talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-28--Report: Trump Considering 2024 Campaign Launch, Event To Disrupt Biden Inauguration

As his court battles to overturn the election continue to fizzle , President Donald Trump has been grabbing for straws .
He is desperately considering ways to intervene in the incoming Biden administration as reality sets in .
His latest efforts according to a report from the Daily Beast on Saturday include more detailed discussions about a possible second run against President-elect Joe Biden including a potential 2024 campaign launch and an Inauguration Day event .
As the President ’ s efforts to chip away at democracy dwindle in court , three people familiar with the conversations about a future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one-term President is holding onto hope with a possible 2024 campaign launch .
The discussions suggest that President Trump — who on Thursday said that he would “ certainly ” leave the White House as longshot court battles fall flat — is beginning to pivot in his strategy to hold public attention and relevance amid his electoral defeat .
Even as Trump has continued to make false claims of widespread fraud in public , the private conversations described by the Daily Beast suggest that Trump has delved as far as even trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an announcement to disrupt his successor ’ s transition .
According to the Daily Beast , an event toward a Trump 2024 bid that takes place during Biden ’ s inauguration week in January has been floated , possibly on Inauguration Day .
According to the publication , President Trump and some of his close allies are also looking into prominent donors to identify potential supporters for a future bid .
The reporting of a potential campaign launch , comes after Bloomberg reported on Thursday that during an Oval Office meeting earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert O ’ Brien , Vice President Mike Pence , and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Trump said he planned on running in 2024 , if his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results were unsuccessful .
“ If you do that—and I think I speak for everybody in the room—we ’ re with you 100 percent , ” O ’ Brien said , according to the Bloomberg report .

As his court battles to overturn the election continue to fizzle, President Donald Trump has been grabbing for straws. He is desperately considering ways to intervene in the incoming Biden administration as reality sets in. His latest efforts according to a report from the Daily Beast on Saturday include more detailed discussions about a possible second run against President-elect Joe Biden including a potential 2024 campaign launch and an Inauguration Day event.
As the President’s efforts to chip away at democracy dwindle in court, three people familiar with the conversations about a future bid, told the Daily Beast that the one-term President is holding onto hope with a possible 2024 campaign launch.
The discussions suggest that President Trump — who on Thursday said that he would “certainly” leave the White House as longshot court battles fall flat — is beginning to pivot in his strategy to hold public attention and relevance amid his electoral defeat.
Even as Trump has continued to make false claims of widespread fraud in public, the private conversations described by the Daily Beast suggest that Trump has delved as far as even trying to pin down the ideal timing of such an announcement to disrupt his successor’s transition. According to the Daily Beast, an event toward a Trump 2024 bid that takes place during Biden’s inauguration week in January has been floated, possibly on Inauguration Day.
According to the publication, President Trump and some of his close allies are also looking into prominent donors to identify potential supporters for a future bid.
The reporting of a potential campaign launch, comes after Bloomberg reported on Thursday that during an Oval Office meeting earlier this month that involved National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, Vice President Mike Pence, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump said he planned on running in 2024, if his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results were unsuccessful.
“If you do that—and I think I speak for everybody in the room—we’re with you 100 percent,” O’Brien said, according to the Bloomberg report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-28--Biden Planning To Act Quickly To Protect And Advance LGBTQ Rights

As vice president in 2012 , Joe Biden endeared himself to many LGBTQ Americans by endorsing same-sex marriage even before his boss , President Barack Obama .
Now , as president-elect , Biden is making sweeping promises to LGBTQ activists , proposing to carry out virtually every major proposal on their wish lists .
Among them : Lifting the Trump administration ’ s near-total ban on military service for transgender people , barring federal contractors from anti-LGBTQ job discrimination , and creating high-level LGBTQ-rights positions at the State Department , the National Security Council and other federal agencies .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions by President Donald Trump , whose administration took numerous steps to weaken protections for transgender people and create more leeway for discrimination against LGBTQ people , ostensibly based on religious grounds .
In a policy document , the Biden campaign said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence “ have given hate against LGBTQ+ individuals safe harbor and rolled back critical protections.
” Beyond executive actions he can take unilaterally , Biden says his top legislative priority for LGBTQ issues is the Equality Act , passed by the House of Representatives last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would extend to all 50 states the comprehensive anti-bias protections already afforded to LGBTQ people in 21 mostly Democratic-governed states , covering such sectors as housing , public accommodations and public services .
Biden says he wants the act to become law within 100 days of taking office , but its future remains uncertain .
Assuming the bill passes again in the House , it would need support from several Republicans in the Senate , even if the Democrats gain control by winning two runoff races in Georgia .
For now , Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-sponsor in the Senate .
Critics , including prominent religious conservatives , say the bill raises religious freedom concerns and could require some faith-based organizations to operate against their beliefs .
The Equality Act “ is a dangerous game changer ” in its potential federal threat to religious liberty , said the Rev .
Albert Mohler , president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville , Kentucky .
Rep. Chris Stewart , a Utah Republican , tried to strike a compromise last year that would have expanded LGBTQ rights nationwide while allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beliefs that could exclude LGBTQ people .
His proposal won support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist Church but was panned by liberal and civil rights groups .
“ Anti-equality forces are trying to use the framework of religious liberty to strip away individual rights , ” said Alphonso David , president of the Human Rights Campaign , a national LGBTQ-rights organization .
Among the actions that Biden pledges to take unilaterally , scrapping Trump ’ s transgender military ban would be among the most notable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer , said it ’ s clear Biden has the authority to do so after taking office .
Nicolas Talbott , a transgender man whom Levi has represented in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban , called that “ a huge relief.
” “ I look forward to being allowed to re-enroll in ROTC so I can continue to train , keep up my fitness to serve , and become the best Army officer I can possibly be , ” Talbott said via email .
Some of Biden ’ s other promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to federal government positions .
There ’ s wide expectation that Biden will nominate an LGBTQ person to a Cabinet post , with former presidential contender Pete Buttigieg among the possibilities .
— Reverse Trump administration policies carving out religious exemptions allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people by social service agencies , health care providers , adoption and foster care agencies and other entities .
— Reinstate Obama administration guidance directing public schools to allow transgender students to access bathrooms , locker rooms and sports teams in accordance with their gender identity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Allocate federal resources to help curtail violence against transgender people , particularly transgender women of color .
Rights groups say at least 38 transgender or gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. this year .
— Bolster federal efforts to collect comprehensive data about LGBTQ people in the U.S. by adding questions about sexual orientation and gender identity to national surveys .
— Ensure that LGBTQ rights are a priority for U.S. foreign policy and be prepared to use pressure tactics , including sanctions , against foreign governments violating those rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists worry that Republican-controlled state legislatures may push anti-LGBTQ bills , such as curtailing the ability of transgender youth to access certain medical treatments or participate in school sports .
They are also concerned that an influx of conservative federal judges appointed by Trump might lead to rulings allowing religious exemptions .
Earlier this month the Supreme Court — now with a solid conservative majority — heard arguments on whether a Catholic social services agency in Philadelphia should be able to turn away same-sex couples who want to be foster parents , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schultz , a religious freedom advocate , outlined two potential paths for the debate over the Equality Act : “ ongoing legislative gridlock , regulatory trench warfare and judicial decisions , which will happen independently of what the president does , ” or active engagement by Biden for a new strategy that can win bipartisan support in the Senate .
The first path would provide only “ temporary satisfaction , ” given that regulatory moves can be undone by future presidents , said Schultz , president of the nonprofit 1st Amendment Partnership .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orthodox Union Advocacy Center , cited Biden ’ s campaign-trail appeals for unity — and his commitment to faith outreach — as positive signs for more engagement on the issue next year .
“ He and his team will be very well-positioned to broker compromise if they want to , to get this done , ” said Diament , who has advised both the Trump and Obama administrations .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content @

