usatoday--2020-11-09--What's next for soon-to-be former first lady Melania Trump?

Unconventional and unpredictable , first lady Melania Trump now faces the task of vacating the White House and deciding what the next phase of her life will look like .
The last few days of election week have been as tumultuous as the last near-four years in Washington – but pretty typical for her : She was seen only once – at the White House with the president in the early hours of Wednesday morning – and has not been seen or heard in public since .
Meanwhile , it was all over but the shouting .
Nail-biting waits for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was declared president-elect Saturday morning .
The president blasted out multiple ALL-CAP tweets , one demanded the vote counting stop and another claimed he won `` by a lot '' just ahead of many media networks calling the race in favor of Biden .
The president ranted on Thursday night during a live press conference about alleged fraud in the election , which was so shocking many media outlets , including USA TODAY , cut away in the middle of it .
Melania Trump was n't there .
On Friday morning , her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a hospital she visited last year in Boston , as if nothing unusual was happening .
So now that Democrat Joe Biden has been declared the winner , what 's next for her ?
Will she return to her former role of devoted mom and wealthy lady-of-leisure , traveling between one Trump estate to another ?
After Jan. 21 , will she make a beeline for her Trump Tower penthouse in New York City or head for the spa at Mar-a-Lago in sunny Palm Beach , Florida ?
Based on the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confide .
But a hint : She voted Tuesday in person in Palm Beach County where the Trumps have registered to vote and have made their official residence .
`` I assume Mrs. Trump will go back to Florida – or maybe she will be able to convince her husband to return to New York as their official residence – and continue the kind of life she led before the White House , '' predicts first lady historian Katherine Jellison , a professor of history at Ohio University .
But first she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House for the Trumps ' final Christmas season there , says Anita McBride , who was former first lady Laura Bush 's chief of staff and now runs the Legacies of America 's First Ladies Initiative at American University .
Losing the election comes with `` a certain disappointment of not having this option ( of being in the White House ) again after working so hard towards it , '' McBride says .
`` You go through the stages of a loss because it is a loss .
I think ( Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son ( Barron ) ; helping him to manage this transition will most likely be foremost in her mind . ''
But who could blame Trump if she is preparing to relinquish with some relief the undefined , unpaid , high-pressure job of first lady to former second lady Jill Biden , now the FLOTUS in waiting .
Why ?
Four years of near constant battles with the mainstream media Trump despised and a deluge of toxic tweets from critics who returned her disdain .
Sharp criticism of her fashion and decorating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a five-day hospital stay and weeks when she disappeared from public view .
Continuing talk and lawsuits over her husband 's past alleged indiscretions .
A first-lady agenda that fell short of its ambitions , especially on fighting online bullying of the sort often practiced by the president .
There were public spats over banal jokes invoking son Barron , 14 ; over her desire to tune the TV on Air Force One to CNN ; and on her role in the firing of a high-level national security official .
Throughout there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a crestfallen face , or snatching her hand from his , or the risible conspiracy theory that she employed a body double in public .
Then there were the unwelcome biographies and tell-all books , including one by a former friend who promoted it by releasing secret tapes of their conversations , capturing the first lady 's scorn for some aspects of her role and her familiarity with Anglo-Saxon expletives if not perfect grammar .
The quote has been copied Kate Andersen Brower , a journalist and author of “ First Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Melania will probably be secretly relieved .
This is not what she signed up for .
`` I could say I 'm the most bullied person in the world , '' she lamented to ABC in her one mainstream media interview , during her tour of Africa in 2018 , for which she was dressed like a colonial big-game hunter with a pith helmet on a nearby table .
In short , after all the Sturm und Drang of the most idiosyncratic FLOTUS term in the modern history of American first ladies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewed leaving it all behind with a sense of good riddance .
`` I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved , '' says Kate Andersen Brower , a journalist and author of books about the White House , including `` First Women , '' about modern first ladies .
`` This is not what she signed up for . ''
First lady blasts Biden , Dems at solo event in Pa. Americans might have suspected ambivalence based on her decision to not move into the White House on Jan. 21 .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months so that Barron could finish the school year in New York .
From that surprising beginning , Trump was often under siege in the East Wing , but with few connections to living former first ladies to call and commiserate .
`` She feels like she can ’ t do anything right , and though every first lady feels that way at some point , she has the disadvantage of being married to someone who has burned every bridge to the past , '' Andersen Brower says .
Having been born and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Slovenia ( formerly part of Yugoslavia ) , Trump , 50 , has been a U.S. citizen only 14 years .
But the role she was expected to embrace can be hard to discern even for politically and socially savvy women born and raised in the USA .
First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base , Md.
, before she and President Trump departed on separate campaign trips on Oct. 27 , 2020 .
She ... First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base , Md.
, before she and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Oct. 27 , 2020 .
She traveled to battleground Pennsylvania to deliver a speech in Atglen in Chester County .
`` The job is so unclear anyway , so expecting her to ( immediately ) understand the weight of it and know what to do , and meanwhile none of the others want to talk to her except maybe Laura Bush , who came to tea a few times , because they all dislike her husband so much . ''
Myra Gutin , a professor of communication and first-lady historian at Rider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be judged `` an average first lady , '' one who fulfilled ceremonial responsibilities and launched a first-lady project .
But `` she was not an activist and rarely a presidential surrogate , '' Gutin says .
The quote has been copied There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady , more for what she is rather than what she did : The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years .
The first former fashion model who also posed nude .
The first to be the president 's third wife .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her first language .
There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady , more for what she is rather than what she did : The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years .
The first former fashion model who also posed nude .
The first to be the president 's third wife .
The first for whom English was not her first language .
After many delays , she launched her first-lady initiative , Be Best , which was aimed at `` helping children '' by fighting online bullying and opioid abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definite perception of her , '' says Gutin .
`` Her White House initiative , though well-intentioned , never particularly resonated . ''
Betty Boyd Caroli , author of multiple White House-related books , including `` First Ladies , '' says Trump `` hasn ’ t done anything significant '' during her term .
`` Her take on the job seems to be to do as little as possible , and of course some Americans , but not a majority I think , like that , '' Caroli says .
`` I expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to the extent it ever existed as far as staff and funding go , quicker than Nancy Reagan ’ s Foster Grandparent plan . ''
She does n't see Trump taking on a new cause or , say , getting involved in her husband 's post-presidency foundation or library , if there is one , largely because she was n't much of an activist before .
`` As far as I can tell , Melania was not one for projects even before the White House , '' Caroli says .
First lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in Nairobi , Kenya , Oct. 5 , 2018 , during her four-country tour of Africa .
It 's possible that Trump will continue to snub the media , even as her husband is expected to continue haranguing them .
He might even join the media , possibly through a post-presidency Trump-branded television network – Trump TV , as it were – that 's been floated .
Caroli thinks the outgoing first lady might make occasional attempts to send snarky messages to the media through her clothes .
During her 2018 ABC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infamous `` I REALLY DO N'T CARE , DO U ? ''
jacket was really a message to the media .
Yet , when she answered questions during a gaggle with reporters ( Egypt 's Great Sphinx in the background ) on the same trip , she derided the media for paying too much attention to her clothes , saying she wished people would “ focus on what I do , not what I wear . ''
The quote has been copied She ’ ll go down in history as a first lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gesture to the media – She thinks it ’ s ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she ’ s going to have fun taunting people .
`` She 'll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media , '' Anderson Brower says .
`` She thinks it 's ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she 's going to have fun taunting people . ''
But after the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It could `` drive reporters crazy , but I ’ m not sure anyone will care about what she wears after she ’ s out of D.C. , '' Caroli says .
Trump could get her revenge on her foes by writing a memoir , as most first ladies usually do : Michelle Obama 's book , `` Becoming , '' was a runaway best-seller and made her millions while allowing her to get things off her chest , including the experience of being attacked in ugly racist terms while she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to return to that lady-who-lunches lifestyle , which is totally her right to do , but if she wrote a book she could make a lot of money , '' says Andersen Brower .
`` If she wrote a no-holds-barred book , like Nancy Reagan 's `` My Turn '' memoir , that would do very well .
And she might , given the way she ( sometimes ) talks so candidly . ''
But Trump will make her motherhood role first and foremost , even as Barron grows up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
Will she and he go back to New York so he can return to his former private school in Manhattan ?
President Donald Trump , accompanied by first lady Melania Trump , waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early ... President Donald Trump , accompanied by first lady Melania Trump , waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early on Oct. 23 , 2020 .
Trump is returning from a debate in Nashville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind in Washington while he finishes high school at his current school in Potomac , Maryland , about 20 miles from the White House ?
( Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stayed in Washington after their White House years so their two daughters could finish up at their private school . )
McBride does n't think the Trumps , any of them , will stick around in Washington .
She thinks it 's possible that the former first lady could get quietly involved in the design of a post-presidency library , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone interested in the first lady ?
Share this story But she could also continue advocating for some of the causes she showcased in the White House , such as neo-natal drug addiction , especially if she 's asked by some of the groups she interacted with while visiting hospitals and hosting round tables on the issue , McBride says .
`` Sometimes , you 're damned if you do and damned if you do n't , so you do what you like , what comes natural and is a reflection of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope people like it , '' McBride says .
As for where the Trumps will live after leaving the White House , they have many luxury homes to choose from , including Trump Tower , Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach , the Seven Springs estate in Westchester , N.Y. , and the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster , N.J .

