usatoday--2020-11-08--As we turn the page on Trump, there's no going back from protesting to brunch

Joe Biden has become president-elect , and President Donald Trump lost to 2020 itself .
In this terrible year , multiple crises boiled over — from a global pandemic to a U.S. economic catastrophe , wildfires and hurricanes , and a historic reckoning with police violence and systemic racism .
Voters gave Trump the boot because in each and every case , he either ignored those crises or made them worse .
And even as we turn the page on Trump , we ca n't call it a day , move on with our lives , and forget about politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored or enflamed are still raging .
Let ’ s face it , there ’ s no going back from protesting to brunch .
Our problems were always much bigger than Trump .
The past eight months have punctured the myth of American exceptionalism , which told us that we were better because we were better .
Our systems and institutions were intrinsically , objectively superior to the rest of the world 's , and that accounted for the wealth of our people and the power of our empire .
It was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world Trump was a genius businessman .
But that was a lie .
Trump was a failed real estate mogul .
He is the survivor of multiple bankruptcies , and recent reporting has shown that Trump ’ s losses in recent years have far exceeded his income .
Similarly , there is nothing magically or mystically `` great '' about America .
We are as susceptible , as precarious and as subject to disaster as any other country — and our anemic institutions are less resilient than many .
For four decades , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of neoliberalism .
We shrank the public sphere and shifted risk from big companies to working people .
And where we did make major public investments , it was in jails .
We made less progress in schools and mental health care and social services .
COLUMN : Joe Biden , Black voters made you president .
It 's time to right wrongs on criminal justice .
The result is yawning inequality and a system that ’ s fragile by design .
Black communities in particular were underserved and overpoliced .
Is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were caught flat-footed ?
Or that when George Floyd was killed at the knee of a Minnesota police officer , tens of millions took to the streets to declare that Black lives matter ?
Because this wasn ’ t just a failure of management , firing the manager isn ’ t enough .
It requires a comprehensive , systemic response .
Biden and the new Congress have their work cut out for them .
They 'll have to fix the problems Trump ignored or made worse , and answer some tough questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COLUMN : To our next president : 10 priorities for fixing our justice system Here are just a few : ►If we can spend trillions of dollars to bail corporations out , ca n't we afford things like universal health care and a real , robust plan to fight climate change ?
►If some of our lowest paid , most expendable workers are in fact “ essential ” to survive this pandemic , should n't all work have dignity and pay that reflects workers ’ importance ?
Should n't workers have a say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ►If corporations actually rely on government bailouts to make it through a crisis , should n't we the people get a share of the profits , and have a say that ensures companies are run in the best interests of workers and the public , not just bosses and shareholders ?
►And finally , if Black people are vastly more likely to die at the hands of the police than white people , should n't we divest public money from policing and incarceration , and invest in schools , health care , housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow Black people to thrive in America ?
POLICING THE USA : A look at race , justice , media Millions of people have been awakened by the pandemic , the recession and the uprising against police violence .
And they are n't going to quietly retire from politics once the president-elect enters the White House .
Maurice Mitchell is the national director of the Working Families Party .
Find their People 's Charter here .

As we turn the page on Trump, there's no going back from protesting to brunch As President-elect Biden takes over, tough questions on policing, social issues still need answers. Continue demand for comprehensive, systemic reform.
Show Caption Hide Caption Key things that propel a protest to a successful movement Do protests ever enact real change? Yes. But not all movements are created equal. Here's the ingredients of a successful movement. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
It happened.
Joe Biden has become president-elect, and President Donald Trump lost to 2020 itself.
In this terrible year, multiple crises boiled over — from a global pandemic to a U.S. economic catastrophe, wildfires and hurricanes, and a historic reckoning with police violence and systemic racism.
Voters gave Trump the boot because in each and every case, he either ignored those crises or made them worse. And even as we turn the page on Trump, we can't call it a day, move on with our lives, and forget about politics. All of the crises he either ignored or enflamed are still raging.
Let’s face it, there’s no going back from protesting to brunch. Our problems were always much bigger than Trump.
The past eight months have punctured the myth of American exceptionalism, which told us that we were better because we were better. Our systems and institutions were intrinsically, objectively superior to the rest of the world's, and that accounted for the wealth of our people and the power of our empire.
It was the same kind of mythologizing that convinced the world Trump was a genius businessman. But that was a lie. Trump was a failed real estate mogul. He is the survivor of multiple bankruptcies, and recent reporting has shown that Trump’s losses in recent years have far exceeded his income.
Similarly, there is nothing magically or mystically "great" about America. We are as susceptible, as precarious and as subject to disaster as any other country — and our anemic institutions are less resilient than many.
For four decades, this country has embraced a political philosophy of neoliberalism. We shrank the public sphere and shifted risk from big companies to working people. And where we did make major public investments, it was in jails. We made less progress in schools and mental health care and social services.
COLUMN: Joe Biden, Black voters made you president. It's time to right wrongs on criminal justice.
The result is yawning inequality and a system that’s fragile by design. Black communities in particular were underserved and overpoliced. Is it any wonder that when COVID-19 hit, we were caught flat-footed? Or that when George Floyd was killed at the knee of a Minnesota police officer, tens of millions took to the streets to declare that Black lives matter?
Because this wasn’t just a failure of management, firing the manager isn’t enough. It requires a comprehensive, systemic response.
Biden and the new Congress have their work cut out for them. They'll have to fix the problems Trump ignored or made worse, and answer some tough questions Americans across the country are asking.
COLUMN: To our next president: 10 priorities for fixing our justice system
Here are just a few:
►If we can spend trillions of dollars to bail corporations out, can't we afford things like universal health care and a real, robust plan to fight climate change?
►If some of our lowest paid, most expendable workers are in fact “essential” to survive this pandemic, shouldn't all work have dignity and pay that reflects workers’ importance? Shouldn't workers have a say over the conditions of their workplaces?
►If corporations actually rely on government bailouts to make it through a crisis, shouldn't we the people get a share of the profits, and have a say that ensures companies are run in the best interests of workers and the public, not just bosses and shareholders?
►And finally, if Black people are vastly more likely to die at the hands of the police than white people, shouldn't we divest public money from policing and incarceration, and invest in schools, health care, housing, jobs and social services that will allow Black people to thrive in America?
POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media
Millions of people have been awakened by the pandemic, the recession and the uprising against police violence. And they aren't going to quietly retire from politics once the president-elect enters the White House.
Maurice Mitchell is the national director of the Working Families Party. Find their People's Charter here.


usatoday--2020-11-08--Networks see rare 2020 'joy' at Biden-Harris event, as Fox News notes nation remains divided

As President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris celebrated their projected victory Saturday night , TV networks focused on a rare moment of `` joy '' in a troubled year .
Although Biden and Harris took center stage during short remarks – at least for politicians – from a parking-lot podium , President Trump , had a prominent spot in the post-speech network analysis as correspondents noted the contrasting styles .
CBS correspondent John Dickerson brought up Biden 's reference to the arc of the moral universe bending toward justice , a phrase used by President Barack Obama and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what speech-making sounds like and President Trump just has n't spoken like this , '' he said .
`` Words ca n't do everything in ( a presidency ) , but they can do a lot . ''
On MSNBC , Nicolle Wallace noticed the gathering of the Biden and Harris families on the podium and how they contrasted with Trump and his family .
`` You can not look at these two families and not see a starkly different picture ( from ) the current first family and whether that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else to make an assessment , '' she said .
`` This is a real American moment and it is a change , not a partisan observation necessarily .
But this is very different from what we have become accustomed to over the past four years . ''
On Fox News , political anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum said Biden appeared to be trying to lower the country 's political temperature in his 15-minute speech .
Biden gave `` a speech where he really hit mostly on unity , '' Baier said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MacCallum noted Biden had paraphrased President Obama 's words about the country not being red states or blue states but the United States .
She pointed out a number of biblical references , including one from Ecclesiastes : `` A time to heal . ''
Although the remarks were scheduled to begin at 8 EST , Harris did not take the microphone for her 10-minute speech until 8:28 , leaving anchors plenty of time to set the scene .
Networks commented on the joyous mood of the cheering , flag-waving crowd at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parking lot .
As Prince 's `` Let 's Go Crazy '' played at the celebration , masks were in vogue among attendees , commentators noted , even if social distancing appeared to have broken down to a fair degree at the outdoor celebration .
`` You see those supporters in masks as Joe Biden was throughout the campaign , '' ABC political anchor George Stephanopoulos said before the Biden and Harris remarks .
But `` they 're not masking the joy that has been missing from the campaign trail this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gayle King noted an `` unbridled exuberance '' that seemed to pop up in street celebrations and parades around the country since the networks called the election for the Democratic nominee late Saturday morning .
She called it a `` nationwide block party '' and said she had n't seen people in New York `` this happy since a Yankees championship .
They joy is palpable out there . ''
Of course , not all Americans felt that way and Fox News , whose audience includes many Trump supporters , struck a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this remains `` a divided nation '' and that `` there are other emotions tonight , anger , a push to continue the fight . ''
Fellow anchor MacCallum referenced strong feelings of both Biden and Trump supporters : `` For everybody who 's on the winning side , they should take a moment and think about how they felt when they were on the losing side . ''