As vice president in 2012, Joe Biden endeared himself to many LGBTQ Americans by endorsing same-sex marriage even before his boss, President Barack Obama.
Now, as president-elect, Biden is making sweeping promises to LGBTQ activists, proposing to carry out virtually every major proposal on their wish lists. Among them: Lifting the Trump administration’s near-total ban on military service for transgender people, barring federal contractors from anti-LGBTQ job discrimination, and creating high-level LGBTQ-rights positions at the State Department, the National Security Council and other federal agencies.
In many cases the measures would reverse executive actions by President Donald Trump, whose administration took numerous steps to weaken protections for transgender people and create more leeway for discrimination against LGBTQ people, ostensibly based on religious grounds.
In a policy document, the Biden campaign said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence “have given hate against LGBTQ+ individuals safe harbor and rolled back critical protections.”
Beyond executive actions he can take unilaterally, Biden says his top legislative priority for LGBTQ issues is the Equality Act, passed by the House of Representatives last year but stalled in the Senate. It would extend to all 50 states the comprehensive anti-bias protections already afforded to LGBTQ people in 21 mostly Democratic-governed states, covering such sectors as housing, public accommodations and public services.
Biden says he wants the act to become law within 100 days of taking office, but its future remains uncertain. Assuming the bill passes again in the House, it would need support from several Republicans in the Senate, even if the Democrats gain control by winning two runoff races in Georgia. For now, Susan Collins of Maine is the only GOP co-sponsor in the Senate.
Critics, including prominent religious conservatives, say the bill raises religious freedom concerns and could require some faith-based organizations to operate against their beliefs.
The Equality Act “is a dangerous game changer” in its potential federal threat to religious liberty, said the Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Rep. Chris Stewart, a Utah Republican, tried to strike a compromise last year that would have expanded LGBTQ rights nationwide while allowing exemptions for religious groups to act on beliefs that could exclude LGBTQ people. His proposal won support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Seventh-day Adventist Church but was panned by liberal and civil rights groups.
“Anti-equality forces are trying to use the framework of religious liberty to strip away individual rights,” said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ-rights organization.
Among the actions that Biden pledges to take unilaterally, scrapping Trump’s transgender military ban would be among the most notable.
Jennifer Levi, a Massachusetts-based transgender-rights lawyer, said it’s clear Biden has the authority to do so after taking office.
Nicolas Talbott, a transgender man whom Levi has represented in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban, called that “a huge relief.”
“I look forward to being allowed to re-enroll in ROTC so I can continue to train, keep up my fitness to serve, and become the best Army officer I can possibly be,” Talbott said via email.
Some of Biden’s other promises:
— Appoint an array of LGBTQ people to federal government positions. There’s wide expectation that Biden will nominate an LGBTQ person to a Cabinet post, with former presidential contender Pete Buttigieg among the possibilities.
— Reverse Trump administration policies carving out religious exemptions allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people by social service agencies, health care providers, adoption and foster care agencies and other entities.
— Reinstate Obama administration guidance directing public schools to allow transgender students to access bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. The Trump administration revoked this guidance.
— Allocate federal resources to help curtail violence against transgender people, particularly transgender women of color. Rights groups say at least 38 transgender or gender-nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. this year.
— Support legislative efforts to ban so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors.
— Bolster federal efforts to collect comprehensive data about LGBTQ people in the U.S. by adding questions about sexual orientation and gender identity to national surveys.
— Ensure that LGBTQ rights are a priority for U.S. foreign policy and be prepared to use pressure tactics, including sanctions, against foreign governments violating those rights.
Whatever happens in Washington, some activists worry that Republican-controlled state legislatures may push anti-LGBTQ bills, such as curtailing the ability of transgender youth to access certain medical treatments or participate in school sports. They are also concerned that an influx of conservative federal judges appointed by Trump might lead to rulings allowing religious exemptions.
Earlier this month the Supreme Court — now with a solid conservative majority — heard arguments on whether a Catholic social services agency in Philadelphia should be able to turn away same-sex couples who want to be foster parents, while still receiving local government funding.
Tim Schultz, a religious freedom advocate, outlined two potential paths for the debate over the Equality Act: “ongoing legislative gridlock, regulatory trench warfare and judicial decisions, which will happen independently of what the president does,” or active engagement by Biden for a new strategy that can win bipartisan support in the Senate.
The first path would provide only “temporary satisfaction,” given that regulatory moves can be undone by future presidents, said Schultz, president of the nonprofit 1st Amendment Partnership.
Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, cited Biden’s campaign-trail appeals for unity — and his commitment to faith outreach — as positive signs for more engagement on the issue next year.
“He and his team will be very well-positioned to broker compromise if they want to, to get this done,” said Diament, who has advised both the Trump and Obama administrations.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-28--Biden Victory Means Some Guantanamo Prisoners May Be Released

