usatoday--2020-12-04--Live politics updates: Biden plans to campaign in Georgia for Senate candidates

USA TODAY 's coverage of the 2020 election and President-elect Joe Biden 's transition continues this week as he rolls out his picks for top jobs in his administration and states continue to certify their vote counts .
President Donald Trump has cleared the way for Biden 's team to use federal resources and get briefings during the transition , although Trump has yet to formally concede the race .
Be sure to refresh this page often to get the latest information on the election and the transition .
Vice President Mike Pence on Friday said the presidential election is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put aside shared “ doubts ” about how fairly that race was conducted and show up for the state ’ s Senate runoff elections .
“ We 're on ‘ em this time , ” Pence said .
“ We 're watching .
We 're gon na secure our polls .
We 're gon na secure our drop boxes .
So get an absentee ballot and vote and vote today.
” Pence has not gone as far as President Donald Trump in falsely claiming the presidential race was rigged .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't been determined .
Attorney General William Barr ’ s chief of staff has resigned as the transition to the Biden administration progresses .
Will Levi ’ s last day is Friday , the Justice Department said .
“ Will is a rarity : a brilliant lawyer with common sense , humility , and integrity .
For the past two years , he has unstintingly given himself in service to the Department .
As both Counselor and Chief of Staff , he handled challenges with remarkable resiliency and humor .
I am grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely with him , and I know he has a bright future ahead , ” Barr said in a statement .
Political appointees typically leave at the end of every administration .
But departures in the waning weeks of President Donald Trump ’ s presidency have caught more attention recently because of the president ’ s refusal to concede or acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory .
Levi ’ s departure comes a day after White House communications director Alyssa Farrah announced she is resigning after a 3 ½-year stint in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his chief of staff last spring .
His grandfather , Edward Levi , served as attorney general under President Gerald Ford , taking over a Justice Department recovering from the Watergate scandal .
Biden plans to campaign in Georgia for Senate candidates President-elect Joe Biden said Friday he would campaign in Georgia , where two Senate runoff races could determine whether Republicans retain control of the chamber .
Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are each in separate runoff races to hold onto their seats , with voting ending Jan. 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state Friday and President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Saturday .
`` I know we ’ ve all got our doubts about the last election .
And I actually hear some people saying , ` Just don ’ t vote , ' `` Pence said .
`` If you don ’ t vote , they win . ''
Biden , a former vice president who served 36 years in the Senate , would need Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to win both seats to achieve a Senate with 50 members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris could then cast tie-breaking votes in favor of Democratic priorities .
Georgia has been reliably Republican statewide for decades .
But Biden beat Trump in Georgia after he made two campaign stops in the state during the final week of the campaign , and had former President Barack Obama visit .
“ Yes , ” Biden replied Friday to a reporter ’ s question about whether he would visit during the runoffs .
But he didn ’ t break stride after a news conference to say when the appearance might happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – President-elect Joe Biden said Friday that plans for his Jan. 20 inauguration will be scaled back from traditional celebrations and look more like the Democratic National Convention that was held largely online .
Biden said plans are still being developed in consultation with House and Senate leaders who control 200,000 seats for the potential event .
But he said decisions would be based on science , to avoid spreading COVID-19 .
“ It is highly unlikely there will be 1 million people on the mall , ” Biden told reporters at The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question from USA TODAY .
“ I think you ’ ll see something closer to what the convention was like than a typical inauguration.
” Biden said he expects there will still be a ceremony on a platform on the west front of the Capitol .
But he suggested more of the celebrations will be held remotely across the country , rather than in downtown Washington .
“ My guess is there will probably not be a gigantic inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue , ” Biden said .
“ I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to work out.
” Biden says ‘ a lot more ’ must be done to distribute COVID vaccine WILMINGTON , Del .
– President-elect Joe Biden said more must be done to plan the distribution of vaccines for COVID-19 after they are approved , but that his health advisers are developing plans .
“ There ’ s a lot more that has to be done , ” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater .
“ There is no detailed plan , that we ’ ve seen anyway , about how you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into an injection syringe and into an arm.
” He called the anticipated distribution “ difficult and expensive.
” He also said it must be equitable , to ensure that communities of color receive vaccinations beyond those distributed through major drugstore chains that might not have offices in all neighborhoods .
Utah officials suggested they could distribute a vaccine easily , Biden said .
But the process is “ not that easy ” in populous states such as California , Texas and Florida , he said .
“ We ’ ve got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said .
Biden said he would take the vaccine – along with former presidents – as part of the effort to persuade residents of Black and Latino communities the vaccine is safe .
Coronavirus vaccine : Biden says he will join former presidents in publicly getting COVID vaccine “ I think that my taking the vaccine and people seeing me take the vaccine is going to give some confidence , ” Biden said .
“ It ’ s going to take some effort to rebuild confidence in science because it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WILMINGTON , Del .
– President-elect Joe Biden on Friday called a federal report about job growth in November “ grim ” and said it reflected the economy is “ stalling ” amid a surge of COVID-19 infections .
“ It was grim .
It shows an economy that is stalling , ” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater .
“ We remain in the midst of one of the worst economic and jobs crises in modern history.
” U.S. employers added a disappointing 245,000 jobs in November , the Labor Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 486,000 jobs that economists surveyed by Bloomberg had projected were added last month .
The lackluster report came as Biden said 12 million Americans face the loss of jobless benefits by the end of December .
A moratorium on evictions also is scheduled to expire .
“ This is a dire jobs report , ” Biden said .
“ We need Congress and the president to act now.
” States are adding restrictions that will hinder economic growth .
The number of coronavirus cases surged beyond 277,000 dead and 14 million having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily and 100,000 hospitalizations have been reported this week .
The economy has regained about 11 million jobs lost early in the pandemic in the spring , but economists warn it could take years to restore 9.8 million jobs shed during the crisis .
Congress is considering a $ 900 billion stimulus , including loans for small businesses and a resumption of federal unemployment benefits , but without direct payments to individuals as happened over the summer .
Lawmakers are also negotiating a spending bill to fund the federal government beyond Dec. 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But passage of stimulus spending for the pandemic is uncertain because the Democratic-controlled House seeks a larger package than the Republican-led Senate .
“ We must get it done before we leave , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , told reporters Friday .
“ We can not leave without it.
” Biden has said any money Congress approves this month would be a “ down payment ” and he would seek more when he takes office Jan. 20 .
“ This situation is urgent , ” Biden said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the future will be very bleak.
” Kellyanne Conway acknowledges Biden as election winner : He and Harris ‘ will prevail ’ Kellyanne Conway , former adviser and White House counselor to President Donald Trump , acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election during an interview with The 19th on Friday .
Conway explained it is Trump ’ s “ right ” to exhaust “ all of his legal avenues ” but “ if you look at the vote totals in the Electoral College tally , it looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevail .
I assume the electors will certify that and it will be official .
We , as a nation , will move forward , because we always do.
” She added , “ You always need a peaceful transfer of democracy , no matter whose administration goes into whose administration.
” Conway , who also served as Trump ’ s campaign manager in 2016 , has been a staunch defender of the president and his administration .
She left her position in the White House in August to focus on family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president 's inner circle .
Her admission of Biden ’ s victory is noteworthy , as many of Trump ’ s allies and those in the White House have not publicly acknowledged his victory as Trump and his legal team continue to challenge election results .
Most of the lawsuits brought forth to challenge the results have been dismissed or rejected due to the lack of evidence to back up the baseless .
Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday that the Justice Department has not found evidence of widespread voter fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been calling him privately to congratulate him .
Pelosi on what changed in COVID relief demands : new president , vaccine House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was backing down from months-long demands for trillions in new coronavirus relief to support a $ 900 billion bipartisan deal because of two things : Joe Biden was elected president and a COVID-19 vaccine is on the way .
“ That is a total game changer .
A new president and a vaccine , ” Pelosi said , adding that some of her objections to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of relief will come once Biden takes office .
“ We have a new president , a president who recognizes that we need to depend on science to stop the virus.
” The California Democrat has been the lead negotiator for Democrats on another coronavirus stimulus bill and has been firm in demanding a large package of about $ 2 trillion .
She and other Democrats repeatedly rejected smaller bills to replenish some of the most popular programs , such as more funds for a small business loan program and unemployment assistance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the party to quickly get more aid to Americans .
But this week , Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , backed a $ 908 billion proposal offered by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Senate and House , saying it offered a good framework for bipartisan discussions .
Pelosi , asked about the sudden change after months of demands , cut off a reporter 's question and sternly said , `` Do n't characterize what we did before as a mistake , '' she said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a decision .
And it has taken us to a place where we can do the right thing without other , shall we say , considerations in the legislation that we do n't want . ''
The California Democrat added that she and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , have had discussions and both support adding a relief package to a must-pass government spending bill , though she noted work needs to be done to come to agreements on both COVID-19 relief and certain provisions in a spending bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government is set to shut down Dec. 11 if Congress does not pass a spending bill that President Donald Trump will sign and the House is only scheduled to be in session for one more week .
“ There is momentum , ” Pelosi said , adding that Congress must pass more aid .
“ We need to do it to save lives and livelihood with the hope that much more help is on the way . ''
President-elect Joe Biden on Friday said his administration would be “ the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for a “ new era of LGBTQ rights.
” Biden ’ s comments to the 2020 International LGBTQ Leaders Conference came while honoring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , for receiving the LGBTQ Victory Institute ’ s History Maker Award .
He recorded his statement for a panel marking the 10-year anniversary of repealing the “ don ’ t ask , don ’ t tell ” policy about sexual orientation for serving in the U.S. military .
Biden called it an honor for him and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates .
“ It ’ s an honor to be an ally , ” Biden said .
“ Vice President-elect Harris and I are committed to being the most pro-equality administration in history .
But we can ’ t do it without you and we can ’ t do it without my dear friend Nancy Pelosi.
” Biden caused a stir as vice president when he supported same-sex marriage in May 2012 before President Barack Obama .
The Supreme Court later decided in June 2015 that states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I can ’ t wait to work together again to continue to fight for full equality and to usher in a new era of LGBTQ rights , ” Biden told the group Friday .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious disease expert and a leader in the government 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , will join President-elect Joe Biden 's administration .
Biden told CNN on Thursday that he asked Fauci to become his chief medical adviser and part of his COVID-19 response team .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same role he 's had for the past several presidents , and I asked him to be a chief medical adviser for me as well , and be part of the COVID team , '' Biden said .
`` Oh , absolutely .
I said yes right on the spot , '' Fauci told NBC 's `` Today '' on Friday when asked if he 'd taken the role .
`` There are few public servants in our history who have served as long and as well and with as much distinction at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will be a great honor to work with him again , '' he wrote .
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is set to vote on marijuana legalization at the federal level Friday , the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the matter .
The bill is likely to pass the chamber , but the Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to take up the legislation in the last two weeks Congress is in session this year .
The measure , sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler , D-N.Y. , would remove marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and expunge some marijuana-related criminal records .
It would still be up to states to pass their own regulations on the sale of marijuana .
Nadler told USA TODAY in September the vote on the bill would be a `` historic vote '' as the federal government put an end to its `` 40-year , very misguided crusade '' against marijuana .
Pence heads to Georgia to campaign , discuss COVID vaccine Vice President Mike Pence returns Friday to Georgia , when he 'll stump for Republicans seeking reelection in the highly watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate in a 3 p.m. EST rally in Savannah .
The vice president has campaigned for Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , who face Democratic opponents Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on Jan. 5 .
The races have national significance because if Democrats manage to flip both seats , the Senate would then be split 50-50 , giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the deciding vote in the chamber .
Pence also will visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to lead a roundtable on the COVID-19 vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York President-elect Joe Biden had a big Election Day in New York .
In the final tally , his victory got even larger over President Donald Trump .
The former Democratic vice president picked up 1.5 million additional votes when all the absentee ballots were tallied and final counting was finished .
It ended with Biden getting about 5.2 million votes to 3.2 million votes for Trump , a victory of 60.4 % to 37.5 % , according to the certified tally approved Thursday by the state Board of Elections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nearly 60 % of the vote that Democrat Hillary Clinton garnered four years ago against Trump , the native New Yorker , and helped Democrats down ballot in key state Senate races .
Due to a surge in absentee voting because of the COVID-19 pandemic , Biden 's lead swelled in New York , as it had in many states .
Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million votes , according to national totals updated Thursday .

