theguardian--2020-11-10--Boris Johnson phones to congratulate Joe Biden and discuss 'close' relationship

Boris Johnson has spoken to Joe Biden to congratulate him on his victory over Donald Trump and allay fears Brexit could damage the Northern Ireland peace process , as world leaders lined up to speak to the US president-elect .
Johnson was the second world leader to reveal he had spoken to Biden , after the Canadian prime minister , Justin Trudeau , did so on Monday .
The German chancellor , Angela Merkel , French president , Emmanuel Macron , and Irish taoiseach , Micheál Martin , said they had also received a call on Tuesday .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his election .
I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our countries and to working with him on our shared priorities – from tackling climate change , to promoting democracy and building back better from the pandemic , ” Johnson tweeted .
Johnson and Biden are understood to have spoken for around 25 minutes from 4pm on Tuesday in a wide-ranging conversation on trade , Nato and democracy .
Biden ’ s transition team said he thanked the prime minister for his congratulations and expressed his desire to “ strengthen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for the Good Friday agreement ” .
Downing Street said Johnson “ warmly congratulated ” Biden on his victory and “ conveyed his congratulations to vice-president-elect Kamala Harris on her historic achievement ” , but the official account did not specifically mention Brexit .
However , a No 10 source said : “ They talked about the importance of implementing Brexit in such a way that upholds the Good Friday agreement , and the PM assured the president-elect that would be the case.
” Biden , who has Irish ancestry , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on parts of the EU withdrawal agreement in new Brexit legislation , and said that a US-UK trade deal was contingent on upholding the Good Friday agreement .
Theresa May was 10th in line when Trump was elected in November 2016 , after Ireland , Turkey , India , Japan , Mexico , Egypt , Israel , Australia and South Korea .
Trump told May casually that “ if you travel to the US you should let me know ” – far short of an official invitation .
Downing Street said the president-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crisis summit the UK was hosting in Glasgow next year , and the G7 Summit , also being hosted by the UK next year .
Johnson and Biden have never met , although Biden allies have been disparaging about the prime minister .
They include a former aide to Barack Obama , who said Democrats had not forgotten about Johnson ’ s suggestion the “ part-Kenyan ” former president held an “ ancestral dislike of the British empire ” .
However , Downing Street has emphasised that the two leaders have much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tackling the climate emergency , which was not shared with the Trump administration .
Over the weekend , Johnson said there was “ far more that unites the government of this country and government in Washington any time , any stage , than divides us ” .
He added : “ I think now , with president Biden in the White House in Washington , we have the real prospect of American global leadership in tackling climate change .
And the UK , as you know , was the first major country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero by 2050 .
“ We led the way a few years ago .
And we ’ re really hopeful now that president Biden will follow and will help us to deliver a really good outcome of the Cop26 summit next year in Glasgow.
” Senator Chris Coons , a close friend and ally of the president-elect , said he hoped Biden would look beyond the caricature of the UK prime minister .
“ In my meetings with the prime minister , he ’ s struck me as someone who is more agile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps the caricature of him in the American press would have suggested , ” he said .
“ I found an engaging person to meet with and speak to and it ’ s my hope that president-elect Biden will have a similar experience.
” The UK foreign office permanent secretary , Sir Philip Barton , rejected claims that Britain was trying to have it both ways by congratulating Biden but saying that some processes were “ still playing out ” in the US , a reference to Trump ’ s refusal to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Bryant , a member of the committee , accused Barton of relying on inertia and presiding over a half-hearted and incompetent congratulation .
He said he did not see any of the necessary flair coming from the Foreign Office to build the personal relationships on which successful diplomacy rested .

Jessica Elgot, Julian Borger and Patrick Wintour

Boris Johnson has spoken to Joe Biden to congratulate him on his victory over Donald Trump and allay fears Brexit could damage the Northern Ireland peace process, as world leaders lined up to speak to the US president-elect.
Johnson was the second world leader to reveal he had spoken to Biden, after the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, did so on Monday. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, French president, Emmanuel Macron, and Irish taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said they had also received a call on Tuesday.
“I just spoke Joe Biden to congratulate him on his election. I look forward to strengthening the partnership between our countries and to working with him on our shared priorities – from tackling climate change, to promoting democracy and building back better from the pandemic,” Johnson tweeted.
Johnson and Biden are understood to have spoken for around 25 minutes from 4pm on Tuesday in a wide-ranging conversation on trade, Nato and democracy.
Biden’s transition team said he thanked the prime minister for his congratulations and expressed his desire to “strengthen the special relationship” and “reaffirmed his support for the Good Friday agreement”.
Downing Street said Johnson “warmly congratulated” Biden on his victory and “conveyed his congratulations to vice-president-elect Kamala Harris on her historic achievement”, but the official account did not specifically mention Brexit. However, a No 10 source said: “They talked about the importance of implementing Brexit in such a way that upholds the Good Friday agreement, and the PM assured the president-elect that would be the case.”
Biden, who has Irish ancestry, has criticised Johnson’s intention to renege on parts of the EU withdrawal agreement in new Brexit legislation, and said that a US-UK trade deal was contingent on upholding the Good Friday agreement.
Theresa May was 10th in line when Trump was elected in November 2016, after Ireland, Turkey, India, Japan, Mexico, Egypt, Israel, Australia and South Korea. Trump told May casually that “if you travel to the US you should let me know” – far short of an official invitation.
Downing Street said the president-elect had been invited to attend the Cop26 climate crisis summit the UK was hosting in Glasgow next year, and the G7 Summit, also being hosted by the UK next year.
Johnson and Biden have never met, although Biden allies have been disparaging about the prime minister. They include a former aide to Barack Obama, who said Democrats had not forgotten about Johnson’s suggestion the “part-Kenyan” former president held an “ancestral dislike of the British empire”.
However, Downing Street has emphasised that the two leaders have much in common, in particular a commitment to tackling the climate emergency, which was not shared with the Trump administration.
Over the weekend, Johnson said there was “far more that unites the government of this country and government in Washington any time, any stage, than divides us”. He added: “I think now, with president Biden in the White House in Washington, we have the real prospect of American global leadership in tackling climate change. And the UK, as you know, was the first major country to set out that objective of net zero by 2050.
“We led the way a few years ago. And we’re really hopeful now that president Biden will follow and will help us to deliver a really good outcome of the Cop26 summit next year in Glasgow.”
Senator Chris Coons, a close friend and ally of the president-elect, said he hoped Biden would look beyond the caricature of the UK prime minister. “In my meetings with the prime minister, he’s struck me as someone who is more agile, engaging, educated and forward-looking than perhaps the caricature of him in the American press would have suggested,” he said. “I found an engaging person to meet with and speak to and it’s my hope that president-elect Biden will have a similar experience.”
The UK foreign office permanent secretary, Sir Philip Barton, rejected claims that Britain was trying to have it both ways by congratulating Biden but saying that some processes were “still playing out” in the US, a reference to Trump’s refusal to accept the election result.
The Labour MP Chris Bryant, a member of the committee, accused Barton of relying on inertia and presiding over a half-hearted and incompetent congratulation. He said he did not see any of the necessary flair coming from the Foreign Office to build the personal relationships on which successful diplomacy rested.
PA Media contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-11-10--How US voter turnout increased in key states – a visual guide

Voter turnout has been a key strategy for Democrats this election season .
For the presidential race , the strategy @ @ @ @ @ a historic turnout rate of 65.1 % – the highest in over 100 years – @ @ @ @ @ electoral college to Joe Biden , the Democratic candidate .
Over half of states saw @ @ @ @ @ since 2016 , with key battleground states like Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania seeing participation @ @ @ @ @ .
Though the pandemic introduced a number of complications to voting day , early voting @ @ @ @ @ record turnout for some states .
This was further complicated by the fact that some @ @ @ @ @ to voting , and voting protections in several states are weaker than ever .
Many @ @ @ @ @ this year in the form of long voting lines and sparse polling locations .

Voter turnout has been a key strategy for Democrats this election season. For the presidential race, the strategy worked. The US experienced a historic turnout rate of 65.1% – the highest in over 100 years – delivering the popular vote and electoral college to Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate.
Over half of states saw an increase in voter turnout since 2016, with key battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania seeing participation well above the national rate.
Though the pandemic introduced a number of complications to voting day, early voting and mail-in ballots brought a record turnout for some states. This was further complicated by the fact that some Republicans have further restricted access to voting, and voting protections in several states are weaker than ever. Many communities continued to experience difficulties this year in the form of long voting lines and sparse polling locations.


theguardian--2020-11-10--Trump was always destined to lose – and he has only himself to blame | Walter Shapiro

