usatoday--2020-11-05--No, Biden did not magically 'find' votes in Michigan like a Trump retweet suggests

DETROIT – A since deleted tweet posted by a conservative commentator and chair of Texas ' Travis County Republican Party appeared to show Joe Biden getting 100 % of newly counted votes in a Michigan results update , but the tweet 's author , Matt Mackowiak , has acknowledged the posts were inaccurate .
Attached to Mackowiak 's tweet were two election maps appearing to show election results from earlier in the count and one from later .
Mackowiak said he took the screenshots early this morning .
Mackowiak acknowledged the posts were inaccurate and has deleted the tweet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the MI update referenced was a typo in one county . ''
The first image shows the vote tally of over 4.2 million votes with an estimated 77.3 % to 90.9 % of votes in , and the other shows the vote tally of over 4.4 million votes counted with an estimated 79.8 % to 93.8 % in .
The map shows Biden having accrued more than 138,000 additional votes with none of the vote totals for the other candidates changing .
President Donald Trump retweeted the maps , and in a later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working hard to make up 500,000 vote advantage in Pennsylvania disappear – ASAP .
Likewise , Michigan and others !
” There is no evidence to support the claim that election officials in Michigan are tampering with votes to reduce his margin .
Vote counting : Trump campaign says it 's suing to stop vote counting in Michigan , Pennsylvania The maps shared by Mackowiak appear to come from Decision Desk HQ , an election data company .
The data from Mackowiak 's second map showing Biden receiving 100 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. by Decision Desk HQ which showed Biden with 2,130,695 votes at Trump with 2,200,902 votes .
But that data was not correct .
A tweet posted later by Decision Desk HQ at 5:43 a.m. brought both Trump and Biden 's vote count down , with Trump at 2,217,540 votes and Biden at 2,019,899 votes .
In a tweet this afternoon , Decision Desk HQ wrote , `` This morning there was a clerical error in the Shiawassee , MI county presidential data . ''
The company explained , `` Once we identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data and updated it with the correct data as provided by officials .
We stand by our data as reflected on . ''
An hour-by-hour update from Associated Press data shows that there was no point in time when Trump did not post an increase in votes .
Election experts have said for months that the margins between Trump and Biden could narrow with the tabulation of absentee ballots .
That ’ s because public opinion polls indicated that more Democratic voters would vote absentee while more Republican voters planned to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a political data services company , among Michigan voters who had cast an absentee ballot as of Oct. 26 , roughly 62 % were likely Democratic voters while only 29 % were likely Republican voters .
During a morning press conference Wednesday , Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said she had not seen these maps but pointed to instances of using false graphics to delegitimize the election process and outcome .
“ What we ’ ve said this entire election cycle is that we have to be mindful of posts made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America , an initiative of The GroundTruth Project .
Contact her at chendrickson @ freepress.com .

Clara Hendrickson and Kristi Tanner, Detroit Free Press

No, Biden did not magically 'find' votes in Michigan like a Trump retweet suggests
Show Caption Hide Caption Election 2020: Americans worried about response to election results Here are the biggest takeaways from a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll, taken after the final presidential debate. USA TODAY
DETROIT – A since deleted tweet posted by a conservative commentator and chair of Texas' Travis County Republican Party appeared to show Joe Biden getting 100% of newly counted votes in a Michigan results update, but the tweet's author, Matt Mackowiak, has acknowledged the posts were inaccurate.
Attached to Mackowiak's tweet were two election maps appearing to show election results from earlier in the count and one from later. Mackowiak said he took the screenshots early this morning. Mackowiak acknowledged the posts were inaccurate and has deleted the tweet, explaining, "I have now learned the MI update referenced was a typo in one county."
The first image shows the vote tally of over 4.2 million votes with an estimated 77.3% to 90.9% of votes in, and the other shows the vote tally of over 4.4 million votes counted with an estimated 79.8% to 93.8% in. The map shows Biden having accrued more than 138,000 additional votes with none of the vote totals for the other candidates changing.
President Donald Trump retweeted the maps, and in a later tweet, he wrote, “They are working hard to make up 500,000 vote advantage in Pennsylvania disappear – ASAP. Likewise, Michigan and others!” There is no evidence to support the claim that election officials in Michigan are tampering with votes to reduce his margin.
2020 Election: Live results on the presidential race
Vote counting: Trump campaign says it's suing to stop vote counting in Michigan, Pennsylvania
The maps shared by Mackowiak appear to come from Decision Desk HQ, an election data company.
The data from Mackowiak's second map showing Biden receiving 100% of the newly counted votes was released at 5:04 a.m. by Decision Desk HQ which showed Biden with 2,130,695 votes at Trump with 2,200,902 votes. But that data was not correct. A tweet posted later by Decision Desk HQ at 5:43 a.m. brought both Trump and Biden's vote count down, with Trump at 2,217,540 votes and Biden at 2,019,899 votes.
In a tweet this afternoon, Decision Desk HQ wrote, "This morning there was a clerical error in the Shiawassee, MI county presidential data." The company explained, "Once we identified the error, we cleared the erroneous data and updated it with the correct data as provided by officials. We stand by our data as reflected on."
An hour-by-hour update from Associated Press data shows that there was no point in time when Trump did not post an increase in votes.
Election experts have said for months that the margins between Trump and Biden could narrow with the tabulation of absentee ballots. That’s because public opinion polls indicated that more Democratic voters would vote absentee while more Republican voters planned to vote in person.
According to estimates from L2, a political data services company, among Michigan voters who had cast an absentee ballot as of Oct. 26, roughly 62% were likely Democratic voters while only 29% were likely Republican voters.
During a morning press conference Wednesday, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said she had not seen these maps but pointed to instances of using false graphics to delegitimize the election process and outcome. “What we’ve said this entire election cycle is that we have to be mindful of posts made on social media.”
Reporter Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com.


usatoday--2020-11-05--With razor thin margins in many states, recounts are possible in the presidential election

With razor thin margins in many states , recounts are possible in the presidential election There are the rules when @ @ @ @ @ own recount decisions .

President Trump's camp says it will ask for recounts
There are the rules when it comes to states' own recount decisions.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-11-05--Results are trickling in for battleground Georgia. Here's what we know.

Results are slowly trickling in for battleground Georgia , a state that could impact who will hold the majority in the Senate as well as could push President Donald Trump or Democrat Joe Biden closer to victory .
With an estimated 96 % of the state reporting their votes , Biden is trailing the president by roughly 40,000 votes.Trump ’ s lead over Biden has shrunk as more votes get counted .
Earlier Wednesday , the president had a lead over 100,000 votes .
Biden , who has won 264 electoral votes , currently does not need to win Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada or Pennsylvania or North Carolina .
Trump ’ s path to victory , however , is narrowing and would need to win Georgia to remain competitive .
Officials in the state called it a night counting votes on Tuesday and resumed Wednesday .
However , Fulton County , which includes Atlanta and is the state ’ s most populous county , had a small team continue to count mail-in ballots overnight .
More : Democrats are now unlikely to win a majority in the Senate : Here 's where things stand On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raffensperger said that 200,000 absentee ballots and 40,000 to 50,000 early votes have yet to be counted .
However by Wednesday evening , 96 % of the state 's votes were in .
Raffensperger reported around 8:00 p.m. that around 122,535 ballots remained to be counted across Georgia .
Many of the outstanding ballots that needed to be counted were in counties surrounding Atlanta and Savannah .
`` My team has sent a reminder to counties to get all , let me repeat , all results counted today , '' Raffensberger said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , home to Savannah , also still have thousands of uncounted absentee ballots .
The winner of the state will likely come down to several thousand votes .
One Senate race in the state is also too close to call at the moment .
GOP Sen. David Perdue , the incumbent , is still leading Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff , but just 50.2 % to 47.5 % , with an estimated 96 % of the votes reporting .
Like Trump , Perdue ’ s lead over Ossoff is shrinking as more votes come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it over the 50 % threshold , the race will go to a runoff in January .
Georgia ’ s Senate seats could help Republicans keep their majority in the Senate or push Democrats closer to taking control of that chamber of Congress .
More : House Democrats did n't see 'blue wave ' to expand majority .
Here 's what we know .
Georgia ’ s Senate special election for Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler ’ s seat , who was appointed to the seat after Sen. Johnny Isakson resigned in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election in January .
None of the six candidates , including Loeffler , reached a 50 % threshold in the race .
Loeffler will be facing Raphael Warnock , a Democrat who is the senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta .
During remarks Tuesday evening , Warnock thanked supporters for propelling him to a runoff and urged them to continue to support him in the coming weeks for the runoff .
`` Thank you for pushing me one step closer to the Senate , '' he said .
`` Because when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with me .
Your concerns will go with me .
Your issues will go with me .

