npr--2020-12-04--House Approves Decriminalizing Marijuana; Bill To Stall In Senate

The House of Representatives approved decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level on Friday in the first time Congress has acted on the issue .
The vote was largely along party lines – 228-164 .
Five Republicans and the lone independent member joined Democrats to pass the bill , and six Democrats voted no .
Branded as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act , or MORE Act , the bill removes cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances and facilitates canceling low-level federal convictions and arrests related to marijuana .
The legislation is not expected to pass in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way for Democrats to send a message about their outlook on drugs in a nation where more cities and states already have become more accepting .
It creates an excise tax on cannabis sales and directs the money to be targeted to communities adversely affected by the so-called war on drugs .
The bill specifically adds incentives for minority-owned businesses to help them enter the cannabis market , which has exploded in recent years given the relaxation in controls in some places within the United States .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said he thought Washington should n't stay so far behind parts of the nation .
`` Federal action on this issue would follow the growing recognition in the states that the status quo is unacceptable .
Despite the federal government 's continuing criminalization of marijuana , 36 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical cannabis .
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult recreational use . ''
Many other House Democrats who have advocated for federal action also said it was long overdue .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marijuana and current sentencing laws related to many marijuana possession arrests have unintended consequences — largely felt in poor and minority communities .
Rep. Barbara Lee , D-Calif. , donning a mask with the `` good trouble '' motto of the late Rep. John Lewis , a civil rights icon , framed the bill as `` an important racial justice measure . ''
Rep. Jim Clyburn , D-S.C. , tweeted that `` people of color are 4X more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than White people despite equal usage .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & harsher sentences . ''
Republicans strongly denounced the measure , saying criminals should not be released early .
Some opponents also said federal decriminalization would contribute to more death and injury from impaired drivers using marijuana .
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio , the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee , noted that the American Medical Association has released a letter opposing the legislation .
And Rep. Andy Biggs , R-Ariz. , who noted he worked as a prosecutor focused on alcohol and drug-related cases , said he thought what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious discussion on this — and not a mishmash of ideas and hopes instead of data-driven science . ''
Democrats argue that many citizens already have accepted new policies involving pot and that work in Congress only would catch up with what 's now normal for millions of people .
`` More than half of all Americans live in states where cannabis is legal , '' said Rep. Lou Correa , D-Calif .
He also pushed for an amendment to legalize cannabis for medical treatment of veterans and noted the importance of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be ruined by selective enforcement of these laws , '' said Earl Blumenauer , D-Ore. , a longtime advocate of decriminalization .
He also noted that former House Speaker John Boehner , a lifelong Republican from a conservative area outside Cincinnati , is now a spokesman for the marijuana industry .
But the broader argument many Republicans made was that Democrats are wasting time debating an issue that is not likely to become law instead of enacting coronavirus relief legislation .
`` Come on man — families are losing their livelihoods , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pete Stauber , R-Minn .
The majority is focused on the wrong agenda , he said , either because it involves measures such as the pot bill that Democrats know wo n't become law or what Stauber called silly distractions .
Referring to a vote a day earlier banning private ownership of large cats , Stauber said : `` Our priorities should not be legalizing drugs or banning tigers . ''
Democrats reject the charge they 're not serious .
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee , D-Texas , said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus relief bill for months and talks were showing new movement .
She also said the marijuana bill would save lives .
`` The imbalance against people of color has been a tragedy , '' Jackson Lee said .
With time running out on the current session of Congress and the GOP-controlled Senate not planning to take up the bill , Friday 's vote was mostly symbolic .
Democratic leaders had initially scheduled a vote on the bill before the election .
But in the weeks leading up to the election and little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postponed the vote to avoid political attacks on members in competitive districts .
Jordan noted that voting on the issue now was also out of step with public opinion .
`` Maybe that 's why they lost 27 out of 27 toss-up seats , '' he said about the Democrats .
Jordan grouped the marijuana bill with what he called Democratic leaders ' focus on `` defunding the police '' — an attack line that many moderates say cost them their races this year .
Most Democrats said explicitly they did not want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the police reform bill they passed in the summer did not include any language that would do so .
But according to some commentators and members of Congress , the bumper sticker `` defund the police '' was enough to convince some voters that Democrats were radicals .
Views about that differ within the party — the most liberal members reject this thesis — and it is n't clear yet whether voters might punish members of Congress in a future election for the marijuana vote in the same way they were perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Although the marijuana bill is expected to die this year in the Senate , Democrats could vote on a similar bill in the next session of Congress .
President-elect Joe Biden does support decriminalization .
But control of the Senate is still unclear , depending on two runoff races that will determine the majority in January .

House Approves Decriminalizing Marijuana; Bill To Stall In Senate
Enlarge this image toggle caption House Television via AP House Television via AP
The House of Representatives approved decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level on Friday in the first time Congress has acted on the issue.
The vote was largely along party lines – 228-164. Five Republicans and the lone independent member joined Democrats to pass the bill, and six Democrats voted no.
Branded as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or MORE Act, the bill removes cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances and facilitates canceling low-level federal convictions and arrests related to marijuana.
The legislation is not expected to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The bill is a way for Democrats to send a message about their outlook on drugs in a nation where more cities and states already have become more accepting. It creates an excise tax on cannabis sales and directs the money to be targeted to communities adversely affected by the so-called war on drugs.
The bill specifically adds incentives for minority-owned businesses to help them enter the cannabis market, which has exploded in recent years given the relaxation in controls in some places within the United States.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who sponsored the bill, said he thought Washington shouldn't stay so far behind parts of the nation.
"Federal action on this issue would follow the growing recognition in the states that the status quo is unacceptable. Despite the federal government's continuing criminalization of marijuana, 36 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical cannabis. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult recreational use."
Many other House Democrats who have advocated for federal action also said it was long overdue. They maintain the federal prohibition on research on marijuana and current sentencing laws related to many marijuana possession arrests have unintended consequences — largely felt in poor and minority communities.
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., donning a mask with the "good trouble" motto of the late Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, framed the bill as "an important racial justice measure."
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., tweeted that "people of color are 4X more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than White people despite equal usage. They're also more likely to receive longer & harsher sentences."
GOP opposition
Republicans strongly denounced the measure, saying criminals should not be released early.
Some opponents also said federal decriminalization would contribute to more death and injury from impaired drivers using marijuana. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, noted that the American Medical Association has released a letter opposing the legislation.
And Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who noted he worked as a prosecutor focused on alcohol and drug-related cases, said he thought what the nation needs is to "have a serious discussion on this — and not a mishmash of ideas and hopes instead of data-driven science."
Democrats argue that many citizens already have accepted new policies involving pot and that work in Congress only would catch up with what's now normal for millions of people.
"More than half of all Americans live in states where cannabis is legal," said Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif. He also pushed for an amendment to legalize cannabis for medical treatment of veterans and noted the importance of more research on the issue.
"Lives can be ruined by selective enforcement of these laws," said Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., a longtime advocate of decriminalization. He also noted that former House Speaker John Boehner, a lifelong Republican from a conservative area outside Cincinnati, is now a spokesman for the marijuana industry.
Priorities on the Hill
But the broader argument many Republicans made was that Democrats are wasting time debating an issue that is not likely to become law instead of enacting coronavirus relief legislation.
"Come on man — families are losing their livelihoods, people are hurting," said Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn. The majority is focused on the wrong agenda, he said, either because it involves measures such as the pot bill that Democrats know won't become law or what Stauber called silly distractions.
Referring to a vote a day earlier banning private ownership of large cats, Stauber said: "Our priorities should not be legalizing drugs or banning tigers."
Democrats reject the charge they're not serious.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has been working on getting coronavirus relief bill for months and talks were showing new movement. She also said the marijuana bill would save lives.
"The imbalance against people of color has been a tragedy," Jackson Lee said.
With time running out on the current session of Congress and the GOP-controlled Senate not planning to take up the bill, Friday's vote was mostly symbolic. Democratic leaders had initially scheduled a vote on the bill before the election. But in the weeks leading up to the election and little movement on a coronavirus bill, they postponed the vote to avoid political attacks on members in competitive districts.
Jordan noted that voting on the issue now was also out of step with public opinion.
"Maybe that's why they lost 27 out of 27 toss-up seats," he said about the Democrats. Jordan grouped the marijuana bill with what he called Democratic leaders' focus on "defunding the police" — an attack line that many moderates say cost them their races this year.
Most Democrats said explicitly they did not want to strip away money for law enforcement and the police reform bill they passed in the summer did not include any language that would do so. But according to some commentators and members of Congress, the bumper sticker "defund the police" was enough to convince some voters that Democrats were radicals.
Views about that differ within the party — the most liberal members reject this thesis — and it isn't clear yet whether voters might punish members of Congress in a future election for the marijuana vote in the same way they were perceived as doing around "defund the police."
Although the marijuana bill is expected to die this year in the Senate, Democrats could vote on a similar bill in the next session of Congress.
President-elect Joe Biden does support decriminalization. But control of the Senate is still unclear, depending on two runoff races that will determine the majority in January.


