theguardian--2020-11-22--Biden vows diverse administration – but first appointments are from his political circle

Joe Biden has vowed to make his administration the most diverse in American history with an array of people and political viewpoints in a party that has deep divisions .
But so far the president-elect has made clear that prioritizes his own viewpoint .
The former vice-president and incoming president is yet to announce his picks for various major cabinet agencies , but he has unveiled a big portion of his senior staff so far , and that batch of incoming top staffers are largely the gang of advisers Biden has kept close to him for years .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his administration are one of his most powerful tools for healing some of the fractures between the Democrats ’ leftist and centrist wings and for guiding the party ’ s path forwards at a time of national crisis in the wake of the Trump era and the coronavirus pandemic .
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon Biden offered a few hints of who he will nominate for treasury secretary – one of the most important offices he will fill .
“ It ’ s someone who will be accepted by all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive to moderate , ” Biden said .
That comment in itself narrowed the list of high-profile possibilities .
It is unlikely to be a rock-the-boat selection like leftwing Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren , who would probably spark anxiety among the business community , or someone like JP Morgan Chase ’ s CEO , Jamie Dimon , a hypothetical candidate who would infuriate progressives .
In other words Biden is showing that while he wants to have an inclusive administration , he ’ s also eager to take a somewhat middle-of-the-road approach as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factions .
Similarly , Biden has decided so far to fill his White House senior staff with longtime advisers who are largely inoffensive to disparate wings of the Democratic party .
He has appointed Ron Klain , his chief of staff while vice-president , to the same role as president .
Jenn O ’ Malley Dillon , Biden ’ s general election campaign manager , will be deputy chief of staff .
Mike Donilon , who served as counselor to Biden as vice-president , will reprise the same title at the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staff to Biden , will be a counselor as well .
Biden also picked the Louisiana congressman Cedric Richmond , his former campaign co-chairman , as a senior adviser .
There are other members of Biden ’ s decades-old political circle who have not been publicly assigned posts , like Bruce Reed , another top adviser .
Veterans of past Democratic transitions strongly expect Biden to continue appointing longtime advisers and older Democratic operatives to key posts in his administration .
Biden ’ s White House communications team is a source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appoint Symone Sanders , a senior adviser on his campaign , to be White House press secretary .
Sanders would be the first African American woman to take that role .
Kate Bedingfield , Biden ’ s deputy campaign manager and communications director , is also in the running as well .
Rahm Emanuel , the former mayor of Chicago , former Illinois congressman , and first chief of staff to then president Obama , is a top prospect for secretary of transportation .
That possibility has sparked ire from liberal outside groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different approaches to early appointments and filling out White House senior staff .
In 2008 then president-elect Barack Obama brought on longtime Washington hands like Emanuel to run his team .
Jimmy Carter , decades earlier , imported a team largely from Georgia .
Biden , though , has been a “ Washington creature for 40-something years ” , noted Roy Neel , a former chief of staff to the former vice-president Al Gore .
“ The relationships that he ’ s developed , relationships of trust among political professionals and others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that it would have surprised him if Biden hadn ’ t picked hands like Klain , O ’ Malley Dillon , and Richetti .
Shortlists for other top cabinet spots are often full of either candidate with deep ties to Biden or experience in the Obama administration .
Some Democrats see former acting attorney general Sally Yates as a favorite to serve as the Biden administration ’ s attorney general .
Outgoing Alabama senator Doug Jones , a longtime friend of Biden ’ s , is also often mentioned as another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice , alongside the former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick .
Alabama Democrats and allies to Jones expect the Alabama senator would accept the job if offered it , according to interviews with multiple Democrats close to the senator .
Lisa Monaco is another top candidate to run the Department of Homeland Security .
Overall though Biden has signaled that he plans to be inclusive and somewhat predictable as president .
There have been signals that even without a progressive champion at the helm of the major economic institutions in his administration , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the economy .
He has also made clear that he plans to marshal a major federal response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Biden has already set up and been meeting with a an advisory group of health experts on the pandemic .
“ The big publicly notable efforts on diversity will be in the cabinet , ” Neel said .
Neel , like other veteran Democratic operatives , said that the real diversity in Biden ’ s administration will be announced in appointments that haven ’ t been filled yet .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sense of calm and normalcy about his transition even as the Trump administration has taken unheard of steps in response to Biden ’ s victory .
Trump has refused to concede defeat and instead urged his political and legal team to move forward with long-shot lawsuits to try and prove his unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud .
Those efforts have been almost uniformly unsuccessful .
The General Services Administration ( GSA ) , the federal agency that traditionally quickly ascertains the winner of the presidential election , has not done so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that agency , Emily Murphy , reportedly is torn over immense pressure to declare Biden the winner despite her unusual inclination to wait .
Because of Murphy ’ s hesitance the Biden transition team has not had access to money , classified briefings and resources president-elects usually receive .
Behind the scenes , Biden ’ s team has urged donors to give money to the transition to compensate for those lack of resources .
Evan Ryan , an adviser on the Biden transition team , has also been headlining conversations with donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s work .
“ Unfortunately we have still not received the money we need to totally fund the Biden Harris transition because President Trump has stopped GSA from giving our Transition effort over $ 8m in cash and in-kind contributions , ” the Democratic National Committee ’ s national finance chair , Chris Korge , wrote in a fundraising pitch obtained by the Guardian .
Korge added : “ President Trump refuses to commence the transition process in full to the detriment of ALL Americans !
Quite frankly this is just flat out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the big losers if we don ’ t immediately step up and do something about it !
”