Sean Rossman, Bart Jansen, Nicholas Wu, Savannah Behrmann and Michael Collins, USA TODAY

Live politics updates: Biden plans to campaign in Georgia for Senate candidates
Show Caption Hide Caption Joe Biden's Cabinet picks and other roles in his administration The president says he wants a government as diverse as America when he enters the White House. Here are some of his Executive Branch picks. USA TODAY
USA TODAY's coverage of the 2020 election and President-elect Joe Biden's transition continues this week as he rolls out his picks for top jobs in his administration and states continue to certify their vote counts.
President Donald Trump has cleared the way for Biden's team to use federal resources and get briefings during the transition, although Trump has yet to formally concede the race.
Be sure to refresh this page often to get the latest information on the election and the transition.
Pence tells Georgia voters presidential election not over
Vice President Mike Pence on Friday said the presidential election is still undecided as he urged Georgia Republicans to put aside shared “doubts” about how fairly that race was conducted and show up for the state’s Senate runoff elections.
“We're on ‘em this time,” Pence said. “We're watching. We're gonna secure our polls. We're gonna secure our drop boxes. So get an absentee ballot and vote and vote today.”
Pence has not gone as far as President Donald Trump in falsely claiming the presidential race was rigged.
But he continues to assert that the winner hasn't been determined.
Read the full story.
– Maureen Groppe
Attorney General William Barr’s chief of staff has resigned as the transition to the Biden administration progresses. Will Levi’s last day is Friday, the Justice Department said.
“Will is a rarity: a brilliant lawyer with common sense, humility, and integrity. For the past two years, he has unstintingly given himself in service to the Department. As both Counselor and Chief of Staff, he handled challenges with remarkable resiliency and humor. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work closely with him, and I know he has a bright future ahead,” Barr said in a statement.
Political appointees typically leave at the end of every administration. But departures in the waning weeks of President Donald Trump’s presidency have caught more attention recently because of the president’s refusal to concede or acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Levi’s departure comes a day after White House communications director Alyssa Farrah announced she is resigning after a 3 ½-year stint in the Trump administration.
Barr appointed Levi as his chief of staff last spring. His grandfather, Edward Levi, served as attorney general under President Gerald Ford, taking over a Justice Department recovering from the Watergate scandal.
– Kristine Phillips
President-elect Joe Biden said Friday he would campaign in Georgia, where two Senate runoff races could determine whether Republicans retain control of the chamber.
Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are each in separate runoff races to hold onto their seats, with voting ending Jan. 5. Vice President Mike Pence campaigned in the state Friday and President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Saturday. "I know we’ve all got our doubts about the last election. And I actually hear some people saying, `Just don’t vote,' " Pence said. "If you don’t vote, they win."
Biden, a former vice president who served 36 years in the Senate, would need Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to win both seats to achieve a Senate with 50 members in each party caucus. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris could then cast tie-breaking votes in favor of Democratic priorities.
Georgia has been reliably Republican statewide for decades. But Biden beat Trump in Georgia after he made two campaign stops in the state during the final week of the campaign, and had former President Barack Obama visit.
“Yes,” Biden replied Friday to a reporter’s question about whether he would visit during the runoffs. But he didn’t break stride after a news conference to say when the appearance might happen or where.
– Michael Collins and Bart Jansen
WILMINGTON, Del. – President-elect Joe Biden said Friday that plans for his Jan. 20 inauguration will be scaled back from traditional celebrations and look more like the Democratic National Convention that was held largely online.
Biden said plans are still being developed in consultation with House and Senate leaders who control 200,000 seats for the potential event. But he said decisions would be based on science, to avoid spreading COVID-19.
“It is highly unlikely there will be 1 million people on the mall,” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater, in response to a question from USA TODAY. “I think you’ll see something closer to what the convention was like than a typical inauguration.”
Biden said he expects there will still be a ceremony on a platform on the west front of the Capitol. But he suggested more of the celebrations will be held remotely across the country, rather than in downtown Washington.
“My guess is there will probably not be a gigantic inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue,” Biden said. “I don’t know exactly how it’s all going to work out.”
– Michael Collins and Bart Jansen
WILMINGTON, Del. – President-elect Joe Biden said more must be done to plan the distribution of vaccines for COVID-19 after they are approved, but that his health advisers are developing plans.
“There’s a lot more that has to be done,” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater. “There is no detailed plan, that we’ve seen anyway, about how you get the vaccine out of a container into an injection syringe and into an arm.”
He called the anticipated distribution “difficult and expensive.” He also said it must be equitable, to ensure that communities of color receive vaccinations beyond those distributed through major drugstore chains that might not have offices in all neighborhoods.
Utah officials suggested they could distribute a vaccine easily, Biden said. But the process is “not that easy” in populous states such as California, Texas and Florida, he said.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Biden said.
Biden said he would take the vaccine – along with former presidents – as part of the effort to persuade residents of Black and Latino communities the vaccine is safe.
Coronavirus vaccine: Biden says he will join former presidents in publicly getting COVID vaccine
“I think that my taking the vaccine and people seeing me take the vaccine is going to give some confidence,” Biden said. “It’s going to take some effort to rebuild confidence in science because it’s been so diminished in this administration.”
– Michael Collins and Bart Jansen
WILMINGTON, Del. – President-elect Joe Biden on Friday called a federal report about job growth in November “grim” and said it reflected the economy is “stalling” amid a surge of COVID-19 infections.
“It was grim. It shows an economy that is stalling,” Biden told reporters at The Queen theater. “We remain in the midst of one of the worst economic and jobs crises in modern history.”
U.S. employers added a disappointing 245,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department announced. The figure was about half the 486,000 jobs that economists surveyed by Bloomberg had projected were added last month.
The lackluster report came as Biden said 12 million Americans face the loss of jobless benefits by the end of December. A moratorium on evictions also is scheduled to expire.
“This is a dire jobs report,” Biden said. “We need Congress and the president to act now.”
States are adding restrictions that will hinder economic growth. The number of coronavirus cases surged beyond 277,000 dead and 14 million having been infected. An additional 2,800 deaths daily and 100,000 hospitalizations have been reported this week.
The economy has regained about 11 million jobs lost early in the pandemic in the spring, but economists warn it could take years to restore 9.8 million jobs shed during the crisis.
Congress is considering a $900 billion stimulus, including loans for small businesses and a resumption of federal unemployment benefits, but without direct payments to individuals as happened over the summer. Lawmakers are also negotiating a spending bill to fund the federal government beyond Dec. 11. Both measures could potentially be combined.
But passage of stimulus spending for the pandemic is uncertain because the Democratic-controlled House seeks a larger package than the Republican-led Senate.
“We must get it done before we leave,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Friday. “We cannot leave without it.”
Biden has said any money Congress approves this month would be a “down payment” and he would seek more when he takes office Jan. 20.
