usatoday--2020-11-12--How Joe Biden flipped the electoral map and won the presidency with room to spare

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden did n't get the election night landslide Democrats desperately wanted , but he won the presidency decisively nonetheless .
It was the inverse of four years ago — only this time it was Biden expanding support in suburbs to narrowly win a handful of key states .
The outcome exposed how the United States is as an entrenched and divided nation as ever with only small differences determining the president .
After President Donald Trump in 2016 famously squeaked out a win by a combined 77,000 votes in the vaunted Democratic `` blue wall '' states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden won back all three — carrying them collectively by wider margins .
The former vice president also flipped the 2016 electoral map by taking historically red Arizona , which last voted Democrat for president in 1996 .
And he 's on the verge of narrowly winning reliably red Georgia , which last voted Democrat for president in 1992 .
Georgia 's outcome is still subject to a likely recount .
By carrying both , and winning Nevada , Biden appears poised to win by a comfortable electoral margin with 306 electoral votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 victory ( though only 304 electors voted for him when the electoral college met ) .
More : Election results update : Biden on the verge of winning presidency with leads in battlegrounds .
Georgia will have a recount .
North Carolina is still counting its late-arriving absentee ballots .
But the new inroads for Democrats elsewhere mean Biden , just like Trump in 2016 , could have lost two out of three Rust Belt states and still reached 270 electoral votes .
After his win four years ago , Trump regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
But Trump 's win looks like a squeaker compared to Biden 's when considering the popular vote .
Biden holds a popular vote lead of 74.5 million ( 50.5 % ) to 70.3 million ( 47.7 % ) as of Saturday morning .
But his lead is expected to expand considerably as more mail-in ballots , particularly in Democrat-heavy California and New York , are tabulated in the days ahead .
Leading by more than 4.3 million votes , Biden has already topped Democrat Hillary Clinton 's popular vote margin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's comfortable electoral win undercuts Trump 's attempts to fight the results .
Trump has sought to delegitimize the election with baseless claims about absentee ballots in states he lost .
More : Democrats ' path to control Senate narrows as Republicans fend off key challenges Still , the razor-thin margin in a half-dozen states – and losses of Democrats elsewhere – underscores that this was n't a blue wave .
Yes , Americans rejected Trump.But falling short of the lopsided victory some polls predicted , Biden and Democrats failed to deliver clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dismay of Democrats , Republicans in the Senate did not pay a price for their loyalty to Trump .
Democrats , heavily favored to take control of the U.S. Senate , fell short for now , although they could still reach 50 Senate seats by winning two Georgia special elections on Jan. 5 .
House Republicans , meanwhile , picked up seats that Democrats turned blue two years ago , but not enough to overcome the Democratic majority .
Stoking division further is how Biden crossed the finish-line Saturday : by dominating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Election Day .
Heading into Tuesday , election experts warned that , because mail-in ballots would heavily favor Biden , late-counted absentee ballots would provide a `` blue shift '' with the vote tally skewing his way .
While Trump 's yearlong rhetoric against mail-voting turned away his supporters , who instead were more likely to vote in person on Election Day , Democrats embraced the absentee method .
More : Some Democrats warn Trump may use 'red mirage ' to prematurely declare victory while absentee ballots are being counted Accelerating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states , Republican-controlled state legislatures in Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania , refused to change their state laws to allow election officials to begin processing absentee ballots weeks in advance .
As expected , Trump jumped out to early leads in all three states .
Trump seized on the unusual situation , baselessly claiming ballots popped up out of nowhere while trying to to convince his supporters the election was stolen from them .
As evidenced by protests outside election offices in Phoenix and Philadelphia , his diehards believe him .
More : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Here 's what we found .
For Biden , the clearest path to victory was always through the Rust Belt with wins in Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania .
He did so with a close victory , replicating the tight wins Trump pulled off in 2016 .
• Biden unofficially won Wisconsin by 20,524 votes , slightly tighter than Trump 's 2016 win the state by 22,748 votes • Biden unofficially won Michigan by 146,896 votes , considerably more than Trump 's victory by 10,704 votes • Biden is up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it could exceed more than 100,000 as more mail-in and provisionall ballots are counted .
Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 by 44,292 votes .
In almost every state , rural areas remained as committed to Trump as ever , a testament to the rural-urban divide that dominates modern American politics .
Biden secured his victory by getting the turnout he needed in cities .
It comes four years after Clinton struggled with turnout in cities in the Midwest that have large Black populations But he especially ran up the score in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the metro areas and suburbs around cities .
Trump warned Biden would `` destroy the beautiful suburbs , '' but voters in those communities seemed to reject that message .
To pull off the upset in Georgia , Biden got a massive boost from the suburbs around Atlanta .
Het topped Trump by around 130,000 votes in Gwinnett and Cobb counties around Atlanta , two counties that Clinton won by only a combined 26,000 votes .
More : 'The place where we put this country back on track ' : How Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got higher turnout than Clinton in the state 's biggest county , Milwaukee ( 317,251 total votes to 288,822 for Clinton ) , beating Trump by 20,000 more votes than Clinton did .
In Madison ( Dane County ) , Biden received 260,157 votes compared to 217,687 for Clinton , topping Trump by nearly 35,000 more votes .
In Michigan and Pennsylvania , Biden outperformed Clinton across the state .
In Wayne County , home of Detroit and other suburbs , Biden received 67,630 more votes than Clinton , topping Trump by 332,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , outside of Detroit , Biden won by a margin of 110,000 votes , while Clinton won by only 54,000 .
More : Will the Supreme Court ride to Donald Trump 's rescue ?
Do n't count on it .
Biden pummeled Trump in the suburbs near Philadelphia , winning Chester County by more than 50,000 votes while Clinton won it by 25,000 .
Biden won Delaware County over Trump by more than 81,000 votes , compared to 66,700 for Clinton .
And in Montgomery County , Biden topped Trump by more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 93,000 votes .
The outlook in Philadelphia is not clear as thousands of mail-in ballots are still being counted .
Biden made inroads across working-class northeast Pennsylvania , maintaining some counties , flipping at least one and narrowing the margins in counties Trump won .
And he got some hometown love .
Among the counties where he outperformed Clinton was Lackawanna County , home to Scranton , where Biden was raised .
Biden won Lackawanna by more than 8 percentage points .
Clinton won it by less than 3 percentage points .