Unconventional and unpredictable, first lady Melania Trump now faces the task of vacating the White House and deciding what the next phase of her life will look like.
The days since the election have been as tumultuous as the last near-four years in Washington – but pretty typical for her: She was seen only once – at the White House with the president in the early hours of last Wednesday – and has not been seen or heard in public since.
Meanwhile, it was all over but the shouting. Nail-biting waits for vote counts continued, and Joe Biden was declared president-elect Saturday morning. The president blasted out multiple ALL-CAP tweets; one demanded the vote counting stop, while another claimed he won "by a lot" just ahead of many media networks calling the race in favor of Biden. The president ranted Thursday night during a live press conference about alleged fraud in the election, which was so shocking many media outlets, including USA TODAY, cut away in the middle of it.
Melania Trump wasn't there. On Friday morning, her Twitter account sent out an anodyne tweet about a hospital she visited last year in Boston, as if nothing unusual was happening.
First lady Melania Trump casts vote in Florida on Election Day Associated Press, USA TODAY
So now that Biden has been declared the winner, what's next for Mrs. Trump? Will she return to her former role of devoted mom and wealthy lady of leisure, traveling between one Trump estate to another? After Jan. 21, will she make a beeline for her Trump Tower penthouse in New York City, or head for the spa at Mar-a-Lago in sunny Palm Beach, Florida?
Based on the past four years, she's not likely to confide. But a hint: She voted last week in person in Palm Beach County, where the Trumps have registered to vote and have made their official residence.
"I assume Mrs. Trump will go back to Florida – or maybe she will be able to convince her husband to return to New York as their official residence – and continue the kind of life she led before the White House," predicts first lady historian Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University.
But first she will busy herself with decorating the White House for the Trumps' final Christmas season there, says Anita McBride, who was former first lady Laura Bush's chief of staff and now runs the Legacies of America's First Ladies Initiative at American University.
Losing the election comes with "a certain disappointment of not having this option (of being in the White House) again after working so hard towards it," McBride says. "You go through the stages of a loss because it is a loss. I think (Trump) will focus on her family and her son (Barron); helping him to manage this transition will most likely be foremost in her mind."
Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. LEFT: Melania Trump and her son, Barron, at the presidential inauguration in 2017. RIGHT: President Donald Trump is joined by Melania and Barron in 2020. Alex Wong, Getty Images; Susan Walsh, AP
But who could blame Trump if she is preparing to relinquish with some relief the undefined, unpaid, high-pressure job of first lady to former second lady Jill Biden, now the FLOTUS in waiting.
Why? Four years of near-constant battles with a mainstream media that Trump despised and a deluge of toxic tweets from critics who returned her disdain. Sharp criticism of her fashion and decorating choices. Two medical crises, including a five-day hospital stay and weeks when she disappeared from public view.
Continuing talk and lawsuits over her husband's past alleged indiscretions. A first-lady agenda that fell short of its ambitions, especially on fighting online bullying of the sort often practiced by the president.
There were public spats over banal jokes invoking son Barron, 14; over her desire to tune the TV on Air Force One to CNN; and on her role in the firing of a high-level national security official. Throughout there were dozens of pictures and videos showing her with a crestfallen face, or snatching her hand from his, or the risible conspiracy theory that she employed a body double in public.
Then there were the unwelcome biographies and tell-all books, including one by a former friend who promoted it by releasing secret tapes of their conversations, capturing the first lady's scorn for some aspects of her role and her familiarity with Anglo-Saxon expletives, if not perfect grammar.
JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Kate Andersen Brower, a journalist and author of “First Women,” about modern first ladies I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved. This is not what she signed up for. Quote icon JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images
"I could say I'm the most bullied person in the world," she lamented to ABC in her one mainstream media interview, during her tour of Africa in 2018, for which she was dressed like a colonial big-game hunter with a pith helmet on a nearby table.
In short, after all the Sturm und Drang of the most idiosyncratic FLOTUS term in the modern history of American first ladies, it would be understandable if Trump viewed leaving it all behind with a sense of good riddance.
"I think Melania will probably be secretly relieved," says Kate Andersen Brower, a journalist and author of books about the White House, including "First Women," about modern first ladies. "This is not what she signed up for."
First lady blasts Biden, Dems at solo event in Pa. AP
Americans might have suspected ambivalence based on her decision to not move into the White House on Jan. 21, 2017. She and her husband said she waited five months so that Barron could finish the school year in New York.
From that surprising beginning, Trump was often under siege in the East Wing, but with few connections to living former first ladies to call and commiserate.
"She feels like she can’t do anything right, and though every first lady feels that way at some point, she has the disadvantage of being married to someone who has burned every bridge to the past," Andersen Brower says.
Having been born and raised in the central European country of Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia), Trump, 50, has been a U.S. citizen for only 14 years. But the role she was expected to embrace can be hard to discern even for politically and socially savvy women born and raised in the USA.
First lady Melania Trump at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., before she and President Trump departed on separate campaign trips on Oct. 27, 2020. She traveled to battleground Pennsylvania to deliver a speech in Atglen in Chester County. Evan Vucci, AP
"The job is so unclear anyway, so expecting her to (immediately) understand the weight of it and know what to do, and meanwhile none of the others want to talk to her except maybe Laura Bush, who came to tea a few times, because they all dislike her husband so much," Andersen Brower says.
Myra Gutin, a professor of communication and a first lady historian at Rider University in New Jersey, thinks Trump will be judged "an average first lady," one who fulfilled ceremonial responsibilities and launched a first lady project.
But "she was not an activist and rarely a presidential surrogate," Gutin says.
Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story There is little doubt Trump was an historic first lady, more for what she is rather than what she did: The first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years. The first former fashion model who also posed nude. The first to be the president's third wife. The first for whom English was not her first language.
There is little doubt Trump was a historic first lady, more for what she is rather than what she did: the first foreign-born FLOTUS in 195 years. The first former fashion model who also posed nude. The first to be a president's third wife. The first for whom English was not her first language.
After many delays, she launched her first-lady initiative, Be Best, which was aimed at "helping children" by fighting online bullying and opioid abuse.
"Many Americans never developed any definite perception of her," Gutin says. "Her White House initiative, though well-intentioned, never particularly resonated."
Betty Boyd Caroli, author of multiple White House-related books, including "First Ladies," says Trump "hasn’t done anything significant" during her term.
"Her take on the job seems to be to do as little as possible, and of course some Americans, but not a majority I think, like that," Caroli says. "I expect her Be Best project to get buried, to the extent it ever existed as far as staff and funding go, quicker than Nancy Reagan’s Foster Grandparent plan."
Caroli doesn't see Trump taking on a new cause or, say, getting involved in her husband's post-presidency foundation or library, if there is one, largely because Mrs. Trump wasn't much of an activist before.
"As far as I can tell, Melania was not one for projects even before the White House," Caroli says.
First lady Melania Trump looks out over Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 5, 2018, during her four-country tour of Africa. Carolyn Kaster, AP
It's possible that Trump will continue to snub the media, even as her husband is expected to continue haranguing them. He might even join the media, possibly through a post-presidency Trump-branded television network – Trump TV, as it were – that's been floated.
Caroli thinks the outgoing first lady might make occasional attempts to send snarky messages to the media through her clothes.
During her 2018 ABC interview in Africa, she claimed her infamous "I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?" jacket was really a message to the media. Yet when she answered questions during a gaggle with reporters (Egypt's Great Sphinx in the background) on the same trip, she derided the media for paying too much attention to her clothes, saying she wished people would “focus on what I do, not what I wear."
MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images Copy text Copy this quote's text The quote has been copied Tweet Facebook Email Email this story Share Share this story Kate Andersen Brower, journalist and author She’ll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media. She thinks it’s ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this and so she’s going to have fun taunting people. Quote icon MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images
"She'll go down in history as a first lady who used her clothes as a vindictive gesture to the media – she hates the media," Andersen Brower says. "She thinks it's ridiculous that her clothes are analyzed like this, and so she's going to have fun taunting people."
But after the White House, it won't matter as much. It could "drive reporters crazy, but I’m not sure anyone will care about what she wears after she’s out of D.C.," Caroli says.
Trump could get her revenge on her foes by writing a memoir, as most first ladies usually do: Michelle Obama's book, "Becoming," was a runaway best-seller and made her millions while allowing her to get things off her chest, including the experience of being attacked in ugly racist terms while she was first lady.
"I think Melania is going to return to that lady-who-lunches lifestyle, which is totally her right to do, but if she wrote a book, she could make a lot of money," Andersen Brower says. "If she wrote a no-holds-barred book, like Nancy Reagan's 'My Turn' memoir, that would do very well. And she might, given the way she (sometimes) talks so candidly."
But Trump will make motherhood her role first and foremost, even as Barron grows up in a few years and prepares to leave home. Will they go back to New York so he can return to his former private school in Manhattan?
President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, waves as he walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House early on Oct. 23, 2020. Trump is returning from a debate in Nashville, Tennessee. Alex Brandon, AP
Could she bear to stay behind in Washington while he finishes high school at his current school in Potomac, Maryland, about 20 miles from the White House? (Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama stayed in Washington after their White House years so their two daughters could finish up at their private school.)
McBride doesn't think the Trumps, any of them, will stick around Washington. She thinks it's possible that the former first lady could become quietly involved in the design of a post-presidency library, given her interest in design.
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But she could also continue advocating for some of the causes she showcased in the White House, such as neonatal drug addiction, especially if she's asked by some of the groups she interacted with while visiting hospitals and hosting roundtables on the issue, McBride says.
"Sometimes, you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't, so you do what you like, what comes natural and is a reflection of your style and taste, and then you hope people like it," McBride says.
As for where the Trumps will live after leaving the White House, they have many luxury homes to choose from, including Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, the Seven Springs estate in Westchester, New York, and the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey.