“This situation is urgent,” Biden said. “If we don’t act now, the future will be very bleak.”
– Michael Collins and Bart Jansen
Kellyanne Conway, former adviser and White House counselor to President Donald Trump, acknowledged President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election during an interview with The 19th on Friday.
Conway explained it is Trump’s “right” to exhaust “all of his legal avenues” but “if you look at the vote totals in the Electoral College tally, it looks like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will prevail. I assume the electors will certify that and it will be official. We, as a nation, will move forward, because we always do.”
She added, “You always need a peaceful transfer of democracy, no matter whose administration goes into whose administration.”
Conway, who also served as Trump’s campaign manager in 2016, has been a staunch defender of the president and his administration. She left her position in the White House in August to focus on family, but still remains a prominent member of the president's inner circle.
Her admission of Biden’s victory is noteworthy, as many of Trump’s allies and those in the White House have not publicly acknowledged his victory as Trump and his legal team continue to challenge election results.
Most of the lawsuits brought forth to challenge the results have been dismissed or rejected due to the lack of evidence to back up the baseless. Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday that the Justice Department has not found evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Biden said Thursday night that many Republicans have been calling him privately to congratulate him.
– Savannah Behrmann
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was backing down from months-long demands for trillions in new coronavirus relief to support a $900 billion bipartisan deal because of two things: Joe Biden was elected president and a COVID-19 vaccine is on the way.
“That is a total game changer. A new president and a vaccine,” Pelosi said, adding that some of her objections to the bill are OK because another batch of relief will come once Biden takes office. “We have a new president, a president who recognizes that we need to depend on science to stop the virus.”
The California Democrat has been the lead negotiator for Democrats on another coronavirus stimulus bill and has been firm in demanding a large package of about $2 trillion. She and other Democrats repeatedly rejected smaller bills to replenish some of the most popular programs, such as more funds for a small business loan program and unemployment assistance. Top Democrats even cast aside proposals from within the party to quickly get more aid to Americans. But this week, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., backed a $908 billion proposal offered by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Senate and House, saying it offered a good framework for bipartisan discussions.
Pelosi, asked about the sudden change after months of demands, cut off a reporter's question and sternly said, "Don't characterize what we did before as a mistake," she said. "That was not a mistake. It was a decision. And it has taken us to a place where we can do the right thing without other, shall we say, considerations in the legislation that we don't want."
The California Democrat added that she and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have had discussions and both support adding a relief package to a must-pass government spending bill, though she noted work needs to be done to come to agreements on both COVID-19 relief and certain provisions in a spending bill.
Time is of the essence, though. The government is set to shut down Dec. 11 if Congress does not pass a spending bill that President Donald Trump will sign and the House is only scheduled to be in session for one more week.
“There is momentum,” Pelosi said, adding that Congress must pass more aid. “We need to do it to save lives and livelihood with the hope that much more help is on the way."
– Christal Hayes
President-elect Joe Biden on Friday said his administration would be “the most pro-equality administration in history” as he called for a “new era of LGBTQ rights.”
Biden’s comments to the 2020 International LGBTQ Leaders Conference came while honoring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for receiving the LGBTQ Victory Institute’s History Maker Award. He recorded his statement for a panel marking the 10-year anniversary of repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about sexual orientation for serving in the U.S. military.
Biden called it an honor for him and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to have campaigned with a record number of LGBTQ candidates.
“It’s an honor to be an ally,” Biden said. “Vice President-elect Harris and I are committed to being the most pro-equality administration in history. But we can’t do it without you and we can’t do it without my dear friend Nancy Pelosi.”
Biden caused a stir as vice president when he supported same-sex marriage in May 2012 before President Barack Obama. The Supreme Court later decided in June 2015 that states must issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize marriages from other jurisdictions.
“I can’t wait to work together again to continue to fight for full equality and to usher in a new era of LGBTQ rights,” Biden told the group Friday.
– Bart Jansen
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert and a leader in the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, will join President-elect Joe Biden's administration.
Biden told CNN on Thursday that he asked Fauci to become his chief medical adviser and part of his COVID-19 response team.
"I asked him to stay on the exact same role he's had for the past several presidents, and I asked him to be a chief medical adviser for me as well, and be part of the COVID team," Biden said.
"Oh, absolutely. I said yes right on the spot," Fauci told NBC's "Today" on Friday when asked if he'd taken the role.
Ron Klain, Biden's incoming White House chief of staff, praised Fauci in a tweet.
"There are few public servants in our history who have served as long and as well and with as much distinction at (sic) Dr. Tony Fauci. It will be a great honor to work with him again," he wrote.
– Bart Jansen and Sean Rossman
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is set to vote on marijuana legalization at the federal level Friday, the first time either chamber of Congress has voted on the matter.
The bill is likely to pass the chamber, but the Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to take up the legislation in the last two weeks Congress is in session this year.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., would remove marijuana from the federal list of controlled substances and expunge some marijuana-related criminal records. It would still be up to states to pass their own regulations on the sale of marijuana.
Nadler told USA TODAY in September the vote on the bill would be a "historic vote" as the federal government put an end to its "40-year, very misguided crusade" against marijuana.
– Nicholas Wu
Vice President Mike Pence returns Friday to Georgia, when he'll stump for Republicans seeking reelection in the highly watched Senate run-off races there.
Pence will participate in a 3 p.m. EST rally in Savannah. The vice president has campaigned for Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, who face Democratic opponents Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on Jan. 5. The races have national significance because if Democrats manage to flip both seats, the Senate would then be split 50-50, giving Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the deciding vote in the chamber.
Pence also will visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta to lead a roundtable on the COVID-19 vaccine.
– Sean Rossman
President-elect Joe Biden had a big Election Day in New York. In the final tally, his victory got even larger over President Donald Trump.
The former Democratic vice president picked up 1.5 million additional votes when all the absentee ballots were tallied and final counting was finished.
It ended with Biden getting about 5.2 million votes to 3.2 million votes for Trump, a victory of 60.4% to 37.5%, according to the certified tally approved Thursday by the state Board of Elections.
Biden's victory in New York bested the nearly 60% of the vote that Democrat Hillary Clinton garnered four years ago against Trump, the native New Yorker, and helped Democrats down ballot in key state Senate races.
Due to a surge in absentee voting because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden's lead swelled in New York, as it had in many states. Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million votes, according to national totals updated Thursday.
– Joseph Spector (New York State Team - USA TODAY Network)