Results are trickling in for battleground Georgia. Here's what we know.
Show Caption Hide Caption Georgia has become a true battleground for Trump, Biden and Senate Georgia has become a battleground state for President Trump and Joe Biden as well as Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. USA TODAY
Results are slowly trickling in for battleground Georgia, a state that could impact who will hold the majority in the Senate as well as could push President Donald Trump or Democrat Joe Biden closer to victory.
With an estimated 96% of the state reporting their votes, Biden is trailing the president by roughly 40,000 votes. Trump’s lead over Biden has shrunk as more votes get counted. Earlier Wednesday, the president had a lead over 100,000 votes.
Biden, who has won 264 electoral votes, currently does not need to win Georgia to win the presidency if he wins Nevada or Pennsylvania or North Carolina. Trump’s path to victory, however, is narrowing and would need to win Georgia to remain competitive.
Officials in the state called it a night counting votes on Tuesday and resumed Wednesday. However, Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and is the state’s most populous county, had a small team continue to count mail-in ballots overnight.
More: Democrats are now unlikely to win a majority in the Senate: Here's where things stand
On Wednesday morning, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said that 200,000 absentee ballots and 40,000 to 50,000 early votes have yet to be counted. However by Wednesday evening, 96% of the state's votes were in.
Raffensperger reported around 8:00 p.m. that around 122,535 ballots remained to be counted across Georgia. Many of the outstanding ballots that needed to be counted were in counties surrounding Atlanta and Savannah.
"My team has sent a reminder to counties to get all, let me repeat, all results counted today," Raffensberger said.
Georgia vows to count every legal vote Georgia's Secretary of State vows to count every legal vote; some ballots now headed for an adjudication, where a 3-person panel tries to determine the voter's intent. (Nov. 4) AP
But other counties, like Chatham County, home to Savannah, also still have thousands of uncounted absentee ballots. The winner of the state will likely come down to several thousand votes.
One Senate race in the state is also too close to call at the moment.
GOP Sen. David Perdue, the incumbent, is still leading Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, but just 50.2% to 47.5%, with an estimated 96% of the votes reporting. Like Trump, Perdue’s lead over Ossoff is shrinking as more votes come in. If one candidate does not make it over the 50% threshold, the race will go to a runoff in January.
Georgia’s Senate seats could help Republicans keep their majority in the Senate or push Democrats closer to taking control of that chamber of Congress.
More: House Democrats didn't see 'blue wave' to expand majority. Here's what we know.
Georgia’s Senate special election for Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s seat, who was appointed to the seat after Sen. Johnny Isakson resigned in 2019, will be going to a runoff election in January.
None of the six candidates, including Loeffler, reached a 50% threshold in the race. Loeffler will be facing Raphael Warnock, a Democrat who is the senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.
During remarks Tuesday evening, Warnock thanked supporters for propelling him to a runoff and urged them to continue to support him in the coming weeks for the runoff.
"Thank you for pushing me one step closer to the Senate," he said. "Because when I get there, you will go with me. Your concerns will go with me. Your issues will go with me.


usatoday--2020-11-04--New Mexico makes history in the 2020 election by electing all women of color to the House

New Mexico makes history in the 2020 election by electing all women of color to the House It 's the @ @ @ @ @ women of color to the U.S. House of Representatives : Deb Haaland , Yvette Herrell @ @ @ @ @ .

New Mexico elects all women of color to House for first time
A previous version of this story misidentified the first state to have an all-women-of color House delegation.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-04--Biden rebuilds 'blue wall' in Wisconsin, Michigan, narrowing Trump's path to victory

WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden edged ahead on Wednesday afternoon after clinching the Rust Belt states of Michigan and Wisconsin , once considered to be part of the `` blue wall '' that crumbled for Democrats in 2016 .
NBC and CNN both projected Biden would win the Michigan , which leaves the former vice president just six votes short of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election .
Biden needs to maintain his lead in Nevada , where he holds a slim lead over Trump , in order to reach the 270-majority threshold .
State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect a result before 9 a.m. PDT on Thursday .
The former vice president said Wednesday he believed he was on track to win the White House , but he wouldn ’ t declare victory yet .
“ I ’ m not here to declare that we ’ ve won , ” Biden told reporters at the Chase Center in Wilmington , standing alongside his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris .
“ But I am here to report that when the count is finished , we believe we will be the winners.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what has been a tightening presidential race between Biden and Trump .
Well more than 5 million ballots were cast in the Wolverine State , shattering a record held by President Barack Obama in his 2008 campaign .
More than 60 % of the votes were cast by absentee ballot .
Turnout in Detroit topped 50 % , the highest in two decades .
About 28,000 voters took advantage of same-day voter registration , which was offered in Michigan for the first time in a presidential election .
In 2016 , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , three states that both campaigns have heavily focused on in the 2020 presidential election .
Pennsylvania , with its 20 electoral votes , has yet to be called , but the president is seeking to halt counting of mail-in ballots there .
The Trump campaign on Wednesday filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and overturn a Pennsylvania state Supreme Court ruling allowing election officials to count mail-in ballots received up to three days after the election .
Trump held the lead in the Keystone State , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been counted in the state .
Gov .
Tom Wolf , a Democrat , said early Wednesday morning the state still had over a million ballots left to be counted .
The crucial swing state of Nevada , on the other hand , is not set to report more results until Thursday .
The Nevada Secretary of State said Wednesday the state had counted all of its early and Election Day in-person votes and mail ballots through Nov. 2 , but still had yet to count mail ballots received on or after Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of several states that mailed an absentee ballot to every registered active voter , which the state said made it difficult to determine how many votes were outstanding .
Georgia and North Carolina also remained too close to call .
Biden was projected to win Maine except for the state 's competitive 2nd Congressional District , which backed the president .
Maine is one of two states , along with Nebraska , that divides its electoral college votes .
Nebraska ’ s 2nd Congressional District supported Biden , while the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a long election night .
Here 's what we know so far — and what we don't Trump officials pushed back hard on the narrative that Biden was gaining ground , arguing that the projections in Arizona were made too soon and that Biden 's lead in Nevada was very narrow .
The Trump campaign said it had filed a lawsuit in Michigan and promised to request a recount as soon as possible in Wisconsin .
Trump campaign officials dismissed projections by the Associated Press and Fox News during a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jason Miller said outstanding votes in the Copper State would erase Biden 's less than 100,000-vote lead .
Trump campaign vows to seek recount in Wisconsin Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien pledged to request a recount in Wisconsin before Biden was projected to carry the state earlier on Wednesday .
State election officials had announced that nearly all votes had been counted and unofficial returns showed Biden holding a slim lead of about 20,000 votes , or just under one percentage point , with 97 % of the precincts reporting .
`` Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we always knew that it would be , '' Stepien , citing voting irregularities , said in a statement .
`` The president is well within the threshold to request a recount and we will immediately do so . ''
A candidate may request a recount if they are within 1 % of the projected winner .
The state would only pay for the recount if the margin is less than or equal to a quarter of a percentage point .
Biden overtook Trump in early returns as Milwaukee reported its roughly 170,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic .
Late returns from Green Bay and Kenosha only added to his slender lead .
The president defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by a similar margin of fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016 , when the Badger State back a Republican presidential candidate for the first time since Ronald Reagan in 1984 .
Former Wisconsin Gov .
Scott Walker , a Republican , suggested Biden 's lead is a `` high hurdle '' for a recount .
`` After recount in 2011 race for WI Supreme Court , there was a swing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` After recount in 2016 presidential race in WI , @ realDonaldTrump numbers went up by 131 .
As I said , 20,000 is a high hurdle . ''
Any hopes of an early victory for Biden were dashed by the president 's capture of Florida , where high turnout in the typically Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County helped deliver the state 's prized 29 electoral votes for the Republican incumbent .
The Biden campaign mounted an aggressive campaign to seize Florida in an ambitious bid to expand their electoral map but were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural communities of the Florida Panhandle .
Although Trump did not win Miami-Dade , Florida 's most populous county , he lost it by a smaller margin than he did in 2016 .
His campaign had heavily courted Cuban American voters in Miami-Dade .
That performance , combined with his strength elsewhere in the state , helped him to lock down Florida .
Trump also scored victories in Texas and the Midwest battleground state of Ohio , two states the president carried in 2016 but were considered competitive this year .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 18 electoral votes in Ohio in the march toward 270 electoral votes needed to secure his second term .
More : Live Election Day coverage : Arizona picks Biden in historic shift to the left that includes Senate seat In the early hours of Wednesday , Trump prematurely claimed victory even as millions of mail-in ballots were still being tallied across several states while Biden insisted he was on track to win but urged patience until every vote is counted .
Speaking in the White House East Room at about 2:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead in the pivotal battleground state of Pennsylvania as well as Georgia and North Carolina as evidence of his win despite outstanding votes in those states .
Votes also are still being tabulated in the key battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan – which could hand Biden the presidency .
Neither candidate had reached the 270 electoral vote-threshold needed to win the presidency .
Trump threatened to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the counting of legally cast absentee ballots still being tallied , calling it `` fraud . ''
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which are legally cast and tend to favor Democrats .
`` This is a fraud on the American public .
This is an embarrassment to our country , '' he said .
`` We were getting ready to win this election .
Frankly , we did win this election . ''
The president 's remarks drew swift bipartisan criticism , including from former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , a close Trump ally .
`` There 's just no basis to make that argument tonight .
There just is n't , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I disagree with what he did tonight . ''
More : In Pennsylvania , 1.4 million ballots still being counted with race too close to call Biden 's campaign called the president 's remarks `` outrageous , unprecedented , and incorrect . ''
`` It ai n't over until every vote is counted , every ballot is counted , '' Biden earlier told a crowd at drive-in campaign event in Wilmington .
`` Keep the faith guys .
We 're going to win this . ''
In several states not accustomed to high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belt swing states Wisconsin , Michigan and Pennsylvania , election officials can not start counting ballots until on or just before Election Day .
Other swing states , such as Minnesota , allow absentee ballots to be postmarked up to Election Day .
That means partial results released on election night in these states – though not official until all votes are counted and certified – will include mostly votes cast on Election Day .
Yet in other key states , like North Carolina , Florida and Arizona , absentee ballots have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big swings in results on election night had been expected .
That does n't mean there are problems .
It means every vote is being counted .
More : Nebraska and Maine 's district voting method could be crucial in this election .
Here 's why .
Democrats ’ predictions they would expand their majority in the House fell short , and their pathway to a majority in the Senate seemed to fade , but in the first bright spot in the night for Democrats , Biden turned Arizona blue Biden 's victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state since 1996 , when Bill Clinton won the state .
The Associated Press called the state for Biden at 2:51 a.m. EST as Democrat Mark Kelly won the state ’ s Senate seat from Republican Martha McSally , who had aligned herself closely with the president .

