mercurynews--2020-11-12--State Dept. said to be sitting on messages to president-elect Biden

A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump administration is preventing him from accessing them , according to State Department officials familiar with the messages .
Traditionally , the State Department supports all communications for the President-elect , which is why many countries began sending messages to State over the weekend .
But with Biden prohibited from accessing State Department resources by the Trump administration , because President Donald Trump refuses to accept Biden ’ s victory , dozens of incoming messages have not been received .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their own and he has held numerous calls with leaders , including Germany ’ s Angela Merkel and Canada ’ s Justin Trudeau .
But they are operating without the logistical and translation support that the State Department operations center provides .
“ They would prefer to be using the State Department resources , ” said a source familiar with the situation , who noted that the Biden team is having to deal with the unexpected challenge of facilitating these calls .
Not only is Biden being blocked by the State Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from preparing for calls , on Tuesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to acknowledge Biden ’ s victory , saying that “ there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration , ” igniting a furor and roiling diplomats .
Biden is also being blocked from getting the same intelligence briefings as the President , known as the President ’ s Daily Brief , and should the Trump administration continue to block a typical transition close to Inauguration Day on January 20 , there are concerns Biden ’ s administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes office .
Foreign leaders have begun to figure out that State can not get them in touch with the President-elect and their teams have reached out to former Obama-era diplomats for their assistance on how to send congratulatory messages to Biden ’ s team , sources told CNN .
Some foreign governments feel they are navigating an unfamiliar maze , foreign diplomats have told CNN .
CNN has asked the State Department and the Biden transition team for comment .
In the past , the State Department has facilitated a smoother process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State ops place the calls and to provide translation services , and we were grateful for the cooperation from the Bush administration for making that happen , ” said Denis McDonough , who served in the Obama administration and worked with Obama during the transition .
The calls taking place right now are not highly sensitive , and even during a well-oiled transition period they are not normally conducted on secure lines , multiple sources explained .
“ These calls in the past have been handled on open lines .
They are congratulatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that both sides are providing readouts , which is consistent with protocol .
Barack Obama often made these calls to foreign leaders on his cell phone when he was President-elect , explained a State Department official who worked on setting up those calls at the time .
But they all went through the operations center , which meant there is a government record of the calls he made .
Career officials at the State Department are ready to help the Biden team when the time comes .
“ The agencies implemented the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ materials are ready , the offices are ready , everything is ready ; they are waiting for the green light , ” said David Marchick , the director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service .
Operating without State Department support right now , the Biden team — made up of many experienced former government officials — has sent out readouts of all of the calls , which help with record keeping .
They are making an effort to formalize the process and will use State Department resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source familiar with the unfolding situation .
• Biden reportedly names Ron Klain as his chief of staff • Here ’ s who could serve in top roles in the Biden-Harris administration • As Biden plans transition , Republicans decline to recognize his election This is a stark contrast with the transition between the Obama and Trump administrations .
At the time , President-elect Trump opted not to use State Department resources .
Instead , he made his calls out of Trump Tower and resisted using the government support and coordination system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting without any work while Trump made calls on his own , a State Department official told CNN at the time .
At any other point since Biden left the White House , he would have been able to call into the State Department operations center to place a call to a foreign leader , State Department officials told CNN .
Former presidents and vice presidents are allowed to use the resource whenever they wish .
But now , as he is President-elect , Biden is being prevented from using that facility by @ @ @ @

By Kylie Atwood | CNN
A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump administration is preventing him from accessing them, according to State Department officials familiar with the messages.
Traditionally, the State Department supports all communications for the President-elect, which is why many countries began sending messages to State over the weekend. But with Biden prohibited from accessing State Department resources by the Trump administration, because President Donald Trump refuses to accept Biden’s victory, dozens of incoming messages have not been received.
Biden’s team is contacting foreign governments on their own and he has held numerous calls with leaders, including Germany’s Angela Merkel and Canada’s Justin Trudeau. But they are operating without the logistical and translation support that the State Department operations center provides.
“They would prefer to be using the State Department resources,” said a source familiar with the situation, who noted that the Biden team is having to deal with the unexpected challenge of facilitating these calls.
Not only is Biden being blocked by the State Department from receiving messages and assistance facilitating and from preparing for calls, on Tuesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory, saying that “there will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” igniting a furor and roiling diplomats.
Biden is also being blocked from getting the same intelligence briefings as the President, known as the President’s Daily Brief, and should the Trump administration continue to block a typical transition close to Inauguration Day on January 20, there are concerns Biden’s administration will be playing catch-up the day he takes office.
Foreign leaders have begun to figure out that State cannot get them in touch with the President-elect and their teams have reached out to former Obama-era diplomats for their assistance on how to send congratulatory messages to Biden’s team, sources told CNN. Some foreign governments feel they are navigating an unfamiliar maze, foreign diplomats have told CNN.
CNN has asked the State Department and the Biden transition team for comment.
In the past, the State Department has facilitated a smoother process.
“It was helpful to have State ops place the calls and to provide translation services, and we were grateful for the cooperation from the Bush administration for making that happen,” said Denis McDonough, who served in the Obama administration and worked with Obama during the transition.
Calls aren’t highly sensitive
The calls taking place right now are not highly sensitive, and even during a well-oiled transition period they are not normally conducted on secure lines, multiple sources explained.
“These calls in the past have been handled on open lines. They are congratulatory calls,” McDonough said, adding that both sides are providing readouts, which is consistent with protocol.
Barack Obama often made these calls to foreign leaders on his cell phone when he was President-elect, explained a State Department official who worked on setting up those calls at the time. But they all went through the operations center, which meant there is a government record of the calls he made.
Career officials at the State Department are ready to help the Biden team when the time comes.
“The agencies implemented the law faithfully prior to the election. The materials are ready, the offices are ready, everything is ready; they are waiting for the green light,” said David Marchick, the director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service.
Operating without State Department support right now, the Biden team — made up of many experienced former government officials — has sent out readouts of all of the calls, which help with record keeping. They are making an effort to formalize the process and will use State Department resources when they are available, said a source familiar with the unfolding situation.
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Opinion: Three factors could pose a threat to Biden’s reelection prospects National Politics | Opinion: Mike Pence, a Republican of character and integrity This is a stark contrast with the transition between the Obama and Trump administrations. At the time, President-elect Trump opted not to use State Department resources. Instead, he made his calls out of Trump Tower and resisted using the government support and coordination system, which meant that translators and staff sat waiting without any work while Trump made calls on his own, a State Department official told CNN at the time.
At any other point since Biden left the White House, he would have been able to call into the State Department operations center to place a call to a foreign leader, State Department officials told CNN. Former presidents and vice presidents are allowed to use the resource whenever they wish. But now, as he is President-elect, Biden is being prevented from using that facility by the Trump administration.


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Biden reportedly names Ron Klain as his chief of staff

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday tapped Ron Klain to be his incoming chief of staff , elevating his longtime aide to one of the most powerful positions in the White House , officials familiar with the move told CNN .
Klain is one of Biden ’ s most trusted campaign advisers and was long seen as the most likely pick for the top job .
He previously served as chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration and Biden during his tenure as President Barack Obama ’ s vice president .
Klain has accepted the offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service to Biden , officials said , with a formal announcement set for Thursday .
Klain brings unique expertise to this moment defined by the ongoing coronavirus crisis .
The Democratic operative was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to lead the response to the Ebola crisis in 2014 .
Klain ’ s experience leading the Obama administration ’ s response to that public health threat is seen as an asset .
During the campaign Klain was one of the public faces of the Biden team ’ s response to the pandemic .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis has clearly failed , ” Klain said in a campaign video attacking Trump ’ s response to coronavirus released in July .
“ Donald Trump has waved the white flag in the fight against coronavirus.
” Klain graduated from Harvard Law School in 1987 and was the editor of the Harvard Law Review .
He would later serve as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White .
Klain was appointed then-Sen. Biden to serve as chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1989 to 1992 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court .
Klain has become the go-to operative for debate preparation for Democratic candidates dating as far back as Bill Clinton .
His work with Clinton led him to hold a number of different roles in the Clinton administration , including chief of staff to Gore .
• State Dept .
said to be sitting on messages to president-elect Biden • Here ’ s who could serve in top roles in the Biden-Harris administration • As Biden plans transition , Republicans decline to recognize his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s failed presidential bid , including his recount effort in Florida , in which he served as general counsel .
After years as a partner at a Washington law firm and as general counsel of a venture capital firm , Klain was tapped by Biden in 2008 to be his chief of staff .
Klain also worked as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton ’ s 2016 campaign , focused primarily on preparing her for debates .