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The oldest prisoner at the Guantanamo Bay detention center went to his latest review board hearing with a degree of hope , something that has been scarce during his 16 years locked up without charges at the U.S. base in Cuba .
Saifullah Paracha , a 73-year-old Pakistani with diabetes and a heart condition , had two things going for him that he didn ’ t have at previous hearings : a favorable legal development and the election of Joe Biden .
President Donald Trump had effectively ended the Obama administration ’ s practice of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guantanamo and releasing them if imprisonment was no longer deemed necessary .
Now there ’ s hope that will resume under Biden .
“ I am more hopeful now simply because we have an administration to look forward to that isn ’ t dead set on ignoring the existing review process , ” Paracha ’ s attorney , Shelby Sullivan-Bennis , said by phone from the base on Nov. 19 after the hearing .
“ The simple existence of that on the horizon I think is hope for all of us.
” Guantanamo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a symbol of U.S. excess in response to terrorism .
But it largely faded from the headlines after President Barack Obama failed to close it , even as 40 men continue to be detained there .
Those pushing for its closure now see a window of opportunity , hoping Biden ’ s administration will find a way to prosecute those who can be prosecuted and release the rest , extricating the U.S. from a detention center that costs more than $ 445 million per year .
Biden ’ s precise intentions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Price said the president-elect supports closing it , but it would be inappropriate to discuss his plans in detail before he ’ s in office .
His reticence is actually welcome to those who have pressed to close Guantanamo .
Obama ’ s early pledge to close it is now seen as a strategic mistake that undercut what had been a bipartisan issue .
“ I think it ’ s more likely to close if it doesn ’ t become a huge press issue , ” said Andrea Prasow , deputy Washington director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center opened in 2002 .
President George W. Bush ’ s administration transformed what had been a sleepy Navy outpost on Cuba ’ s southeastern tip into a place to interrogate and imprison people suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban after the Sept. 11 , 2001 attacks .
U.S. authorities maintain the men can be held as “ law of war ” detainees , remaining in custody for the duration of hostilities , an open-ended prospect .
At its peak in 2003 — the year Paracha was captured in Thailand because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held about 700 prisoners from nearly 50 countries .
Bush announced his intention to close it , though 242 were still held there when his presidency ended .
The Obama administration , seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had “ returned to the fight , ” set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat .
It also planned to try some of the men in federal court .
But his closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including for prosecution or medical care .
Obama ended up releasing 197 prisoners , leaving 41 for Trump .
Trump in his 2016 campaign promised to “ load ” Guantanamo with “ some bad dudes , ” but largely ignored the issue after rescinding Obama ’ s policies .
His administration approved a single release , a Saudi who pleaded guilty before a military commission .
Of those 40 remaining , seven men have cases pending before a military commission .
They include five men accused of planning and supporting the Sept. 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners who were convicted by commission and three facing potential prosecution for the 2002 Bali bombing .
Commission proceedings , including death penalty cases related to the Sept. 11 attacks , have bogged down as the defense fights to exclude evidence that resulted from torture .
Trials are likely far in the future and would inevitably be followed by years of appeals .
Defense attorneys say the incoming administration could authorize more military commission plea deals .
Some have also suggested Guantanamo detainees could plead guilty in federal court by video and serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they wouldn ’ t enter the United States .
Detainee advocates also say Biden could defy Congress and bring prisoners to the U.S. , arguing that the ban wouldn ’ t stand up in court .
“ It ’ s either do something about it or they die there without charge , ” said Wells Dixon , a lawyer for two prisoners , including one who has pleaded guilty in the military commission and is awaiting sentencing .
The remaining detainees include five who had been cleared for release before Trump took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want the Biden administration to review the rest , noting that many , had they been convicted in federal court , would have served their sentences and been released at this point .
“ Whittle it down to the folks who are being prosecuted and either prosecute them or don ’ t , but don ’ t just hang on to them , ” said Joseph Margulies , a Cornell Law School professor who has represented one prisoner .
“ At great expense , we walk around with this thing around our necks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has no role for national security .
It ’ s just a big black stain that provides no benefit whatsoever.
” Over the years , nine prisoners have died at Guantanamo : seven from apparent suicide , one from cancer and one from a heart attack .
Paracha ’ s attorney raised his health issues , which include a heart attack in 2006 , at his review board , speaking by secure teleconference with U.S. security and defense agencies .
She also raised an important legal development .
Paracha , who lived in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City , was a wealthy businessman in Pakistan .
Authorities say he was an al-Qaida “ facilitator ” who helped two of the Sept. 11 conspirators with a financial transaction .
He says he didn ’ t know they were al-Qaida and denies any involvement in terrorism .
Uzair Paracha , his son , was convicted in 2005 in federal court in New York of providing support to terrorism , based in part on the same witnesses held at Guantanamo that the U.S. has relied on to justify holding his father .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out those witness accounts and the government decided not to seek a new trial , Uzair Paracha was released and sent back to Pakistan .
Had his father been convicted in the U.S. , his fate might have been the same .
Instead , it will likely be in Biden ’ s hands and , Sullivan-Bennis said , time is of the essence .
“ It could be a death sentence .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The oldest prisoner at the Guantanamo Bay detention center went to his latest review board hearing with a degree of hope, something that has been scarce during his 16 years locked up without charges at the U.S. base in Cuba.
Saifullah Paracha, a 73-year-old Pakistani with diabetes and a heart condition, had two things going for him that he didn’t have at previous hearings: a favorable legal development and the election of Joe Biden.
President Donald Trump had effectively ended the Obama administration’s practice of reviewing the cases of men held at Guantanamo and releasing them if imprisonment was no longer deemed necessary. Now there’s hope that will resume under Biden.
“I am more hopeful now simply because we have an administration to look forward to that isn’t dead set on ignoring the existing review process,” Paracha’s attorney, Shelby Sullivan-Bennis, said by phone from the base on Nov. 19 after the hearing. “The simple existence of that on the horizon I think is hope for all of us.”
Guantanamo was once a source of global outrage and a symbol of U.S. excess in response to terrorism. But it largely faded from the headlines after President Barack Obama failed to close it, even as 40 men continue to be detained there.
Those pushing for its closure now see a window of opportunity, hoping Biden’s administration will find a way to prosecute those who can be prosecuted and release the rest, extricating the U.S. from a detention center that costs more than $445 million per year.
Biden’s precise intentions for Guantanamo remain unclear. Transition spokesman Ned Price said the president-elect supports closing it, but it would be inappropriate to discuss his plans in detail before he’s in office.
His reticence is actually welcome to those who have pressed to close Guantanamo. Obama’s early pledge to close it is now seen as a strategic mistake that undercut what had been a bipartisan issue.
“I think it’s more likely to close if it doesn’t become a huge press issue,” said Andrea Prasow, deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch.
The detention center opened in 2002. President George W. Bush’s administration transformed what had been a sleepy Navy outpost on Cuba’s southeastern tip into a place to interrogate and imprison people suspected of links to al-Qaida and the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
U.S. authorities maintain the men can be held as “law of war” detainees, remaining in custody for the duration of hostilities, an open-ended prospect.
At its peak in 2003 — the year Paracha was captured in Thailand because of suspected ties to al-Qaida — Guantanamo held about 700 prisoners from nearly 50 countries. Bush announced his intention to close it, though 242 were still held there when his presidency ended.
The Obama administration, seeking to allay concerns that some of those released had “returned to the fight,” set up a process to ensure those repatriated or resettled in third countries no longer posed a threat. It also planned to try some of the men in federal court.
But his closure effort was thwarted when Congress barred the transfer of prisoners from Guantanamo to the U.S., including for prosecution or medical care. Obama ended up releasing 197 prisoners, leaving 41 for Trump.
Trump in his 2016 campaign promised to “load” Guantanamo with “some bad dudes,” but largely ignored the issue after rescinding Obama’s policies. His administration approved a single release, a Saudi who pleaded guilty before a military commission.
Of those 40 remaining, seven men have cases pending before a military commission. They include five men accused of planning and supporting the Sept. 11 attacks. Additionally, there are two prisoners who were convicted by commission and three facing potential prosecution for the 2002 Bali bombing.
Commission proceedings, including death penalty cases related to the Sept. 11 attacks, have bogged down as the defense fights to exclude evidence that resulted from torture. Trials are likely far in the future and would inevitably be followed by years of appeals.
Defense attorneys say the incoming administration could authorize more military commission plea deals. Some have also suggested Guantanamo detainees could plead guilty in federal court by video and serve any remaining sentence in other countries, so they wouldn’t enter the United States.
Detainee advocates also say Biden could defy Congress and bring prisoners to the U.S., arguing that the ban wouldn’t stand up in court.
“It’s either do something about it or they die there without charge,” said Wells Dixon, a lawyer for two prisoners, including one who has pleaded guilty in the military commission and is awaiting sentencing.
The remaining detainees include five who had been cleared for release before Trump took office and have languished since. Advocates want the Biden administration to review the rest, noting that many, had they been convicted in federal court, would have served their sentences and been released at this point.
“Whittle it down to the folks who are being prosecuted and either prosecute them or don’t, but don’t just hang on to them,” said Joseph Margulies, a Cornell Law School professor who has represented one prisoner. “At great expense, we walk around with this thing around our necks. It does no good. It has no role for national security. It’s just a big black stain that provides no benefit whatsoever.”
Over the years, nine prisoners have died at Guantanamo: seven from apparent suicide, one from cancer and one from a heart attack.
Paracha’s attorney raised his health issues, which include a heart attack in 2006, at his review board, speaking by secure teleconference with U.S. security and defense agencies.
She also raised an important legal development. Paracha, who lived in the U.S. and owned property in New York City, was a wealthy businessman in Pakistan. Authorities say he was an al-Qaida “facilitator” who helped two of the Sept. 11 conspirators with a financial transaction. He says he didn’t know they were al-Qaida and denies any involvement in terrorism.
Uzair Paracha, his son, was convicted in 2005 in federal court in New York of providing support to terrorism, based in part on the same witnesses held at Guantanamo that the U.S. has relied on to justify holding his father. In March, after a judge threw out those witness accounts and the government decided not to seek a new trial, Uzair Paracha was released and sent back to Pakistan.
Had his father been convicted in the U.S., his fate might have been the same. Instead, it will likely be in Biden’s hands and, Sullivan-Bennis said, time is of the essence. “It could be a death sentence.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--Biden Announces Seven Women Will Head Up His WH Communications Team

