npr--2020-10-25--In Waning Days Of 2020 Campaign, Trump Tries To Recapture 2016 Mojo

In Waning Days Of 2020 Campaign , Trump Tries To Recapture 2016 Mojo Hope Hicks , one of President Trump 's closest aides , threw up her hands up into the shape of a `` Y '' as she danced her way back to the stairs of Air Force One .
Grinning to her left was Trump campaign adviser David Bossie , who was breaking out the same moves — albeit with less precision — as the disco beat for the Village People anthem `` YMCA '' pounded over the sound system on the tarmac in Pensacola , Fla .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the duo — both key players during Trump 's first run for office who were brought back to help try to repeat the come-from-behind win of 2016 as he takes on his Democratic challenger , former Vice President Joe Biden .
Trump is behind in the polls in a race where the coronavirus pandemic — and his administration 's failure to contain it — has been the central campaign issue .
It has shaped the way people are voting , prompting millions of Americans to vote early or mail in their ballots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people around him , with the virus taking Trump and various key players off the trail for days at a time .
Close aides to Vice President Pence are the latest people to test positive for the coronavirus , though Pence himself plans to keep campaigning .
But Trump was n't talking about that on his six-state sprint this weekend across critical states his campaign thinks he could still win to find a path to victory .
Instead , the president was dialed up for high-voltage enthusiasm and optimism that his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the polls and keep Trump in the White House for another four years .
Trump plans a breakneck pace of rallies in the remaining week of the race — rallies capped off by `` YMCA , '' where Trump himself dusts off some of his own awkward dance moves , boxing with his fists in front of his chest .
`` I think we 're winning , '' Trump insisted to reporters as he chatted them up on a Friday night flight to Palm Beach , Fla. `` We 're winning by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowd and the theatrics are straight out of his 2016 playbook .
But after nearly four years in office , he 's no longer the outsider , and is being judged on his handling of a pandemic that has killed 225,000 Americans and continues to disrupt daily life .
In Waukesha , Wis. , thousands of supporters came out to his Saturday night rally , despite surging coronavirus cases in the state .
Trump told them he feels better now , after being hospitalized for COVID-19 , than he did before .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I feel like Superman , '' he said .
`` I ripped my shirt off .
We got ta go ! ''
On Sunday , at a rally in Londonderry , N.H. , after Trump told the crowd about his bout with the virus , supporters chanted , `` Super Trump !
Super Trump ! ''
His rallies have been moved outdoors , where his screaming supporters pack themselves tightly together , most of them not wearing masks .
In the Florida retirement community The Villages , there were dueling Uncle Sams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in North Carolina , there was a group of women who have followed Trump to all his rallies across the Tar Heel State .
In Circleville , Ohio , a group of nuns pumped their Bibles in the air when Trump looked up to the sky and thanked divine intervention for a controversy — fueled largely by Trump himself — over the past business activities of Biden 's son , Hunter .
`` It 's amazing the way God works , '' Trump said .
Trump points to the raucous crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Someone who draws so many people ca n't be running in second place , he argues .
He repeatedly mocks Biden for speeches where supporters sit in socially distanced circles , or gather in pickup trucks and cars at drive-in rallies — events designed to prevent spreading the coronavirus , and that reinforce Biden 's central argument that Trump has failed to handle the pandemic .
`` There were so few cars .
I 've never seen an audience like that , '' Trump told his Saturday rally in Lumberton , N.C. `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd .
You could hear the cars — honk ... honk . ''
`` Is there any place better to be than a Trump rally ? ''
Trump said .
`` I mean seriously , right ?
... We have fun . ''

In Waning Days Of 2020 Campaign, Trump Tries To Recapture 2016 Mojo
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
Hope Hicks, one of President Trump's closest aides, threw up her hands up into the shape of a "Y" as she danced her way back to the stairs of Air Force One.
Grinning to her left was Trump campaign adviser David Bossie, who was breaking out the same moves — albeit with less precision — as the disco beat for the Village People anthem "YMCA" pounded over the sound system on the tarmac in Pensacola, Fla.
It was a moment of joy for the duo — both key players during Trump's first run for office who were brought back to help try to repeat the come-from-behind win of 2016 as he takes on his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Franco Ordonez/NPR Franco Ordonez/NPR
Trump is behind in the polls in a race where the coronavirus pandemic — and his administration's failure to contain it — has been the central campaign issue.
It has shaped the way people are voting, prompting millions of Americans to vote early or mail in their ballots.
And the pandemic has threatened Trump and the people around him, with the virus taking Trump and various key players off the trail for days at a time.
Close aides to Vice President Pence are the latest people to test positive for the coronavirus, though Pence himself plans to keep campaigning.
But Trump wasn't talking about that on his six-state sprint this weekend across critical states his campaign thinks he could still win to find a path to victory.
Instead, the president was dialed up for high-voltage enthusiasm and optimism that his campaign hopes will motivate supporters to get out to the polls and keep Trump in the White House for another four years.
Trump plans a breakneck pace of rallies in the remaining week of the race — rallies capped off by "YMCA," where Trump himself dusts off some of his own awkward dance moves, boxing with his fists in front of his chest.
YouTube
"I think we're winning," Trump insisted to reporters as he chatted them up on a Friday night flight to Palm Beach, Fla. "We're winning by a lot."
The rallies, the crowd and the theatrics are straight out of his 2016 playbook. But after nearly four years in office, he's no longer the outsider, and is being judged on his handling of a pandemic that has killed 225,000 Americans and continues to disrupt daily life.
In Waukesha, Wis., thousands of supporters came out to his Saturday night rally, despite surging coronavirus cases in the state. Trump told them he feels better now, after being hospitalized for COVID-19, than he did before.
"I wake up the next morning and I feel like Superman," he said. "I ripped my shirt off. We gotta go!"
On Sunday, at a rally in Londonderry, N.H., after Trump told the crowd about his bout with the virus, supporters chanted, "Super Trump! Super Trump!"
His rallies have been moved outdoors, where his screaming supporters pack themselves tightly together, most of them not wearing masks. In the Florida retirement community The Villages, there were dueling Uncle Sams, dancing for the president's attention, and in North Carolina, there was a group of women who have followed Trump to all his rallies across the Tar Heel State.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
In Circleville, Ohio, a group of nuns pumped their Bibles in the air when Trump looked up to the sky and thanked divine intervention for a controversy — fueled largely by Trump himself — over the past business activities of Biden's son, Hunter. "It's amazing the way God works," Trump said.
Trump points to the raucous crowds as proof that he's winning. Someone who draws so many people can't be running in second place, he argues.
He repeatedly mocks Biden for speeches where supporters sit in socially distanced circles, or gather in pickup trucks and cars at drive-in rallies — events designed to prevent spreading the coronavirus, and that reinforce Biden's central argument that Trump has failed to handle the pandemic.
"There were so few cars. I've never seen an audience like that," Trump told his Saturday rally in Lumberton, N.C. "It was a tiny, tiny little crowd. You could hear the cars — honk... honk."
"Is there any place better to be than a Trump rally?" Trump said. "I mean seriously, right? ... We have fun."


npr--2020-10-25--Senate Republicans Advance Barrett's Supreme Court Nomination

The U.S. Senate voted Sunday afternoon to end debate on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court , setting the stage for a final confirmation vote Monday evening — just over a week before the general election .
In a floor vote mostly along party lines , 51 Republicans advanced Barrett , who 's President Trump 's nominee to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Following the cloture vote , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , proclaimed that `` by tomorrow night , we 'll have a new member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' McConnell added : `` A lot of what we 've done over the last four years will be undone sooner or later by the next election .
They wo n't be able to do much about this for a long time to come . ''
The only Republicans voting against the cloture motion were Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska .
On Saturday , Murkowski said that while she planned to vote against moving the nomination forward procedurally , she would vote to confirm Barrett .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to this point , I do not hold it against her , as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace , skill and humility , '' she said .
Collins , who faces a tough reelection battle , said in September , just after Ginsburg 's death , that whoever wins the presidential election should fill the vacancy .
Forty-six Democrats opposed the motion .
California Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , was on the campaign trail Sunday .
Vice President Pence indicated during a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would return to Capitol Hill on Monday for the Senate confirmation vote .
`` As vice president I 'm president of the Senate .
And I 'm gon na be in the chair because I would n't miss that vote for the world , '' Pence said .
Democrats have pushed back against Pence 's plan in light of recent positive coronavirus testing of two top staffers in Pence 's orbit .
Democrats have also lambasted Trump and Republicans for moving forward with Barrett 's nomination so close to the election , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold hearings for then-President Barack Obama 's nominee , Merrick Garland , nearly eight months before that year 's election .