Believing himself a political genius without parallel in world history ( admittedly , not the president ’ s strongest subject ) , Donald Trump saw no need to change anything .
There was never an acknowledgment of the gravity of office , never a plea for national unity and certainly never a stutter-step towards the center .
In 2017 , Trump the Master Builder couldn ’ t even bring himself to cut a deal with eager Democrats to rebuild highways , bridges and tunnels .
Long hours confined to the Oval Office – with only national security briefing books for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mastery of bizarrely capitalized , often misspelled and consistently bilious tweets .
He was an insult comedian who didn ’ t realize that he had access to the nuclear codes .
The result was that the Trump inaugural honeymoon lasted about as long as a Tinder date .
He hit a dismal 43 % approval rating in the polling averages in February 2017 – and never consistently rose above it during the rest of his presidency .
In comparison , Richard Nixon , Bill Clinton and George W Bush all boasted approval ratings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unemployment rate hit rock bottom .
Politically , everything that Trump touches has been a disaster for the Republicans .
Trump ’ s bumbling endorsements even helped the Democrats win a 2017 Senate seat in deep red Alabama .
In theory , the Republican party should have been poised to hold their own in the 2018 congressional elections with a buoyant economy and massive tax cuts to brag about .
But Trump – displaying his trademark manhandling of politics – instead made 2018 a referendum on his person and on phantom caravans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border .
The results : Nancy Pelosi became House speaker and congressional Democrats roared through the suburbs , electing legislators in unlikely places like Oklahoma City and Salt Lake City .
With 26 Democratic-held Senate seats on the ballot in 2018 ( compared with just nine Republican seats ) , the Republicans were in a position to create an enduring Senate majority under Mitch McConnell .
Instead , thanks largely to Trump , they gained a paltry two seats .
Even before the pandemic , the seeds were planted for Trump to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century to be defeated for re-election .
Voters over 65 , a key demographic group that gave him an edge in 2016 , had begun to abandon the president in mid-2019 , even before the coronavirus .
Despite the predicted “ Democrats in disarray ” headlines , shared rage against Trump allowed Joe Biden to unite the party after decisively winning the South Carolina primary .
And it was Trump himself who hired Brad Parscale as his initial 2020 campaign manager , setting in motion a hapless re-election effort that blew through $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for lost coins under seat cushions to pay for October TV ads .
Trump ’ s only political success over four years was cowing the Republican party into submission .
Instead of distancing themselves from an incompetent president , Republican officials hitched their wagon to his supposed star power .
As a result , Republicans became a party that is not only anti-science , but anti-public health .
Which is certainly an unorthodox stance in the middle of a pandemic .
The truth is that the Trump presidency was always destined to end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allow him to change , because doing so would force the admission that his radiant being has a few minor flaws .
How could Trump see the light when he believes he is the light ?
So instead he headed for the darkness of defeat still pretending that it was 2016 and Hillary Clinton was on the ballot .
• None Walter Shapiro is covering his 11th presidential campaign for the New Republic and is a lecturer in political science at Yale

Believing himself a political genius without parallel in world history (admittedly, not the president’s strongest subject), Donald Trump saw no need to change anything. There was never an acknowledgment of the gravity of office, never a plea for national unity and certainly never a stutter-step towards the center.
In 2017, Trump the Master Builder couldn’t even bring himself to cut a deal with eager Democrats to rebuild highways, bridges and tunnels. Long hours confined to the Oval Office – with only national security briefing books for diversion – allowed Trump to hone his mastery of bizarrely capitalized, often misspelled and consistently bilious tweets. He was an insult comedian who didn’t realize that he had access to the nuclear codes.
The result was that the Trump inaugural honeymoon lasted about as long as a Tinder date. He hit a dismal 43% approval rating in the polling averages in February 2017 – and never consistently rose above it during the rest of his presidency. In comparison, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and George W Bush all boasted approval ratings around 60% during similar periods when the unemployment rate hit rock bottom.
Politically, everything that Trump touches has been a disaster for the Republicans.
Trump’s bumbling endorsements even helped the Democrats win a 2017 Senate seat in deep red Alabama. In theory, the Republican party should have been poised to hold their own in the 2018 congressional elections with a buoyant economy and massive tax cuts to brag about. But Trump – displaying his trademark manhandling of politics – instead made 2018 a referendum on his person and on phantom caravans of bloodthirsty migrants heading for the Mexican border.
The results: Nancy Pelosi became House speaker and congressional Democrats roared through the suburbs, electing legislators in unlikely places like Oklahoma City and Salt Lake City. With 26 Democratic-held Senate seats on the ballot in 2018 (compared with just nine Republican seats), the Republicans were in a position to create an enduring Senate majority under Mitch McConnell. Instead, thanks largely to Trump, they gained a paltry two seats.
Even before the pandemic, the seeds were planted for Trump to become just the fourth incumbent president in a century to be defeated for re-election.
Trump’s only political success over four years was cowing the Republican party into submission
Voters over 65, a key demographic group that gave him an edge in 2016, had begun to abandon the president in mid-2019, even before the coronavirus. Despite the predicted “Democrats in disarray” headlines, shared rage against Trump allowed Joe Biden to unite the party after decisively winning the South Carolina primary. And it was Trump himself who hired Brad Parscale as his initial 2020 campaign manager, setting in motion a hapless re-election effort that blew through $1bn and left the Trump forces scrounging for lost coins under seat cushions to pay for October TV ads.
Trump’s only political success over four years was cowing the Republican party into submission. Instead of distancing themselves from an incompetent president, Republican officials hitched their wagon to his supposed star power. As a result, Republicans became a party that is not only anti-science, but anti-public health. Which is certainly an unorthodox stance in the middle of a pandemic.
The truth is that the Trump presidency was always destined to end badly. Trump’s narcissism does not allow him to change, because doing so would force the admission that his radiant being has a few minor flaws. How could Trump see the light when he believes he is the light? So instead he headed for the darkness of defeat still pretending that it was 2016 and Hillary Clinton was on the ballot.
Walter Shapiro is covering his 11th presidential campaign for the New Republic and is a lecturer in political science at Yale


theguardian--2020-11-10--Joe Biden's victory marks the end of a chapter, not a new beginning | Lloyd Green

America dispatched Donald Trump from office but placed Joe Biden under the Republicans ’ watchful eye .
The US Senate does not appear to be changing hands and Nancy Pelosi ’ s House majority narrowed .
The US simultaneously rejected Trump the man and calls from the Democrats ’ left wing to defund the police .
A cultural center of sorts prevailed .
Against this backdrop , Biden ’ s victory marks the end of a chapter , not a new beginning .
But transitional figures can be essential ; remember Presidents Truman , Eisenhower and Ford .
The president-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential and soothing .
Think of it as a momentary respite as tempests thrash the ship of state and Trump ’ s refusal to concede picks up pace .
From the looks of things , Mitch McConnell is on board with him .
The former vice-president ’ s win was also record-setting .
For the seventh time in eight presidential elections , the Democrats won the popular vote , a first for any US political party .
Biden also scored the most votes ever received , and the largest share by a challenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herbert Hoover in 1932 .
The 2020 presidential election wasn ’ t a landslide but it wasn ’ t a squeaker either .
By the numbers , Biden ’ s triumph was about energized Black voters in Atlanta , Philadelphia and Detroit , younger Americans , and enough white voters walking away from the president .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren could not have pulled it off .
Biden ’ s mandate is personal .
Looking ahead , he stands to confront a GOP-led Senate and supreme court filled with three Trump-picked judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operative status quo , a Biden presidency may never come to fill a judicial vacancy .
Even as Biden flipped at least four states from red to blue , Trump surpassed his 2016 totals .
In other words , his upset of Hillary Clinton was not an aberration .
Trump ’ s performance bedevils liberals and pollsters alike .
Nationally , white suburban women again went Republican .
The GOP held the line in down-ballot races .
In hindsight , the Democrats ’ gains in the 2018 midterms were stronger signals of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wholesale rejection of the GOP .
In fact , two years earlier , the Republicans actually tightened their grip on the Senate .
Trump also expanded his margins in Florida with a three-point win .
Across the US , urban unrest helped him hold on to seniors despite his musings of cutting social security and Medicare .
Crime also made a difference for Latinos .
Beyond that , identity politics ’ allure appeared limited even as three-quarters of the country viewed racism as a serious problem .
Affirmative action suffered defeat in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and led to Trump performing slightly better among Asian Americans nationwide than in his initial run .
These hot-button issues will be with us for the near future .
The trial of the University of North Carolina ’ s admissions policies just kicked off on Monday .
For the Democrats ’ avowedly multicultural coalition , its broader underperformance has already led to internal feuding .
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , the leader of “ the Squad ” , is unrepentant and unbowed .
Corbynism is a losing proposition .
There is no reason to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US than in the UK .
On the other side of Capitol Hill , McConnell emerged with close to an unalloyed triumph .
So far , the Republicans lost only one Senate seat despite predictions to the contrary .
Whether the balance of power shifts after Georgia ’ s run-off elections slated for early January remains to be seen .
For the moment , he stands to wield power without the headache of responsibility if Trump leaves the White House on schedule .
With Biden in the Oval Office , McConnell need only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and caucus – in that order .
But not yet .
On Monday , he announced his support for the president ’ s challenge to the election ’ s results .
When the chyron from Fox News reads “ Not the end of the republic ” as McConnell spoke on the Senate floor , you can not help but wonder .
McConnell would also not say whether he had seen evidence of fraud that warranted overturning the election .
Weimar was not that long ago and Gladiator remains the movie for our time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992