How Joe Biden flipped the electoral map and won the presidency with room to spare
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
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden didn't get the election night landslide Democrats desperately wanted, but he won the presidency decisively nonetheless.
It was the inverse of four years ago — only this time it was Biden expanding support in suburbs to narrowly win a handful of key states.
The outcome exposed how the United States is as an entrenched and divided nation as ever with only small differences determining the president.
After President Donald Trump in 2016 famously squeaked out a win by a combined 77,000 votes in the vaunted Democratic "blue wall" states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Biden won back all three — carrying them collectively by wider margins.
The former vice president also flipped the 2016 electoral map by taking historically red Arizona, which last voted Democrat for president in 1996. And he's on the verge of narrowly winning reliably red Georgia, which last voted Democrat for president in 1992. Georgia's outcome is still subject to a likely recount.
Electoral College vs. the popular vote, explained President Trump and President George W. Bush won the electoral vote during the election, but not the popular vote. How does the electoral college work? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
By carrying both, and winning Nevada, Biden appears poised to win by a comfortable electoral margin with 306 electoral votes — exactly the same as Trump's 2016 victory (though only 304 electors voted for him when the electoral college met).
More: Election results update: Biden on the verge of winning presidency with leads in battlegrounds. Georgia will have a recount.
North Carolina is still counting its late-arriving absentee ballots. But the new inroads for Democrats elsewhere mean Biden, just like Trump in 2016, could have lost two out of three Rust Belt states and still reached 270 electoral votes.
Biden wins as other Democrats struggle
After his win four years ago, Trump regularly bragged about a "massive landslide victory." But Trump's win looks like a squeaker compared to Biden's when considering the popular vote.
Biden holds a popular vote lead of 74.5 million (50.5%) to 70.3 million (47.7%) as of Saturday morning. But his lead is expected to expand considerably as more mail-in ballots, particularly in Democrat-heavy California and New York, are tabulated in the days ahead. Leading by more than 4.3 million votes, Biden has already topped Democrat Hillary Clinton's popular vote margin, 2.9 million, from 2016.
Biden's comfortable electoral win undercuts Trump's attempts to fight the results. Trump has sought to delegitimize the election with baseless claims about absentee ballots in states he lost.
More: Democrats' path to control Senate narrows as Republicans fend off key challenges
Still, the razor-thin margin in a half-dozen states – and losses of Democrats elsewhere – underscores that this wasn't a blue wave. Yes, Americans rejected Trump. But falling short of the lopsided victory some polls predicted, Biden and Democrats failed to deliver clear repudiation of Trump's politics. To the dismay of Democrats, Republicans in the Senate did not pay a price for their loyalty to Trump.
Democrats, heavily favored to take control of the U.S. Senate, fell short for now, although they could still reach 50 Senate seats by winning two Georgia special elections on Jan. 5. House Republicans, meanwhile, picked up seats that Democrats turned blue two years ago, but not enough to overcome the Democratic majority.
'Blue shift' puts Biden over the edge
Stoking division further is how Biden crossed the finish-line Saturday: by dominating absentee ballots, many that were counted after Election Day.
Heading into Tuesday, election experts warned that, because mail-in ballots would heavily favor Biden, late-counted absentee ballots would provide a "blue shift" with the vote tally skewing his way. While Trump's yearlong rhetoric against mail-voting turned away his supporters, who instead were more likely to vote in person on Election Day, Democrats embraced the absentee method.
More: Some Democrats warn Trump may use 'red mirage' to prematurely declare victory while absentee ballots are being counted
Accelerating the "blue shift" in three battleground states, Republican-controlled state legislatures in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, refused to change their state laws to allow election officials to begin processing absentee ballots weeks in advance. As expected, Trump jumped out to early leads in all three states.
Trump seized on the unusual situation, baselessly claiming ballots popped up out of nowhere while trying to to convince his supporters the election was stolen from them. As evidenced by protests outside election offices in Phoenix and Philadelphia, his diehards believe him.
More: We fact-checked President Trump's speech about the election. Here's what we found.
Rust Belt 2020 vs. 2016
For Biden, the clearest path to victory was always through the Rust Belt with wins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. He did so with a close victory, replicating the tight wins Trump pulled off in 2016.
Biden unofficially won Wisconsin by 20,524 votes, slightly tighter than Trump's 2016 win the state by 22,748 votes
Biden unofficially won Michigan by 146,896 votes, considerably more than Trump's victory by 10,704 votes
Biden is up in Pennsylvania by fewer than 34,000 votes, but it could exceed more than 100,000 as more mail-in and provisionall ballots are counted. Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 by 44,292 votes.
More: Biden rebuilds 'blue wall' in Wisconsin, Michigan, narrowing Trump's path to victory
In almost every state, rural areas remained as committed to Trump as ever, a testament to the rural-urban divide that dominates modern American politics.
Biden secured his victory by getting the turnout he needed in cities. It comes four years after Clinton struggled with turnout in cities in the Midwest that have large Black populations
But he especially ran up the score in what's become another Democratic stronghold: the metro areas and suburbs around cities. Trump warned Biden would "destroy the beautiful suburbs," but voters in those communities seemed to reject that message.
Big wins in suburbs propels Biden
To pull off the upset in Georgia, Biden got a massive boost from the suburbs around Atlanta. Het topped Trump by around 130,000 votes in Gwinnett and Cobb counties around Atlanta, two counties that Clinton won by only a combined 26,000 votes.
More: 'The place where we put this country back on track': How Joe Biden turned Georgia purple
In Wisconsin, Biden got higher turnout than Clinton in the state's biggest county, Milwaukee (317,251 total votes to 288,822 for Clinton), beating Trump by 20,000 more votes than Clinton did. In Madison (Dane County), Biden received 260,157 votes compared to 217,687 for Clinton, topping Trump by nearly 35,000 more votes.
In Michigan and Pennsylvania, Biden outperformed Clinton across the state. In Wayne County, home of Detroit and other suburbs, Biden received 67,630 more votes than Clinton, topping Trump by 332,000 more votes there. In Oakland County, outside of Detroit, Biden won by a margin of 110,000 votes, while Clinton won by only 54,000.
More: Will the Supreme Court ride to Donald Trump's rescue? Don't count on it.
Biden pummeled Trump in the suburbs near Philadelphia, winning Chester County by more than 50,000 votes while Clinton won it by 25,000. Biden won Delaware County over Trump by more than 81,000 votes, compared to 66,700 for Clinton. And in Montgomery County, Biden topped Trump by more than 130,00 votes; Clinton won it by 93,000 votes. The outlook in Philadelphia is not clear as thousands of mail-in ballots are still being counted.
Biden made inroads across working-class northeast Pennsylvania, maintaining some counties, flipping at least one and narrowing the margins in counties Trump won.
And he got some hometown love.
Among the counties where he outperformed Clinton was Lackawanna County, home to Scranton, where Biden was raised. Biden won Lackawanna by more than 8 percentage points. Clinton won it by less than 3 percentage points.
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-11-12--Health care: What Joe Biden can accomplish even with a GOP-controlled Senate