By Jeff Zeleny | CNN
President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday tapped Ron Klain to be his incoming chief of staff, elevating his longtime aide to one of the most powerful positions in the White House, officials familiar with the move told CNN.
Klain is one of Biden’s most trusted campaign advisers and was long seen as the most likely pick for the top job. He previously served as chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton administration and Biden during his tenure as President Barack Obama’s vice president.
Klain has accepted the offer and will begin a new era of service to Biden, officials said, with a formal announcement set for Thursday.
Klain brings unique expertise to this moment defined by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Democratic operative was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to lead the response to the Ebola crisis in 2014.
Klain’s experience leading the Obama administration’s response to that public health threat is seen as an asset.
During the campaign Klain was one of the public faces of the Biden team’s response to the pandemic.
“The Trump administration’s response to this crisis has clearly failed,” Klain said in a campaign video attacking Trump’s response to coronavirus released in July. “Donald Trump has waved the white flag in the fight against coronavirus.”
Klain graduated from Harvard Law School in 1987 and was the editor of the Harvard Law Review. He would later serve as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White. Klain was appointed then-Sen. Biden to serve as chief counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1989 to 1992, a tenure that included the contentious hearings around the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
Klain has become the go-to operative for debate preparation for Democratic candidates dating as far back as Bill Clinton. His work with Clinton led him to hold a number of different roles in the Clinton administration, including chief of staff to Gore.
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After years as a partner at a Washington law firm and as general counsel of a venture capital firm, Klain was tapped by Biden in 2008 to be his chief of staff.
Klain also worked as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, focused primarily on preparing her for debates.


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Dublin teen organizing Black Lives Matter event gets remorse from elderly white man for frightening

Dublin teen organizing Black Lives Matter event gets remorse from elderly white man for frightening post

DUBLIN — A Dublin High School teenager and president of the Black Student Union was shaken up when his classmate informed him of a social media post by an adult , that seemed like a direct threat on his life .
But since that post , the man has apologized and even plans on meeting with the young man .
Denel McMahan , 17 , also a member of the Tri-Valley Black Lives Matter , helped organize a “ sign garden for justice ” that will be placed in front of Dublin ’ s Civic Center on Sunday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter and words of encouragement to be placed on the grassy lawn outside City Hall for a week .
Sunday ’ s kick-off of the event will also feature speakers .
The event was approved by the city and similar events have taken place in other cities such as Livermore .
But on social media , Mike Grant , owner of the former Guns Unlimited in Dublin and a firearms instructor , called on “ patriots ” such as the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) , Oath Keepers and Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ get ready for a fun couple hours.
” The post , which has since been taken down on Facebook , told the Oath Keepers “ please bring your vests and helmets in case these BLM people start trouble.
” He ends the post with “ Take Dublin Back !
!
” Grant also posted a photo of Denel , a minor , on a Facebook group , calling on “ patriots ” again and writing : “ This is the Tri-Valley BLM leader.
” For Denel , and his mother Dawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed like a call to arms , and a direct threat to Denel .
“ You ’ re essentially putting a target on my kid ’ s back , ” said McMahan .
“ As a mother , my son ’ s safety has been compromised.
” For Denel , he said he was “ very nervous ” when he saw the posts , and wasn ’ t able to think clearly .
The post was shared at least 30 times , meaning at least 30 people could show up to the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the art installation is to bring a message of hope and unity , not hate .
“ I hope the event brings the whole community together to show that with unity we can overcome the world ’ s problems , like racism , ” Denel said .
And now , Grant agrees .
In an interview Wednesday , he said he never intended on hurting the teen or starting a riot .
When he posted the message on social media , he didn ’ t want the violence he ’ s seen nationally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dublin .
What he now realizes , is that wasn ’ t what this event was at all .
“ What he ’ d doing , I support , ” he said .
Since the post , and the attention it has gotten , Grant said he ’ s received a slew of hateful messages in the form of calls , texts , emails , etc .
Some have been vulgar , and he too got worried about his own family .
He said he ’ s now learned something from this young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened to what people of color have been going through for years .
“ As an elderly white man , I can understand now .
This has never happened to me before , ” he said .
“ A 17-year-old young man has opened my eyes up .
I ’ ve been blind to this kind of stuff.
” He too called for a stop on the hate .
Grant and Denel are planning on meeting together in person and having a conversation .
Denel hopes to ask Grant to be a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
His parents have also met and spoken with members of the City Council , including the mayor , and the police chief .
All have assured the McMahan ’ s that Denel will be safe on Sunday .
Grant has since told those groups to back off and leave the event alone .
Congressman Eric Swalwell , who is from Dublin , also issued a message in response to the post .
“ It ’ s disgusting that so-called ‘ adults ’ would organize to come ready for a fight with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right – with the city of Dublin ’ s permission – to nonviolently express the truth that Black Lives Matter .
These aren ’ t patriots , they ’ re bullies bent on intimidation and division , and they should be ashamed of themselves .
Fortunately , they in no way represent the generous and inclusive people of Dublin , ” Swalwell said .

A Dublin teen was shaken up when he learned that a firearms vendor had posted online what seemed like a direct threat on his life: his photo, along with an open invitation to far-right armed groups to observe an upcoming Black Lives Matter event the 17-year-old was helping organize.
On social media, Mike Grant, former owner of the Guns Unlimited in Dublin and a firearms instructor, called on “patriots” such as the National Rifle Association, Oath Keepers and Second Amendment advocates to gather at Dublin City Hall on Sunday and “get ready for a fun couple hours.”
The Facebook post, since taken down, told the Oath Keepers to “please bring your vests and helmets in case these BLM people start trouble.” He ended the post with “Take Dublin Back!!”
Grant also posted a photo of Denel McMahan, a minor, on a Facebook group, calling on “patriots” again and writing: “This is the Tri-Valley BLM leader.”
For Denel and his mother, Dawn McMahan, the post was frightening and seemed like a call to arms and a direct threat to Denel.
“You’re essentially putting a target on my kid’s back,” McMahan said. “As a mother, my son’s safety has been compromised.”
For Denel, he said he was “very nervous” when he saw the posts and wasn’t able to think clearly. The post was shared at least 30 times, meaning at least 30 people could show up to the event threatening his safety.
Grant has since expressed remorse over his post.
McMahan is president of Dublin High School’s Black Student Union and a member of the Tri-Valley Black Lives Matter. He is helping organize a “sign garden for justice” that was approved by the City Council and will be placed in front of Dublin’s Civic Center on Sunday. The event will feature signs and posters supporting Black Lives Matter and words of encouragement being placed on the grassy lawn outside City Hall for a week.
His desire for the art installation is to bring a message of hope and unity, not hate.
“I hope the event brings the whole community together to show that with unity we can overcome the world’s problems, like racism,” Denel said.
And now, Grant agrees. In an interview, he said he never intended on hurting the teen or starting a riot. When he posted the message on social media, he didn’t want the violence he’s seen nationally occurring during some protests to happen in Dublin. What he now realizes is that wasn’t what this event was about at all.
“What he’s doing, I support,” he said.
Since the post, and the attention it has gotten, Grant, 65, said he’s received a slew of hateful messages in the form of calls, texts, emails, etc. Some have been vulgar, and he too became worried about his own family. He said he’s now learned something from this young man and has had his eyes opened to what people of color have been going through for years.
“As an elderly white man, I can understand now. This has never happened to me before,” he said. “A 17-year-old young man has opened my eyes up. I’ve been blind to this kind of stuff.”
He too called for a stop to the hate.
Grant and Denel are planning on meeting in person. Denel hopes to ask Grant to be a little more open-minded and have a discussion with him.
His parents also have met and spoken with members of the City Council, including the mayor and the police chief. All have assured the McMahan’s that Denel will be safe on Sunday. Grant has since told those groups to back off and leave the event alone.
Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is from Dublin, also issued a message in response to the post.
“It’s disgusting that so-called ‘adults’ would organize to come ready for a fight with a local teenager exercising his First Amendment right — with the city of Dublin’s permission — to nonviolently express the truth that Black Lives Matter. These aren’t patriots, they’re bullies bent on intimidation and division, and they should be ashamed of themselves. Fortunately, they in no way represent the generous and inclusive people of Dublin,” Swalwell said.
Dublin Unified’s Interim Superintendent Daniel Moirao also sent a letter to the Dublin community about the post.
“Regardless of anyone’s position on temporary art installations, or the BLM movement, there is absolutely no justifiable reason to post a photo of a child in our community, or any community, in an effort to stir up division and further a cause. This is wrong,” Moirao wrote. “I’m simply aghast that someone would do such a thing, and in the process, potentially put one of our children in danger. In this case, the Dublin Police Department is involved and will ensure our child’s safety.”
He added: “It’s far too easy to sit behind a keyboard and express frustration, but it’s also dangerous.”