Networks see rare 2020 'joy' at Biden-Harris event, as Fox News notes nation remains divided
Show Caption Hide Caption Joe Biden calls for unity in first address as President-elect In first address since securing the presidency, Joe Biden called for unity between all Americans. USA TODAY
As President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris celebrated their projected victory Saturday night, TV networks focused on a rare moment of "joy" in a troubled year.
Although Biden and Harris took center stage during short remarks – at least for politicians – from a parking-lot podium, President Trump, had a prominent spot in the post-speech network analysis as correspondents noted the contrasting styles.
CBS News correspondent John Dickerson brought up Biden's reference to the arc of the moral universe bending toward justice, a phrase used by President Barack Obama and Martin Luther King Jr.
"This is what speech-making sounds like and President Trump just hasn't spoken like this," he said. "Words can't do everything in (a presidency), but they can do a lot."
His CBS News colleague, Gayle King, was one of many correspondents to acknowledge the significance of Harris as the first woman and first woman of color to become vice president-elect. She also singled out Biden's mention of the need to combat racism.
"And to say that he wants to root out systemic racism, Do you know how long people have been waiting for someone in that position to say that? To acknowledge that it exists and then to acknowledge you want to do something about it," King said.
On MSNBC, Nicolle Wallace noticed the gathering of the Biden and Harris families on the podium and how they contrasted with Trump and his family.
"You cannot look at these two families and not see a starkly different picture (from) the current first family and whether that’s preferable or not is up to everyone else to make an assessment," she said. "This is a real American moment and it is a change, not a partisan observation necessarily. But this is very different from what we have become accustomed to over the past four years."
As network correspondents assessed Biden, Trump, who has had a rocky relationship with the media during his tenure, came in for some harsh analysis.
"President Trump has a lot of political gifts. One of them is not empathy. He comes across as cruel. He can even, as in the first debate, come across as emotionally abusive at times," CNN anchor Jake Tapper said. "The difference between a guy like Donald Trump and a guy like Joe Biden on the issue of compassion and empathy was so stark that there was nowhere to go if that was a quality that was important to you, other than Joe Biden."
On Fox News, political anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum said Biden appeared to be trying to lower the country's political temperature in his 15-minute speech.
Biden gave "a speech where he really hit mostly on unity," Baier said, just after the speech concluded.
MacCallum noted Biden had paraphrased President Obama's words about the country not being red states or blue states but the United States. She pointed out a number of biblical references, including one from Ecclesiastes: "A time to heal."
CNN's Dana Bash made an insightful observation about the song, Coldplay's "Sky Full of Stars," that accompanied the fireworks after Biden's speech. She said a Biden family friend told her it was the favorite song of the president-elect's son, Beau Biden, who died in 2015.
Family feeling: Coldplay's 'Sky Full of Stars' was played at Biden celebration for a very special reason
Although the remarks were scheduled to begin at 8 EST, Harris did not take the microphone for her 10-minute speech until 8:28, leaving anchors plenty of time to set the scene.
Networks commented on the joyous mood of the cheering, flag-waving crowd at the gathering in a Wilmington, Delaware, parking lot. As Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" played at the celebration, masks were in vogue among attendees, commentators noted, even if social distancing appeared to have broken down to a fair degree at the outdoor celebration.
"You see those supporters in masks as Joe Biden was throughout the campaign," ABC political anchor George Stephanopoulos said before the Biden and Harris remarks. But "they're not masking the joy that has been missing from the campaign trail this year."
King, who anchors "CBS This Morning," noted an "unbridled exuberance" that seemed to pop up in street celebrations and parades around the country since the networks called the election for the Democratic nominee late Saturday morning. Networks showed celebrations in such cities as New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
She called it a "nationwide block party" and said she hadn't seen people in New York "this happy since a Yankees championship. They joy is palpable out there."
Of course, not all Americans felt that way and Fox News, whose audience includes many Trump supporters, struck a more muted tone. Anchor Baier noted that this remains "a divided nation" and that "there are other emotions tonight, anger, a push to continue the fight."
Fellow anchor MacCallum referenced strong feelings of both Biden and Trump supporters: "For everybody who's on the winning side, they should take a moment and think about how they felt when they were on the losing side."


usatoday--2020-11-08--'It's not over': Trump supporters flock to state capitols after Biden victory is announced

As word finally came Saturday after an exhausting and tense week that Joe Biden will become the 46th U.S. president , cities across the nation braced for a darker side : potential violence .
Some supporters of President Donald Trump flocked to state capitols as encouraged by a campaign called `` Stop the Steal , '' an effort to delegitimize the vote count that was booted from Facebook for spreading misinformation and inciting violence .
“ We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner , and why his media allies are trying so hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want the truth to be exposed , '' Trump said in a statement after the race was called .
`` The simple fact is this election is far from over . ''
Amid a few exchanges of heated words , the initial counterprotests were mostly peaceful in the hours after Biden 's victory was announced .
But Trump backers remained defiant .
Hundreds massed outside the state Capitol in Lansing , Michigan , waving signs saying `` It 's not over '' and chanting `` We won ! ''
Several dozen Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept the election results .
HOW TO PREPARE : Whether celebrating or protesting during COVID-19 post-election , here 's what to wear , bring and know Michael Elkins of Westland , dressed in an American flag suit , said he suspected election fraud after the push for absentee voting because of COVID-19 safety concerns .
`` If Joe Biden won legitimately , I 'm OK with that , '' Elkin said .
`` Election integrity is a cornerstone of society that is crumbling away . ''
After Trump 's yearlong crusade against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reluctant to vote that way , while Biden supporters embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Biden supporters dominated mail voting by a 2-to-1 margin nationally .
That 's why Trump appeared ahead in several battleground states on election night , but the race shifted to Biden as mail-in ballots were counted .
ELECTION INTEGRITY : How states prevent voter fraud and are monitored by Democrats and Republicans Hundreds of protesters gathered at the state Capitol in Salem , Oregon , waving American flags and Trump signs , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jo Rae Perkins , who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican against Democrat Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate , spoke to the crowd .
`` This is an appeal to heaven , '' she said .
`` We need to pray for Trump , for his family and for his Cabinet . ''
The protest drew the attention of the Oregon State Police , as well as counter-protesters .
OSP tweeted two arrests were made amid the protests .
The state police also retweeted posts from reporter Sergio Olmos with Oregon Public Broadcasting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter supporters to `` move up the street to de-escalate , '' which the group agreed to do .
Things turned sour later in the evening .
The Salem Police Department advised motorists to `` avoid all unnecessary travel in the area of the state capitol '' after what police called `` an impromptu march '' started .
Participants with the march were asked to disperse , according to police .
Elsewhere , some of Trump 's supporters looked on the bright side .
This was not the outcome that Krishnan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who says he leans Republican , wanted and worked for but he says he accepts it .
`` This election is really not that bad for conservatives , ” Seshasayee said .
Republicans shrank Nancy Pelosi 's lead in the House and he ’ s confident they will retain control of the Senate .
And , thanks to Trump , he says there are fewer activist judges on the Supreme Court .
As for claims of voter fraud , Seshasayee added : “ When you ca n't prove the allegations , you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept whatever is the outcome of the judicial process in that case.
” Roughly three hours after the win was called by the Associated Press , hundreds of Trump supporters gathered at the Phoenix state Capitol for a `` Stop the Steal '' protest shortly after noon .
The event was scheduled before news of Biden 's win after three days of protests at the Maricopa County Elections Center .
Outside the Capitol in Albany , New York , Trump supporters hoisted U.S. flags and posters saying `` stop the steal . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , protesters marched with signs that read `` stop election fraud . ''
As Biden supporters flooded the streets in Austin , Texas , the Trump faithful were steadfast , holding out hope for a different outcome .
Otilia and Jesse Fraga of Pflugerville , Texas , said they weren ’ t ready to give up .
“ I want it to go to the courts .
I don ’ t care who wins as long as it is legitimate , ” Otilia Fraga said .
Chris Wodke , a resident in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media had no right to call the race Saturday and nobody should be declared president until all the votes are tallied officially and all the challenges are litigated .
`` I want to see legal votes counted and state laws followed , '' she said .
`` I realize my side could lose legitimately .
If we lose fairly , that 's how it goes . ''
For months , Trump has sought to cast doubt on the integrity of elections that rely significantly on vote-by-mail ballots .
He has claimed , without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigged against him , and he continued to fan those flames Saturday .
But election experts say that taking time to count votes is not a sign of misconduct .
Bipartisan experts agree that voter fraud – stuffing ballot boxes or voting multiple times – is an exceedingly rare crime with almost no chance of affecting the presidential election .
Though Trump has repeatedly claimed that absentee ballot fraud is widespread , only 207 entries from the conservative Heritage Foundation database are listed under the fraudulent absentee ballot category .
Not only is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heritage database , it represents an even smaller portion of the number of local , state and national elections held since 1979 , which is as far back as the database goes .
And even those numbers may be inflated .
USA TODAY journalists , working with Columbia Journalism Investigations and the PBS series `` Frontline , '' investigated the examples cited in the Heritage database and found that they presented `` misleading and incomplete information that overstates the number of alleged fraud instances and includes cases where no crime was committed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to 'normalcy ' defeats Trump in cliffhanger election But officials across the U.S. had reason to be concerned about violence .
Armed protesters – some carrying shotguns , some handguns and others semiautomatic rifles – have congregated throughout the week outside offices where workers were counting ballots .
Many major U.S. metropolitan areas have taken on the unsettling look of fortresses all week as restaurants , retail stories and other businesses have boarded up windows .
A Belgium-based think tank that focuses on preventing deadly conflicts around the world – usually in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. in its sights for the first time , issuing a report warning about election violence .
`` The 2020 U.S. presidential election presents risks not seen in recent history .
It is conceivable that violence could erupt during voting or protracted ballot counts .
Officials should take extra precautions , '' warned the International Crisis Group .
Some carrying weapons outside polls say their mission is a peaceful one .
“ I ’ m here to protect a peaceful protest , ” said Keith Owen , who carried a semiautomatic assault rifle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strapped to his leg .
His vest held extra ammunition .
Owen , who described himself as a veteran who served in Afghanistan , was among roughly 100 Trump supporters gathered for a third straight day Friday in front of the Phoenix elections center .
The county treasurer in Detroit , Eric Sabree , said he had closed his office because of threats .
In Philadelphia , two men with handguns were arrested Thursday night near the convention center where the vote-counting was continuing .
Latest news : Trump was at Virginia golf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glass ceiling broken : Kamala Harris breaks glass ceiling as first female vice president , first woman VP of color