Nicholas Wu, Courtney Subramanian and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

Biden rebuilds 'blue wall' in Wisconsin, Michigan, narrowing Trump's path to victory
WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden edged ahead on Wednesday afternoon after clinching the Rust Belt states of Michigan and Wisconsin, once considered to be part of the "blue wall" that crumbled for Democrats in 2016.
NBC and CNN both projected Biden would win the Michigan, which leaves the former vice president just six votes short of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.
Biden needs to maintain his lead in Nevada, where he holds a slim lead over Trump, in order to reach the 270-majority threshold. State officials in Nevada said they did not expect a result before 9 a.m. PDT on Thursday.
The former vice president said Wednesday he believed he was on track to win the White House, but he wouldn’t declare victory yet.
“I’m not here to declare that we’ve won,” Biden told reporters at the Chase Center in Wilmington, standing alongside his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris. “But I am here to report that when the count is finished, we believe we will be the winners.”
Rebuilding the 'blue wall'
The victories marked a major shift in what has been a tightening presidential race between Biden and Trump.
Well more than 5 million ballots were cast in the Wolverine State, shattering a record held by President Barack Obama in his 2008 campaign. More than 60% of the votes were cast by absentee ballot. Turnout in Detroit topped 50%, the highest in two decades.
About 28,000 voters took advantage of same-day voter registration, which was offered in Michigan for the first time in a presidential election.
In 2016, Trump narrowly won Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, three states that both campaigns have heavily focused on in the 2020 presidential election.
Pennsylvania, with its 20 electoral votes, has yet to be called, but the president is seeking to halt counting of mail-in ballots there. The Trump campaign on Wednesday filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and overturn a Pennsylvania state Supreme Court ruling allowing election officials to count mail-in ballots received up to three days after the election.
Trump held the lead in the Keystone State, but only an estimated two-thirds of the vote had been counted in the state. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said early Wednesday morning the state still had over a million ballots left to be counted.
The crucial swing state of Nevada, on the other hand, is not set to report more results until Thursday. The Nevada Secretary of State said Wednesday the state had counted all of its early and Election Day in-person votes and mail ballots through Nov. 2, but still had yet to count mail ballots received on or after Election Day and provisional ballots. Nevada was one of several states that mailed an absentee ballot to every registered active voter, which the state said made it difficult to determine how many votes were outstanding.
Georgia and North Carolina also remained too close to call.
Biden was projected to win Maine except for the state's competitive 2nd Congressional District, which backed the president.
Maine is one of two states, along with Nebraska, that divides its electoral college votes. Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District supported Biden, while the rest of the state backed Trump.
More: It was a long election night. Here's what we know so far — and what we don't
Trump officials pushed back hard on the narrative that Biden was gaining ground, arguing that the projections in Arizona were made too soon and that Biden's lead in Nevada was very narrow. The Trump campaign said it had filed a lawsuit in Michigan and promised to request a recount as soon as possible in Wisconsin.
Trump campaign officials dismissed projections by the Associated Press and Fox News during a call with reporters on Wednesday. Campaign aide Jason Miller said outstanding votes in the Copper State would erase Biden's less than 100,000-vote lead.
Trump campaign vows to seek recount in Wisconsin
Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien pledged to request a recount in Wisconsin before Biden was projected to carry the state earlier on Wednesday.
State election officials had announced that nearly all votes had been counted and unofficial returns showed Biden holding a slim lead of about 20,000 votes, or just under one percentage point, with 97% of the precincts reporting.
"Wisconsin has been a razor thin race as we always knew that it would be," Stepien, citing voting irregularities, said in a statement. "The president is well within the threshold to request a recount and we will immediately do so."
A candidate may request a recount if they are within 1% of the projected winner. The state would only pay for the recount if the margin is less than or equal to a quarter of a percentage point.
Biden overtook Trump in early returns as Milwaukee reported its roughly 170,000 outstanding absentee votes, which were overwhelmingly Democratic. Late returns from Green Bay and Kenosha only added to his slender lead.
The president defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by a similar margin of fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016, when the Badger State back a Republican presidential candidate for the first time since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, suggested Biden's lead is a "high hurdle" for a recount.
"After recount in 2011 race for WI Supreme Court, there was a swing of 300 votes," Walker tweeted. "After recount in 2016 presidential race in WI, @realDonaldTrump numbers went up by 131. As I said, 20,000 is a high hurdle."
Trump overperforms in Florida, blocking Biden's chance at early victory
Any hopes of an early victory for Biden were dashed by the president's capture of Florida, where high turnout in the typically Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County helped deliver the state's prized 29 electoral votes for the Republican incumbent.
The Biden campaign mounted an aggressive campaign to seize Florida in an ambitious bid to expand their electoral map but were eclipsed by support for Trump in more rural communities of the Florida Panhandle. Although Trump did not win Miami-Dade, Florida's most populous county, he lost it by a smaller margin than he did in 2016. His campaign had heavily courted Cuban American voters in Miami-Dade. That performance, combined with his strength elsewhere in the state, helped him to lock down Florida.
Trump also scored victories in Texas and the Midwest battleground state of Ohio, two states the president carried in 2016 but were considered competitive this year. The president picked up 38 electoral votes in Texas and 18 electoral votes in Ohio in the march toward 270 electoral votes needed to secure his second term.
More: Live Election Day coverage: Arizona picks Biden in historic shift to the left that includes Senate seat
How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
AP: Presidential race too early to call President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed to ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on the United States' inconclusive presidential election. The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner in the presidential race. (Nov. 4) AP
Trump claims victory, Biden optimistic about remaining votes
In the early hours of Wednesday, Trump prematurely claimed victory even as millions of mail-in ballots were still being tallied across several states while Biden insisted he was on track to win but urged patience until every vote is counted.
Speaking in the White House East Room at about 2:30 a.m. EST, Trump pointed to his preliminary lead in the pivotal battleground state of Pennsylvania as well as Georgia and North Carolina as evidence of his win despite outstanding votes in those states. Votes also are still being tabulated in the key battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan – which could hand Biden the presidency. Neither candidate had reached the 270 electoral vote-threshold needed to win the presidency.
Trump threatened to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the counting of legally cast absentee ballots still being tallied, calling it "fraud." The president has repeatedly sought to undermine mail-in ballots, which are legally cast and tend to favor Democrats.
"This is a fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country," he said. "We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election."
The president's remarks drew swift bipartisan criticism, including from former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a close Trump ally.
"There's just no basis to make that argument tonight. There just isn't," Christie told ABC News. "I disagree with what he did tonight."
More: In Pennsylvania, 1.4 million ballots still being counted with race too close to call
President Trump falsely claims he won the 2020 election Falsely declaring victory while votes are still being counted, President Donald Trump threatened to ask the Supreme Court to halt the counting of legally cast absentee ballots, which he described as a "fraud." USA TODAY
Biden's campaign called the president's remarks "outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect."
"It ain't over until every vote is counted, every ballot is counted," Biden earlier told a crowd at drive-in campaign event in Wilmington. "Keep the faith guys. We're going to win this."
In several states not accustomed to high volumes of mail-in voting, including Rust Belt swing states Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, election officials cannot start counting ballots until on or just before Election Day. Other swing states, such as Minnesota, allow absentee ballots to be postmarked up to Election Day.
That means partial results released on election night in these states – though not official until all votes are counted and certified – will include mostly votes cast on Election Day.
Yet in other key states, like North Carolina, Florida and Arizona, absentee ballots have been processed for weeks by Election Day.
Big swings in results on election night had been expected. That doesn't mean there are problems. It means every vote is being counted.
More: Nebraska and Maine's district voting method could be crucial in this election. Here's why.
Biden flips Arizona
Democrats’ predictions they would expand their majority in the House fell short, and their pathway to a majority in the Senate seemed to fade, but in the first bright spot in the night for Democrats, Biden turned Arizona blue
Biden's victory was the first Democratic win in the state since 1996, when Bill Clinton won the state. The Associated Press called the state for Biden at 2:51 a.m. EST as Democrat Mark Kelly won the state’s Senate seat from Republican Martha McSally, who had aligned herself closely with the president.
Contributing: Craig Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


usatoday--2020-11-04--Biden says he's 'confident' in victory, speaks to unity as votes continue to be counted