Joe Biden has vowed to make his administration the most diverse in American history with an array of people and political viewpoints in a party that has deep divisions. But so far the president-elect has made clear that prioritizes his own viewpoint.
The former vice-president and incoming president is yet to announce his picks for various major cabinet agencies, but he has unveiled a big portion of his senior staff so far, and that batch of incoming top staffers are largely the gang of advisers Biden has kept close to him for years.
That’s important because Biden’s picks for his administration are one of his most powerful tools for healing some of the fractures between the Democrats’ leftist and centrist wings and for guiding the party’s path forwards at a time of national crisis in the wake of the Trump era and the coronavirus pandemic.
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon Biden offered a few hints of who he will nominate for treasury secretary – one of the most important offices he will fill. “It’s someone who will be accepted by all elements of the Democratic party, from progressive to moderate,” Biden said.
That comment in itself narrowed the list of high-profile possibilities. It is unlikely to be a rock-the-boat selection like leftwing Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, who would probably spark anxiety among the business community, or someone like JP Morgan’s chief executive, Jamie Dimon, a hypothetical candidate who would infuriate progressives.
In other words Biden is showing that while he wants to have an inclusive administration, he’s also eager to take a somewhat middle-of-the-road approach as he navigates the party’s bickering factions.
Similarly, Biden has decided so far to fill his White House senior staff with longtime advisers who are largely inoffensive to disparate wings of the Democratic party. He has appointed Ron Klain, his chief of staff while vice-president, to the same role as president. Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s general election campaign manager, will be deputy chief of staff. Mike Donilon, who served as counselor to Biden as vice-president, will reprise the same title at the White House. Steve Ricchetti, another former chief of staff to Biden, will be a counselor as well. Biden also picked the Louisiana congressman Cedric Richmond, his former campaign co-chairman, as a senior adviser.
Ron Klain and Barack Obama at the White House in November 2014. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA
There are other members of Biden’s decades-old political circle who have not been publicly assigned posts, like Bruce Reed, another top adviser.
Veterans of past Democratic transitions strongly expect Biden to continue appointing longtime advisers and older Democratic operatives to key posts in his administration. Biden’s White House communications team is a source of widespread intrigue as well. He could appoint Symone Sanders, a senior adviser on his campaign, to be White House press secretary. Sanders would be the first African American woman to take that role. Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications director, is also in the running as well.
Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, former Illinois congressman, and first chief of staff to then president Obama, is a top prospect for secretary of transportation. That possibility has sparked ire from liberal outside groups.
The relationships he’s developed, relationships of trust among political professionals and others, have been Washington-centric Roy Neel
Past incoming Democratic administrations took radically different approaches to early appointments and filling out White House senior staff.
In 2008 then president-elect Barack Obama brought on longtime Washington hands like Emanuel to run his team. Jimmy Carter, decades earlier, imported a team largely from Georgia. Biden, though, has been a “Washington creature for 40-something years”, noted Roy Neel, a former chief of staff to the former vice-president Al Gore.
“The relationships that he’s developed, relationships of trust among political professionals and others, have been Washington-centric,” Neel said, adding that it would have surprised him if Biden hadn’t picked hands like Klain, O’Malley Dillon, and Ricchetti.
Shortlists for other top cabinet spots are often full of either candidate with deep ties to Biden or experience in the Obama administration.
Some Democrats see former acting attorney general Sally Yates as a favorite to serve as the Biden administration’s attorney general. Outgoing Alabama senator Doug Jones, a longtime friend of Biden’s, is also often mentioned as another top prospect to run the Department of Justice, alongside the former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. Alabama Democrats and allies to Jones expect the Alabama senator would accept the job if offered it, according to interviews with multiple Democrats close to the senator. Lisa Monaco is another top candidate to run the Department of Homeland Security.
Overall though Biden has signaled that he plans to be inclusive and somewhat predictable as president. There have been signals that even without a progressive champion at the helm of the major economic institutions in his administration, Biden still plans to take a tough-on-Wall-Street approach to the economy. He has also made clear that he plans to marshal a major federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Biden has already set up and been meeting with a an advisory group of health experts on the pandemic.
“The big publicly notable efforts on diversity will be in the cabinet,” Neel said.
Neel, like other veteran Democratic operatives, said that the real diversity in Biden’s administration will be announced in appointments that haven’t been filled yet.
Biden’s team has worked to stress a sense of calm and normalcy about his transition even as the Trump administration has taken unheard of steps in response to Biden’s victory. Trump has refused to concede defeat and instead urged his political and legal team to move forward with long-shot lawsuits to try and prove his unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud. Those efforts have been almost uniformly unsuccessful.
The General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency that traditionally quickly ascertains the winner of the presidential election, has not done so yet for Biden. The Trump-appointed head of that agency, Emily Murphy, reportedly is torn over immense pressure to declare Biden the winner despite her unusual inclination to wait. Because of Murphy’s hesitance the Biden transition team has not had access to money, classified briefings and resources president-elects usually receive.
Behind the scenes, Biden’s team has urged donors to give money to the transition to compensate for those lack of resources. Evan Ryan, an adviser on the Biden transition team, has also been headlining conversations with donors to talk more about the transition’s work.
“Unfortunately we have still not received the money we need to totally fund the Biden Harris transition because President Trump has stopped GSA from giving our Transition effort over $8m in cash and in-kind contributions,” the Democratic National Committee’s national finance chair, Chris Korge, wrote in a fundraising pitch obtained by the Guardian.
Korge added: “President Trump refuses to commence the transition process in full to the detriment of ALL Americans! Quite frankly this is just flat out WRONG and the American people will be the big losers if we don’t immediately step up and do something about it!”


theguardian--2020-11-22--When I met Obama he voiced his belief in the ‘possibility of America’. But the reality is distressin

When I met Obama he voiced his belief in the ‘possibility of America’. But the reality is distressing | David Olusoga

The streets of downtown Washington DC are lined with plywood .
Shops , restaurants , banks , spas and gyms have all boarded up their windows .
The capital looks like a city reeling from some economic calamity or preparing for a natural disaster .
But behind the wooden screens , Washington ’ s swanky shops and expensive restaurants are still very much open .
Little signs on the plywood boards direct customers to plywood doors and at tables , outside boarded-up restaurants , diners place their orders and drink their coffee .
Despite outward appearances , it is business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least what passes for usual in 2020 .
Most of the plywood boards went up towards the end of October , not in the wake of an economic crisis but out of fear of a looming political one .
Business owners in Washington , like those in other US cities , came to the not unreasonable conclusion that violence and civil unrest might erupt in the aftermath of this month ’ s bitterly divisive elections .
The unspoken presumption that in the United States , the world ’ s oldest democracy , elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fact that even two weeks after that poll – and despite appeals from the city ’ s leaders and offers of free disposal for the tons of wood – Washington ’ s walls of plywood remain largely in place is a testimony to the fact that the transition of power , just like the election , is proving uncertain and destabilising .
I ’ ve been to many developing nations in which the wealthy and the connected bring down their shutters and abandon the cities at election time .
I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US .
Alongside images of bodies being loaded into makeshift Covid morgues , children weeping in cages and torchlit rallies by white supremacists , the boarded-up businesses of Washington DC in the autumn of 2020 is a sight that would have seemed unimaginable four years ago , utterly inconceivable a decade ago .
In America , elections are supposed to be peaceful and defeated presidents are supposed to concede .
And convention demands that former presidents spend an unspecified number of years in the political shadows , leaving the succeeding administration to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or hectoring from the wings .
It is widely presumed that when Donald Trump is finally prised from the Oval Office , he will disregard that convention of US presidential politics , just as he has disregarded most of the others .
By contrast , adherence to the convention is why Barack Obama has been largely , though not entirely , silent for the past four years .
In the same week that city leaders were attempting to cajole reluctant business owners to take down their fortifications , the former president made his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world to promote the publication of A Promised Land , the first volume of his presidential memoirs , a book that reportedly sold 890,000 copies on the day of release .
Across 768 detailed and often densely argued pages , Obama ’ s presidential memoir does what such books are supposed to do – reveal the thinking and the personalities behind the big decisions .
But A Promised Land is also a meditation on Obama ’ s faith in what he calls “ the possibility of America ” .
His long absence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the rump end of the Trump presidency , makes it impossible to avoid comparing Obama and his successor .
Never has the gulf between America ’ s 44th and 45th presidents been more stark and manifest .
In A Promised Land , Obama describes President Trump as “ someone diametrically opposed to everything we stood for ” , but Obama ’ s return to the television studios focuses attention on the differences between the character of the two men as much as the political gulf between them .
To many , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the feel of a “ return to normalcy ” , a nostalgic glimpse at what US presidents and US politics were once like .
After four years of all-caps and presidential tweets , Obama ’ s long , purposeful sentences and literary references are something Americans have grown unaccustomed to .
In the interview I conducted with the former president for the BBC , he referred to or paraphrased Abraham Lincoln , Martin Luther King and F Scott Fitzgerald ; the last reference sailed over my head and was only brought to my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scholar Sarah Churchwell .
After a presidency like no other , after a corrosively acrimonious election and in the midst of a transition still being obstructed by the incumbent , Obama seems almost like a time-travelling visitor from an earlier age , a man whose antiquated customs and old-fashioned sense of propriety remind us of how things were once done and how far we have wandered .
The Obama of 2020 speaks , at times , with a slight tone of controlled exasperation .
He has the air of a disappointed parent surveying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party that took place while he was out of town .
It perhaps should come as little surprise that a man famed for his oratory can deploy words as effectively on the page as from the podium .
What is unexpected in A Promised Land is not its literary elegance but the former president ’ s candour .
It is Obama himself who makes the case against his own faith in America and his belief in progress .
He writes of how the sight of a black man in the Oval Office inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fanatical opposition to his presidency and his person .
He acknowledges that the presence of an African American first family in the White House unleashed a blizzard of hatred , much of it directed at Michelle Obama , unveiling the true burning intensity of American racism .
In interviews since the book was published , he has acknowledged the crisis facing US democracy , dangerously undermined by the ongoing struggle “ to distinguish what is true from what is false ” .
Yet the “ possibility of America ” , Obama ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nation capable of doing what he believes “ no other nation has ever done ” and find a way to “ actually live up to the meaning of our creed ” – remains undimmed .
The question in 2020 is whether that faith is justified or dangerously misplaced .
* David Olusoga is a historian and broadcaster .
His latest book is Black and British : A Short , Essential History