usatoday--2020-11-10--White Sox manager Tony La Russa charged with DUI stemming from February arrest

New Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa was charged with driving under the influence in February in Phoenix , according to court records obtained by ESPN , which the White Sox were aware when they hired him less than two weeks ago .
“ I can confirm we were aware , ’ ’ White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said .
“ Because this is an active case , we can not comment further at this time.
’ ’ A high-ranking White Sox official told USA TODAY Sports that La Russa is no danger of losing his job , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the second known drunken driving arrest for La Russa , 76 , who plead guilty in 2007 to a misdemeanor DUI in Jupiter , Fla. , while managing the St. Louis Cardinals .
La Russa was pulled over on Feb. 24 when his SUV hit a curb near the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport .
He was taken into custody after failing a field sobriety test , but refused to submit to a breath , blood or urine test , according to an affidavit filed with the Arizona Department of Public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oct. 28 , one day before La Russa was announced as manager of the White Sox .
La Russa , who lives in Phoenix part-time and in Danville , Calif. , was cited for driving under the influence and registering a blood-alcohol content of .08 or more .
If convicted , La Russa could face up to 10 days in jail .
In March of 2007 during spring training , La Russa was arrested on a drunken driving charge after police said they found him asleep inside his vehicle at a stop light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ) situation is the opposite of feeling good , '' La Russa said at the time .
`` It was an embarrassment , so I apologize to anyone who is close to me , members of the Cardinals organization , our fans .
I regret it , take responsibility and I 'm not sure there is anything else I can say . ''

White Sox manager Tony La Russa charged with DUI stemming from February arrest
New Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa was charged with driving under the influence in February in Phoenix, according to court records obtained by ESPN, which the White Sox knew about when they hired him less than two weeks ago.
“I can confirm we were aware,’’ White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said. “Because this is an active case, we cannot comment further at this time.’’
A high-ranking White Sox official told USA TODAY Sports that La Russa is in no danger of losing his job, or receiving any discipline by the club.
It’s the second known drunken driving arrest for La Russa, 76, who plead guilty in 2007 to a misdemeanor DUI in Jupiter, Florida, while managing the St. Louis Cardinals.
La Russa was pulled over on Feb. 24 when his SUV hit a curb near the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He was taken into custody after failing a field sobriety test, but refused to submit to a breath, blood or urine test, according to an affidavit filed with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The case was filed on Oct. 28, one day before La Russa was announced as manager of the White Sox.
La Russa, who lives in Phoenix part-time and in Danville, California, was cited for driving under the influence and registering a blood-alcohol content of .08 or more. If convicted, La Russa could face up to 10 days in jail.
In March of 2007 during spring training, La Russa was arrested on a drunken driving charge after police said they found him asleep inside his vehicle at a stop light in Jupiter.
"(The) situation is the opposite of feeling good," La Russa said at the time. "It was an embarrassment, so I apologize to anyone who is close to me, members of the Cardinals organization, our fans. I regret it, take responsibility and I'm not sure there is anything else I can say."


usatoday--2020-11-09--HUD Secretary Ben Carson joins list of Trump administration officials who have tested positive for C

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for COVID-19 , his office announced Monday .
`` Secretary Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus .
He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery , '' Carson 's deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker said in a statement .
Carson joins a growing list of Trump administration officials , including President Donald Trump , who have contracted the highly contagious virus .
An initial White House outbreak in early October infected the president , first lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and other senior officials .
More recently , White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and a Trump campaign official tested positive .
Both Carson and Meadows attended an election night party at the White House .
Carson later told the Washington Post he was now `` feeling terrific '' after experiencing symptoms Sunday of a `` fever of 101 .
Chills .
Muscle cramps .
Respiratory issues and fatigue . ''
He was unsure how he contracted the virus , telling the newspaper he got it “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universe. '' Carson added , `` it 's gone now , so I 'm happy '' and that `` theoretically '' he might now be immune to COVID-19 , though `` I don ’ t think that ’ s fully been worked out yet.
” Carson , 69 , is a renowned brain surgeon who spent nearly three decades as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children ’ s Center .
He survived a diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer in 2002 .
Following Trump WH COVID-19 outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associates and others have tested positive Public health officials have long expressed concern about the administration 's lack of adherence to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he stopped visiting the White House in August because `` their approach to how to handle '' the pandemic `` was different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate , which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of masks , Trump has hosted crowded events at the White House amid the pandemic , including the final night of the Republican National Convention and a White House Rose Garden ceremony for the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
The Sept. 26 event for Barrett was attended by more than 200 people and nearly a dozen later tested positive for the virus .
Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , called it a `` superspreader event '' and drew the ire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News ' `` 60 Minutes '' he was not surprised the president and those around him had been infected . '
I appreciate the advice ' : Trump tells crowd chanting , 'Fire Fauci ! '
to wait until after election Despite Trump 's claims during the campaign that the U.S. had `` rounded the corner '' on the coronavirus pandemic and that `` it 's going away , '' record numbers of Americans are being infected every day and the U.S. death toll , which stands at more than 237,000 , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1,000 every day .
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer provided hope Monday the end of the pandemic could be within sight , releasing the results of a study that showed the vaccine it had developed was 90 % effective in preventing infections from the coronavirus .
President-elect Joe Biden has been highly critical of Trump 's handling of the pandemic and has promised an approach that is guided more by the input of doctors and scientists .
Biden 's transition team on Monday named the experts who will advise him on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Here 's everyone at the White House Rose Garden SCOTUS event now called a likely 'superspreader