This story was published in partnership with The 19th , a nonprofit , nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender , politics and policy .
With the inauguration just a few months away , President-elect Joe Biden is emphasizing the work his administration could do to expand health care access , building on and dramatically expanding the regulations and coverage made available through the Affordable Care Act , including its gender-based protections .
“ Beginning on January 20 , Vice President-elect Harris and I , we will do everything in our power to ease the burden of health care on you and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In particular , he said they would pursue “ a dramatic expansion of health care coverage and bold steps to lower health care costs.
” But when Biden is sworn in come January , he could face an uphill battle to enact his agenda .
Biden ’ s plan could have significant gender implications .
He has proposed expanding coverage through a public insurance option and legislating more generous subsidies for people buying marketplace plans .
Federal data shows that women are more likely to cite high health costs as a barrier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more likely to buy coverage on the individual marketplace .
A fifth of transgender people are uninsured , more than twice the national rate — and expanding access to affordable coverage could help close that gap .
But certain aspects of Biden ’ s health care plan could be dead on arrival , given the congressional makeup .
Democrats are expected to hold the House of Representatives , but Senate elections are ongoing .
Currently , Democrats have 48 Senate seats ; Republicans have 49 and are expected to pick up Alaska .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gone to a runoff and won ’ t be elected until early 2021 .
The Supreme Court will also be a major factor in the ACA ’ s future .
The court is currently weighing a legal challenge that could overturn the entire law , or at the very least , its pre-existing conditions protections .
( The court , which heard oral arguments Tuesday , will issue a ruling sometime in the coming months . )
Congress could theoretically pass legislation to maintain the ACA , but there is little Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote to strike down or dramatically scale back the law — though such an outcome appears unlikely .
If the ACA stands , the new administration could use its own authority to dramatic effect — even without Congress — undoing many of the regulations issued by President Donald Trump and putting in place more funding and health care protections .
“ It ’ s big operational things they might do , ” said Katie Keith , a Georgetown University law professor and health policy expert .
“ There ’ s straight-up rollback of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envelope.
” Simply having the White House be interested in enforcing and supporting the current iteration of the ACA could make a difference , experts agree .
The Trump administration cut funding for “ navigators , ” which are people who are paid to guide enrollees through their ACA coverage options , and declined to open up a special enrollment period for people to buy insurance during the COVID-induced economic downturn .
The Biden administration could use its executive authority to reverse course on both of those without Senate buy-in .
And both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since they are more likely to buy insurance on the individual marketplace and are more likely to have lost jobs — and , potentially , health insurance — during the coronavirus pandemic .
Experts also say a President Biden would likely undo many of the regulations issued under Trump , especially those that undercut the ACA ’ s protections for people with pre-existing conditions and standards for what health insurance must cover .
On the private insurance side , Biden has indicated he would issue rules to reverse the expansion of so-called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place by Trump ’ s Department of Health and Human Services .
Those plans are not sold on the ACA-regulated individual marketplace , and are meant to be stopgap insurance plans lasting just three months – but under Trump , people have been able to buy them for a year at a time , renewable for three years .
Those plans , called “ junk insurance ” by critics , aren ’ t required to cover people with pre-existing conditions — a category that more often includes women and LGBTQ people — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t include benefits such as pregnancy-related care , mental health or prescription drugs .
Experts worry short-term plans , which are cheaper than marketplace coverage , can lull people into a false sense of having adequate insurance , only to be left hanging in case of actual medical need .
The burden is heightened for women and LGBTQ people , who also have higher rates of anxiety and depression , and are more likely to forgo prescriptions because of cost .
“ The benefits are horrible for women .
None of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sobel , the associate director for women ’ s health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation .
“ In terms of feeling like you have coverage and affordability [ and then not having it ] — those are things that tend to strike women more.
” Under President Barack Obama , the government interpreted the ACA ’ s anti-sex discrimination protections to prohibit denying people health care based on their gender identity .
The Trump administration sought to walk that back , though its proposed new rule never took effect .
Biden has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , restoring ACA protections for transgender people .
But his administration could go further , Keith said , issuing regulations that also explicitly prohibit health care discrimination based on sexual orientation , something the Obama administration never did .
That protection would also have firmer legal standing now , she argued , following a July Supreme Court ruling that found sex discrimination prohibitions also applied to gender identity and sexual orientation .
“ I think there ’ s a question of , are there ways they go further than what the Obama administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of the things the Obama administration did weren ’ t enough at the time .
It ’ s definitely not enough now.
” Biden said he would increase access to abortion and contraception — though some of those changes could run up against an unfriendly judiciary .
As president , Trump has sought to undermine abortion access in particular , issuing rules to bar health care providers from the federal Title X program — which financially supports family planning services — if they refer patients to abortion services .
The Title X @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning clinics leaving the program , including more than 400 Planned Parenthood affiliates .
Those clinics are often responsible for providing contraception , cancer screenings and other preventive health care .
Reversing that regulation would be fairly easy to do .
But other changes — such as reversing Trump-era efforts to undercut contraceptive coverage , which is guaranteed under the ACA — will be much harder .
The Trump administration , backed by multiple Supreme Court rulings , has argued that employers could opt out if they had a moral or religious objection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new White House might take steps to limit cases in which an employer can claim a moral exemption from contraceptive coverage .
But new family planning regulations would likely be subject to litigation , she said .
It ’ s unclear how either the federal judiciary or Supreme Court — the latter of which now has three Trump-appointed justices — would rule .
And again , if the ACA is struck down , those questions could become meaningless .
“ Obviously the thing on everyone ’ s mind is the ACA case , @ @ @ @