The streets of downtown Washington DC are lined with plywood. Shops, restaurants, banks, spas and gyms have all boarded up their windows. The capital looks like a city reeling from some economic calamity or preparing for a natural disaster. But behind the wooden screens, Washington’s swanky shops and expensive restaurants are still very much open. Little signs on the plywood boards direct customers to plywood doors and at tables, outside boarded-up restaurants, diners place their orders and drink their coffee. Despite outward appearances, it is business as usual in DC – or at least what passes for usual in 2020.
Most of the plywood boards went up towards the end of October, not in the wake of an economic crisis but out of fear of a looming political one. Business owners in Washington, like those in other US cities, came to the not unreasonable conclusion that violence and civil unrest might erupt in the aftermath of this month’s bitterly divisive elections. The unspoken presumption that in the United States, the world’s oldest democracy, elections will pass off peacefully has manifestly evaporated.
The fact that even two weeks after that poll – and despite appeals from the city’s leaders and offers of free disposal for the tons of wood – Washington’s walls of plywood remain largely in place is a testimony to the fact that the transition of power, just like the election, is proving uncertain and destabilising. I’ve been to many developing nations in which the wealthy and the connected bring down their shutters and abandon the cities at election time. I just never imagined anything similar taking place in the US.
Alongside images of bodies being loaded into makeshift Covid morgues, children weeping in cages and torchlit rallies by white supremacists, the boarded-up businesses of Washington DC in the autumn of 2020 is a sight that would have seemed unimaginable four years ago, utterly inconceivable a decade ago.
In America, elections are supposed to be peaceful and defeated presidents are supposed to concede. And convention demands that former presidents spend an unspecified number of years in the political shadows, leaving the succeeding administration to govern free from any back-seat presidential driving or hectoring from the wings. It is widely presumed that when Donald Trump is finally prised from the Oval Office, he will disregard that convention of US presidential politics, just as he has disregarded most of the others. By contrast, adherence to the convention is why Barack Obama has been largely, though not entirely, silent for the past four years.
In America, elections are supposed to be peaceful and defeated presidents are supposed to concede
In the same week that city leaders were attempting to cajole reluctant business owners to take down their fortifications, the former president made his return, appearing on screens across the world to promote the publication of A Promised Land, the first volume of his presidential memoirs, a book that reportedly sold 890,000 copies on the day of release.
Across 768 detailed and often densely argued pages, Obama’s presidential memoir does what such books are supposed to do – reveal the thinking and the personalities behind the big decisions. But A Promised Land is also a meditation on Obama’s faith in what he calls “the possibility of America”.
His long absence, and the timing of his return, at the rump end of the Trump presidency, makes it impossible to avoid comparing Obama and his successor. Never has the gulf between America’s 44th and 45th presidents been more stark and manifest. In A Promised Land, Obama describes President Trump as “someone diametrically opposed to everything we stood for”, but Obama’s return to the television studios focuses attention on the differences between the character of the two men as much as the political gulf between them.
To many, the renewed exposure to the former president has the feel of a “return to normalcy”, a nostalgic glimpse at what US presidents and US politics were once like. After four years of all-caps and presidential tweets, Obama’s long, purposeful sentences and literary references are something Americans have grown unaccustomed to. In the interview I conducted with the former president for the BBC, he referred to or paraphrased Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and F Scott Fitzgerald; the last reference sailed over my head and was only brought to my attention later by the literary and humanities scholar Sarah Churchwell.
The Obama of 2020 speaks with a slight tone of controlled exasperation. He has the air of a disappointed parent
After a presidency like no other, after a corrosively acrimonious election and in the midst of a transition still being obstructed by the incumbent, Obama seems almost like a time-travelling visitor from an earlier age, a man whose antiquated customs and old-fashioned sense of propriety remind us of how things were once done and how far we have wandered. The Obama of 2020 speaks, at times, with a slight tone of controlled exasperation. He has the air of a disappointed parent surveying the damage wreaked by a raucous teenage party that took place while he was out of town.
It perhaps should come as little surprise that a man famed for his oratory can deploy words as effectively on the page as from the podium. What is unexpected in A Promised Land is not its literary elegance but the former president’s candour. It is Obama himself who makes the case against his own faith in America and his belief in progress.
He writes of how the sight of a black man in the Oval Office inspired an “almost visceral reaction”, a fanatical opposition to his presidency and his person. He acknowledges that the presence of an African American first family in the White House unleashed a blizzard of hatred, much of it directed at Michelle Obama, unveiling the true burning intensity of American racism. In interviews since the book was published, he has acknowledged the crisis facing US democracy, dangerously undermined by the ongoing struggle “to distinguish what is true from what is false”.
Yet the “possibility of America”, Obama’s conviction that the United States is a nation capable of doing what he believes “no other nation has ever done” and find a way to “actually live up to the meaning of our creed” – remains undimmed. The question in 2020 is whether that faith is justified or dangerously misplaced.
* David Olusoga is a historian and broadcaster. His latest book is Black and British: A Short, Essential History


theguardian--2020-11-22--Joe Biden’s begging bowl demeans the world’s most powerful post | Kenan Malik

‘ Here ’ s the deal : Because President Trump refuses to concede and is delaying the transition , we have to fund it ourselves and need your help .
If you ’ re able , chip in to help fund the Biden-Harris transition.
” So tweeted Joe Biden last week .
His campaign has also sent out emails begging “ grassroots supporters like you… to power us through this critical moment ” .
There is something absurd about the president-elect grifting from car workers and nurses to help him move to the White House .
Normally , the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money – $ 10m – has been blocked because the General Services Administration ( GSA ) , the organisation responsible for handing it out , has refused to recognise Biden ’ s victory .
The begging bowl approach has become common practice in recent years – Donald Trump raised $ 6.5m in 2016 .
The Biden campaign has apparently already solicited $ 8m from corporate backers .
It ’ s a questionable development .
Such pleading erodes the distinction between campaigning and governance .
It provides partisan funding for what is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when America is so polarised , such funding makes it more difficult to be a “ president for all Americans ” .
It further privatises governance , leverages the power of lobbyists and special interests and undermines the authority of the president-elect : the most powerful figure in the world begging for your loose change .
Trump ’ s refusal to accept the election result and the farcical conspiracy theories peddled by his lawyers are undermining US democracy , but in the long term there is something deeply corrosive about turning transition into @ @ @ @ @

‘Here’s the deal: Because President Trump refuses to concede and is delaying the transition, we have to fund it ourselves and need your help. If you’re able, chip in to help fund the Biden-Harris transition.” So tweeted Joe Biden last week. His campaign has also sent out emails begging “grassroots supporters like you… to power us through this critical moment”. There is something absurd about the president-elect grifting from car workers and nurses to help him move to the White House.
Normally, the process is federally funded. This time, the money – $10m – has been blocked because the General Services Administration (GSA), the organisation responsible for handing it out, has refused to recognise Biden’s victory. The begging bowl approach has become common practice in recent years – Donald Trump raised $6.5m in 2016. The Biden campaign has apparently already solicited $8m from corporate backers. It’s a questionable development.
Such pleading erodes the distinction between campaigning and governance. It provides partisan funding for what is part of the state. At a time when America is so polarised, such funding makes it more difficult to be a “president for all Americans”. It further privatises governance, leverages the power of lobbyists and special interests and undermines the authority of the president-elect: the most powerful figure in the world begging for your loose change.
Trump’s refusal to accept the election result and the farcical conspiracy theories peddled by his lawyers are undermining US democracy, but in the long term there is something deeply corrosive about turning transition into a crowd-funded partisan process.
Kenan Malik is an Observer columnist


theguardian--2020-11-22--America is being subjected to a stress test – and Republicans are failing | Robert Reich