Susan Miller and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY

'It's not over': Trump supporters flock to state capitols after Biden victory is announced
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump supporters rally after Biden secures presidency After Joe Biden secured enough electoral votes to secure the presidency, Trump supporters rallied outside of state capitols. USA TODAY
As word finally came Saturday after an exhausting and tense week that Joe Biden will become the 46th U.S. president, cities across the nation braced for a darker side: potential violence.
Some supporters of President Donald Trump flocked to state capitols as encouraged by a campaign called "Stop the Steal," an effort to delegitimize the vote count that was booted from Facebook for spreading misinformation and inciting violence.
“We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner, and why his media allies are trying so hard to help him: They don’t want the truth to be exposed," Trump said in a statement after the race was called. "The simple fact is this election is far from over."
Amid a few exchanges of heated words, the initial counterprotests were mostly peaceful in the hours after Biden's victory was announced. But Trump backers remained defiant. Hundreds massed outside the state Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, waving signs saying "It's not over" and chanting "We won!"
Several dozen Biden supporters stood nearby, urging the group to accept the election results.
HOW TO PREPARE: Whether celebrating or protesting during COVID-19 post-election, here's what to wear, bring and know
Michael Elkins of Westland, dressed in an American flag suit, said he suspected election fraud after the push for absentee voting because of COVID-19 safety concerns.
"If Joe Biden won legitimately, I'm OK with that," Elkin said. "Election integrity is a cornerstone of society that is crumbling away."
After Trump's yearlong crusade against mail voting, the president's voters were reluctant to vote that way, while Biden supporters embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden supporters dominated mail voting by a 2-to-1 margin nationally. That's why Trump appeared ahead in several battleground states on election night but the race shifted to Biden as mail-in ballots were counted.
ELECTION INTEGRITY: How states prevent voter fraud and are monitored by Democrats and Republicans
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the state Capitol in Salem, Oregon, waving American flags and Trump signs, as well as signs questioning the election results.
Jo Rae Perkins, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican against Democrat Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate, spoke to the crowd.
"This is an appeal to heaven," she said. "We need to pray for Trump, for his family and for his Cabinet."
The protest drew the attention of the Oregon State Police, as well as counterprotesters. The state police retweeted posts from reporter Sergio Olmos with Oregon Public Broadcasting, showing an officer asking a group of Black Lives Matter supporters to "move up the street to de-escalate," which the group agreed to do.
Things turned sour later in the evening.
There were two separate demonstrations in Salem, Oregon, police said in an email. One began at noon PST at the Capitol, and the other started at 5 p.m. PST as protesters marched to the Capitol. Four people were arrested during the day; two of the arrests included assault charges.
In Sacramento, fights broke out between dozens of supporters of Trump and Biden supporters on a city street. Punches were thrown, but there were no reports of serious injuries.
In Lansing, about 500 Trump supporters packed the steps of the Michigan Capitol and spilled onto the lawn, charging, without evidence, that the election was rigged in Biden's favor.
In a few spots, some of Trump's supporters looked on the bright side. This was not the outcome that Krishnan Seshasayee, an IT architect from Chicago who says he leans Republican, wanted and worked for, but he said he accepted the outcome.
"This election is really not that bad for conservatives,” Seshasayee said. Republicans shrank Nancy Pelosi's lead in the House of Representatives, and he’s confident they will retain control of the Senate. And, thanks to Trump, he says, there are fewer activist judges on the Supreme Court.
As for claims of voter fraud, Seshasayee added: “When you can't prove the allegations, you have to trust the process. I will accept whatever is the outcome of the judicial process in that case."
Hundreds of Trump supporters gathered at the Phoenix state Capitol for a "Stop the Steal" protest shortly after noon. The event was scheduled before news of Biden's win after three days of protests at the Maricopa County Elections Center.
Outside the Capitol in Albany, New York, Trump supporters hoisted U.S. flags and posters saying "stop the steal."
At the statehouse in Columbia, South Carolina, protesters marched with signs that read "stop election fraud."
As Biden supporters flooded the streets in Austin, Texas, the Trump faithful were steadfast, holding out hope for a different outcome.
Otilia and Jesse Fraga of Pflugerville, Texas, said they weren’t ready to give up. “I want it to go to the courts. I don’t care who wins as long as it is legitimate,” Otilia Fraga said.
Chris Wodke, a Milwaukee resident, said the media had no right to call the race Saturday and nobody should be declared president until all the votes are tallied officially and all the challenges are litigated.
"I want to see legal votes counted and state laws followed," she said. "I realize my side could lose legitimately. If we lose fairly, that's how it goes."
For months, Trump has sought to cast doubt on the integrity of elections that rely significantly on vote-by-mail ballots. He has claimed, without proof, that the election has been rigged against him, and he continued to fan those flames Saturday. But election experts say taking time to count votes is not a sign of misconduct.
Bipartisan experts agree that voter fraud – stuffing ballot boxes or voting multiple times – is an exceedingly rare crime with almost no chance of affecting the presidential election.
Though Trump has repeatedly claimed that absentee ballot fraud is widespread, only 207 entries from the conservative Heritage Foundation database are listed under the fraudulent absentee ballot category. Not only is that a small slice of the overall Heritage database, it represents an even smaller portion of the number of local, state and national elections held since 1979, which is as far back as the database goes.
And even those numbers may be inflated. USA TODAY journalists, working with Columbia Journalism Investigations and the PBS series "Frontline,'' investigated the examples cited in the Heritage database and found that they presented "misleading and incomplete information that overstates the number of alleged fraud instances and includes cases where no crime was committed."
Biden wins:Democrat who vowed return to 'normalcy' defeats Trump in cliffhanger election
Latest news: Trump was at Virginia golf club when race was called for Biden
Glass ceiling broken: Kamala Harris breaks glass ceiling as first female vice president, first woman VP of color
But officials across the U.S. had reason to be concerned about violence. Armed protesters – some carrying shotguns, some handguns and others semiautomatic rifles – have congregated throughout the week outside offices where workers were counting ballots.
Many major U.S. metropolitan areas have taken on the unsettling look of fortresses all week as restaurants, retail stories and other businesses have boarded up windows.
A Belgium-based think tank that focuses on preventing deadly conflicts around the world – usually in places such as Ethiopia – had the U.S. in its sights for the first time, issuing a report warning about election violence.
"The 2020 U.S. presidential election presents risks not seen in recent history. It is conceivable that violence could erupt during voting or protracted ballot counts. Officials should take extra precautions," warned the International Crisis Group.
Some carrying weapons outside polls say their mission is a peaceful one.
“I’m here to protect a peaceful protest,” said Keith Owen, who carried a semiautomatic assault rifle and wore a handgun in a holster strapped to his leg. His vest held extra ammunition. Owen, who described himself as a veteran who served in Afghanistan, was among roughly 100 Trump supporters gathered for a third straight day Friday in front of the Phoenix elections center.
The county treasurer in Detroit, Eric Sabree, said he had closed his office because of threats.
In Philadelphia, two men with handguns were arrested Thursday night near the convention center where the vote-counting was continuing.