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Sunday announced the first ever all-women senior White House communications team .
The Washington Post first reported the news on Sunday afternoon .
“ Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President , and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House , ” Biden said in a statement .
“ These qualified , experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s incoming White House communications shop have worked on his presidential campaign or held top roles in the Obama administration .
Anita Dunn , a top Biden campaign aide , told the Post that Biden ’ s team chose to announce the female-led group at once to signal that the various top administration offices will work in tandem in a field predominantly led by men .
“ The odds are very high that if it ’ s a story about the Biden administration , any aspect of it , at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a woman , ” Dunn told the Post .
Jennifer Psaki , a veteran Democratic spokeswoman who previously served as White House communications director under President Obama , will become Biden ’ s White House press secretary .
Kate Bedingfield , who served as a prominent spokesperson for the Biden presidential campaign in her time as its communications director , is set to hold the same title in the President-elect ’ s White House .
Karine Jean Pierre , who served as a Biden campaign adviser and former top official with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position of Principal Deputy Press Secretary .
Pili Tobar , a former staffer of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) who also worked for the liberal immigration reform group America ’ s Voice , will serve as deputy White House communications director .
As for Harris ’ communications team , Ashley Etienne , who previously served as a senior Biden campaign adviser , will be the Vice President-elect ’ s communications director — a position she held during her time working for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) .
Symone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign , will take on the role of chief spokeswoman and senior adviser of Harris .
“ Our country is facing unprecedented challenges — from the coronavirus pandemic to the economic crisis , to the climate crisis , and a long-overdue reckoning over racial injustice , ” Harris said in a statement .
“ To overcome these challenges , we need to communicate clearly , honestly , and transparently with the American people , and this experienced , talented , and barrier-shattering team will help us do that.
” The incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work with Jill Biden , will be led by Elizabeth Alexander , a former campaign adviser and former federal prosecutor .
According to the Post , Biden is expected to make more historic announcements by appointing Neera Tanden as director of the influential Office of Management and Budget .
Tanden , who serves as the chief executive of the Center for American Progress , would be the first woman of color to lead the OMB .
The Post also reported that Biden is set to tap Princeton University labor economist Cecilia Rouse as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three-member Council of Economic Advisers .
The Biden transition team ’ s latest announcement comes on the heels of the President-elect announcing his diverse group of Cabinet and administration picks for national security and foreign policy positions .