William Cummings and Nicholas Wu, USA TODAY

HUD Secretary Ben Carson joins list of Trump administration officials who have tested positive for COVID-19
Show Caption Hide Caption Ben Carson adds to the list of Trump's circle positive for COVID-19 Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson adds to the running list of people who tested positive for COVID-19 since the president's diagnosis. USA TODAY
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Monday.
"Secretary Carson has tested positive for the coronavirus. He is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery," Carson's deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker said in a statement.
Carson joins a growing list of Trump administration officials, including President Donald Trump, who have contracted the highly contagious virus. An initial White House outbreak in early October infected the president, first lady Melania Trump, his son Baron Trump, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and other senior officials. More recently, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and a Trump campaign official tested positive.
Both Carson and Meadows attended an election night party at the White House.
Carson later told the Washington Post he was now "feeling terrific" after experiencing symptoms Sunday of a "fever of 101. Chills. Muscle cramps. Respiratory issues and fatigue."
He was unsure how he contracted the virus, telling the newspaper he got it “probably somewhere, out there in the universe."
Carson added, "it's gone now, so I'm happy" and that "theoretically" he might now be immune to COVID-19, though "I don’t think that’s fully been worked out yet.”
Carson, 69, is a renowned brain surgeon who spent nearly three decades as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He survived a diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer in 2002.
Following Trump WH COVID-19 outbreak: More than two dozen officials, associates and others have tested positive
Public health officials have long expressed concern about the administration's lack of adherence to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he stopped visiting the White House in August because "their approach to how to handle" the pandemic "was different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate, which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing."
In addition to avoiding and mocking the use of masks, Trump has hosted crowded events at the White House amid the pandemic, including the final night of the Republican National Convention and a White House Rose Garden ceremony for the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
The Sept. 26 event for Barrett was attended by more than 200 people and nearly a dozen later tested positive for the virus. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, called it a "superspreader event" and drew the ire of the White House after telling CBS News' "60 Minutes" he was not surprised the president and those around him had been infected.
'I appreciate the advice': Trump tells crowd chanting, 'Fire Fauci!' to wait until after election
Despite Trump's claims during the campaign that the U.S. had "rounded the corner" on the coronavirus pandemic and that "it's going away," record numbers of Americans are being infected every day and the U.S. death toll, which stands at more than 237,000, is once again growing by an average of more than 1,000 every day.
The pharmaceutical company Pfizer provided hope Monday the end of the pandemic could be within sight, releasing the results of a study that showed the vaccine it had developed was 90% effective in preventing infections from the coronavirus.
President-elect Joe Biden has been highly critical of Trump's handling of the pandemic and has promised an approach that is guided more by the input of doctors and scientists. Biden's transition team on Monday named the experts who will advise him on how to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
More: Here's everyone at the White House Rose Garden SCOTUS event now called a likely 'superspreader


usatoday--2020-11-10--Supreme Court, again, entertains Republican challenge to Obamacare

Many Republicans see the Supreme Court as a vehicle for delivering the social and economic policies that they might not be able to get through Congress .
That 's one reason they were so eager to ram Judge Amy Coney Barrett through the confirmation process in the days before an election .
But the court has not always played along .
While it has shown a peculiar loyalty to Republicans on election law , it has sometimes angered them with expansive rulings on gay rights and same-sex couples .
Nothing , however , has tested the justices ' independence as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Act , aka Obamacare .
That is because Republicans keep demanding that judges strike down the law — running their cases up to the nation 's highest court , failing and then starting the process anew — even as GOP efforts to kill the law the legitimate way , by enacting a law repealing it , keep coming up short .
Tuesday , the Supreme Court hears a third Republican-initiated challenge to the 2010 law .
This time it will be during a pandemic that is surging throughout the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans and has caused millions of people to lose their medical insurance along with their jobs .
About 20 million people rely on the ACA for health coverage .
Millions more benefit from it in other ways , including knowing that it will be there if they lose their job and knowing that they ca n't be denied coverage based on a preexisting condition , as was the case before Obamacare was enacted .
Coverage for preexisting conditions is crucial at a time when more than 10 million Americans have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , without the ACA , could result in denial of coverage .
The ACA has become so critical to our nation 's medical care system , the case before the court has attracted a deluge of legal briefs from health organizations saying that striking the law down would cause utter chaos .
The briefs come not just from doctor and nurse groups but also from hospitals , insurers and other big corporate interests .
What makes the latest attempt to co-opt the Supreme Court particularly pernicious is that this effort is essentially a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2012 , the high court upheld the ACA 's constitutionality after Chief Justice John Roberts concluded that the law ’ s mandate that individuals have coverage or pay a financial penalty could be construed as a tax .
Therefore , he reasoned , the act passed constitutional muster based on Congress ’ power to levy taxes .
The drama , however , was not over .
After one more failed attempt to repeal the law in 2017 ( this time despite the GOP having control of the White House and both chambers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the penalty and demand that courts do away with the rest .
Officially , the case before the high court is about “ severability ” — whether the nearly 1,000 pages of Obamacare can stand if a few critical lines are cut out .
Contrary to Democratic rhetoric leading up to the election , many legal scholars doubt that the court , in a decision expected next spring , would throw out the whole law .
Even so , at a time when Americans are hunkered down and masked up in the midst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing they should have to worry about is losing their medical safety net because Republicans are hellbent on shredding it .

Supreme Court, again, entertains Republican challenge to Obamacare Our View: Failing to repeal, replace Affordable Care Act, Republicans keep testing justices' independence. Just what Americans need in a pandemic.
You’re reading Our View, one of two perspectives in Today’s Debate. For the Opposing View, read “Invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act.”
How a Supreme Court justice is nominated, confirmed, and opposed The Supreme Court is a vital component of our democracy. Here's how the process works to nominate, confirm, and oppose a potential justice. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Many Republicans see the Supreme Court as a vehicle for delivering the social and economic policies that they might not be able to get through Congress. That's one reason they were so eager to ram Judge Amy Coney Barrett through the confirmation process in the days before an election.
But the court has not always played along. While it has shown a peculiar loyalty to Republicans on election law, it has sometimes angered them with expansive rulings on gay rights and same-sex couples.
Nothing, however, has tested the justices' independence as much as their handling of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. That is because Republicans keep demanding that judges strike down the law — running their cases up to the nation's highest court, failing and then starting the process anew — even as GOP efforts to kill the law the legitimate way, by enacting a law repealing it, keep coming up short.
Third Obamacare challenge
Tuesday, the Supreme Court hears a third Republican-initiated challenge to the 2010 law. This time it will be during a pandemic that is surging throughout the United States, has already claimed the lives of 238,000 Americans and has caused millions of people to lose their medical insurance along with their jobs.
About 20 million people rely on the ACA for health coverage. Millions more benefit from it in other ways, including knowing that it will be there if they lose their job and knowing that they can't be denied coverage based on a preexisting condition, as was the case before Obamacare was enacted.
Coverage for preexisting conditions is crucial at a time when more than 10 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 and could develop long-term conditions that, without the ACA, could result in denial of coverage.
The ACA has become so critical to our nation's medical care system, the case before the court has attracted a deluge of legal briefs from health organizations saying that striking the law down would cause utter chaos. The briefs come not just from doctor and nurse groups but also from hospitals, insurers and other big corporate interests.
Co-opting the Supreme Court
What makes the latest attempt to co-opt the Supreme Court particularly pernicious is that this effort is essentially a tag-team match between politicians and judges.
In 2012, the high court upheld the ACA's constitutionality after Chief Justice John Roberts concluded that the law’s mandate that individuals have coverage or pay a financial penalty could be construed as a tax. Therefore, he reasoned, the act passed constitutional muster based on Congress’ power to levy taxes.
The drama, however, was not over. After one more failed attempt to repeal the law in 2017 (this time despite the GOP having control of the White House and both chambers of Congress) Republicans decided to repeal the penalty and demand that courts do away with the rest.
Officially, the case before the high court is about “severability” — whether the nearly 1,000 pages of Obamacare can stand if a few critical lines are cut out. Contrary to Democratic rhetoric leading up to the election, many legal scholars doubt that the court, in a decision expected next spring, would throw out the whole law.
Even so, at a time when Americans are hunkered down and masked up in the midst of a deadly pandemic, the last thing they should have to worry about is losing their medical safety net because Republicans are hellbent on shredding it.