npr--2020-12-05--Carbon Monoxide Leak Leaves 18 Dead At Coal Mine In Southwest China

At least 18 people have been confirmed dead following a carbon monoxide leak inside a coal mine in southwest China , the nation 's Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday .
Those killed in the leak were among 24 people who got trapped in the mine around 5 p.m. local time on Friday when `` excessive levels of carbon monoxide '' began to seep into the air , according to the state news agency .
One person has been pulled from the mine and rescue efforts remain underway to save five others still inside .
The accident occurred at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chongqing .
The mine had been suspended and shut down two months ago , and at the time of the accident workers were inside to dismantle equipment .
Investigators were working to determine the cause of the accident , according to Xinhua .
The Diaoshuidong mine was built in 1975 and since 1998 has been operated as a private enterprise with an annual capacity of roughly 120,000 tons of coal .
In 2013 , three people died at the mine following a hydrogen sulfide poisoning incident , according to Reuters .
Friday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a September accident at the Songzao coal mine , which is also in Chongqing .
At least 16 workers were killed after exposure to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide .
China , which is both the world 's largest producer and consumer of coal , has now reported more than 100 coal mining accidents in 2020 .
In November , the government launched a year-long review of all working coal mines and coal-mining projects , focusing on infrastructure , risk prevention management and capabilities for emergency response and rescue .
The review was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mining during a point in the year when production is often at its highest .
Coal production in China typically ramps up between November and February in order to meet production targets .
Through the first 10 months of this year , the country has produced 3.13 billion tons of coal .
The U.S. , by comparison , mined 706 million in all of 2019 — the lowest since 1978 .

Carbon Monoxide Leak Leaves 23 Dead At Coal Mine In Southwest China
Enlarge this image toggle caption AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 8:07 a.m. ET Sunday
Twenty-three people died following a carbon monoxide leak inside a coal mine in southwest China, the nation's Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
Those killed in the leak were among 24 people who got trapped in the mine around 5 p.m. local time on Friday when "excessive levels of carbon monoxide" began to seep into the air, according to the state news agency. One survivor was pulled from the mine.
The accident occurred at the Diaoshuidong coal mine in the city of Chongqing. The mine had been suspended and shut down two months ago, and at the time of the accident workers were inside to dismantle equipment. Investigators were working to determine the cause of the accident, according to Xinhua.
On Sunday, China's Ministry of Emergency Management ordered local authorities to "resolutely take decisive measures to effectively stop major accidents in coal mines from happening," according to a statement published on the agency's website.
The Diaoshuidong mine was built in 1975 and since 1998 has been operated as a private enterprise with an annual capacity of roughly 120,000 tons of coal. In 2013, three people died at the mine following a hydrogen sulfide poisoning incident, according to Reuters.
Friday's accident appeared an eerily similar replay to a September accident at the Songzao coal mine, which is also in Chongqing. At least 16 workers were killed after exposure to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide.
China, which is both the world's largest producer and consumer of coal, has now reported more than 100 coal mining accidents in 2020. In November, the government launched a year-long review of all working coal mines and coal-mining projects, focusing on infrastructure, risk prevention management and capabilities for emergency response and rescue.
The review was expected to put a brake on coal mining during a point in the year when production is often at its highest. Coal production in China typically ramps up between November and February in order to meet production targets. Through the first 10 months of this year, the country has produced 3.13 billion tons of coal. The U.S., by comparison, mined 706 million in all of 2019 — the lowest since 1978.


npr--2020-12-05--Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Is Surging : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 14 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 270,000 have died of COVID-19 .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capita .
The consortium of researchers and public health experts who developed these risk levels advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
They advise orange states to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and all states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals to date .
This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
New cases fell from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 900 a day most of the summer , before starting to rise in the fall .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid October , California , Florida and Texas surpass New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
Loading...
The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
Loading...
Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-12-05--Backing Trump, Some Ex-Military Officers Spread Conspiracies, Urge Martial Law

The first time Scott O'Grady made a splash in the news , the Air Force pilot had been shot down on a mission over Bosnia in 1995 .
He survived in the woods by eating leaves , grass and bugs for six days before he was rescued .
He returned to the U.S. a hero , welcomed by President Bill Clinton and he appeared on the cover of Time magazine .
He 's in the news again , this time for different reasons .
The White House on Monday nominated O'Grady to be assistant secretary of defense for international security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a review of his public statements , CNN found that O'Grady called former President Barack Obama and some military generals `` sworn socialists '' in a radio interview .
On Twitter , he endorsed a tweet that called former Defense Secretary James Mattis a `` traitor . ''
He 's backed multiple conspiracy theories , retweeting the baseless claim that Hillary Clinton and George Soros somehow helped facilitate foreign interference in last month 's election .
O'Grady 's nomination still requires Senate confirmation .
Even if he clears that hurdle , he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden becomes commander-in-chief next month .
Yet O'Grady , who headed the group Veterans for Trump during the campaign , is just one of several prominent , retired military officials who have promoted some of the the most outlandish election conspiracy theories , and in some cases , voiced approval for martial law .
In many cases , Trump has rewarded their loyalty .
The best known figure is Michael Flynn , the retired Army lieutenant general and Trump 's first national security adviser .
Flynn lasted less than a month in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lying to the FBI .
Trump pardoned him on Nov. 25 .
Less than a week later , on Dec. 1 , Flynn tweeted his support for the right-wing group , We The People , which called on Trump to `` immediately declare a limited form of Martial Law , and temporarily suspend the Constitution and civilian control of these federal elections , for the sole purpose of having the military oversee a re-vote . ''
`` We are at the point where we can only trust our military to do this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have proven their inability to act fairly and within the law , '' the group said in a statement .
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Army Gen. Mark Milley , has insisted the U.S. military will not be involved in politics .
`` We have established a very long , 240-year tradition of an apolitical military that does not get involved in domestic politics , '' Milley told NPR in October .
`` We want to ensure that there is always civilian leadership , civilian control of the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders of civilian control of the military . ''
However , retired military members are free to express their opinions , and in recent years they have been doing so far more openly .
Hundreds of former military and other national security officials signed letters supporting Biden or Trump this year .
Now , some former officers have gone way beyond taking a partisan stance .
In some cases , they 've made unfounded accusations of treason against their political rivals and have called for suspending the Constitution they pledged to defend .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently made the bogus claim that U.S. special operations forces were killed in Germany when they tried to take over a CIA computer facility in Germany .
The retired general alleged , without any evidence , that the CIA was concealing information about vote fraud that flipped ballots from Trump to Biden .
The claim was swiftly debunked , yet McInerney has continued to insist it 's true .
McInerney flew more than 400 combat missions in Vietnam and served at the Pentagon as the Air Force assistant vice chief of staff in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he became a military analyst for Fox News , consistently advocating hawkish positions .
He was dropped by Fox in 2018 after he said that North Vietnamese torture `` worked '' on the late Arizona senator John McCain when he was held prisoner for more than five years .
In a recent email to the Military Times , McInerney wrote that Trump `` won in a landslide and the Dems left so many footprints that this TREASON must be stopped !
!
! ''
He added : `` This will be the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it on 2 Nov on the Steve Bannon Show ! ''
In August , Trump appointed retired Army Brig .
Gen. Anthony Tata as the acting undersecretary of defense for policy .
Tata did not require Senate confirmation since he 's serving in an acting capacity .
Tata has n't been involved in controversies during his brief time in the position , but his appointment has come under sharp criticism for previous remarks .
He called Obama a `` terrorist leader '' with `` Islamic roots '' in 2018 tweets .
He speculated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement with Iran because it would help that country `` crush Israel . ''
He later deleted those tweets , but CNN captured them in a screenshot .
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent .
Follow him @ gregmyre1 .