Health care: What Joe Biden can accomplish even with a GOP-controlled Senate
This story was published in partnership with The 19th, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.
With the inauguration just a few months away, President-elect Joe Biden is emphasizing the work his administration could do to expand health care access, building on and dramatically expanding the regulations and coverage made available through the Affordable Care Act, including its gender-based protections.
“Beginning on January 20, Vice President-elect Harris and I, we will do everything in our power to ease the burden of health care on you and your families,” Biden said Tuesday. In particular, he said they would pursue “a dramatic expansion of health care coverage and bold steps to lower health care costs.”
But when Biden is sworn in come January, he could face an uphill battle to enact his agenda.
Biden’s plan could have significant gender implications. He has proposed expanding coverage through a public insurance option and legislating more generous subsidies for people buying marketplace plans. Federal data shows that women are more likely to cite high health costs as a barrier toward health insurance; they are also more likely to buy coverage on the individual marketplace. A fifth of transgender people are uninsured, more than twice the national rate – and expanding access to affordable coverage could help close that gap.
But certain aspects of Biden’s health care plan could be dead on arrival, given the congressional makeup. Democrats are expected to hold the House of Representatives, but Senate elections are ongoing. Currently, Democrats have 48 Senate seats; Republicans have 50. Both of Georgia’s Senate seats have gone to a runoff and won’t be elected until January.
The Supreme Court will also be a major factor in the ACA’s future. The court is weighing a legal challenge that could overturn the entire law, or at the very least, its pre-existing conditions protections. (The court, which heard oral arguments Tuesday, will issue a ruling in the coming months.)
Congress could theoretically pass legislation to maintain the ACA, but there is little Biden can do independently if the justices ultimately vote to strike down or dramatically scale back the law – though such an outcome appears unlikely.
If the ACA stands, the new administration could use its own authority to dramatic effect – even without Congress – undoing many of the regulations issued by President Donald Trump and putting in place more funding and health care protections.
“It’s big operational things they might do,” said Katie Keith, a Georgetown University law professor and health policy expert. “There’s straight-up rollback of Trump administration initiatives, and pushing the envelope.”
Supporting the existing ACA
Simply having the White House be interested in enforcing and supporting the current iteration of the ACA could make a difference, experts agree. The Trump administration cut funding for “navigators,” which are people who are paid to guide enrollees through their ACA coverage options, and declined to open a special enrollment period for people to buy insurance during the COVID-induced economic downturn.
The Biden administration could use its executive authority to reverse course on both of those without Senate buy-in. And both changes would affect women in particular, since they are more likely to buy insurance on the individual marketplace and are more likely to have lost jobs – and, potentially, health insurance – during the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts also say a President Biden would likely undo many of the regulations issued under Trump, especially those that undercut the ACA’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions and standards for what health insurance must cover.
Private insurance
On the private insurance side, Biden has indicated he would issue rules to reverse the expansion of so-called “short-term, limited-duration plans” put in place by Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services. Those plans are not sold on the ACA-regulated individual marketplace, and are meant to be stopgap insurance plans lasting just three months – but under Trump, people have been able to buy them for a year at a time, renewable for three years.
Those plans, called “junk insurance” by critics, aren’t required to cover people with pre-existing conditions – a category that more often includes women and LGBTQ people – and have bare-bones coverage requirements that often don’t include benefits such as pregnancy-related care, mental health or prescription drugs.
Experts worry short-term plans, which are cheaper than marketplace coverage, can lull people into a false sense of having adequate insurance, only to be left hanging in case of actual medical need. The burden is heightened for women and LGBTQ people, who also have higher rates of anxiety and depression, and are more likely to forgo prescriptions because of cost.
“The benefits are horrible for women. None of them include maternity care,” said Laurie Sobel, the associate director for women’s health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “In terms of feeling like you have coverage and affordability (and then not having it) – those are things that tend to strike women more.”
Transgender health care
Under President Barack Obama, the government interpreted the ACA’s anti-sex discrimination protections to prohibit denying people health care based on their gender identity. The Trump administration sought to walk that back, though its proposed new rule never took effect.
Biden has promised to reverse the Trump administration changes, restoring ACA protections for transgender people. But his administration could go further, Keith said, issuing regulations that also explicitly prohibit health care discrimination based on sexual orientation, something the Obama administration never did.
That protection would also have firmer legal standing now, she argued, following a July Supreme Court ruling that found sex discrimination prohibitions also applied to gender identity and sexual orientation.
“I think there’s a question of, are there ways they go further than what the Obama administration did,” she said. “Some of the things the Obama administration did weren’t enough at the time. It’s definitely not enough now.”
Reproductive health
Biden said he would increase access to abortion and contraception – though some of those changes could run up against an unfriendly judiciary.
As president, Trump has sought to undermine abortion access in particular, issuing rules to bar health care providers from the federal Title X program – which financially supports family planning services – if they refer patients to abortion services.
The Title X rule resulted in more than 1,000 family planning clinics leaving the program, including more than 400 Planned Parenthood affiliates. Those clinics are often responsible for providing contraception, cancer screenings and other preventive health care.
Reversing that regulation would be fairly easy to do. But other changes – such as reversing Trump-era efforts to undercut contraceptive coverage, which is guaranteed under the ACA – will be much harder. The Trump administration, backed by multiple Supreme Court rulings, has argued that employers could opt out if they had a moral or religious objection to birth control.
Sobel imagined the new White House might take steps to limit cases in which an employer can claim a moral exemption from contraceptive coverage. But new family planning regulations would likely be subject to litigation, she said. It’s unclear how either the federal judiciary or Supreme Court – the latter of which now has three Trump-appointed justices – would rule. And again, if the ACA is struck down, those questions could become meaningless.
“Obviously, the thing on everyone’s mind is the ACA case,” Sobel said.


usatoday--2020-11-13--With more than 1M cases and a 4.2% coronavirus positivity rate, California rolls back reopening plan

LOS ANGELES — It took months , but Ruth Henricks was finally reaching the point when business at her San Diego restaurant was closing in on levels unseen since before the coronavirus struck .
Then came the announcement this week that San Diego County was being forced back to the most severe of four color-coded levels , and now Henricks is worried anew about how to manage The Huddle diner .
`` How can you plan ahead when you do n't know from week to week whether you are going to be open or closed or whatever ? ''
she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout the state after a U-turn in the effort to fully reopen California .
The state is seeing a boost in coronavirus infections , like much of the rest of the country , as colder weather sets in and people are forced out of the fresh air of being outdoors .
And some jurisdictions across the nation are starting to implement more drastic measures .
On Thursday , California joined Texas as the only states with 1 million cases , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
Chicago on Thursday inched closer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes into effect Monday and ordered nonessential businesses to close at 11 p.m. New York is going to require bars , restaurants and gyms to close by 10 p.m. starting Friday .
The governors of Iowa , Ohio and Utah , all Republicans , imposed mask mandates .
The moves come as Johns Hopkins University 's coronavirus tracker shows the U.S. had a record 143,241 new cases Wednesday .
In California , 11 counties were ordered this week to drop a notch on the state 's tiered reopening schedule .
San Diego and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , join Los Angeles County on the lowest rung of the four-step ladder .
At the bottom , restrictions include no indoor dining at restaurants or indoor church services .
California had the first week in which not a single county was able to advance to a less restrictive tier , said Dr. Mark Ghaly , secretary of the state 's Health and Human Services Agency .
`` A number of counties are experiencing quite a high number of cases , '' Ghaly said at a briefing this week .
Disneyland is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Museum advocates push back against 'restrictive ' COVID-19 reopening rules The number of tests registering positive for the coronavirus rose to 4.2 % over a seven-day period in the latest survey , having not crossed the 4 % mark since at least early September , Ghaly said .
The rise has accompanied a 31 % increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the past 14 days .
It 's a turnabout in a state that has prided itself on trying to be at the forefront of preventing the spread of the virus : Gavin Newsom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stay-at-home order .
San Francisco , which has had fewer COVID-19 cases than other large cities in the state , took the unusual step this week of voluntarily moving itself down to a level that requires indoor dining at restaurants be curtailed .
U.S. coronavirus map : Tracking the outbreak , state by state The move will leave many with what few outdoor tables they can manage and takeout business .
`` The problem is the timing of this , '' said Laurie Thomas , executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eateries .
`` The weather is changing up here , and it 's cold .
Nobody wants to sit outside . ''
She notes San Francisco 's lower overall cases reflect its more aggressive approach , but it 's coming at a cost of increased stress and mental health implications .
And since workers need their jobs for health insurance coverage , facing layoffs worsens their predicament .
It 's not just restaurants .
In Sacramento , east of San Francisco , the Rev .
Bob Balian , pastor of Bayside Midtown Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worshippers for on-site services only about five weeks ago .
`` Now that the new mandate is in effect , we are temporarily ceasing our on-site services and going back to strictly online , '' Balian said .
`` Some of our people are incredibly disappointed with the change , but most of our people thoroughly understand and support our decision . ''
Sports feels the pain : List of sports events affected by the coronavirus pandemic In San Diego , Henricks is doing her best to save The Huddle , the diner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor dining will cut capacity by a quarter to a third , she said .
She said her customers are loyal , and indeed some of them are sticking up for her on Facebook .
`` These orders are ridiculous and endanger the lives and livelihoods of small business owners and employees .
If Home Depot and other hardware stores can stay open , so should restaurants , '' says one post .
But it 's not easy .
`` I do n't know what to do , '' Henricks said .