America dispatched Donald Trump from office but placed Joe Biden under the Republicans’ watchful eye. The US Senate does not appear to be changing hands and Nancy Pelosi’s House majority narrowed. The US simultaneously rejected Trump the man and calls from the Democrats’ left wing to defund the police. A cultural center of sorts prevailed.
Against this backdrop, Biden’s victory marks the end of a chapter, not a new beginning. But transitional figures can be essential; remember Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Ford.
The president-elect’s speech on Saturday night was presidential and soothing. Think of it as a momentary respite as tempests thrash the ship of state and Trump’s refusal to concede picks up pace. From the looks of things, Mitch McConnell is on board with him.
The former vice-president’s win was also record-setting. For the seventh time in eight presidential elections, the Democrats won the popular vote, a first for any US political party. Biden also scored the most votes ever received, and the largest share by a challenger to a sitting president since FDR beat Herbert Hoover in 1932.
The 2020 presidential election wasn’t a landslide but it wasn’t a squeaker either. By the numbers, Biden’s triumph was about energized Black voters in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Detroit, younger Americans, and enough white voters walking away from the president. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren could not have pulled it off. Biden’s mandate is personal.
Looking ahead, he stands to confront a GOP-led Senate and supreme court filled with three Trump-picked judges. If this reality emerges as the operative status quo, a Biden presidency may never come to fill a judicial vacancy.
Even as Biden flipped at least four states from red to blue, Trump surpassed his 2016 totals. In other words, his upset of Hillary Clinton was not an aberration. Trump’s performance bedevils liberals and pollsters alike.
Nationally, white suburban women again went Republican. The GOP held the line in down-ballot races. In hindsight, the Democrats’ gains in the 2018 midterms were stronger signals of the president’s own weaknesses than a wholesale rejection of the GOP. In fact, two years earlier, the Republicans actually tightened their grip on the Senate.
Trump also expanded his margins in Florida with a three-point win. Across the US, urban unrest helped him hold on to seniors despite his musings of cutting social security and Medicare. Crime also made a difference for Latinos.
Beyond that, identity politics’ allure appeared limited even as three-quarters of the country viewed racism as a serious problem. Affirmative action suffered defeat in California, Biden’s strongest state, and led to Trump performing slightly better among Asian Americans nationwide than in his initial run.
These hot-button issues will be with us for the near future. The trial of the University of North Carolina’s admissions policies just kicked off on Monday.
For the Democrats’ avowedly multicultural coalition, its broader underperformance has already led to internal feuding. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the leader of “the Squad”, is unrepentant and unbowed. Corbynism is a losing proposition. There is no reason to believe that it will fare better in the US than in the UK.
On the other side of Capitol Hill, McConnell emerged with close to an unalloyed triumph. So far, the Republicans lost only one Senate seat despite predictions to the contrary. Whether the balance of power shifts after Georgia’s run-off elections slated for early January remains to be seen.
For the moment, he stands to wield power without the headache of responsibility if Trump leaves the White House on schedule. With Biden in the Oval Office, McConnell need only answer only to his donors, wife and caucus – in that order.
But not yet. On Monday, he announced his support for the president’s challenge to the election’s results. When the chyron from Fox News reads “Not the end of the republic” as McConnell spoke on the Senate floor, you cannot help but wonder.
McConnell would also not say whether he had seen evidence of fraud that warranted overturning the election. Weimar was not that long ago and Gladiator remains the movie for our time.


theguardian--2020-11-10--Now what does Giuliani's Four Seasons Total Landscaping farce remind me of? | Marina Hyde

We begin in many people ’ s happy place , at Four Seasons Total Landscaping .
As you may know , Donald Trump ’ s losing presidential campaign held a press conference that has passed immediately into the annals of political comedy .
And also the annals of horticultural business marketing .
Consider this Philadelphia gardening establishment the world ’ s leading purveyor of seasonal colour .
If you somehow missed the Four Seasons Total Landscaping story , it was truly the quattro stagioni of political events .
Each time it seemed it couldn ’ t get any better , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter of it to enjoy .
But let me briefly summarise .
On Saturday , the current US president tweeted that a “ big press conference ” would be held that morning at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia .
Shortly thereafter , his account offered clarification – that wasn ’ t the hotel , but somewhere called Four Seasons Total Landscaping .
Double-taking at their satnavs , reporters scrambled to this prestige location in a suburban business park , where Trump branding had been hastily affixed to the roller door of a single-storey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really the best of it .
Pan out , and the venue lay next door to a sex shop and a crematorium .
Clearly this was … unconventional .
Yet amazingly , the world ’ s media would indeed end up being addressed there .
Not by Trump , but by his personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani .
Dead people were always voting in Philadelphia , Rudy claimed .
Joe Frazier , and Will Smith ’ s dad ( twice ) .
And as he said all this , he was flanked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guys trying to look like nothing could be more normal than standing in a forgotten corner of suburbia in front of some garden hoses .
There are millions of potential captions to the picture .
Let ’ s go with something befitting the tragedy : They Were Four Years In Power .
Perhaps the biggest question to come out of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference is : why did they carry on with it ?
Some sort of mistake had clearly been made , so why did they persist and pretend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was down to fear of not obeying the will of the White House idiot , however lunatic the reality of it may appear .
Others simply think that by the time the campaign staff stopped screaming , they felt they were in too deep to turn around .
Either way , the upshot is the same : no matter the absurdity of any situation , no matter how ridiculous it looks when you get there , there will ALWAYS be a line of guys ready to butch it out like it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a line of guys who feel that it is somehow less ridiculous to look completely ridiculous than it is to simply say : “ Oh wait , we made a mistake – give us half an hour and we ’ ll tell you the new venue.
” There will ALWAYS be a line of guys who , even if they walked over a cliff , would leave very specific last words echoing behind them .
“ I meant to do that.
” It was at this point , about three days into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mid-laugh .
Like a flash , it had dawned on me .
Oh I SEE , I thought .
How very “ United Kingdom ” .
These days , our country is that press conference .
Whether it be butching out the warnings of 7,000-long lorry queues , or pissing off a new US president who already thinks our government is a nasty basket case , Boris Johnson & Co are very much one of those lines of guys .
Source of escalating international bemusement or amusement ?
Yeah , we meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was claimed that Johnson ’ s congratulatory tweet to Biden was a hastily doctored congratulatory message to Trump - with the remains of the Trump message still slightly visible .
Think of it as the Turin shroud of digital incompetence – and accept that some hyper-defensive Whitehall source will turn up to say “ actually we meant to do that ” .
Meanwhile , the government ’ s insistence on the international law-breaking clauses in its internal markets bill could easily leave the UK with no meaningful EU or US trade deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned that the plan “ is unprecedented in all our history – and for good reason .
It has damaged our reputation around the world.
” Still , we meant to do that .
“ Because of our bombast , our blustering , our threats and our inflexibility , ” continued Major , “ our trade will be less profitable , our Treasury poorer , our jobs fewer , and our future less prosperous.
” I guess we meant to do that .
A month and a half from the end of transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sunlit uplands are now building giant car parks like it ’ s a positive thing .
Or to put it another way , they are telling you that the Four Seasons – an international standard of luxury and service – is actually less good than Four Seasons Total Landscaping .
We still plan to exit transition in midwinter in a deadly pandemic we ’ ve known about almost the whole year .
They are butching it out .
This is statecraft by Clouseau .
There ’ s a bit in The Pink Panther @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a home gym and is trying to show off his familiarity with the parallel bars .
He take a couple of swings , then loses control in the dismount and contrives not just to be thrown off the bars , but all the way down a long nearby staircase , right into the middle of a genteel drawing room scene .
Noting the gaze of the room ’ s inhabitants , Clouseau picks himself up and declares : “ Well , that felt good !
” This , but with a trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future hinges .
Perhaps , like Clouseau , we will agonisingly pratfall our way to eventual Brexit triumph , and not have senselessly angered the new US administration along the way .
However , real life not being a carefully plotted movie farce , we might have to accept that the chances are we won ’ t .
Still , you can be sure that whatever happens , some guys will be claiming they meant to do it all .

We begin in many people’s happy place, at Four Seasons Total Landscaping. As you may know, Donald Trump’s losing presidential campaign held a press conference that has passed immediately into the annals of political comedy. And also the annals of horticultural business marketing. Consider this Philadelphia gardening establishment the world’s leading purveyor of seasonal colour.
If you somehow missed the Four Seasons Total Landscaping story, it was truly the quattro stagioni of political events. Each time it seemed it couldn’t get any better, there turned out to be some new quarter of it to enjoy.
But let me briefly summarise. On Saturday, the current US president tweeted that a “big press conference” would be held that morning at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, his account offered clarification – that wasn’t the hotel, but somewhere called Four Seasons Total Landscaping. Double-taking at their satnavs, reporters scrambled to this prestige location in a suburban business park, where Trump branding had been hastily affixed to the roller door of a single-storey building. Then again, the backdrop was really the best of it. Pan out, and the venue lay next door to a sex shop and a crematorium.
Clearly this was … unconventional. Yet amazingly, the world’s media would indeed end up being addressed there. Not by Trump, but by his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Dead people were always voting in Philadelphia, Rudy claimed. Joe Frazier, and Will Smith’s dad (twice).
And as he said all this, he was flanked by a long line of unsmiling campaign guys trying to look like nothing could be more normal than standing in a forgotten corner of suburbia in front of some garden hoses. There are millions of potential captions to the picture. Let’s go with something befitting the tragedy: They Were Four Years In Power.
Perhaps the biggest question to come out of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping press conference is: why did they carry on with it? Some sort of mistake had clearly been made, so why did they persist and pretend it hadn’t? Many speculate it was down to fear of not obeying the will of the White House idiot, however lunatic the reality of it may appear. Others simply think that by the time the campaign staff stopped screaming, they felt they were in too deep to turn around.
Either way, the upshot is the same: no matter the absurdity of any situation, no matter how ridiculous it looks when you get there, there will ALWAYS be a line of guys ready to butch it out like it was their plan along. There will ALWAYS be a line of guys who feel that it is somehow less ridiculous to look completely ridiculous than it is to simply say: “Oh wait, we made a mistake – give us half an hour and we’ll tell you the new venue.” There will ALWAYS be a line of guys who, even if they walked over a cliff, would leave very specific last words echoing behind them. “I meant to do that.”
It was at this point, about three days into the story, that I suddenly stopped, mid-laugh. Like a flash, it had dawned on me. Oh I SEE, I thought. How very “United Kingdom”. These days, our country is that press conference. Whether it be butching out the warnings of 7,000-long lorry queues, or pissing off a new US president who already thinks our government is a nasty basket case, Boris Johnson & Co are very much one of those lines of guys. Source of escalating international bemusement or amusement? Yeah, we meant to do that.
This morning, it was claimed that Johnson’s congratulatory tweet to Biden was a hastily doctored congratulatory message to Trump - with the remains of the Trump message still slightly visible. Think of it as the Turin shroud of digital incompetence – and accept that some hyper-defensive Whitehall source will turn up to say “actually we meant to do that”.
Meanwhile, the government’s insistence on the international law-breaking clauses in its internal markets bill could easily leave the UK with no meaningful EU or US trade deal. On Monday night, John Major warned that the plan “is unprecedented in all our history – and for good reason. It has damaged our reputation around the world.” Still, we meant to do that. “Because of our bombast, our blustering, our threats and our inflexibility,” continued Major, “our trade will be less profitable, our Treasury poorer, our jobs fewer, and our future less prosperous.” I guess we meant to do that.
A month and a half from the end of transition, the guys who promised people the sunlit uplands are now building giant car parks like it’s a positive thing. Or to put it another way, they are telling you that the Four Seasons – an international standard of luxury and service – is actually less good than Four Seasons Total Landscaping. We still plan to exit transition in midwinter in a deadly pandemic we’ve known about almost the whole year. They are butching it out.
This is statecraft by Clouseau. There’s a bit in The Pink Panther Strikes Again where the inspector finds himself in a home gym and is trying to show off his familiarity with the parallel bars. He take a couple of swings, then loses control in the dismount and contrives not just to be thrown off the bars, but all the way down a long nearby staircase, right into the middle of a genteel drawing room scene. Noting the gaze of the room’s inhabitants, Clouseau picks himself up and declares: “Well, that felt good!”
This, but with a trade policy on which our national and international future hinges. Perhaps, like Clouseau, we will agonisingly pratfall our way to eventual Brexit triumph, and not have senselessly angered the new US administration along the way. However, real life not being a carefully plotted movie farce, we might have to accept that the chances are we won’t. Still, you can be sure that whatever happens, some guys will be claiming they meant to do it all.