usatoday--2020-12-04--NFL makes major COVID-19 protocol changes, including team facilities shutting down for two days afte

The NFL issued a memo to teams on Friday informing them of the latest adjustment to COVID-19 protocols .
League officials have lifted the 62-player game travel limit , and they have instructed teams to keep facilities closed for the two days following games .
The NFL hopes that the change in protocol will help limit the spread of coronavirus throughout facilities following game days .
Clubs are permitted to determine the number of players they want to take to each road game .
This includes taking practice squad players to ensure teams have greater flexibility when it comes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That change becomes effective for Week 13 .
Beginning Dec. 7 , teams that played on Sunday must keep their facilities closed for two days .
Teams that play on Monday can not open their doors until Thursday , and squads that play Thursday night games must keep their headquarters closed on Friday and Saturday .
All meetings must take place virtually .
Coaches may access the facility to work independently in their own offices but can not meet with one another in person .
Players needing medical treatment or on rehabilitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities .
Teams playing on short weeks may receive exceptions .
The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to the changes in protocol with the hope that the measures will increase the league ’ s chances of completing the 2020 regular season uninterrupted .
To date , the NFL ’ s teams have played 193 of the 2020 slate ’ s 256 games .
Despite having to reshuffle contests at various points in the season , the league has managed to get all of the previously scheduled games in and maintains hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

NFL makes major COVID-19 protocol changes, including team facilities shutting down for two days after games
Show Caption Hide Caption Lorenzo's Locks: Three best bets to consider for NFL Week 13 SportsPulse: Week 12 was a nightmare for bettors. Lorenzo Reyes is here to provide an oasis and the three best bets for Week 13 in the NFL. USA TODAY
The NFL issued a memo to teams on Friday informing them of the latest adjustment to COVID-19 protocols.
League officials have lifted the 62-player game travel limit, and they have instructed teams to keep facilities closed for the two days following games. The NFL hopes that the change in protocol will help limit the spread of coronavirus throughout facilities following game days.
Clubs are permitted to determine the number of players they want to take to each road game. This includes taking practice squad players to ensure teams have greater flexibility when it comes to filling out the 48-man game day roster. That change becomes effective for Week 13.
Beginning Dec. 7, teams that played on Sunday must keep their facilities closed for two days. Teams that play on Monday cannot open their doors until Thursday, and squads that play Thursday night games must keep their headquarters closed on Friday and Saturday. All meetings must take place virtually. Coaches may access the facility to work independently in their own offices but cannot meet with one another in person.
Players needing medical treatment or on rehabilitation programs may have access to the team facilities. Teams playing on short weeks may receive exceptions.
The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to the changes in protocol with the hope that the measures will increase the league’s chances of completing the 2020 regular season uninterrupted. To date, the NFL’s teams have played 193 of the 2020 slate’s 256 games. Despite having to reshuffle contests at various points in the season, the league has managed to get all of the previously scheduled games in and maintains hope that the regular season will end on time.


usatoday--2020-12-04--Supreme Court will hear Trump administration defend controversial Medicaid work requirements

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration 's effort to let states impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients is going to the Supreme Court .
The justices agreed Friday to hear the administration 's defense of the controversial program despite a unanimous defeat at the hands of a federal appeals court panel and the likelihood that President-elect Joe Biden will end the program .
While requiring some welfare recipients to work has been federal policy since the 1990s , forcing low-income people to work or prepare for employment in exchange for health coverage is unusual .
Only Arkansas and New Hampshire have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been approved for seven other states , and another 10 states have applied .
An earlier program in Kentucky was discontinued .
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously in February that requiring work does not promote Medicaid 's primary mission , which is health care .
The decision was written by Judge David Sentelle , an appointee of Republican President Ronald Reagan .
In Arkansas , more than 18,000 people lost Medicaid coverage under the program during a five-month period in 2018 .
The appeals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and capricious '' for the Department of Health and Human Services not to have considered such a potential outcome .
Opponents of the Medicaid work rule had urged the Supreme Court not to consider the administration 's appeal , particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency .
More : How a third wave of COVID-19 engulfed the US '' During a pandemic in which 50 million Americans have filed for unemployment and nearly 12 million have lost employer-sponsored health insurance , the secretary of health and human services asks this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow states to kick people off Medicaid for failing to seek and obtain jobs that are not there , '' former U.S. acting solicitor general Ian Gershengorn wrote in opposition to the request .
Jane Perkins , legal director at the National Health Law Program , said the administration `` failed to account for the significant loss in health coverage that these approvals would produce .
Tens of thousands of people would lose their Medicaid coverage and become uninsured . ''
But current acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall noted that under the Affordable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upheld by the Supreme Court two years later , most states expanded Medicaid to include `` large numbers of working-age , nondisabled adults . ''
The appeals court 's reasoning , Wall wrote , `` threatens to impede innovations that may make states ’ Medicaid programs more effective and sustainable . ''