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Fans finally can see 49ers in person but won’t rival the scene of last year’s game in New Orleans

SANTA CLARA — Thousands of 49ers fans , most clad in red jerseys , celebrated in their Superdome seats long after last season ’ s most entertaining victory in New Orleans .
They didn ’ t want to leave , and once they did , they took their after-party to Bourbon Street , regaling in the 49ers ’ 48-46 thriller that strengthened their NFC playoff positioning .
That same scene won ’ t repeat Sunday , and not just because the injury-plagued 49ers ( 4-5 ) are 9-point underdogs against the NFC-leading Saints ( 6-2 ) .
COVID-19 precautions mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game inside New Orleans ’ 74,000-seat echo chamber , the Saints confirmed Wednesday .
“ It probably won ’ t be the same craziness that was last year in New Orleans and what that atmosphere was like , ” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said .
Still , that will be 6,000 more fans than the 49ers have played in front of this season .
Fan bans were in effect at their previous nine games – with no change in sight for Levi ’ s Stadium ’ s remaining three games in December .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact we haven ’ t been able to play with fans the entire season , ” linebacker Fred Warner said of any New Orleans crowd .
“ Even if it ’ s just a few ( 49ers fans in the crowd ) , that ’ s still great to me .
As players , we feed off fans , regardless if it ’ s the other teams ’ or not.
” If there ’ s any chance a crowd could become an “ X ” factor , the 49ers surely will embrace it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C. Offensive dynamos Jimmy Garoppolo , George Kittle and Raheem Mostert are among those out this return trip , as well as possibly Deebo Samuel .
“ It will excite the guys a little bit , ” coach Kyle Shanahan said of fans ’ presence .
“ It ’ s been a little different playing in front of no fans this year , so I think it gives a little bit more energy .
• 49ers practice update : Raheem Mostert return unlikely at New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fred Warner gets midseason All-Pro nod alongside a 49ers surprise in the secondary • Kurtenbach : Three 49ers who must step up vs. the Saints • Focus on New Orleans : 49ers may be in trouble against resurgent Saints • 49ers mailbag : Can return of COVID-list players spark upset in New Orleans ?
“ I love fans being there .
Hopefully ( Saints fans ) won ’ t be as loud , 6,000 of them , as they were last year .
I ’ d be surprised if they were .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there be opposing fans than no fans as long as we can hear.
” Don ’ t count on many 49ers ’ fans invading that space and taking over like last year , as they did in New Orleans and so many other venues .
Resale tickets are going for between $ 200 and $ 1,500 .
If that doesn ’ t prompt fans to balk , a pandemic sure does .
The 49ers ’ fan club , Niner Empire , is hosting its first “ Virtual Invasion ” because so many Faithful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the coronavirus again surges across America .
Conor McGale had booked his annual flight over from Omagh , Ireland to see the 49ers , but “ of course , with COVID , it had to be cancelled , ” McGale said in a text message .
The 49ers ’ McGlinchey is excited to play in front of any crowd , noting that football “ was made ” for fans to be at games .
Not having 70,000 hollering could help the 49ers , however .
“ Anything like that from an offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , because it ’ s tough to block people when you have to look at the football the whole time to see if it ’ s snapped or not , ” McGlinchey said .
“ Fortunate that we ’ re not going to have deafening noise but it will be exciting to hear some , for sure .
”

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SANTA CLARA — Thousands of 49ers fans, most clad in red jerseys, celebrated in their Superdome seats long after last season’s most entertaining victory in New Orleans.
They didn’t want to leave, and once they did, they took their after-party to Bourbon Street, regaling in the 49ers’ 48-46 thriller that strengthened their NFC playoff positioning.
That same scene won’t repeat Sunday, and not just because the injury-plagued 49ers (4-5) are 9-point underdogs against the NFC-leading Saints (6-2).
COVID-19 precautions mean only 6,000 fans are allowed at this game inside New Orleans’ 74,000-seat echo chamber, the Saints confirmed Wednesday.
“It probably won’t be the same craziness that was last year in New Orleans and what that atmosphere was like,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said.
Still, that will be 6,000 more fans than the 49ers have played in front of this season. Fan bans were in effect at their previous nine games – with no change in sight for Levi’s Stadium’s remaining three games in December.
“It is exciting, just the fact we haven’t been able to play with fans the entire season,” linebacker Fred Warner said of any New Orleans crowd. “Even if it’s just a few (49ers fans in the crowd), that’s still great to me. As players, we feed off fans, regardless if it’s the other teams’ or not.”
If there’s any chance a crowd could become an “X” factor, the 49ers surely will embrace it. Injuries all season made them shift from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C. Offensive dynamos Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle and Raheem Mostert are among those out this return trip, as well as possibly Deebo Samuel.
“It will excite the guys a little bit,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of fans’ presence. “It’s been a little different playing in front of no fans this year, so I think it gives a little bit more energy.
“I love fans being there. Hopefully (Saints fans) won’t be as loud, 6,000 of them, as they were last year. I’d be surprised if they were. But, I think the guys would rather there be opposing fans than no fans as long as we can hear.”
Don’t count on many 49ers’ fans invading that space and taking over like last year, as they did in New Orleans and so many other venues. Resale tickets are going for between $200 and $1,500. If that doesn’t prompt fans to balk, a pandemic sure does.
The 49ers’ fan club, Niner Empire, is hosting its first “Virtual Invasion” because so many Faithful don’t want to risk gathering as the coronavirus again surges across America.
Conor McGale had booked his annual flight over from Omagh, Ireland to see the 49ers, but “of course, with COVID, it had to be cancelled,” McGale said in a text message.
Any #49ers fans or Empire chapters going to see Sunday’s game vs #Saints?
Likely only times to see 49ers in person this year: at Saints, at Cardinals, at Cowboys (and … at MRI machines) https://t.co/xr6qKT37Nq — Cam Inman (@CamInman) November 10, 2020
The 49ers’ McGlinchey is excited to play in front of any crowd, noting that football “was made” for fans to be at games. Not having 70,000 hollering could help the 49ers, however.
“Anything like that from an offensive lineman standpoint is actually OK going down there, because it’s tough to block people when you have to look at the football the whole time to see if it’s snapped or not,” McGlinchey said. “Fortunate that we’re not going to have deafening noise but it will be exciting to hear some, for sure.”


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Warriors draft buzz: Anthony Edwards, prospect workouts and trading the No. 2 pick

The NBA draft is less than a week away , and the free agency whirlwind will begin shortly after that .
The Warriors have a lot of big decisions to make , and don ’ t have much time .
Let ’ s take a look at what we know so far .
How a workout with the Warriors changed Anthony Edwards ’ mindset One of the biggest concerns about potential No .
1 NBA draft pick Anthony Edwards is his inconsistent effort .
His lone season at Georgia was highlighted by exciting dunks and step-back jumpers , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back on defense and slip into mental lapses .
But in a recent workout in front of Warriors officials in Atlanta , Edwards , 19 , learned a valuable lesson .
“ It ’ s not about how many shots you make in a row , ” Edwards recalled being told .
“ Just go hard .
Just go as hard as you can.
” With rare strength , athleticism and shot-creation ability , Edwards has the talent to blossom into one of the NBA ’ s top scorers if he can maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams , Edwards heeded the Warriors ’ advice , and he aims to do so after his name is called on draft night .
“ They just gave me some key advice , some key points that I needed , ” Edwards said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday .
“ I took those and ran .
I feel like it just changed the way I approached everything.
” Dayton power forward Obi Toppin said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday that he had a virtual interview with Warriors , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Still , Toppin said , “ I believe they like me a lot.
” • Toppin is expected to go as high as fifth overall in the draft , and might only be an option for Golden State if it trades down .
It ’ s likely the Warriors target a player with more upside than Toppin who , at 22 , is older than most players in his draft class .
The Warriors have worked out consensus top picks Edwards , James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball , along with projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• In addition to his workout for the Warriors , Okoro has also met with the Timberwolves and Cavaliers .
It ’ s been reported that Haliburton has added at least 15 pounds since his last game at Iowa State , when he weighed 175 pounds .
He ’ s spent the lead-up to the draft with long-time NBA trainer Joe Abunassar in Las Vegas , where he has worked in the weight room and on skill training .
While in Las Vegas , Haliburton was visited by former NBA point guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using angles to get to his spots .
Though Israeli forward Deni Avdija declined to go into detail about his workout with the Warriors in Atlanta , he said : “ Great team , great situation for me .
I don ’ t really care where I go , I just care that the team will maximize my potential.
” Golden State has seen Avdija in person multiple times .
The Warriors have let teams know the No .
2 is available , but are comfortable making a selection , according to league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve worked out likely makes up their player pool , but Warriors officials will make other visits between now and the Nov. 18 draft .
As general manager Bob Myers said Wednesday , the Warriors “ still are allowing ourselves time to really firm up our board.
” Golden State has maintained that , in any trade for the pick , it wants a young , All-NBA-type player .
Beyond Ben Simmons and Bradley Beal — who don ’ t seem available at the moment — it ’ s hard to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Orleans has reportedly made Jrue Holiday available but , at 30 years old and with just one All-Star appearance to his name , he doesn ’ t quite fit the bill for the Warriors .
• One potential scenario could involve the Thunder .
If reports that they are interested in moving up to draft Ball are true , and Ball is available at No .
2 , the Warriors could target Shai Gilgeous-Alexander .
At 22 years old , Gilgeous-Alexander threads the needle of having the potential to develop into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribute right away .
Last season for the Thunder , Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 19.0 points , 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game .
• Something to think about : Has Golden State ’ s reported interest in Wiseman spooked Charlotte enough to move up to No .
1 to take the former Memphis center , thereby leaving Ball on the board ?
This would be some impressive chess-playing by Myers .
News that teams will receive luxury tax relief has made using the trade exception more palatable to the Warriors .
Read more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the draft , Golden State figures to be a major player in deals to absorb unwanted salary .
Potential scenarios range from simple ( Rudy Gay from the Spurs at $ 14 million ) to the complicated ( the Warriors swooping in as part of a three-team trade to take an unwanted contract . )
• There are several players who make less than $ 17.2 million whose current teams might be motivated to move , but not a lot who make sense for Golden State .
Names that keep popping up include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Evan Fournier , Kelly Olynyk and Kelly Oubre .
• But Myers mentioned a willingness to take back unwanted salary in order to add assets .
The price for the Warriors begins at a first-round pick ( though it all depends on the player , salary , and where that pick projects to be ) .
• Keep an eye on what happens with Chris Paul and the Suns .
Should a deal materialize , the Warriors could take advantage of Oklahoma City ’ s unwillingness to take back salary that matches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ditto for whatever team trades for Holiday , though matching salary there is less complicated .
Check back for more offseason buzz in the coming days .