Senate Republicans Poised To Advance Barrett's Nomination To The Supreme Court
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Pool/Getty Images Sarah Silbiger/Pool/Getty Images
The U.S. Senate voted Sunday afternoon to end debate on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, setting the stage for a final confirmation vote Monday evening — just over a week before the general election.
In a floor vote mostly along party lines, 51 Republicans advanced Barrett, who's President Trump's nominee to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Following the cloture vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., proclaimed that "by tomorrow night, we'll have a new member of the United States Supreme Court."
McConnell added: "A lot of what we've done over the last four years will be undone sooner or later by the next election. They won't be able to do much about this for a long time to come."
The only Republicans voting against the cloture motion were Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
On Saturday, Murkowski said that while she planned to vote against moving the nomination forward procedurally, she would vote to confirm Barrett.
"While I oppose the process that led us to this point, I do not hold it against her, as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill and humility," she said.
Collins, who faces a tough reelection battle, said in September, just after Ginsburg's death, that whoever wins the presidential election should fill the vacancy.
Forty-six Democrats opposed the motion. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, was on the campaign trail Sunday.
Vice President Pence indicated during a campaign event in Tallahassee on Saturday that he would return to Capitol Hill on Monday for the Senate confirmation vote.
"As vice president I'm president of the Senate. And I'm gonna be in the chair because I wouldn't miss that vote for the world," Pence said.
Democrats have pushed back against Pence's plan in light of recent positive coronavirus testing of two top staffers in Pence's orbit.
Democrats have also lambasted Trump and Republicans for moving forward with Barrett's nomination so close to the election, especially when the Republican-led Senate in 2016 refused to hold hearings for then-President Barack Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, nearly eight months before that year's election.


npr--2020-10-25--Pope Francis Names America's First Black Cardinal

Catholics in the United States will get their first African-American cardinal next month .
In a surprise announcement Sunday from his window overlooking St. Peter 's Square , Pope Francis named Wilton Gregory , the archbishop of Washington , D.C. , among 13 new cardinals .
Gregory will be elevated to the position in a ceremony at the Vatican on Nov. 28 .
`` With a very grateful and humble heart , I thank Pope Francis for this appointment which will allow me to work more closely with him in caring for Christ 's Church , '' Gregory said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has served in many high-profile positions within the church .
When he was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2001 , he became the first African-American to hold the office .
At the time , he said he considered his election `` an expression of the love of the Catholic Church for people of color , '' adding that he hoped it would inspire those Black people who are `` lukewarm in their faith '' to renew their commitment to the church .
It was during Gregory 's tenure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Protection of Children and Young People '' to address the growing sexual abuse scandal throughout the church .
Gregory , one of the country 's most high-profile African American church officials , has n't been afraid to publicly wade into potentially controversial issues .
`` You can not be a Catholic and sit on the sidelines , '' he told young adult Catholics at a `` Theology on Tap '' gathering last year .
`` To be a member of the Church means you 've got to get in and get your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole arena of faith from what we believe and profess to how we live and treat one another . ''
After George Floyd was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in May , Gregory was forceful in his denunciation of the police .
`` Many of us remember similar incidents in our history that accompanied the Civil Rights Movement , where we repeatedly saw Black Americans viciously brutalized by police on television and in newspaper photos , '' Gregory said at the time .
`` The horror of George Floyd 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hurts all of us in the Body of Christ since we are each made in the image and likeness of God , and deserve the dignity that comes with that existence . ''
And when the president attended the St. John Paul II National Shrine in June — just a day after demonstrators were tear-gassed in order to make way for a photo op by the president at a church across from the White House — Gregory did not hold back .
`` I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egregiously missed and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles , which call us to defend the rights of all people , even those with whom we disagree , '' he said .
`` Saint Pope John Paul II was an ardent defender of the rights and dignity of human beings , '' Gregory added .
`` His legacy bears vivid witness to that truth .
He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence , scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace . ''
Gregory began his church career as a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1973 .
Ten years later he was ordained an auxiliary bishop , and by 2005 he had become archbishop of Atlanta .
In 2019 he was appointed as archbishop of Washington after Cardinal Donald Wuerl resigned after being accused of covering up sexual abuse scandals during his tenure as the bishop of Pittsburgh .
Nine of the 13 new cardinals are under 80 years old , which means they will be eligible to vote for Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointed almost 60 % of cardinal electors , raising the likelihood that his eventual successor will be in line with his own policies .

Pope Francis Names America's 1st Black Cardinal
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
Updated at 2:24 p.m. ET
Catholics in the United States will get their first African-American cardinal next month. In a surprise announcement Sunday from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis named Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, D.C., among 13 new cardinals.
Gregory will be elevated to the position in a ceremony at the Vatican on Nov. 28.
"With a very grateful and humble heart, I thank Pope Francis for this appointment which will allow me to work more closely with him in caring for Christ's Church," Gregory said in a statement.
Gregory, 72, has served in many high-profile positions within the church. When he was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2001, he became the first African-American to hold the office. At the time, he said he considered his election "an expression of the love of the Catholic Church for people of color," adding that he hoped it would inspire those Black people who are "lukewarm in their faith" to renew their commitment to the church.
It was during Gregory's tenure that bishops adopted a "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" to address the growing sexual abuse scandal throughout the church.
Gregory, one of the country's most high-profile African American church officials, hasn't been afraid to publicly wade into potentially controversial issues.
"You cannot be a Catholic and sit on the sidelines," he told young adult Catholics at a "Theology on Tap" gathering last year. "To be a member of the Church means you've got to get in and get your hands dirty in the mix of the whole arena of faith from what we believe and profess to how we live and treat one another."
After George Floyd was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police officers in May, Gregory was forceful in his denunciation of the police.
"Many of us remember similar incidents in our history that accompanied the Civil Rights Movement, where we repeatedly saw Black Americans viciously brutalized by police on television and in newspaper photos," Gregory said at the time. "The horror of George Floyd's death, like all acts of racism, hurts all of us in the Body of Christ since we are each made in the image and likeness of God, and deserve the dignity that comes with that existence."
And when the president attended the St. John Paul II National Shrine in June — just a day after demonstrators were tear-gassed in order to make way for a photo op by the president at a church across from the White House — Gregory did not hold back.
"I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people, even those with whom we disagree," he said.
"Saint Pope John Paul II was an ardent defender of the rights and dignity of human beings," Gregory added. "His legacy bears vivid witness to that truth. He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship and peace."
Gregory began his church career as a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1973. Ten years later he was ordained an auxiliary bishop, and by 2005 he had become archbishop of Atlanta. In 2019 he was appointed as archbishop of Washington after Cardinal Donald Wuerl resigned after being accused of covering up sexual abuse scandals during his tenure as the bishop of Pittsburgh.
Nine of the 13 new cardinals are under 80 years old, which means they will be eligible to vote for Francis' successor. Pope Francis has now appointed almost 60% of cardinal electors, raising the likelihood that his eventual successor will be in line with his own policies.
Sylvia Poggioli contributed to this report.


npr--2020-10-25--2 Pence Aides Test Positive For The Coronavirus. Pence Will Continue To Campaign