Supreme Court will hear Trump administration defend controversial Medicaid work requirements
Show Caption Hide Caption Supreme Court will again hear if Obamacare if is unconstitutional The Supreme Court will take a look at another challenge of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, in the fall. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration's effort to let states impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients is going to the Supreme Court.
The justices agreed Friday to hear the administration's defense of the controversial program despite a unanimous defeat at the hands of a federal appeals court panel and the likelihood that President-elect Joe Biden will end the program.
While requiring some welfare recipients to work has been federal policy since the 1990s, forcing low-income people to work or prepare for employment in exchange for health coverage is unusual.
Only Arkansas and New Hampshire have work requirements for Medicaid, though trials have been approved for seven other states, and another 10 states have applied. An earlier program in Kentucky was discontinued.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously in February that requiring work does not promote Medicaid's primary mission, which is health care. The decision was written by Judge David Sentelle, an appointee of Republican President Ronald Reagan.
In Arkansas, more than 18,000 people lost Medicaid coverage under the program during a five-month period in 2018. The appeals court concluded that it was "arbitrary and capricious" for the Department of Health and Human Services not to have considered such a potential outcome.
Opponents of the Medicaid work rule had urged the Supreme Court not to consider the administration's appeal, particularly in the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
More: How a third wave of COVID-19 engulfed the US
"During a pandemic in which 50 million Americans have filed for unemployment and nearly 12 million have lost employer-sponsored health insurance, the secretary of health and human services asks this court to revive demonstration projects that would allow states to kick people off Medicaid for failing to seek and obtain jobs that are not there," former U.S. acting solicitor general Ian Gershengorn wrote in opposition to the request.
Jane Perkins, legal director at the National Health Law Program, said the administration "failed to account for the significant loss in health coverage that these approvals would produce. Tens of thousands of people would lose their Medicaid coverage and become uninsured."
But current acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall noted that under the Affordable Care Act, enacted in 2010 and upheld by the Supreme Court two years later, most states expanded Medicaid to include "large numbers of working-age, nondisabled adults."
The appeals court's reasoning, Wall wrote, "threatens to impede innovations that may make states’ Medicaid programs more effective and sustainable."


usatoday--2020-12-04--Small plane makes emergency landing on major interstate in Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Transportation said no one was injured .

Plane crashes into car while making emergency landing on interstate
The Minnesota Department of Transportation said no one was injured.
USA TODAY Handout


usatoday--2020-12-04--Holiday gift guide for pets

Holiday gift guide for pets

Here are some pet-specific gifts to get for the holiday season .

Christmas gift guide: pets
Here are some pet-specific gifts to get for the holiday season.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-04--Dad's over-the-top reaction to son's good news

When 12-year-old Kaiden told his dad he made the basketball team , his dad leaped out of bed and chased @ @ @ @ @ .

Dad’s over-the-top reaction to son’s good news
When 12-year-old Kaiden told his dad he made the basketball team, his dad leaped out of bed and chased him around their Tennessee home.
Sportskind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-04--Rev. Raphael Warnock's allies warn of backlash in Georgia Senate runoff race over sermon attacks

If Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock is worried about the deluge of negative ads coming from Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler and her allies , he isn ’ t letting Georgia voters see him sweat .
In a 30-second video posted last month , the 51-year-old pastor was shown walking his Beagle down a tree-lined suburban street holding a bag of dog feces while telling supporters he knew the “ smear ads ” were coming .
Loeffler is trying to scare voters , he said , by “ taking things I 've said out of context from over 25 years of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Georgians will see her ads for what they are , ” Warnock said as he dropped the bag into the trash and looked at the pup to ask : “ Don ’ t you ?
” The viral video has generated 6 million views and is gaining attention in the Loeffler-Warnock race , one of two run-off elections in Georgia on Jan. 5 that will determine which party will control the Senate next year .
If Democrats win both runoffs , President-elect Joe Biden , who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enact his agenda and secure confirmation for his nominees to his Cabinet and the federal bench .
The Senate would be split 50-50 but Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be able to cast tie-breaking votes .
A Republican victory in one or both races would mean Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , will continue to wield a slim majority that could leave many of Biden 's initiatives dead on arrival .
Warnock told USA TODAY in an email on Tuesday that the campaign is critical for the country , but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the core issues that came to define the election , including health care .
He accused Loeffler of attacking his faith in what he said was a `` classic '' GOP strategy to polarize voters based on fear and bigotry .
`` People who lack vision traffic in division .
They can not lead us so they will seek to divide us , '' Warnock said .
`` And when I speak with Georgians on the campaign trail , they aren ’ t asking about the latest ad , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-being of their family , and their ability to pay rent and put food on the table . ''
Getting out the vote : With Senate on the line , Georgia activists are sliding into voters ' DMs before election What got us here:2 Georgia runoff elections will determine control of US Senate The Loeffler campaign is undeterred by speculation of a backlash , and indicated that Georgia voters and national observers should expect more ads on comments the senior pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta has made from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't find it troubling to highlight Rev .
Warnock 's own words and record , ” Loeffler campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said .
`` No matter how hard Raphael Warnock or the media try to explain away his own words , Georgians can see and hear for themselves that he is the most radical , anti-police , anti-military , anti-Israel , anti-business candidate anywhere in the country , ” Lawson said .
Loeffler telegraphed early that Warnock ’ s past sermons were going to be a focal point when she called her opponent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballot.
” She also listed many of the associations featured in GOP attacks ads .
When Vice President Mike Pence recently flew into Cherokee County – an area Trump won by 39 % in November – to stump for Loeffler , he slammed Warnock as a candidate who had “ demeaned ” military service members .
Republicans and Loeffler zeroed in on remarks Warnock made in sermons over his years as a preacher , particularly comments he made from the pulpit in 2011 in which he paraphrased scripture to argue , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military . ''
The comments touched on Matthew 6:24 , which says , `` No man can serve two masters : for either he will hate the one , and love the other ; or else he will hold to the one , and despise the other .
Ye can not serve God and mammon . ''
Loeffler demanded Warnock apologize to the military , calling his remarks `` despicable , disgusting , and wrong . ''
Republicans called the remarks radical , anti-military and argued the Bible passage meant men can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God and had nothing to do with serving the county or serving in the military .
Warnock , in statement to USA TODAY , defended his view of scripture and accentuated the differing views of white evangelicals and black churchgoers .
`` Through my reading of scripture , I have come to see justice as a central theme of the gospel , '' Warnock said .
`` Because at root is a question about human dignity .
And for me , the acid test of the claims we made on Sunday is what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the human family Monday through weekend services . ''