usatoday--2020-11-09--Tropical Storm Eta soaks South Florida after landfall in Florida Keys, could approach Gulf Coast thi

Tropical Storm Eta soaks South Florida after landfall in Florida Keys, could approach Gulf Coast this week

• Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys at Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night .
• Eta is the 12th named storm to hit U.S. shores this year , an all-time record for landfalls .
• Eta could approach the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a tropical storm .
It is finally Florida 's turn to feel the wrath of the 2020 hurricane season .
Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys at Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night with winds estimated at 65 mph .
The storm hit Florida just days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leaving scores of people dead and hundreds missing in Mexico and Central America .
Rain from the storm flooded much of South Florida over the weekend .
“ Never seen this , never , not this deep , ” said Anthony Lyas , who has lived in his now-waterlogged Fort Lauderdale neighborhood since 1996 .
He described hearing water and debris slamming against his shuttered home overnight .
Eta is the 12th named storm to hit U.S. shores this year , an all-time record for landfalls , according to Colorado State University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the first landfalling tropical storm in Florida in November since Mitch in 1998 , he said .
As of early Monday , more than a foot of rain had accumulated in areas throughout the southern portion of the Sunshine State , AccuWeather said , most heavily in Miramar , where more than 15 inches had gathered in rain gauges .
Because of the heavy rain , `` life-threatening flash flooding will be possible across urban areas of southeast Florida Monday , '' the National Hurricane Center warned .
Although the center of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain and gusty winds will continue to feed into the Florida Keys and the Florida Peninsula , the Weather Channel said .
Eta could reach Category 1 hurricane strength later Monday as it spins over the Gulf of Mexico .
Regardless of the storm 's intensity , South Florida will continue to endure storm surge flooding and the threat for isolated tornadoes , AccuWeather said .
All tropical storm warnings have been discontinued in the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys , the Weather Channel reported .
But after the storm spent several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hurricane Center said it could still be a threat .
`` Eta could approach the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a tropical storm , and possibly bring impacts from rain , wind and storm surge . ''
Eta had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph on Monday afternoon and was centered about 160 miles north of the western tip of Cuba , the Hurricane Center said .
It was moving southwest at 16 mph .
Florida officials had closed beaches , ports and COVID-19 testing sites , shut down public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street as the storm approached .
Several shelters also opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low-lying areas .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis had declared a state of emergency Saturday for eight counties at the end of the state as Eta approached , urging residents to stock up on supplies .
Florida in crosshairs : Deadly Tropical Storm Eta targets Florida , would be state 's first landfall of historic hurricane season On Sunday , the storm swelled rivers and flooded coastal zones in Cuba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there were no reports of deaths .
Authorities in Central America were still surveying the damage Monday after days of torrential rain .
Official death tolls totaled at least 68 people , but hundreds more were missing .
Searchers in Guatemala were still digging for people believed buried by a massive , rain-fueled landslide .
Authorities on Sunday raised the known death toll there to 27 from 15 and said more than 100 were missing in Guatemala , many of them in a landslide in San Cristobal Verapaz .
At least 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico and local officials in Honduras reported 21 , though the national disaster agency had confirmed only eight .

Tropical Storm Eta soaks South Florida, could approach Gulf Coast this week; Subtropical Storm Theta forms in Atlantic
Show Caption Hide Caption Fort Lauderdale fights floods as Eta closes in Fort Lauderdale pumped water off the streets as Tropical Storm Eta sliced across Cuba on Sunday. (Nov. 9) AP
Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys at Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night.
Eta is the 12th named storm to hit U.S. shores this year, an all-time record for landfalls.
Eta could approach the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a tropical storm.
It is finally Florida's turn to feel the wrath of the 2020 hurricane season.
Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys at Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night with winds estimated at 65 mph. The storm landed in Florida just days after hitting Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane, leaving scores of people dead and hundreds missing in Mexico and Central America.
Rain from the storm flooded much of South Florida over the weekend.
“Never seen this, never, not this deep,” said Anthony Lyas, who has lived in his now-waterlogged Fort Lauderdale neighborhood since 1996. He described hearing water and debris slamming against his shuttered home overnight.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis called it a 100-year rain event.
Eta is the 12th named storm to hit U.S. shores this year, an all-time record for landfalls, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. It's also the first landfalling tropical storm in Florida in November since Mitch in 1998, he said.
There was more history late Monday: The National Hurricane Center reported a record-breaking 29th named storm this season.
Subtropical Storm Theta has emerged in the open northeast Atlantic Ocean but poses no immediate threat to land, forecasters said. Theta, which was moving east at 15 mph, had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as of 10 p.m. EST.
The center said Theta broke a previous record of 28 named storms set in 2005.
Although the center of Eta was offshore, bands of heavy rain and gusty winds will continue to feed into the Florida Keys and the Florida Peninsula, the Weather Channel said.
But after the storm spent several days in the Gulf this week, the Hurricane Center said it could still be a threat. "Eta could approach the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a tropical storm, and possibly bring impacts from rain, wind and storm surge."
Eta had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph on Monday night and was centered about 90 miles north-northwest of the western tip of Cuba, the Hurricane Center said. It was moving southwest at 9 mph.
Florida officials had closed beaches, ports and COVID-19 testing sites, shut down public transportation and urged residents to stay off the street as the storm approached. Several shelters also opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low-lying areas.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had declared a state of emergency Saturday for eight counties at the end of the state as Eta approached, urging residents to stock up on supplies.
On Sunday, the storm swelled rivers and flooded coastal zones in Cuba, where 25,000 had been evacuated. But there were no reports of deaths.
Authorities in Central America were still surveying the damage Monday after days of torrential rain. Official death tolls totaled at least 68 people, but hundreds more were missing.
Searchers in Guatemala were still digging for people believed buried by a massive, rain-fueled landslide. Authorities on Sunday raised the known death toll there to 27 from 15 and said more than 100 were missing in Guatemala, many of them in a landslide in San Cristobal Verapaz.
At least 20 people also were reported dead in southern Mexico and local officials in Honduras reported 21, though the national disaster agency had confirmed only eight.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-11-10--Columbus Zoo mourns death of Rosie, a black rhino who enjoyed apples and art: 'She was special'

Rosie , a rare black rhinoceros who had lived in the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio since 2009 , was euthanized on Monday .
At nearly 31 years , Rosie had well exceeded the median life expectancy of 19 years for a black rhino living in captivity , the zoo said in a release announcing her death .
Rosie was in rapidly declining health and was suffering from several geriatric issues like hypertension and arthritis , according to the release .
`` The loss of any animal is hard , but Rosie 's passing weighs especially heavy on our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many .
I ca n't imagine anyone not experiencing an emotional connection with Rosie when they saw her up close , '' Tom Stalf , Columbus Zoo president and CEO , said in the prepared statement .
Rosie was the only rhino at the Columbus Zoo .
Future plans for the rhino habitat will be shared once more information is known .
'Maki is home safely ! '
: Missing ring-tailed lemur found on church playground , returned to San Francisco Zoo Though rhinos are known for being solitary creatures , Rosie loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on apples .
She was cooperative with her care staff when they would collect blood or brush her teeth , the release said .
Rosie was also known for her artistic skills as she painted with her prehensile upper lip , the zoo said .
Born at the San Francisco Zoo on Jan. 6 , 1990 , Rosie had lived at the Columbus Zoo since Nov. 12 , 2009 .
Almost 98 % of the world 's total black rhino population is found in four countries : South Africa , Namibia , Zimbabwe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated to be approximately 5,000 black rhinos remaining in their native range .
While Rosie did not produce any calves , the zoo said she contributed to important research for rhino reproduction .