With more than 1M cases and a 4.2% coronavirus positivity rate, California rolls back reopening plans
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19: How Herd Immunity works, why you still need to wear a mask Without masks and a vaccine, we could reach Herd Immunity from COVID-19, but deaths would skyrocket. We break down the science of it. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES — It took months, but Ruth Henricks was finally reaching the point when business at her San Diego restaurant was closing in on levels unseen since before the coronavirus struck.
Then came the announcement this week that San Diego County was being forced back to the most severe of four color-coded levels, and now Henricks is worried anew about how to manage The Huddle diner.
"How can you plan ahead when you don't know from week to week whether you are going to be open or closed or whatever?" she said.
Her quandary is being faced throughout the state after a U-turn in the effort to fully reopen California.
The state is seeing a boost in coronavirus infections, like much of the rest of the country, as colder weather sets in and people are forced out of the fresh air of being outdoors. And some jurisdictions across the nation are starting to implement more drastic measures.
On Thursday, California joined Texas as the only states with 1 million cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
Chicago on Thursday inched closer to a lockdown with a stay-at-home advisory that goes into effect Monday and ordered nonessential businesses to close at 11 p.m. New York is going to require bars, restaurants and gyms to close by 10 p.m. starting Friday. The governors of Iowa, Ohio and Utah, all Republicans, imposed mask mandates. The moves come as Johns Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker shows the U.S. had a record 143,241 new cases Wednesday.
In California, 11 counties were ordered this week to drop a notch on the state's tiered reopening schedule. San Diego and two other counties, Sacramento and Stanislaus, join Los Angeles County on the lowest rung of the four-step ladder. At the bottom, restrictions include no indoor dining at restaurants or indoor church services.
California had the first week in which not a single county was able to advance to a less restrictive tier, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the state's Health and Human Services Agency.
"A number of counties are experiencing quite a high number of cases," Ghaly said at a briefing this week.
Disneyland isn't all that's closed in California: Museum advocates push back against 'restrictive' COVID-19 reopening rules
The number of tests registering positive for the coronavirus rose to 4.2% over a seven-day period in the latest survey, having not crossed the 4% mark since at least early September, Ghaly said. The rise has accompanied a 31% increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the past 14 days.
It's a turnabout in a state that has prided itself on trying to be at the forefront of preventing the spread of the virus: Gavin Newsom was among the first governors to issue a stay-at-home order.
Businesses near Disneyland feel financial pressure California will let fans back in outdoor stadiums for pro sporting events in counties with low coronavirus infection rates but isn't ready to allow Disneyland to reopen, dealing a major blow to businesses near the theme park. (Oct. 22) AP
San Francisco, which has had fewer COVID-19 cases than other large cities in the state, took the unusual step this week of voluntarily moving itself down to a level that requires indoor dining at restaurants be curtailed.
U.S. coronavirus map: Tracking the outbreak, state by state
The move will leave many with what few outdoor tables they can manage and takeout business.
"The problem is the timing of this," said Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and herself an operator of two eateries. "The weather is changing up here, and it's cold. Nobody wants to sit outside."
She notes San Francisco's lower overall cases reflect its more aggressive approach, but it's coming at a cost of increased stress and mental health implications. And since workers need their jobs for health insurance coverage, facing layoffs worsens their predicament.
It's not just restaurants. In Sacramento, east of San Francisco, the Rev. Bob Balian, pastor of Bayside Midtown Church, had been able to welcome back worshippers for on-site services only about five weeks ago.
"Now that the new mandate is in effect, we are temporarily ceasing our on-site services and going back to strictly online," Balian said. "Some of our people are incredibly disappointed with the change, but most of our people thoroughly understand and support our decision."
Sports feels the pain: List of sports events affected by the coronavirus pandemic
In San Diego, Henricks is doing her best to save The Huddle, the diner she has owned since 1986. Stopping indoor dining will cut capacity by a quarter to a third, she said.
She said her customers are loyal, and indeed some of them are sticking up for her on Facebook.
"These orders are ridiculous and endanger the lives and livelihoods of small business owners and employees. If Home Depot and other hardware stores can stay open, so should restaurants," says one post.
But it's not easy.
"I don't know what to do," Henricks said.


usatoday--2020-11-13--Republicans begin to treat Biden like a president-elect amid Trump's refusal to concede

WASHINGTON – Prominent and powerful Republicans are signaling that Joe Biden should be treated as the next president even as they continue to support President Donald Trump 's refusal to concede as he mounts legal challenges in several states .
Without declaring him the winner , several GOP senators , including seven-term senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa , now say they see no issue with Biden receiving the same daily intelligence briefings Trump is getting .
The briefings are provided to presidents and incoming president-elects so they can make decisions about ongoing national security issues as soon as they take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , went further Wednesday , saying he 'll try to force Trump administration officials to share the information with the former vice president if they continue to deny him .
“ If that ’ s not occurring by Friday , I will step in , ” said Lankford , who sits on the Homeland Security panel .
On Thursday morning , Grassley said he had `` no problem '' letting Biden have access to the briefings .
Several other GOP senators quickly followed suit , including some of the president 's most ardent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson of Wisconsin , who chairs the Homeland Security panel , Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley .
And Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio said he 's not opposed to letting the Biden team have access to some governmental funding or recognition traditionally afforded an incoming administration .
`` We need to have that contingency in place , '' Rubio told Bloomberg News .
`` I do n't think allowing the ( General Services Administration ) to move forward on some of the transition work prejudices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims the president intends to make . ''
GOP senators ' public declarations that Biden be at least allowed to participate in different aspects of the transition while Trump 's challenges play out is a small but significant shift in tone from party officials who have been careful not to exhibit disloyalty to the president .
The vast majority of independent analysts do n't see a path to victory for Trump , who trails the former vice president by more than 5 million votes nationally .
But GOP lawmakers in Washington are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and more importantly his voters , whom they will need in the future .
And it 's not just Republicans in Washington who are starting to turn .
Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , who earlier this week referred to Biden only as the `` former vice president , '' said Thursday it 's time to recognize Biden as the winner of the election .
“ We need to consider the former vice president as the president-elect , '' DeWine told CNN Thursday morning .
`` Joe Biden is the president-elect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the co-chair of Trump 's reelection committee in Ohio .
DeWine joins Republican governors in Maryland ( Larry Hogan ) and Massachusetts ( Charlie Baker ) in recognizing Biden as the president-elect .
With a Jan. 5 runoff election in Georgia that will decide two Senate seats – and control of the chamber – Republicans have been cautious about walking away too quickly from Trump even as his campaign mounts a flurry of legal challenges amid baseless claims that the election was fraudulent in states he narrowly lost .
“ We need his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following out there , ” Senate Majority Whip John Thune , R-S.D.
, told reporters Tuesday .
“ Right now , he ’ s trying to get through the final stages of his election and determine the outcome there .
But when that ’ s all said and done , however it comes out , we want him helping in Georgia.
” Trump campaign lawyers and their GOP allies are challenging the vote of several key states , including , Nevada .
Michigan and Pennsylvania , that narrowly went for Biden .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various courts although a hand recount in Georgia , where Biden beat Trump by 14,072 votes is underway .
More : Biden 's team has office space two blocks from the White House .
Is it enough for a smooth transition ?
Four Republican senators – Mitt Romney of Utah , Susan Collins of Maine , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Ben Sasse of Nebraska – already have issued statements congratulating Biden on winning .
Though he was OK with Biden receiving the intelligence briefings , Grassley said Thursday it was still premature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory .
`` President Trump is well within his rights to ask the courts to review any election disputes , '' he told the Des Moines Register .
`` And , of course , there 's state laws that are requiring recounts at least one of them , Georgia .
It is n't a whole lot different than other candidates have done in the past . ''
And while Sen. Roy Blunt , R-Mo.
, agreed that the intelligence briefings should be provided to Biden , he told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share access about their plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine .
`` I do n't think they need to know everything , '' he said .
`` I think they do need to know some things and national security is one of them . ''
Though most GOP senators still support the president 's push to continue contesting the election legally , Sen. Chris Coons , D-Del.
, said many are privately asking him to congratulate Biden on winning the election .
`` They call me to say , you know , 'Congratulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President-elect , but I ca n't say that publicly yet , ' '' Coons told CNN Tuesday without mentioning any by name .
Intentionally or not , Trump re-tweeted several items Thursday warning about the prospect of a Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate – something that can only happen if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris become president and vice-president .
`` If the Democrats take control of the Senate , they want to turn America into a socialist state .
The future of our country is at stake , '' Sen. David Perdue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump re-tweeted to his nearly 89 million followers .
Perdue and fellow Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler both face Democratic challengers in the Jan. 5 run-offs in Georgia .
Ronna McDaniel , chairwoman of the Republican National Committee , made a similar mistake on Wednesday .
She tweeted , and then deleted , a post that described Harris as the `` deciding vote '' in a Democratic Senate .
Aides said Trump remains confident that he will prevail in lawsuits and election challenges , and that he will get a second term with Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tie-breaking vote in the Senate .
`` I do think this ends up in President Trump 's favor , '' campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox Business Network .