Biden says he 's 'confident ' in victory , speaks to unity as votes continue to be counted Biden calls @ @ @ @ @ in Wilmington , Delaware .
Votes are still being counted in states across the country @

2020 election: Biden calls for unity as votes continue to be counted
Biden calls for unity during his speech in Wilmington, Delaware. Votes are still being counted in states across the country.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-05--Donald Trump's aides are increasingly gloomy – and mad at other GOP officials

WASHINGTON – Some aides to President Donald Trump said they 're not giving up on the election , but they are also bracing for the worst .
They 're also upset with other Republicans who have not spoken out in support of the president 's complaints about ongoing vote counts in competitive states .
The election hinged on vote counts in only a few states : from Pennsylvania , to North Carolina , and Georgia and Nevada .
A Biden win in his native Pennsylvania would seal the election and cap a lifetime dream for the former vice president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public office .
Trump , meanwhile , trailing in the vote count or facing strong challenges in each state , lashed out Thursday , trying to cast doubt on the validity of the vote as he sought a second term in the White House .
The election hinged on vote counts in only a few states : from Pennsylvania , to North Carolina , and Georgia and Nevada .
Trailing in the Electoral College contest , Trump has sought to cast doubt on the validity of the vote .
Trump planned to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House .
The president who has been tweeting out complaints about the election – `` STOP THE COUNT ! ''
– has been out of the public eye since a speech at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday in which he falsely claimed he had won the election even as millions of votes were still being counted .
He also made baseless claims about election fraud .
The Trump campaign has pursued a variety of lawsuits in the competitive states , urging a recount in one state and a halt to voting in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing .
Aides said they see a chance that ongoing vote counts could preserve Trump 's leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia , and fuel comebacks in Arizona and Nevada – but some also acknowledged that many of the remaining votes appear to be from areas that tilt heavily toward Joe Biden .
White House and campaign aides spent Thursday as they spent Wednesday , in hurry-up-and-wait mode .
Some advisers are also skeptical that the campaign 's lawsuits will do anything to change the vote count .
They are also concerned that Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that networks will project a Biden victory in the state , essentially making him president-elect .
`` We 're just watching , '' one aide said .
Still , some aides said they believe Trump will pull this out , somehow .
On election night , as Tuesday turned to Wednesday , Trump campaign and White House officials expressed rising confidence as the president won the vote in Florida and built leads in Georgia , North Carolina and other states .
That confidence began to dissipate after Fox News , and then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( a call the campaign still protests ) .
The Trump team 's mood continued to sour as late counting gave Biden wins in Wisconsin and Michigan .
Aides , speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters , also expressed frustration that more Republican officials have not spoken out against the counting , especially in the states still being contested .
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf , a Democrat , has held news conferences about events in his state , but not folks like Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp and Arizona Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another aides said .
`` Where are Kemp and Ducey at ? ''
the aide said .
Donald Trump , Jr. , and his brother Eric have also protested the relative silence from prominent Republicans .
`` Where is the GOP ?
! ''
tweeted Eric Trump .
`` Our voters will never forget ... '' Trump himself has spoken to a variety of Republicans officials about the situation , including state governors , but few have voiced complaints about the election the way he has .

Donald Trump's aides are increasingly gloomy – and angry at other GOP officials
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump falsely claims he won the 2020 election Falsely declaring victory while votes are still being counted, President Donald Trump threatened to ask the Supreme Court to halt the counting of legally cast absentee ballots, which he described as a "fraud." USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Some aides to President Donald Trump said they're not giving up on the election, but they are also bracing for the worst.
They're also upset with other Republicans who have not spoken out in support of the president's complaints about ongoing vote counts in competitive states.
The election hinged on vote counts in only a few states: from Pennsylvania, to North Carolina, and Georgia and Nevada. A Biden win in his native Pennsylvania would seal the election and cap a lifetime dream for the former vice president and senator with more than 40 years in public office. Trump, meanwhile, trailing in the vote count or facing strong challenges in each state, lashed out Thursday, trying to cast doubt on the validity of the vote without evidence as he sought a second term in the White House.
The Trump campaign has pursued a variety of lawsuits in the competitive states, urging a recount in one state and a halt to voting in other states – including one where he is losing.
Aides said they see a chance that ongoing vote counts could preserve Trump's leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia, and fuel comebacks in Arizona and Nevada – but some also acknowledged that many of the remaining votes appear to be from areas that tilt heavily toward Joe Biden.
White House and campaign aides spent Thursday as they spent Wednesday, in hurry-up-and-wait mode.
Some advisers are also skeptical that the campaign's lawsuits will do anything to change the vote count. They are also concerned that Pennsylvania will finish its count soon, and that networks will project a Biden victory in the state, essentially making him president-elect.
"We're just watching," one aide said.
Still, some aides said they believe Trump will pull this out, somehow.
On election night, as Tuesday turned to Wednesday, Trump campaign and White House officials expressed rising confidence as the president won the vote in Florida and built leads in Georgia, North Carolina and other states.
That confidence began to dissipate after Fox News, and then the Associated Press, called Arizona for Biden (a call the campaign still protests). The Trump team's mood continued to sour as late counting gave Biden wins in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, also expressed frustration that more Republican officials have not spoken out against the counting, especially in the states still being contested.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has held news conferences about events in his state, but not folks like Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey – both Republicans, another aides said.
"Where are Kemp and Ducey at?" the aide said.
Donald Trump, Jr., and his brother Eric have also protested the relative silence from prominent Republicans.
"Where is the GOP?!" tweeted Eric Trump. "Our voters will never forget..."
Trump himself has spoken to a variety of Republicans officials about the situation, including state governors, but few have voiced complaints about the election the way he has.


usatoday--2020-11-05--Election results: Why networks are reporting different electoral college totals for Biden and Trump

The protracted race for presidency has confused some channel-flippers .
Look at Fox News Thursday , and you 'll see Joe Biden has 264 Electoral College votes of the 270 needed to win , while Donald Trump lags behind with 214 .
But tune into CNN and you 'll find that Biden has 253 , while Trump has 213 .
Some networks are using different polling data to make conclusions about which states are being won by each candidate .
CBS , CNN , ABC and NBC ( along with its cable sibling MSNBC ) are members of the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Edison Research .
But the Associated Press , a primary source for PBS , NPR and many major newspapers including USA TODAY , has its own VoteCast system .
Fox News has its own voting analysis system , based partly on AP data , that 's used for its own projections .
Both say they 've adjusted for the much larger number of absentee mail-in votes .
Unlike previous exit polls , VoteCast – launched for the 2018 midterm elections – recruits from a random sample of registered voters , using mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methods , to conduct `` massive '' online polls .
The National Election Pool surveys voters at polls along with telephone surveys of absentee and mail-in voters .
Fox projected that Biden would win Arizona 's 11 electoral votes at 11:20 p.m. EST Tuesday , with only 73 % of votes counted .
That sparked immediate pushback from the Trump campaign and a rare on-air appearance by Arnon Mishkin , who leads Fox 's decision desk , who defended its call .
AP followed Fox 's Arizona call a few hours later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN has tallied one fewer Electoral College vote for Trump than other outlets because it has n't called Maine 's 2nd congressional district .
( Maine and Nebraska are the only states where electoral votes can be split based on outcomes in separate districts ; other states are winner take all . )
Thursday , AP said it will continue monitoring Arizona results , where Biden holds a 68,000-vote lead , but said the majority of the 450,000 votes that remain to be counted are in Democratic-leaning Maricopa County , which includes Phoenix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state 's population , which informed its projection .
The Arizona count : In latest batch , Trump gets share of votes he would need to reclaim Arizona .
But next rounds of ballots present new challenges But results in Nevada , Alaska , Georgia , North Carolina and Pennsylvania , which has 20 electoral votes , have also not been finalized .