theguardian--2020-11-10--Donald Trump's latest endeavor? Asking his supporters to pay his debts

Donald Trump has set up a retirement GoFundMe .
Well , not exactly – he doesn ’ t call it a retirement GoFundMe , but his “ election defense fund ” .
Those donating may believe that the money will be used towards challenging the election result , but may have missed that their contributions are earmarked for paying off Trump ’ s re-election debts .
It seems to be the latest episode in the Trump team ’ s comedy of errors .
As Trump continues to refuse to acknowledge the election result by baselessly claiming that Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is also calling on his base for help .
Donations can be made to two different funds – Trump ’ s personal fund , and his joint fund with the RNC .
“ President Trump needs YOU to step up to make sure we have the resources to protect the integrity of the election !
” the wording on both funds says , which is featured in a huge pop-up on Trump ’ s re-election webpage .
It continues : “ Please contribute ANY AMOUNT IMMEDIATELY to the Official Election Defense Fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % !
” It is unclear who matches the donations .
But if you scroll down , past the information about the “ Left-wing MOB ” trying to “ undermine our election ” , you ’ ll see some fine print .
On Trump ’ s personal fund , it dictates that of all donations raised , only 50 % will go towards a recount effort , and that “ 50 % of each contribution , up to a maximum of $ 2,800 ( $ 5,000 ) , [ will ] be designated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account for general election debt retirement until such debt is retired ” .
On his joint fund with the RNC , the donations work as follows : “ 60 % of each contribution first to Save America , up to $ 5,000/ $ 5,000 , then to DJTP ’ s recount account , up to a maximum of $ 2,800/ $ 5,000 .
[ And ] 40 % of each contribution to the RNC ’ s operating account , up to a maximum of $ 35,500/ $ 15,000.
” This essentially means that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a large portion of any donation won ’ t go to the “ recount ” bid but will instead go to the Super Pac sponsoring the bid , and the Republican party .
The bottom line : Trump spent a little more money than he had for his re-election – to the tune of $ 1.6bn – and now he wants help paying for it .
It ’ s sort of cute , like when a wealthy college student asks if you can sponsor their year abroad petting monkeys in Borneo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting out in the cold is now passing round the begging bowl in the cold light of day .
Some have complained of being repeatedly asked to give donations , receiving as many as 28 messages in a day .
Perhaps we should have some empathy .
Trump did , after all , get Covid-19 and then lose his job during a pandemic .
Should we be laughing at a man so broke he didn ’ t make enough money to pay more than $ 750 in tax for the last two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 years before that ?
But then , let us remember how he dished out self-help advice to ordinary Americans after his Covid diagnosis .
“ Don ’ t let it defeat you !
We have … some really great drugs and knowledge , ” he said at the time , while attempting to slash subsidised healthcare as he simultaneously received a tax-payer funded cocktail of experimental medicines not available to the average American .
Anyway .
If his supporters want to pledge money to help the man pay off his debts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things : blind , tough , profligate .
Trump has a rough patch coming up , with a reported $ 900m in personal debts , on top of his re-election costs .
He could always just cash in on his condos , golf courses and towers , of course , which could bring him in about $ 1bn .
But then where would the poor man go to spend his retirement ?

Donald Trump has set up a retirement GoFundMe. Well, not exactly – he doesn’t call it a retirement GoFundMe, but his “election defense fund”.
Those donating may believe that the money will be used towards challenging the election result, but may have missed that their contributions are earmarked for paying off Trump’s re-election debts. It seems to be the latest episode in the Trump team’s comedy of errors.
As Trump continues to refuse to acknowledge the election result by baselessly claiming that Biden’s victory was won through voter fraud, he is also calling on his base for help. Donations can be made to two different funds – Trump’s personal fund, and his joint fund with the RNC.
“President Trump needs YOU to step up to make sure we have the resources to protect the integrity of the election!” the wording on both funds says, which is featured in a huge pop-up on Trump’s re-election webpage. It continues: “Please contribute ANY AMOUNT IMMEDIATELY to the Official Election Defense Fund and to increase your impact by 1,000%!”
We now know this is matched not by the man himself, but the person making the donation. When one tries to donate, they are automatically opted into a recurring weekly donation (again written in small print). This story, and the donor, seem to be the gift that keeps on giving.
But if you scroll down, past the information about the “Left-wing MOB” trying to “undermine our election”, you’ll see some fine print. On Trump’s personal fund, it dictates that of all donations raised, only 50% will go towards a recount effort, and that “50% of each contribution, up to a maximum of $2,800 ($5,000), [will] be designated toward DJTFP’s 2020 general election account for general election debt retirement until such debt is retired”.
On his joint fund with the RNC, the donations work as follows: “60% of each contribution first to Save America, up to $5,000/$5,000, then to DJTP’s recount account, up to a maximum of $2,800/$5,000. [And] 40% of each contribution to the RNC’s operating account, up to a maximum of $35,500/$15,000.”
03:51 One week on: how Trump handled losing the US election – video report
This essentially means that depending on the size of your donation, a large portion of any donation won’t go to the “recount” bid but will instead go to the Super Pac sponsoring the bid, and the Republican party.
The bottom line: Trump spent a little more money than he had for his re-election – to the tune of $1.6bn – and now he wants help paying for it. It’s sort of cute, like when a wealthy college student asks if you can sponsor their year abroad petting monkeys in Borneo.
The man who literally left his supporters waiting out in the cold is now passing round the begging bowl in the cold light of day. Some have complained of being repeatedly asked to give donations, receiving as many as 28 messages in a day.
Perhaps we should have some empathy. Trump did, after all, get Covid-19 and then lose his job during a pandemic. Should we be laughing at a man so broke he didn’t make enough money to pay more than $750 in tax for the last two years – and nothing for the 10 to 15 years before that?
But then, let us remember how he dished out self-help advice to ordinary Americans after his Covid diagnosis. “Don’t let it defeat you! We have … some really great drugs and knowledge,” he said at the time, while attempting to slash subsidised healthcare as he simultaneously received a tax-payer funded cocktail of experimental medicines not available to the average American.
(The drugs did seem to work – the president recovered quickly despite being, as one person put it, “in three high-risk categories: elderly, obese and low-income”.)
Anyway. If his supporters want to pledge money to help the man pay off his debts, why not? Love can be many things: blind, tough, profligate. Trump has a rough patch coming up, with a reported $900m in personal debts, on top of his re-election costs. He could always just cash in on his condos, golf courses and towers, of course, which could bring him in about $1bn. But then where would the poor man go to spend his retirement?


theguardian--2020-11-10--Trump's longshot election lawsuits: where do things stand?