The NBA draft is less than a week away, and the free agency whirlwind will begin shortly after that.
The Warriors have a lot of big decisions to make, and don’t have much time. Let’s take a look at what we know so far.
How a workout with the Warriors changed Anthony Edwards’ mindset
One of the biggest concerns about potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Anthony Edwards is his inconsistent effort.
His lone season at Georgia was highlighted by exciting dunks and step-back jumpers, but it was also common to see Edwards jog back on defense and slip into mental lapses.
But in a recent workout in front of Warriors officials in Atlanta, Edwards, 19, learned a valuable lesson. “It’s not about how many shots you make in a row,” Edwards recalled being told. “Just go hard. Just go as hard as you can.”
With rare strength, athleticism and shot-creation ability, Edwards has the talent to blossom into one of the NBA’s top scorers if he can maintain his intensity. In workouts with other teams, Edwards heeded the Warriors’ advice, and he aims to do so after his name is called on draft night.
“They just gave me some key advice, some key points that I needed,” Edwards said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday. “I took those and ran. I feel like it just changed the way I approached everything.”
Other draft prospects
Dayton power forward Obi Toppin said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday that he had a virtual interview with Warriors, but did not work out for the team.
Still, Toppin said, “I believe they like me a lot.”
Toppin is expected to go as high as fifth overall in the draft, and might only be an option for Golden State if it trades down. It’s likely the Warriors target a player with more upside than Toppin who, at 22, is older than most players in his draft class.
The Warriors have worked out consensus top picks Edwards, James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, along with projected lottery picks Tyrese Haliburton and Isaac Okoro.
In addition to his workout for the Warriors, Okoro has also met with the Timberwolves and Cavaliers.
It’s been reported that Haliburton has added at least 15 pounds since his last game at Iowa State, when he weighed 175 pounds. He’s spent the lead-up to the draft with long-time NBA trainer Joe Abunassar in Las Vegas, where he has worked in the weight room and on skill training. While in Las Vegas, Haliburton was visited by former NBA point guard Gilbert Arenas, who coached him on using angles to get to his spots.
Though Israeli forward Deni Avdija declined to go into detail about his workout with the Warriors in Atlanta, he said: “Great team, great situation for me. I don’t really care where I go, I just care that the team will maximize my potential.”
Golden State has seen Avdija in person multiple times.
Trading the pick
The Warriors have let teams know the No. 2 is available, but are comfortable making a selection, according to league sources. The group of prospect they’ve worked out likely makes up their player pool, but Warriors officials will make other visits between now and the Nov. 18 draft. As general manager Bob Myers said Wednesday, the Warriors “still are allowing ourselves time to really firm up our board.”
Golden State has maintained that, in any trade for the pick, it wants a young, All-NBA-type player. Beyond Ben Simmons and Bradley Beal — who don’t seem available at the moment — it’s hard to find a deal that makes sense.
New Orleans has reportedly made Jrue Holiday available but, at 30 years old and with just one All-Star appearance to his name, he doesn’t quite fit the bill for the Warriors.
One potential scenario could involve the Thunder. If reports that they are interested in moving up to draft Ball are true, and Ball is available at No. 2, the Warriors could target Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At 22 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander threads the needle of having the potential to develop into a multi-time All-Star while also being able to contribute right away. Last season for the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Something to think about: Has Golden State’s reported interest in Wiseman spooked Charlotte enough to move up to No. 1 to take the former Memphis center, thereby leaving Ball on the board? This would be some impressive chess-playing by Myers.
The trade exception
News that teams will receive luxury tax relief has made using the trade exception more palatable to the Warriors.
Read more about that here. But, after the draft, Golden State figures to be a major player in deals to absorb unwanted salary. Potential scenarios range from simple (Rudy Gay from the Spurs at $14 million) to the complicated (the Warriors swooping in as part of a three-team trade to take an unwanted contract.)
There are several players who make less than $17.2 million whose current teams might be motivated to move, but not a lot who make sense for Golden State. Names that keep popping up include Gay, Eric Bledsoe, Robert Convington, Evan Fournier, Kelly Olynyk and Kelly Oubre.
But Myers mentioned a willingness to take back unwanted salary in order to add assets. The price for the Warriors begins at a first-round pick (though it all depends on the player, salary, and where that pick projects to be).
Keep an eye on what happens with Chris Paul and the Suns. Should a deal materialize, the Warriors could take advantage of Oklahoma City’s unwillingness to take back salary that matches the $41 million owed to Paul. Ditto for whatever team trades for Holiday, though matching salary there is less complicated.
Check back for more offseason buzz in the coming days.


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Early signing day: Bay Area prep athletes announce their college picks

The NCAA ’ s November signing period opened Wednesday , meaning high school athletes can begin formally signing on to @ @ @ @ @ are Bay Area high school athletes who have made or are planning to make college @ @ @ @ @ signing period : FOR UPDATES : Please have your coach , athletic director or school @ @ @ @ @

The NCAA’s November signing period opened Wednesday, meaning high school athletes can begin formally signing on to their intended colleges.
Here are Bay Area high school athletes who have made or are planning to make college commitments official during the November signing period:
***
FOR UPDATES: Please have your coach, athletic director or school administrator email highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com
***
Acalanes
Claire Rowell (Cal, water polo)
Amador Valley
Hope Bergmark (UC Davis, track and field)
Mia Hildebrand (UC Davis, softball)
Kalena Johnson (Cal, lacrosse)
Drew Kim (UC Santa Cruz, golf)
John Lester (Stanford, track and field)
Kate Lim (UC Santa Cruz, golf)
Isabella Mauricio (Brown, basketball)
Kennedy Mayo (Arizona State, soccer)
Luke McFall (Princeton, volleyball)
Penny Murphy (Nevada-Reno, soccer)
Griffin Myers (Washington State, baseball)
Charlotte Ryoo (UC Irvine, golf)
Luke Scanlon (Providence, swimming)
Rachel Shaw (Biola, golf)
Maille Smith (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, soccer)
Bellarmine Prep
Yoni Aidlberg (Lehigh, soccer)
Dominic Bravo (Drexel, lacrosse)
Stevie Chuck (Syracuse, crew)
Blake Gillingham (Santa Clara, soccer)
Ryan Kirton (University of San Diego, swimming)
Colin Peattie (Virginia, cross country/track and field)
Kevin Sichak (USC, swimming)
Galen Topper (Stanford, cross country)
Nolan Topper (Stanford, cross country/track and field)
Bishop O’Dowd
Kennedy Johnson (UC Santa Barbara, basketball)
Kenzy Militar (UC Riverside, volleyball)
Marsalis Roberson (Cal, basketball)
Note: A video of O’Dowd’s signing event can be found here.
Branham
Quinn Ruiz (University of Illinois-Chicago, soccer)
Melissa Garcia (Dominican University of California, softball)
Campolindo
Soren Jensen (Stanford, water polo)
Carondelet
Jessica Davis (Cal, swimming)
Hailey Fanner (Northern Arizona, soccer)
Madelyn Gamble (Washington State, golf)
Julia Haggerty (Boston College, volleyball)
Madison Wu (Santa Clara, golf)
Jordyn Young (Cal, soccer)
De La Salle
Blake Burke (Tennessee, baseball)
John Curran (Menlo, baseball)
Patrick Curulla (UCLA, cross country)
Joey Donnelly (Cal, baseball)
Gavin Grosz (Loyola Marymount, water polo)
Mitchell Hoey (Saint Mary’s, golf)
Justin Hopkins (Washington, golf)
Connor Mechelke (St. John’s, water polo)
Cameron Reath (St. John’s, lacrosse)
Brodie Sladek (Loyola Marymount, water polo)
Note: A video of De La Salle’s signing event can be found here.
Dublin
Ryan Collins (Lewis, volleyball)
El Cerrito
RJ Green (Cal, baseball)
Heritage
Julia Barnett (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, softball)
Carson Glavich (New Mexico Highlands, baseball)
Ella Simone (Fresno State, water polo)
Las Lomas
Troy dela Vega – transferred to Park City, Utah (Air Force, football)
Liberty
Alexis Gutierrez (Saint Mary’s, soccer)
Brylie Hoover (Oregon, cheer)
Livermore
Matthew Polaski (William Jewell, football)
Menlo-Atherton
Mia Parkhurst (Georgia, soccer)
Emma Spindt (UC Irvine, volleyball)
Cole Trigg (Denison, soccer)
Menlo School
Connor MacMitchell (University of San Diego, water polo)
Ashley Scafetta (Boston University, swimming)
Miramonte
Jackson Painter (Stanford, water polo)
Archbishop Mitty
Sydney Bourland (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, basketball)
Olivia Carlino (Belmont Abbey, lacrosse)
Remi Edvalson (Harvard, diving)
Alexis Giardina (Oregon, acrobatics/tumbling)
Matthew Halbach (University of San Diego, baseball)
Hunter Hernandez (UC Irvine, basketball)
Marley Langi (UC Davis, basketball)
Michael Mitchell (Pepperdine, basketball)
Joshua O’Brien (Washington, soccer)
Noah Robertson (Loyola Marymount, soccer)
Amelia Scharpf (UC Irvine, basketball)
Kaitlyn Springs (University of San Diego, basketball)
Olivia Williams (UC Irvine, basketball)
Monte Vista
Cole Braun (Bryant, lacrosse)
Presentation
Sophia Harvey (Santa Clara, water polo)
Sarah Shaw (Villanova, water polo)
Grayson Vives (Yale, softball)
Lauren Zontos (Santa Clara, soccer)
St. Francis
Makayla Baker (University of San Diego, rowing)
Vanessa Cabello (San Diego State, cross country/track)
Isabelle Cairns (USC, cross country/track)
Maggie Curtis (Santa Clara, volleyball)
Kirra Kellerman (Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, volleyball)
Soana Leaea (UC Irvine, volleyball)
Nathan Nguyen (Fordham, swimming)
Courtney Okumura (University of San Diego, water polo)
Isabella Panaccione (Santa Clara, soccer)
Taylor Schaffer (UCLA, swimming)
John Tarantino (Santa Clara, baseball)
St. Joseph Notre Dame
Makena Mastora (Saint Mary’s, basketball)
San Ramon Valley
Matt Carbonell (Holy Cross, lacrosse)
Brennan Cheney (Georgia, swimming)
Grace Coleman (Chapman, cross country)
Casey Cummings (University of San Diego, baseball)
Alexis Depaco (UC San Diego, swimming)
Kyle Ecker (University of San Diego, football)
Emma Engstrom (Dartmouth, volleyball)
Noah Garcia (Willamette, baseball)
Spencer Guillen (UC Davis, soccer)
Lauren Iorio (St. Joseph’s, lacrosse)
Annie Kuester (UC Santa Barbara, water polo)
Abby Muaddi (UC Davis, swimming)
Wyatt Mundelius (Cal, water polo)
J.P. Murphy (San Diego State, football)
Ana Jih Schiff (UCLA, swimming)
Alannah Scott (UC Davis, lacrosse)
James Steingraf (San Jose State, water polo)
Morgan Sweeney (Oregon, acrobatics/tumbling)
Charlie Tagliaferri (Tufts, lacrosse)
Lauren Tam (Texas A&M, volleyball)
Grant Watson (Stanford, water polo)
Serra
Thomas Gould (Santa Clara, baseball)
Patrick Geighran (San Francisco, baseball)
Valley Christian-San Jose
Griffin Allen (Grand Canyon, baseball)
Evelyne Blais-Savoie (Vermont, hockey)
Trevor Haskins (Stanford, baseball)
Jonathan Cymrot (Kansas, baseball)
Lauren Fulton (James Madison, softball)
Ryan Matarangas (UC Santa Barbara, water polo)
Skyler Smith (North Carolina, swimming)
Aubrie Thomas (San Jose State, softball)
Jaxson Wall (Grand Canyon, baseball)
Washington-Fremont
Grace Bergquist (California Baptist University, water polo)