Election results: Why networks are reporting different electoral college totals for Biden and Trump
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The protracted race for presidency has confused some channel-flippers.
Look at Fox News Thursday, and you'll see Joe Biden has 264 Electoral College votes of the 270 needed to win, while Donald Trump lags behind with 214. But tune into CNN and you'll find that Biden has 253, while Trump has 213.
What's behind the discrepancy?
Some networks are using different polling data to make conclusions about which states are being won by each candidate.
CBS, CNN, ABC and NBC (along with its cable sibling MSNBC) are members of the National Election Pool, a consortium using data from Edison Research.
But the Associated Press, a primary source for PBS, NPR and many major newspapers including USA TODAY, has its own VoteCast system. Fox News has its own voting analysis system, based partly on AP data, that's used for its own projections.
Both say they've adjusted for the much larger number of absentee mail-in votes. Unlike previous exit polls, VoteCast – launched for the 2018 midterm elections – recruits from a random sample of registered voters, using mail, landline and cellphones, and online methods, to conduct "massive" online polls. The National Election Pool surveys voters at polls along with telephone surveys of absentee and mail-in voters.
Fox projected that Biden would win Arizona's 11 electoral votes at 11:20 p.m. EST Tuesday, with only 73% of votes counted. That sparked immediate pushback from the Trump campaign and a rare on-air appearance by Arnon Mishkin, who leads Fox's decision desk, who defended its call. AP followed Fox's Arizona call a few hours later, which was reported by USA TODAY.
Chris Wallace: "I did check in with our decision desk earlier today & they're not wavering -- they say that our call on Arizona is right, which puts him at 264. And if Biden wins any of the 3 states [NV, GA, or PA] ... he goes over the top." pic.twitter.com/OyCvLytGxX — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 5, 2020
CNN has tallied one fewer Electoral College vote for Trump than other outlets because it hasn't called Maine's 2nd congressional district. (Maine and Nebraska are the only states where electoral votes can be split based on outcomes in separate districts; other states are winner take all.)
Thursday, AP said it will continue monitoring Arizona results, where Biden holds a 68,000-vote lead, but said the majority of the 450,000 votes that remain to be counted are in Democratic-leaning Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and makes up 60% of the state's population, which informed its projection.
The Arizona count: In latest batch, Trump gets share of votes he would need to reclaim Arizona. But next rounds of ballots present new challenges
But results in Nevada, Alaska, Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, which has 20 electoral votes, have also not been finalized.


usatoday--2020-11-06--Coronavirus updates: Positive test forces Pac-12 to cancel game; Ohio governor wishes Trump would ma

A fall surge of COVID-19 — the one experts warned for months was likely — seems to be in full effect , as the United States surpassed 100,000 new daily cases for the first time .
That staggering number comes less than a week after surpassing more than 9 million confirmed cases , which is more than any other country .
It also comes two days after Americans went to the polls to elect a president , though the virus was n't on most voters ' minds : only 1 in 6 voters cited the pandemic as most important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cases are on the rise in the U.S. and across the globe , as numerous other countries tighten restrictions and some prepare for more lockdowns .
According to a USA TODAY analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University , the last 1 million coronavirus cases confirmed worldwide were reported in less than 36 hours — a rate of 7.8 cases every second .
Here 's what to know today : • The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time fell slightly last week to 751,000 , a still-historically high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for most foreign passport holders who reside in Britain , reacting to a new surge of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom .
• Denmark 's prime minister said Wednesday that the government wants to slaughter all 15 million minks in Danish farms to minimize the risk of them transmitting the coronavirus to humans .
• As the pandemic surges on across the nation , the NFL and college football continue to feel its effects .
Another NFL quarterback is sidelined and another ACC game is postponed .
📈 Today 's numbers : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million cases and more than 233,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University data .
The global totals : more than 48 million cases and 1.22 million deaths .
🗺 Mapping coronavirus : Track the U.S. outbreak in your state .
This file will be updated throughout the day .
For updates in your inbox , subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter .
Saturday 's delayed start to the Pac-12 football season will take place with one fewer game than scheduled .
Washington 's game at Cal was canceled at the request of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their players tested positive for the coronavirus .
The required isolation of other players left Cal without enough players to participate .
The game wo n't be rescheduled and will be declared no-contest .
Cal coach Justin Wilcox said he felt especially bad for his players .
`` They have done so well following the protocols that have been put in place , '' Wilcox said , `` but as we are finding out first-hand , playing football during 2020 is a fragile situation.
” On Aug. 11 , the Pac-12 and Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the risks of playing amid a pandemic .
But after the Big Ten reversed course a month later and opted to play a limited schedule , the Pac-12 was left as the only one of the Power Five conferences out of action and eventually chose a seven-game schedule of only league games .
An election judge supervisor in Missouri may have exposed nine poll workers to the coronavirus after testing positive and ignoring instructions to quarantine by working on Election Day , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
The supervisor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
St. Charles County health officials said the supervisor tested positive for the virus Oct. 30 and was told to quarantine for 14 days , but `` failed to follow the advice . ''
The officials do n't believe the supervisor came in close contact with any of the 1,800-plus voters who cast their ballots at the polling site Tuesday .
Ohio governor wishes Trump had a 'more happy relationship with masks' Republican Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine told NPR on Wednesday that he wished President Donald Trump had a `` more happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health reported 4,071 new cases of coronavirus in the state on Wednesday .
It was the second day in a row that the state had reported more than 4,000 new cases after a single-day record of 4,229 cases was reported Tuesday .
`` Well , I certainly wish the president had a more happy relationship with masks .
You know , we know so much more today than we knew in March .
We now know that these masks really work , '' DeWine told NPR .
He stressed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not wearing masks around friends and family .
`` If Ohioans understand that they ca n't let their guard down , that realization , I think , is really what will make a difference because it 's personal decisions that are being made , personal responsibility , '' DeWine said .
Another 751K Americans filed for unemployment last week as virus deepens economic pain The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time fell slightly last week to 751,000 , a still-historically high level that shows many employers keep cutting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
A surge in viral cases and Congress ’ failure to provide more aid for struggling individuals and businesses are threatening to deepen Americans ' economic pain .
Before the virus struck in March , the weekly figure had remained below 300,000 for more than five straight years .
Thursday ’ s report from the Labor Department said the number of people who are continuing to receive traditional unemployment benefits declined to 7.3 million .
That figure shows that some of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs or are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicates that many jobless Americans have used up their state unemployment aid — which typically expires after six months — and have transitioned to a federal extended-benefits program that lasts an additional 13 weeks .
US reports more than 100K cases in one day , breaking single-day count record Wednesday 's one-day record count , reported Thursday by Johns Hopkins University , of 102,831 was the first U.S. daily total to break 100,000 .
It translates to an average of more than 70 Americans reporting positive every minute .
In the seven-day period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 629,012 new cases , also a record , according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data .
Almost half the states set records for new cases for a seven-day period and five states had a record number of deaths in a week .
Illinois reported 9,935 new cases Thursday , more than 2,000 above its previous high set Oct. 31 .
In Minnesota , ICU bed use was at 92 % capacity statewide and at 98 % in the Twin Cities area .
`` The seasonal uptick has been predicted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led the pandemic unit at the federal Agency for International Development for nearly 15 years , told USA TODAY .
`` As it stands , we ’ re no better prepared than the spring , meaning widespread closures and shutdowns as we are witnessing in Europe are inevitable . ''
COVID disrupts NFL teams ' preparation , but 49ers-Packers still on The San Francisco 49ers are still expected to host their Thursday night game against the Green Bay Packers despite placing four players on the NFL 's reserve/COVID-19 list the previous day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kendrick Bourne tested positive for the coronavirus and fellow receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk , as well as offensive tackle , also were put on the list because of close exposure to Bourne .
The virus disrupted normal operations for four other NFL teams Thursday , when the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs had to close their facilities because of a positive test .
The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans also had to alter their game preparations because of positive tests on their ranks .
U.S. abstains from voting on UN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenia as the only countries to abstain from voting as the United Nations unanimously decided Thursday to hold a December summit on the COVID-19 pandemic to press for action on the global spread of the coronavirus .
The vote was 150-0 .
The summit , scheduled for Dec. 3-4 , will include prerecorded speeches by world leaders and a discussion led by World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , who currently has COVID .
Assembly President Volkan Bozkir called the high-level special session “ a historic moment and a test for multilateralism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our collective action on one of the most critical issues of our time.
” A Texas televangelist who railed against sex outside marriage and called the coronavirus `` a wakeup call '' and `` a privilege '' has died of COVID-19 , his ministry announced .
Irvin Baxter , who founded Endtime Ministries -- now based in the Plano , Texas -- was hospitalized with the disease last week and died Tuesday , according to a posting in the Christian organization 's website .
He was 75 .
In a March television appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said 7.5 million unwed American couples were living together , which he said meant they would n't get to heaven .
“ God may be using this as a wake-up call , ” Baxter said .
“ This coronavirus may be a privilege , because I 'll tell you right now , there is a much bigger judgment coming .
It 's in the Bible.
” A woman who had COVID-19 was shedding the infectious virus for up to 70 days without showing any symptoms , according to a case study published Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient had leukemia and hypogammaglobulinemia , a condition that results in fewer antibodies , making her immunocompromised and more vulnerable to infection .
The infectious virus was located in the woman ’ s upper respiratory tract for up to 70 days and the virus RNA was observed for up to 150 days past initial diagnosis , according to the report .
Researchers concluded that certain immunocompromised patients may shed infectious virus for longer durations than previously recognized .
The woman was treated with convalescent plasma twice before the infection finally cleared .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread in prisons Thousands of people left New Jersey state prisons and halfway houses Wednesday under a law reducing sentences for inmates who served time during the coronavirus pandemic .
State officials said 2,261 inmates were released throughout the day , marking a single-day drop of 15 % in the state prison population .
The drastic decline was lawmakers ' response to the coronavirus 's devastation in New Jersey prisons .
The death rate inside state prisons was the highest in the nation , according to the nonprofit criminal justice newsroom The Marshall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million minks over coronavirus fears Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday the government wants to cull all 15 million minks in Danish farms to minimize the risk of them transmitting the new coronavirus to humans .
Frederiksen said a report from a government agency that maps the coronavirus in Denmark has shown a mutation in the virus found in 12 people in the northern part of the country who got infected by minks .
Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said half the 783 human COVID-19 cases in northern Denmark ” are related ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , very serious , ” Frederiksen said .
“ Thus , the mutated virus in minks can have devastating consequences worldwide.
” Denmark is one of the world 's main mink fur exporters , producing an estimated 17 million furs per year .
Kopenhagen Fur , a cooperative of 1,500 Danish breeders , accounts for 40 % of the global mink production .
Most of its exports go to China and Hong Kong .
China bars entry for residents from Britain as cases rise in United Kingdom China is suspending entry for most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reacting to a new surge of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom .
The suspension covers those holding visas or residence permits issued before Nov. 3 , with exceptions for diplomats and some others .
Foreign nationals wishing to visit China for emergency needs may apply for special-case visas .
The Chinese Embassy in London says the suspension will be “ assessed in accordance with the evolving situation and any adjustment will be announced accordingly.
” China has largely contained the spread of the coronavirus within the country but continues to record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
Chinese officials require all people arriving in China to undergo two weeks of quarantine .
Two possible COVID-19 vaccines could be ready by December , scientists say The chair of Britain ’ s coronavirus vaccine task force said data evaluating the efficacy and safety of the two most advanced candidates should be available in early December .
Kate Bingham told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that information on the two vaccine candidates — developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca , and Pfizer and BioNTech — should be available by then .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ need regulatory approval , Bingham says .
“ If we get that , we have the possibility of deploying by year end , ” she said .
Oxford Vaccine Trial Chief Investigator Andrew Pollard said results from late-stage trials could be presented by then , Reuters reported .
The National Health Service in England is preparing to start distributing a possible vaccine before Christmas , just in case one is ready by then .
Louisville 's football game against Virginia on Saturday has been postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak on the Cardinals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Nov. 14 , replacing the Cardinals ' originally scheduled bye week .
Louisville missed nine players in last week 's game against Virginia Tech due to coronavirus-related issues .
Louisville athletics director Vince Tyra said the football program is dealing with 15 COVID-19 cases -- 10 of them among players -- with seven more people in quarantine .
Five of them are players .
• In your inbox : Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic from the USA TODAY Network .
Sign up for the daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coping : Every Saturday and Tuesday we 'll be in your inbox , offering you a virtual hug and a little bit of solace in these difficult times .
Sign up for Staying Apart , Together .
• On Facebook : A lot is still unknown about the coronavirus .
But what we do know , we 're sharing with you .
Join our Facebook group , Coronavirus Watch , to receive daily updates in your feed and chat with others in the community about COVID-19 .