Since election day , Donald Trump and other Republicans have filed a smattering of lawsuits in battleground states that have provided cover for Trump and other Republicans to say that the election still remains unresolved .
Legal experts have noted these suits are meritless , and even if they were successful , would not be enough to overturn the election results .
Indeed , judges in several of these lawsuits have already dismissed them , noting the Trump campaign has failed to offer evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud .
Here ’ s where some of the key lawsuits stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump and his supporters has been that they were not allowed to observe vote counting in Philadelphia , the overwhelmingly Democratic city that helped Biden carry Pennsylvania .
That ’ s not true .
The Trump campaign did secure a court order to allow observers to get closer to the vote counting process , but there ’ s no evidence observers were excluded and Philadelphia had a 24/7 livestream of its counting .
When the campaign went to federal court arguing that its observers didn ’ t have access to vote counting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admit there was a “ non-zero ” number of campaign observers watching the vote count .
Pennsylvania Republicans and the Trump campaign are also still pushing the US supreme court to reject mail-in ballots that were postmarked by election day and arrived at election offices by 6 November .
Pennsylvania law requires ballots to arrive by the close of polls on election night , but the Pennsylvania supreme court , where Democrats have a majority , pointed to mail delays and the pandemic to justify the extension .
Several other states in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they arrive after election day but are postmarked before .
Republicans have been trying to get these ballots rejected since early September , when the Pennsylvania supreme court extended the receipt deadline by three days .
The number of late-arriving ballots is thought to be relatively small , so even if the supreme court were to ultimately reject them , it would not be enough to overturn Biden ’ s lead of nearly 45,000 votes in the state .
Trump and Republicans have also pursued a number of cases to try and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a mistake , but have been unsuccessful in all of their suits .
Even if Republicans succeeded , it wouldn ’ t be enough to overturn the results of the race .
On Monday evening , the Trump campaign filed another lawsuit in federal court offering a new legal theory – Pennsylvania ’ s election was illegitimate because it had different processes for voting by mail and voting in person .
Many legal experts quickly noted the theory was bogus .
The suit was “ inexcusably late ” , said Stephen Vladeck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Texas , who noted the differences between in-person and mail-in voting were known for months .
“ The core theory on which it rests – that there ’ s some kind of right to have all ballots counted through precisely the same procedures – would effectively invalidate mail-in voting not just in Pennsylvania , but nationwide , ” he said .
“ Yet again , it offers no actual evidence of any impropriety or fraud in how Pennsylvania has counted these ballots .
It ’ s just a transparent effort to throw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least , to muddy the waters long enough to prevent Pennsylvania from certifying its slate of electors in time.
” The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in Arizona on Saturday that seemed to be based on a discredited conspiracy theory that voters who used Sharpie pens to fill out their ballots would not have them counted .
The campaign ’ s suit didn ’ t specifically mention Sharpies , but contained allegations from voters who said they noticed ink had bled through their ballots , which could potentially cause their ballots not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had cast a vote for more than one candidate in a contest , something known as an overvote .
The suit says that poll workers failed to avail voters of the opportunity to cast a new ballot when scanners notified them of the issue .
The Trump campaign submitted affidavits from two voters who said they were not notified of the chance to fix their ballots .
A poll watcher submitted an affidavit saying he observed around 80 instances in which voters were given vague or confusing information about the possibility their vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed about 40 instances in which the poll worker had pressed the button to submit the ballot on behalf of the voter .
Biden leads Trump in Arizona by more than 17,000 votes .
There ’ s no evidence in any of the affidavits of a poll worker submitting a ballot without the consent of a voter .
Maricopa county officials denied last week that voters had their ballots rejected without being given a chance to fix any issues first .
“ No ballots were rejected at voting centers for overvotes or any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attorney representing the county , wrote to the state ’ s attorney general last week .
“ Voters who marked more votes than allowed ( an ‘ overvote ’ ) , made stray marks on their ballots , or otherwise damaged their ballots so they could not be read on vote tabulation machines were given the opportunity to ‘ spoil ’ their ballots and cast new ones.
” Even if a voter cast an overvoted ballot , it ’ s unlikely that it would have a significant effect in the presidential race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Democracy Fund former election official in Maricopa county , noted that an overvote does not disqualify an entire ballot , only the race in which there is an issue .
“ All other contests and questions still count , ” she said .
“ The only way that over-voting would have affected the presidential race would be if a voter voted for both President Trump and Vice-President Biden ( or more than one candidate in the race ) .
This is very rare.
” A lawyer representing Maricopa county told a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overvotes on the presidential line out of 155,860 cast in person on election day .
He said it was “ absurd ” to think all of those 180 were not actually overvotes , according to the Arizona Republic .
The Trump campaign has also been unable to offer substantial evidence of fraud or irregularities in Michigan , another important battleground state where Biden won by about 147,000 votes .
The Trump campaign tried to halt absentee ballot counting in the state , alleging that observers were excluded from the process , but a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The campaign failed to “ specify when , where , or by whom ” they were excluded and did not “ provide any details about why the alleged exclusion occurred , ” Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens of the Michigan court of claims wrote .
The campaign offered a picture of a sticky note from a poll worker purporting to show that workers were being instructed to backdate ballots – Stephens declined to admit the note , saying it was hearsay .
The Trump campaign is appealing .
In another case , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halt vote counting after Republicans claimed they were being excluded from a process in which election officials were fixing ballots that could not be read by scanners .
The judge ruled against halting counting , saying that while the plaintiffs argued hundreds or thousands of ballots were potentially affected , they did not offer “ affidavits or specific eyewitness evidence to substantiate their assertions ” .
“ It is mere speculation by plaintiffs that hundreds or thousands of ballots have , in fact , been changed and presumably falsified , ” Judge Timothy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judicial circuit court , wrote in his opinion .
“ The city of Detroit should not be harmed when there is no evidence to support accusations of voter fraud.
” A new lawsuit was filed on Monday making similar allegations , but much of the evidence included in the case was based on hearsay , according to the Detroit Free Press .
Nevada Republicans lost a lawsuit last week seeking to block Clark county , the state ’ s most populous and Democratic-leaning county , from using a machine to automatically verify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jill Stokke , a 79-year-old legally blind woman , who claimed her ballot was stolen from her and submitted .
But election officials said they had met with Stokke , reviewed her ballot , and determined the signature on it was her ’ s , according to the Nevada Independent .
They offered her the chance to cast a new ballot if she signed an affidavit , but she declined , the Independent reported .
US district judge Andrew Gordon said the plaintiffs had “ little to no evidence ” the machine was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independent .
Nevada Republicans also announced last week they were sending a criminal referral to the justice department containing the names of thousands of people who had voted after moving out of the state .
But there ’ s plenty of reasons someone may vote in Nevada from out of state – they might have moved temporarily , be at school or be in the military .
Indeed , several of the addresses on the list are associated with the military , the Wall Street Journal reported Monday .
In Georgia , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disqualify 53 mail-in ballots it claimed were being counted even though they arrived after election day .
But in court , the poll worker who the suit was based around failed to offer evidence the ballots had arrived late .
A judge threw out the case last week after an hour-long hearing , noting there was no evidence the ballots were received after the deadline .
Because the margin in Georgia is within 0.5 % of the votes case , there will be a recount of the vote in the coming weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a recount , it ’ s not expected to change the expected result in the state , where Biden leads by more than 12,000 votes .

Since election day, Donald Trump and other Republicans have filed a smattering of lawsuits in battleground states that have provided cover for Trump and other Republicans to say that the election still remains unresolved.
Legal experts have noted these suits are meritless, and even if they were successful, would not be enough to overturn the election results. Indeed, judges in several of these lawsuits have already dismissed them, noting the Trump campaign has failed to offer evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud.
Here’s where some of the key lawsuits stand:
Pennsylvania
One of the main rallying cries for Trump and his supporters has been that they were not allowed to observe vote counting in Philadelphia, the overwhelmingly Democratic city that helped Biden carry Pennsylvania.
That’s not true. The Trump campaign did secure a court order to allow observers to get closer to the vote counting process, but there’s no evidence observers were excluded and Philadelphia had a 24/7 livestream of its counting. When the campaign went to federal court arguing that its observers didn’t have access to vote counting, a campaign lawyer was forced to admit there was a “non-zero” number of campaign observers watching the vote count.
Pennsylvania Republicans and the Trump campaign are also still pushing the US supreme court to reject mail-in ballots that were postmarked by election day and arrived at election offices by 6 November. Pennsylvania law requires ballots to arrive by the close of polls on election night, but the Pennsylvania supreme court, where Democrats have a majority, pointed to mail delays and the pandemic to justify the extension. Several other states in the US allow ballots to be counted if they arrive after election day but are postmarked before.
Republicans have been trying to get these ballots rejected since early September, when the Pennsylvania supreme court extended the receipt deadline by three days. The number of late-arriving ballots is thought to be relatively small, so even if the supreme court were to ultimately reject them, it would not be enough to overturn Biden’s lead of nearly 45,000 votes in the state.
It’s just a transparent effort to throw out legal votes Steve Vladek
Trump and Republicans have also pursued a number of cases to try and get courts to reject mail-in ballots where voters made a mistake, but have been unsuccessful in all of their suits. Even if Republicans succeeded, it wouldn’t be enough to overturn the results of the race.
On Monday evening, the Trump campaign filed another lawsuit in federal court offering a new legal theory – Pennsylvania’s election was illegitimate because it had different processes for voting by mail and voting in person. Many legal experts quickly noted the theory was bogus.
The suit was “inexcusably late”, said Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas, who noted the differences between in-person and mail-in voting were known for months.
“The core theory on which it rests – that there’s some kind of right to have all ballots counted through precisely the same procedures – would effectively invalidate mail-in voting not just in Pennsylvania, but nationwide,” he said. “Yet again, it offers no actual evidence of any impropriety or fraud in how Pennsylvania has counted these ballots. It’s just a transparent effort to throw out legal votes – or, at least, to muddy the waters long enough to prevent Pennsylvania from certifying its slate of electors in time.”
Arizona
The Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in Arizona on Saturday that seemed to be based on a discredited conspiracy theory that voters who used Sharpie pens to fill out their ballots would not have them counted.
The campaign’s suit didn’t specifically mention Sharpies, but contained allegations from voters who said they noticed ink had bled through their ballots, which could potentially cause their ballots not to count if the ballot scanners believed they had cast a vote for more than one candidate in a contest, something known as an overvote. The suit says that poll workers failed to avail voters of the opportunity to cast a new ballot when scanners notified them of the issue.
The Trump campaign submitted affidavits from two voters who said they were not notified of the chance to fix their ballots. A poll watcher submitted an affidavit saying he observed around 80 instances in which voters were given vague or confusing information about the possibility their vote could be rejected. He said he observed about 40 instances in which the poll worker had pressed the button to submit the ballot on behalf of the voter. Biden leads Trump in Arizona by more than 17,000 votes.
Trump supporters in Phoenix on Monday. Biden leads Trump in Arizona by more than 17,000 votes. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters
There’s no evidence in any of the affidavits of a poll worker submitting a ballot without the consent of a voter. Maricopa county officials denied last week that voters had their ballots rejected without being given a chance to fix any issues first.
“No ballots were rejected at voting centers for overvotes or any other reason,” Tom Liddy, an attorney representing the county, wrote to the state’s attorney general last week. “Voters who marked more votes than allowed (an ‘overvote’), made stray marks on their ballots, or otherwise damaged their ballots so they could not be read on vote tabulation machines were given the opportunity to ‘spoil’ their ballots and cast new ones.”
Even if a voter cast an overvoted ballot, it’s unlikely that it would have a significant effect in the presidential race. Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser at the Democracy Fund former election official in Maricopa county, noted that an overvote does not disqualify an entire ballot, only the race in which there is an issue. “All other contests and questions still count,” she said.
“The only way that over-voting would have affected the presidential race would be if a voter voted for both President Trump and Vice-President Biden (or more than one candidate in the race). This is very rare.”
A lawyer representing Maricopa county told a judge on Monday there were just 180 overvotes on the presidential line out of 155,860 cast in person on election day. He said it was “absurd” to think all of those 180 were not actually overvotes, according to the Arizona Republic.
05:51 Can Joe Biden and Kamala Harris unite America after Trump? – video explainer
Michigan
The Trump campaign has also been unable to offer substantial evidence of fraud or irregularities in Michigan, another important battleground state where Biden won by about 147,000 votes.
The Trump campaign tried to halt absentee ballot counting in the state, alleging that observers were excluded from the process, but a judge declined to do so last week. The campaign failed to “specify when, where, or by whom” they were excluded and did not “provide any details about why the alleged exclusion occurred,” Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens of the Michigan court of claims wrote. The campaign offered a picture of a sticky note from a poll worker purporting to show that workers were being instructed to backdate ballots – Stephens declined to admit the note, saying it was hearsay. The Trump campaign is appealing.
In another case, a judge rejected an effort last week to halt vote counting after Republicans claimed they were being excluded from a process in which election officials were fixing ballots that could not be read by scanners. The judge ruled against halting counting, saying that while the plaintiffs argued hundreds or thousands of ballots were potentially affected, they did not offer “affidavits or specific eyewitness evidence to substantiate their assertions”.
“It is mere speculation by plaintiffs that hundreds or thousands of ballots have, in fact, been changed and presumably falsified,” Judge Timothy Kenny, of Michigan’s third judicial circuit court, wrote in his opinion. “The city of Detroit should not be harmed when there is no evidence to support accusations of voter fraud.”
A new lawsuit was filed on Monday making similar allegations, but much of the evidence included in the case was based on hearsay, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Nevada
Nevada Republicans lost a lawsuit last week seeking to block Clark county, the state’s most populous and Democratic-leaning county, from using a machine to automatically verify the signature on ballots. Republicans put forward Jill Stokke, a 79-year-old legally blind woman, who claimed her ballot was stolen from her and submitted. But election officials said they had met with Stokke, reviewed her ballot, and determined the signature on it was hers, according to the Nevada Independent. They offered her the chance to cast a new ballot if she signed an affidavit, but she declined, the Independent reported.
US district judge Andrew Gordon said the plaintiffs had “little to no evidence” the machine was not working correctly, according to the Independent.
Nevada Republicans also announced last week they were sending a criminal referral to the justice department containing the names of thousands of people who had voted after moving out of the state. But there’s plenty of reasons someone may vote in Nevada from out of state – they might have moved temporarily, be at school or be in the military. Indeed, several of the addresses on the list are associated with the military, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
16:48 How Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in the fight for America’s soul – video
Georgia
In Georgia, the Trump campaign also lost an effort to disqualify 53 mail-in ballots it claimed were being counted even though they arrived after election day. But in court, the poll worker who the suit was based around failed to offer evidence the ballots had arrived late. A judge threw out the case last week after an hour-long hearing, noting there was no evidence the ballots were received after the deadline.
Because the margin in Georgia is within 0.5% of the votes case, there will be a recount of the vote in the coming weeks. While vote totals changing is not unusual for a recount, it’s not expected to change the expected result in the state, where Biden leads by more than 12,000 votes.