usatoday--2020-11-07--How Biden won: Victory in Pennsylvania put him past 270 electoral votes

WASHINGTON — Democratic nominee Joe Biden surpassed 270 electoral votes and secured the race for president Saturday after Pennsylvania , where his lead keeps growing as more absentee ballots are counted , was finally called for the former vice president .
Biden clinched a victory in Nevada soon after , giving him 290 electoral votes .
Georgia , where Biden now leads by more than 7,000 votes , is headed for a recount .
If he wins it , Biden would finish with 306 electoral votes .
President Donald Trump has no more pathways to victory .
Biden , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat an incumbent president since Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush in 1992 .
His running-mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , will become the first woman , African American and South Asian American vice president .
North Carolina , where Biden trails , remains uncalled as election officials prepare to count absentee ballots over the coming days .
Alaska is n't called but is expected to go for Trump .
Even if Trump were to win both , it would be enough for the president .
The Associated Press and multiple news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes for Biden after his lead reached more than 30,000 votes , a large enough margin to withstand any more votes that could go to Trump .
Biden 's lead in Pennsylvania is expected to grow .
Not only do the remaining counties with uncounted absentee ballots in Pennsylvania lean left , but mail voting itself is more favored by Biden supporters .
Pennsylvania also has to count about 100,000 provisional ballots , which historically lean Democratic .
After Trump 's yearlong crusade against mail voting , the president 's voters were reluctant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Biden supporters dominated mail voting by a 2 to 1 margin nationally .
That 's why Trump appeared ahead in several battleground states on election night , but the race shifted to Biden as mail-in ballots were counted .
Below is where the vote tallies stand in each state : Here is a look at those same states laid out geographically : Biden 's lead in Pennsylvania is 34,501 electoral votes with 76,496 more absentee ballots , plus an additional 100,000 provisional ballots to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots are in Democratic strongholds Philadelphia or Pittsburgh .
The Keystone State still has 124,000 more absentee ballots to count , but the overwhelming majority are expected to favor Biden .
Biden currently leads Trump in Georgia by 7,264 votes with few absentee ballots still left to count .
There remain around 13,000 provisional ballots and some overseas and military ballots that could still arrive .
The election outcome will be subject to a recount because the margin is less than .5 % .
In Nevada , Biden extended his lead over Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press to call the state for Biden .
Democrat Hillary Clinton won Nevada four years ago .
The outstanding mail-in ballots are expected to favor Biden .
Trump leads North Carolina over Biden by 76,737 votes .
The outcome might not be final for another week as the Tar Heel State counts what could be more than 150,000 more absentee ballots .
North Carolina 's deadline for mail-in ballots to be received is Nov. 12 as long as they are postmarked by Election Day .

Joey Garrison, Kim Hjelmgaard, Jennifer Borresen, Carlie Procell, Ramon Padilla, Karina Zaiets and Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Democratic nominee Joe Biden surpassed 270 electoral votes and secured the race for president Saturday after Pennsylvania, where his lead keeps growing as more absentee ballots are counted, was finally called for the former vice president.
Biden clinched a victory in Nevada soon after, giving him 290 electoral votes. Georgia, where Biden now leads by more than 7,000 votes, is headed for a recount. If he wins it, Biden would finish with 306 electoral votes.
President Donald Trump has no more pathways to victory.
Biden, the president-elect, is the first candidate to defeat an incumbent president since Bill Clinton defeated George H. W. Bush in 1992. His running-mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, will become the first woman, African American and South Asian American vice president.
North Carolina, where Biden trails, remains uncalled as election officials prepare to count absentee ballots over the coming days. Alaska isn't called but is expected to go for Trump. Even if Trump were to win both, it would be not enough for the president.
The Associated Press and multiple news networks called Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes for Biden after his lead reached more than 30,000 votes, a large enough margin to withstand any more votes that could go to Trump. Biden's lead in Pennsylvania is expected to grow.
Not only do the remaining counties with uncounted absentee ballots in Pennsylvania lean left, but mail voting itself is more favored by Biden supporters. Pennsylvania also has to count about 100,000 provisional ballots, which historically lean Democratic.
After Trump's yearlong crusade against mail voting, the president's voters were reluctant to vote by mail while Biden supporters embraced the method because of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden supporters dominated mail voting by a 2 to 1 margin nationally.
That's why Trump appeared ahead in several battleground states on election night, but the race shifted to Biden as mail-in ballots were counted.
Below is where the vote tallies stand in each state:
Here is a look at those same states laid out geographically:
Pennsylvania
Biden's lead in Pennsylvania is 34,501 electoral votes with 76,496 more absentee ballots, plus an additional 100,000 provisional ballots to count. Nearly half of the provisional ballots are in Democratic strongholds Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
The Keystone State still has 124,000 more absentee ballots to count, but the overwhelming majority are expected to favor Biden.
Georgia
Biden currently leads Trump in Georgia by 7,264 votes with few absentee ballots still left to count.
There remain around 13,000 provisional ballots and some overseas and military ballots that could still arrive. The election outcome will be subject to a recount because the margin is less than .5%.
Nevada
In Nevada, Biden extended his lead over Trump to 25,659 ballots, enough for the Associated Press to call the state for Biden.
Democrat Hillary Clinton won Nevada four years ago. The outstanding mail-in ballots are expected to favor Biden.
North Carolina
Trump leads North Carolina over Biden by 76,737 votes. The outcome might not be final for another week as the Tar Heel State counts what could be more than 150,000 more absentee ballots. North Carolina's deadline for mail-in ballots to be received is Nov. 12 as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
Jim Sergent contributed to this report.


usatoday--2020-11-08--Kyle Trask leads way as No. 8 Florida takes lead of SEC East with defeat of No. 5 Georgia

Georgia landed the first couple of punches .
No .
8 Florida , though , landed almost all the ones after that and took control of the SEC East with a 44-28 defeat of the No .
5 Bulldogs on Saturday in Jacksonville , Florida .
Gators quarterback Kyle Trask had a record-setting day in the win .
The senior threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns .
The yards were the most by a Florida player against Georgia .
Trask has at least four touchdown passes in his first five games of the season , an SEC record .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulldogs , who also allowed Alabama quarterback Mac Jones to throw for more than 400 yards in their only other loss of the season .
The victory moves Florida one game ahead of Georgia in the division .
The Gators do n't face another ranked team in their last five games , and would have would have lose twice to miss the SEC championship game .
The game started off looking like it would be all Bulldogs .
Zamir White scored on a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bennett then hit Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint for a 32-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0 .
Rosemy-Jacksaint was carted off the field with leg injury on the play .
That 's when Trask went to work .
He led two quick scoring drives to even the score by the end of the first quarter .
Trask 's lone misstep came when his interception by Eric Stokes was returned for a touchdown .
He responded by throwing for three more scores before halftime , ending the half 20-of-26 for 341 yards and four touchdowns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense played better in the second half .
The offense , however , could n't generate any consistent success .
Bennett was benched in the third quarter after an interception .
D'Wan Mathis came off the bench to lead one touchdown drive , but could n't get the Bulldogs any closer .

Kyle Trask leads way as No. 8 Florida takes lead of SEC East with defeat of No. 5 Georgia
Georgia landed the first couple of punches. No. 8 Florida, though, landed almost all the ones after that and took control of the SEC East with a 44-28 defeat of the No. 5 Bulldogs on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.
Gators quarterback Kyle Trask had a record-setting day in the win. The senior threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns. The yards were the most by a Florida player against Georgia. Trask has at least four touchdown passes in his first five games of the season, an SEC record.
He consistently found receivers open against the Bulldogs, who also allowed Alabama quarterback Mac Jones to throw for more than 400 yards in their only other loss of the season.
The victory moves Florida one game ahead of Georgia in the division. The Gators don't face another ranked team in their last five games, and would have would have lose twice to miss the SEC championship game.
The game started off looking like it would be all Bulldogs.
Zamir White scored on a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. Florida quickly punted. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett then hit Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint for a 32-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0. Rosemy-Jacksaint was carted off the field with leg injury on the play.
That's when Trask went to work. He led two quick scoring drives to even the score by the end of the first quarter.
Trask's lone misstep came when his interception by Eric Stokes was returned for a touchdown. He responded by throwing for three more scores before halftime, ending the half 20-of-26 for 341 yards and four touchdowns and the Gators ahead 38-21.
Georgia's defense played better in the second half. The offense, however, couldn't generate any consistent success. Bennett was benched in the third quarter after an interception. D'Wan Mathis came off the bench to lead one touchdown drive, but couldn't get the Bulldogs any closer.


usatoday--2020-11-07--Joe Biden, Black voters made you president. It's time to right wrongs on criminal justice.