He added that his beliefs do n't `` stop at the church door '' and cited his work to follow the path of Martin Luther King Jr. , who led Ebenezer Baptist Church from 1960 until his assassination in 1968 .
What this race means : Georgia flipped blue in the presidential race , but it 's not over : 2 Senate runoffs carry national implications '' People often ask me , 'what is it like to stand in Dr. King ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time that I don ’ t know , because I ’ ve never tried .
We all do better when we say that our job is not to walk in the shoes of those we follow , but to stand on their shoulders , '' Warnock said , noting that King was assassinated while in Memphis for a sanitation worker strike demanding livable wages and safer conditions .
`` We ’ re still fighting for workers and their rights , and I ’ m proud to be part of that tradition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Warnock of welcoming the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in 1995 to a New York City church where he worked as a youth pastor , a claim that fact-checkers have debunked , saying there was no proof Warnock had anything to do with planning the event .
Republicans have also tried to anchor Warnock to the `` Defund the Police '' movement in several ads , though Warnock has voiced his opposition multiple times .
The GOP has also accused him of running over his wife 's foot during an argument , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hindering a child-abuse investigation at a church camp , a case that led to charges against Warnock after he asked that teen counselors have lawyers present when police questioned them .
The charges were later dropped .
Warnock has launched his own attacks that have focused on federal investigations targeting Loeffler and other senators over stock sales that took place following a closed-door briefing in January on the coronavirus .
Fact-checkers similarly have thrown cold water on the Warnock campaign 's ads saying there was no proof Loeffler personally sold off her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended without any charges .
While the heightened focus on Warnock 's faith could ultimately be a factor for voters , analysts said this is a similar playbook that helped Republicans win big on Election Day in congressional races across the country .
`` Republicans came out of the general election attacking Democrats on policing and socialism and a variety of issues and they saw that they were able to draw blood , '' said Kyle Kondik , managing editor of the nonpartisan Sabato 's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia Senate races as toss ups .
`` Given how Republicans made gains in the House and have been able to hold the Senate for now , it makes sense that they would stick to the same playbook . ''
Kondik added that Republicans are campaigning similarly to how they would in any runoff race in a right-of-center state , which Georgia has been historically , though Biden 's presidential win there has left Democrats hopeful of a changing landscape .
`` Georgia might not be a right-of-center state anymore and the electorate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 might not be the same electorate where these tactics have worked historically , '' he said .
Senate Republican campaign leaders met with the Loeffler campaign prior to the Nov. 3 election to prepare for a run-off scenario , according to officials .
Those GOP operatives cited Warnock 's previous comments as part of the reason they have focused heavily on him over Georgia ’ s other run-off race – featuring GOP incumbent David Perdue against Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff .
“ Warnock has been more controversial thus far and if Ossoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ ll have to answer for all his comments too , ” a GOP campaign official , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , told USA TODAY .
But inevitably in the Deep South such attacks against a Black candidate running statewide are being viewed through not just through a prism of race but the lens of faith .
The GOP is hoping to undercut Warnock with Georgia voters by playing up his past sermons and his support from Rev .
Jeremiah Wright , a Black minister who was a lightning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former pastor of then-candidate Barack Obama .
But left-leaning organizers who are backing Warnock predicted the attacks will backfire .
Faith is central to race : Perdue vs. Ossoff , Loeffler vs. Warnock : Faith takes the forefront as Georgia Senate runoffs heat up Rev .
Chester Ellis , pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Savannah , said the attacks will awaken a number of Black voters who might otherwise have ignored the run-off .
“ Rev .
Warnock is a son of Savannah , ” he said .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a house of faith .
So , therefore , an attack on him is an attack on all of our faith.
” Located along the Atlantic coast , Savannah favored Biden by about 19 % in the election – five points higher than Democrat Hillary Clinton 's margin in 2016 .
Along with metro Atlanta , which also went heavily for Biden , it is credited with helping turn the Peach State blue and will have to have heavy margins for Democrats to have a chance in the run-off races .
Ellis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters about the full context of Warnock ’ s previous sermons .
He predicted the attack ads will backfire on Republicans more than energize their base .
“ It ’ s going to have a great backlash upon ( Loeffler ) , ” he said .
Ebenezer Baptist Church , where Warnock is a pastor , is historic not just as the spiritual home of Dr. King , but also as a transformational part of the slain civil rights leader 's biography during which he shifted to a more radical and international worldview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden won the state , flipping it for Democrats In January 1966 , King first voiced opposition to the Vietnam War from the Ebenezer pulpit by casting U.S. military escalation in the region as a violation of the 1954 Geneva Accords that promised self-determination .
“ Anytime one of the core pillars of Black struggle in this country comes under attack , it is felt as a real threat by Black people , ” said Al Herring , executive director of Faith in Action , a national network of progressive-minded clergy .
Herring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variety of religious traditions , the Christian church has typically been viewed as an important institution beyond just a house of worship .
He said African American pastors have for decades espoused a more radical political position from their pulpits when compared to white evangelicals , who he said often try to speak singularly for American faith leaders .
“ There is a long tradition in Black Christian theology to position the church as an advocate for Black liberation and ultimately a better country , ” Herring said .
Faith in Action is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources toward the run-off that include working with Georgia clergy to record videos ; organizing 50 poll chaplains ; and getting 200 people a night for phone banking through the first two weeks of December .
Herring said there are concerns among Black voters that there is a misunderstanding and lack of respect for how faith traditions differ in African American communities .
He noted that King was scorned by the political mainstream at the time for speaking out against the Vietnam War and poverty as legal racial segregation began to dissipate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed the country in a different direction than white evangelicals have .
GOP 's issue in GA runoffs : 'They have not earned your vote ' : Trump allies urge Georgia Republicans to sit out Senate runoffs Opinion : Why faith voters should stick with Trump : Christian leaders of character surround him “ The Black church believes that it has to continually involve itself with the Black liberation struggle , that it can ’ t serve Black people without having that commitment at the center , ” Herring said .
“ Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of understanding Christianity and it ’ s certainly very different than what we ’ re told to believe is the mainstream of religious thought in this country.
” Democratic campaign officials have not leaped directly into the religious overtones of the contest as much as others , but they are helping to counter the GOP narrative by highlighting Warnock ’ s upbringing as a Savannah native who grew up in the Kayton Homes projects .
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced it plans to launch a multi-million dollar field effort in Georgia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail and digital mobilization .
The group is also making a $ 6 million reservation for TV spots for both run-off elections to be split between Warnock and Ossoff .
Warnock said he wants to lean into the debate about the country needing a `` shared belief in the dignity of all people '' that must be at the center of spiritual and secular service .