Backing Trump, Some Ex-Military Officers Spread Conspiracies, Urge Martial Law
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The first time Scott O'Grady made a splash in the news the Air Force pilot had been shot down on a mission over Bosnia in 1995. He survived in the woods by eating leaves, grass and bugs for six days before he was rescued. He returned to the U.S. a hero, was welcomed by President Bill Clinton and appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
He's in the news again, this time for different reasons.
The White House on Monday nominated O'Grady to be assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs at the Pentagon.
But in a review of his public statements, CNN found that O'Grady called former President Barack Obama and some military generals "sworn socialists" in a radio interview. On Twitter, he endorsed a tweet that called former Defense Secretary James Mattis a "traitor." And he has backed multiple conspiracy theories, retweeting the baseless claim that Hillary Clinton and George Soros somehow helped facilitate foreign interference in last month's election.
toggle caption Wikipedia Commons
O'Grady's nomination still requires Senate confirmation. Even if he clears that hurdle, he's almost certain to be replaced when President-elect Joe Biden becomes commander in chief next month.
O'Grady, who headed the group Veterans for Trump during the campaign, is just one of several prominent, retired military officials who have promoted some of the most outlandish election conspiracy theories and, in some cases, voiced approval for martial law.
In many cases, Trump has rewarded their loyalty.
The best-known figure is Michael Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general and Trump's first national security adviser. Flynn lasted less than a month in that job and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Trump pardoned him on Nov. 25.
Less than a week later, on Dec. 1, Flynn tweeted his support for the right-wing group, We The People, which called on Trump to "immediately declare a limited form of Martial Law, and temporarily suspend the Constitution and civilian control of these federal elections, for the sole purpose of having the military oversee a re-vote."
"We are at the point where we can only trust our military to do this because our corrupt political class and courts have proven their inability to act fairly and within the law," the group said in a statement.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Mark Milley, has insisted the U.S. military will not be involved in politics.
"We have established a very long, 240-year tradition of an apolitical military that does not get involved in domestic politics," Milley told NPR in October. "We want to ensure that there is always civilian leadership, civilian control of the military, and we will obey the lawful orders of civilian control of the military."
However, retired military members are free to express their opinions, and in recent years, they have been doing so far more openly. Hundreds of former military and other national security officials signed letters supporting Biden or Trump this year.
Now, some former officers have gone way beyond taking a partisan stance. In some cases, they've made unfounded accusations of treason against their political rivals and have called for suspending the Constitution they once pledged to defend.
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney recently made the bogus claim that U.S. special operations forces were killed in Germany when they tried to take over a CIA computer facility in Germany. He alleged, without any evidence, that the CIA was concealing information about vote fraud that flipped ballots from Trump to Biden.
The claim was swiftly debunked, yet McInerney has continued to insist it's true.
McInerney flew more than 400 combat missions in Vietnam and served at the Pentagon as the Air Force assistant vice chief of staff in the 1990s. After he retired, he became a military analyst for Fox News, consistently advocating hawkish positions. He was dropped by Fox in 2018 after he said that North Vietnamese torture "worked" on the late Arizona senator John McCain when he was held prisoner for more than five years.
In a recent email to the Military Times, McInerney wrote that Trump "won in a landslide and the Dems left so many footprints that this TREASON must be stopped!!!" He added: "This will be the last free election we have and I predicted it on 2 Nov on the Steve Bannon Show!"
In August, Trump appointed retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata as the acting undersecretary of defense for policy. Tata did not require Senate confirmation because he's serving in an acting capacity. Tata hasn't been involved in controversies during his brief time in the position, but his appointment has come under sharp criticism for previous remarks.
He called Obama a "terrorist leader" with "Islamic roots" in 2018 tweets. He speculated that Obama may have negotiated a nuclear agreement with Iran because it would help that country "crush Israel." He later deleted those tweets, but CNN captured them in a screenshot.
Greg Myre is an NPR national security correspondent. Follow him @gregmyre1.


npr--2020-12-05--'He Will Be A Happier Elephant': Vet Describes What It Was Like To Rescue Kaavan

'He Will Be A Happier Elephant ' : Vet Describes What It Was Like To Rescue Kaavan Dr. Amir Khalil is no stranger to helping animals out of really bad situations .
The 55-year-old Egyptian-born veterinarian , who works with the Vienna-based animal welfare group Four Paws International , has been rescuing animals from crumbling zoos and conflict zones such as Syria and the Gaza Strip for more than two decades .
`` We go to places where the logic does n't exist , '' Khalil told NPR last year .
`` The government does n't exist .
No one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe you are coming to save animals . ''
Now he can add moving an elephant by plane between countries during a deadly global pandemic to his storied resume .
Khalil led the team that this week transferred a 37-year-old male Asian elephant named Kaavan from confinement in a decrepit zoo in Islamabad , Pakistan , to a conservation park in Cambodia .
Moving Kaavan was already a difficult mission logistically and politically , Khalil says — and the coronavirus pandemic made it even more challenging .
The health and safety of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says , as they worked to shift the 5-ton pachyderm from the ill-equipped Islamabad zoo that 's been his home for over 30 years .
Born in Sri Lanka , Kaavan arrived in Pakistan as one-year-old calf , a state gift during military rule in the 1980s , after the military dictator 's young daughter expressed a fondness for elephants .
He ended up in the zoo , where he spent the next three decades `` chained and mistreated , '' Khalil says .
`` They forced him sometimes to drink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic country where alcohol is forbidden , '' he tells NPR .
In 2012 , Kaavan 's enclosure mate , a female elephant named Saheli , died .
Her body was left lying with Kaavan for days before it was taken away .
He 's been alone ever since — earning him the nickname of `` world 's loneliest elephant . ''
When Khalil first met Kaavan in 2016 , during a visit to assess the condition of the zoo and its animals , he says the elephant was aggressive , depressed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit , American pop legend Cher learned of Kaavan 's situation .
Along with her own charity , Free the Wild , and other animal rights groups , she launched a campaign to close the Islamabad zoo and relocate the animals .
A Pakistani court finally ordered the zoo 's closure in May and put Khalil in charge of figuring out where and how to relocate Kaavan .
`` It was an honor , '' says Khalil .
He recommended relocating Kaavan to Cambodia 's Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary , a facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Cambodia was a very good space where we could build the appropriate facility for the elephant 's quarantine and rehabilitation , '' he says .
The park already has three female elephant residents , and they will be important for Kaavan 's rehabilitation and socialization , he says .
Khalil and his team worked with Pakistani officials , Cambodian officials and , of course , Kaavan himself to prepare the elephant for his incredible journey : a more than 7-hour flight , followed by a long drive to the sanctuary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the flight donated by the Eric S. Margolis Foundation .
Social media was abuzz with photos and videos showing Kaavan taking his very first steps out of the transport crate and into his new home on Monday night .
That moment `` was great , '' an emotional Khalil says , `` because I had a special contact and special bond with the elephant . ''
Like anyone who moves to a new home , Kaavan is a bit restless and stressed right now , he says .
`` But surely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel much better and calmer , '' he says .
The elephant will be slowly introduced to the full habitat in the coming weeks .
`` The life of one human or one elephant is so important and we hope Kaavan inspires people , '' Khalil says .
`` What Kaavan did for animal welfare on a global level is important .
He deserves to be free — it 's all about humanity . ''
NPR reached Khalil in Cambodia a day after Kaavan 's transfer .
Highlights of the interview have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to move such a giant , you need a lot of logistic work .
We had to start by moving him from such a small enclosure in a zoo where no big trucks can enter , we had to build a crate , we need a team to train the elephant .
And we need to find a proper plane , because any other place could not take Kaavan .
We wanted to take the biggest plane on earth , an Antonov , but this was very expensive .
So we worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the elephant lost some [ hundreds of ] kilograms and we were able to modify the crate to be smaller .
This allowed us to take a Russian airplane , an Ilyushin .
It 's huge because the elephant is big , very tall .
We needed an airplane with a big door .
The team worked very hard in the last few months to change the weight of the elephant , to train the elephant for the transport box .
And somehow I found a way to calm the elephant by music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My Way .
I have ugly voice , very bad , but I only have one fan , Kaavan , but that 's it for me .
On putting an elephant on a plane You need food for the elephant in the plane .
If the elephant moves one step forward or back , the pilot will not be happy because the airplane will move .
We were supported by the [ Pakistani ] army , logistics to move and supply the crane which will carry the elephant and the transport box together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the airport by the army because if there was an accident , it would be a disaster .
We succeeded in bringing him into the plane and he was calm .
We had to feed him from time to time , I had to sing to him .
He slept a little , but it was for him a lot of excitement .
On the politics of moving Kaavan So it was a big political problem [ in Pakistan ] to lose the elephant , to give away the elephant because they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But on the other hand , all of the animal lovers agree there was no qualified staff to care for the elephant .
They even recommended building a sanctuary for the elephant in Pakistan .
But to keep one Asian elephant in Pakistan , in a big sanctuary , it 's like you have a big island for you alone .
It 's beautiful , but you 'll be alone .
The elephant was a presidential gift when he was a baby .
So the president of Pakistan and the first lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` safe trip '' to Kaavan .
They have to hand over the presidential gift because he had to be retired .
By this week , it was politically possible to say that Pakistan would not lose face .
The elephant worked over 35 years , filed for retirement and this was great .
After we arrived , Cher was waiting for him , and a lot of journalists .
Monks came to bless him .
After this , he moved to the sanctuary .
He 's in a new enclosure where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has three [ elephant ] ladies as neighbors .
And [ Tuesday ] morning , it was the first time his trunk touched another trunk from one of the ladies .
Which was touching .
I will stay one week with Kaavan and then fly back to rescue two bears from Islamabad to Jordan .
I 'm sure I will come back to visit Kaavan soon .
I am happy for Kaavan .
Now he will be a happier elephant , and I will be a rescue doctor again .