Columbus Zoo mourns death of Rosie, a black rhino who enjoyed apples and art: 'She was special'
Rosie, a rare black rhinoceros who had lived in the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio since 2009, was euthanized on Monday.
At nearly 31 years, Rosie had well exceeded the median life expectancy of 19 years for a black rhino living in captivity, the zoo said in a release announcing her death.
Rosie was in rapidly declining health and was suffering from several geriatric issues like hypertension and arthritis, according to the release.
"The loss of any animal is hard, but Rosie's passing weighs especially heavy on our hearts today as she was special to many. I can't imagine anyone not experiencing an emotional connection with Rosie when they saw her up close," Tom Stalf, Columbus Zoo president and CEO, said in the prepared statement.
Rosie was the only rhino at the Columbus Zoo. Future plans for the rhino habitat will be shared once more information is known.
'Maki is home safely!': Missing ring-tailed lemur found on church playground, returned to San Francisco Zoo
Though rhinos are known for being solitary creatures, Rosie loved to interact with humans and enjoyed snacking on apples. She was cooperative with her care staff when they would collect blood or brush her teeth, the release said.
Rosie was also known for her artistic skills as she painted with her prehensile upper lip, the zoo said.
Born at the San Francisco Zoo on Jan. 6, 1990, Rosie had lived at the Columbus Zoo since Nov. 12, 2009.
Almost 98% of the world's total black rhino population is found in four countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Currently, there are estimated to be approximately 5,000 black rhinos remaining in their native range.
While Rosie did not produce any calves, the zoo said she contributed to important research for rhino reproduction.
Jim Woods: jwoods@dispatch.com, @Woodsnight


usatoday--2020-11-09--Snow blankets Yosemite valley as authorities warn of winter storm conditions

The Yosemite National Park shared footage of snow blanketing Yosemite Valley on November 8 .
It was the park ’ @ @ @ @ @ affected by the Creek Fire .
Sierra National Forest ’ s Twitter account shared pictures @ @ @ @ @ about

Snow blankets Yosemite valley as authorities warn of storm conditions
The Yosemite National Park shared footage of snow blanketing Yosemite Valley on November 8. It was the park’s first snow since being affected by the Creek Fire. Sierra National Forest’s Twitter account shared pictures of the snow, taken about
Storyful


usatoday--2020-11-09--What to do with outdoor furniture during winter

What to do with outdoor furniture during winter Make sure to take these steps to ensure your outdoor furniture survives @ @ @

Outdoor furniture tips for winter
Make sure to take these steps to ensure your outdoor furniture survives the winter.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-09--David Bossie, Trump campaign adviser overseeing campaign legal challenges, has COVID-19

WASHINGTON – David Bossie , an adviser for President Donald Trump 's campaign , has tested positive for COVID-19 , according to several outlets , becoming the latest in Trump 's orbit to contract the virus .
Bossie was tapped just a few days ago to head the Trump campaign 's legal challenges in contesting the outcome of the presidential election , which the president is projected to have lost .
According to NBC , Bossie tested positive on Sunday .
He was in Phoenix , Arizona on Thursday to participate in a press conference with the state 's Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traveled to the Trump campaign 's headquarters in Virginia several times in the last week .
He was often seen not wearing a mask .
Following Trump WH COVID-19 outbreak : More than two dozen officials , associates and others have tested positive Bossie ’ s diagnosis was reported on Monday just a few hours after news broke that Ben Carson , the Housing and Urban Development secretary , also had tested positive for COVID-19 .
On Friday , Trump 's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also tested positive for the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ closest circle , campaign , and administration who have contracted COVID-19 .
Bossie , 55 , is the president of the conservative nonprofit Citizens United , and previously served on Trump 's 2016 campaign as a deputy campaign manager .
According to NBC , “ Because he can ’ t be at the campaign headquarters and he can ’ t be in the Oval Office [ due to his diagnosis ] Dave ’ s no longer a part of the decision-making process . ''
USA TODAY has reached out to the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Flurry of election lawsuits in search of strategy , as Biden claims victory Bossie had been recruited to lead the campaign 's legal efforts to challenge the election outcomes in several states .
Former vice president Joe Biden was projected to be the President-elect on Saturday .
His home state of Pennsylvania pushed him past the 270 electoral vote to become the 46th president of the United States .
Trump ’ s team has filed a number of lawsuits challenging ballot counting and the election results in several states .
Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , his campaign and his legal team have claimed there are widespread irregularities , often due to mail-in ballots , but have not provided definitive evidence to back up that claim .

David Bossie, Trump campaign adviser overseeing campaign legal challenges, has COVID-19
Show Caption Hide Caption Ben Carson adds to the list of Trump's circle positive for COVID-19 Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson adds to the running list of people who tested positive for COVID-19 since the president's diagnosis. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – David Bossie, an adviser for President Donald Trump's campaign, has tested positive for COVID-19, according to several outlets, becoming the latest in Trump's orbit to contract the virus.
Bossie was tapped just a few days ago to head the Trump campaign's legal challenges in contesting the outcome of the presidential election, which the president is projected to have lost.
According to NBC, Bossie tested positive on Sunday. He was in Phoenix, Arizona on Thursday to participate in a press conference with the state's Republican party about the election, and has traveled to the Trump campaign's headquarters in Virginia several times in the last week. He was often seen not wearing a mask.
Following Trump WH COVID-19 outbreak: More than two dozen officials, associates and others have tested positive
Bossie’s diagnosis was reported on Monday just a few hours after news broke that Ben Carson, the Housing and Urban Development secretary, also had tested positive for COVID-19.
On Friday, Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also tested positive for the coronavirus. There are now dozens within Trump's closest circle, campaign, and administration who have contracted COVID-19.
Bossie, 55, is the president of the conservative nonprofit Citizens United, and previously served on Trump's 2016 campaign as a deputy campaign manager.
According to NBC, “Because he can’t be at the campaign headquarters and he can’t be in the Oval Office [due to his diagnosis] Dave’s no longer a part of the decision-making process."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
Trump's new campaign: Flurry of election lawsuits in search of strategy, as Biden claims victory
Bossie had been recruited to lead the campaign's legal efforts to challenge the election outcomes in several states. Former vice president Joe Biden was projected to be the President-elect on Saturday. His home state of Pennsylvania pushed him past the 270 electoral vote to become the 46th president of the United States.
Trump’s team has filed a number of lawsuits challenging ballot counting and the election results in several states.
Some of those legal challenges have been dismissed. Trump, his campaign and his legal team have claimed there are widespread irregularities, often due to mail-in ballots, but have not provided definitive evidence to back up that claim.


usatoday--2020-11-09--Voters look to Georgia to determine if GOP or Democrats will run the Senate

Voters look to Georgia to determine if GOP or Democrats will run the Senate Phillip M Bailey and Rana Cash @ @ @ @ @ control of the Senate , its journey to becoming a purple state and Stacey Abrams @ @ @

Voters look to Georgia to decide if GOP or Democrats will run Senate
Phillip M Bailey and Rana Cash discuss Georgia's effect on control of the Senate, its journey to becoming a purple state and Stacey Abrams' impact.
States of America, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-11-09--Inside Democrats' Florida flop: Turnout, rural success propelled Trump in Sunshine State