Phillip M. Bailey and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY

Rev. Raphael Warnock's allies warn of backlash in Georgia Senate runoff race over sermon attacks
Show Caption Hide Caption Runoffs: History, how they work, and their roots in racism As Georgia heads towards a highly anticipated runoff election, it begs the question: Why do some states have runoffs? And what's the purpose of them? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
If Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock is worried about the deluge of negative ads coming from Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler and her allies, he isn’t letting Georgia voters see him sweat.
In a 30-second video posted last month, the 51-year-old pastor was shown walking his Beagle down a tree-lined suburban street holding a bag of dog feces while telling supporters he knew the “smear ads” were coming.
Loeffler is trying to scare voters, he said, by “taking things I've said out of context from over 25 years of being a pastor.”
“But I think Georgians will see her ads for what they are,” Warnock said as he dropped the bag into the trash and looked at the pup to ask: “Don’t you?”
The viral video has generated 6 million views and is gaining attention in the Loeffler-Warnock race, one of two run-off elections in Georgia on Jan. 5 that will determine which party will control the Senate next year.
If Democrats win both runoffs, President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, will find it much easier to enact his agenda and secure confirmation for his nominees to his Cabinet and the federal bench. The Senate would be split 50-50 but Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be able to cast tie-breaking votes.
A Republican victory in one or both races would mean Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will continue to wield a slim majority that could leave many of Biden's initiatives dead on arrival.
Warnock told USA TODAY in an email on Tuesday that the campaign is critical for the country, but also that his faith is central to many of the core issues that came to define the election, including health care. He accused Loeffler of attacking his faith in what he said was a "classic" GOP strategy to polarize voters based on fear and bigotry.
"People who lack vision traffic in division. They cannot lead us so they will seek to divide us," Warnock said. "And when I speak with Georgians on the campaign trail, they aren’t asking about the latest ad, they’re worried about their health care, the well-being of their family, and their ability to pay rent and put food on the table."
I told you the smear ads were coming, but Georgians will see Sen. @Kloeffler’s ads for what they are. pic.twitter.com/0sgU8ndC63 — Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) November 24, 2020
Getting out the vote: With Senate on the line, Georgia activists are sliding into voters' DMs before election
What got us here: 2 Georgia runoff elections will determine control of US Senate
The Loeffler campaign is undeterred by speculation of a backlash, and indicated that Georgia voters and national observers should expect more ads on comments the senior pastor at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta has made from the pulpit and elsewhere.
“We don't find it troubling to highlight Rev. Warnock's own words and record,” Loeffler campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said.
"No matter how hard Raphael Warnock or the media try to explain away his own words, Georgians can see and hear for themselves that he is the most radical, anti-police, anti-military, anti-Israel, anti-business candidate anywhere in the country,” Lawson said.
Warnock's statements explained
Loeffler telegraphed early that Warnock’s past sermons were going to be a focal point when she called her opponent, “the most radical Democrat on the ballot.” She also listed many of the associations featured in GOP attacks ads.
When Vice President Mike Pence recently flew into Cherokee County – an area Trump won by 39% in November – to stump for Loeffler, he slammed Warnock as a candidate who had “demeaned” military service members.
Republicans and Loeffler zeroed in on remarks Warnock made in sermons over his years as a preacher, particularly comments he made from the pulpit in 2011 in which he paraphrased scripture to argue, "You cannot serve God and the military."
The comments touched on Matthew 6:24, which says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
.@ReverendWarnock said, “You can’t serve God & the military.”
He called police officers “gangsters” & “thugs.”
And he said we should “open up the jails.”
He’s the radicals’ radical. #gapol #gasen pic.twitter.com/FoI4prxqL6 — Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) November 21, 2020
Loeffler demanded Warnock apologize to the military, calling his remarks "despicable, disgusting, and wrong." Republicans called the remarks radical, anti-military and argued the Bible passage meant men cannot serve worldly pursuits and wealth while serving God and had nothing to do with serving the county or serving in the military.
Warnock, in statement to USA TODAY, defended his view of scripture and accentuated the differing views of white evangelicals and black churchgoers.
"Through my reading of scripture, I have come to see justice as a central theme of the gospel," Warnock said. "Because at root is a question about human dignity. And for me, the acid test of the claims we made on Sunday is what we do for the most marginalized members of the human family Monday through weekend services."
He added that his beliefs don't "stop at the church door" and cited his work to follow the path of Martin Luther King Jr., who led Ebenezer Baptist Church from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.
What this race means: Georgia flipped blue in the presidential race, but it's not over: 2 Senate runoffs carry national implications
"People often ask me, 'what is it like to stand in Dr. King’s shoes?' and I say all the time that I don’t know, because I’ve never tried. We all do better when we say that our job is not to walk in the shoes of those we follow, but to stand on their shoulders," Warnock said, noting that King was assassinated while in Memphis for a sanitation worker strike demanding livable wages and safer conditions. "We’re still fighting for workers and their rights, and I’m proud to be part of that tradition."
The attacks since Election Day have accused Warnock of welcoming the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in 1995 to a New York City church where he worked as a youth pastor, a claim that fact-checkers have debunked, saying there was no proof Warnock had anything to do with planning the event.
'Fantastic claims, half-truths, misinformation':Georgia official says Trump supporters misled
Republicans have also tried to anchor Warnock to the "Defund the Police" movement in several ads, though Warnock has voiced his opposition multiple times. The GOP has also accused him of running over his wife's foot during an argument, which police found no evidence of, and hindering a child-abuse investigation at a church camp, a case that led to charges against Warnock after he asked that teen counselors have lawyers present when police questioned them. The charges were later dropped.
Warnock has launched his own attacks that have focused on federal investigations targeting Loeffler and other senators over stock sales that took place following a closed-door briefing in January on the coronavirus. Fact-checkers similarly have thrown cold water on the Warnock campaign's ads saying there was no proof Loeffler personally sold off her stocks and noting that the federal probe ended without any charges.
While the heightened focus on Warnock's faith could ultimately be a factor for voters, analysts said this is a similar playbook that helped Republicans win big on Election Day in congressional races across the country.
"Republicans came out of the general election attacking Democrats on policing and socialism and a variety of issues and they saw that they were able to draw blood," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of the nonpartisan Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, which has rated both Georgia Senate races as toss ups. "Given how Republicans made gains in the House and have been able to hold the Senate for now, it makes sense that they would stick to the same playbook."
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
Kondik added that Republicans are campaigning similarly to how they would in any runoff race in a right-of-center state, which Georgia has been historically, though Biden's presidential win there has left Democrats hopeful of a changing landscape.
"Georgia might not be a right-of-center state anymore and the electorate that shows up to vote on Jan. 5 might not be the same electorate where these tactics have worked historically," he said.
Senate Republican campaign leaders met with the Loeffler campaign prior to the Nov. 3 election to prepare for a run-off scenario, according to officials.
Those GOP operatives cited Warnock's previous comments as part of the reason they have focused heavily on him over Georgia’s other run-off race – featuring GOP incumbent David Perdue against Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff.
“Warnock has been more controversial thus far and if Ossoff wants to run closely with him then he’ll have to answer for all his comments too,” a GOP campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told USA TODAY.
But inevitably in the Deep South such attacks against a Black candidate running statewide are being viewed through not just through a prism of race but the lens of faith.
An attack on Black faith?
The GOP is hoping to undercut Warnock with Georgia voters by playing up his past sermons and his support from Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a Black minister who was a lightning rod of controversy in 2008 as the former pastor of then-candidate Barack Obama.
But left-leaning organizers who are backing Warnock predicted the attacks will backfire.
Faith is central to race: Perdue vs. Ossoff, Loeffler vs. Warnock: Faith takes the forefront as Georgia Senate runoffs heat up
Rev. Chester Ellis, pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Savannah, said the attacks will awaken a number of Black voters who might otherwise have ignored the run-off.
“Rev. Warnock is a son of Savannah,” he said. “He grew up in Savannah and grew up in a house of faith. So, therefore, an attack on him is an attack on all of our faith.”
Located along the Atlantic coast, Savannah favored Biden by about 19% in the election – five points higher than Democrat Hillary Clinton's margin in 2016.
Along with metro Atlanta, which also went heavily for Biden, it is credited with helping turn the Peach State blue and will have to have heavy margins for Democrats to have a chance in the run-off races.
Stacey Abrams says investments pay off in Georgia The voting rights advocate says she's been dedicating her life to fighting for equal access to the ballot, especially for Black voters. (Nov. 6) AP
Ellis said his church is working to educate voters about the full context of Warnock’s previous sermons. He predicted the attack ads will backfire on Republicans more than energize their base.
“It’s going to have a great backlash upon (Loeffler),” he said.
Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Warnock is a pastor, is historic not just as the spiritual home of Dr. King, but also as a transformational part of the slain civil rights leader's biography during which he shifted to a more radical and international worldview.
More: Georgia recount results confirm Biden won the state, flipping it for Democrats
In January 1966, King first voiced opposition to the Vietnam War from the Ebenezer pulpit by casting U.S. military escalation in the region as a violation of the 1954 Geneva Accords that promised self-determination.
“Anytime one of the core pillars of Black struggle in this country comes under attack, it is felt as a real threat by Black people,” said Al Herring, executive director of Faith in Action, a national network of progressive-minded clergy.
Herring said while Black voters have a wide variety of religious traditions, the Christian church has typically been viewed as an important institution beyond just a house of worship. He said African American pastors have for decades espoused a more radical political position from their pulpits when compared to white evangelicals, who he said often try to speak singularly for American faith leaders.
“There is a long tradition in Black Christian theology to position the church as an advocate for Black liberation and ultimately a better country,” Herring said.
Faith in Action is among the group pitching in with grassroots resources toward the run-off that include working with Georgia clergy to record videos; organizing 50 poll chaplains; and getting 200 people a night for phone banking through the first two weeks of December.
Herring said there are concerns among Black voters that there is a misunderstanding and lack of respect for how faith traditions differ in African American communities. He noted that King was scorned by the political mainstream at the time for speaking out against the Vietnam War and poverty as legal racial segregation began to dissipate, and that the Black church has always pushed the country in a different direction than white evangelicals have.
GOP's issue in GA runoffs: 'They have not earned your vote': Trump allies urge Georgia Republicans to sit out Senate runoffs
Opinion: Why faith voters should stick with Trump: Christian leaders of character surround him
“The Black church believes that it has to continually involve itself with the Black liberation struggle, that it can’t serve Black people without having that commitment at the center,” Herring said. “Now that’s a very different way of understanding Christianity and it’s certainly very different than what we’re told to believe is the mainstream of religious thought in this country.”
Democratic campaign officials have not leaped directly into the religious overtones of the contest as much as others, but they are helping to counter the GOP narrative by highlighting Warnock’s upbringing as a Savannah native who grew up in the Kayton Homes projects.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced it plans to launch a multi-million dollar field effort in Georgia, including on the ground organizers, direct mail and digital mobilization. The group is also making a $6 million reservation for TV spots for both run-off elections to be split between Warnock and Ossoff.
Warnock said he wants to lean into the debate about the country needing a "shared belief in the dignity of all people" that must be at the center of spiritual and secular service.


usatoday--2020-12-04--Runoffs: Why some states use them, how they work and their roots in racism

Runoffs : Why some states use them , how they work and their roots in racism As Georgia heads towards @ @ @ @ @ , it begs the question : Why do some states have runoffs ?
And what @ @ @ @ @ ?