theguardian--2020-11-10--'An embarrassment': Biden responds to Trump's refusal to concede election – video

President-elect Joe Biden says Donald Trump 's refusal to concede the presidential election is 'an embarrassment ' .
Biden was @ @ @ @ @ period before he takes office in January 2020 when he was asked what he would @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's refusal to concede and what it would mean for the country .
`` @ @ @ @ @ it 's an embarrassment , quite frankly , '' Biden said .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ president 's legacy . ''
Biden has promised to `` get right to work '' @ @ @ @ @ would be a smooth transition of power • Joe Biden says Trump 's refusal to @ @ @ @ @ – live

President-elect Joe Biden says Donald Trump's refusal to concede the presidential election is 'an embarrassment'. Biden was outlining plans for the transition period before he takes office in January 2020 when he was asked what he would say to Americans anxious over Trump's refusal to concede and what it would mean for the country. "Well, I just think it's an embarrassment, quite frankly," Biden said. "I think it will not help the president's legacy." Biden has promised to "get right to work" despite alarm over whether there would be a smooth transition of power


theguardian--2020-11-10--Biden calls Trump's behavior 'embarrassing' as Pompeo dismisses election result – video

The US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , has predicted 'there will be a smooth transition to a second @ @ @ @ @ allies offered their congratulations to the president-elect , Joe Biden .
Pompeo focused on the @ @ @ @ @ by the Trump administration , while Biden , who said he has not spoken to @ @ @ @ @ was called in Biden ’ s favor on Saturday , said Trump ’ s refusal @ @ @ @ @ embarrassment' • Pompeo makes baseless claims about ‘ smooth transition to second Trump administration ’

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has predicted 'there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration' while US allies offered their congratulations to the president-elect, Joe Biden.
Pompeo focused on the various legal challenges being pursued by the Trump administration, while Biden, who said he has not spoken to Donald Trump since the election was called in Biden’s favor on Saturday, said Trump’s refusal to concede defeat was 'an embarrassment'


theguardian--2020-11-10--Trump, McCain, Bush and Carter: different reactions to bad election results – video

Speeches from candidates conceding defeat in past US elections have been resurfacing after Donald Trump refusal to speak out since @ @ @ @ @ Speaking from the White House on 5 November , before the result was officially confirmed @ @ @ @ @ legally cast mail-in ballots as illegitimate , made unsubstantiated claims that pollsters got results 'knowingly @ @ @ @ @ election was being stolen .
Trump 's campaign insist the president has no intention of @ @ @ @ @ Biden his concession , and instead of speaking publicly Trump has only voiced his ire @ @ @ @ @ an array of lawsuits to press claims of electoral fraud and corruption for which he @ @ @ @ @ State officials say they are not aware of any significant irregularities • How Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ fight for America ’ s soul – video

Speeches from candidates conceding defeat in past US elections have been resurfacing after Donald Trump refusal to speak out since losing to Joe Biden. Speaking from the White House on 5 November, before the result was officially confirmed, Trump falsely referred to legally cast mail-in ballots as illegitimate, made unsubstantiated claims that pollsters got results 'knowingly wrong' and that the election was being stolen.
Trump's campaign insist the president has no intention of admitting defeat or offering Joe Biden his concession, and instead of speaking publicly Trump has only voiced his ire through Twitter and by launching an array of lawsuits to press claims of electoral fraud and corruption for which he has produced no evidence. State officials say they are not aware of any significant irregularities


theguardian--2020-11-10--Can Joe Biden and Kamala Harris unite America after Trump – video explainer

When Joe Biden formally takes over the presidency in January he will face some of the greatest crises to hit @ @ @ @ @ : a pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans , a devastated economy , @ @ @ @ @ a deeply fractured nation .
The Guardian 's Lauren Gambino looks at how Biden and @ @ @ @ @ , plan to 'heal ' the country after four years of Trumpism – and the @ @ @ @ @ the prospect of having to navigate these times without a majority in the Senate • @ @ @ @ @ Trump in the fight for America ’ s soul – video

Lauren Gambino, Monika Cvorak and Nikhita Chulani

When Joe Biden formally takes over the presidency in January he will face some of the greatest crises to hit the US in recent history: a pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans, a devastated economy, a rapidly overheating climate and a deeply fractured nation.
The Guardian's Lauren Gambino looks at how Biden and the vice-president-elect, Kamala Harris, plan to 'heal' the country after four years of Trumpism – and the challenges they will face with the prospect of having to navigate these times without a majority in the Senate


theguardian--2020-11-11--‘I need to make sure I’m heard’: the hurdles young Texans overcame to cast their vote

Isaiah Rendon was certain that he had registered to vote by the deadline .
But when he went to the polls in San Marcos , Texas , on election day last week , the 21-year-old was only offered a provisional ballot .
It was Rendon ’ s first time voting .
He hadn ’ t been interested in politics before .
But this year , amid so much party infighting , he felt the urge to speak up .
“ I need to go ahead and make sure I am heard , ” he said , “ for what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , systemic racism , the accelerating climate crisis and a global pandemic , young Americans showed up to vote this fall , far exceeding turnout from four years ago .
Youth , especially from communities of color , were one of the key constituencies that propelled Joe Biden to victory .
And nowhere did they generate more buzz than in Texas , as Democrats aggressively pushed – but ultimately failed – to turn the red stronghold blue .
During early voting , more than 1.3 million Texans under age 30 helped drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infamous for chronically low turnout .
However , consistent with a long history of voter suppression , young people still got caught in onerous laws and frustrating bureaucracy , even after doing everything by the book .
“ There ’ s just a lot of confusion on the ground , especially for first time voters , of what is their right , what is the law , and how can they vote , ” said Catherine Wicker , a deputy field organizer for Texas Rising and graduate student at Texas State university .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ home base , Texas State dominates the city of San Marcos with a majority-minority student body nearly 38,000 strong .
Hays flipped for Biden last week , but not everyone from the area was onboard : San Marcos recently made headlines after a caravan of Trump supporters literally drove a Biden campaign bus out of town .
While vigilantes loudly took to the roads to try to scare people out of voting , a more pernicious , state-sponsored form of disenfranchisement was happening behind the scenes that amounted to voter suppression , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas State working on a local campaign .
While it ’ s hard to know exactly how many voters were affected , an “ alarming number ” of students in the Texas county were not on the voter rolls when polls opened for early voting in October , and were either turned away or given a provisional ballot after trying to vote , Wicker said .
Unlike regular ballots , provisional voting involves extra steps to “ cure ” the ballot , which goes through a review process and may not be counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the steps that they need to do to be registered , and they are not registered , ” she said .
“ And that ’ s very alarming to me , not only as [ an ] organizer , but also as a citizen – that these people have done everything , they meet the requirements to vote , yet there ’ s all of these barriers in place.
” When the registration deadline had already passed , some young voters were also befuddled by correction letters questioning their information , Wicker said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disenfranchised after the elections office mistyped her details .
She wasn ’ t on the voter rolls , then received a disconcerting letter saying her social security number didn ’ t match her name .
“ People are getting turned away from voting for just like , minor , minor mistakes , human errors , that , like , really in a system with equitable voter registration and voter enfranchisement would not even be an issue , ” Peña said .
After moving earlier this year , Peña was perturbed when his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas ’ online database by the start of early voting .
A voter hotline told him it looked like he hadn ’ t registered at all , and that uncertainty coupled with the prospect of long lines were enough to keep him from the polls for days .
“ It ’ s clear that that has become the strategy of those who seek to disenfranchise voters , is just make it as hard as possible while still ‘ allowing them ’ to vote , ” said Peña , who did eventually cast a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hays county ’ s elections administrator , told the Guardian last week that voters with registration issues could call her office to address them , and that those problems wouldn ’ t keep them from voting .
“ Everyone who has registered by the deadline has been processed into our voter registration system , ” she wrote in an email .
But on election day , young voters remained in limbo .
One was given a provisional ballot even though she had kept her receipt as proof that she had registered back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disheartening to the process , ” Wicker said , “ to see that there ’ s these ongoing issues .
”