2 Pence Aides Test Positive For The Coronavirus .
Pence Will Continue To Campaign With nine days until Election Day , the White House again faces the coronavirus in its ranks .
Two top advisers to Vice President Pence have tested positive for the virus in recent days , as Pence — who tested negative on Saturday and Sunday — crisscrosses the country for rallies in swing states as he and President Trump fight to win reelection .
Marc Short , Pence 's chief of staff , tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday .
Marty Obst , a Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus , according to a person familiar with the matter who asked for anonymity on Sunday to discuss Obst 's health .
The White House says Pence will continue to campaign .
He is expected to travel to North Carolina for a rally on Sunday .
His wife , Karen , who also tested negative for the coronavirus on Sunday , is slated to travel to the state for a campaign event on Monday .
Short did not travel with Pence on Saturday to rallies in Lakeland and Tallahassee , Fla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began quarantine '' on Saturday and was `` assisting in the contact tracing process . ''
Aides deemed to have had close contact with Short were pulled from the trip before departure , White House reporters who traveled with Pence were later told .
But Pence — who is considered to have had close contact with his most senior adviser — decided to `` maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel , '' O'Malley said in a statement , noting that Pence had consulted with White House physicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prevention 's guidelines for essential workers who have had close contact with an infected person include wearing a mask for 14 days `` at all times while in the workplace . ''
Pence did not wear a mask at his outdoor rally .
Asked by CNN on Sunday whether Pence should continue to campaign , White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said : `` Essential personnel , whether it 's the vice president of the United States or anyone else , has to continue on . ''
Meadows added that Pence wears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for when he speaks on camera .
`` We 're not going to control the pandemic '' Meadows also spoke about the pandemic more broadly .
`` We 're not going to control the pandemic , '' he told CNN .
`` We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines , therapeutics and other mitigation . ''
The Trump administration 's handling of the pandemic has been the central issue in the presidential race .
More than 224,000 people have died from the virus in the United States , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected .
Cases have been surging recently , and daily new case levels hit a record high on Friday .
Millions of people have been thrown out of work because of shutdowns and other changes forced by the pandemic .
Trump , who had the virus and was hospitalized this month , has insisted that the country has rounded the corner on the pandemic .
Asked about surging cases in Wisconsin — one of three states Trump visited for rallies on Saturday — he bristled and said most people who get the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are so many cases ?
Because we test , '' he said .
`` You 're trying to scare people .
Do n't scare people . ''
Neither Trump nor his aides mentioned Short 's diagnosis on Saturday as the president went to rallies in North Carolina , Ohio and Wisconsin .
Upon landing after midnight , Trump told reporters that he had `` just now '' heard about Short 's diagnosis .
`` I think he 's quarantining , '' Trump said .
`` He 's going to be fine . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House 's coronavirus task force , did not comment on Short 's diagnosis on Saturday .
In his second rally in Tallahassee , Pence did n't discuss the coronavirus until midway through his 50-minute speech , lauding Trump for his actions .
`` Until that day that we have a vaccine available , we 're going to keep working to slow the spread , '' Pence said .
`` We 're all going to do our part to protect the vulnerable , to save lives . ''
Since last Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven states : Maine , Pennsylvania , New Hampshire , Ohio , Michigan , Indiana and Florida .
His office said late Saturday that he would travel to a rally in Kinston , N.C. , on Sunday , and the campaign has also scheduled him for a rally in Hibbing , Minn. , on Monday .
On Tuesday , he is slated for rallies in Greensboro and Wilmington , N.C. , and Greenville , S.C. Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris was asked by reporters Sunday morning whether Pence should suspend his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-October when two people near her tested positive for the virus .
`` He should be following the guidelines , '' Harris said .
`` I think we have modeled the right and good behavior and they should take our lead . ''
The Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , on Sunday released a statement blasting Pence 's decision to keep campaigning .
`` The grim reality is that we continue to set records for new cases , '' Biden said , `` and the fact that the head of the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak in his office and yet still refuses to follow CDC guidelines shows us exactly why . ''
Trump has sought to make his recovery from the virus an asset on the campaign trail after the White House had its own `` superspreader event '' last month .
More than a dozen people got the virus , including Trump ; first lady Melania Trump ; their teenage son , Barron ; campaign manager Bill Stepien ; press secretary Kayleigh McEnany ; and adviser Hope Hicks .
Trump has said their experience shows people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans disapprove of how Trump has handled the pandemic .
By a 71 % -to-26 % margin , likely voters view the coronavirus as a `` real threat , '' though a significant portion of Republicans view it as being blown out of proportion , according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll .
The poll showed that only 36 % of likely voters said they trust what Trump says about the virus a great deal or a good amount , and most said they would prefer Biden to handle the issue .
The White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff members have contracted the virus in total .
Medical experts have said the large number of White House cases show how lax Trump and officials have been in taking steps to stop the spread of the virus , including wearing masks and staying at least 6 feet away from other people — and how they 've relied too much on testing .

Pence Aides Test Positive As Coronavirus Consumes Final Days Of Campaign
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
Updated at 7:45 a.m. ET Monday
With eight days until Election Day, the White House again faces the coronavirus in its ranks and controversy over its national strategy for the pandemic, after President Trump's chief of staff said the administration would not control the spread of the disease.
Two top advisers to Vice President Pence have tested positive for the virus in recent days, as Pence — who tested negative on Saturday and Sunday — crisscrosses the country for rallies in swing states.
Marc Short, Pence's chief of staff, tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday.
Marty Obst, a Pence political adviser, has also tested positive for the virus, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked for anonymity on Sunday to discuss Obst's health.
Other news outlets have reported that three additional Pence aides tested positive in recent days; NPR has not confirmed those reports.
The White House says Pence will continue to campaign. On Sunday, he traveled to North Carolina for a rally. His wife, Karen, who also tested negative for the coronavirus on Sunday, is slated to travel to the state for a campaign event on Monday.
Short did not travel with Pence on Saturday to rallies in Lakeland and Tallahassee, Fla. Spokesman Devin O'Malley said Short "began quarantine" on Saturday and was "assisting in the contact tracing process." Aides deemed to have had close contact with Short were pulled from the trip before departure, White House reporters who traveled with Pence were later told.
But Pence — who is considered to have had close contact with his most senior adviser — decided to "maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel," O'Malley said in a statement, noting that Pence had consulted with White House physicians.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for essential workers who have had close contact with an infected person include wearing a mask for 14 days "at all times while in the workplace."
Pence did not wear a mask at his outdoor rally.
Asked by CNN on Sunday whether Pence should continue to campaign, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said: "Essential personnel, whether it's the vice president of the United States or anyone else, has to continue on."
Meadows added that Pence wears a mask on the campaign trail except for when he speaks on camera.
"We're not going to control the pandemic"
Meadows also spoke about the pandemic more broadly.
"We're not going to control the pandemic," he told CNN. "We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation."
The Trump administration's handling of the pandemic has been the central issue in the presidential race. More than 224,000 people have died from the virus in the United States, and more than 8 million people have been infected. Cases have been surging recently, and daily new case levels hit a record high on Friday. Millions of people have been thrown out of work because of shutdowns and other changes forced by the pandemic.
Trump, who had the virus and was hospitalized this month, has insisted that the country has rounded the corner on the pandemic.
Asked about surging cases in Wisconsin — one of three states Trump visited for rallies on Saturday — he bristled and said most people who get the virus recover.
"You know why there are so many cases? Because we test," he said. "You're trying to scare people. Don't scare people."
Neither Trump nor his aides mentioned Short's diagnosis on Saturday as the president went to rallies in North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin. Upon landing after midnight, Trump told reporters that he had "just now" heard about Short's diagnosis. "I think he's quarantining," Trump said. "He's going to be fine."
Pence, who is the head of the White House's coronavirus task force, did not comment on Short's diagnosis on Saturday. In his second rally in Tallahassee, Pence didn't discuss the coronavirus until midway through his 50-minute speech, lauding Trump for his actions.
"Until that day that we have a vaccine available, we're going to keep working to slow the spread," Pence said. "We're all going to do our part to protect the vulnerable, to save lives."
Since last Sunday, Pence has appeared at 10 rallies in seven states: Maine, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Florida.
His office said late Saturday that he would travel to a rally in Kinston, N.C., on Sunday, and the campaign has also scheduled him for a rally in Hibbing, Minn., on Monday. On Tuesday, he is slated for rallies in Greensboro and Wilmington, N.C., and Greenville, S.C.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris was asked by reporters Sunday morning whether Pence should suspend his travel, as Harris herself did in mid-October when two people near her tested positive for the virus.
"He should be following the guidelines," Harris said. "I think we have modeled the right and good behavior and they should take our lead."
The Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, on Sunday released a statement blasting Pence's decision to keep campaigning.
"The grim reality is that we continue to set records for new cases," Biden said, "and the fact that the head of the White House's coronavirus task force has an outbreak in his office and yet still refuses to follow CDC guidelines shows us exactly why."
Trump has sought to make his recovery from the virus an asset on the campaign trail after the White House had its own "superspreader event" last month. More than a dozen people got the virus, including Trump; first lady Melania Trump; their teenage son, Barron; campaign manager Bill Stepien; press secretary Kayleigh McEnany; and adviser Hope Hicks. Trump has said their experience shows people can recover.
But polls show most Americans disapprove of how Trump has handled the pandemic. By a 71%-to-26% margin, likely voters view the coronavirus as a "real threat," though a significant portion of Republicans view it as being blown out of proportion, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.
The poll showed that only 36% of likely voters said they trust what Trump says about the virus a great deal or a good amount, and most said they would prefer Biden to handle the issue.
The White House has refused to say how many staff members have contracted the virus in total. Medical experts have said the large number of White House cases show how lax Trump and officials have been in taking steps to stop the spread of the virus, including wearing masks and staying at least 6 feet away from other people — and how they've relied too much on testing.
WFSU's Ryan Dailey contributed to this story.