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. – Former Vice President Joe Biden might have won the presidency after days of counting , but Election Day was a flop for Democrats in Florida .
Much has been made of how the Democrats hemorrhaged support from Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade County .
But that alone does not explain why Biden lost the state by about 375,000 votes , a substantial gap in a state known for paper-thin margins .
An analysis of post-election data shows that several factors played into the Democrats ' bad day .
Biden did underperform in heavily Hispanic Miami-Dade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former vice president as a socialist threat in communities where people have up-close and personal memories of socialism and communism .
Turnout in areas that went for President Donald Trump surpassed turnout in areas that went for Biden .
The urban-rural divide colorfully illustrated in the red and blue maps deployed by television networks played out on the ground in Florida .
More : Trump bet big on winning the Hispanic vote in Miami and Florida – and it paid off And then there is the enthusiasm factor .
Nothing , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , not the cratered national economy and not his litany of falsehoods moved Trump 's supporters away from him .
They waved placards on overpasses , flew flags from the back of their trucks and wore T-shirts with the president 's signature phrase , `` Make America Great Again . ''
`` I 've never seen anything like it , '' said Mike Coleman , vice chairman of the Democratic Party of Palm Beach County .
Trump cruised to a margin of victory that was more than twice the combined margin from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Biden three times more decisively in Florida than he beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 , and Democrats lost congressional and other down-ballot races , too .
Democrats were successful in boosting turnout overall from 2016 , but those bigger numbers were trumped by the GOP .
`` We just did n't keep up , '' Coleman said .
Joe Biden : President-elect seeks diverse Cabinet to 'look like America ' in leading federal departments There will be much hand-wringing over what happened in Miami-Dade .
The strategy for any Democrat trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up big margins in South Florida and limit the margins in more conservative parts of the state .
Clinton almost pulled it off , beating Trump in Miami-Dade by 290,000 votes in 2016 , when she lost the state by just over a percentage point .
Biden , though , could n't match Clinton 's success there .
Initial returns show he won Miami-Dade by about 85,000 votes , nowhere near enough to offset Trump 's margins elsewhere .
As of Sunday , results showed Biden getting 53 % of votes in Miami-Dade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just as they did with Clinton and just as they did when former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum ran for governor , Republicans cast Biden as a Trojan horse for socialism .
It was a potent pitch , particularly among Cuban Americans in Miami , many of whom are personally familiar with the toll Fidel Castro-style socialism took on Cuba .
`` It 's easy for Trump to pick that scab , '' Coleman said .
`` I 'm not sure how long that 's going to last . ''
Democrats tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record in the U.S. Senate would dispel any socialist fears and even deploying former President Barack Obama to make the former vice president 's case .
Will any Democrat campaigning in South Florida always be tarred as a socialist in waiting ?
`` I think it can be countered , '' Coleman said .
`` I do n't think it 's been countered well . ''
Florida election:5 key takeaways from Trump 's impressive win in the Sunshine State Obama tried to ease the chill between Cuba and the United States , restoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September , with the election weeks away , Trump cracked down on Cuba , barring American travelers from staying in government-run hotels in the island nation or bringing home rum or cigars .
Trump 's move will make it nearly impossible for many Americans to visit Cuba because the government controls most of the hotels there .
`` I canceled the Obama-Biden sellout to the Castro regime , '' Trump said .
A return to strict sanctions against Cuba will keep its government isolated , but it will also make it harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send them money .
Coleman said the way to counter the socialist label among Cuban Americans is to `` remind them of what they 've lost . ''
Jody Young , a political strategist who has worked for Democratic candidates , said Democrats should have been better prepared to offer counterarguments .
`` Paying taxes to have a police department is socialism , '' he said .
`` Paying taxes to have health care is socialism .
It 's not your grandfather 's socialism .
I mean , look at Social Security .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday 's struggles have opened fissures in the party .
Young said Democrats need a change in party leadership in Tallahassee .
On his Facebook page , he shared an acrimonious text message exchange with state Rep. Matt Willhite , a Democrat who represents parts of Wellington , Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves .
Willhite disagreed with the assessment that the party needs new leadership .
The Young-Willhite dispute was a window into a broad set of concerns many in the party have about its direction .
Young said part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't run a political party on hope yearlong , '' he said .
`` You ca n't go into the minority community only at election time . ''
In addition to winning Miami-Dade by a 205,000 fewer votes than Clinton , Biden 's margin of victory in Palm Beach County was smaller by about 4,300 votes , with just a 98,000-vote margin in his favor .
Trump exceeded local party expectations by taking 43.2 % of the county vote .
Biden fell short in Broward County of Clinton 's 2016 performance as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7,600 fewer votes .
All told , though , the South Florida `` wins '' were n't enough to give Biden a shot at beating Trump , who swamped him by 841,000 votes in areas outside of South Florida , about 40,000 more votes than in 2016 .
Trump 's victory margin grew because South Florida did n't deliver for Democrats as it has in the past .
Clinton rode a 685,000-vote wave in Miami-Dade , Broward and Palm Beach counties .
With slippage in all three counties , Biden 's winning margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are experiencing the same trend seen across the country this century , with dense urban counties becoming increasingly Democratic , rural counties voting more Republican and suburban areas somewhere in between .
That trend is illustrated in Duval County , home to Jacksonville .
The last time voters there selected a Democrat for president was 1976 , when Southerner Jimmy Carter ran .
But in 2018 , for the first time in 42 years , Duval voters backed Gillum and Bill Nelson in statewide races .
And Biden won the majority of votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , the northern neighbor to populous Orange County , voters have trended toward Democrats , who won the county in 2018 statewide races for the first time since 1948 .
Biden won a majority there , too .
Meanwhile , once reliably blue St. Lucie County continues to trend red .
Trump won a majority of votes there .
In 2016 , he won a plurality , 49.9 % .
Before then , Democrats won the majority there going back to 1996 .
Typically , the candidate who wins Pinellas County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
But Biden took the county by a slim 1,200 votes , the first time since Al Gore won Pinellas in 2000 that the winner of the county and the state were different .
In all , Trump won 55 of Florida 's 67 counties , with Biden winning the more populous urban counties and Trump winning the more rural .
Collier County , which Trump carried by 50,000 votes , had the highest turnout at 90 % .
Overall turnout reached 77 % .
Melania Trump : What ’ s next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and Trump came into the race understanding the importance of winning Florida and its 29 Electoral College votes .
If Biden 's win withstands likely court challenges from the Trump campaign , it will be the first presidential race since 1992 when Florida 's voters did not select the Electoral College winner .
Of course , the 1992 race included a wealthy third-party contender , Ross Perot .
Before 1992 , the last time the majority of Florida voters was out of step with the national electorate was 1960 , when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F. Kennedy .
Coleman said the areas in Florida where Democrats need to be strong are shifting .
The Interstate 4 corridor , home to an increasing number of Hispanic voters who are not Cuban Americans , is emerging as an opportunity for the party .
`` When the I-4 corridor becomes the power center for Hispanic voting , Miami-Dade 's going to slip down a notch , '' he said .
Coleman estimates that , by the end of the decade , Hispanics in the I-4 corridor will carry as much if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do in Miami-Dade .
`` The right personality could accelerate that much more quickly , '' he said .
For the past four years , it has been the GOP with the right political personality .
Trump has been impervious to scandal and drew thousands to rallies even as the coronavirus set grim records for sickness and death .
The president inspired fear and acquiescence among other elected Republicans who knew not to cross him .
And Trump consistently pounded Democrats rhetorically .
That constant stream of invective made it tougher for Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no political affiliation , Coleman said .
`` He has used every opportunity to denigrate and demonize Democrats , '' Coleman said .
`` He 's had a bully pulpit that allowed him to preach incessantly in a way that demonized Democrats . ''
More than anything else , Coleman said , Biden lost Florida for one reason : Donald Trump .
`` He built up a cult of personality , and we just experienced it , '' he said .