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Sunday announced the first ever all-women senior White House communications team.
The Washington Post first reported the news on Sunday afternoon.
“Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House,” Biden said in a statement. “These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better.”
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris today announced new members of the White House staff who will serve in senior communications roles. For the first time in history, these communications roles will be filled entirely by women.https://t.co/SjWAWJg941 — Biden-Harris Presidential Transition (@Transition46) November 29, 2020
The seven women chosen for Biden’s incoming White House communications shop have worked on his presidential campaign or held top roles in the Obama administration.
Anita Dunn, a top Biden campaign aide, told the Post that Biden’s team chose to announce the female-led group at once to signal that the various top administration offices will work in tandem in a field predominantly led by men.
“The odds are very high that if it’s a story about the Biden administration, any aspect of it, at least one quote in the story will be from a woman,” Dunn told the Post.
Jennifer Psaki, a veteran Democratic spokeswoman who previously served as White House communications director under President Obama, will become Biden’s White House press secretary.
Kate Bedingfield, who served as a prominent spokesperson for the Biden presidential campaign in her time as its communications director, is set to hold the same title in the President-elect’s White House.
Karine Jean Pierre, who served as a Biden campaign adviser and former top official with the liberal group MoveOn, will fill the position of Principal Deputy Press Secretary.
Pili Tobar, a former staffer of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) who also worked for the liberal immigration reform group America’s Voice, will serve as deputy White House communications director.
As for Harris’ communications team, Ashley Etienne, who previously served as a senior Biden campaign adviser, will be the Vice President-elect’s communications director — a position she held during her time working for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to Biden’s campaign, will take on the role of chief spokeswoman and senior adviser of Harris.
“Our country is facing unprecedented challenges — from the coronavirus pandemic to the economic crisis, to the climate crisis, and a long-overdue reckoning over racial injustice,” Harris said in a statement. “To overcome these challenges, we need to communicate clearly, honestly, and transparently with the American people, and this experienced, talented, and barrier-shattering team will help us do that.”
The incoming East Wing communications team, who will work with Jill Biden, will be led by Elizabeth Alexander, a former campaign adviser and former federal prosecutor.
According to the Post, Biden is expected to make more historic announcements by appointing Neera Tanden as director of the influential Office of Management and Budget. Tanden, who serves as the chief executive of the Center for American Progress, would be the first woman of color to lead the OMB.
The Post also reported that Biden is set to tap Princeton University labor economist Cecilia Rouse as the first woman of color to chair the three-member Council of Economic Advisers.
The Biden transition team’s latest announcement comes on the heels of the President-elect announcing his diverse group of Cabinet and administration picks for national security and foreign policy positions.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--WH COVID Task Force: Don’t Let Guard Down Just Because Vaccine Is In Sight

While expressing optimism over COVID-19 vaccine developments , White House coronavirus task force members on Sunday urged the public to continue practicing measures that help reduce the spread of COVID-19 as they warned that infection rates are likely to surge in light of Thanksgiving-related travel .
According to Johns Hopkins University , more than 266,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 thus far .
On Sunday , Dr. Anthony Fauci , Admiral Brett Giroir and Surgeon General Jerome Adams boosted confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that are under development by Pfizer and Moderna — which have preliminarily shown nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made clear that the good news on vaccines isn ’ t something to fall back on in the meantime .
Here ’ s how members of the White House coronavirus task force urged the public to not let their guard down on coronavirus-related measures now that COVID-19 vaccines appear to be on the horizon : Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases During an interview on “ Meet the Press , ” Fauci said we “ almost certainly ” will be vaccinating portions in the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of December .
However , Fauci reiterated that the country is heading into a “ precarious situation ” as holiday-related gatherings have only begun .
“ We ’ re going to be faced with another situation , we ’ re going to have to make decisions as a nation , state , city and family that we ’ re in a very difficult time , and we ’ re going to have to do the kinds of restrictions of things we would like to have done , particularly in this holiday season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re entering into what ’ s really a precarious situation because we ’ re in the middle of a steep slope.
” Fauci described the development of COVID-19 vaccines as “ light at the end of the tunnel ” but urged Americans to “ hang together as a country ” to take measures needed to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ We likely , almost certainly , are going to be vaccinating a portion of the individuals in the first priority before the end of December , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and March , more and more , ” Fauci said .
“ So , if we can hang together as a country and do these kinds of things to blunt these surges until we get a substantial proportion of the population vaccinated , we can get through this .
There really is light at the end of the tunnel.
” After saying that he believes there will be a “ smooth , professional transition ” for President-elect Joe Biden after formal meetings between the transition team and Operation Warp Speed last week “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that although a “ lifesaving vaccine ” is on the way — which he also described as “ light at the end of the tunnel ” — it ’ s more important than ever for the public to “ do the right things.
” “ This is a lifesaving vaccine .
This puts the end to the pandemic .
This is the way we get out of the pandemic .
The light is at the end of the tunnel , ” Giroir said .
“ But the American people have to do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely distributed , wear a mask , avoid indoor crowded spaces , all the things you know.
” After saying that he anticipates that COVID-19 cases will “ get worse over the next several weeks ” due to Thanksgiving gatherings , Adams told Fox News that “ there ’ s hope ” with COVID-19 vaccines underway , but stressed the importance of taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the meantime .
“ We are mere weeks away from starting to vaccinate the vulnerable and we can significantly protect people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Adams said .
“ So hang on just a little bit longer , understand that the science out there has never been stronger to support the wearing of masks .
”

While expressing optimism over COVID-19 vaccine developments, White House coronavirus task force members on Sunday urged the public to continue practicing measures that help reduce the spread of COVID-19 as they warned that infection rates are likely to surge in light of Thanksgiving-related travel.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 266,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 thus far.
On Sunday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Admiral Brett Giroir and Surgeon General Jerome Adams boosted confidence in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that are under development by Pfizer and Moderna — which have preliminarily shown nearly 95% efficacy in trials — but made clear that the good news on vaccines isn’t something to fall back on in the meantime.
Here’s how members of the White House coronavirus task force urged the public to not let their guard down on coronavirus-related measures now that COVID-19 vaccines appear to be on the horizon:
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
During an interview on “Meet the Press,” Fauci said we “almost certainly” will be vaccinating portions in the first priority of the population by the end of December.
However, Fauci reiterated that the country is heading into a “precarious situation” as holiday-related gatherings have only begun.
“We’re going to be faced with another situation, we’re going to have to make decisions as a nation, state, city and family that we’re in a very difficult time, and we’re going to have to do the kinds of restrictions of things we would like to have done, particularly in this holiday season,” Fauci said. “Because we’re entering into what’s really a precarious situation because we’re in the middle of a steep slope.”
Fauci described the development of COVID-19 vaccines as “light at the end of the tunnel” but urged Americans to “hang together as a country” to take measures needed to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“We likely, almost certainly, are going to be vaccinating a portion of the individuals in the first priority before the end of December, and then as we get into January and February and March, more and more,” Fauci said. “So, if we can hang together as a country and do these kinds of things to blunt these surges until we get a substantial proportion of the population vaccinated, we can get through this. There really is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Admiral Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health
After saying that he believes there will be a “smooth, professional transition” for President-elect Joe Biden after formal meetings between the transition team and Operation Warp Speed last week “went extremely well,” Giroir touted that although a “lifesaving vaccine” is on the way — which he also described as “light at the end of the tunnel” — it’s more important than ever for the public to “do the right things.”
“This is a lifesaving vaccine. This puts the end to the pandemic. This is the way we get out of the pandemic. The light is at the end of the tunnel,” Giroir said. “But the American people have to do the right things until we get that vaccine widely distributed, wear a mask, avoid indoor crowded spaces, all the things you know.”
“We should have enough vaccine by the end of the year to immunize 20 million Americans and we have to immunize for impact,” says Adm. Brett Giroir, WH testing czar. "But the American people have to do the right things until we get that vaccine widely distributed" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/StNFeP28Pj — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) November 29, 2020
Surgeon General Jerome Adams
After saying that he anticipates that COVID-19 cases will “get worse over the next several weeks” due to Thanksgiving gatherings, Adams told Fox News that “there’s hope” with COVID-19 vaccines underway, but stressed the importance of taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the meantime.
“We are mere weeks away from starting to vaccinate the vulnerable and we can significantly protect people who are at risk for this virus,” Adams said. “So hang on just a little bit longer, understand that the science out there has never been stronger to support the wearing of masks.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--GOP Sen Refuses To Refer To Biden As POTUS-Elect Even After Trump Lawsuits Fizzle