Financial regulators subject banks to stress tests to see if they have enough capital to withstand sharp downturns .
Now America is being subjected to a stress test to see if it has enough strength to withstand Donald Trump ’ s treacherous campaign to discredit the 2020 presidential election .
Trump will lose because there ’ s no evidence of fraud .
But the integrity of thousands of people responsible for maintaining American democracy is being tested as never before .
Tragically , most elected Republicans are failing the test by refusing to stand up to Trump .
Their cowardice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public trust in the history of our republic .
Trump is also depending on a Star Wars cantina of lackeys , grifters , sycophants and fruitcakes – including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani , former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich , Senator Lindsey Graham , GOP trickster Roger Stone and others – whose reputations weren ’ t great to begin with but will now and forever be tainted by Trump ’ s moral squalor .
That squalor extends down to Republican members of a board of canvassers in Wayne county , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after Trump phoned them last week , tried to rescind their approval of ballot counts that went overwhelmingly to Joe Biden .
On Friday , Trump invited Michigan ’ s Republican lawmakers to the White House , hoping to persuade them to ignore the popular vote , too .
American democracy wasn ’ t designed for this degree of political depravity .
Here ’ s the good news .
The vast majority of officials are passing the stress test , many with distinction .
Chris Krebs , who led the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last Tuesday refuted Trump ’ s claims of election fraud – saying the claims “ have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent ” .
Trump fired Krebs that afternoon .
Krebs ’ s response : “ Honored to serve .
We did it right.
” Brad Raffensperger – Georgia ’ s Republican secretary of state who oversaw the election there , and describes himself as “ a Republican through and through and never voted for a Democrat ” – is defending Georgia ’ s vote for Biden , rejecting Trump ’ s accusations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Biden won the state ’ s presidential vote .
Raffensperger spurned overtures from Trump quisling Graham , who asked if Raffensperger could toss out all mail-in votes from counties with high rates of questionable signatures .
And Raffensperger dismissed demands from Georgia ’ s two incumbent Republican senators , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue ( both facing tougher-than-anticipated runoffs ) that he resign .
“ This office runs on integrity , ” Raffensperger said , “ and that ’ s what voters want to know , that this person ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received death threats from Republican voters inflamed by Trump ’ s allegations .
He ’ s not the only one .
Election officials in Nevada , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Arizona are also reporting threats .
On Wednesday , Katie Hobbs , the Arizona secretary of state who has until 30 November to certify election results there , called on Republican officials to stop “ perpetuating misinformation ” , adding that threats and “ continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevail , and it will not falter under my watch.
” Honors to her , as well .
While we ’ re at it , let ’ s not forget all the other public officials who have been stress-tested during Trump ’ s repugnant presidency and passed honorably .
I ’ m referring to public health officials unwilling to lie about Covid-19 , military leaders unwilling to back Trump ’ s attacks on Black Lives Matter protesters , inspectors general unwilling to cover up Trump corruption , US foreign service officers unwilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Ukraine , intelligence officials unwilling to bend their reports to suit Trump , and justice department attorneys refusing to participate in Trump ’ s obstructions of justice .
If you think it easy to do what they did , think again .
Some of them lost their jobs .
Many were demoted .
A few have been threatened with violence .
They ’ ve risked all this to do what ’ s right in an America poisoned by Trump , who has no idea what it means to do what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test reveals integrity .
Democracy depends on it .
The fact that Trump ’ s attempted coup won ’ t succeed doesn ’ t make it any less damaging .
A new poll from Monmouth University now finds 77 % of Trump supporters believe Biden ’ s win was due to fraud – a claim , I should emphasize again , backed by zero evidence .
Which means America ’ s stress test won ’ t be over when Joe Biden is sworn in as president 20 January .
In the years to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the integrity of thousands of unsung heroes to do their duty in the face of threats to their livelihoods and perhaps their lives .
Of his many odious acts , Trump ’ s desperate attempt to cling to power by stress-testing American democracy will be his most reprehensible legacy .

Financial regulators subject banks to stress tests to see if they have enough capital to withstand sharp downturns.
Now America is being subjected to a stress test to see if it has enough strength to withstand Donald Trump’s treacherous campaign to discredit the 2020 presidential election.
Trump will lose because there’s no evidence of fraud. But the integrity of thousands of people responsible for maintaining American democracy is being tested as never before.
Tragically, most elected Republicans are failing the test by refusing to stand up to Trump. Their cowardice is one of the worst betrayals of public trust in the history of our republic.
Trump is also depending on a Star Wars cantina of lackeys, grifters, sycophants and fruitcakes – including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Senator Lindsey Graham, GOP trickster Roger Stone and others – whose reputations weren’t great to begin with but will now and forever be tainted by Trump’s moral squalor.
American democracy wasn’t designed for this degree of political depravity
That squalor extends down to Republican members of a board of canvassers in Wayne county, Michigan (which includes Detroit) who, after Trump phoned them last week, tried to rescind their approval of ballot counts that went overwhelmingly to Joe Biden. On Friday, Trump invited Michigan’s Republican lawmakers to the White House, hoping to persuade them to ignore the popular vote, too.
American democracy wasn’t designed for this degree of political depravity.
Here’s the good news. The vast majority of officials are passing the stress test, many with distinction.
Chris Krebs, who led the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity agency, last Tuesday refuted Trump’s claims of election fraud – saying the claims “have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent”.
Trump fired Krebs that afternoon. Krebs’s response: “Honored to serve. We did it right.”
Brad Raffensperger – Georgia’s Republican secretary of state who oversaw the election there, and describes himself as “a Republican through and through and never voted for a Democrat” – is defending Georgia’s vote for Biden, rejecting Trump’s accusations of fraud. On Friday he certified that Biden won the state’s presidential vote.
Raffensperger spurned overtures from Trump quisling Graham, who asked if Raffensperger could toss out all mail-in votes from counties with high rates of questionable signatures. And Raffensperger dismissed demands from Georgia’s two incumbent Republican senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue (both facing tougher-than-anticipated runoffs) that he resign.
“This office runs on integrity,” Raffensperger said, “and that’s what voters want to know, that this person’s going to do his job.”
Raffensperger has received death threats from Republican voters inflamed by Trump’s allegations. He’s not the only one. Election officials in Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona are also reporting threats.
On Wednesday, Katie Hobbs, the Arizona secretary of state who has until 30 November to certify election results there, called on Republican officials to stop “perpetuating misinformation”, adding that threats and “continued intimidation tactics will not prevent me from performing the duties I swore an oath to do. Our democracy is tested constantly, it continues to prevail, and it will not falter under my watch.”
Honors to her, as well.
While we’re at it, let’s not forget all the other public officials who have been stress-tested during Trump’s repugnant presidency and passed honorably.
I’m referring to public health officials unwilling to lie about Covid-19, military leaders unwilling to back Trump’s attacks on Black Lives Matter protesters, inspectors general unwilling to cover up Trump corruption, US foreign service officers unwilling to lie about Trump’s overtures to Ukraine, intelligence officials unwilling to bend their reports to suit Trump, and justice department attorneys refusing to participate in Trump’s obstructions of justice.
If you think it easy to do what they did, think again. Some of them lost their jobs. Many were demoted. A few have been threatened with violence. They’ve risked all this to do what’s right in an America poisoned by Trump, who has no idea what it means to do what’s right.
Above all, this stress test reveals integrity. Democracy depends on it.
The fact that Trump’s attempted coup won’t succeed doesn’t make it any less damaging. A new poll from Monmouth University now finds 77% of Trump supporters believe Biden’s win was due to fraud – a claim, I should emphasize again, backed by zero evidence.
Which means America’s stress test won’t be over when Joe Biden is sworn in as president 20 January. In the years to come we’ll continue to depend on the integrity of thousands of unsung heroes to do their duty in the face of threats to their livelihoods and perhaps their lives.
Of his many odious acts, Trump’s desperate attempt to cling to power by stress-testing American democracy will be his most reprehensible legacy.


theguardian--2020-11-23--Gary Younge on minority voters and the future of the Republican party - podcast

A look as the history of US voting rights and what the changing demographics of the country mean for Republicans Black and Latino voters overwhelmingly favoured the Democrats in the 2020 US election .
Without their huge margins in key states , Joe Biden could not have won , the journalist Gary Younge tells Anushka Asthana .
By 2045 , white voters will be in the minority .
These changing demographics are a concern for the Republican party .
In 2013 , just a year after turnout rates for black voters surpassed those for white voters for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights Act , which affected poor , young and minority voters .
It ’ s important to remember , Gary tells Anushka , that the US was a slave state for more than 200 years ; and an apartheid state , after the abolition of slavery , for another century .
It has only been a non-racial democracy for 55 years .
And that now hangs in the balance .
If Biden does not produce something transformative , the disillusionment among voters may grow and people may once again look for someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is how Donald Trump won in 2016 .
• Read Gary Younge ’ s piece : Counted out : Trump ’ s desperate fight to stop the minority vote

Presented by Anushka Asthana with Gary Younge, produced by Elizabeth Cassin and Nicholas Cox; executive producers Nicole Jackson and Phil Maynard