'He Will Be A Happier Elephant': Vet Describes What It Was Like To Rescue Kaavan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anjum Naveed/AP Anjum Naveed/AP
Dr. Amir Khalil is no stranger to helping animals out of really bad situations. The 55-year-old Egyptian-born veterinarian, who works with the Vienna-based animal welfare group Four Paws International, has been rescuing animals from crumbling zoos and conflict zones such as Syria and the Gaza Strip for more than two decades.
"We go to places where the logic doesn't exist," Khalil told NPR last year. "The government doesn't exist. No one cares. And where no one will believe you are coming to save animals."
Now he can add moving an elephant by plane between countries during a deadly global pandemic to his storied résumé. Khalil led the team that this week transferred a 37-year-old male Asian elephant named Kaavan from confinement in a decrepit zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan, to a conservation park in Cambodia.
Moving Kaavan was already a difficult mission logistically and politically, Khalil says, and the coronavirus pandemic made it even more challenging. The health and safety of the team was "the main priority," he says, as they worked to shift the 5-ton pachyderm from the ill-equipped Islamabad zoo that has been his home for over 30 years.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anjum Naveed/AP Anjum Naveed/AP
Born in Sri Lanka, Kaavan arrived in Pakistan as a 1-year-old calf, a state gift during military rule in the 1980s, after the dictator's young daughter expressed a fondness for elephants. He ended up in the zoo, where he spent the next three decades "chained and mistreated," Khalil says.
"They forced him sometimes to drink whiskey and vodka, even in an Islamic country where alcohol is forbidden," he tells NPR.
In 2012, Kaavan's enclosure mate, a female elephant named Saheli, died. Her body was left lying with Kaavan for days before it was taken away. He has been alone ever since — earning him the nickname of "world's loneliest elephant."
Khalil says that when he first met Kaavan in 2016, during a visit to assess the condition of the zoo and its animals, the elephant was aggressive, depressed and obese.
Not long after Khalil's visit, American pop legend Cher learned of Kaavan's situation. Along with her own charity, Free the Wild, and other animal rights groups, she launched a campaign to close the Islamabad zoo and relocate the animals.
A Pakistani court finally ordered the zoo's closure in May and put Khalil in charge of figuring out where and how to relocate Kaavan.
She's the best! pic.twitter.com/736gHqgTth — Cher Brasil - Fã site (@SiteCherBrasil) December 1, 2020
"It was an honor," says Khalil.
He recommended relocating Kaavan to Cambodia's Kulen Prom Tep Wildlife Sanctuary, a facility of over 30,000 acres outside Siem Reap. "Cambodia was a very good space where we could build the appropriate facility for the elephant's quarantine and rehabilitation," he says.
The park already has three female elephant residents, and they will be important for Kaavan's rehabilitation and socialization, he says.
Khalil and his team worked with Pakistani officials, Cambodian officials and, of course, Kaavan himself to prepare the elephant for his incredible journey: a more than seven-hour flight, followed by a long drive to the sanctuary. The entire process cost some $400,000, with the flight donated by the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation.
Social media was abuzz with photos and videos showing Kaavan taking his very first steps out of the transport crate and into his new home on Monday night.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images
That moment "was great," an emotional Khalil says, "because I had a special contact and special bond with the elephant."
Like anyone who moves to a new home, Kaavan is a bit restless and stressed right now, he says.
"But surely in the coming days, he will feel much better and calmer," he says.
The elephant will be slowly introduced to the full habitat in the coming weeks.
"The life of one human or one elephant is so important and we hope Kaavan inspires people," Khalil says. "What Kaavan did for animal welfare on a global level is important. He deserves to be free — it's all about humanity."
NPR reached Khalil in Cambodia a day after Kaavan's transfer. Highlights of the interview have been edited and condensed for clarity.
On how a Sinatra standard helped move Kaavan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anjum Naveed/AP Anjum Naveed/AP
So, to move such a giant, you need a lot of logistic work. We had to start by moving him from such a small enclosure in a zoo where no big trucks can enter, we had to build a crate, we need a team to train the elephant. And we need to find a proper plane, because any other place could not take Kaavan. We wanted to take the biggest plane on Earth, an Antonov, but this was very expensive.
So we worked on the weight of the elephant and the elephant lost some [hundreds of] kilograms and we were able to modify the crate to be smaller. This allowed us to take a Russian airplane, an Ilyushin. It's huge because the elephant is big, very tall. We needed an airplane with a big door.
The team worked very hard in the last few months to change the weight of the elephant, to train the elephant for the transport box. And somehow I found a way to calm the elephant by music. He loves Frank Sinatra music: "My Way." I have ugly voice, very bad, but I only have one fan, Kaavan, but that's it for me.
On putting an elephant on a plane
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saiyna Bashir/Reuters Saiyna Bashir/Reuters
You need food for the elephant in the plane. If the elephant moves one step forward or back, the pilot will not be happy because the airplane will move. We were supported by the [Pakistani] army, logistics to move and supply the crane which will carry the elephant and the transport box together. We had a military escort to the airport by the army because if there was an accident, it would be a disaster.
We succeeded in bringing him into the plane and he was calm. We had to feed him from time to time, I had to sing to him. He slept a little, but it was for him a lot of excitement.
On the politics of moving Kaavan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Four Paws Four Paws
So it was a big political problem [in Pakistan] to lose the elephant, to give away the elephant because they aren't able to care for the elephant. But on the other hand, all of the animal lovers agree there was no qualified staff to care for the elephant. They even recommended building a sanctuary for the elephant in Pakistan. But to keep one Asian elephant in Pakistan, in a big sanctuary, it's like you have a big island for you alone. It's beautiful, but you'll be alone.
The elephant was a presidential gift when he was a baby. So the president of Pakistan and the first lady came to say "goodbye" and "safe trip" to Kaavan. They have to hand over the presidential gift because he had to be retired.
By this week, it was politically possible to say that Pakistan would not lose face. The elephant worked over 35 years, filed for retirement and this was great.
On Kaavan's new life
After we arrived, Cher was waiting for him, and a lot of journalists. Monks came to bless him. After this, he moved to the sanctuary. He's in a new enclosure where he'll stay for a while and he has three [elephant] ladies as neighbors. And [Tuesday] morning, it was the first time his trunk touched another trunk from one of the ladies. Which was touching.
I will stay one week with Kaavan and then fly back to rescue two bears from Islamabad to Jordan. I'm sure I will come back to visit Kaavan soon. I am happy for Kaavan. Now he will be a happier elephant, and I will be a rescue doctor again.


npr--2020-12-05--Maduro Allies Set To Win Back Venezuela's Congress In Vote Boycotted By Opposition