Lindsay Schnell, Adrianna Rodriguez and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

Coronavirus updates: Positive test forces Pac-12 to cancel game; Ohio governor wishes Trump would mask up; US passes 100K single-day count
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 symptoms versus flu symptoms We answer the often searched question: "What are the symptoms of coronavirus versus the flu?" USA TODAY
A fall surge of COVID-19 — the one experts warned for months was likely — seems to be in full effect, as the United States surpassed 100,000 new daily cases for the first time.
That staggering number comes less than a week after surpassing more than 9 million confirmed cases, which is more than any other country.
It also comes two days after Americans went to the polls to elect a president, though the virus wasn't on most voters' minds: only 1 in 6 voters cited the pandemic as most important to their vote. Follow election news here.
Cases are on the rise in the U.S. and across the globe, as numerous other countries tighten restrictions and some prepare for more lockdowns. According to a USA TODAY analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University, the last 1 million coronavirus cases confirmed worldwide were reported in less than 36 hours — a rate of 7.8 cases every second.
Here's what to know today:
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time fell slightly last week to 751,000, a still-historically high level.
China is suspending entry for most foreign passport holders who reside in Britain, reacting to a new surge of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom.
Denmark's prime minister said Wednesday that the government wants to slaughter all 15 million minks in Danish farms to minimize the risk of them transmitting the coronavirus to humans.
As the pandemic surges on across the nation, the NFL and college football continue to feel its effects. Another NFL quarterback is sidelined and another ACC game is postponed.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.5 million cases and more than 233,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: more than 48 million cases and 1.22 million deaths.
🗺 Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
This file will be updated throughout the day. For updates in your inbox, subscribe to The Daily Briefing newsletter.
Start of Pac-12 football season marred by canceled Washington-Cal game
Saturday's delayed start to the Pac-12 football season will take place with one fewer game than scheduled.
Washington's game at Cal was canceled at the request of the host Golden Bears after one of their players tested positive for the coronavirus. The required isolation of other players left Cal without enough players to participate. The game won't be rescheduled and will be declared no-contest.
Cal coach Justin Wilcox said he felt especially bad for his players. "They have done so well following the protocols that have been put in place,'' Wilcox said, "but as we are finding out first-hand, playing football during 2020 is a fragile situation.”
On Aug. 11, the Pac-12 and Big Ten announced they were postponing their seasons because of the risks of playing amid a pandemic. But after the Big Ten reversed course a month later and opted to play a limited schedule, the Pac-12 was left as the only one of the Power Five conferences out of action and eventually chose a seven-game schedule of only league games.
An election judge supervisor in Missouri may have exposed nine poll workers to the coronavirus after testing positive and ignoring instructions to quarantine by working on Election Day, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The supervisor, who was not identified, later died.
St. Charles County health officials said the supervisor tested positive for the virus Oct. 30 and was told to quarantine for 14 days, but ''failed to follow the advice.'' The officials don't believe the supervisor came in close contact with any of the 1,800-plus voters who cast their ballots at the polling site Tuesday.
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told NPR on Wednesday that he wished President Donald Trump had a "more happy relationship with masks."
The Ohio Department of Health reported 4,071 new cases of coronavirus in the state on Wednesday. It was the second day in a row that the state had reported more than 4,000 new cases after a single-day record of 4,229 cases was reported Tuesday.
"Well, I certainly wish the president had a more happy relationship with masks. You know, we know so much more today than we knew in March. We now know that these masks really work," DeWine told NPR.
He stressed that the current virus spread is happening because people are not wearing masks around friends and family.
"If Ohioans understand that they can't let their guard down, that realization, I think, is really what will make a difference because it's personal decisions that are being made, personal responsibility," DeWine said.
– Sarah Brookbank, Cincinnati Enquirer
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time fell slightly last week to 751,000, a still-historically high level that shows many employers keep cutting jobs in the face of the accelerating pandemic.
A surge in viral cases and Congress’ failure to provide more aid for struggling individuals and businesses are threatening to deepen Americans' economic pain. Before the virus struck in March, the weekly figure had remained below 300,000 for more than five straight years.
Thursday’s report from the Labor Department said the number of people who are continuing to receive traditional unemployment benefits declined to 7.3 million. That figure shows that some of the unemployed are being recalled to their old jobs or are finding new ones.
But it also indicates that many jobless Americans have used up their state unemployment aid — which typically expires after six months — and have transitioned to a federal extended-benefits program that lasts an additional 13 weeks.
Wednesday's one-day record count, reported Thursday by Johns Hopkins University, of 102,831 was the first U.S. daily total to break 100,000. It translates to an average of more than 70 Americans reporting positive every minute.
In the seven-day period that ended Wednesday, the U.S. reported 629,012 new cases, also a record, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data. Almost half the states set records for new cases for a seven-day period and five states had a record number of deaths in a week. Illinois reported 9,935 new cases Thursday, more than 2,000 above its previous high set Oct. 31. In Minnesota, ICU bed use was at 92% capacity statewide and at 98% in the Twin Cities area.
"The seasonal uptick has been predicted for months," Dennis Carroll, who led the pandemic unit at the federal Agency for International Development for nearly 15 years, told USA TODAY. "As it stands, we’re no better prepared than the spring, meaning widespread closures and shutdowns as we are witnessing in Europe are inevitable."
– Mike Stucka and John Bacon
Coronavirus: How R-0 can be used to fight COVID-19 R-0 may be the most important scientific term you’ve never heard of when it comes to stopping the coronavirus pandemic. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The San Francisco 49ers are still expected to host their Thursday night game against the Green Bay Packers despite placing four players on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list the previous day.
According to several reports, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for the coronavirus and fellow receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, as well as offensive tackle, also were put on the list because of close exposure to Bourne.
The virus disrupted normal operations for four other NFL teams Thursday, when the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs had to close their facilities because of a positive test. The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans also had to alter their game preparations because of positive tests on their ranks.
The U.S. joined Israel and Armenia as the only countries to abstain from voting as the United Nations unanimously decided Thursday to hold a December summit on the COVID-19 pandemic to press for action on the global spread of the coronavirus. The vote was 150-0.
The summit, scheduled for Dec. 3-4, will include prerecorded speeches by world leaders and a discussion led by World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who currently has COVID.
Assembly President Volkan Bozkir called the high-level special session “a historic moment and a test for multilateralism” that “will be defined by our collective action on one of the most critical issues of our time.”
-- The Associated Press
A Texas televangelist who railed against sex outside marriage and called the coronavirus "a wakeup call'' and "a privilege'' has died of COVID-19, his ministry announced.
Irvin Baxter, who founded Endtime Ministries -- now based in the Plano, Texas -- was hospitalized with the disease last week and died Tuesday, according to a posting in the Christian organization's website. He was 75.
In a March television appearance, Baxter denunciated "fornication'' and said 7.5 million unwed American couples were living together, which he said meant they wouldn't get to heaven. “God may be using this as a wake-up call,” Baxter said. “This coronavirus may be a privilege, because I'll tell you right now, there is a much bigger judgment coming. It's in the Bible.”
A woman who had COVID-19 was shedding the infectious virus for up to 70 days without showing any symptoms, according to a case study published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Cell.
The patient had leukemia and hypogammaglobulinemia, a condition that results in fewer antibodies, making her immunocompromised and more vulnerable to infection.
The infectious virus was located in the woman’s upper respiratory tract for up to 70 days and the virus RNA was observed for up to 150 days past initial diagnosis, according to the report.
Researchers concluded that certain immunocompromised patients may shed infectious virus for longer durations than previously recognized. The woman was treated with convalescent plasma twice before the infection finally cleared.
Thousands of people left New Jersey state prisons and halfway houses Wednesday under a law reducing sentences for inmates who served time during the coronavirus pandemic.
State officials said 2,261 inmates were released throughout the day, marking a single-day drop of 15% in the state prison population.
The drastic decline was lawmakers' response to the coronavirus's devastation in New Jersey prisons. The death rate inside state prisons was the highest in the nation, according to the nonprofit criminal justice newsroom The Marshall Project.
– Stacey Barchenger, Trenton Bureau
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday the government wants to cull all 15 million minks in Danish farms to minimize the risk of them transmitting the new coronavirus to humans.
Frederiksen said a report from a government agency that maps the coronavirus in Denmark has shown a mutation in the virus found in 12 people in the northern part of the country who got infected by minks. Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said half the 783 human COVID-19 cases in northern Denmark ”are related” to minks.
“It is very, very serious,” Frederiksen said. “Thus, the mutated virus in minks can have devastating consequences worldwide.”
Denmark is one of the world's main mink fur exporters, producing an estimated 17 million furs per year. Kopenhagen Fur, a cooperative of 1,500 Danish breeders, accounts for 40% of the global mink production. Most of its exports go to China and Hong Kong.
China is suspending entry for most foreign passport holders who reside in Britain, reacting to a new surge of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom.
The suspension covers those holding visas or residence permits issued before Nov. 3, with exceptions for diplomats and some others. Foreign nationals wishing to visit China for emergency needs may apply for special-case visas.
The Chinese Embassy in London says the suspension will be “assessed in accordance with the evolving situation and any adjustment will be announced accordingly.”
China has largely contained the spread of the coronavirus within the country but continues to record imported cases, including another 20 reported Thursday. Chinese officials require all people arriving in China to undergo two weeks of quarantine.
The chair of Britain’s coronavirus vaccine task force said data evaluating the efficacy and safety of the two most advanced candidates should be available in early December.
Kate Bingham told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that information on the two vaccine candidates — developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and Pfizer and BioNTech — should be available by then. After that, the vaccine candidates will need regulatory approval, Bingham says.
“If we get that, we have the possibility of deploying by year end,” she said.
Oxford Vaccine Trial Chief Investigator Andrew Pollard said results from late-stage trials could be presented by then, Reuters reported. The National Health Service in England is preparing to start distributing a possible vaccine before Christmas, just in case one is ready by then.
Louisville's football game against Virginia on Saturday has been postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak on the Cardinals team. The game will be moved to Nov. 14, replacing the Cardinals' originally scheduled bye week. Louisville missed nine players in last week's game against Virginia Tech due to coronavirus-related issues.
Louisville athletics director Vince Tyra said the football program is dealing with 15 COVID-19 cases -- 10 of them among players -- with seven more people in quarantine. Five of them are players.
— Cameron Teague Robinson, Louisville Courier Journal
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Contributing: Grace Hauck; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-06--Did Joe Biden or Donald Trump win the election? This is how Facebook will tell you who the next pres

