different branch of government” to break a 50-50 tie. If senators tie on any votes, the motion will fail, Roberts said.
Roberts was responding to a question from the minority leader Chuck Schumer, who pointed out that the supreme court justice presiding over the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson broke two ties. “I do not regard those isolated episodes 150 years ago as sufficient to support a general authority to break ties,” Roberts responded.
Updated at 00.56 GMT