Maduro Allies Set To Win Back Venezuela 's Congress In Vote Boycotted By Opposition A five-year campaign by President Nicolás Maduro to wipe out the last democratically elected bastion of opposition power in Venezuela is reaching its peak .
Maduro and his loyalists are poised to win back control of the National Assembly in elections Sunday , adding to the litany of woes facing his chief rival , Juan Guaidó .
U.S.-backed Guaidó and the mainstream opposition parties are boycotting the poll , calling it a `` fraud '' and arguing that conditions for holding `` free and fair '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maduro has responded by firing off triumphant tweets , including one jeering at the U.S. for its decision not to recognize the election 's outcome .
`` From the streets of historic and heroic Caracas , we tell imperialism that we do n't care what they do and say , '' he declared .
His son Nicolás Maduro Guerra , a 30-year-old musician , is running for a seat representing the coastal region of La Guaira , north of Caracas .
`` We are going to win back our National Assembly for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maduro Guerra , often called Nicolasito .
The election comes nearly two years after Guaidó , the assembly 's president , stood before a huge and euphoric crowd in the capital , Caracas , and claimed the constitutional right to take over as the nation 's interim leader because Maduro 's 2018 reelection was rigged .
Guaidó , now 37 , swiftly won recognition from the United States and more than 50 other nations , and embarked on a multipronged campaign to oust Maduro , including a failed attempt to trigger a military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Guaidó was cheered on by a multitude of Venezuelans worn down by economic collapse , runaway inflation , chronic food and medical shortages and rampant government corruption .
His sky-high popularity ratings have since faded away , eroded by a loss of public faith in his ability to achieve his goal and fissures within the opposition ranks .
This week his diplomatic envoy to London , Vanessa Neumann , quit , saying there are doubts within the opposition over Guaidó 's future , according to the Financial Times .
Despite punishing U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by entrenching his position with the help of foreign allies — notably Russia , China , Iran and Cuba .
His ruthless security apparatus has crushed dissent and free speech with violence — including many suspected extrajudicial killings and torture , according to United Nations human rights investigators .
The Organization of American States released a report Wednesday saying there is `` a reasonable basis '' to conclude the Maduro government has committed `` crimes against humanity . ''
These days Venezuelans , struggling with a humanitarian crisis made worse by the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation 's rival leaders .
A mid-November survey by Meganalisis , a Caracas-based pollster , found 81.2 % want Maduro and the socialist party to leave power , while 89.1 % consider Guaidó `` a burden '' on the nation .
Few expressed interest in Sunday 's vote : 74.8 % said it would bring no improvements .
The elections are the culmination of a campaign by Maduro to neutralize the National Assembly , which began in 2015 after the opposition won the majority of the seats in a landslide victory .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quash congress ' decisions and commandeer its powers .
In 2017 , Maduro moved to make the assembly even more toothless by creating a more powerful legislature , packed with government supporters .
Last January , National Guard forces in riot gear barred Guaidó from entering the National Assembly , after some Maduro allies claimed they had replaced Guaidó as assembly president , although with a vote taken on a show of hands without a quorum .
The assembly leader 's vain attempt to climb over the railings in a suit and tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a still more uncomfortable position now .
Maduro 's international allies will welcome a newly elected assembly , not least because it can be used to provide legal cover for deals , including oil agreements .
Russia 's Foreign Ministry described Sunday 's elections as `` the key to resolving the current controversy in Venezuelan society . ''
The embattled Guaidó must persuade his waning supporters that his claim to be interim president is intact , and that Venezuela 's current National Assembly remains legitimate .
Starting Saturday , he and his allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinforce this .
The stakes are high .
`` Maduro 's objective is n't even to gain legitimacy , '' Guaidó told the Agence France-Presse this week .
It is to `` annihilate the democratic alternative in Venezuela . ''

Maduro Allies Set To Win Back Venezuela's Congress In Vote Boycotted By Opposition
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ariana Cubillos/AP Ariana Cubillos/AP
A five-year campaign by President Nicolás Maduro to wipe out the last democratically elected bastion of opposition power in Venezuela is reaching its peak.
Maduro and his loyalists are poised to win back control of the National Assembly in elections Sunday, adding to the litany of woes facing his chief rival, Juan Guaidó.
U.S.-backed Guaidó and the mainstream opposition parties are boycotting the poll, calling it a "fraud" and arguing that conditions for holding "free and fair" elections do not exist in Venezuela.
Maduro has responded by firing off triumphant tweets, including one jeering at the U.S. for its decision not to recognize the election's outcome. "From the streets of historic and heroic Caracas, we tell imperialism that we don't care what they do and say," he declared.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images
His son Nicolás Maduro Guerra, a 30-year-old musician, is running for a seat representing the coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas. "We are going to win back our National Assembly for the benefit of all Venezuelans!" tweeted Maduro Guerra, often called Nicolasito.
The election comes nearly two years after Guaidó, the assembly's president, stood before a huge and euphoric crowd in the capital, Caracas, and claimed the constitutional right to take over as the nation's interim leader because Maduro's 2018 reelection was rigged.
Guaidó, now 37, swiftly won recognition from the United States and more than 50 other nations, and embarked on a multipronged campaign to oust Maduro, including a failed attempt to trigger a military uprising in April 2019.
At first, Guaidó was cheered on by a multitude of Venezuelans worn down by economic collapse, runaway inflation, chronic food and medical shortages and rampant government corruption.
His sky-high popularity ratings have since faded away, eroded by a loss of public faith in his ability to achieve his goal and fissures within the opposition ranks.
This week his diplomatic envoy to London, Vanessa Neumann, quit, saying there are doubts within the opposition over Guaidó's future, according to the Financial Times.
Despite punishing U.S. sanctions, Maduro has frustrated his opponents by entrenching his position with the help of foreign allies — notably Russia, China, Iran and Cuba.
His ruthless security apparatus has crushed dissent and free speech with violence — including many suspected extrajudicial killings and torture, according to United Nations human rights investigators. The Organization of American States released a report Wednesday saying there is "a reasonable basis" to conclude the Maduro government has committed "crimes against humanity."
These days Venezuelans, struggling with a humanitarian crisis made worse by the coronavirus pandemic appear deeply disillusioned with both their nation's rival leaders.
A mid-November survey by Meganalisis, a Caracas-based pollster, found 81.2% want Maduro and the socialist party to leave power, while 89.1% consider Guaidó "a burden" on the nation. Few expressed interest in Sunday's vote: 74.8% said it would bring no improvements.
The elections are the culmination of a campaign by Maduro to neutralize the National Assembly, which began in 2015 after the opposition won the majority of the seats in a landslide victory.
He used Venezuela's government-controlled Supreme Court to quash congress' decisions and commandeer its powers. In 2017, Maduro moved to make the assembly even more toothless by creating a more powerful legislature, packed with government supporters.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matias Delacroix/AP Matias Delacroix/AP
Last January, National Guard forces in riot gear barred Guaidó from entering the National Assembly, after some Maduro allies claimed they had replaced Guaidó as assembly president, although with a vote taken on a show of hands without a quorum. The assembly leader's vain attempt to climb over the railings in a suit and tie made international headlines.
Guaidó is in a still more uncomfortable position now. Maduro's international allies will welcome a newly elected assembly, not least because it can be used to provide legal cover for deals, including oil agreements. Russia's Foreign Ministry described Sunday's elections as "the key to resolving the current controversy in Venezuelan society."
The embattled Guaidó must persuade his waning supporters that his claim to be interim president is intact, and that Venezuela's current National Assembly remains legitimate. Starting Saturday, he and his allies are holding a weeklong referendum seeking to reinforce this.
The stakes are high. "Maduro's objective isn't even to gain legitimacy," Guaidó told the Agence France-Presse this week. It is to "annihilate the democratic alternative in Venezuela."