Black and Latino voters overwhelmingly favoured the Democrats in the 2020 US election. Without their huge margins in key states, Joe Biden could not have won, the journalist Gary Younge tells Anushka Asthana. By 2045, white voters will be in the minority. These changing demographics are a concern for the Republican party. In 2013, just a year after turnout rates for black voters surpassed those for white voters for the first time, the supreme court gutted the Voting Rights Act, which affected poor, young and minority voters.
It’s important to remember, Gary tells Anushka, that the US was a slave state for more than 200 years; and an apartheid state, after the abolition of slavery, for another century. It has only been a non-racial democracy for 55 years. And that now hangs in the balance. If Biden does not produce something transformative, the disillusionment among voters may grow and people may once again look for someone who can disrupt the status quo, which is how Donald Trump won in 2016.
• Read Gary Younge’s piece: Counted out: Trump’s desperate fight to stop the minority vote
Archive: Channel 4; CNN; AP


theguardian--2020-11-22--Trump faces pressure from Republicans to drop 'corrosive' fight to overturn election

Donald Trump faced growing pressure from Republicans on Sunday to drop his chaotic , last-ditch fight to overturn the US presidential election , as victor Joe Biden prepared to start naming his cabinet and a Pennsylvania judge compared Trump ’ s legal case there to “ Frankenstein ’ s monster ” .
Despite Republican leadership in Washington standing behind the president ’ s claims that the 3 November election was stolen from him by nationwide voter fraud , other prominent figures , including two of his former national security advisers , were blunt .
Former Trump national security adviser John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in in January and added : “ The real question is how much damage Trump can do before that happens.
” The president ’ s efforts were designed mainly to sow chaos and confusion , he told CNN ’ s State of the Union show , as a demonstration more of “ raw political power ” than a genuine legal exercise .
Bolton noted that the Trump campaign has so far lost all but two of more than 30 legal challenges in various states .
“ Right now Trump is throwing rocks through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a street rioter , ” Bolton said .
And another former Trump administration national security adviser , HR McMaster , told CBS ’ s Face the Nation that Trump ’ s efforts were “ very corrosive ” and warned that his actions were sowing doubt among the electorate .
“ It ’ s playing into the hands of our adversaries , ” he said , warning that Russia , for example , “ doesn ’ t care who wins ” as long as many Americans doubt the result , undermining US democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former New Jersey governor and adviser to the president Chris Christie said Trump ’ s legal team was a “ national embarrassment ” the campaign issued a statement distancing itself from lawyer Sidney Powell , who has been a prominent figure arguing the Trump case that the election was fraudulent , while positing wild theories but no evidence .
Meanwhile , Maryland governor , Larry Hogan , another Republican , said he also was confident Biden would be sworn in on schedule on 20 January and said “ I ’ m embarrassed ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to recognize the election result .
Hogan added that he thought Trump ’ s pressuring last week of state legislators “ to somehow try to change the outcome ” was “ completely outrageous ” .
The US used to supervise elections around the world but was now “ beginning to look like we ’ re in a banana republic , ” Hogan told CNN ’ s State of the Union politics show .
Hogan later tweeted , in response to a critical tweet from Trump , who had gone to the golf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Stop golfing and concede.
” On Friday , the president met with Republican leaders from Michigan at the White House in a wild attempt to sway them and leaders in other battleground states in the electoral college to set aside the will of the people and declare Trump the winner , despite officials at local and federal level declaring it the most secure election in American history .
In the latest setback to Trump ’ s efforts , Matthew Brann , a Republican US district court judge in Pennsylvania , threw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disenfranchise almost 7 million voters there .
“ This claim , like Frankenstein ’ s Monster , has been haphazardly stitched together from two distinct theories in an attempt to avoid controlling precedent , ” he wrote in a damning order , issued on Saturday .
It came after similar failed court bids in Georgia , Michigan and Arizona to prevent states from certifying their vote totals .
Ruling that Pennsylvania officials can certify election results in the state , where Biden has a lead of more than 80,000 votes , Brann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations… unsupported by evidence ” in its attempt to challenge a batch of thousands of votes .
Brann also suggested that the Trump campaign ’ s case demonstrated a failure to understand the US constitution , writing : “ Plaintiffs seek to remedy the denial of their votes by invalidating the votes of millions of others .
Rather than requesting that their votes be counted , they seek to discredit scores of other votes , but only for one race .
This is simply not how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any hope of staying in the White House , he would need to eliminate Biden ’ s 81,000-vote lead in Pennsylvania .
The state is due to start certifying its results on Monday – as is Michigan .
Kristen Clarke , president of the lawyers ’ committee for Civil Rights Under Law , said of the Pennsylvania result and forthcoming result certification : “ This should put the nail in the coffin on any further attempts by President Trump to use the federal courts to rewrite the outcome of the 2020 election.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed an appeal against Brann ’ s ruling in Pennsylvania .
But Christie agreed that it was time for the president to concede and said the legal team fighting to overturn the election was “ a national embarrassment ” .
Last week , lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell represented the Trump campaign in court and held a long press conference side by side at the Republican National Committee headquarters that was characterized by lies and wild claims about a fraudulent election , without presenting credible evidence .
Then the Trump election campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own , ” Trump campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in the Sunday evening statement .
“ She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team .
She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity.
” Powell recently represented Michael Flynn , who was briefly Trump ’ s national security adviser before he was fired and prosecuted , in his tangled criminal case .
Biden has garnered the most votes of a presidential winner in history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Donald Trump faced growing pressure from Republicans on Sunday to drop his chaotic, last-ditch fight to overturn the US presidential election, as victor Joe Biden prepared to start naming his cabinet and a Pennsylvania judge compared Trump’s legal case there to “Frankenstein’s monster”.
Despite Republican leadership in Washington standing behind the president’s claims that the 3 November election was stolen from him by nationwide voter fraud, other prominent figures, including two of his former national security advisers, were blunt.
Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton said that Biden would be sworn in in January and added: “The real question is how much damage Trump can do before that happens.”
The president’s efforts were designed mainly to sow chaos and confusion, he told CNN’s State of the Union show, as a demonstration more of “raw political power” than a genuine legal exercise.
02:16 Trump one of the 'most irresponsible presidents' in US history, Biden says – video
Bolton noted that the Trump campaign has so far lost all but two of more than 30 legal challenges in various states.
“Right now Trump is throwing rocks through windows, he is the political equivalent of a street rioter,” Bolton said.
And another former Trump administration national security adviser, HR McMaster, told CBS’s Face the Nation that Trump’s efforts were “very corrosive” and warned that his actions were sowing doubt among the electorate.
“It’s playing into the hands of our adversaries,” he said, warning that Russia, for example, “doesn’t care who wins” as long as many Americans doubt the result, undermining US democracy.
On Sunday evening, hours after Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor and adviser to the president, said Trump’s legal team was a “national embarrassment” the campaign issued a statement distancing itself from lawyer Sidney Powell, who has been a prominent figure arguing the Trump case that the election was fraudulent, while positing wild theories but no evidence.
Meanwhile, Maryland’s governor, Larry Hogan, another Republican, said he also was confident Biden would be sworn in on schedule on 20 January and said “I’m embarrassed” at the lack of party leadership speaking out to recognize the election result.
Hogan added that he thought Trump’s pressuring last week of state legislators “to somehow try to change the outcome” was “completely outrageous”.
The US used to supervise elections around the world but was now “beginning to look like we’re in a banana republic,” Hogan told CNN’s State of the Union politics show.
Hogan later tweeted, in response to a critical tweet from Trump, who had gone to the golf course for the second time this weekend: “Stop golfing and concede.”
Despite the advice, Trump posted a confused tweet on Sunday night that claimed “there were more votes than people who voted, and in big numbers” in certain swing states. He also repeated baseless claims of fake ballots.
“In certain swing states, there were more votes than people who voted, and in big numbers. Does that not really matter? Stopping Poll Watchers, voting for unsuspecting people, fake ballots and so much more. Such egregious conduct. We will win!”
If you had done your job, America's governors wouldn't have been forced to fend for themselves to find tests in the middle of a pandemic, as we successfully did in Maryland.
Stop golfing and concede. https://t.co/tCXO8etxge — Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) November 22, 2020
On Friday, the president met with Republican leaders from Michigan at the White House in a wild attempt to sway them and leaders in other battleground states in the electoral college to set aside the will of the people and declare Trump the winner, despite officials at local and federal level declaring it the most secure election in American history.
In the latest setback to Trump’s efforts, Matthew Brann, a Republican US district court judge in Pennsylvania, threw out the Trump campaign’s request to disenfranchise almost 7 million voters there.
“This claim, like Frankenstein’s Monster, has been haphazardly stitched together from two distinct theories in an attempt to avoid controlling precedent,” he wrote in a damning order, issued on Saturday.
It came after similar failed court bids in Georgia, Michigan and Arizona to prevent states from certifying their vote totals.
Ruling that Pennsylvania officials can certify election results in the state, where Biden has a lead of more than 80,000 votes, Brann said the Trump campaign presented “strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations … unsupported by evidence” in its attempt to challenge a batch of thousands of votes.
Brann also suggested that the Trump campaign’s case demonstrated a failure to understand the US constitution, writing: “Plaintiffs seek to remedy the denial of their votes by invalidating the votes of millions of others. Rather than requesting that their votes be counted, they seek to discredit scores of other votes, but only for one race. This is simply not how the constitution works.”
For Trump to maintain any hope of staying in the White House, he would need to eliminate Biden’s 81,000-vote lead in Pennsylvania. The state is due to start certifying its results on Monday – as is Michigan.
Kristen Clarke, president of the lawyers’ committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said of the Pennsylvania result and forthcoming result certification: “This should put the nail in the coffin on any further attempts by President Trump to use the federal courts to rewrite the outcome of the 2020 election.”
On Sunday afternoon, the Trump campaign filed an appeal against Brann’s ruling in Pennsylvania.
But Christie agreed that it was time for the president to concede and said the legal team fighting to overturn the election was “a national embarrassment”.
“Yes,” Chris Christie tells @GStephanopoulos when asked if it’s time for President Trump to stop challenging the 2020 election results, adding that the president’s legal team has been a “national embarrassment.” https://t.co/9HKDetYpa5 pic.twitter.com/zuGivUyqYo — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 22, 2020
Last week, lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell represented the Trump campaign in court and held a long press conference side by side at the Republican National Committee headquarters that was characterized by lies and wild claims about a fraudulent election, without presenting credible evidence.
Then the Trump election campaign abruptly issued a statement on Powell.
“Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own,” Trump campaign lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis said in the Sunday evening statement. “She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team. She is also not a lawyer for the president in his personal capacity.”
Powell recently represented Michael Flynn, who was briefly Trump’s national security adviser before he was fired and prosecuted, in his tangled criminal case.
Biden has garnered the most votes of a presidential winner in history, recording 6 million more votes than Trump.