Republicans begin to treat Biden like a president-elect amid Trump's refusal to concede
Show Caption Hide Caption Voters look to Georgia to decide if GOP or Democrats will run Senate Phillip M Bailey and Rana Cash discuss Georgia's effect on control of the Senate, its journey to becoming a purple state and Stacey Abrams' impact. States of America, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Prominent and powerful Republicans are signaling that Joe Biden should be treated as the next president even as they continue to support President Donald Trump's refusal to concede as he mounts legal challenges in several states.
Without declaring him the winner, several GOP senators, including seven-term senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, now say they see no issue with Biden receiving the same daily intelligence briefings Trump is getting.
The briefings are provided to presidents and incoming president-elects so they can make decisions about ongoing national security issues as soon as they take office.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., went further Wednesday, saying he'll try to force Trump administration officials to share the information with the former vice president if they continue to deny him.
“If that’s not occurring by Friday, I will step in,” said Lankford, who sits on the Homeland Security panel.
On Thursday morning, Grassley said he had "no problem" letting Biden have access to the briefings. Several other GOP senators quickly followed suit, including some of the president's most ardent allies on Capitol Hill such as Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who chairs the Homeland Security panel, Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.
And Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio said he's not opposed to letting the Biden team have access to some governmental funding or recognition traditionally afforded an incoming administration.
"We need to have that contingency in place," Rubio told Bloomberg News. "I don't think allowing the (General Services Administration) to move forward on some of the transition work prejudices in any way any of the legal claims the president intends to make."
More: Ohio's GOP Gov. Mike DeWine: 'Joe Biden is the president-elect'
GOP senators' public declarations that Biden be at least allowed to participate in different aspects of the transition while Trump's challenges play out is a small but significant shift in tone from party officials who have been careful not to exhibit disloyalty to the president.
The vast majority of independent analysts don't see a path to victory for Trump, who trails the former vice president by more than 5 million votes nationally. But GOP lawmakers in Washington are trying to make sure not to anger Trump, and more importantly his voters, whom they will need in the future.
And it's not just Republicans in Washington who are starting to turn.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who earlier this week referred to Biden only as the "former vice president," said Thursday it's time to recognize Biden as the winner of the election.
“We need to consider the former vice president as the president-elect," DeWine told CNN Thursday morning. "Joe Biden is the president-elect." DeWine, a Republican, was the co-chair of Trump's reelection committee in Ohio.
DeWine joins Republican governors in Maryland (Larry Hogan) and Massachusetts (Charlie Baker) in recognizing Biden as the president-elect.
With a Jan. 5 runoff election in Georgia that will decide two Senate seats – and control of the chamber – Republicans have been cautious about walking away too quickly from Trump even as his campaign mounts a flurry of legal challenges amid baseless claims that the election was fraudulent in states he narrowly lost.
“We need his voters. And he has a tremendous following out there,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday. “Right now, he’s trying to get through the final stages of his election and determine the outcome there. But when that’s all said and done, however it comes out, we want him helping in Georgia.”
Trump campaign lawyers and their GOP allies are challenging the vote of several key states, including , Nevada. Michigan and Pennsylvania, that narrowly went for Biden.
Most of those challenges have been rejected by various courts although a hand recount in Georgia, where Biden beat Trump by 14,072 votes is underway.
More: Biden's team has office space two blocks from the White House. Is it enough for a smooth transition?
Four Republican senators – Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Ben Sasse of Nebraska – already have issued statements congratulating Biden on winning.
Though he was OK with Biden receiving the intelligence briefings, Grassley said Thursday it was still premature to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden on his victory.
"President Trump is well within his rights to ask the courts to review any election disputes," he told the Des Moines Register. "And, of course, there's state laws that are requiring recounts at least one of them, Georgia. It isn't a whole lot different than other candidates have done in the past."
And while Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., agreed that the intelligence briefings should be provided to Biden, he told reporters on Capitol Hill Thursday the Trump administration doesn't have to share access about their plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.
"I don't think they need to know everything," he said. "I think they do need to know some things and national security is one of them."
Though most GOP senators still support the president's push to continue contesting the election legally, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said many are privately asking him to congratulate Biden on winning the election.
"They call me to say, you know, 'Congratulations, please convey my well wishes to the President-elect, but I can't say that publicly yet,'" Coons told CNN Tuesday without mentioning any by name.
Intentionally or not, Trump re-tweeted several items Thursday warning about the prospect of a Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate – something that can only happen if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris become president and vice-president.
"If the Democrats take control of the Senate, they want to turn America into a socialist state. The future of our country is at stake," Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., tweeted in a post that Trump re-tweeted to his nearly 89 million followers. Perdue and fellow Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler both face Democratic challengers in the Jan. 5 run-offs in Georgia.
Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, made a similar mistake on Wednesday. She tweeted, and then deleted, a post that described Harris as the "deciding vote" in a Democratic Senate.
Aides said Trump remains confident that he will prevail in lawsuits and election challenges, and that he will get a second term with Mike Pence as his vice president – and tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
"I do think this ends up in President Trump's favor," campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox Business Network.
Contributing: David Jackson


usatoday--2020-11-12--Officials expect up to 250,000 day-trippers for Saturday's SpaceX launch in Florida