npr--2020-12-05--Opinion: The Truth About Pardons

Opinion: The Truth About Pardons

The power of a president to pardon people for crimes has always been controversial .
Some early American leaders thought it smacked too much of royalty .
But Alexander Hamilton argued the law should have avenues for mercy , or `` justice would wear a countenance too sanguinary and cruel . ''
He thought one person was more likely to use such power with conscience than a committee .
The history of presidential pardons is often surprising .
George Washington pardoned two men who led the Whiskey Rebellion .
He did n't condone a tax collector being tarred-and-feathered , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hung for treason .
President Millard Fillmore pardoned the two white captains of The Pearl , a schooner that tried to help 77 enslaved people escape to freedom .
But most of the Black people on the ship were sold back into slavery .
President Abraham Lincoln pardoned 265 members of the Dakota Tribe for their roles in the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 .
But he allowed dozens more to be hanged , after what historians agree were unconvincing trials .
On Christmas Day of 1868 , President Andrew Johnson offered pardons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in 1974 , for any crimes he might have committed as President— a decision that may have cost him re-election , but is now widely praised for helping the country move on from Watergate .
President Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam-era draft evaders in 1977 , and commuted the sentences of Puerto Rican nationalists who had opened fire on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives 25 years earlier , wounding 5 members of Congress .
President Bill Clinton pardoned 140 people on his last day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roger , who served a year for cocaine trafficking , and Marc Rich , a financier who 'd fled the country to avoid tax-evasion charges , and whose wife made generous contributions to the Democratic Party and the Clinton Library fund .
President Donald Trump has pardoned Alice Marie Johnson , who served 21 years of a lifetime sentence for being an intermediary in a drug trafficking operation .
He also pardoned three ex-service members accused of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan , and his onetime National Security Advisor , Michael Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI about his contacts with Russia .
It 's sheer speculation as to what more pardons President Trump might issue as he leaves office .
But a president 's personal power to pardon can change lives , and reveal what they value .

Opinion: The Truth About Pardons
Enlarge this image toggle caption NurPhoto via Getty Images NurPhoto via Getty Images
The power of a president to pardon people for crimes has always been controversial. Some early American leaders thought it smacked too much of royalty.
But Alexander Hamilton argued the law should have avenues for mercy, or "justice would wear a countenance too sanguinary and cruel." He thought one person was more likely to use such power with conscience than a committee.
The history of presidential pardons is often surprising. George Washington pardoned two men who led the Whiskey Rebellion. He didn't condone a tax collector being tarred and feathered but thought the men responsible should not be hanged for treason.
President Millard Fillmore pardoned the two white captains of The Pearl, a schooner that tried to help 77 enslaved people escape to freedom. But most of the Black people on the ship were sold back into slavery. President Abraham Lincoln pardoned 265 members of the Dakota Tribe for their roles in the Great Sioux Uprising of 1862. But he allowed dozens more to be hanged, after what historians agree were unconvincing trials. On Christmas Day of 1868, President Andrew Johnson offered pardons to everyone who fought for the Confederacy.
President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon in 1974, for any crimes he might have committed as president— a decision that may have cost Ford reelection but is now widely praised for helping the country move on from Watergate. President Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam-era draft evaders in 1977 and commuted the sentences of Puerto Rican nationalists who had opened fire on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives 25 years earlier, wounding five members of Congress.
President Bill Clinton pardoned 140 people on his last day in office, including his brother, Roger, who served a year for cocaine trafficking, and Marc Rich, a financier who had fled the country to avoid tax-evasion charges and whose wife made generous contributions to the Democratic Party and the Clinton Library fund.
President Trump has pardoned Alice Marie Johnson, who served 21 years of a lifetime sentence for being an intermediary in a drug trafficking operation. He also pardoned three ex-service members accused of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his onetime national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who admitted he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russia. It's sheer speculation as to what other pardons Trump might issue as he leaves office. But a president's personal power to pardon can change lives — and reveal what they value.


npr--2020-12-05--'Extraordinary Acceleration': Takeaways From The Pandemic This Week

'Extraordinary Acceleration ' : Takeaways From The Pandemic This Week With the arrival of December , it 's now clear the winter surge of the pandemic is materializing in many of the ways that the country 's top scientists and health care leaders feared .
On all fronts — cases , hospitalizations and deaths — the U.S. toppled records this week .
For the first time , new infections soared above 200,000 cases in a single day .
`` What we 're seeing now is less of a curve and more of a vertical climb , '' says Jennifer Nuzzo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security .
`` It 's really an extraordinary acceleration . ''
This week , the daily death toll eclipsed even the worst day of the spring , with nearly 2,900 lives lost on Thursday .
And hospitals are teetering under the weight of so many critically ill patients .
`` This is going to be the biggest stress test of American health care in history , '' says Dr. Bruce Siegel , president of America 's Essential Hospitals , which represents more than 300 safety-net hospitals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on vaccines — what the National Institutes of Health 's Dr. Anthony Fauci calls a `` light at the end of the tunnel . ''
Vaccination could truly be weeks away for some people .
But that will not come soon enough to prevent a staggering number of illnesses and deaths in the weeks ahead .
1 ) U.S. hospitals are staggering under their patient load More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are now hospitalized for COVID-19 .
That is double what it was only a month ago .
Harrowing stories of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care workers are emerging from all over .
`` Hospitals are on the brink of being overwhelmed , '' says Siegel .
`` It is across the country .
It is not just one region . ''
The West hit an all-time record for hospitalizations this past week .
The South is inching closer to its record from the summer .
An encouraging sign is that the number of patients coming into hospitals in the Midwest has slowed down recently , after weeks of non-stop growth .
Parts of the Northeast , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strain , but not nearly at the levels seen during the spring .
Some states are setting up field hospitals to care for the overflow of patients , a solution that Siegel calls `` far from ideal . ''
There are critical shortages of staff in hundreds of hospitals .
By Christmas time , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom warned , 112 % of his state 's ICU beds could soon be occupied .
Hospitals are calling off medical procedures and sending COVID-19 patients who are n't seriously ill home .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse , but that 's exactly what is predicted .
By the end of December , at least a dozen states are forecast to have more than 60 % of their ICU beds filled with COVID-19 patients , a level that is astounding and could lead hospitals to ration care .
2 ) No more `` hot spots . ''
It 's everywhere Forget hot spots .
`` We are way beyond that , '' says Siegel .
The country is now averaging nearly 180,000 new cases per day .
So many places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to point to one region that is particularly bad .
Rhode Island has now outpaced South Dakota with new cases per capita ; New Mexico rivals Wisconsin , which previously had among the worst rates in the country On the West Coast and in the Northeast , states that had successfully kept the virus in check are under siege .
`` The coasts are beginning to see the same kind of uptick as the Midwest , '' says Dr. William Miller , an epidemiologist at Ohio State University .
Cases are growing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fall surge arrived earlier in the Midwest than elsewhere , but there has been a notable decline since mid November .
But Miller does n't expect that trend to stick : `` The Midwest is continuing at a pretty significant rate , with some variation state to state , so it 's not good . ''
In fact , Ohio , Illinois and Michigan have added more cases in the past week than any other states , save for Texas and California , which have much larger populations .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still much higher than anywhere else in the country , Cases are falling in some states , but experts caution that the holiday has disrupted testing and the declines could soon change .
Will Thanksgiving propel another wave of infections across the country ?
Almost certainly , say health experts interviewed by NPR .
While many Americans did travel and gather over the holiday , it 's still too soon to see that in the data .
`` I think we will see a sharp increase , '' says Nuzzo , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more clear by mid December .
And remember that the surging hospitalizations right now reflect people who were exposed two weeks ago .
Deaths lag by three to four weeks .
`` I do n't think we 've seen the consequences clinically yet , '' says Dr Thomas Tsai of the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health .
`` We clearly saw a continued surge after Labor Day , '' he says , and there may be a surge `` stacked on top of another surge . ''
Unlike previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wave of infections will be worse this time .
The virus is more widespread than ever before and people are spending more time indoors this time of year .
A worst case scenario , Siegel says , will be that the Thanksgiving surge will be mounting just as `` millions of people are being exposed over the Christmas holidays . ''
4 ) Deaths are hitting new records , and it will get worse This week , the U.S. shattered its single-day record for deaths , which was set in April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nationwide , average daily deaths are pushing 2,000 .
Over the summer , death rates fell , in large part because younger people were getting infected , `` but eventually the virus finds its way into the groups that are statistically more likely to become hospitalized and to die , '' says Nuzzo .
`` Unfortunately , that 's what we seem to be seeing right now . ''
Just look at long-term care facilities , which house some of the most vulnerable .
In the final week of November , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the summer , according to the COVID Tracking Project .
Forecasts offer a harrowing picture of the weeks ahead .
Between 9,500 and 19,500 people could die by Christmas , according to an `` ensemble '' model used by the CDC .
Another model predicts the total U.S. death toll to be more than 435,000 by Feb. 1 , with the caveat that the actual total will depend on how much people wear masks and physically distance .
Advances in treating patients have contributed to lower death rates , but Nuzzo cautions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being enough resources in the health system . ''
In November , states rolled out all kinds of new COVID-19 restrictions .
In a few hard-hit places , there are signs that universal mask mandates could be paying off , in particular North Dakota and Iowa , where new infections have dropped .
`` There seems to be a clear effect in those states , '' says Siegel .
In others , it 's not so clear .
New Mexico , Oregon and Washington put in place some of the most sweeping restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still rising quickly there .
Some states tried to find a middle ground , keeping businesses open to an extent and limiting capacity , including Connecticut and Massachusetts .
Both are now seeing record-setting growth and doctors are pleading for tighter restrictions .
California tried out curfews and lighter restrictions , but is now moving toward more stringent rules .
It may be too early to tell if the changes are making a big difference .
Miller worries these public health interventions have materialized too `` late on the upswing to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very hard to flatten exponential growth , which is why other countries have resorted to lockdowns .
Plus no state is an island , says Nuzzo , and it 's tough to `` keep numbers lower when the rest of the country may be struggling . ''
There is one glimmer of positive news : So far flu activity is lower than it has been in previous years .
If this trend holds , it will be a godsend for overwhelmed hospitals , which had feared a `` twindemic '' of flu and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprising because countries in the Southern Hemisphere had a lighter flu season , in part perhaps because face masks and physical distancing guard against influenza .
A big push to get more people vaccinated this year may also be playing a role .
`` The fact that it 's flat so far is good news and I 'm optimistic that it wo n't be terrible , '' says Miller of OSU .
`` But flu season can be quite unpredictable . ''
Sometimes the flu does n't really start to surge until January @ @ @ @