The story of the 2020 election is that Black voters came through for President-elect Joe Biden .
When Biden ’ s primary campaign was written off by many , Black voters of South Carolina handed him a big win .
Biden ’ s strength with African Americans helped him to secure the Democratic Party ’ s nomination .
This week , Black voters in Detroit , Philadelphia and Atlanta have determined the outcome of our presidential election .
It ’ s striking that people who have been failed and treated the worst by our democracy ( and by extension our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most to save it .
It is high time for Biden and the Democratic Party to deliver justice for African Americans and other communities of color that are disproportionately discarded and forgotten within the justice system .
Our justice system is rooted in racism , and African Americans have been hit hardest by it .
Still , the Black voters had huge turnouts in cities Democrats needed to be competitive .
Last year , when Biden spoke on criminal justice issues , he admitted : “ I know we haven ’ t always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in part , to the 1994 crime bill that he supported and that is often blamed for today 's mass incarceration problem .
Until recently , candidates running for president competed to look tough on crime and paint their opponents as soft .
But 2020 has been different .
The downfalls of our criminal justice system have been exposed for all to see , from the police killings of George Floyd ( a Black man who was taken out by a police officer who put a knee on his neck ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to death by police in her own home ) to the deaths of jailed Americans before they even had their day in court .
COLUMN : As a Black female law professor , I 'm nurturing a system that does n't protect people like me The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world , a result of decades of bipartisan legislation — like the 1994 crime bill — that propped up institutional racism .
About 2.3 million people are locked up in jails and prisons , and 40 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are 13 % of society ) .
Biden , fortunately , has evolved on this issue .
In 2007 , before becoming President Barack Obama ’ s vice president , Biden sponsored the Second Chance Act , which provides services to formerly incarcerated individuals and has gone a long way toward lowering the recidivism rate .
As a senator , Biden also supported the full elimination of the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine .
Young Black voters who did not back Biden in the Democratic primaries are the same Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , who hold his political record as responsible for the pain they are feeling , and rightfully so .
As president , it 's his duty to right those wrongs , and do right by the community that garnered his White House victory .
America needs a bold agenda that goes further than small reforms or hollow public relations moves .
The Biden administration must enlarge their field of vision .
Rather than focusing on the problems of the institution and asking what needs to be changed , they must raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions to begin with .
COLUMN : To our next president : 10 priorities for fixing our justice system What principles underpin the founding and evolution of the police , the courts and our prisons ?
Do those principles bend toward justice , or cause suffering and harm ?
A strong first step would be to support the BREATHE Act .
This proposed legislation would eliminate the federal government 's ability to give multimillion dollar grants for the militarization of police forces , and calls for a “ time-bound plan ” to close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal Bureau of Prisons ' pandemic response has demonstrated a lack of regard for basic humanity that has created deadly conditions for those who are incarcerated .
Instead of a punishment paradigm , the BREATHE Act creates a new community public safety agency , which uses grants to replace the harmful criminal legal systems locally with evidence-based public safety infrastructure .
Importantly , the act moves the function of public safety surrounding the war on drugs out of the Department of Justice and into the Department of Health and Human Services — signaling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaches community well-being .
The investments that the BREATHE Act makes — in education , health care , the environment , wealth generation for working class families and housing — creates public safety by supporting communities rather than punishing them .
POLICING THE USA : A look at race , justice , media If you truly want people to participate in society , you do not pass laws that keep them from doing so .
More than 6 million people are not allowed to vote today due to a felony conviction , something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed .
We need to create space for budgets to be divested from police and prisons and invested directly into communities to address mental health needs , homelessness , access to critical education and rewarding jobs as well as community-based methods of accountability .
We know that prisons won ’ t be bulldozed tomorrow , and the complete elimination of the justice system can ’ t be done in one fell swoop .
But in the meantime , people need to continue to confront the criminal justice system and face the harm of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden administration to fundamentally shift their thinking and approach to make it possible for all communities to be safe and free .
Ashish Prashar is a justice reform campaigner who sits on the boards of the Exodus Transitional Community , Getting Out and Staying Out , Leap Confronting Conflict and the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice .
He also worked for the Biden campaign .
Follow him on Twitter : @ Ash_Prashar

Joe Biden, Black voters made you president. It's time to right wrongs on criminal justice. 1994 crime bill targeted Black community. Biden evolved. His administration must change institutions that still disproportionately harm people of color.
Show Caption Hide Caption Could Black Americans get reparations for centuries of slavery? Lawmakers have been trying to pass reparation bills for descendants of slaves. Here's why it's taken so long - and how it might work. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The story of the 2020 election is that Black voters came through for President-elect Joe Biden.
When Biden’s primary campaign was written off by many, Black voters of South Carolina handed him a big win. Biden’s strength with African Americans helped him to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination.
This week, Black voters in Detroit, Philadelphia and Atlanta have determined the outcome of our presidential election. It’s striking that people who have been failed and treated the worst by our democracy (and by extension our criminal justice system) consistently do the most to save it.
It is high time for Biden and the Democratic Party to deliver justice for African Americans and other communities of color that are disproportionately discarded and forgotten within the justice system.
Biden's history on criminal justice
Our justice system is rooted in racism, and African Americans have been hit hardest by it. Still, the Black voters had huge turnouts in cities Democrats needed to be competitive.
Last year, when Biden spoke on criminal justice issues, he admitted: “I know we haven’t always gotten things right,” surely referring, in part, to the 1994 crime bill that he supported and that is often blamed for today's mass incarceration problem.
Until recently, candidates running for president competed to look tough on crime and paint their opponents as soft. But 2020 has been different.
The downfalls of our criminal justice system have been exposed for all to see, from the police killings of George Floyd (a Black man who was taken out by a police officer who put a knee on his neck) and Breonna Taylor (a Black woman shot to death by police in her own home) to the deaths of jailed Americans before they even had their day in court.
COLUMN: As a Black female law professor, I'm nurturing a system that doesn't protect people like me
The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, a result of decades of bipartisan legislation — like the 1994 crime bill — that propped up institutional racism. About 2.3 million people are locked up in jails and prisons, and 40% of those locked up are Black Americans (who are 13% of society).
American mass incarceration is a human rights catastrophe.
Biden, fortunately, has evolved on this issue.
In 2007, before becoming President Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden sponsored the Second Chance Act, which provides services to formerly incarcerated individuals and has gone a long way toward lowering the recidivism rate. As a senator, Biden also supported the full elimination of the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
Young Black voters who did not back Biden in the Democratic primaries are the same Black youth who are protesting in the streets right now, who hold his political record as responsible for the pain they are feeling, and rightfully so.
As president, it's his duty to right those wrongs, and do right by the community that garnered his White House victory.
President-elect must question, change institutions
America needs a bold agenda that goes further than small reforms or hollow public relations moves.
The Biden administration must enlarge their field of vision. Rather than focusing on the problems of the institution and asking what needs to be changed, they must raise radical questions about the existence of these institutions to begin with.
COLUMN: To our next president: 10 priorities for fixing our justice system
What principles underpin the founding and evolution of the police, the courts and our prisons? Do those principles bend toward justice, or cause suffering and harm?
A strong first step would be to support the BREATHE Act. This proposed legislation would eliminate the federal government's ability to give multimillion dollar grants for the militarization of police forces, and calls for a “time-bound plan” to close all federal immigration detention centers. The Federal Bureau of Prisons' pandemic response has demonstrated a lack of regard for basic humanity that has created deadly conditions for those who are incarcerated.
Instead of a punishment paradigm, the BREATHE Act creates a new community public safety agency, which uses grants to replace the harmful criminal legal systems locally with evidence-based public safety infrastructure. Importantly, the act moves the function of public safety surrounding the war on drugs out of the Department of Justice and into the Department of Health and Human Services — signaling a dramatic shift in how our society approaches community well-being.
The investments that the BREATHE Act makes — in education, health care, the environment, wealth generation for working class families and housing — creates public safety by supporting communities rather than punishing them.
POLICING THE USA: A look at race, justice, media
If you truly want people to participate in society, you do not pass laws that keep them from doing so. More than 6 million people are not allowed to vote today due to a felony conviction, something the BREATHE Act would immediately change if passed.
We need to create space for budgets to be divested from police and prisons and invested directly into communities to address mental health needs, homelessness, access to critical education and rewarding jobs as well as community-based methods of accountability.
We know that prisons won’t be bulldozed tomorrow, and the complete elimination of the justice system can’t be done in one fell swoop. But in the meantime, people need to continue to confront the criminal justice system and face the harm of incarceration.
We are calling for the Biden administration to fundamentally shift their thinking and approach to make it possible for all communities to be safe and free.
Ashish Prashar is a justice reform campaigner who sits on the boards of the Exodus Transitional Community, Getting Out and Staying Out, Leap Confronting Conflict and the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice. He also worked for the Biden campaign. Follow him on Twitter: @Ash_Prashar


usatoday--2020-11-08--Vice President-elect Kamala Harris sends message to young girls in first address to nation

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris sends message to young girls in first address to nation Vice-President elect Kamala Harris delivers historic @ @ @ @ @ vice president of the United States of America .