BREVARD COUNTY , Fla. – Emergency officials expect up to 250,000 out-of-county day-trippers to converge on viewing spots surrounding the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County , Florida , for the nighttime SpaceX crewed launch to the International Space Station scheduled for Saturday .
On top of that , Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker predicts perhaps 250,000 people already within the county – residents , hotel and vacation rental guests , beach-goers – will head outside to watch Saturday 's historic launch .
NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins , Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center .
During the last week of May , huge crowds flocked to the Space Coast twice – for a May 27 scrub and the May 30 launch – of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 , the first human spaceflight launch from the U.S. since 2011 .
Saturday 's launch will be the second crewed mission .
However , NASA officials ask spectators to socially distance and remain vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
And lingering showers from erratic Tropical Storm Eta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offshore by Saturday – may pose problems .
The launch window is instantaneous .
Thursday morning , the 45th Space Wing upgraded the forecast to 70 % `` go '' for liftoff on Saturday .
Atlantic Ocean conditions could still be a factor .
Why ?
The Crew Dragon capsule could abort the mission along its northeastern trajectory during an emergency , forcing an astronaut rescue at sea .
Coronavirus updates : US has almost 2,000 deaths in a day ; Fauci says pandemic wo n't be around ' a lot longer ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mobile-device tracking data compiled by AirSage , about 220,000 devices from outside Brevard County were detected in the county on May 30 , Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said .
That sum included about 70,000 out-of-state mobile devices .
Cranis said the first SpaceX human space launch generated $ 27 million to $ 28 million in economic impact in Brevard – a welcome boost during the coronavirus-triggered recession .
`` Very positive , obviously .
We were coming right off of hotels not being allowed to have tourists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day weekend the weekend before , '' Cranis said .
`` So the timing of the last launch was really well-timed for us , from an economic perspective .
This one is looking to be similar .
Because it 's happening on a Saturday , and it 's happening in prime time , '' he said .
`` I think we 're going to see full hotels for this weekend .
Of course , we 're dealing with the effects of Eta – the thing is just languishing out there , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch spectators will provide an economic jolt amid the COVID-19 pandemic for hoteliers , restaurants , retailers and other businesses .
Cranis said launch day-trippers likely spend about $ 50 per day , while spectators who stay overnight spend about $ 350 per person .
Brevard hotel occupancy hit 86.7 % on May 30 during the SpaceX Crew Dragon launch , Cranis said .
That was up from 74.4 % occupancy on May 30 , 2019 , before COVID-19 struck .
Hampered by the coronavirus , collections of Brevard County 's 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short-term rentals dropped 18.5 % this fiscal year ( October 2019 to September 2020 ) , from $ 16.02 million to $ 13.07 million .
Launch crowds will spark coronavirus concerns about lack of social distancing at sites such as the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville – where throngs of people jammed together in May , triggering a social-media uproar .
“ I think we 're expecting a large turnout , ” Kathy Lueders , NASA 's chief of human spaceflight , said during a Tuesday flight readiness briefing .
Lueders said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy `` what I 'm sure is going to be a spectacular launch.
” But she stressed the need for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ We do want people to be careful when they 're out there .
I know from a NASA and SpaceX perspective – and I 'm sure a ( Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ) perspective – we ’ d be really sad if this was a superspreader event .
You know , this would not be good for us , ” Lueders said .
The Kennedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor viewing areas , including sections of parking lots , to enable social distancing for launch viewers , spokesperson Rebecca Burgman said .
The visitor complex is also requiring masks and conducting daily temperature checks for visitors and employees .
“ Just like we 're taking care of our crew members , we want you to take care of yourself and wear your masks and , you know , figure out how to get your 6 feet on the beach , ” Lueders said .
Masking up at Costco : Costco updating coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions to wear face shields ‘ They think workers are like dogs ’ : How pork plant execs sacrificed safety for profits

Officials expect up to 250,000 day-trippers for Saturday's SpaceX launch in Florida
Show Caption Hide Caption SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center The astronauts for SpaceX's Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station arrive at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. NASA
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Emergency officials expect up to 250,000 out-of-county day-trippers to converge on viewing spots surrounding the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, Florida, for the nighttime SpaceX crewed launch to the International Space Station scheduled for Saturday.
On top of that, Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker predicts perhaps 250,000 people already within the county – residents, hotel and vacation rental guests, beach-goers – will head outside to watch Saturday's historic launch.
NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi are scheduled for liftoff at 7:49 p.m. EST Saturday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
During the last week of May, huge crowds flocked to the Space Coast twice – for a May 27 scrub and the May 30 launch – of SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2, the first human spaceflight launch from the U.S. since 2011. Saturday's launch will be the second crewed mission.
However, NASA officials ask spectators to socially distance and remain vigilant amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously: SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronauts docks with ISS
And lingering showers from erratic Tropical Storm Eta – which is forecast to zoom far offshore by Saturday – may pose problems. The launch window is instantaneous.
Thursday morning, the 45th Space Wing upgraded the forecast to 70% "go" for liftoff on Saturday. Atlantic Ocean conditions could still be a factor. Why? The Crew Dragon capsule could abort the mission along its northeastern trajectory during an emergency, forcing an astronaut rescue at sea.
Coronavirus updates: US has almost 2,000 deaths in a day; Fauci says pandemic won't be around 'a lot longer'; Chicago closer to a lockdown
Tourism director predicts full hotels
According to mobile-device tracking data compiled by AirSage, about 220,000 devices from outside Brevard County were detected in the county on May 30, Space Coast Office of Tourism Executive Director Peter Cranis said. That sum included about 70,000 out-of-state mobile devices.
Cranis said the first SpaceX human space launch generated $27 million to $28 million in economic impact in Brevard – a welcome boost during the coronavirus-triggered recession.
"Very positive, obviously. We were coming right off of hotels not being allowed to have tourists in them. And we had Memorial Day weekend the weekend before," Cranis said.
"So the timing of the last launch was really well-timed for us, from an economic perspective. This one is looking to be similar. Because it's happening on a Saturday, and it's happening in prime time," he said.
"I think we're going to see full hotels for this weekend. Of course, we're dealing with the effects of Eta – the thing is just languishing out there," he said earlier this week.
Saturday's launch spectators will provide an economic jolt amid the COVID-19 pandemic for hoteliers, restaurants, retailers and other businesses. Cranis said launch day-trippers likely spend about $50 per day, while spectators who stay overnight spend about $350 per person.
Brevard hotel occupancy hit 86.7% on May 30 during the SpaceX Crew Dragon launch, Cranis said. That was up from 74.4% occupancy on May 30, 2019, before COVID-19 struck.
Hampered by the coronavirus, collections of Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax on hotel rooms and short-term rentals dropped 18.5% this fiscal year (October 2019 to September 2020), from $16.02 million to $13.07 million.
Backtrack on reopening: Nearly 1 million cases, 4.2% coronavirus positivity rate force California to roll back reopening plans
COVID-19 social distancing
Launch crowds will spark coronavirus concerns about lack of social distancing at sites such as the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville – where throngs of people jammed together in May, triggering a social-media uproar.
“I think we're expecting a large turnout,” Kathy Lueders, NASA's chief of human spaceflight, said during a Tuesday flight readiness briefing.
Lueders said she wants NASA fans to celebrate and enjoy "what I'm sure is going to be a spectacular launch.” But she stressed the need for social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We do want people to be careful when they're out there. I know from a NASA and SpaceX perspective – and I'm sure a (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) perspective – we’d be really sad if this was a superspreader event. You know, this would not be good for us,” Lueders said.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will open additional outdoor viewing areas, including sections of parking lots, to enable social distancing for launch viewers, spokesperson Rebecca Burgman said.
The visitor complex is also requiring masks and conducting daily temperature checks for visitors and employees.
“Just like we're taking care of our crew members, we want you to take care of yourself and wear your masks and, you know, figure out how to get your 6 feet on the beach,” Lueders said.
Follow reporter Rick Neale on Twitter: @RickNeale1
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usatoday--2020-11-13--Braves slugger Freddie Freeman beats Mookie Betts for NL MVP honor