theguardian--2020-11-22--President-elect Joe Biden will announce cabinet picks Tuesday

US president-elect Joe Biden will announce the first names chosen for his cabinet on Tuesday , the incoming White House chief of staff said – and is expecting a scaled-down inauguration celebration because of the risks of spreading coronavirus .
In a sign that his transition team is pressing ahead swiftly – despite Donald Trump ’ s failure to concede the election and ongoing attempts to thwart the transition process – Ron Klain said on Sunday that the appointments were moving at a faster pace than the previous two administrations .
“ You ’ re going to see the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to know what cabinet agencies they are , who ’ s going to be in those cabinet agencies , you ’ ll have to wait for the president-elect to say that himself on Tuesday , ” he told ABC .
Antony Blinken , a career diplomat who served as No 2 at the state department and as deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration , was Biden ’ s most likely pick to be secretary of state , according to reports on Sunday night by the New York Times and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday that he had already chosen his treasury secretary , hinting only that it is somebody who will be “ accepted by all elements of the Democratic party ” .
Klain said that while parts of the transition are moving at “ record setting pace ” , there are limits to what the Biden team can do while the current administration continues to attempt to block the transition , the impacts of which “ escalate every day ” .
He said Biden and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris are not getting access to intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cabinet nominees and criticised US general services administration ( GSA ) administrator Emily Murphy , who has delayed ascertaining Biden ’ s win .
“ The law only requires her to find who is the apparent victor of the election and I can ’ t imagine there ’ s any dispute that Joe Biden is the apparent winner of the presidential election.
” Klain said the president “ has definitely set back the democratic norm here in the United States .
He ’ s been doing that for four years and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Asked about how the incoming administration plans to balance moving forward with holding the previous one accountable , he said the president-elect “ is not going to tell the justice department who to investigate or who not to investigate.
” On inauguration day , 20 January , the incoming president normally enjoys being received by the outgoing president at the White House , followed by the swearing-in in front of the Capitol , watched by the public on the National Mall and millions on television .
There ’ s a special launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inaugural balls .
Everything about Joe Biden ’ s celebrations are expected to be different in January , because of the ongoing pandemic .
“ We know people want to celebrate … we just want to try to find a way to do it as safely as possible , ” Klain said .
There is speculation that Trump will not participate at all .
And that some events could be cancelled or will involve social distancing and mask-wearing with many obliged to watch an online stream instead of attend in person .

US president-elect Joe Biden will announce the first names chosen for his cabinet on Tuesday, the incoming White House chief of staff said – and is expecting a scaled-down inauguration celebration because of the risks of spreading coronavirus.
In a sign that his transition team is pressing ahead swiftly – despite Donald Trump’s failure to concede the election and ongoing attempts to thwart the transition process – Ron Klain said on Sunday that the appointments were moving at a faster pace than the previous two administrations.
“You’re going to see the first cabinet picks this Tuesday. But if you want to know what cabinet agencies they are, who’s going to be in those cabinet agencies, you’ll have to wait for the president-elect to say that himself on Tuesday,” he told ABC.
Antony Blinken, a career diplomat who served as No 2 at the state department and as deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, was Biden’s most likely pick to be secretary of state, according to reports on Sunday night by the New York Times and Reuters.
It comes after Biden said on Thursday that he had already chosen his treasury secretary, hinting only that it is somebody who will be “accepted by all elements of the Democratic party”.
Klain said that while parts of the transition are moving at “record setting pace”, there are limits to what the Biden team can do while the current administration continues to attempt to block the transition, the impacts of which “escalate every day”.
He said Biden and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris are not getting access to intelligence briefings, coronavirus data or background checks for cabinet nominees and criticised US general services administration (GSA) administrator Emily Murphy, who has delayed ascertaining Biden’s win.
“The law only requires her to find who is the apparent victor of the election and I can’t imagine there’s any dispute that Joe Biden is the apparent winner of the presidential election.”
Klain said the president “has definitely set back the democratic norm here in the United States. He’s been doing that for four years and that’s ramped up since the election.”Asked about how the incoming administration plans to balance moving forward with holding the previous one accountable, he said the president-elect “is not going to tell the justice department who to investigate or who not to investigate.”
On inauguration day, 20 January, the incoming president normally enjoys being received by the outgoing president at the White House, followed by the swearing-in in front of the Capitol, watched by the public on the National Mall and millions on television. There’s a special launch, a procession down Pennsylvania Avenue and the inaugural balls.
Everything about Joe Biden’s celebrations are expected to be different in January, because of the ongoing pandemic.
“We know people want to celebrate … we just want to try to find a way to do it as safely as possible,” Klain said.
There is speculation that Trump will not participate at all.
And that some events could be cancelled or will involve social distancing and mask-wearing with many obliged to watch an online stream instead of attend in person.


theguardian--2020-11-22--Millions of Americans set to ignore warnings against Thanksgiving travel