Sen. Roy Blunt ( R-MO ) , who chairs the Senate Rules Committee that is responsible for overseeing the election and formerly served as Missouri ’ s secretary of state , was anything but blunt when asked whether he accepts Joe Biden as president-elect , during an interview on CNN Sunday .
A small but growing contingent of Republican lawmakers have slowly come around to accepting the reality that President Trump ’ s presidency is ending in January after the sitting president ’ s flailing attempts at legally challenging the election results have fallen flat .
On Sunday , Blunt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Trump ’ s attempts at delegitimizing Biden ’ s legitimate election victory .
“ Well , we ’ re certainly moving forward as if that what is going to happen on January the 20th , ” Blunt said when asked on CNN whether he acknowledges Biden as president-elect .
“ We are working with the Biden administration , likely administration , on both the transition and the inauguration as if we are moving forward.
” Blunt once again declined to acknowledge that Biden is president-elect as he argued that the title isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College meets in its states in mid-December .
“ Well , the president-elect will be the president-elect when the electors vote for him .
There is no official job of president-elect , ” Blunt said .
When asked whether he had seen any evidence of widespread fraud in the election , Blunt replied that Trump ’ s legal team had failed to present evidence “ that was acceptable to any court.
” “ I think there were things that could have been done differently and better to ensure there weren ’ t voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think the system , frankly , was more secure than it ’ s ever been before .
And the President deserves some credit for that.
” Blunt , however , denied that the election was “ rigged ” later in the interview .
“ I don ’ t think it was rigged .
But I do think there were some things that were done that shouldn ’ t have been done , ” Blunt said .
“ And I think there was some element of voter fraud , as there is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have any reason to believe that the numbers are there that would have made that difference .
”

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), who chairs the Senate Rules Committee that is responsible for overseeing the election and formerly served as Missouri’s secretary of state, was anything but blunt when asked whether he accepts Joe Biden as president-elect, during an interview on CNN Sunday.
A small but growing contingent of Republican lawmakers have slowly come around to accepting the reality that President Trump’s presidency is ending in January after the sitting president’s flailing attempts at legally challenging the election results have fallen flat.
On Sunday, Blunt appeared unfazed by the recent blows dealt to Trump’s attempts at delegitimizing Biden’s legitimate election victory.
“Well, we’re certainly moving forward as if that what is going to happen on January the 20th,” Blunt said when asked on CNN whether he acknowledges Biden as president-elect. “We are working with the Biden administration, likely administration, on both the transition and the inauguration as if we are moving forward.”
Blunt once again declined to acknowledge that Biden is president-elect as he argued that the title isn’t valid until after the Electoral College meets in its states in mid-December.
“Well, the president-elect will be the president-elect when the electors vote for him. There is no official job of president-elect,” Blunt said.
When asked whether he had seen any evidence of widespread fraud in the election, Blunt replied that Trump’s legal team had failed to present evidence “that was acceptable to any court.”
“I think there were things that could have been done differently and better to ensure there weren’t voter fraud,” Blunt said. “I think the system, frankly, was more secure than it’s ever been before. And the President deserves some credit for that.”
Blunt, however, denied that the election was “rigged” later in the interview.
“I don’t think it was rigged. But I do think there were some things that were done that shouldn’t have been done,” Blunt said. “And I think there was some element of voter fraud, as there is in every election. But I don’t have any reason to believe that the numbers are there that would have made that difference.”
Watch Blunt’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--‘Going To Get Worse’: WH COVID Task Force Members Warn Of Post-Thanksgiving Surge

Several members of the White House coronavirus task force issued dire warnings on Sunday as they anticipated increasing rates of COVID-19 cases as a result of Thanksgiving travel .
Earlier this month , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday advised the public against traveling for Thanksgiving as the country reached the grim milestone of 250,000 fatalities from COVID-19 .
Despite health experts ’ call to avoid travel for the holiday , air travel hit a pandemic-era record the day before Thanksgiving .
Fauci told MSNBC that the task force expects a “ surge superimposed upon that surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks .
“ And you know , and when I give that message , I don ’ t want to frighten people , except to say it is not too late at all for us to do something about this , because as we travel back , to be careful when we go back to where we are , to just continue to do the things that we ’ ve been talking about , ” Fauci said .
During an interview on CBS , Birx warned that the country is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , four and 10 times as much disease across the country ” compared to the “ second wave ” heading into Memorial Day weekend .
Birx recalled that there were less than 25,000 COVID-19 cases a day before Memorial Day weekend .
“ We saw what happened post-Memorial Day .
Now we are deeply worried about what could happen post-Thanksgiving because the number of cases , 25,000 versus 180,000 a day , that ’ s where — that ’ s why we are deeply concerned , ” Birx said , before adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plains states prior to the holiday .
“ And now with Thanksgiving , we ’ re worried that all of that will be reversed.
” Giroir agreed with Fauci ’ s assessment that “ there certainly can be a surge because of the travel and the mixing of people who have not been in their own little pods ” during an interview on CNN .
“ We are at a risky time because of the travel and again , it ’ s not just the travel , but it ’ s exposing people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own pods , ” Giroir said .
The White House ’ s COVID testing czar also told CNN that people should get tested if they traveled over the holidays , which he said is “ really concerning to all of us.
” “ Just remember you ’ ve had an increased risk of being exposed , so you should decrease unnecessary activities for about a week , and if you can get tested in three or five days that ’ s also a very good idea , ” Giroir said .
Adams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record-breaking COVID-19 case numbers throughout the country during an interview on Fox News Sunday .
“ I want to be straight with the American people — it ’ s going to get worse over the next several weeks , but the actions that we take in the next several days will determine how bad it is or whether or not we continue to flatten our curve , ” Adams said .
Adams reiterated the importance of taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and urged the public to “ hang on just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are distributed .