npr--2020-10-26--'Incredibly Scary': Single Moms Fear Falling Through Holes In Pandemic Safety Net

Nellie Riether , a single mom from Ringwood , N.J. , faces a stark choice : raid her retirement savings or uproot her kids from home and move in with her sister .
`` To be honest , it 's mortifying and embarrassing at 46 years old to say I 'm going to have to move in with my sister , '' she says .
`` Emotionally , it 's a bit of a failure . ''
Riether has been out of work since April , when she was furloughed from her job in office building design .
She ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and she 's worried about her kids , who are 13 and 15 .
The state jobless benefits she receives do n't even cover her rent , let alone her car payment , insurance and food .
And she 's frustrated that Congress could n't figure out a compromise months ago to send more help in the middle of a national emergency .
`` This is beyond politics — this is people 's lives , '' says Riether .
`` This is my life .
This is my family 's life .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people need help in the pandemic , but especially single mothers .
There are approximately 13.6 million single parents in the U.S. , raising 22.4 million children .
Eighty percent of those single parents are moms .
Women have lost more jobs than men during the recession , and others are quitting their jobs in frustration from the demands of child care .
However , quitting is just not an option for most single parents .
For Riether , not having a partner to share the financial burden is just part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partner to talk to .
And it 's difficult to bring up with friends what she 's going through .
`` I mean , I do n't want to burden other people with , 'Well , I 'm going to lose my home and be homeless , ' `` Riether says .
`` I might make a joke about it , but it is very heavy and it weighs a lot .
The future is uncertain and it 's incredibly scary .
It 's just incredibly scary , '' she says .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who 've lost their jobs and are watching their savings dwindle away — moms like Deborah , who got laid off in May from her public relations job with an entertainment company in Los Angeles .
( She does n't want her last name used because she does n't want to hurt her chances of finding work . )
Deborah says she has been looking hard for a job but nothing has come through .
In the meantime , the rent will be due soon , and she 's not sure how she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked about that with her daughter .
`` I mean , she 's 7 .
I want her to make sure she keeps her innocence , '' Deborah says .
`` I want her to just think the world is all rainbows . ''
But for single moms relying on unemployment money and unable to find a job , the world is anything but rainbows right now .
It has been nearly three months since an extra $ 600 a week in federal unemployment benefits expired .
State benefits often are n't enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And economists say many people are depleting their savings .
For single moms who are working , many feel fortunate to have a job , but between juggling remote school and housework , there 's never enough time .
`` I 'm always kind of half-awake , '' says Ellen Griffin , with an exhausted-sounding laugh .
`` Last night I think it was 2 before I fell asleep , and then [ I was ] up at 6 . ''
Griffin is a single mom in Birmingham , Ala. , where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has two kids , 10 and 13 .
Before she gets to work at 8 a.m. , she needs to get her older son set up for remote school at her father 's house .
He 's 90 years old .
Her younger son , Drake , needs more attention because of his autism .
She shuttles him to school every morning .
Then there 's speech therapy in another location .
At the library , more than half the staff has been furloughed , so she 's doing extra work — running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while wearing a mask .
`` It 's like Tetris , '' she says , `` trying to fix all the pieces so everything is covered . ''

'Incredibly Scary': Single Moms Fear Falling Through Holes In Pandemic Safety Net
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sarah Riether Sarah Riether
Nellie Riether, a single mom from Ringwood, N.J., faces a stark choice: raid her retirement savings or uproot her kids from home and move in with her sister.
"To be honest, it's mortifying and embarrassing at 46 years old to say I'm going to have to move in with my sister," she says. "Emotionally, it's a bit of a failure."
Riether has been out of work since April, when she was furloughed from her job in office building design. She can't pay the rent much longer, and she's worried about her kids, who are 13 and 15.
The state jobless benefits she receives don't even cover her rent, let alone her car payment, insurance and food. And she's frustrated that Congress couldn't figure out a compromise months ago to send more help in the middle of a national emergency.
"This is beyond politics — this is people's lives," says Riether. "This is my life. This is my family's life. We need a stimulus package."
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A lot of people need help in the pandemic, but especially single mothers. There are approximately 13.6 million single parents in the U.S., raising 22.4 million children. Eighty percent of those single parents are moms. Women have lost more jobs than men during the recession, and others are quitting their jobs in frustration from the demands of child care. However, quitting is just not an option for most single parents.
For Riether, not having a partner to share the financial burden is just part of her predicament. There's no partner to talk to. And it's difficult to bring up with friends what she's going through.
"I mean, I don't want to burden other people with, 'Well, I'm going to lose my home and be homeless,' " Riether says.
"I might make a joke about it, but it is very heavy and it weighs a lot. The future is uncertain and it's incredibly scary. It's just incredibly scary," she says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tamika Moore for NPR Tamika Moore for NPR
It's a common fear for single moms who've lost their jobs and are watching their savings dwindle away — moms like Deborah, who got laid off in May from her public relations job with an entertainment company in Los Angeles. (She doesn't want her last name used because she doesn't want to hurt her chances of finding work.) Deborah says she has been looking hard for a job but nothing has come through. In the meantime, the rent will be due soon, and she's not sure how she'll pay it. She hasn't talked about that with her daughter.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tamika Moore for NPR Tamika Moore for NPR
"I mean, she's 7. I want her to make sure she keeps her innocence," Deborah says. "I want her to just think the world is all rainbows."
But for single moms relying on unemployment money and unable to find a job, the world is anything but rainbows right now. It has been nearly three months since an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits expired. State benefits often aren't enough to cover rent and other bills. And economists say many people are depleting their savings.
For single moms who are working, many feel fortunate to have a job, but between juggling remote school and housework, there's never enough time. "I'm always kind of half-awake," says Ellen Griffin, with an exhausted-sounding laugh. "Last night I think it was 2 before I fell asleep, and then [I was] up at 6."
Griffin is a single mom in Birmingham, Ala., where she works at a public library. She has two kids, 10 and 13. Before she gets to work at 8 a.m., she needs to get her older son set up for remote school at her father's house. He's 90 years old.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tamika Moore for NPR Tamika Moore for NPR
Her younger son, Drake, needs more attention because of his autism. She shuttles him to school every morning. Then there's speech therapy in another location. At the library, more than half the staff has been furloughed, so she's doing extra work — running books in bags out for curbside pickup, while wearing a mask.
"It's like Tetris," she says, "trying to fix all the pieces so everything is covered."


npr--2020-10-26--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
More than 8 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 220,000 have died .
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 state based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visualization highlights a state 's daily 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 .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to over 1,000 per day in mid October .
Explore the map above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shades 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anomalies 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 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 contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited @ @ @

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.
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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.
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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--2020-10-26--Outspent In The Homestretch, Trump Campaign Says Its Ground Game Is Stronger