Experts urged Americans against traveling for family gatherings at Thanksgiving this week even though millions were set to defy the advice , as the US crossed the threshold of more than 12m cases of coronavirus .
Ominous warnings came as Donald Trump appeared to admit that coronavirus is “ running wild ” across the US , in contrast with his statements throughout the election campaign that the virus would simply “ go away ” or “ disappear ” and , more recently , that the country was “ rounding the turn ” on the pandemic .
As new Covid-19 infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump tweeted on Saturday night to insist things were bad outside the United States as well , posting : “ The Fake News is not talking about the fact that ‘ Covid ’ is running wild all over the world , not just in the US.
” On Sunday , Dr Anthony Fauci , the leading infectious disease expert in the US and top public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce , said the country was in “ a very , very difficult situation at all levels ” with infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government advice on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) to Americans not to travel and gather with relatives and friends at the Thanksgiving holiday this coming Thursday .
Fauci said that , more than the risk of flying itself , it was busy airports that made him more concerned .
“ You are at a crowded airport , you are lining up , not everybody is wearing masks .
That puts yourself at risk … that ’ s what ’ s going to get us into even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci warned of “ seemingly innocent get-togethers ” indoors with family and friends .
As many as 50 million people are expected to travel by various means this week to celebrate Thanksgiving , potentially producing a new surge in infections that will manifest a couple of weeks later and threaten the Christmas holidays , too , Fauci warned .
Maryland ’ s Republican governor , Larry Hogan , said “ we are pretty worried ” about Americans planning to defy advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstances .
“ Family gathering is the number one transmission event , ” he said , warning that people let their guard down at such events , failing to wear masks properly and breaking social distancing rules .
The US has recorded a million new cases of coronavirus a week for the past two weeks and now has 12.1m cases and a death toll of 256,000 , the highest numbers in the world , as tracked by the Johns Hopkins coronavirus research center .
Fauci added that he understood the public was weary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and holding back on travel but he reiterated that mitigation measures such as mask-wearing , hand-washing and social distancing are effective .
And limiting people in restaurants and avoiding or closing bars “ can blunt the curve ” , he said .
As Moncef Slaoui , chief scientific adviser of the government ’ s Operation Warp Speed vaccine development and distribution program , said on Sunday that if the first coronavirus vaccine is approved for use next month , the first Americans outside of clinical trials will be vaccinated by December 11 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US population can be vaccinated by May then that was approximately when American could return to normal and put the pandemic behind it .
Fauci urged Americans not to travel and gather and to make sure they took the right measures , saying : “ If you can hang in there , we can get out of this.
” With successful vaccines in the wings , he said : “ Help is on the way , so you should not look at this as a hopeless situation .
”

Experts urged Americans against traveling for family gatherings at Thanksgiving this week even though millions were set to defy the advice, as the US crossed the threshold of more than 12m cases of coronavirus.
Ominous warnings came as Donald Trump appeared to admit that coronavirus is “running wild” across the US, in contrast with his statements throughout the election campaign that the virus would simply “go away” or “disappear” and, more recently, that the country was “rounding the turn” on the pandemic.
As new Covid-19 infections in the US approached 200,000 a day, Trump tweeted on Saturday night to insist things were bad outside the United States as well, posting: “The Fake News is not talking about the fact that ‘Covid’ is running wild all over the world, not just in the US.”
On Sunday, Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert in the US and top public health official on the White House coronavirus taskforce, said the country was in “a very, very difficult situation at all levels” with infections rising dramatically.
He followed up official government advice on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Americans not to travel and gather with relatives and friends at the Thanksgiving holiday this coming Thursday.
Fauci said that, more than the risk of flying itself, it was busy airports that made him more concerned.
“You are at a crowded airport, you are lining up, not everybody is wearing masks. That puts yourself at risk … that’s what’s going to get us into even more trouble,” he said.
Fauci warned of “seemingly innocent get-togethers” indoors with family and friends.
As many as 50 million people are expected to travel by various means this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, potentially producing a new surge in infections that will manifest a couple of weeks later and threaten the Christmas holidays, too, Fauci warned.
Maryland’s Republican governor, Larry Hogan, said “we are pretty worried” about Americans planning to defy advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and travel for Thanksgiving and gather in unsafe circumstances.
“Family gathering is the number one transmission event,” he said, warning that people let their guard down at such events, failing to wear masks properly and breaking social distancing rules.
The US has recorded a million new cases of coronavirus a week for the past two weeks and now has 12.1m cases and a death toll of 256,000, the highest numbers in the world, as tracked by the Johns Hopkins coronavirus research center.
Fauci added that he understood the public was weary of restrictions, staying away from others and holding back on travel but he reiterated that mitigation measures such as mask-wearing, hand-washing and social distancing are effective.
And limiting people in restaurants and avoiding or closing bars “can blunt the curve”, he said.
As Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser of the government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine development and distribution program, said on Sunday that if the first coronavirus vaccine is approved for use next month, the first Americans outside of clinical trials will be vaccinated by December 11 or 12.
And if 70% of the US population can be vaccinated by May then that was approximately when American could return to normal and put the pandemic behind it.
Fauci urged Americans not to travel and gather and to make sure they took the right measures, saying: “If you can hang in there, we can get out of this.”
With successful vaccines in the wings, he said: “Help is on the way, so you should not look at this as a hopeless situation.”


theguardian--2020-11-23--Biden prepares key cabinet picks as Trump team cuts ties with attorney – live

More people are hospitalised with Covid-19 in the US than ever before , as cases continue to rise steeply amid the countdown to a Thanksgiving holiday many fear will have disastrous effect , given mass travel and indoor family gatherings .
According to Johns Hopkins University , the US recorded 142,732 new cases on Sunday , down from the record high of Friday , when more than 196,000 cases were recorded .
But 83,870 people were hospitalised , a record , while 921 people died .
The total death toll is now 256,589 .
On Friday , 1,448 people died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minute .
In Washington , Donald Trump has faced criticism for a lack of action .
The lame duck president played golf on Sunday .
On Monday he had no events on his public schedule .
In Wilmington , Delaware , where Joe Biden continues to plan for the transition of power , the president-elect was due to hold a virtual meeting with the US Conference of Mayors .
Biden spoke to governors last week .
Despite news of impending vaccines , states across the US are feeling the strain .
In just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star-Tribune ’ s front page headline on Monday was : “ No beds anywhere : hospitals strained to limit by virus.
” The paper reported 7,219 new cases and 41 deaths and said demand for testing was surging .
Resources are also strained in states which saw early peaks and are now experiencing a resurgence .
In New York , where schools are closed again , the Wall Street Journal reported that hundreds of bodies from the spring surge were still in refrigerated morgues on the Brooklyn waterfront .
Citing the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the bodies “ are of people whose families can ’ t be located or can ’ t afford a proper burial ” .
Mayor Bill de Blasio ruled out mass burials after controversy early in the pandemic .
In Nevada , Democratic governor Steve Sisolak , having tested positive himself earlier this month , announced new restrictions on casinos , restaurants and bars and other public venues , while imposing a broader mask mandate .
“ Whether you believe in the science of Covid or not , ” he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is filling up our hospital beds , and that threatens all Nevadans.
” Read more of Martin Pengelly ’ s report here : More Americans hospitalised with Covid than ever before ahead of Thanksgiving