Several members of the White House coronavirus task force issued dire warnings on Sunday as they anticipated increasing rates of COVID-19 cases as a result of Thanksgiving travel.
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday advised the public against traveling for Thanksgiving as the country reached the grim milestone of 250,000 fatalities from COVID-19. Despite health experts’ call to avoid travel for the holiday, air travel hit a pandemic-era record the day before Thanksgiving.
Here’s how White House coronavirus task force members sounded the alarm:
Dr. Anthony Fauci
Fauci told MSNBC that the task force expects a “surge superimposed upon that surge that we’re already in” in the coming weeks.
“And you know, and when I give that message, I don’t want to frighten people, except to say it is not too late at all for us to do something about this, because as we travel back, to be careful when we go back to where we are, to just continue to do the things that we’ve been talking about,” Fauci said.
Fauci on US coronavirus cases: "What we expect, unfortunately, as we go for the next couple of weeks into December, that we might see a surge superimposed upon that surge that we're already in." pic.twitter.com/KlBiDPhbz3 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 29, 2020
Dr.Deborah Birx
During an interview on CBS, Birx warned that the country is “entering this post-Thanksgiving surge with three, four and 10 times as much disease across the country” compared to the “second wave” heading into Memorial Day weekend.
Birx recalled that there were less than 25,000 COVID-19 cases a day before Memorial Day weekend.
“We saw what happened post-Memorial Day. Now we are deeply worried about what could happen post-Thanksgiving because the number of cases, 25,000 versus 180,000 a day, that’s where — that’s why we are deeply concerned,” Birx said, before adding that there was some improvement in the Northern Plains states prior to the holiday. “And now with Thanksgiving, we’re worried that all of that will be reversed.”
NEWS: @WhiteHouse #Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Deborah #Birx tells @margbrennan: “We’re entering this post Thanksgiving drive with 3, 4 and 10x as much disease across the country, that's what worries us the most" pic.twitter.com/iS8qJ7prKR — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) November 29, 2020
Adm. Brett Giroir
Giroir agreed with Fauci’s assessment that “there certainly can be a surge because of the travel and the mixing of people who have not been in their own little pods” during an interview on CNN.
“We are at a risky time because of the travel and again, it’s not just the travel, but it’s exposing people who have not been sort of in their own pods,” Giroir said.
The White House’s COVID testing czar also told CNN that people should get tested if they traveled over the holidays, which he said is “really concerning to all of us.”
“Just remember you’ve had an increased risk of being exposed, so you should decrease unnecessary activities for about a week, and if you can get tested in three or five days that’s also a very good idea,” Giroir said.
Giroir: “There certainly can be a surge because of the travel and the mixing of people who have not been in their own little pods" pic.twitter.com/XplZwrH0v1 — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) November 29, 2020
Surgeon General Jerome Adams
Adams offered a blunt assessment of the already record-breaking COVID-19 case numbers throughout the country during an interview on Fox News Sunday.
“I want to be straight with the American people — it’s going to get worse over the next several weeks, but the actions that we take in the next several days will determine how bad it is or whether or not we continue to flatten our curve,” Adams said.
Adams reiterated the importance of taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and urged the public to “hang on just a little bit longer” before vaccines are distributed.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--WI Recount Cements Biden’s Win And Trump’s Failure To Overturn Results

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) — Wisconsin finished its recount of votes cast in this month ’ s presidential election on Sunday , with only miniscule changes in the results that saw Democrat Joe Biden defeat Republican Donald Trump in the battleground state .
Dane County , which includes the state capital of Madison , reported only small changes in its vote totals , mirroring the earlier results of the recount conducted in Milwaukee County .
Trump gained 45 votes in Dane County , according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel .
Biden won the state by nearly 20,600 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties was about 2-to-1 .
“ As we have said , the recount only served to reaffirm Joe Biden ’ s victory in Wisconsin , ” Danielle Melfi , who led Biden ’ s campaign in Wisconsin , said in a statement to The Associated Press .
Trump ’ s next move in Wisconsin will likely be in court .
Trump campaign officials didn ’ t immediately respond to AP requests for comment .
In Milwaukee County , Biden ’ s lead increased by 132 votes after county election officials recounted the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump paid to have a recount in both counties and his attorneys appear ready for a legal challenge seeking to toss tens of thousands of ballots .
The president ’ s campaign will need to act quickly .
The deadline to certify the vote is Tuesday .
Certification is done by the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Election Commission , which is bipartisan .
The Wisconsin Voters Alliance , a conservative group , has already filed a lawsuit against state election officials seeking to block certification of the results .
It makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make .
Another suit filed over the weekend by Wisconsin resident Dean Mueller argues that ballots placed in drop boxes are illegal and must not be counted .
Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers ’ attorneys have and asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss the suit .
Evers , a Democrat , said the complaint is a “ mishmash of legal distortions ” that uses factual misrepresentations in an attempt to take voting rights away from millions of Wisconsin residents .
Trump ’ s attorneys have complained about absentee ballots where voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” allowing them to cast an absentee ballot without showing a photo ID ; ballots that have a certification envelope with two different ink colors , indicating a poll worker may have helped complete it ; and absentee ballots that don ’ t have a separate written record for its request , such as in-person absentee ballots .
Election officials in the two counties have counted those ballots during the recount , but marked them as exhibits at the request of the Trump campaign .
Trump ’ s campaign has already failed elsewhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which experts widely agree doesn ’ t exist .
Trump legal challenges have failed in Arizona , Georgia , Michigan , Nevada and Pennsylvania .

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin finished its recount of votes cast in this month’s presidential election on Sunday, with only miniscule changes in the results that saw Democrat Joe Biden defeat Republican Donald Trump in the battleground state.
Dane County, which includes the state capital of Madison, reported only small changes in its vote totals, mirroring the earlier results of the recount conducted in Milwaukee County. Trump gained 45 votes in Dane County, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Biden won the state by nearly 20,600 votes and his margin in Milwaukee and Dane counties was about 2-to-1.
“As we have said, the recount only served to reaffirm Joe Biden’s victory in Wisconsin,” Danielle Melfi, who led Biden’s campaign in Wisconsin, said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Trump’s next move in Wisconsin will likely be in court. Trump campaign officials didn’t immediately respond to AP requests for comment.
In Milwaukee County, Biden’s lead increased by 132 votes after county election officials recounted the more than 450,000 votes that were cast there.
Trump paid to have a recount in both counties and his attorneys appear ready for a legal challenge seeking to toss tens of thousands of ballots.
The president’s campaign will need to act quickly. The deadline to certify the vote is Tuesday. Certification is done by the Democratic chair of the Wisconsin Election Commission, which is bipartisan.
The Wisconsin Voters Alliance, a conservative group, has already filed a lawsuit against state election officials seeking to block certification of the results. It makes many of the claims Trump is expected to make.
Another suit filed over the weekend by Wisconsin resident Dean Mueller argues that ballots placed in drop boxes are illegal and must not be counted.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ attorneys have and asked the state Supreme Court to dismiss the suit. Evers, a Democrat, said the complaint is a “mishmash of legal distortions” that uses factual misrepresentations in an attempt to take voting rights away from millions of Wisconsin residents.
Trump’s attorneys have complained about absentee ballots where voters identified themselves as “indefinitely confined,” allowing them to cast an absentee ballot without showing a photo ID; ballots that have a certification envelope with two different ink colors, indicating a poll worker may have helped complete it; and absentee ballots that don’t have a separate written record for its request, such as in-person absentee ballots.
Election officials in the two counties have counted those ballots during the recount, but marked them as exhibits at the request of the Trump campaign.
Trump’s campaign has already failed elsewhere in court without proof of widespread fraud, which experts widely agree doesn’t exist. Trump legal challenges have failed in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--Delusional Trump Says He’ll Waste ‘125%’ Of His Energy Into Already Low Energy Election Lawsuits