Outspent In The Homestretch , Trump Campaign Says Its Ground Game Is Stronger President Trump is closing out his campaign for reelection way behind in fundraising and trailing in the polls , both nationally and key swing states .
Nearly 60 million people have already voted and time is running out before Nov. 3 , Election Day .
His campaign claims to be in a good position , citing an army of volunteers and the large crowds Trump has drawn even in the middle of a pandemic with surging coronavirus cases .
But you do n't need a top secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking to shore up support .
The president is saying it out loud at his now nearly nonstop rallies , with specific messages for seniors and suburban women now a regular part of his stump speeches .
`` Do we have any seniors in the room ? ''
Trump asked at a rally in Florida .
And then there 's this line , a version of which he has used at numerous stops : `` Can I ask you to do me a favor ?
Suburban women , will you please like me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Pennsylvania .
Another way to gauge a campaign 's priorities is to look where it is spending time and money .
Here 's a telling example : On Facebook , the Trump campaign has poured nearly $ 1 million into ads starting in late September , using a page called Women for Trump .
That 's according to Bully Pulpit Interactive , an ad firm that tracks campaign spending on Facebook and Google and has worked with Democratic candidates .
`` It seems they 're making a last-minute plea for women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a founding partner at the firm .
The ads are targeted to `` Florida , Pennsylvania , Georgia and North Carolina .
All kind of must-wins for the president . ''
Trump is also spending time and money in Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin , Ohio and Georgia .
That group includes both states he narrowly won in 2016 , and others he won easily but is having to work harder for this time .
Meanwhile , the Biden campaign seems as if it is on the air everywhere in the final lap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spending millions during major sporting events , like the World Series .
In contrast , Trump is only advertising in 11 states and is getting outspent in most of them , according to the tracking firm Ad Analytics .
`` We very much like where we 're at , '' Bill Stepien , Trump 's campaign manager , told reporters , making the best of a less-than-desirable situation .
`` We have more than sufficient air cover . ''
The latest campaign finance reports show Biden with more than three times as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden had $ 162 million cash on hand in the period ending October 14 .
Trump 's campaign had just $ 43 million .
The advantage shows in Biden 's TV ad buying totals .
Ad Analytics pegs Biden as spending more than twice as much on advertising than Trump did last week .
After Thursday 's debate , Stepien announced that Trump pulled in his strongest-ever small-dollar fundraising haul .
But it 's not clear just how much he raised and how much it will help .
The Republican National Committee is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing states and Iowa .
The ads are aimed at senior citizens , making dire predictions about a Biden presidency hurting Medicare .
Stepien argues television ads and fundraising dollars do n't tell the whole story of the race .
`` We 're actually running a real campaign , '' said Stepien , who has knocked Biden 's small , socially distanced events .
`` You know , a campaign with voter contact .
A campaign with events .
We like our plan better . ''
Stepien points to voter registration drives bringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he has continued to argue that any losses in support from seniors or women could be made up with support from Latino and African American voters .
It 's not clear that math works , but Trump 's campaign continues to project confidence .
Stepien also says the Trump campaign has a secret weapon : more than 2.5 million volunteers , who just last week connected with 10 million voters .
One of those volunteers is Adele Amico , who lives in Estero , Fla. She has been putting in about 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
On a recent afternoon , she took a reporter 's call while driving between working a shift watching polls and going to set up chairs for an Ivanka Trump event with members of her town 's Republican club .
`` I just called a bunch of members and I said , 'Look : we need to put up a thousand chairs .
Can you come out and help ? '
and they go , 'Absolutely , ' `` Amico said .
She says volunteers in Florida are knocking on doors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who requested absentee ballots to make sure they send them in before the deadline .
`` It 's pretty intense , '' she said .
Campaigns are always boasting about their volunteer armies , their get-out-the-vote efforts — and it 's always impossible to tell whether it 's really as good as they claim .
It 's even harder to make comparisons now because of how the coronavirus has changed traditional campaign and voter activities .
But what is clear is that based on polling and where the candidates are trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to victory .
Or as the president said at a recent rally , he has to `` run the table '' under dramatically different circumstances than he did four years ago .

Outspent In The Homestretch, Trump Campaign Says Its Ground Game Is Stronger
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
President Trump is closing out his campaign for reelection way behind in fundraising and trailing in the polls, both nationally and key swing states. Nearly 60 million people have already voted and time is running out before Nov. 3, Election Day.
His campaign claims to be in a good position, citing an army of volunteers and the large crowds Trump has drawn even in the middle of a pandemic with surging coronavirus cases.
But you don't need a top secret campaign memo to see where Trump is looking to shore up support. The president is saying it out loud at his now nearly nonstop rallies, with specific messages for seniors and suburban women now a regular part of his stump speeches.
"Do we have any seniors in the room?" Trump asked at a rally in Florida.
And then there's this line, a version of which he has used at numerous stops: "Can I ask you to do me a favor? Suburban women, will you please like me?" he said at a recent rally in Pennsylvania.
Another way to gauge a campaign's priorities is to look where it is spending time and money. Here's a telling example: On Facebook, the Trump campaign has poured nearly $1 million into ads starting in late September, using a page called Women for Trump. That's according to Bully Pulpit Interactive, an ad firm that tracks campaign spending on Facebook and Google and has worked with Democratic candidates.
"It seems they're making a last-minute plea for women votes," said Benjamin Clark, a founding partner at the firm. The ads are targeted to "Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina. All kind of must-wins for the president."
Trump is also spending time and money in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Georgia. That group includes both states he narrowly won in 2016, and others he won easily but is having to work harder for this time.
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign seems as if it is on the air everywhere in the final lap, running local ads in 19 states and spending millions during major sporting events, like the World Series. In contrast, Trump is only advertising in 11 states and is getting outspent in most of them, according to the tracking firm Ad Analytics.
"We very much like where we're at," Bill Stepien, Trump's campaign manager, told reporters, making the best of a less-than-desirable situation. "We have more than sufficient air cover."
The latest campaign finance reports show Biden with more than three times as much cash on hand as Trump. Biden had $162 million cash on hand in the period ending October 14. Trump's campaign had just $43 million. The advantage shows in Biden's TV ad buying totals. Ad Analytics pegs Biden as spending more than twice as much on advertising than Trump did last week.
After Thursday's debate, Stepien announced that Trump pulled in his strongest-ever small-dollar fundraising haul. But it's not clear just how much he raised and how much it will help.
The Republican National Committee is also pitching in with ads in four swing states and Iowa. The ads are aimed at senior citizens, making dire predictions about a Biden presidency hurting Medicare.
Stepien argues television ads and fundraising dollars don't tell the whole story of the race. "We're actually running a real campaign," said Stepien, who has knocked Biden's small, socially distanced events. "You know, a campaign with voter contact. A campaign with events. We like our plan better."
Stepien points to voter registration drives bringing more people into the Republican Party, and he has continued to argue that any losses in support from seniors or women could be made up with support from Latino and African American voters. It's not clear that math works, but Trump's campaign continues to project confidence.
Stepien also says the Trump campaign has a secret weapon: more than 2.5 million volunteers, who just last week connected with 10 million voters.
One of those volunteers is Adele Amico, who lives in Estero, Fla. She has been putting in about 40 hours a week for Trump at this point. On a recent afternoon, she took a reporter's call while driving between working a shift watching polls and going to set up chairs for an Ivanka Trump event with members of her town's Republican club.
"I just called a bunch of members and I said, 'Look: we need to put up a thousand chairs. Can you come out and help?' and they go, 'Absolutely,' " Amico said.
She says volunteers in Florida are knocking on doors, making phone calls and reaching out to people who requested absentee ballots to make sure they send them in before the deadline. "It's pretty intense," she said.
Campaigns are always boasting about their volunteer armies, their get-out-the-vote efforts — and it's always impossible to tell whether it's really as good as they claim. It's even harder to make comparisons now because of how the coronavirus has changed traditional campaign and voter activities.
But what is clear is that based on polling and where the candidates are trying to compete, Trump has a narrower path to victory. Or as the president said at a recent rally, he has to "run the table" under dramatically different circumstances than he did four years ago.


npr--2020-10-26--5 Things To Watch In The Final Week Of The 2020 Presidential Campaign