Kamala Harris makes historic first address as vice-president elect
Vice-President elect Kamala Harris delivers historic speech as the first female vice president of the United States of America.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-07--Supporters across the country took to the streets in glee as Joe Biden secures presidency

Supporters across the country took to the streets in glee as Joe Biden secures presidency People celebrated across the country @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden ’ s victory in the presidential election .

Joe Biden supporters celebrate across the country as victory announced
People celebrated across the country as major media networks projected Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-08--'Hopefully it will calm down': The election is over. Now a stressed nation looks for normalcy under

WASHINGTON — Three weeks before the election , Patrick Wall had enough .
He deleted the Facebook app off his phone and turned off Instagram notifications , hoping to shield himself from the latest viral political meme and temptation to engage in another social media fight .
`` It was getting to be too much , too often , '' said Wall , 39 , a construction company owner from St. Augustine , Florida , who voted for President-Elect Joe Biden .
`` It was watching people get into stupid arguments about things they were ill-informed on and it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minds are n't going to change . ''
Biden 's victory marked the end of the most bitterly fought presidential elections in recent history , one that divided Americans and had both sides arguing the fate of the nation , even democracy itself , was at stake .
A record 145 million people voted , and the total is expected to rise to 150 million after all absentee ballots are counted .
For the past year , friends argued with friends while others simply stopped talking to each other .
Family members with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Consumed with the daily drama , both sides lived in separate social media and television bubbles that steered dramatically different outlooks on the race .
More : Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States But the stress did not vanish Nov. 3 .
It stretched across four days as results trickled in from a handful of key states .
As Trump leveled baseless claims about voter fraud , bleary-eyed Americans watched frenzied television anchors make sense of minor updates , enduring political whiplash as Biden lurched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally crossed the threshold when Pennsylvania , and its 20 electoral votes , was called for him Saturday morning – about 89 hours after polls closed on Election Day .
In interviews with voters in six battleground states conducted by the USA TODAY Network before the election , Americans said they felt stressed by the weight of the election , anxious about their candidate 's prospects and the uncertainty , disgusted at the other side , angry at the political discourse , and even scared about the violence they feared might play out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just ready for it to not dominate every single day of everyone 's life , '' Wall said , but added the tension is n't likely to end soon .
`` There 's probably still going to be a lot of arguing and BS and hopefully at some point it will calm down . ''
Adding to anxieties , the election collided with a global pandemic that has killed more than 227,000 Americans , drove the U.S. economy into a recession and even sickened a president who repeatedly sought to downplay its grip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationwide protests over police conduct and the death of Black Americans at their hands , while the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg jolted a political fight over the future of the high court just one month before Election Day .
Democratic voters fumed that President Donald Trump questioned the integrity of the voting process and suggested he may not commit to accepting the election results .
Trump supporters accused the media of deliberately not reporting on allegations about the businesses dealing of Biden 's son , Hunter Biden .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 have cleaved the country and created a powder keg moment , experts say the stress it triggered appears to be a unifying experience for most Americans , regardless of party .
More than two-thirds of adults – 68 % – said the 2020 presidential election was a significant source of stress in their life , a marked jump from the 52 % who said the same of the 2016 election four years ago , a survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association found last month .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pennsylvania , to the White House Vaile Wright , senior director of health care innovation at the APA , said part of the stress is being driven by the unprecedented level of uncertainty looming over the country and `` an unbelievable level of fatigue . ''
The fatigue , she said , is directly related to the pandemic , which has confined millions of Americans to their homes and lingered for months beyond what anyone anticipated .
`` There 's just no shortage of stressors right now and they 're all big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a massive influence on , '' she said .
The APA survey found that 60 % of respondents said the sheer number of issues facing America is what overwhelmed them the most , while one in five adults said their mental health is worse than it was at this time last year .
`` People are not coping as well as they have been in the past .
They 're reporting higher levels of disrupted eating , disrupted sleep , that they 're not getting as much support as they say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What it looks like to me is that people 's coping skills are falling short . ''
Charles Drew , a fire chief in Southport , North Carolina , who voted for Trump , said he feels `` a little bit of an uneasiness and a little nervousness because I think there 's going to continue to be a divide in our country . ''
Drew , 46 , said supporters defaced yard signs in his small town , near the Atlantic Coast close to Wilmington , N.C. '' It just seems like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last four years that it is more volatile or violent , '' he said , acknowledging Trump 's rhetoric might have contributed to the shift .
`` People are getting , seems like , more hateful .
It just seems like there 's a shift or something in the country compared to what it has been in the past . ''
He said he breathes a `` sigh of relief '' when thinking about all the end of political ads and the piles of mailers in his mailbox each day .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken on the nation and whether a feeling of violence among some voters replaced what used to be passion .
`` I hate to say that , '' he said .
`` But I 've seen that from both sides of the spectrum .
And that concerns me as far as the direction our nation is heading in . ''
While no one has been immune the levels of stress , Wright said some groups seem to be disproportionately affected by recent events .
Individuals with chronic health conditions , members of communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the age of 18 and younger adults are among those who reported the highest levels of stress , she said .
Sherly Langer , 55 , an accountant from St. Charles , Minnesota , who voted for Trump and worked the polls , said this was the closest she 's ever followed an election .
She called Americans `` extremely divisive this time . ''
`` It has been hard to talk to ( people ) because I think that a lot of people are n't open-minded , '' Langer said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line in the sand and this is who we 're going for .
I have a sister who is extremely liberal , and we ca n't even talk about politics . ''
More : Kamala Harris breaks glass ceiling as first female vice president , first woman VP of color A week before the election , Langer self-quarantined in her rural home in southeast Minnesota after being exposed to a niece in college who tested positive for COVID-19 .
As the mother of a seventh-grade daughter curious about the election , Langer explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling her to listen to both sides and keep an opening mind .
Her daughter , who Langer 's family adopted from Mexico , drew a line graph that depicted which candidate interrupted more during the first presidential debate in Ohio .
`` She came away with the same thing that I did .
If I was an undecided voter , I did n't learn anything at that first debate , '' Langer said .
Days before the election , Langer jokingly predicted `` peaceful protests '' regardless who won .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be peaceful , but I have the luxury of living in the middle of a cornfield . ''
Alyssa Kihoi , 20 , of Phoenix , Arizona , said she lost a number of friends and some sorority sisters for voicing her political opinion .
`` It 's unfortunate , but that 's kind of where we 're at right now in the world , '' said Kihoi , a member of Arizona State University 's College Republicans .
`` I lost friends that I was friends with for years , people I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time voter who cast her ballot for Trump , Kihoi said she only became heavily invested in the election over the last six months when the coronavirus crisis unfolded .
`` On the local level it 's been tough , just seeing everyday COVID numbers and just constant negativity from the media on both ends , right wing and left wing , '' she said .
`` Some days are rougher than others .
But at the end of the day I think we 're all Americans .
So whatever it happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for sure . ''
While this year 's election may have left some voters addled and anxious , one bright spot is that it has shattered early voting records and brought a surge of voters who did not cast a ballot four years ago .
Americans endured hours waiting in lines despite the threat of the coronavirus while millions requested absentee ballots in the months and weeks before Election Day .
`` It 's a good news story , '' McDonald said .
`` If there was fatigue , it 's probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voices heard .
They want their say in the direction of the country . ''
Abril Valenzula , an 18-year-old Arizona resident who voted for the first time this year , said the feeling she had most throughout the election was fear .
`` I think it 's mainly because there 's a lot on the line for this election , and I know that whatever outcome comes out of it there will be some risk , there will be some changes , '' she said a few days before Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been overwhelming , having that uncertainty present during this election cycle . ''
Though the election drew more engagement than any in recent memory , some voters never settled with either Biden or Trump .
Pat Browning , 61 , of Saline , Michigan did this election the same thing she did in 2016 : vote for a third-party candidate .
Her absentee vote this year for Libertarian nominee Jo Jorgensen caused her some anxiety – she didn ’ t want Trump to win re-election , describing him as arrogant and irresponsible – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Biden , disagreeing with him on some key issues , especially abortion rights .
Mostly , she just wanted the election to be over .
“ In general , I follow what ’ s going on but I don ’ t follow in great detail because it ’ s very frustrating and ridiculous , ” said Browning , who works for a company doing research in early childhood education .
“ Our candidates aren ’ t discussing intelligently and civilly and in a respectful manner the problems that are facing our country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adults.
” Americans stressed about nation 's future grew over last year Browning , who is a Christian , agrees with Democrats on many issues , such as expanding gun control measures , taking steps to provide greater access to health care and fight climate change .
But she feels as though politics in recent cycles barely skims the surface of moving toward dealing with big issues “ and instead we ’ re discussing stupid things like a fly on somebody ’ s head.
” “ I ’ m very irritated by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the American system right now , ” she said .
Baron Wilson , 58 , a mental health professional from Iron Station , North Carolina , voted for Biden .
He said he does n't think `` anybody could be happy '' about the tone of the campaign and could n't wait – `` win or lose '' – for the race to be over .
The dark rhetoric has been felt on both sides .
The president painted a Biden presidency as one that would plunge America into depression and allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The former vice president warned that a second term for Trump puts American democracy at stake .
Trump , for his part , embraced divisive rhetoric throughout his presidency , pitting Americans against each other on issues ranging from the removal of Confederate statues to the use of masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 .
The rhetoric , experts say , may have played a role in amplifying some of the anxiety that has accompanied this election .
According to the APA study , 77 % of Americans said the future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stress compared to the 69 % who said that in 2019 .
Wilson , who is African American , pointed to comments from Trump .
`` Some of the stuff the president says , I think he could be nicer , '' he said , particularly the president 's response to police brutality against Black Americans .
`` Let 's just get back to where , once it 's done campaigning , there will be no need to say nasty things about each other . ''
After the 2016 election between Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nebraska-Lincoln studied how the race affected Americans ' health .
Kevin Smith , a political scientist at UNL who led the study , said country has only become more polarized since Trump was elected four years ago .
The `` toxic political environment , '' he says , compounded with a pandemic , a 24-hour news cycle and reliance on social media has created a tinder box environment .
`` If you 're scrolling through your Facebook or Twitter feed , in the course of five minutes you can be euphoric , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's pretty big emotional roller coaster-type politics , '' he said , noting that those emotions cause physiological reactions .
`` It 's hard to conceive a political environment that would be better designed to cause stress and trigger your instinctual emotions . ''
Smith , who is conducting a follow-up study to his 2017 research , has also researched the biological underpinnings of political attitudes and behaviors , which he said all leads through the prism of emotion .
`` It 's all about how people instinctively and emotionally react to messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
While politics is often thought of a rational enterprise , Smith added , his research shows it 's all about emotions .
`` It 's like watching a two-minute drive to win the Super Bowl for six months and for some people that can really put them on an emotional rollercoaster , '' he said .
`` This environment could n't be better suited to trigger those instinctual emotions and one of the downsides is a lot of the emotions triggered are the negative ones . ''
Whit Froehlich , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployed , said he hopes his vote for Biden will bring a moral reset for the country .
Froehlich , who moved from Michigan to Bethesda , Md.
, with his partner , watched Trump in dismay .
He called the election equally `` disappointing and discouraging '' because Trump 's actions are apparently `` exciting or reflective of the views of many Americans . ''
Hopes for more positive politics over next four years With a Biden victory , he said he 's more optimistic he can `` guide people to essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to select others to do to the same . ''
`` While I do in some part enjoy the following of it , '' he said of the campaign , `` mostly I would rather do other things , care about other political issues than 'can we get rid of Trump ? '
And have more substantive action on things that might make a difference in people 's lives on a positive sense . ''
David McCoy , a 63-year-old Trump supporter from Sarasota , Florida , said he was ready to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
“ I ’ d like us to be able to focus on some other things , both nationally and personally , ” McCoy said of his eagerness to turn the page from the 2020 election .
“ I think it has been stressful to a lot of people.
” A Republican who voted for Trump in 2016 , McCoy was even more eager to support the president this time .
He pointed to the “ the moral slide ” of the nation on issues such as abortion and believed Trump would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really hard for this , ” he said days before the election .
McCoy even wrote a seven-page letter about the “ great divide ” in the nation and sent it to family and friends .
“ It seems like the stakes get more and more serious because of the moral divide in our country , ” he said .
Although concerned , he said , `` I ’ m trusting in God , I really am , ” he said .
L. Louise Bruce , 62 , of Des Moines , Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VA central Iowa Health Care System .
She voted Democratic down the ballot , but said too many issues went unaddressed this election , including racism in the country .
“ I ’ m anxious , '' Bruce said , waiting in line to early vote on a cold , snowy evening .
`` I want it to be over with .
Whatever the outcome is , I want it to be over with .
So we can start anew .
Whatever that is , whatever that ’ s going to look like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will she feel when it finally is over ?
“ I don ’ t know , ” she said , laughing .
“ I may just stay in the bed until noon .
”