Joan E Greve (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

24 Nov 2020 02.37 GMT Summary From me and Joan E Greve: The General Services Administration has allowed for the presidential transition to begin. After an initial delay, the agency’s head, Emily Murphy, has sent Joe Biden a letter recognizing him as the election winner - opening up access to funds, office space and classified briefings.
After an initial delay, the agency’s head, Emily Murphy, has sent Joe Biden a letter recognizing him as the election winner - opening up access to funds, office space and classified briefings. Donald Trump tweeted that he had directed Murphy to go ahead, in contradiction to her public statements that she had not consulted with the president. “In the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same,” Trump said, though he has yet to formally concede.
“In the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same,” Trump said, though he has yet to formally concede. Republican senators Lamar Alexander and Bill Cassidy acknowledged Biden as president-elect as Michigan certified election results and the GSA unblocked the transition. Still, many top Republicans have continued to side with Trump in refusing to concede.
Still, many top Republicans have continued to side with Trump in refusing to concede. Joe Biden announced several key appointments and nominations for his national security and foreign policy team. Former secretary of state John Kerry will serve as the president-elect’s special envoy to address climate change, and former deputy secretary of state Antony Blinken will be nominated to lead the state department.
Former secretary of state will serve as the president-elect’s special envoy to address climate change, and former deputy secretary of state will be nominated to lead the state department. Former Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen will be nominated to lead the treasury department, according to multiple reports. If confirmed, Yellen would become the first woman in US history to serve as treasury secretary.
according to multiple reports. If confirmed, Yellen would become the first woman in US history to serve as treasury secretary. California senator Dianne Feinstein said she won’t seek to retain her position as the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate judiciary committee . She faced backlash from progressives after she praised the Republican judiciary committee chair, Lindsey Graham, during the confirmation hearings for Trump’s supreme court pick Amy Coney Barrett – rather than resisting Republican efforts to ram through a conservative justice before the election. Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has said he’s interested in the position.
. She faced backlash from progressives after she praised the Republican judiciary committee chair, during the confirmation hearings for Trump’s supreme court pick Amy Coney Barrett – rather than resisting Republican efforts to ram through a conservative justice before the election. Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has said he’s interested in the position. The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca has an efficacy of up to 90%, according to results from the final trial. The news comes after Moderna and Pfizer both announced their vaccine candidates have an efficacy of 95%.
according to results from the final trial. The news comes after Moderna and Pfizer both announced their vaccine candidates have an efficacy of 95%. More Americans are hospitalized with coronavirus than ever before, as infections surge across the country. Public health experts are urging Americans not to travel for this week’s Thanksgiving holiday in order to limit the spread of coronavirus.
as infections surge across the country. Public health experts are urging Americans not to travel for this week’s Thanksgiving holiday in order to limit the spread of coronavirus. A growing chorus of Republican senators are calling on the Trump administration to begin the formal transition process, as states move toward certifying Biden’s victory. Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia both said today that they have seen no evidence of widespread fraud that could alter Biden’s win.
Updated at 03.09 GMT
24 Nov 2020 01.57 GMT Chris Krebs, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on Monday reminded Americans that there’s still no evidence of significant voter fraud in the 2020 election. Trump fired Krebs last week by tweet after the director had pushed back on the president’s baseless claims of voter fraud. Krebs’ agency was responsible for coordinating federal, state and local efforts to defend electoral systems from foreign or domestic interference. The agency had vouched for the reliability of the 2020 vote. “All Americans should have confidence in the security of their vote,” Krebs said on Monday. “The disinfo likely won’t stop. Keep on the lookout and don’t fall for it,” he added. The transition starts now. And as a reminder, still no evidence that election systems and votes were manipulated. All Americans should have confidence in the security of their vote. But the #disinfo likely won’t stop. Keep on the lookout and don’t fall for it. #WeArePerseus — Chris Krebs (@C_C_Krebs) November 24, 2020
24 Nov 2020 01.30 GMT Prior to the GSA’s move today, the Biden-Harris team had been raising money to fund the transition process, absent access to government-allocated funds. In an email to supporters last week, they said: “We want to be clear: the Biden-Harris transition team will continue to steadily move forward. But, without ascertainment, we need to fund the transition ourselves, and that’s why we’re reaching out to you today.” With the GSA’s go-ahead, the team will now have access to funds to hire and pay staff as they prepare to take office.
24 Nov 2020 01.14 GMT Reuters’ Jeff Mason reports that Donald Trump’s blessing of the GSA’s decision to unblock the transition is as close as the president might get to a concession ... Two advisers to @realDonaldTrump told me his tweet about the @USGSA and giving a green light to a transition was not a concession to @JoeBiden. (But it’s as close as he’s come and may be as close as he gets to one.) — Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) November 24, 2020
Updated at 01.27 GMT
24 Nov 2020 00.45 GMT Dick Durbin, a senator of Illinois and the Democratic whip, said he’ll be seeking the top Democratic position on the Senate Judiciary Committee after California’s Dianne Feinstein said she would step back. “I intend to seek the top Democratic position on the Judiciary Committee in the 117th Congress. I have served on the Committee for 22 years, and I am its most senior member who does not currently serve atop another Senate Committee,” he said. “We have to roll up our sleeves and get to work on undoing the damage of the last four years and protecting fundamental civil and human rights.”
Updated at 01.27 GMT
24 Nov 2020 00.27 GMT Last week, as the Biden-Harris team attempted to begin the transition process despite the GSA holdup, they reached out to Trump administration officials who had recently left their posts, in an attempt to glean key information while being locked out of official briefings. A current administration official also told CNN last week that some officials within the government had informally reached out to Biden’s team. “Nothing that would get us in trouble,” the official told CNN. “Just an offer to be of help. They know what we mean, and what we can and can’t do or say.” Still, what Biden’s team members couldn’t get was any classified information. That’s something they’ll have access to now.
Updated at 00.32 GMT
24 Nov 2020 00.21 GMT The transition can officially begin – what does that mean? Now that the General Services Administration has allowed for the presidential transition to officially begin, Joe Biden and his team will finally be able to gain access to classified briefings, meet with government officials to coordinate a pandemic response and have access to office space, as well funds to pay the transition team. “Because of the lack of ascertainment by the GSA, my transition team hasn’t been able to get access to the information we need to be able to deal with everything from testing and guidance to the all-important issue of vaccine distribution and vaccination plan,” Biden said on Thursday. “We haven’t been able to get into Operation Warp Speed” – the Trump administration scheme for accelerating coronavirus treatment and vaccine development. Until now, the Biden team has also lacked cybersecurity support to shield email and other communication amid concerns that Russia, China, or other foreign adversaries could intercept classified information. With the GSA’s approval, Biden’s team can move over to government email, with help from the Department of Homeland Security to protect the privacy of incoming officials as they plan out, for example, national security strategies.
Updated at 00.31 GMT
24 Nov 2020 00.10 GMT With Donald Trump refusing to concede the elections, House Democrats had demanded last week that GSA administrator Emily Murphy provide a briefing to explain why she was delaying the transition process. In a letter sent on 19 November, Carolyn B Maloney and Nita M Lowey – both Democrats of New York – sent Murphy a letter asking her, as well as her deputy chief of staff and general counsel, to participate in a public hearing to explain themselves. “Your actions in blocking transition activities required under the law are having grave effects, including undermining the orderly transfer of power, impairing the incoming Administration’s ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, hampering its ability to address our nation’s dire economic crisis, and endangering our national security,” the congresswomen said. “We ask that you personally brief us and our Ranking Members by no later than November 23, 2020,” they wrote. This pressure likely played into Murphy’s decision to approve the transition process today.
Updated at 00.32 GMT
24 Nov 2020 00.01 GMT The Democratic representative who chairs the House oversight government operations subcommittee said “it should not have taken the ire of Congress and the American public” for the GSA’s Emily Murphy to greenlight the transition process. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, who leads the congressional committee with oversight of the GSA, added he was “greatly looking forward to officially transitioning to an administration that follows the law the first time, without massive public pressure”. It should not have taken the ire of Congress and the American public to convince Administrator Murphy to do the right thing. Her actions were dangerous and Congress must ensure it never happens again. — Rep. Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) November 23, 2020
Updated at 00.13 GMT
23 Nov 2020 23.41 GMT Now that the GSA has allowed a formal transition to begin, more Republicans are starting to acknowledge the reality that Joe Biden is president-elect. Here’s Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator of Louisiana: With Michigan’s certifying it’s results, Joe Biden has over 270 electoral college votes. President Trump’s legal team has not presented evidence of the massive fraud which would have had to be present to overturn the election. I voted for President Trump but Joe Biden won. (1/2) — U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) November 23, 2020
23 Nov 2020 23.37 GMT Yohannes Abraham, the Biden-Harris transition director, said Emily Murphy’s decision today “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track”. “This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies. In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies,” Abraham said in a statement.
Updated at 23.42 GMT
23 Nov 2020 23.28 GMT Emily Murphy, a Trump appointee, drew criticism for initially refusing to sign a letter allowing Biden’s team access to government officials, as well as office space, equipment, and millions of dollars of funding. In her letter to Joe Biden today, she tried to defend her actions. “To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination [on whether to begin the transition],” she said. “Contrary to media reports and insinuations, my decision was not made out of fear or favoritism. Instead, I strongly believe that the statute requires that the GSA Administrator ascertain, not impose, the apparent president-elect.” She also said that she received “threats online, by phone, and by mail directed at my safety, my family, my staff, and even my pets in an effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely. Even in the face of thousands of threats, I always remained committed to upholding the law.” Her point, however, was almost immediately contradicted by Donald Trump, who tweeted: “In the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.” ...fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020 Even as his campaign’s legal challenges fail to hold up, and Trump’s attempts to convince officials to block certification of election results falter, the president insisted, “Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good ... fight, and I believe we will prevail! “
Updated at 00.12 GMT