'Extraordinary Acceleration': Takeaways From The Pandemic Last Week
Enlarge this image toggle caption Go Nakamura/Getty Images Go Nakamura/Getty Images
With the arrival of December, it's now clear the winter surge of the pandemic is materializing in many of the ways that the country's top scientists and health care leaders feared.
On all fronts — cases, hospitalizations and deaths — the U.S. toppled records this week.
For the first time, new infections soared above 200,000 cases in a single day.
"What we're seeing now is less of a curve and more of a vertical climb," says Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "It's really an extraordinary acceleration."
This week, the daily death toll eclipsed even the worst day of the spring, with nearly 2,900 lives lost on Thursday. And hospitals are teetering under the weight of so many critically ill patients.
"This is going to be the biggest stress test of American health care in history," says Dr. Bruce Siegel, president of America's Essential Hospitals, which represents more than 300 safety-net hospitals.
There continues to be very promising news on vaccines — what the National Institutes of Health's Dr. Anthony Fauci calls a "light at the end of the tunnel." Vaccination could truly be weeks away for some people.
But that will not come soon enough to prevent a staggering number of illnesses and deaths in the weeks ahead.
Here's where things stand.
1) U.S. hospitals are staggering under their patient load
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More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are now hospitalized for COVID-19. That is double what it was only a month ago. Harrowing stories of packed intensive care units and exhausted health care workers are emerging from all over. "Hospitals are on the brink of being overwhelmed," says Siegel. "It is across the country. It is not just one region."
The West hit an all-time record for hospitalizations this past week. The South is inching closer to its record from the summer. An encouraging sign is that the number of patients coming into hospitals in the Midwest has slowed down recently, after weeks of non-stop growth. Parts of the Northeast, especially Rhode Island and Connecticut, are under strain, but not nearly at the levels seen during the spring.
Some states are setting up field hospitals to care for the overflow of patients, a solution that Siegel calls "far from ideal." There are critical shortages of staff in hundreds of hospitals. By Christmas time, California Gov. Gavin Newsom warned, 112% of his state's ICU beds could soon be occupied. Hospitals are calling off medical procedures and sending COVID-19 patients who aren't seriously ill home.
It's hard to fathom the situation getting much worse, but that's exactly what is predicted. By the end of December, at least a dozen states are forecast to have more than 60% of their ICU beds filled with COVID-19 patients, a level that is astounding and could lead hospitals to ration care.
2) No more "hot spots." It's everywhere
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Forget hot spots. "We are way beyond that," says Siegel. The country is now averaging nearly 180,000 new cases per day. So many places have raging outbreaks that it's difficult to point to one region that is particularly bad. Rhode Island has now outpaced South Dakota with new cases per capita; New Mexico rivals Wisconsin, which previously had among the worst rates in the country
On the West Coast and in the Northeast, states that had successfully kept the virus in check are under siege. "The coasts are beginning to see the same kind of uptick as the Midwest," says Dr. William Miller, an epidemiologist at Ohio State University. Cases are growing in every region, with the South leading.
The fall surge arrived earlier in the Midwest than elsewhere, but there has been a notable decline since mid November. But Miller doesn't expect that trend to stick: "The Midwest is continuing at a pretty significant rate, with some variation state to state, so it's not good." In fact, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan have added more cases in the past week than any other states, save for Texas and California, which have much larger populations. And the region's rate of infections per capita is still much higher than anywhere else in the country,
Cases are falling in some states, but experts caution that the holiday has disrupted testing and the declines could soon change.
3) Thanksgiving surge? Time will tell
Will Thanksgiving propel another wave of infections across the country? Almost certainly, say health experts interviewed by NPR. While many Americans did travel and gather over the holiday, it's still too soon to see that in the data. "I think we will see a sharp increase," says Nuzzo, who anticipates the impact of the holiday will be more clear by mid December. And remember that the surging hospitalizations right now reflect people who were exposed two weeks ago. Deaths lag by three to four weeks.
"I don't think we've seen the consequences clinically yet," says Dr Thomas Tsai of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "We clearly saw a continued surge after Labor Day," he says, and there may be a surge "stacked on top of another surge."
Unlike previous holidays, there are reasons to think the wave of infections will be worse this time. The virus is more widespread than ever before and people are spending more time indoors this time of year. A worst case scenario, Siegel says, will be that the Thanksgiving surge will be mounting just as "millions of people are being exposed over the Christmas holidays."
4) Deaths are hitting new records, and it will get worse
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This week, the U.S. shattered its single-day record for deaths, which was set in April, logging nearly 2,900 deaths in one day. Nationwide, average daily deaths are pushing 2,000.
Over the summer, death rates fell, in large part because younger people were getting infected, "but eventually the virus finds its way into the groups that are statistically more likely to become hospitalized and to die," says Nuzzo. "Unfortunately, that's what we seem to be seeing right now." Just look at long-term care facilities, which house some of the most vulnerable.
In the final week of November, there was the largest single-week increase in deaths since the summer, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Forecasts offer a harrowing picture of the weeks ahead. Between 9,500 and 19,500 people could die by Christmas, according to an "ensemble" model used by the CDC.
Another model predicts the total U.S. death toll to be more than 435,000 by Feb. 1, with the caveat that the actual total will depend on how much people wear masks and physically distance. Advances in treating patients have contributed to lower death rates, but Nuzzo cautions that's "contingent on there actually being enough resources in the health system."
5) Are new pandemic restrictions working?
In November, states rolled out all kinds of new COVID-19 restrictions. In a few hard-hit places, there are signs that universal mask mandates could be paying off, in particular North Dakota and Iowa, where new infections have dropped. "There seems to be a clear effect in those states," says Siegel. In others, it's not so clear. New Mexico, Oregon and Washington put in place some of the most sweeping restrictions a few weeks ago, but cases are still rising quickly there.
Some states tried to find a middle ground, keeping businesses open to an extent and limiting capacity, including Connecticut and Massachusetts. Both are now seeing record-setting growth and doctors are pleading for tighter restrictions. California tried out curfews and lighter restrictions, but is now moving toward more stringent rules.
It may be too early to tell if the changes are making a big difference. Miller worries these public health interventions have materialized too "late on the upswing to have this dramatic effect." It's very hard to flatten exponential growth, which is why other countries have resorted to lockdowns. Plus no state is an island, says Nuzzo, and it's tough to "keep numbers lower when the rest of the country may be struggling."
6) Twindemic? Not yet
There is one glimmer of positive news: So far flu activity is lower than it has been in previous years. If this trend holds, it will be a godsend for overwhelmed hospitals, which had feared a "twindemic" of flu and the coronavirus.
This isn't entirely surprising because countries in the Southern Hemisphere had a lighter flu season, in part perhaps because face masks and physical distancing guard against influenza. A big push to get more people vaccinated this year may also be playing a role.
"The fact that it's flat so far is good news and I'm optimistic that it won't be terrible," says Miller of OSU. "But flu season can be quite unpredictable." Sometimes the flu doesn't really start to surge until January or even February.