5 Things To Watch In The Final Week Of The 2020 Presidential Campaign The home stretch of a presidential campaign can be warping .
`` In this final phase , the feedback loop inside a campaign can become really distorted , '' said Brian Jones , a Republican strategist and veteran of the Mitt Romney , John McCain and George W. Bush campaigns .
`` Campaigns destined for defeat find ways to believe there 's still a chance and campaigns headed for victory can be overly nervous . ''
Campaigns , candidates and , most importantly , voters are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small things to cling to — or worry about .
And the coronavirus pandemic , which has introduced a new , difficult-to-quantify variable in the outcome of the election , only makes matters more anxiety-producing .
Here are five things to watch that can give some signs of where things are headed : 1 .
Where the campaigns are investing Where campaigns decide to spend their time and money tells you a lot about what locations they think are most important .
The campaigns have spent the lion 's share of their television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , Pennsylvania , North Carolina , Michigan , Wisconsin and Arizona .
About $ 9 out of every $ 10 spent on TV — about $ 1 billion in total — has been put into those six places .
Despite President Trump 's head start campaigning , Democratic nominee Joe Biden and groups supporting him have far outspent Trump and allies in those states .
That makes things difficult for Trump , because he won all six of those states in 2016 , and because Florida and Pennsylvania in particular are vital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both sides of the aisle , though , will tell you that there 's no more valuable and limited asset in a campaign than the candidate 's time .
And where a candidate goes can have a marginal positive effect on the result .
In the past week or so , Biden has visited North Carolina and Pennsylvania and , so far this week , we know he will be heading to Georgia .
At the beginning of this cycle the state was seen as a reach for Biden .
Now it very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days , Biden 's vice presidential nominee , California Sen. Kamala Harris , is going to Nevada and , as NPR has confirmed , Texas , a state that continues to be close .
Former President Barack Obama is going back to Florida , where he also was Saturday .
Trump , on the other hand , is headed to Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin and Nebraska ( yes , Nebraska ) .
Biden has been leading in the Omaha-area congressional district and is close in another bordering district .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combination of congressional district and statewide vote . )
Vice President Pence is headed to Minnesota and North Carolina , as well as South Carolina , where Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is in a tough reelection fight .
In 2016 , we saw a significant tightening between Trump and Hillary Clinton in the final couple of weeks .
Does that happen again ?
Currently , Biden leads Trump 52 % to 43 % in an average of the national polls .
Biden 's top line number has barely budged since effectively winning the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below 49 % since April , and Trump has n't gotten to 44 % since that same month .
Biden has been between 49 % and 52 % on average , while Trump has been between 41 % and 44 % .
That certainly puts Biden on track to win the national popular vote , but Clinton won that , too , by 3 million votes .
The race is won in the states key to deciding the Electoral College , and there , it 's tighter .
The Biden campaign has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continues to stress that its internal polls show a closer contest in places like Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin than what is showing up in public surveys .
But that tightening may be starting to appear in public polls .
Trump has seen an uptick in the last week in several states .
Below is a rundown of where things stand in a dozen states , per 538 averages as of Sunday afternoon , in order of closest to furthest apart : Bookmark the above margins for comparison to next week to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Election Day to see if the polls were right or wrong .
3 .
How do Senate candidates talk about Trump ?
After the first presidential debate , an increasing number of Republicans were separating themselves from Trump , saying they should be elected as a potential check on a Biden presidency .
But after the last debate Thursday , which saw a calmer Trump , Republicans are hoping it reduced some GOP jitteriness in down-ballot races in Republican areas — even if it does n't help Trump win reelection .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in places like Alaska , Arizona , Georgia , Kansas , Montana , North Carolina , South Carolina and Texas , for example .
`` So much for down-ballot Republicans this year depends on the president 's performance , '' GOP strategist Jones said .
`` If Trump can remain focused and present a clear contrast message ... that 'll help Republicans down ticket even if Trump loses .
If the president is focused on conspiracy theories and cheap applause lines ... then it could be a tough election night for Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaking records all over the country , but this is a unique year .
So far , according to the U.S .
Elections Project , as of Sunday night , more than 59 million people had already cast their ballots , or about 43 % of the 2016 total .
About 40 % of the electorate voted early in 2016 , but this year 's number is only going to continue to climb with a week to go until Election Day .
Texas , in particular , has seen a whopping surge .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or about 80 % of the total votes cast in 2016 .
If Democrats got half those votes , that 's almost as many votes as Clinton got in 2016 .
But a couple things to keep in mind : Texas was n't even really contested four years ago , and Trump 's total is likely to be higher , too .
Still , the early vote totals in Texas do seem to be a good sign for Democrats .
The data firm TargetSmart , which uses voter data beyond party registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noted in its Saturday newsletter : In that Senate race , Democrat Beto O'Rourke lost by less than 3 percentage points to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz .
Who 's turning out in Texas is also notable .
TargetSmart flags a significant increase in young voters and Latinos , two strongly Democratic blocs , and a slight decrease in white non-college voters , the core of Trump 's base .
If that trend continues more broadly in key states , that 's a good indicator for Biden .
But Democrats worry about Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and Latinos .
So far , Biden appears to be more than making up for it by winning over college-educated whites and seniors , two groups that used to lean more Republican .
That would certainly be a new coalition for Democrats .
We 'll see if it holds .
It 's always important to keep an open mind that things may not turn out as they appear , especially in this reality distortion field of a year .
We wo n't know if the polls are right until votes are counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being disqualified for technicalities like filling out ballots with the wrong color ink or not signing in the correct place .
Trump had been promising to hit Biden with unverified allegations about his son , Hunter .
But the attack leveled at the final debate was underwhelming .
Does Trump and his campaign have anything else they will try to throw at Biden to try and drag him down and convince the narrow slice of persuadable voters that he 's unelectable ?
What other surprises does 2020 have up its sleeve ?