mercurynews--2020-11-11--Georgia audit to trigger hand tally of presidential vote

ATLANTA ( AP ) — Georgia ’ s secretary of state on Wednesday announced an audit of presidential election results that he said would be done with a full hand tally of ballots because the margin is so tight .
State law requires an audit but leaves it up to the top elections official to choose the race .
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a news conference that the presidential race makes the most sense .
Raffensperger ’ s office has said there ’ s no evidence of systemic problems with the voting or the count that shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 14,000 votes over President Donald Trump .
Raffensperger said his office wants the process to begin by the end of the week and he expects it to take until Nov. 20 , which is the state certification deadline .
“ It will be a heavy lift , but we will work with the counties to get this done in time for our state certification , ” Raffensperger said , flanked by local election officials on the steps of the state Capitol .
“ We have all worked hard to bring fair and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the voters is reflected in the final count and that every voter will have confidence in the outcome , whether their candidate won or lost.
” Georgians cast nearly 5 million votes in the presidential race and counties have until Friday to certify their results .
Georgia ’ s two U.S. senators , Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , earlier this week called on fellow Republican Raffensperger to resign over unspecified claims of election mismanagement .
Both face close runoff elections in January that will determine which party controls the Senate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and assured the public there had been no widespread problems .
The audit is a new requirement put in place by a law passed in 2019 that also provided for the new voting machines purchased last year .
The state has chosen to do a risk-limiting audit , which involves checking a random sample of ballots by hand against results produced by vote-tallying equipment for accuracy .
In such audits , the smaller the margin between candidates in a race , the larger the sample of ballots that must initially be audited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the audit will effectively result in a full hand recount .
Asked if he chose the presidential race because of the Trump campaign ’ s call for a hand recount , Raffensperger said , “ No , we ’ re doing this because it ’ s really what makes the most sense with the national significance of this race and the closeness of this race.
” For the audit , county election staffers will work with the paper ballots in batches , dividing them into piles for each candidate .
Then they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count the number of ballots for each candidate .
The scanners will not read the data on the ballots , but will simply count them .
The secretary of state ’ s office has said that any time ballots are recounted , the outcome is likely to be slightly different .
If the vote tallies differ from what was previously recorded by the counties , it is the results of the audit that will be certified by the state .
Chris Harvey , the elections director in the secretary of state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call with county election officials Thursday to go over training requirements and expectations .
He said counties will likely begin the audit process that afternoon or Friday morning .
Raffensperger said the process will have “ plenty of oversight , ” with both parties having the opportunity to observe .
There is no mandatory recount law in Georgia , but state law provides that option to a trailing candidate if the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points .
Biden ’ s lead stood at 0.28 percentage points as of Wednesday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are certified , the losing campaign can then request that recount , which will be done using scanners that read and tally the votes , Raffensperger said .
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins , a Georgia Republican who ’ s leading Trump ’ s legal efforts in Georgia , called the upcoming audit a “ first step.
” He noted the Trump campaign had requested a hand recount .
“ This is a victory for integrity , ” Collins said .
“ This is a victory for transparency.
” Collins denied that Republican demands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote were politically motivated to fire up GOP voters ahead of the state ’ s two Senate runoffs Jan. 5 .
“ Look , I don ’ t think anybody in their right mind would think we don ’ t have enough attention paid on Georgia right now , ” Collins said .
“ I don ’ t think motivation or turnout is a problem in Georgia.
” The issues Trump ’ s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in every election : problems with signatures , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots miscast or lost .
With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key states , none of those issues would affect the election ’ s outcome .
In addition to the audit of the presidential race , Raffensperger announced that he ’ s consolidating runoff elections .
A runoff for any state races was set to be held Dec. 1 , while the runoffs for the two U.S. Senate races was set for Jan. 5 .
Raffensperger said he ’ s consolidating those runoffs on Jan. 5 .
The change will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. John Lewis ’ term .
The person who wins that election will serve for about a month before Nikema Williams , who was just elected to succeed the late Lewis , takes office .
A runoff to replace Williams in the state Senate will also still be held Dec. 1 .

By KATE BRUMBACK
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s secretary of state on Wednesday announced an audit of presidential election results that he said would be done with a full hand tally of ballots because the margin is so tight.
State law requires an audit but leaves it up to the top elections official to choose the race. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said at a news conference that the presidential race makes the most sense. Raffensperger’s office has said there’s no evidence of systemic problems with the voting or the count that shows Democrat Joe Biden with a lead of about 14,000 votes over President Donald Trump.
Raffensperger said his office wants the process to begin by the end of the week and he expects it to take until Nov. 20, which is the state certification deadline.
“It will be a heavy lift, but we will work with the counties to get this done in time for our state certification,” Raffensperger said, flanked by local election officials on the steps of the state Capitol. “We have all worked hard to bring fair and accurate counts to assure that the will of the voters is reflected in the final count and that every voter will have confidence in the outcome, whether their candidate won or lost.”
Georgians cast nearly 5 million votes in the presidential race and counties have until Friday to certify their results.
Georgia’s two U.S. senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, earlier this week called on fellow Republican Raffensperger to resign over unspecified claims of election mismanagement. Both face close runoff elections in January that will determine which party controls the Senate. Raffensperger said he wouldn’t step down and assured the public there had been no widespread problems.
The audit is a new requirement put in place by a law passed in 2019 that also provided for the new voting machines purchased last year. The state has chosen to do a risk-limiting audit, which involves checking a random sample of ballots by hand against results produced by vote-tallying equipment for accuracy. In such audits, the smaller the margin between candidates in a race, the larger the sample of ballots that must initially be audited.
Raffensperger said the tight margin means that the audit will effectively result in a full hand recount.
Asked if he chose the presidential race because of the Trump campaign’s call for a hand recount, Raffensperger said, “No, we’re doing this because it’s really what makes the most sense with the national significance of this race and the closeness of this race.”
For the audit, county election staffers will work with the paper ballots in batches, dividing them into piles for each candidate. Then they will run the piles through machines to count the number of ballots for each candidate. The scanners will not read the data on the ballots, but will simply count them.
The secretary of state’s office has said that any time ballots are recounted, the outcome is likely to be slightly different. If the vote tallies differ from what was previously recorded by the counties, it is the results of the audit that will be certified by the state.
Chris Harvey, the elections director in the secretary of state’s office, said the agency will have a call with county election officials Thursday to go over training requirements and expectations. He said counties will likely begin the audit process that afternoon or Friday morning.
Raffensperger said the process will have “plenty of oversight,” with both parties having the opportunity to observe.
There is no mandatory recount law in Georgia, but state law provides that option to a trailing candidate if the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. Biden’s lead stood at 0.28 percentage points as of Wednesday afternoon.
Once the results from the audit are certified, the losing campaign can then request that recount, which will be done using scanners that read and tally the votes, Raffensperger said.
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican who’s leading Trump’s legal efforts in Georgia, called the upcoming audit a “first step.” He noted the Trump campaign had requested a hand recount.
“This is a victory for integrity,” Collins said. “This is a victory for transparency.”
Collins denied that Republican demands for greater scrutiny of Georgia’s vote were politically motivated to fire up GOP voters ahead of the state’s two Senate runoffs Jan. 5.
“Look, I don’t think anybody in their right mind would think we don’t have enough attention paid on Georgia right now,” Collins said. “I don’t think motivation or turnout is a problem in Georgia.”
The issues Trump’s campaign and its allies have pointed to are typical in every election: problems with signatures, as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost. With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key states, none of those issues would affect the election’s outcome.
In addition to the audit of the presidential race, Raffensperger announced that he’s consolidating runoff elections. A runoff for any state races was set to be held Dec. 1, while the runoffs for the two U.S. Senate races was set for Jan. 5. Raffensperger said he’s consolidating those runoffs on Jan. 5.
The change will not affect a Dec. 1 runoff for the special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ term. The person who wins that election will serve for about a month before Nikema Williams, who was just elected to succeed the late Lewis, takes office. A runoff to replace Williams in the state Senate will also still be held Dec. 1.
___
Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., contributed reporting.