npr--2020-12-05--The Political World Starts To Move On From Trump

The Political World Starts To Move On From Trump While President Trump continues to baselessly allege widespread election fraud , the political world is starting to move on from his presidency .
Republican election officials have pushed back against the president 's rhetoric , which they say led to threats against election workers .
`` Mr. President , you have not condemned these actions or this language , '' Gabriel Sterling , the voting system implementation manager in the Georgia secretary of state 's office , said Tuesday .
`` Senators , you have not condemned this language or these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need you to step up .
And if you take a position of leadership , show some . ''
A growing number of Republican senators are acknowledging Democrat Joe Biden will be president .
Sen. David Perdue of Georgia noted a `` change of command at the top '' during a video conference call with the Republican Jewish Coalition this week .
`` We have the potential if we have a majority in the Senate on the Republican side , '' Perdue said , `` that Mitch McConnell could indeed negotiate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't seen in two or three administrations . ''
Trump 's own attorney general , William Barr , said there is no evidence of a level of fraud that would overturn the election results .
`` To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election , '' Barr told the Associated Press .
Those comments were met with swift rebukes from conservative media , resulted in a `` contentious '' meeting for Barr at the White House with President Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still had confidence in the man who had been seen as a principal ally .
Legislatively , Trump is also being nudged aside .
He has threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act because he wants some protections for social media companies stripped .
But Democrats announced Friday that there would be a vote Tuesday on it and that they there are enough votes to override the president 's veto if it came to that .
`` I am very pleased that we have a bipartisan , bicameral agreement on NDAA and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week , and if necessary , overriding a threatened veto by President Trump , '' House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, said on the House floor .
And the Republican senator negotiating the defense bill , Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma , told Trump in no uncertain terms that he 's not getting what he wants in this one — despite being called out by Trump on Twitter .
One person who has entered as a player in congressional negotiations , however , is Biden .
He is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus aid package that could be passed before he officially becomes president .
And he twice declined to say Friday whether he had spoken to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on the subject .
Democrats want a bigger deal , but Biden is hoping to keep his party at bay by promising to push for more when he 's officially president .
For his part , and for all the bluster , Trump appears to be moving on , too — of course without acknowledging defeat .
History does n't look kindly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to eat at Trump .
Multiple sources tell NPR Trump is seriously considering a 2024 presidential bid .
He could even announce it officially in the week or days before Biden is inaugurated in an effort to overshadow the new president .
Trump will try to convince his loyal base that he might make a comeback .
He 'll attempt to keep them fired up while freezing out other Republicans for 2024 .
But will Republicans continue to stay on bended knee to Trumpism or will they try to reclaim their party ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he ran again , he 'd be 78 years old in 2024 , and there are lots of hungry — and younger — upstarts in the party waiting in the wings , who 've mostly held their tongues over these past four years .
The biggest question is whether Trump would really want to risk losing — again .
Or would he rather hit a drive off into the sunset of one of his golf courses while holding up a flag of fraud to save face to millions of his fans ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Trump .
He 's never had to face as public a defeat as this one in a way that he could n't spin his way out of .
His divorces were messy , but he used them for tabloid attention .
His bankruptcies and business losses , we now know , were written off to the tune of nearly $ 1 billion .
Maybe he 'll start a TV outlet to rival Fox .
Maybe he wo n't .
Trump will always angle for attention and dangle tantalizing possibilities for himself — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality is starting to set in , if not for Trump , then for the rest of Washington and beyond .
States are set to finalize their electors Tuesday .
And what then , as it starts dawning on Trump in his final weeks that he 's really going to have to exit the White House grounds ?
What gets done through executive order or via agency regulations ?
Which allies will he pardon — preemptively or otherwise ?
Will it include his family , himself ?
There are n't many more ticks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency .
America will be trying to figure out for some time what just happened and where to go from here .

The Political World Starts To Move On From Trump
Enlarge this image toggle caption Pool/Getty Images Pool/Getty Images
While President Trump continues to baselessly allege widespread election fraud, the political world is starting to move on from his presidency.
Key states have certified their election results.
Republican election officials have pushed back against the president's rhetoric, which they say led to threats against election workers.
"Mr. President, you have not condemned these actions or this language," Gabriel Sterling, the voting system implementation manager in the Georgia secretary of state's office, said Tuesday. "Senators, you have not condemned this language or these actions. This has to stop. We need you to step up. And if you take a position of leadership, show some."
A growing number of Republican senators are acknowledging Democrat Joe Biden will be president. Sen. David Perdue of Georgia noted a "change of command at the top" during a video conference call with the Republican Jewish Coalition this week.
"We have the potential if we have a majority in the Senate on the Republican side," Perdue said, "that Mitch McConnell could indeed negotiate with Biden in a way that we haven't seen in two or three administrations."
Trump's own attorney general, William Barr, said there is no evidence of a level of fraud that would overturn the election results.
"To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election," Barr told The Associated Press.
Those comments were met with swift rebukes from conservative media, resulted in a "contentious" meeting for Barr at the White House with President Trump, who later would not say whether he still had confidence in the man who had been seen as a principal ally.
Legislatively, Trump is also being nudged aside. He has threatened to veto the National Defense Authorization Act because he wants some protections for social media companies stripped.
But Democrats announced Friday that there would be a vote Tuesday on it and that there are enough votes to override the president's veto if it came to that.
"I am very pleased that we have a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on NDAA and look forward to overwhelmingly passing both chambers next week and, if necessary, overriding a threatened veto by President Trump," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said on the House floor.
And the Republican senator negotiating the defense bill, Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, told Trump in no uncertain terms that he's not getting what he wants in this one — despite being called out by Trump on Twitter.
One person who has entered as a player in congressional negotiations, however, is Biden. He is calling for "compromise" on a coronavirus aid package that could be passed before he officially becomes president. And he twice declined on Friday to say whether he had spoken to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell on the subject.
Democrats want a bigger deal, but Biden is hoping to keep his party at bay by promising to push for more when he's officially president.
For his part, and for all the bluster, Trump appears to be moving on, too — of course without acknowledging defeat. History doesn't look kindly on one-term American presidents, and that has to eat at Trump.
Multiple sources tell NPR that Trump is seriously considering a 2024 presidential bid. He could even announce it officially in the week or days before Biden is inaugurated in an effort to overshadow the incoming president.
Trump will try to convince his loyal base that he might make a comeback. He'll attempt to keep them fired up while freezing out other Republicans for 2024. But will Republicans continue to stay on bended knee to Trumpism or will they try to reclaim their party?
While Trump would be a formidable candidate if he ran again, he would be 78 years old in 2024, and there are lots of hungry — and younger — upstarts in the party waiting in the wings who've mostly held their tongues over these past four years.
The biggest question is whether Trump would really want to risk losing — again. Or would he rather hit a drive off into the sunset of one of his golf courses while holding up a flag of fraud to save face to millions of his fans?
This is all new terrain for someone like Trump. He has never had to face as public a defeat as this one in a way that he couldn't spin his way out of. His divorces were messy, but he used them for tabloid attention. His bankruptcies and business losses, we now know, were written off to the tune of nearly $1 billion.
Maybe he'll start a TV outlet to rival Fox. Maybe he won't. Trump will always angle for attention and dangle tantalizing possibilities for himself — even if never follows through.
But reality is starting to set in, if not for Trump, then for the rest of Washington and beyond.
States are set to finalize their electors Tuesday.
Electors will then officially cast votes Dec. 14.
And what then, as it starts dawning on Trump in his final weeks that he's really going to have to exit the White House grounds?
What gets done through executive order or via agency regulations? Which allies will he pardon — preemptively or otherwise? Will it include his family? Himself?
There aren't many more ticks left on the clock of the Trump presidency. America will be trying to figure out for some time what just happened and where to go from here.