5 Things To Watch In The Final Week Of The 2020 Presidential Campaign
Enlarge this image toggle caption Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
The home stretch of a presidential campaign can be warping.
"In this final phase, the feedback loop inside a campaign can become really distorted," said Brian Jones, a Republican strategist and veteran of the Mitt Romney, John McCain and George W. Bush campaigns. "Campaigns destined for defeat find ways to believe there's still a chance and campaigns headed for victory can be overly nervous."
Campaigns, candidates and, most importantly, voters are all in a holding pattern and looking for small things to cling to — or worry about. And the coronavirus pandemic, which has introduced a new, difficult-to-quantify variable in the outcome of the election, only makes matters more anxiety-producing.
Here are five things to watch that can give some signs of where things are headed:
1. Where the campaigns are investing
Where campaigns decide to spend their time and money tells you a lot about what locations they think are most important.
The campaigns have spent the lion's share of their television ad money in six big states: Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona. About $9 out of every $10 spent on TV — about $1 billion in total — has been put into those six places.
Despite President Trump's head start campaigning, Democratic nominee Joe Biden and groups supporting him have far outspent Trump and allies in those states. That makes things difficult for Trump, because he won all six of those states in 2016 and because Florida and Pennsylvania in particular are vital to his reelection chances.
Strategists on both sides of the aisle, though, will tell you that there's no more valuable and limited asset in a campaign than the candidate's time. And where a candidate goes can have a marginal positive effect on the result.
In the past week or so, Biden has visited North Carolina and Pennsylvania and, so far this week, we know he will be heading to Georgia. At the beginning of this cycle the state was seen as a reach for Biden. Now it very much could go either way.
In the coming days, Biden's vice presidential nominee, California Sen. Kamala Harris, is going to Nevada and, as NPR has confirmed, Texas, a state that continues to be close. Former President Barack Obama is going back to Florida, where he also was Saturday.
Trump, on the other hand, is headed to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska (yes, Nebraska). Biden has been leading in the Omaha-area congressional district and is close in another bordering district. (Nebraska allocates its electoral votes by a combination of congressional district and statewide vote.)
Vice President Pence is headed to Minnesota and North Carolina, as well as South Carolina, where Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is in a tough reelection fight.
2. Poll tightening (or expansion)
In 2016, we saw a significant tightening between Trump and Hillary Clinton in the final couple of weeks. Does that happen again?
Currently, Biden leads Trump 52% to 43% in an average of the national polls. Biden's top line number has barely budged since effectively winning the Democratic nomination. He hasn't been below 49% since April, and Trump hasn't gotten to 44% since that same month. Biden has been between 49% and 52% on average, while Trump has been between 41% and 44%.
That certainly puts Biden on track to win the national popular vote, but Clinton won that, too, by 3 million votes.
The race is won in the states key to deciding the Electoral College, and there, it's tighter. The Biden campaign has said for months that it expects a contraction and continues to stress that its internal polls show a closer contest in places like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin than what is showing up in public surveys.
But that tightening may be starting to appear in public polls. Trump has seen an uptick in the last week in several states. Below is a rundown of where things stand in a dozen states, per 538 averages as of Sunday afternoon and in order of closest to furthest apart:
Texas: Trump 47.6%-47.5% (Trump +0.1)
Georgia: Biden 47.6%-47.2% (Biden +0.4)
Iowa: Biden 47.5%-46.3% (Biden +1.2)
Ohio: Trump 47.9%-46.5% (Trump +1.4)
Florida: Biden 49.1%-46.6% (Biden +2.5)
North Carolina: Biden 49.2%-46.6% (Biden +2.6)
Arizona: Biden 48.7%-46% (Biden +2.7)
Pennsylvania: Biden 50.4%-44.7% (Biden +5.7)
Nevada: Biden 50.2%-43.6% (Biden +6.2)
Wisconsin: Biden 50.8%-44.1% (Biden +6.7)
Michigan: Biden 50.5%-43% (Biden +7.5)
Minnesota: Biden 50.6%-42.7% (Biden +7.9)
Bookmark the above margins for comparison to next week to see if the race has moved and to Election Day to see if the polls were right or wrong.
toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
3. How do Senate candidates talk about Trump?
After the first presidential debate, an increasing number of Republicans were separating themselves from Trump, saying they should be elected as a potential check on a Biden presidency.
But after the last debate Thursday, which saw a calmer Trump, Republicans are hoping it reduced some GOP jitteriness in down-ballot races in Republican areas — even if it doesn't help Trump win reelection.
That could make a difference on the margins in places like Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas, for example.
"So much for down-ballot Republicans this year depends on the president's performance," GOP strategist Jones said. "If Trump can remain focused and present a clear contrast message ... that'll help Republicans down ticket even if Trump loses. If the president is focused on conspiracy theories and cheap applause lines ... then it could be a tough election night for Republicans."
4. Those long lines and early vote totals
The early vote numbers have been breaking records all over the country, but this is a unique year.
So far, according to the U.S. Elections Project, as of Sunday night more than 59 million people had already cast their ballots, or about 43% of the 2016 total. About 40% of the electorate voted early in 2016, and there's still a week to go until Election Day.
Texas, in particular, has seen a whopping surge. Almost 7.2 million people have voted early, or about 80% of the total votes cast in 2016. If Democrats got half those votes, that's almost as many votes as Clinton got in 2016. But a couple of things to keep in mind: Texas wasn't even really contested four years ago, and Trump's total is likely to be higher, too.
Still, the early vote totals in Texas do seem to be a good sign for Democrats. The data firm TargetSmart, which uses voter data beyond party registration to try and model and project turnout, noted in its Saturday newsletter:
"[T]he 2020 early vote electorate is 2% more Democratic than the 2018 electorate, which in the end resulted in a highly competitive US Senate election. This is a good sign for Biden."
In that Senate race, Democrat Beto O'Rourke lost by less than 3 percentage points to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Who's turning out in Texas is also notable. TargetSmart flags a significant increase in young voters and Latinos, two strongly Democratic blocs, and a slight decrease in white non-college voters, the core of Trump's base.
If that trend continues more broadly in key states, that's a good indicator for Biden. But Democrats worry about Biden lagging Clinton's margins with young Black men and Latinos.
So far, Biden appears to be more than making up for it by winning over college-educated whites and seniors, two groups that used to lean more Republican. That would certainly be a new coalition for Democrats. We'll see if it holds.
5. Surprises
It's always important to keep an open mind that things may not turn out as they appear, especially in this reality distortion field of a year.
We won't know whether the polls are right until votes are counted, and Democrats worry about mail-in ballots being disqualified for technicalities like filling out ballots with the wrong color ink or not signing in the correct place.
Trump had been promising to hit Biden with unverified allegations about his son Hunter. But the attack leveled at the final debate was underwhelming. Do Trump and his campaign have anything else they will try to throw at Biden to try to drag him down and convince the narrow slice of persuadable voters that he's unelectable?
What other surprises does 2020 have up its sleeve?


npr--2020-10-26--Colleges Turn To Wastewater Testing In An Effort To Flush Out The Coronavirus

Colleges Turn To Wastewater Testing In An Effort To Flush Out The Coronavirus Twice a week , mathematics professor Andrea Bruder squats in the sewage tunnels below South Hall , a mostly freshman dorm at Colorado College .
She wears head-to-toe protective gear , and holds a plastic ladle in one hand and a to-go coffee cup in the other .
Bruder hovers above an opening in a large metal pipe , and patiently waits for a student to flush .
That flush will flood the pipes with just enough water to carry human waste down to her ladle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a lab for processing .
According to an analysis by NPR , Bruder 's small private college in Colorado Springs is one of more than 65 U.S. colleges testing wastewater in an effort to monitor coronavirus spread .
And that number is growing .
People who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 , which causes COVID-19 , shed virus particles through their poop when they go to the bathroom .
Wastewater monitoring provides an early opportunity to catch the virus because it can detect an infection days before respiratory symptoms show up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all , in the case of asymptomatic individuals .
Across the country , campus outbreaks have shut down in-person classes , led to campus lockdowns and in some cases sent students home .
Communal living and socializing has been a boon to the highly contagious virus , with much of the spread happening in dorms and off-campus housing .
Dorm wastewater offers an ideal testing scenario for colleges : People often poop where they live ; researchers know exactly who lives in each dorm , which narrows down who could be infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regularly testing students , even when followed up by more targeting screening .
In August , the University of Arizona made news for using wastewater testing to help prevent an outbreak .
Wastewater testing alerted administrators to the presence of the coronavirus in a dorm , and follow-up testing found two asymptomatic students .
This method has also helped identify positive cases at the University of Virginia , the Rochester Institute of Technology and Colorado State University , which has been running a robust wastewater testing program since the start of the fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fort Collins , environmental engineering professor Susan De Long stands next to a manhole cover nestled in the landscaping outside Westfall Hall .
The dorm is one of 17 sites being tested three times a week across campus .
Students bike and skateboard by , as two graduate students — dressed in white protective suits , gloves , masks and hard hats — pry open the manhole cover , exposing the sewer system below .
Unlike Andrea Bruder , De Long and her team do n't have to crawl underground and wait for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there 's a pump that does the dirty work for them , collecting wastewater every 15 minutes over a 24-hour period .
Taking samples over 24 hours allows researchers to catch students who go to the bathroom in the morning and those who go after dinner .
`` We ca n't just assume that everybody is going to the bathroom at 7:30am or 6:30pm , because [ students ] have different schedules in college , '' says De Long , who previously studied pharmaceuticals in wastewater .
When it 's time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test tubes , they simply lift a big grey tub , and pour out a bit of the yellowish fluid .
Abbie Modafferi , one of the graduate students collecting samples , says she avoids smelling the liquid ( some samples , she says , are worse than others ) .
But she 's happy to be contributing right now .
`` I feel like if we 're really trying to slow the pandemic and help get back to normal , the biggest thing is prevention .
And this is how you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled from the sewers , they travel across campus to a microbiology lab , where they 're processed .
Some colleges outsource this step , but CSU has the space and lab machines to run the analysis in-house .
The wastewater testing ca n't tell CSU , or any campus , who is infected with the coronavirus .
And because people shed different amounts of the virus at different times during the course of the infection , there 's no way to know how many students might have it .
`` We do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a little virus or one person with a lot , '' says microbiologist Carol Wilusz , who runs the CSU lab .
Instead , the data is used to show trends .
`` We 're constantly adjusting our testing protocol based on what the wastewater data is telling us about where we might find the next outbreak beginning , '' explains De Long .
`` When we see a spike at that dorm , we can quickly roll out clinical tests of those students , identify individuals that are infected , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can stop the outbreak from becoming larger rapidly .
It 's allowed us to stay open , with classes face-to-face . ''
Traces of the virus tend to linger in human waste after a person is no longer contagious .
CSU makes note of students who have previously tested positive , so when they move back into the dorms , after their isolation , researchers can account for any increased levels connected to their return .
According to Wilusz , CSU 's efforts seem to be working : When they 've identified elevated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow-up testing has found positive cases .
`` I never really believed it was going to work this well , '' she says .
But she 's grateful it has — not just for her own research , but because her son is a freshman this fall , living in the dorms .
`` I have an ulterior motive , '' she says , laughing .
`` I 'm keeping an eye on that one . ''
Wilusz estimates it costs CSU about $ 25,000 a month to process and analyze the wastewater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheaper than doing individual clinical tests , '' she says , `` but it 's not a cheap undertaking . ''
Testing wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging field .
Often colleges are figuring it out on their own , leaning on city utilities or nearby campuses that have their own testing programs .
And this type of testing has limitations .
For it to be most effective , researchers would ideally be able to take samples from each individual dorm , rather than a cluster , in order to minimize the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems do n't always make that easy .
And a robust on-campus monitoring system only goes so far — many colleges that opened in-person saw the virus spread through off-campus parties and housing , away from the dorms that were being monitored .
That 's why Andrea Bruder is optimistic about the program she 's piloting at Colorado College , where most students live on campus .
She and her team are still working out the best testing sites , visiting noisy facilities rooms in search of the perfect sewage pipe .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no reason to know about the dorm sewage lines — much of her research focused on ladybugs and aphids on yucca plants .
But like so many faculty and staff members at U.S. colleges , she 's redirected her research to focus on COVID-19 , using her expertise to keep the campus safe .
With just two testing sites , the operation is still small , and the college has n't yet invested in a 24-hour pump , like CSU has .
That means Bruder has to fetch the samples herself — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , damp tunnels , waiting for a flush .
It 's still unclear if testing dorm sewage , followed by focused clinical testing , will work as well as widespread testing of all students .
Experts say it 's a tool , to be used with many other tools , including random clinical testing , handwashing , mask wearing and social distancing .
For now , it 's offering some college communities a drop of hope , courtesy of No .
2 .