Runoffs: History, how they work, and their roots in racism
As Georgia heads towards a highly anticipated runoff election, it begs the question: Why do some states have runoffs? And what's the purpose of them?
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-04--House of Representatives passes the MORE Act legalizing marijuana at the federal level

House of Representatives passes the MORE Act legalizing marijuana at the federal level Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has passed the @ @ @ @ @ the federal level .

Marijuana: MORE Act passed by House at federal level
Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has passed the MORE Act legalizing marijuana at the federal level.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-04--New voter registrations could make the difference in Georgia runoffs | States of America

New voter registrations could make the difference in Georgia runoffs | States of America Could the U.S. Senate runoff elections @ @ @ @ @ voters who were n't registered on Election Day in November , but will be for @ @ @

New voter registrations could make the difference in Georgia runoffs | States of America
Could the U.S. Senate runoff elections in Georgia be decided by voters who weren't registered on Election Day in November, but will be for the runoff?
States of America, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-04--Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump's election lawsuit

MADISON , Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out President Donald Trump 's election lawsuit Thursday , two days after he asked the justices to revoke the certification of a contest he lost by nearly 21,000 votes .
In the 4-3 decision , the justices said they would not accept the case he filed directly with them .
The president can try to pursue the matter in a lower court , but Thursday 's ruling is a setback that shows he is near the end of the road with his legal challenges in Wisconsin .
Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reject the case , saying any challenge should start in circuit court .
`` We do well as a judicial body to abide by time-tested judicial norms , even — and maybe especially — in high-profile cases , '' he wrote .
`` Following the law governing challenges to election results is no threat to the rule of law . ''
The court ruled hours after Trump filed a separate lawsuit in federal court seeking to have the Republican-controlled Legislature , instead of voters , decide how to cast Wisconsin 's electoral votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does another one filed in federal court by Trump allies .
Recognizing the tight time frame , the justices acted quickly .
Tuesday is the `` safe harbor '' date recognized in federal law by which any challenges to election results are to be resolved .
If challenges are not resolved by then , there is a higher risk the state 's electoral votes wo n't be counted .
The Electoral College is to meet Dec. 14 and Congress will count its votes on Jan. 6 .
According to states ' returns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has 232 .
Biden 's sizable victory means he would become president even if Wisconsin 's electoral votes were shifted from him to Trump .
Trump has not made headway with legal challenges in other states either .
He has been furiously fundraising to fund his election challenges in Wisconsin and elsewhere , raising more than $ 170 million since Election Day , according to the New York Times .
But much of that money will go to pay off campaign debt or sustain his future political ambitions rather than his legal fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Trump released a 46-minute video packed with falsehoods about how the Nov. 3 election was conducted .
Nonpartisan observers have said there were no major flaws with the election and Trump 's attorney general , William Barr , this week said there is no evidence of widespread fraud .
In his Wisconsin lawsuit , Trump was not alleging fraud .
Instead , he argued long-standing election practices were illegal and asked to throw out hundreds of thousands of votes in Dane and Milwaukee counties , the two most Democratic parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toss votes in Republican parts of Wisconsin , even though ballots there were cast the same way .
Biden won the state by a margin of 0.6 percentage points , according to initial results .
Trump paid $ 3 million to recount the ballots in Milwaukee and Dane counties , which turned up dozens more votes for Biden .
The recount concluded Sunday .
On Monday , the Democratic head of the state Elections Commission determined the results of the state 's 72 counties were accurate and Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers certified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , asking the high court to revoke the certification , revive the recount and disqualify more than 220,000 ballots in Dane and Milwaukee counties .
Among the votes he wanted to throw out were all those cast early in-person in those two counties — including one by Jim Troupis , his lead attorney in Wisconsin .
He also sought to toss ballots cast by those who said they were indefinitely confined because of age or disability .
Those voters do n't have to show ID to get absentee ballots and Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet the criteria .
His lawsuit took aim at the heart of an election system created by Republicans over eight years when they controlled all of state government .
Republicans created the commission that oversees state elections , established the state 's voting procedures and have long encouraged their supporters to vote in-person early without questioning the legitimacy of the practice .
Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley @ jrn.com .
Follow him on Twitter at @ patrickdmarley .

Patrick Marley and Molly Beck, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump's election lawsuit
Show Caption Hide Caption Completed Wisconsin recount confirms Biden's win Wisconsin finished its two-county presidential results recount on Sunday, confirming Democrat Joe Biden's victory over President Donald Trump. The Dane and Milwaukee County totals found Biden adding 87 to his 20,000-plus lead over Donald Trump. (Nov. 30) AP
MADISON, Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out President Donald Trump's election lawsuit Thursday, two days after he asked the justices to revoke the certification of a contest he lost by nearly 21,000 votes.
In the 4-3 decision, the justices said they would not accept the case he filed directly with them. The president can try to pursue the matter in a lower court, but Thursday's ruling is a setback that shows he is near the end of the road with his legal challenges in Wisconsin.
Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn joined the court's three liberals to reject the case, saying any challenge should start in circuit court.
"We do well as a judicial body to abide by time-tested judicial norms, even — and maybe especially — in high-profile cases," he wrote. "Following the law governing challenges to election results is no threat to the rule of law."
The court ruled hours after Trump filed a separate lawsuit in federal court seeking to have the Republican-controlled Legislature, instead of voters, decide how to cast Wisconsin's electoral votes. That case remains pending, as does another one filed in federal court by Trump allies.
Recognizing the tight time frame, the justices acted quickly. Tuesday is the "safe harbor" date recognized in federal law by which any challenges to election results are to be resolved. If challenges are not resolved by then, there is a higher risk the state's electoral votes won't be counted.
The Electoral College is to meet Dec. 14 and Congress will count its votes on Jan. 6. According to states' returns, Biden has 306 electoral votes and Trump has 232. Biden's sizable victory means he would become president even if Wisconsin's electoral votes were shifted from him to Trump.
Trump has not made headway with legal challenges in other states either. He has been furiously fundraising to fund his election challenges in Wisconsin and elsewhere, raising more than $170 million since Election Day, according to the New York Times. But much of that money will go to pay off campaign debt or sustain his future political ambitions rather than his legal fight.
Thursday's ruling came a day after Trump released a 46-minute video packed with falsehoods about how the Nov. 3 election was conducted. Nonpartisan observers have said there were no major flaws with the election and Trump's attorney general, William Barr, this week said there is no evidence of widespread fraud.
In his Wisconsin lawsuit, Trump was not alleging fraud.
Instead, he argued long-standing election practices were illegal and asked to throw out hundreds of thousands of votes in Dane and Milwaukee counties, the two most Democratic parts of the state. He did not ask to toss votes in Republican parts of Wisconsin, even though ballots there were cast the same way.
Biden won the state by a margin of 0.6 percentage points, according to initial results. Trump paid $3 million to recount the ballots in Milwaukee and Dane counties, which turned up dozens more votes for Biden.
The recount concluded Sunday. On Monday, the Democratic head of the state Elections Commission determined the results of the state's 72 counties were accurate and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers certified Biden as the winner.
Trump sued on Tuesday, asking the high court to revoke the certification, revive the recount and disqualify more than 220,000 ballots in Dane and Milwaukee counties.
Among the votes he wanted to throw out were all those cast early in-person in those two counties — including one by Jim Troupis, his lead attorney in Wisconsin.
He also sought to toss ballots cast by those who said they were indefinitely confined because of age or disability. Those voters don't have to show ID to get absentee ballots and Trump argued some claiming that status didn't meet the criteria.
His lawsuit took aim at the heart of an election system created by Republicans over eight years when they controlled all of state government. Republicans created the commission that oversees state elections, established the state's voting procedures and have long encouraged their supporters to vote in-person early without questioning the legitimacy of the practice.
Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.