Did Joe Biden or Donald Trump win the election? This is how Facebook will tell you who the next president is

Facebook says it will alert U.S. users to the winner of the presidential election at the top of Facebook and Instagram feeds .
The social media company made the announcement as votes were still being counted , with Joe Biden leading in Arizona and Nevada and President Donald Trump ’ s leads shrinking in Georgia and Pennsylvania .
Facebook said it would rely on wire service Reuters and independent decision desks at major news outlets such as ABC News and The Associated Press .
The notification will say : “ A Presidential Winner Has Been Projected ” and then either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner of the 2020 US Presidential Election.
” The notification will also include a timestamp .
“ We will also apply a label with similar text on presidential candidates ’ posts , with a link to our Voting Information Center to see more about the election results , ” Facebook said .
Also on Thursday , Facebook said it would deploy “ break glass ” measures to restrict the flow of election misinformation as civil unrest grows during the wait for election results .
“ As vote counting continues , we are seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
While many of these claims have low engagement on our platform , we are taking additional temporary steps , which we ’ ve previously discussed , to keep this content from reaching more people , ” the company said in a statement .
Facebook said it ’ s demoting content on Facebook and Instagram , including debunked claims about voting .
It is also limiting the distribution of live videos that may relate to the election .
These are some of the most significant steps by Facebook to curb potentially dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at times amplified by Trump or his allies .
Trump ’ s social media posts on Facebook and Twitter have been flagged numerous times for being misleading .
In a news conference Thursday evening , Trump accused `` big tech '' of trying to `` steal '' the election , echoing the rallying cry of supporters on social media .
Earlier Thursday , Facebook shut down a fast-growing pro-Trump “ Stop the Steal ” group calling for `` boots on the ground to protect the integrity of the vote ” over “ @ @ @ @ @ @

Facebook alerts nation that Joe Biden won the presidency even as Donald Trump vows to fight
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump falsely claims he won the 2020 election Falsely declaring victory while votes are still being counted, President Donald Trump threatened to ask the Supreme Court to halt the counting of legally cast absentee ballots, which he described as a "fraud." USA TODAY
Facebook alerted millions of U.S. users that Joe Biden was the projected winner of the presidential election at the top of Facebook and Instagram feeds even as President Donald Trump vowed to fight on.
The social media company made the announcement Saturday after major news outlets called the election in Biden's favor.
The notification says: “A Presidential Winner Has Been Projected” and then "Joe Biden is the projected winner of the 2020 US Presidential Election.”
The notification also included a timestamp, 11 a.m. ET, and a link to the company's Voting Information Center for election results.
Facebook helped register a record 4.4 million voters in a get-out-the-vote drive for the November election.
Trump levels baseless claims: President accuses Democrats of stealing election as Biden's lead grows
MSNBC drops Trump speech: Fox and CNN cover President Trump's falsehood-laden speech
CEO Mark Zuckerberg set the goal in June when he announced the massive effort to increase turnout in a USA TODAY op-ed.
The unprecedented ballot-box push exceeded previous Facebook efforts and large-scale registration campaigns such as Rock the Vote in 2016, which registered 1.7 million.
Facebook pulled out all the stops to encourage more Americans to hit the polls, part of an unprecedented effort by social media companies to increase turnout during a highly contentious election cycle.
Facebook and other social media companies stepped in when the coronavirus has interrupted traditional voter registration drives door-to-door, on college campuses or in mall parking lots and voter registration numbers plunged as the pandemic spread in the spring.
The get-out-the-vote initiative benefited from the vast reach Facebook, Instagram and Messenger have in American life. It was also an acknowledgment of the harm from foreign interference, divisive messages, falsehoods and conspiracy theories in previous election cycles.
On Thursday, Facebook said it would deploy “break glass” measures to restrict the flow of election misinformation as the nation waited for election results.
“As vote counting continues, we are seeing more reports of inaccurate claims about the election. While many of these claims have low engagement on our platform, we are taking additional temporary steps, which we’ve previously discussed, to keep this content from reaching more people,” the company said in a statement.
Facebook said it’s demoting content on Facebook and Instagram, including debunked claims about voting. It is also limiting the distribution of live videos that may relate to the election.
These are some of the most significant steps by Facebook to curb potentially dangerous misinformation that has spread since Election Day, at times amplified by Trump or his allies. Trump’s social media posts on Facebook and Twitter have been flagged numerous times for being misleading.
In a news conference Thursday evening, Trump accused "big tech" of trying to "steal" the election, echoing the rallying cry of supporters on social media.
Earlier Thursday, Facebook shut down a fast-growing pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” group calling for "boots on the ground to protect the integrity of the vote” over “worrying calls for violence.”
A former Facebook content moderator warned that regardless of the election's outcome, she expected calls for violence.
Viana Ferguson, who worked as a moderator from 2016 to 2019 and spoke as part of a news briefing organized by the Real Facebook Oversight Board, a group of Facebook critics, said users of the platform have become increasingly bold about openly discussing "violence they are willing to execute."
"It's going to happen, doesn't matter who wins," she said. "Facebook needs to be prepared for that."
For some on the political right, the company's efforts to curb harmful content have been too aggressive.