mercurynews--2020-11-11--Bob Myers says the Warriors are drafting for the future, not a ‘win-now guy’

After the first losing season under his tenure , Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers emphasized his goal in the upcoming NBA draft is not necessary to fill an immediate need , but rather to draft for the future .
“ There ’ s no Tim Duncan , where the guy is a senior and he is going to be great automatically and you win now and win for the next 20 years , ” Myers said during a virtual news conference Wednesday .
“ I think you owe it to the organization to build towards the future if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy .
If the win-now guy helps win four regular-season games , then what ’ s the point of that ?
“ When you ’ re talking win now , for us , you ’ re really talking about winning in the playoffs , and what rookie is going to come in and help you win now in the playoffs ?
” Myers , who has been at the helm for five NBA Finals appearances and three championships since he was hired in 2011 , will guide the Warriors in a pivotal offseason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to title contention after injuries and departures sunk them to a league-worst 15-50 record .
The first major decision comes Nov. 18 , when the Warriors will select second overall in the NBA draft .
Having spent the last few weeks visiting potential picks in person , Golden State ’ s front office is on track to make the maximum 10 allowed in-person visits .
So far , the Warriors ’ top executives have met with consensus top picks James Wiseman , Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball , along with other projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Isaac Okoro .
“ We still are allowing ourselves time to really firm up our board , ” Myers said .
“ We ’ ll make [ our decision ] Wednesday night .
When they call our name , we ’ ll decide.
” With a championship core of Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in place , the Warriors are open to trading the No .
2 pick and acquiring contributors or other assets in the process of moving down in the draft .
Conversations with other teams haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Myers said , but he expects trade talks to start ramping up after teams are allowed to complete deals starting Monday .
“ More stuff in the last few weeks in the last few days , ” Myers said of trade offers .
“ But we haven ’ t had a lot in terms of , ‘ We ’ ll give you X , Y , Z . '
” In addition to the top draft pick , the Warriors have the trade exception created by trading Andre Iguodala to Memphis last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a salary of up to $ 17.2 million .
While that ’ s a valuable tool , the financial impact of the pandemic could curb ownership ’ s willingness to spend more on a roster that is already expected to cost $ 50 million in luxury taxes .
But this week , the NBA informed teams that tax payments will decline in proportion to the league ’ s revenue at the end of the season .
The Warriors are expected to use the the trade exception if the right player becomes available .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll do it .
If it doesn ’ t we won ’ t , ” Myers said .
Though Myers has ideas of who he would target with the trade exception , the options will be dependent on what other teams do during the abbreviated offseason .
If there ’ s a three-team trade that begins to materialize , the Warriors could swoop in and take an unwanted salary for the right compensation .
“ A lot has been written about players we would go after and possibly compensate a team for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what if there ’ s a player that will get you a first round pick and we take this guy , so it ’ s very , very fluid.
” For example , if the Phoenix Suns offer Kelly Oubre and Ricky Rubio along with draft compensation to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul , the Thunder could re-route Rubio ’ s $ 17 million salary to Golden State , and Myers could ask for a future first-round pick in return for the trouble .
Whoever is acquired with the draft pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning from a broken hand ) , Thompson ( returning from ACL surgery ) , Green and Andrew Wiggins , along with centers Marquese Chriss and Kevon Looney , and second-year forward Eric Paschall as key parts of the rotation .
But as Myers acknowledged , “ We need more depth.
” They will also have the mid-level exception worth $ 5.7 million and minimum contracts to offer veterans in free agency .
With the second , 48th and 51st picks in the draft and 13 players already under contract , the Warriors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roster spots for two second-round picks .
According to Myers , they could opt to draft and stash a prospect overseas , or sign one of the picks to a two-way contract .
All of this will be happening within days before training camp opens Dec. 1 , when Warriors players will begin preparing for a season set to begin Dec. 22 — nearly nine months after their last game of the 2019-20 season .
Players and staffers around the NBA have expressed concern for how to prepare players for a 72-game regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for teams , like the Warriors , that have not played since March .
For Myers , however , any excuses expired with last season .
“ The bottom line is by the time next year ’ s season matters , we would have played enough , ” Myers said .
“ However we start off — good , bad or in the middle — if we ’ re not ready for the playoffs it ’ s not going to be because we played in the bubble last year or not .
”

After the first losing season under his tenure, Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers emphasized his goal in the upcoming NBA draft is not necessary to fill an immediate need, but rather to draft for the future.
“There’s no Tim Duncan, where the guy is a senior and he is going to be great automatically and you win now and win for the next 20 years,” Myers said during a virtual news conference Wednesday. “I think you owe it to the organization to build towards the future if there’s not an obvious win-now guy. If the win-now guy helps win four regular-season games, then what’s the point of that?
“When you’re talking win now, for us, you’re really talking about winning in the playoffs, and what rookie is going to come in and help you win now in the playoffs?”
Myers, who has been at the helm for five NBA Finals appearances and three championships since he was hired in 2011, will guide the Warriors in a pivotal offseason that could determine whether or not they return to title contention after injuries and departures sunk them to a league-worst 15-50 record. The first major decision comes Nov. 18, when the Warriors will select second overall in the NBA draft.
Having spent the last few weeks visiting potential picks in person, Golden State’s front office is on track to make the maximum 10 allowed in-person visits. So far, the Warriors’ top executives have met with consensus top picks James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, along with other projected lottery picks Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton and Isaac Okoro.
“We still are allowing ourselves time to really firm up our board,” Myers said. “We’ll make [our decision] Wednesday night. When they call our name, we’ll decide.”
With a championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in place, the Warriors are open to trading the No. 2 pick and acquiring contributors or other assets in the process of moving down in the draft. Conversations with other teams haven’t led to any concrete offers, Myers said, but he expects trade talks to start ramping up after teams are allowed to complete deals starting Monday.
“More stuff in the last few weeks in the last few days,” Myers said of trade offers. “But we haven’t had a lot in terms of, ‘We’ll give you X, Y, Z.'”
In addition to the top draft pick, the Warriors have the trade exception created by trading Andre Iguodala to Memphis last summer that they can use to absorb a salary of up to $17.2 million. While that’s a valuable tool, the financial impact of the pandemic could curb ownership’s willingness to spend more on a roster that is already expected to cost $50 million in luxury taxes.
But this week, the NBA informed teams that tax payments will decline in proportion to the league’s revenue at the end of the season. The Warriors are expected to use the the trade exception if the right player becomes available.
“If something makes sense, we’ll do it. If it doesn’t we won’t,” Myers said.
Though Myers has ideas of who he would target with the trade exception, the options will be dependent on what other teams do during the abbreviated offseason. If there’s a three-team trade that begins to materialize, the Warriors could swoop in and take an unwanted salary for the right compensation.
“A lot has been written about players we would go after and possibly compensate a team for,” Myers said, “but what if there’s a player that will get you a first round pick and we take this guy, so it’s very, very fluid.”
For example, if the Phoenix Suns offer Kelly Oubre and Ricky Rubio along with draft compensation to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul, the Thunder could re-route Rubio’s $17 million salary to Golden State, and Myers could ask for a future first-round pick in return for the trouble.
Whoever is acquired with the draft pick and trade exception will join Curry (returning from a broken hand), Thompson (returning from ACL surgery), Green and Andrew Wiggins, along with centers Marquese Chriss and Kevon Looney, and second-year forward Eric Paschall as key parts of the rotation. But as Myers acknowledged, “We need more depth.”
They will also have the mid-level exception worth $5.7 million and minimum contracts to offer veterans in free agency. With the second, 48th and 51st picks in the draft and 13 players already under contract, the Warriors aren’t expected to have enough roster spots for two second-round picks. According to Myers, they could opt to draft and stash a prospect overseas, or sign one of the picks to a two-way contract.
All of this will be happening within days before training camp opens Dec. 1, when Warriors players will begin preparing for a season set to begin Dec. 22 — nearly nine months after their last game of the 2019-20 season.
Players and staffers around the NBA have expressed concern for how to prepare players for a 72-game regular season after a hurried preseason. Especially for teams, like the Warriors, that have not played since March. For Myers, however, any excuses expired with last season.
“The bottom line is by the time next year’s season matters, we would have played enough,” Myers said. “However we start off — good, bad or in the middle — if we’re not ready for the playoffs it’s not going to be because we played in the bubble last year or not.”