Joey Garrison and Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY

'Hopefully it will calm down': The election is over. Now a stressed nation looks for normalcy under Joe Biden
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Three weeks before the election, Patrick Wall had enough.
He deleted the Facebook app off his phone and turned off Instagram notifications, hoping to shield himself from the latest viral political meme and temptation to engage in another social media fight.
"It was getting to be too much, too often," said Wall, 39, a construction company owner from St. Augustine, Florida, who voted for President-elect Joe Biden. "It was watching people get into stupid arguments about things they were ill-informed on and it was me getting into arguments with people whose minds aren't going to change."
Biden's victory marked the end of the most bitterly fought presidential elections in recent history, one that divided Americans and had both sides arguing the fate of the nation, even democracy itself, was at stake. A record 145 million people voted, and the total is expected to rise to 150 million after all absentee ballots are counted.
2020 election: Biden calls for unity as votes continue to be counted Biden calls for unity during his speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Votes are still being counted in states across the country. USA TODAY
For the past year, friends argued with friends while others simply stopped talking to each other. Family members with opposing views tuned out their relatives. Consumed with the daily drama, both sides lived in separate social media and television bubbles that steered dramatically different outlooks on the race.
More: Joe Biden defeats President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States
But the stress did not vanish Nov. 3. It stretched across four days as results trickled in from a handful of key states. As Trump leveled baseless claims about voter fraud, bleary-eyed Americans watched frenzied television anchors make sense of minor updates, enduring political whiplash as Biden lurched toward the 270 electoral majority.
He finally crossed the threshold when Pennsylvania, and its 20 electoral votes, was called for him Saturday morning – about 89 hours after polls closed on Election Day.
In interviews with voters in six battleground states conducted by the USA TODAY Network before the election, Americans said they felt stressed by the weight of the election, anxious about their candidate's prospects and the uncertainty, disgusted at the other side, angry at the political discourse, and even scared about the violence they feared might play out after its conclusion.
"I'm just ready for it to not dominate every single day of everyone's life," Wall said, but added the tension isn't likely to end soon. "There's probably still going to be a lot of arguing and BS and hopefully at some point it will calm down."
Pandemic, recession put country on edge
Adding to anxieties, the election collided with a global pandemic that has killed more than 227,000 Americans, drove the U.S. economy into a recession and even sickened a president who repeatedly sought to downplay its grip on America.
The country was rocked by nationwide protests over police conduct and the death of Black Americans at their hands, while the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg jolted a political fight over the future of the high court just one month before Election Day. Democratic voters fumed that President Donald Trump questioned the integrity of the voting process and suggested he may not commit to accepting the election results. Trump supporters accused the media of deliberately not reporting on allegations about the businesses dealing of Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
But for as much as the events of 2020 have cleaved the country and created a powder keg moment, experts say the stress it triggered appears to be a unifying experience for most Americans, regardless of party.
More than two-thirds of adults – 68% – said the 2020 presidential election was a significant source of stress in their life, a marked jump from the 52% who said the same of the 2016 election four years ago, a survey by the Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association found last month.
More: Joe Biden timeline: From Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the White House
Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation at the APA, said part of the stress is being driven by the unprecedented level of uncertainty looming over the country and "an unbelievable level of fatigue."
The fatigue, she said, is directly related to the pandemic, which has confined millions of Americans to their homes and lingered for months beyond what anyone anticipated.
"There's just no shortage of stressors right now and they're all big, national level ones that leadership really has a massive influence on," she said.
3 out of 5 Americans overwhelmed
The APA survey found that 60% of respondents said the sheer number of issues facing America is what overwhelmed them the most, while one in five adults said their mental health is worse than it was at this time last year.
"People are not coping as well as they have been in the past. They're reporting higher levels of disrupted eating, disrupted sleep, that they're not getting as much support as they say they need," Wright said. "What it looks like to me is that people's coping skills are falling short."
Charles Drew, a fire chief in Southport, North Carolina, who voted for Trump, said he feels "a little bit of an uneasiness and a little nervousness because I think there's going to continue to be a divide in our country."
Drew, 46, said supporters defaced yard signs in his small town, near the Atlantic Coast close to Wilmington, N.C.
"It just seems like it's taken a twist in the last four years that it is more volatile or violent," he said, acknowledging Trump's rhetoric might have contributed to the shift. "People are getting, seems like, more hateful. It just seems like there's a shift or something in the country compared to what it has been in the past."
He said he breathes a "sigh of relief" when thinking about all the end of political ads and the piles of mailers in his mailbox each day. But he worried about the toll the election has taken on the nation and whether a feeling of violence among some voters replaced what used to be passion.
"I hate to say that," he said. "But I've seen that from both sides of the spectrum. And that concerns me as far as the direction our nation is heading in."
Some Americans feel more pressure
While no one has been immune the levels of stress, Wright said some groups seem to be disproportionately affected by recent events.
Individuals with chronic health conditions, members of communities of color, parents of children under the age of 18 and younger adults are among those who reported the highest levels of stress, she said.
Sherly Langer, 55, an accountant from St. Charles, Minnesota, who voted for Trump and worked the polls, said this was the closest she's ever followed an election. She called Americans "extremely divisive this time."
"It has been hard to talk to (people) because I think that a lot of people aren't open-minded," Langer said. "We've all kind of drawn our line in the sand and this is who we're going for. I have a sister who is extremely liberal, and we can't even talk about politics."
More: Kamala Harris breaks glass ceiling as first female vice president, first woman VP of color
A week before the election, Langer self-quarantined in her rural home in southeast Minnesota after being exposed to a niece in college who tested positive for COVID-19.
As the mother of a seventh-grade daughter curious about the election, Langer explained the mudslinging between Trump and Biden by telling her to listen to both sides and keep an opening mind.
Her daughter, who Langer's family adopted from Mexico, drew a line graph that depicted which candidate interrupted more during the first presidential debate in Ohio.
"She came away with the same thing that I did. If I was an undecided voter, I didn't learn anything at that first debate," Langer said. Days before the election, Langer jokingly predicted "peaceful protests" regardless who won. "I don't think it's going to be peaceful, but I have the luxury of living in the middle of a cornfield."
Alyssa Kihoi, 20, of Phoenix, Arizona, said she lost a number of friends and some sorority sisters for voicing her political opinion.
"It's unfortunate, but that's kind of where we're at right now in the world," said Kihoi, a member of Arizona State University's College Republicans. "I lost friends that I was friends with for years, people I grew up with."
As a first time voter who cast her ballot for Trump, Kihoi said she only became heavily invested in the election over the last six months when the coronavirus crisis unfolded.