Isaiah Rendon was certain that he had registered to vote by the deadline. But when he went to the polls in San Marcos, Texas, on election day last week, the 21-year-old was only offered a provisional ballot.
It was Rendon’s first time voting. He hadn’t been interested in politics before. But this year, amid so much party infighting, he felt the urge to speak up.
“I need to go ahead and make sure I am heard,” he said, “for what I believe in.”
Confronted with a faltering economy, systemic racism, the accelerating climate crisis and a global pandemic, young Americans showed up to vote this fall, far exceeding turnout from four years ago. Youth, especially from communities of color, were one of the key constituencies that propelled Joe Biden to victory. And nowhere did they generate more buzz than in Texas, as Democrats aggressively pushed – but ultimately failed – to turn the red stronghold blue.
During early voting, more than 1.3 million Texans under age 30 helped drive surprisingly high voter participation in a state infamous for chronically low turnout. However, consistent with a long history of voter suppression, young people still got caught in onerous laws and frustrating bureaucracy, even after doing everything by the book.
“There’s just a lot of confusion on the ground, especially for first time voters, of what is their right, what is the law, and how can they vote,” said Catherine Wicker, a deputy field organizer for Texas Rising and graduate student at Texas State university.
In Hays county, Wicker’s home base, Texas State dominates the city of San Marcos with a majority-minority student body nearly 38,000 strong. Hays flipped for Biden last week, but not everyone from the area was onboard: San Marcos recently made headlines after a caravan of Trump supporters literally drove a Biden campaign bus out of town.
People wait in line to vote for more than an hour at Dan Ruiz Branch library in Austin, Texas, on 3 November. Photograph: Montinique Monroe/Getty Images
While vigilantes loudly took to the roads to try to scare people out of voting, a more pernicious, state-sponsored form of disenfranchisement was happening behind the scenes that amounted to voter suppression, said Ethen Peña, a graduate student at Texas State working on a local campaign.
While it’s hard to know exactly how many voters were affected, an “alarming number” of students in the Texas county were not on the voter rolls when polls opened for early voting in October, and were either turned away or given a provisional ballot after trying to vote, Wicker said. Unlike regular ballots, provisional voting involves extra steps to “cure” the ballot, which goes through a review process and may not be counted.
“They have done all of the steps that they need to do to be registered, and they are not registered,” she said. “And that’s very alarming to me, not only as [an] organizer, but also as a citizen – that these people have done everything, they meet the requirements to vote, yet there’s all of these barriers in place.”
When the registration deadline had already passed, some young voters were also befuddled by correction letters questioning their information, Wicker said. One student thought she had been disenfranchised after the elections office mistyped her details. She wasn’t on the voter rolls, then received a disconcerting letter saying her social security number didn’t match her name.
Floyd Bauler, a Travis county voter, leaves a polling station after casting his ballot in Austin. Photograph: Bob Daemmrich/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
“People are getting turned away from voting for just like, minor, minor mistakes, human errors, that, like, really in a system with equitable voter registration and voter enfranchisement would not even be an issue,” Peña said.
After moving earlier this year, Peña was perturbed when his own information hadn’t been updated in Texas’ online database by the start of early voting. A voter hotline told him it looked like he hadn’t registered at all, and that uncertainty coupled with the prospect of long lines were enough to keep him from the polls for days.
“It’s clear that that has become the strategy of those who seek to disenfranchise voters, is just make it as hard as possible while still ‘allowing them’ to vote,” said Peña, who did eventually cast a ballot during early voting.
Jennifer Anderson, Hays county’s elections administrator, told the Guardian last week that voters with registration issues could call her office to address them, and that those problems wouldn’t keep them from voting. “Everyone who has registered by the deadline has been processed into our voter registration system,” she wrote in an email.
But on election day, young voters remained in limbo. One was given a provisional ballot even though she had kept her receipt as proof that she had registered back in 2019.
“It’s disheartening to the process,” Wicker said, “to see that there’s these ongoing issues.”


theguardian--2020-11-11--End of Trump era deals heavy blow to rightwing populist leaders worldwide

As the Donald Trump era draws to a close , many world leaders are breathing a sigh of relief .
But Trump ’ s ideological kindred spirits – rightwing populists in office in Brazil , Hungary , Slovenia and elsewhere – are instead taking a sharp breath .
The end of the Trump presidency may not mean the beginning of their demise , but it certainly strips them of a powerful motivational factor , and also alters the global political atmosphere , which in recent years had seemed to be slowly tilting in their favour , at least until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election result is further evidence that the much-talked-about “ populist wave ” of recent years may be subsiding .
For Brazil ’ s president , Jair Bolsonaro , who has yet to recognise Joe Biden ’ s victory , Trump ’ s dismissal struck close to home .
“ He was really banking on a Trump victory … Bolsonaro knows that part of his project depends on Trump , ” said Guilherme Casarões , a political scientist from Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil .
As the reality of a Trump-free future sunk in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lighten the mood in the presidential palace , telling ministers he now had little choice but to hurl his pro-Trump foreign policy guru , Filipe Martins , from the building ’ s third-floor window .
The election result represented a blow to Bolsonarismo , a far-right political project modelled closely on Trumpism that may now lose some of its shine .
And on the world stage the result means Brazil has lost a key ally , even if critics say the relationship brought few tangible benefits .
It brings an end to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called Bolsonaro ’ s “ megalomaniacal pipedream ” of spearheading an international rightwing crusade .
“ Without Trump , who ’ s going to lead this ?
Brazil , Poland and Hungary ?
” Cantanhêde said .
“ The party ’ s over ... No one was taking this seriously anyway – but now without Trump , they ’ ll just laugh.
” Hungary ’ s prime minister , Viktor Orbán , whom Trump ’ s former strategist Steve Bannon once called “ Trump before Trump ” , had also set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote , saying he had no plan B in the event of a Trump loss .
“ I am convinced that President Trump has saved conservative America and become one of the greatest American presidents .
We wish him , and ourselves , total success in his election , ” Orbán said shortly before the vote .
Trump ’ s White House has given tacit backing and sometimes open support to far-right movements and leaders .
Trump sent an old friend , the jewellery magnate David Cornstein , to be ambassador in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador to Germany , Richard Grenell , said he planned to “ empower ” rightwing forces across Europe , infuriating his German hosts .
Orbán said his support for Trump was partly because Hungary was tired of being lectured by Democratic politicians .
“ We didn ’ t like it and we don ’ t want a second helping , ” he said .
Cas Mudde , a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia , said it was the prospect of this kind of criticism under Biden , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ se , that was behind European illiberal politicians ’ embrace of Trump .
“ I doubt most far-right leaders will feel their electoral success is going to be impacted by Trump ’ s defeat .
Neither will it really change their access to the White House , which was limited under Trump too , ” he said .
“ What they mainly worry about is what Orbán has called ‘ liberal imperialism ’ – having the US criticise democratic erosion and the abuse of human rights around the world again.
” Most populist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the results before grudgingly congratulating Biden , or simply remaining quiet .
Orbán sent belated congratulations on Sunday , but Hungarian and Polish state television played up Trump ’ s claims of fraud and suggested the result was still in the balance .
Mexico ’ s president , Andrés Manuel López Obrador , commonly called AMLO , declined to congratulate Biden immediately , saying he would wait until all legal challenges had been settled .
“ We want to be prudent , ” López Obrador said on Saturday .
Observers see stylistic similarities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact AMLO was elected on a leftwing populist platform .
He questioned the US media on Monday for “ censoring ” Trump ’ s recent press conference by cutting coverage over false claims being made .
Slovenia ’ s prime minister , Janez Janša , went further , calling the election for Trump on Wednesday morning .
Janša , who has a Trumpian relationship with his Twitter feed , wrote that it was “ pretty clear ” Trump had won four more years in office .
“ More delays and facts denying from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for # POTUS , ” he wrote .
Since then , he has said Slovenia will continue to be partners with the US , though he also tweeted a number of times that the timing of Monday ’ s announcement on a potential coronavirus vaccine breakthrough was suspicious and perhaps had been deliberately withheld until after the election .
In Estonia , where the far-right EKRE party was brought into a coalition government last year , remarks on Trump by the party leader and interior minister , Mart Helme , led to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described Biden and his son Hunter as “ corrupt characters ” , said he believed Trump would be declared the winner in the end .
“ It will happen as a result of an immense struggle , maybe even bloodshed but justice will win in the end , ” he said .
President Kersti Kaljulaid said over the weekend that she was “ sad and embarrassed ” by the remarks and suggested the attack on Estonia ’ s main ally was a national security threat .
On Monday , Helme resigned .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eager to die on the hill of Trump ’ s evidence-free claims of electoral fraud , however , particularly in those countries where most voters tend to be sceptical of the brash US president .
In France , where according to one pre-election poll only 14 % of voters wanted Trump to win , the far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen seemed keen not to rock any boats before next year ’ s presidential elections .
Although she hailed Trump ’ s victory in 2016 , and suggested after last week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the side of history ” , she has conspicuously declined to follow several of her party officials in relaying false claims from the Trump campaign of mass electoral fraud , prompting speculation that she fears risking her domestic credibility by associating herself too strongly with the Trump cause .
In the Netherlands , Thierry Baudet , leader of the far-right Forum for Democracy , and his rival , Geert Wilders of the anti-Islam Party for Freedom , both of whom backed Trump in the election , have made little noise in the aftermath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Matteo Salvini , who wore a “ Trump 2020 ” face mask before the elections , has been silent since the Biden win , though he did restate the claims of voter fraud late last week .
Giorgia Meloni , his coalition partner and Brothers of Italy leader , said Biden had “ Covid to thank ” for his victory .
Mudde said Trump , with his “ America First ” rhetoric , was always a tricky figure for large parts of the European far right , especially in countries that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more like Trump than Le Pen or Salvini .
The latter are ideological far-right politicians , steeped in a far-right subculture ; Bolsonaro is a conservative-turned-far-right , unconnected to party or subculture , and therefore ideologically thin and flexible , ” he said .
Some observers believe Bolsonaro will be forced to moderate his politics by Trump ’ s loss .
Many expect him to retire his Trump-admiring foreign minister , Ernesto Araújo , who has hailed the US president as the “ saviour ” of the west .
“ The foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post-Trumpian world , ” said Oliver Stuenkel , an international relations specialist .
“ He was a one-issue foreign minister : to admire and adulate Donald Trump and propagate Trumpist ideas.
” In Europe , opponents of populism hope the change in the White House will have a similar knock-on effect .
“ President Trump was good for the Orbán government , President Biden will be good for Hungary , ” Gergely Karácsony , the opposition mayor of Budapest , wrote on Facebook .
Additional reporting by Angela Giuffrida in Rome and David @ @ @ @