mercurynews--2020-11-11--Coronavirus task force warns of ‘accelerating spread’

The White House coronavirus task force is again alerting states of “ accelerating ” coronavirus spread as cases and hospitalizations rapidly rise across the country with few signs of stabilizing .
It strongly recommends increased testing in its weekly reports to states .
“ There is continued , accelerating community spread across the top half of the country , where temperatures have cooled and Americans have moved indoors , ” reports dated November 8 and distributed to states Tuesday evening said .
The task force , which warned of “ significant deterioration in the Sunbelt ” in last week ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that deterioration has only continued in the past week , “ leading to the most diffuse spread experienced to date.
” The weekly task force reports continue to provide an unvarnished , unfiltered look at the reality of each state ’ s current situation , which comes as President Donald Trump and task force leader Vice President Mike Pence have declined to address the worsening pandemic publicly in weeks .
The White House has repeatedly declined to make all of the reports publicly accessible .
In recommendations to several states , the task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly to target asymptomatic cases .
“ The silent community spread that precedes and continues throughout surges can only be identified and interrupted through proactive and increased testing and surveillance , ” reports for multiple states said , suggesting expanding point-of-care antigen tests .
The reports said : “ Proactive testing must be part of the mitigation efforts , inclusive of mask wearing , physical distancing , hand hygiene , and immediate isolation , contact tracing , and quarantine.
” A report for New Mexico , where the task force said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” noted that requiring testing only for individuals experiencing Covid-19 symptoms “ is preventing adequate testing and control of the pandemic.
” North Dakota remains the state with the highest number of new cases per 100,000 population , followed by South Dakota , Wisconsin , Iowa , Wyoming , Nebraska , Montana , Illinois , Utah and Minnesota in the top 10 .
Vermont remains the state with the lowest number of cases and is one of only two states , including Hawaii , in the task force-defined “ yellow zone ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 50 new cases per 100,000 population .
But Vermont was still warned in its report that there is “ cause for concern given the continued uptick in the state ” coinciding with colder weather .
The report for Ohio described “ vast and unmitigated community spread ” with “ no evidence of improvement.
” In Delaware , where cases are disproportionately affecting young adults between 20 and 35 years of age , the task force said , “ We share the assessment of Delaware leaders that the Covid epidemic is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for communication of “ basic actions ” residents should take .
“ Do not gather without a mask with individuals living outside of your household , ” “ Always wear a mask in public places , ” “ Stop gatherings beyond immediate household until cases and test positivity are in the yellow zone ” and “ Get your flu shot , ” the reports warned .
• Why the new Xbox , PlayStation consoles are an even bigger deal than previous versions • New movie picks : Let ’ s ‘ Jingle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches , one state ’ s report stressed the need for indoor mask usage .
“ We need to protect those we are thankful for in our families and communities .
Ensure indoor masking around vulnerable family members during any gatherings due to the significant amount of virus circulating and the high rate of asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections among family and community members , ” the report said .

By Betsy Klein | CNN
The White House coronavirus task force is again alerting states of “accelerating” coronavirus spread as cases and hospitalizations rapidly rise across the country with few signs of stabilizing. It strongly recommends increased testing in its weekly reports to states.
“There is continued, accelerating community spread across the top half of the country, where temperatures have cooled and Americans have moved indoors,” reports dated November 8 and distributed to states Tuesday evening said.
The task force, which warned of “significant deterioration in the Sunbelt” in last week’s set of reports, said that that deterioration has only continued in the past week, “leading to the most diffuse spread experienced to date.”
The weekly task force reports continue to provide an unvarnished, unfiltered look at the reality of each state’s current situation, which comes as President Donald Trump and task force leader Vice President Mike Pence have declined to address the worsening pandemic publicly in weeks. The White House has repeatedly declined to make all of the reports publicly accessible.
In recommendations to several states, the task force called for an expansion of testing, particularly to target asymptomatic cases.
“The silent community spread that precedes and continues throughout surges can only be identified and interrupted through proactive and increased testing and surveillance,” reports for multiple states said, suggesting expanding point-of-care antigen tests.
The reports said: “Proactive testing must be part of the mitigation efforts, inclusive of mask wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and immediate isolation, contact tracing, and quarantine.”
A report for New Mexico, where the task force said there is “full and unrelenting community spread,” noted that requiring testing only for individuals experiencing Covid-19 symptoms “is preventing adequate testing and control of the pandemic.”
North Dakota remains the state with the highest number of new cases per 100,000 population, followed by South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois, Utah and Minnesota in the top 10.
Vermont remains the state with the lowest number of cases and is one of only two states, including Hawaii, in the task force-defined “yellow zone” for new cases, meaning between 10 and 50 new cases per 100,000 population. But Vermont was still warned in its report that there is “cause for concern given the continued uptick in the state” coinciding with colder weather.
The report for Ohio described “vast and unmitigated community spread” with “no evidence of improvement.”
In Delaware, where cases are disproportionately affecting young adults between 20 and 35 years of age, the task force said, “We share the assessment of Delaware leaders that the Covid epidemic is likely to worsen.”
Some state reports reiterated the need for communication of “basic actions” residents should take.
“Do not gather without a mask with individuals living outside of your household,” “Always wear a mask in public places,” “Stop gatherings beyond immediate household until cases and test positivity are in the yellow zone” and “Get your flu shot,” the reports warned.
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Long Covid cases in US adults are on the decline, but many continue to struggle with symptoms National News | COVID Q&A: Can I use an expired test? Time to get boosted? How to cope with California’s sneaky summer surge And, as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, one state’s report stressed the need for indoor mask usage.
“We need to protect those we are thankful for in our families and communities. Ensure indoor masking around vulnerable family members during any gatherings due to the significant amount of virus circulating and the high rate of asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections among family and community members,” the report said.


mercurynews--2020-11-11--Oakland ends Ghost Ship fire lawsuit, reaching $33 million settlement total for deadliest fire in ci

Oakland ends Ghost Ship fire lawsuit, reaching $33 million settlement total for deadliest fire in city’s history

The Oakland City Council on Tuesday agreed to pay $ 399,000 to a dozen residents who lived at the Ghost Ship warehouse when it caught fire in December 2016 , killing 36 people .
The agreement to pay the 12 tenants settles all claims brought against the city in a civil lawsuit filed in 2017 , bringing the total paid to just over $ 33 million .
Earlier this year , Oakland settled with the families of 32 of the 36 victims for $ 23.5 million , along with $ 9.2 million for Samuel Maxwell , who survived the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifelong medical care .
All but one of the 36 victims were visiting the Fruitvale District warehouse to attend an electronic dance party on Dec. 2 , 2016 , when a fire broke out on the first floor and spread upstairs .
Eight of the 12 tenants the city settled with were there on the night of the fire .
As the inferno grew , some tried to fight the flames with fire extinguishers or carry resident Peter Wadsworth , who had an injured ankle , to safety .
Wadsworth had lived with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and was the only resident who died .
Most of the residents lived in trailers or lofts built on the first floor , where the electricity was provided through a series of electrical cords fed through a hole in the wall between the warehouse and an auto body shop .
Master tenant Derick Almena lived with his wife and three children upstairs , in the space where parties were thrown .
Almena , who was staying at an Oakland hotel on the night of the fire , and tenant Max Harris were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are not among the tenants receiving a settlement from the city .
Harris was acquitted of 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter at trial last year , and the jury hung on convicting Almena of the same counts .
Almena faces a retrial scheduled for next year .
Ghost Ship warehouse resident Carmen Brito , who escaped the fire , called on the Alameda District Attorney ’ s Office to drop the charges against Almena , and said “ the settlements prove there were others at fault.
” “ They failed to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are unlikely to be able to get it in a second trial .
Derick has already served three years in jail and six months of house arrest without being convicted of anything , ” Brito said .
“ It ’ s time for all this to be over .
Another trial won ’ t bring anyone back and it won ’ t bring about any justice.
” Before settling the civil case , attorneys for the city of Oakland filed several motions without success asking the civil court judge to dismiss the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the city is immune from liability from the fire , but Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman ruled that the case should go to trial .
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. also reached a settlement with the plaintiffs in a confidential agreement .
Attorneys for the plaintiffs are still in discussions with Ghost Ship landlord Chor Ng and her two children , Kai and Eva , who managed the property .
“ It ’ s been a four year battle against the city , PG & E and the Ngs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing will bring back their loved ones it gives them a sense of justice , ” plaintiff attorney Mary Alexander said of the settlements .