"On the local level it's been tough, just seeing everyday COVID numbers and just constant negativity from the media on both ends, right wing and left wing," she said. "Some days are rougher than others. But at the end of the day I think we're all Americans. So whatever it happens, we're all in this together, for sure."
'A good news story' amid the chaos
While this year's election may have left some voters addled and anxious, one bright spot is that it has shattered early voting records and brought a surge of voters who did not cast a ballot four years ago. Americans endured hours waiting in lines despite the threat of the coronavirus while millions requested absentee ballots in the months and weeks before Election Day.
"It's a good news story," McDonald said. "If there was fatigue, it's probably among the elite because people want have their voices heard. They want their say in the direction of the country."
Abril Valenzula, an 18-year-old Arizona resident who voted for the first time this year, said the feeling she had most throughout the election was fear.
"I think it's mainly because there's a lot on the line for this election, and I know that whatever outcome comes out of it there will be some risk, there will be some changes," she said a few days before Election Day. "And I think that has been overwhelming, having that uncertainty present during this election cycle."
Though the election drew more engagement than any in recent memory, some voters never settled with either Biden or Trump.
Pat Browning, 61, of Saline, Michigan did this election the same thing she did in 2016: vote for a third-party candidate. Her absentee vote this year for Libertarian nominee Jo Jorgensen caused her some anxiety – she didn’t want Trump to win re-election, describing him as arrogant and irresponsible – but neither did she want to vote for Biden, disagreeing with him on some key issues, especially abortion rights.
Mostly, she just wanted the election to be over.
“In general, I follow what’s going on but I don’t follow in great detail because it’s very frustrating and ridiculous,” said Browning, who works for a company doing research in early childhood education. “Our candidates aren’t discussing intelligently and civilly and in a respectful manner the problems that are facing our country. I wish they would act like adults.”
Americans stressed about nation's future grew over last year
Browning, who is a Christian, agrees with Democrats on many issues, such as expanding gun control measures, taking steps to provide greater access to health care and fight climate change. But she feels as though politics in recent cycles barely skims the surface of moving toward dealing with big issues “and instead we’re discussing stupid things like a fly on somebody’s head.”
“I’m very irritated by the whole process. I’m irritated by the American system right now,” she said.
Baron Wilson, 58, a mental health professional from Iron Station, North Carolina, voted for Biden. He said he doesn't think "anybody could be happy" about the tone of the campaign and couldn't wait – "win or lose" – for the race to be over.
The dark rhetoric has been felt on both sides. The president painted a Biden presidency as one that would plunge America into depression and allow left-wing radicals to overtake the country. The former vice president warned that a second term for Trump puts American democracy at stake.
Trump, for his part, embraced divisive rhetoric throughout his presidency, pitting Americans against each other on issues ranging from the removal of Confederate statues to the use of masks to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The rhetoric, experts say, may have played a role in amplifying some of the anxiety that has accompanied this election. According to the APA study, 77% of Americans said the future of the country is a significant source of stress compared to the 69% who said that in 2019.
Wilson, who is African American, pointed to comments from Trump. "Some of the stuff the president says, I think he could be nicer," he said, particularly the president's response to police brutality against Black Americans.
"Let's just get back to where, once it's done campaigning, there will be no need to say nasty things about each other."
'Toxic political environment' post-2016
After the 2016 election between Trump and Hillary Clinton, researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studied how the race affected Americans' health. Kevin Smith, a political scientist at UNL who led the study, said country has only become more polarized since Trump was elected four years ago.
The "toxic political environment," he says, compounded with a pandemic, a 24-hour news cycle and reliance on social media has created a tinder box environment.
"If you're scrolling through your Facebook or Twitter feed, in the course of five minutes you can be euphoric, scared, frustrated and disgusted and that's pretty big emotional roller coaster-type politics," he said, noting that those emotions cause physiological reactions. "It's hard to conceive a political environment that would be better designed to cause stress and trigger your instinctual emotions."
Smith, who is conducting a follow-up study to his 2017 research, has also researched the biological underpinnings of political attitudes and behaviors, which he said all leads through the prism of emotion.
"It's all about how people instinctively and emotionally react to messages and stimuli in their environment," he said.
While politics is often thought of a rational enterprise, Smith added, his research shows it's all about emotions.
"It's like watching a two-minute drive to win the Super Bowl for six months and for some people that can really put them on an emotional rollercoaster," he said. "This environment couldn't be better suited to trigger those instinctual emotions and one of the downsides is a lot of the emotions triggered are the negative ones."
Whit Froehlich, a former medical student who is currently unemployed, said he hopes his vote for Biden will bring a moral reset for the country.
Froehlich, who moved from Michigan to Bethesda, Md., with his partner, watched Trump in dismay. He called the election equally "disappointing and discouraging" because Trump's actions are apparently "exciting or reflective of the views of many Americans."
How Americans feel about the election process - States of America Polls reveal whether Americans feel their vote is truly being counted as candidates make a last-minute sprint to get votes. States of America, USA TODAY
Hopes for more positive politics over next four years
With a Biden victory, he said he's more optimistic he can "guide people to essentially be better and demand better, and to select others to do to the same."
"While I do in some part enjoy the following of it," he said of the campaign, "mostly I would rather do other things, care about other political issues than 'can we get rid of Trump?' And have more substantive action on things that might make a difference in people's lives on a positive sense."
David McCoy, a 63-year-old Trump supporter from Sarasota, Florida, said he was ready to move on and for the country to move on.
“I’d like us to be able to focus on some other things, both nationally and personally,” McCoy said of his eagerness to turn the page from the 2020 election. “I think it has been stressful to a lot of people.”
A Republican who voted for Trump in 2016, McCoy was even more eager to support the president this time. He pointed to the “the moral slide” of the nation on issues such as abortion and believed Trump would address the problem.
“I pray really hard for this,” he said days before the election. McCoy even wrote a seven-page letter about the “great divide” in the nation and sent it to family and friends.
“It seems like the stakes get more and more serious because of the moral divide in our country,” he said. Although concerned, he said, " I’m trusting in God, I really am,” he said.
L. Louise Bruce, 62, of Des Moines, Iowa, works as a chaplain with the VA central Iowa Health Care System. She voted Democratic down the ballot, but said too many issues went unaddressed this election, including racism in the country.
“I’m anxious," Bruce said, waiting in line to early vote on a cold, snowy evening. "I want it to be over with. Whatever the outcome is, I want it to be over with. So we can start anew. Whatever that is, whatever that’s going to look like, to start new.”
So how will she feel when it finally is over?
“I don’t know,” she said, laughing. “I may just stay in the bed until noon.”
Contributing: Rachel Leingang, Arizona Republic; Zac Anderson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press; Katie Akin, Des Moines Register


usatoday--2020-11-07--President Trump on golf course the morning Joe Biden wins presidency

President Trump on golf course the morning Joe Biden wins presidency President Trump hit the links Saturday morning as Joe @ @ @ @ @ votes needed to win the presidency .

President Trump plays a round of golf as Joe Biden wins presidency
President Trump hit the links Saturday morning as Joe Biden secured the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
USA TODAY