Freddie Freeman 's decade with the Atlanta Braves has largely been defined by his reliability , his statistics wonderfully predictive and his mood seemingly always upbeat as he evolved into one of the game 's great ambassadors .
In 2020 , however , Freeman saw his own consistency and raised it a level , lifting the Braves along with him .
Freeman won his first National League Most Valuable Player award Thursday evening , outpointing the Dodgers ' Mookie Betts on the strength of a dominant offensive performance across this pandemic-shortened , 60-game season .
He 's the first Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former teammate Chipper Jones won the award in 1999 .
Freeman , who turned 31 in September , played in every game despite missing most of summer camp battling COVID-19 .
He posted career bests across his slash line , with a .341 average , .462 on-base percentage and .641 slugging .
He would have swept the NL in all three categories were it not for Washington 's Juan Soto , who qualifed for the batting title , but had 66 fewer plate appearances than Freeman after an opening-day positive test for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MVP : Abreu becomes first White Sox since Frank Thomas to win AL MVP NL CY YOUNG : Bauer becomes first pitcher in Reds ' history to win the award Freeman 's 3.4 Wins Above Replacement , as measured by Fangraphs , equaled Jose Ramirez atop the major leagues .
He claimed 28 of 30 first-place votes , with Betts receiving the other two in balloting by the Baseball Writers ' Assn .
of America .
It was a surprising outcome for a player who had an eight-day battle with COVID-19 , noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just walking across the house after that made him tired .
Once games started , Freeman skipped batting practice to conserve energy for the season 's first five weeks .
`` Early on , I ’ d get tired hopping off the bag holding a runner on , '' says Freeman .
`` I tried to save my bullets . ''
The Braves won their third consecutive NL East title , and while MVP voting was conducted before the start of the playoffs , Freeman 's dream season continued into the postseason , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoff games .
Betts ' Dodgers , though , overcame 2-0 and 3-1 NL Championship Series deficits to win in seven games and go on to the World Series .
Betts , the 2018 AL MVP with the Boston Red Sox , was bidding to join Frank Robinson as the only players to win MVPs in each league .
He , too , produced 3.4 WAR , as measured by Baseball-Reference , and approached the equivalent of a 30-30 season in this shortened schedule : 16 home runs , 10 stolen bases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .292/.366/.562 .
Betts turned 28 last month and , having signed a 12-year , $ 365 million extension after his trade from Boston , will be an annual MVP contender for years to come .
Freeman , whose highest MVP finish was fourth , in 2018 , will be hard-pressed to reach these heights again .
No matter : In 2020 , he raised himself up from very good to the very best .
`` At Truist Park , when you walk down the hall of the clubhouse , all the MVPs are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Cy Youngs , '' says Freeman , whose MVP win was announced on MLB Network by two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy .
`` You think , that ’ d be cool to win that some day .
`` For me to achieve that is still kind of hard to put into words . ''

Braves slugger Freddie Freeman beats Mookie Betts for NL MVP honor
Freddie Freeman's decade with the Atlanta Braves has largely been defined by his reliability, his statistics wonderfully predictive and his mood seemingly always upbeat as he evolved into one of the game's great ambassadors.
In 2020, however, Freeman saw his own consistency and raised it a level, lifting the Braves along with him.
Freeman won his first National League Most Valuable Player award Thursday evening, outpointing the Dodgers' Mookie Betts on the strength of a dominant offensive performance across this pandemic-shortened, 60-game season.
He's the first Atlanta Brave to claim MVP honors since friend and former teammate Chipper Jones won the award in 1999.
Freeman, who turned 31 in September, played in every game despite missing most of summer camp battling COVID-19. He posted career bests across his slash line, with a .341 average, .462 on-base percentage and .641 slugging. He would have swept the NL in all three categories were it not for Washington's Juan Soto, who qualifed for the batting title, but had 66 fewer plate appearances than Freeman after an opening-day positive test for the coronavirus shortened his season.
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NL CY YOUNG: Bauer becomes first pitcher in Reds' history to win the award
Freeman's 3.4 Wins Above Replacement, as measured by Fangraphs, equaled Jose Ramirez atop the major leagues. He claimed 28 of 30 first-place votes, with Betts receiving the other two in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Assn. of America.
It was a surprising outcome for a player who had an eight-day battle with COVID-19, noting in a conference call Thursday night that just walking across the house after that made him tired.
Once games started, Freeman skipped batting practice to conserve energy for the season's first five weeks.
"Early on, I’d get tired hopping off the bag holding a runner on," says Freeman. "I tried to save my bullets."
The Braves won their third consecutive NL East title, and while MVP voting was conducted before the start of the playoffs, Freeman's dream season continued into the postseason, as the Braves won their first seven playoff games. Betts' Dodgers, though, overcame 2-0 and 3-1 NL Championship Series deficits to win in seven games and go on to the World Series.
Betts, the 2018 AL MVP with the Boston Red Sox, was bidding to join Frank Robinson as the only players to win MVPs in each league. He, too, produced 3.4 WAR, as measured by Baseball-Reference, and approached the equivalent of a 30-30 season in this shortened schedule: 16 home runs, 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts and a slash line of .292/.366/.562.
Betts turned 28 last month and, having signed a 12-year, $365 million extension after his trade from Boston, will be an annual MVP contender for years to come.
Freeman, whose highest MVP finish was fourth, in 2018, will be hard-pressed to reach these heights again. No matter: In 2020, he raised himself up from very good to the very best.
"At Truist Park, when you walk down the hall of the clubhouse, all the MVPs are on the wall of the clubhouse, and the Cy Youngs," says Freeman, whose MVP win was announced on MLB Network by two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy. "You think, that’d be cool to win that some day.
"For me to achieve that is still kind of hard to put into words."