Colleges Turn To Wastewater Testing In An Effort To Flush Out The Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Twice a week, mathematics professor Andrea Bruder squats in the sewage tunnels below South Hall, a mostly freshman dorm at Colorado College. She wears head-to-toe protective gear and holds a plastic ladle in one hand and a to-go coffee cup in the other. Bruder hovers above an opening in a large metal pipe and patiently waits for a student to flush.
That flush will flood the pipes with just enough water to carry human waste down to her ladle, then to her coffee cup and eventually to a lab for processing.
According to an analysis by NPR, Bruder's small private college in Colorado Springs is one of more than 65 U.S. colleges testing wastewater in an effort to monitor coronavirus spread. And that number is growing.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
People who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, shed virus particles through their feces when they go to the bathroom. Wastewater monitoring provides an early opportunity to catch the virus because it can detect an infection days before respiratory symptoms show up, and even if they never show up at all in the case of asymptomatic individuals.
Across the country, campus outbreaks have shut down in-person classes, led to campus lockdowns, and in some cases sent students home. Communal living and socializing has been a boon to the highly contagious virus, with much of the spread happening in dorms and off-campus housing.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Dorm wastewater offers an ideal testing scenario for colleges: People often poop where they live; researchers know exactly who lives in each dorm, which narrows down who could be infected; and testing wastewater is cheaper than regularly testing students, even when followed up by more targeting screening.
In August, the University of Arizona made news for using wastewater testing to help prevent an outbreak. Wastewater testing alerted administrators to the presence of the coronavirus in a dorm, and follow-up testing found two asymptomatic students. This method has also helped identify positive cases at the University of Virginia, the Rochester Institute of Technology and Colorado State University, which has been running a robust wastewater testing program since the start of the fall semester.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
On the CSU campus in Fort Collins, environmental engineering professor Susan De Long stands next to a manhole cover nestled in the landscaping outside Westfall Hall. The dorm is one of 17 sites being tested three times a week across campus.
Students bike and skateboard by as two graduate students — dressed in white protective suits, gloves, masks and hard hats — pry open the manhole cover, exposing the sewer system below.
Unlike Andrea Bruder, De Long and her team don't have to crawl underground and wait for a flush to collect samples. Instead, there's a pump that does the dirty work for them, collecting wastewater every 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Taking samples over 24 hours allows researchers to catch students who go to the bathroom in the morning and those who go after dinner. "We can't just assume that everybody is going to the bathroom at 7:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m., because [students] have different schedules in college," says De Long, who previously studied pharmaceuticals in wastewater.
When it's time for the graduate students to fill up their test tubes, they simply lift a big gray tub and pour out a bit of the yellowish fluid.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Abbie Modafferi, one of the graduate students collecting samples, says she avoids smelling the liquid (some samples, she says, are worse than others). But she's happy to be contributing right now. "I feel like if we're really trying to slow the pandemic and help get back to normal, the biggest thing is prevention. And this is how you do that."
Once the samples are pulled from the sewers, they travel across campus to a microbiology lab, where they're processed. Some colleges outsource this step, but CSU has the space and lab machines to run the analysis in-house.
The wastewater testing can't tell CSU, or any campus, who is infected with the coronavirus. And because people shed different amounts of the virus at different times during the course of the infection, there's no way to know how many students might have it.
"We don't know if it's 10 people with a little virus or one person with a lot," says microbiologist Carol Wilusz, who runs the CSU lab.
Instead, the data is used to show trends.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
"We're constantly adjusting our testing protocol based on what the wastewater data is telling us about where we might find the next outbreak beginning," explains De Long. "When we see a spike at that dorm, we can quickly roll out clinical tests of those students, identify individuals that are infected, and move them to quarantine locations so we can stop the outbreak from becoming larger rapidly. It's allowed us to stay open, with classes face-to-face."
Traces of the virus tend to linger in human waste after a person is no longer contagious. CSU makes note of students who have previously tested positive, so when they move back into the dorms, after their isolation, researchers can account for any increased levels connected to their return.
According to Wilusz, CSU's efforts seem to be working: When they've identified elevated levels of the virus in wastewater, follow-up testing has found positive cases.
"I never really believed it was going to work this well," she says. But she's grateful it has — not just for her own research, but because her son is a freshman this fall, living in the dorms. "I have an ulterior motive," she says, laughing. "I'm keeping an eye on that one."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
Wilusz estimates it costs CSU about $25,000 a month to process and analyze the wastewater samples. "It's a lot cheaper than doing individual clinical tests," she says, "but it's not a cheap undertaking."
Testing wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging field. Often colleges are figuring it out on their own, leaning on city utilities or nearby campuses that have their own testing programs. And this type of testing has limitations. For it to be most effective, researchers would ideally be able to take samples from each individual dorm, rather than a cluster, to minimize the number of follow-up tests. But campus sewer systems don't always make that easy. And a robust on-campus monitoring system only goes so far — many colleges that opened in person saw the virus spread through off-campus parties and housing, away from the dorms that were being monitored.
That's why Andrea Bruder is optimistic about the program she's piloting at Colorado College, where most students live on campus. She and her team are still working out the best testing sites, visiting noisy facilities rooms in search of the perfect sewage pipe.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
In her 11 years on campus, Bruder had no reason to know about the dorm sewage lines — much of her research focused on ladybugs and aphids on yucca plants. But like so many faculty and staff members at U.S. colleges, she's redirected her research to focus on COVID-19, using her expertise to keep the campus safe.
With just two testing sites, the operation is still small, and the college hasn't yet invested in a 24-hour pump, like CSU has. That means Bruder has to fetch the samples herself — and spend her evenings crawling into dark, damp tunnels, waiting for a flush.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Elissa Nadworny/NPR Elissa Nadworny/NPR
It's still unclear whether testing dorm sewage, followed by focused clinical testing, will work as well as widespread testing of all students. Experts say it's a tool, to be used with many other tools, including random clinical testing, hand-washing, mask wearing and social distancing.
For now, it's offering some college communities a drop of hope, courtesy of No. 2.
NPR's Lauren Migaki contributed to this report.