usatoday--2020-11-06--Raven Leilani's debut novel 'Luster' wins $50,000 Kirkus prize

NEW YORK — A debut novel about a young Black woman in publishing who has an affair with a married white man has won a $ 50,000 award .
Raven Leilani 's `` Luster '' is this year 's winner of the Kirkus Prize for fiction .
The trade publication Kirkus Reviews announced two other $ 50,000 honors on Wednesday : Mychal Denzel Smith 's `` Stakes Is High : Life After the American Dream '' won for best nonfiction and Derrick Barnes ' `` I Am Every Good Thing , '' with illustrations by Gordon C. James , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James won in 2018 for `` Crown : An Ode to the Fresh Cut . ''
Finalists included two books endorsed by Oprah Winfrey : James McBride 's novel `` Deacon King Kong '' and Isabel Wilkerson 's `` Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents . ''
`` Luster , '' which was released in August , is about a young woman named Edie trying to make her way as an artist .
She becomes infatuated with an older , married man in an open marriage and ends up messily entangled in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a funny writer that the despair of Edie ’ s predicament isn ’ t clear until she ’ s fully immersed in it , '' wrote Mark Athitakis in a ★★★½ ( out of four ) review for USA TODAY , calling Leilani a `` major new talent . ''
`` 'Luster ' is distinguished by its focus on race , which raises the stakes for the story , '' the review continued .
`` The climax emphasizes that for all of her wit and flexibility , Edie is ultimately a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s treated as an assistant , then an interloper and finally an invader . ''

Raven Leilani's debut novel 'Luster' wins $50,000 Kirkus prize
Show Caption Hide Caption Comedians Desus and Mero on cancel culture, new book Comedians Desus and Mero chat with USA TODAY's Rasha Ali about their new book, "God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx." Entertain This!, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — A debut novel about a young Black woman in publishing who has an affair with a married white man has won a $50,000 award. Raven Leilani's "Luster" is this year's winner of the Kirkus Prize for fiction.
The trade publication Kirkus Reviews announced two other $50,000 honors on Wednesday: Mychal Denzel Smith's "Stakes Is High: Life After the American Dream" won for best nonfiction and Derrick Barnes' "I Am Every Good Thing," with illustrations by Gordon C. James, for young people's literature. Barnes and James won in 2018 for "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut."
Finalists included two books endorsed by Oprah Winfrey: James McBride's novel "Deacon King Kong" and Isabel Wilkerson's "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents."
"Luster," which was released in August, is about a young woman named Edie trying to make her way as an artist. She becomes infatuated with an older, married man in an open marriage and ends up messily entangled in his family life.
"Leilani is such a funny writer that the despair of Edie’s predicament isn’t clear until she’s fully immersed in it," wrote Mark Athitakis in a ★★★½ (out of four) review for USA TODAY, calling Leilani a "major new talent."
"'Luster' is distinguished by its focus on race, which raises the stakes for the story," the review continued. "The climax emphasizes that for all of her wit and flexibility, Edie is ultimately a Black woman in a white neighborhood. She’s treated as an assistant, then an interloper and finally an invader."


usatoday--2020-11-05--'I promise I'll do better': Anne Hathaway apologizes for depiction of disabilities in 'The Witches'

Anne Hathaway is apologizing for the `` pain caused '' to the limb difference community after `` The Witches '' received `` disappointed '' backlash for its depiction of disabilities .
Hathaway 's Grand High Witch , the main character in Robert Zemeckis ' new adaptation of Roald Dahl 's `` The Witches '' ( streaming on HBO Max ) , has three-fingered hands that resemble the congenital disorder ectrodactyly .
`` I am sorry , '' Hathaway wrote on Instagram Thursday , a day after Warner Bros. issued an apology for the depiction .
`` I did not connect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witch ) when the look of the character was brought to me ; if I had , I assure you this never would have happened . ''
`` As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really , really detests cruelty , I owe you all an apology for the pain caused , '' she captioned an informational video from Lucky Fin Project , a nonprofit organization that raises awareness of limb differences .
'The Witches ' : Anne Hathaway on how she played the child-hating Grand High Witch while secretly pregnant Amy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , called out the film in a tweet Monday , saying she was `` disappointed '' in the movie 's portrayal .
`` Yes , I am fully aware that this is a film , and these are Witches .
But Witches are essentially monsters .
My fear is that children will watch this film , unaware that it massively exaggerates the Roald Dahl original and that limbs differences begin to be feared , '' she wrote .
`` This opens up all new difficult conversations for those with limb differences and sets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is to celebrate who you are ! ''
'The Witches ' : Critics give HBO Max remake mixed reviews , from 'high-camp funny ' to 'dreadful' The official Twitter account for the Paralympic Games backed Marren up in a tweet Tuesday , emphasizing that `` limb difference is not scary '' and should be `` celebrated . ''
Grace Mandeville , an illustrator who is part of the disability community , criticized the movie and said she was `` so disappointed . ''
`` Who thought it was a good idea to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a witch more scary when it 's not even written in the book or in the original movie ? ''
Mandeville tweeted , along with the cover of Dahl 's `` The Witches . ''
Yes , this is just a movie to some , but this effects the perception of the disabled much more than you know . ''
`` Yet again Hollywood ( # RobertZemeckis ) are using disability to act as a shorthand / signifier for evil and villainy .
Disabled people rarely get to see themselves represented in movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are it ’ s as baddies portrayed by non disabled actors , '' Adam Pearson tweeted .
Hathaway assured `` now that I know better I promise I ’ ll do better , '' and encouraged her followers to explore the # NotAWitch hashtag to `` get a more inclusive and necessary perspective on limb difference . ''

'I promise I'll do better': Anne Hathaway apologizes for depiction of disabilities in 'The Witches'
Show Caption Hide Caption Hathaway's (super) wicked witch Actor Anne Hathaway says her children will have to wait until adulthood to see her star in a new adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic tale, "The Witches." (Oct. 28) AP
Anne Hathaway is apologizing for the "pain caused" to the limb difference community after "The Witches" received "disappointed" backlash for its depiction of disabilities.
Hathaway's Grand High Witch, the main character in Robert Zemeckis' new adaptation of Roald Dahl's "The Witches" (streaming on HBO Max), has three-fingered hands that resemble the congenital disorder ectrodactyly.
"I am sorry," Hathaway wrote on Instagram Thursday, a day after Warner Bros. issued an apology for the depiction. "I did not connect limb difference with the (Grand High Witch) when the look of the character was brought to me; if I had, I assure you this never would have happened."
"As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused," she captioned an informational video from Lucky Fin Project, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness of limb differences.
'The Witches': Anne Hathaway on how she played the child-hating Grand High Witch while secretly pregnant
Amy Marren, a 22-year-old British Paralympic swimmer, called out the film in a tweet Monday, saying she was "disappointed" in the movie's portrayal.
"Yes, I am fully aware that this is a film, and these are Witches. But Witches are essentially monsters. My fear is that children will watch this film, unaware that it massively exaggerates the Roald Dahl original and that limbs differences begin to be feared," she wrote. "This opens up all new difficult conversations for those with limb differences and sets back what we are trying to achieve which is to celebrate who you are!"
'The Witches': Critics give HBO Max remake mixed reviews, from 'high-camp funny' to 'dreadful'
The official Twitter account for the Paralympic Games backed Marren up in a tweet Tuesday, emphasizing that "limb difference is not scary" and should be "celebrated."
Grace Mandeville, an illustrator who is part of the disability community, criticized the movie and said she was "so disappointed."
"Who thought it was a good idea to add in a disability just to make a witch more scary when it's not even written in the book or in the original movie?" Mandeville tweeted, along with the cover of Dahl's "The Witches." Yes, this is just a movie to some, but this effects the perception of the disabled much more than you know."
"Yet again Hollywood (#RobertZemeckis) are using disability to act as a shorthand / signifier for evil and villainy. Disabled people rarely get to see themselves represented in movies (#CrippingUp) and when they are it’s as baddies portrayed by non disabled actors," Adam Pearson tweeted.
Hathaway assured "now that I know better I promise I’ll do better," and encouraged her followers to explore the #NotAWitch hashtag to "get a more inclusive and necessary perspective on limb difference."
Contributing: Cydney Henderson