Shaun Walker in Budapest, Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro and Jon Henley in Paris

As the Donald Trump era draws to a close, many world leaders are breathing a sigh of relief. But Trump’s ideological kindred spirits – rightwing populists in office in Brazil, Hungary, Slovenia and elsewhere – are instead taking a sharp breath.
The end of the Trump presidency may not mean the beginning of their demise, but it certainly strips them of a powerful motivational factor, and also alters the global political atmosphere, which in recent years had seemed to be slowly tilting in their favour, at least until the onset of coronavirus. The momentous US election result is further evidence that the much-talked-about “populist wave” of recent years may be subsiding.
For Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has yet to recognise Joe Biden’s victory, Trump’s dismissal struck close to home. “He was really banking on a Trump victory … Bolsonaro knows that part of his project depends on Trump,” said Guilherme Casarões, a political scientist from Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brazil.
As the reality of a Trump-free future sunk in last Thursday, Bolsonaro reportedly sought to lighten the mood in the presidential palace, telling ministers he now had little choice but to hurl his pro-Trump foreign policy guru, Filipe Martins, from the building’s third-floor window.
The election result represented a blow to Bolsonarismo, a far-right political project modelled closely on Trumpism that may now lose some of its shine. And on the world stage the result means Brazil has lost a key ally, even if critics say the relationship brought few tangible benefits. It brings an end to what Eliane Cantanhêde, a prominent political commentator, called Bolsonaro’s “megalomaniacal pipedream” of spearheading an international rightwing crusade.
Homeless people rest near graffiti depicting Donald Trump and the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, as his puppet, under Minhocão Bridge in São Paulo. Photograph: Nacho Doce/Reuters
“Without Trump, who’s going to lead this? Brazil, Poland and Hungary?” Cantanhêde said. “The party’s over ... No one was taking this seriously anyway – but now without Trump, they’ll just laugh.”
Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, whom Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon once called “Trump before Trump”, had also set out his stall firmly behind the incumbent before the vote, saying he had no plan B in the event of a Trump loss.
“I am convinced that President Trump has saved conservative America and become one of the greatest American presidents. We wish him, and ourselves, total success in his election,” Orbán said shortly before the vote.
Trump’s White House has given tacit backing and sometimes open support to far-right movements and leaders. Trump sent an old friend, the jewellery magnate David Cornstein, to be ambassador in Budapest and flatter Orbán, while his ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, said he planned to “empower” rightwing forces across Europe, infuriating his German hosts.
Orbán said his support for Trump was partly because Hungary was tired of being lectured by Democratic politicians. “We didn’t like it and we don’t want a second helping,” he said.
Cas Mudde, a professor of international affairs at the University of Georgia, said it was the prospect of this kind of criticism under Biden, rather than any concrete political benefits of Trump per se, that was behind European illiberal politicians’ embrace of Trump.
“I doubt most far-right leaders will feel their electoral success is going to be impacted by Trump’s defeat. Neither will it really change their access to the White House, which was limited under Trump too,” he said.
“What they mainly worry about is what Orbán has called ‘liberal imperialism’ – having the US criticise democratic erosion and the abuse of human rights around the world again.”
Trump with Viktor Orbán in the Oval Office in May 2019. Hungary’s far-right prime minister has been described as ‘Trump before Trump’. Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty
Most populist leaders waited as long as possible for the results before grudgingly congratulating Biden, or simply remaining quiet. Orbán sent belated congratulations on Sunday, but Hungarian and Polish state television played up Trump’s claims of fraud and suggested the result was still in the balance.
Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, commonly called AMLO, declined to congratulate Biden immediately, saying he would wait until all legal challenges had been settled. “We want to be prudent,” López Obrador said on Saturday.
Observers see stylistic similarities between the two leaders, despite the fact AMLO was elected on a leftwing populist platform. He questioned the US media on Monday for “censoring” Trump’s recent press conference by cutting coverage over false claims being made.
Slovenia’s prime minister, Janez Janša, went further, calling the election for Trump on Wednesday morning. Janša, who has a Trumpian relationship with his Twitter feed, wrote that it was “pretty clear” Trump had won four more years in office. “More delays and facts denying from #MSM, bigger the final triumph for #POTUS,” he wrote.
Since then, he has said Slovenia will continue to be partners with the US, though he also tweeted a number of times that the timing of Monday’s announcement on a potential coronavirus vaccine breakthrough was suspicious and perhaps had been deliberately withheld until after the election.
In Estonia, where the far-right EKRE party was brought into a coalition government last year, remarks on Trump by the party leader and interior minister, Mart Helme, led to a full-blown political crisis. Helme, who described Biden and his son Hunter as “corrupt characters”, said he believed Trump would be declared the winner in the end. “It will happen as a result of an immense struggle, maybe even bloodshed but justice will win in the end,” he said.
Estonia’s president, Kersti Kaljulaid, has distanced herself from anti-Biden remarks made by the interior minister. Photograph: François Lenoir/Reuters
President Kersti Kaljulaid said over the weekend that she was “sad and embarrassed” by the remarks and suggested the attack on Estonia’s main ally was a national security threat. On Monday, Helme resigned.
Not everyone in the European far right is eager to die on the hill of Trump’s evidence-free claims of electoral fraud, however, particularly in those countries where most voters tend to be sceptical of the brash US president.
In France, where according to one pre-election poll only 14% of voters wanted Trump to win, the far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen seemed keen not to rock any boats before presidential elections in 2022.
Although she hailed Trump’s victory in 2016, and suggested after last week’s vote that he was “on the side of history”, she has conspicuously declined to follow several of her party officials in relaying false claims from the Trump campaign of mass electoral fraud, prompting speculation that she fears risking her domestic credibility by associating herself too strongly with the Trump cause.
In the Netherlands, Thierry Baudet, leader of the far-right Forum for Democracy, and his rival, Geert Wilders of the anti-Islam Party for Freedom, both of whom backed Trump in the election, have made little noise in the aftermath.
Matteo Salvini wearing a ‘Trump 2020’ face mask in Rome. Photograph: Giuseppe Lami/EPA
In Italy, the League leader, Matteo Salvini, who wore a “Trump 2020” face mask before the elections, has been silent since the Biden win, though he did restate the claims of voter fraud late last week. Giorgia Meloni, his coalition partner and Brothers of Italy leader, said Biden had “Covid to thank” for his victory.
Mudde said Trump, with his “America First” rhetoric, was always a tricky figure for large parts of the European far right, especially in countries that have strong anti-American sentiment.
“Bolsonaro is much more like Trump than Le Pen or Salvini. The latter are ideological far-right politicians, steeped in a far-right subculture; Bolsonaro is a conservative-turned-far-right, unconnected to party or subculture, and therefore ideologically thin and flexible,” he said.
Some observers believe Bolsonaro will be forced to moderate his politics by Trump’s loss. Many expect him to retire his Trump-admiring foreign minister, Ernesto Araújo, who has hailed the US president as the “saviour” of the west.
“The foreign minister is of no use in a post-Trumpian world,” said Oliver Stuenkel, an international relations specialist. “He was a one-issue foreign minister: to admire and adulate Donald Trump and propagate Trumpist ideas.”
In Europe, opponents of populism hope the change in the White House will have a similar knock-on effect. “President Trump was good for the Orbán government, President Biden will be good for Hungary,” Gergely Karácsony, the opposition mayor of Budapest, wrote on Facebook.
Additional reporting by Angela Giuffrida in Rome and David Agren in Mexico City