Wayne Washington, Wayne Washington and Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post

Inside Democrats' Florida flop: Turnout, rural success propelled Trump in Sunshine State
Show Caption Hide Caption 2020: Election Day in Florida Here's a look in Florida as of Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. Produced by Oscar Santiago Torres - USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida, USA TODAY
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Former Vice President Joe Biden might have won the presidency after days of counting, but Election Day was a flop for Democrats in Florida.
Much has been made of how the Democrats hemorrhaged support from Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade County. But that alone does not explain why Biden lost the state by about 375,000 votes, a substantial gap in a state known for paper-thin margins.
An analysis of post-election data shows that several factors played into the Democrats' bad day.
Biden did underperform in heavily Hispanic Miami-Dade County after Republicans were successful in casting the former vice president as a socialist threat in communities where people have up-close and personal memories of socialism and communism. Turnout in areas that went for President Donald Trump surpassed turnout in areas that went for Biden. The urban-rural divide colorfully illustrated in the red and blue maps deployed by television networks played out on the ground in Florida.
More: Trump bet big on winning the Hispanic vote in Miami and Florida – and it paid off
And then there is the enthusiasm factor. Nothing, not his impeachment, not the 230,000-plus coronavirus deaths, not the cratered national economy and not his litany of falsehoods moved Trump's supporters away from him. They waved placards on overpasses, flew flags from the back of their trucks and wore T-shirts with the president's signature phrase, "Make America Great Again."
"I've never seen anything like it," said Mike Coleman, vice chairman of the Democratic Party of Palm Beach County.
Trump cruised to a margin of victory that was more than twice the combined margin from the past three gubernatorial elections. Trump beat Biden three times more decisively in Florida than he beat Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Democrats lost congressional and other down-ballot races, too.
Democrats were successful in boosting turnout overall from 2016, but those bigger numbers were trumped by the GOP.
"We just didn't keep up," Coleman said.
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205,000-vote drop in Miami-Dade
There will be much hand-wringing over what happened in Miami-Dade.
The strategy for any Democrat trying to win statewide in Florida is to run up big margins in South Florida and limit the margins in more conservative parts of the state.
Clinton almost pulled it off, beating Trump in Miami-Dade by 290,000 votes in 2016, when she lost the state by just over a percentage point.
Biden, though, couldn't match Clinton's success there. Initial returns show he won Miami-Dade by about 85,000 votes, nowhere near enough to offset Trump's margins elsewhere.
As of Sunday, results showed Biden getting 53% of votes in Miami-Dade. Clinton got 63% in 2016.
Florida election: Results by county
Just as they did with Clinton and just as they did when former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum ran for governor, Republicans cast Biden as a Trojan horse for socialism. It was a potent pitch, particularly among Cuban Americans in Miami, many of whom are personally familiar with the toll Fidel Castro-style socialism took on Cuba.
"It's easy for Trump to pick that scab," Coleman said. "I'm not sure how long that's going to last."
Democrats tried to fight back, hoping Biden's long record in the U.S. Senate would dispel any socialist fears and even deploying former President Barack Obama to make the former vice president's case.
Will any Democrat campaigning in South Florida always be tarred as a socialist in waiting?
"I think it can be countered," Coleman said. "I don't think it's been countered well."
Florida election: 5 key takeaways from Trump's impressive win in the Sunshine State
Trump's Cuba crackdown
Obama tried to ease the chill between Cuba and the United States, restoring diplomatic relations and liberalizing trade. But in September, with the election weeks away, Trump cracked down on Cuba, barring American travelers from staying in government-run hotels in the island nation or bringing home rum or cigars.
Trump's move will make it nearly impossible for many Americans to visit Cuba because the government controls most of the hotels there.
"I canceled the Obama-Biden sellout to the Castro regime," Trump said.
A return to strict sanctions against Cuba will keep its government isolated, but it will also make it harder for Cuban Americans to visit relatives and send them money.
Coleman said the way to counter the socialist label among Cuban Americans is to "remind them of what they've lost."
Break up Florida Dems?
Jody Young, a political strategist who has worked for Democratic candidates, said Democrats should have been better prepared to offer counterarguments.
"Paying taxes to have a police department is socialism," he said. "Paying taxes to have health care is socialism. It's not your grandfather's socialism. I mean, look at Social Security. We failed in that messaging."
Tuesday's struggles have opened fissures in the party.
Young said Democrats need a change in party leadership in Tallahassee. On his Facebook page, he shared an acrimonious text message exchange with state Rep. Matt Willhite, a Democrat who represents parts of Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves.
Willhite disagreed with the assessment that the party needs new leadership.
The Young-Willhite dispute was a window into a broad set of concerns many in the party have about its direction.
Young said part of the problem is consistent messaging.
"You can't run a political party on hope yearlong," he said. "You can't go into the minority community only at election time."
In addition to winning Miami-Dade by a 205,000 fewer votes than Clinton, Biden's margin of victory in Palm Beach County was smaller by about 4,300 votes, with just a 98,000-vote margin in his favor. Trump exceeded local party expectations by taking 43.2% of the county vote.
Biden fell short in Broward County of Clinton's 2016 performance as well, winning by a margin of 7,600 fewer votes.
All told, though, the South Florida "wins" weren't enough to give Biden a shot at beating Trump, who swamped him by 841,000 votes in areas outside of South Florida, about 40,000 more votes than in 2016.
Trump's victory margin grew because South Florida didn't deliver for Democrats as it has in the past. Clinton rode a 685,000-vote wave in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. With slippage in all three counties, Biden's winning margin barely topped 467,000.
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Urban-rural divide
Florida's counties are experiencing the same trend seen across the country this century, with dense urban counties becoming increasingly Democratic, rural counties voting more Republican and suburban areas somewhere in between.
That trend is illustrated in Duval County, home to Jacksonville.
The last time voters there selected a Democrat for president was 1976, when Southerner Jimmy Carter ran. But in 2018, for the first time in 42 years, Duval voters backed Gillum and Bill Nelson in statewide races. And Biden won the majority of votes there this time around.
In Seminole County, the northern neighbor to populous Orange County, voters have trended toward Democrats, who won the county in 2018 statewide races for the first time since 1948. Biden won a majority there, too.
Meanwhile, once reliably blue St. Lucie County continues to trend red. Trump won a majority of votes there.
In 2016, he won a plurality, 49.9%. Before then, Democrats won the majority there going back to 1996.
Typically, the candidate who wins Pinellas County, home to St. Petersburg, wins the state. But Biden took the county by a slim 1,200 votes, the first time since Al Gore won Pinellas in 2000 that the winner of the county and the state were different.
In all, Trump won 55 of Florida's 67 counties, with Biden winning the more populous urban counties and Trump winning the more rural. Collier County, which Trump carried by 50,000 votes, had the highest turnout at 90%. Overall turnout reached 77%.
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Florida no longer a bellwether?
Biden and Trump came into the race understanding the importance of winning Florida and its 29 Electoral College votes.
If Biden's win withstands likely court challenges from the Trump campaign, it will be the first presidential race since 1992 when Florida's voters did not select the Electoral College winner.
Of course, the 1992 race included a wealthy third-party contender, Ross Perot.
Before 1992, the last time the majority of Florida voters was out of step with the national electorate was 1960, when they selected Republican Richard Nixon over Democrat John F. Kennedy.
Coleman said the areas in Florida where Democrats need to be strong are shifting. The Interstate 4 corridor, home to an increasing number of Hispanic voters who are not Cuban Americans, is emerging as an opportunity for the party.
"When the I-4 corridor becomes the power center for Hispanic voting, Miami-Dade's going to slip down a notch," he said.
Coleman estimates that, by the end of the decade, Hispanics in the I-4 corridor will carry as much if not more clout than GOP-leaning Cuban Americans do in Miami-Dade.
"The right personality could accelerate that much more quickly," he said.
For the past four years, it has been the GOP with the right political personality.
Trump has been impervious to scandal and drew thousands to rallies even as the coronavirus set grim records for sickness and death. The president inspired fear and acquiescence among other elected Republicans who knew not to cross him. And Trump consistently pounded Democrats rhetorically.
That constant stream of invective made it tougher for Democrats to appeal to moderates and voters who have no political affiliation, Coleman said.
"He has used every opportunity to denigrate and demonize Democrats," Coleman said. "He's had a bully pulpit that allowed him to preach incessantly in a way that demonized Democrats."
More than anything else, Coleman said, Biden lost Florida for one reason: Donald Trump.
"He built up a cult of personality, and we just experienced it," he said.
Follow reporters Wayne Washington and Chris Persaud on Twitter: @waynewashpbpost, @ChrisMPersau


usatoday--2020-11-09--Major reset is coming to how COVID-19 is handled when President-elect Joe Biden takes over

Major reset is coming to how COVID-19 is handled when President-elect Joe Biden takes over President-elect Joe Biden 's first @ @ @ @ @ formation of a COVID-19 advisory board that includes a Trump administration whistleblower .

COVID-19: Major task force reset with President-elect Joe Biden
President-elect Joe Biden's first major transition announcement is the formation of a COVID-19 advisory board that includes a Trump administration whistleblower.
USA TODAY