The Oakland City Council on Tuesday agreed to pay $399,000 total to a dozen residents who lived at the Ghost Ship warehouse when it caught fire in December 2016, killing 36 people.
The agreement to pay the 12 tenants settles all claims brought against the city in a civil lawsuit filed in 2017, bringing the total paid to just over $33 million. Earlier this year, Oakland settled with the families of 32 of the 36 victims for $23.5 million, along with $9.2 million for Samuel Maxwell, who survived the fire but with severe injuries that will require lifelong medical care.
All but one of the 36 victims were visiting the Fruitvale District warehouse to attend an electronic dance party on Dec. 2, 2016, when a fire broke out on the first floor and spread upstairs.
Eight of the 12 tenants the city settled with were there on the night of the fire. As the inferno grew, some tried to fight the flames with fire extinguishers or carry resident Peter Wadsworth, who had an injured ankle, to safety. Wadsworth had lived with about 25 others at the cluttered warehouse, and was the only resident who died.
Most of the residents lived in trailers or lofts built on the first floor, where the electricity was provided through a series of electrical cords fed through a hole in the wall between the warehouse and an auto body shop.
Master tenant Derick Almena lived with his wife and three children upstairs, in the space where parties were thrown. Almena, who was staying at an Oakland hotel on the night of the fire, and tenant Max Harris were named as defendants in the civil suitl they are not among the tenants receiving a settlement from the city. Harris was acquitted of 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter at trial last year, and the jury hung on convicting Almena of the same counts. Almena faces a retrial scheduled for next year.
Ghost Ship warehouse resident Carmen Brito, who escaped the fire, called on the Alameda District Attorney’s Office to drop the charges against Almena, and said “the settlements prove there were others at fault.”
“They failed to get a conviction the first time around, they are unlikely to be able to get it in a second trial. Derick has already served three years in jail and six months of house arrest without being convicted of anything,” Brito said. “It’s time for all this to be over. Another trial won’t bring anyone back and it won’t bring about any justice.”
Before settling the civil case, attorneys for the city of Oakland filed several motions without success asking the civil court judge to dismiss the case against the city. Attorneys argued that the city is immune from liability from the fire, but Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman ruled that the case should go to trial.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. also reached a settlement with the plaintiffs in a confidential agreement. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are still in discussions with Ghost Ship landlord Chor Ng and her two children, Kai and Eva, who managed the property.
“It’s been a four year battle against the city, PG&E and the Ngs to get justice for these families and though nothing will bring back their loved ones it gives them a sense of justice,” plaintiff attorney Mary Alexander said of the settlements.


mercurynews--2020-11-12--Letters: Boosting new sites | Picking Harris’ replacement | GOP’s gambit | Restoring virtue | Fixing

Letters: Boosting new sites | Picking Harris’ replacement | GOP’s gambit | Restoring virtue | Fixing the system | A scary scenario

Submit your letter to the editor via this form .
Read more Letters to the Editor .
Google should do more to boost new sites Google ’ s first slogan was “ Don ’ t be evil , ” but to quote Shakespeare “ The lady doth protest too much , methinks.
” When a new website is launched , Google pushes it to the bottom of the barrel until that owner spends thousands of dollars on SEO ( organic search ) to make their site appear higher on searches by being attractive to the carefully concealed rules of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new website at the top of that website ’ s category for 15 minutes ( à la Andy Warhol ) , and let the public decide if the new site is worthy ( count clicks ) to be at the top instead of the Google “ robot ” deciding .
The way it works now is that the buried website owners are forced to buy Google ads to get their message seen .
This is something for the Justice Department to consider as they look into the motives of the Google executives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he is not looking forward to the task of appointing a senator to replace Sen. Kamala Harris .
He should not .
At least not directly .
Instead , he should gather a random group of California citizens , much like a jury , and let them choose the successor .
While the citizens ’ assembly would have no real appointment power , Newsom could commit to letting them choose .
Being chosen by a citizens ’ assembly of the people would give the appointee much greater legitimacy .
And there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good results , given their time for deliberation and lack of bias toward special interests .
At a time of hyper-polarization when democracy seems under attack , this is a way to de-polarize and bolster democracy .
I read in the Mercury News a quote by Rep. Kevin McCarthy : “ Every legal challenge should be heard , then and only then will America decide who won the race.
” ( “ Top Republicans decline to embrace Democrats ’ victory in presidential race , ” Nov. 9 ) Who is America in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when an elected official says such things with no supporting facts ?
Way to go , Rep. McCarthy — yep , send everything to lawyers and circumvent the people .
Please look up the term ‘ gracious loser.
’ President-elect Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris will restore character , competency , compassion , decency , and experience to the White House .
With all the challenges facing the United States and the world , that ’ s a good place to start .
Our system works but needs improvement The apparent defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the American system works and works well .
The electorate has removed from office one of the most divisive and flawed human beings ever to serve in public office .
Unprepared and overwhelmed , the president soon found himself over his head and out of his depth when faced by the coronavirus crisis .
The American people realized this and voted for a change .
Democracy works and we should all take this moment to reflect on the fact that we can do better .
Still , there is room for improvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrupt campaign financing issues , the antiquated Electoral College system and insufficiently uniform election rules for all 50 states .
As we have learned with the COVID crisis we need united guidance for all of the states together if we are to address the pressing issues that challenge our existence .
Scariest thing about article : It may be right Several weeks ago I wrote ( “ Piece offers troubling view of Supreme Court ’ s role , ” Oct. 1 ) to criticize Noah Feldman ’ s characterization of the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t guarantee pro-Trump verdict , ” Sept. 27 ) as a super Electoral College .
Now Professor Feldman explains • Letters : Call for transparency | The real problem | Voice for small states | Invest in renewables • Letters : Student safety at risk | More PPE needed | Nation ’ s divide | One nation | Nation ’ s character revealed that Justice Brett Kavanaugh may not decide cases on the merits ( “ Brett Kavanaugh is about to get a lot more powerful , ” Oct. 30 ) , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to avoid “ creating a major progressive backlash , ” because “ he might lose some of his conservative friends , ” and “ to seek reputational rehabilitation among liberals.
” That a prominent professor of law believes this is disappointing .
Of greater concern is the possibility that he may be right .

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.
Google should do more
to boost new sites
Google’s first slogan was “Don’t be evil,” but to quote Shakespeare “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
When a new website is launched, Google pushes it to the bottom of the barrel until that owner spends thousands of dollars on SEO (organic search) to make their site appear higher on searches by being attractive to the carefully concealed rules of the Google search algorithm.
Google should place a new website at the top of that website’s category for 15 minutes (à la Andy Warhol), and let the public decide if the new site is worthy (count clicks) to be at the top instead of the Google “robot” deciding.
The way it works now is that the buried website owners are forced to buy Google ads to get their message seen.
This is something for the Justice Department to consider as they look into the motives of the Google executives.
Curtis Panasuk
Santa Cruz
A plan to pick Harris’
Senate replacement
Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that he is not looking forward to the task of appointing a senator to replace Sen. Kamala Harris. He should not. At least not directly.
Instead, he should gather a random group of California citizens, much like a jury, and let them choose the successor. While the citizens’ assembly would have no real appointment power, Newsom could commit to letting them choose.
Being chosen by a citizens’ assembly of the people would give the appointee much greater legitimacy. And there is good evidence that citizens’ assemblies achieve good results, given their time for deliberation and lack of bias toward special interests.
At a time of hyper-polarization when democracy seems under attack, this is a way to de-polarize and bolster democracy.
Joe Collett
Sunnyvale
McCarthy, GOP aim
to circumvent the people
I read in the Mercury News a quote by Rep. Kevin McCarthy: “Every legal challenge should be heard, then and only then will America decide who won the race.” (“Top Republicans decline to embrace Democrats’ victory in presidential race,” Nov. 9)
Who is America in this quote … lawyers? What has happened when an elected official says such things with no supporting facts?
Way to go, Rep. McCarthy — yep, send everything to lawyers and circumvent the people. Please look up the term ‘gracious loser.’
Maureen Ryan
San Jose
Biden, Harris will restore
virtues to White House
President-elect Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris will restore character, competency, compassion, decency, and experience to the White House.
With all the challenges facing the United States and the world, that’s a good place to start.
Dave Kehmeier
San Jose
Our system works
but needs improvement
The apparent defeat of Donald J. Trump shows us all that the American system works and works well. The electorate has removed from office one of the most divisive and flawed human beings ever to serve in public office. Unprepared and overwhelmed, the president soon found himself over his head and out of his depth when faced by the coronavirus crisis. The American people realized this and voted for a change.
Democracy works and we should all take this moment to reflect on the fact that we can do better. Still, there is room for improvement.
Moving forward we should address our corrupt campaign financing issues, the antiquated Electoral College system and insufficiently uniform election rules for all 50 states. As we have learned with the COVID crisis we need united guidance for all of the states together if we are to address the pressing issues that challenge our existence.
Michael Alvarado
San Jose
Scariest thing about
article: It may be right
Several weeks ago I wrote (“Piece offers troubling view of Supreme Court’s role,” Oct. 1) to criticize Noah Feldman’s characterization of the Supreme Court (“A new justice won’t guarantee pro-Trump verdict,” Sept. 27) as a super Electoral College. Now Professor Feldman explains Related Articles Letters to the Editor | Letters: Escape Bay Area | CASA program | Feinstein replacement | Faulty comparison | Not conservatives
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Letters: Insulate wires | CDE was wrong | Functional Chromebooks | Trump’s ego | Healthy debate | A new path Letters to the Editor | Letters: Local solar | Titan resources | Activism helps that Justice Brett Kavanaugh may not decide cases on the merits (“Brett Kavanaugh is about to get a lot more powerful,” Oct. 30), but instead to “make liberals happy,” to avoid “creating a major progressive backlash,” because “he might lose some of his conservative friends,” and “to seek reputational rehabilitation among liberals.”
That a prominent professor of law believes this is disappointing. Of greater concern is the possibility that he may be right.
David Marion
Morgan Hill