Still living in denial , President Trump on Sunday predictably stoked more bogus claims of widespread election fraud as he refused to back down on his already fruitless legal battles contesting the legitimacy of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s legitimate victory , during a conspiracy-ridden interview on Fox News .
The sitting president has lost dozens of rulings in several states as Trump ’ s legal team has failed to provide any evidence of widespread voter fraud .
Despite General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy finally giving the green light for Biden last week to start his formal transition process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no indication of doing so on Sunday morning .
On Sunday , Trump complained to Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo about judges rejecting his efforts to dispute the election results as he repeated his false claims that the election was somehow stolen from him .
Trump touted that he ’ d like to file “ one nice beautiful lawsuit ” as he nonsensically fumed that courts should ’ ve swayed the election results in his favor simply because he ’ s still in office .
“ They say , sir , you don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I don ’ t have standing you mean as president of the United States , I don ’ t have standing ?
” Trump said .
“ What kind of a court system is this ?
And the judges stay away from it.
” Trump also griped about losing the battleground state of Georgia by complaining that he is “ ashamed ” of having previously endorsed Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) because the Trump-aligned governor has “ done absolutely nothing ” to sway the state ’ s election results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unhinged conspiracy-heavy rant on Fox News concluded with him saying that he will throw “ 125 % ” of his energy into supposedly rescuing the already sunken ship of his election legal battles .
“ I ’ m going to use 125 % of my energy to do it , ” Trump said , when asked if he believes that he can prove his baseless claims of votes being tossed .
“ You need a judge that ’ s willing to hear a case .
You need a Supreme Court that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on everything that it ’ s not like you ’ re going to change my mind.
” Trump added that his “ mind will not change in six months.
” ( Biden ’ s inauguration is in January . )
Trump , who voted by mail in the election , then continued ranting about mail-in voting being a “ total disaster .
”

Still living in denial, President Trump on Sunday predictably stoked more bogus claims of widespread election fraud as he refused to back down on his already fruitless legal battles contesting the legitimacy of President-elect Joe Biden’s legitimate victory, during a conspiracy-ridden interview on Fox News.
The sitting president has lost dozens of rulings in several states as Trump’s legal team has failed to provide any evidence of widespread voter fraud. Despite General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy finally giving the green light for Biden last week to start his formal transition process, Trump has not conceded and gave no indication of doing so on Sunday morning.
On Sunday, Trump complained to Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo about judges rejecting his efforts to dispute the election results as he repeated his false claims that the election was somehow stolen from him.
Trump touted that he’d like to file “one nice beautiful lawsuit” as he nonsensically fumed that courts should’ve swayed the election results in his favor simply because he’s still in office.
“They say, sir, you don’t have standing. I say, I don’t have standing you mean as president of the United States, I don’t have standing?” Trump said. “What kind of a court system is this? And the judges stay away from it.”
Trump also griped about losing the battleground state of Georgia by complaining that he is “ashamed” of having previously endorsed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) because the Trump-aligned governor has “done absolutely nothing” to sway the state’s election results in his favor.
Trump’s unhinged conspiracy-heavy rant on Fox News concluded with him saying that he will throw “125%” of his energy into supposedly rescuing the already sunken ship of his election legal battles.
“I’m going to use 125% of my energy to do it,” Trump said, when asked if he believes that he can prove his baseless claims of votes being tossed. “You need a judge that’s willing to hear a case. You need a Supreme Court that’s willing to make a real big decision, based on everything that it’s not like you’re going to change my mind.”
Trump added that his “mind will not change in six months.” (Biden’s inauguration is in January.)
Trump, who voted by mail in the election, then continued ranting about mail-in voting being a “total disaster.”
Listen to Trump’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--GA Sec Of State Calls Out GOPers Who Won’t Condemn Death Threats: ‘Really Complicit’

Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensberger , a Republican , took aim at other Republicans for failing to condemn death threats he and his family have faced following the battleground state ’ s hand recount affirming President-elect Joe Biden ’ s election victory .
President Trump ’ s allies — which include Sens .
David Perdue ( R-GA ) , and Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) — attempted to pressure Raffensperger into resigning amid Trump ’ s baseless claims of widespread voter fraud .
Raffensperger also accused Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) of demanding that he disregard all absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high rate of signature-matching rejections .
In a Washington Post report published Saturday night , Raffensperger maintained that it ’ s his job as Georgia ’ s secretary of state to follow the law .
“ People made wild accusations about the voting systems that we have in Georgia , ” Raffensperger told the Post , referring to a Trump-touted bogus conspiracy theory alleging that machines made by Dominion Voting Systems were programmed to hand Biden more votes .
“ They were asking , ‘ How do we get to 270 ?
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can make a determination ?
’ ” After telling the Post that he ’ s “ not supposed to put my thumb on the Republican side , ” the Georgia secretary of state argued that fellow Republicans are only harming themselves by feeding into unfounded allegations that are an attempt to delegitimize the election process , which Raffensperger warned could discourage Republicans from voting in the Senate runoffs .
“ People need to get a grip on reality , ” Raffensperger told the Post .
Raffensperger then reiterated that not only is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has taken the brunt as well .
Raffensperger told the Post that he and his wife have received many threats over the past few weeks and that there was a break-in at another relative ’ s home , which prompted him to accept a state security detail .
Raffensperger bluntly called out Republicans who ’ ve failed to condemn threats to his family ’ s safety .
“ If Republicans don ’ t start condemning this stuff , then I think they ’ re really complicit in it , ” Raffensperger told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand up and be counted .
Are you going to stand for righteousness ?
Are you going to stand for integrity ?
Or are you going to stand for the wild mob ?
You wanted to condemn the wild mob when it ’ s on the left side .
What are you going to do when it ’ s on our side ?
”

Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, took aim at other Republicans for failing to condemn death threats he and his family have faced following the battleground state’s hand recount affirming President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory.
President Trump’s allies — which include Sens. David Perdue (R-GA), and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) — attempted to pressure Raffensperger into resigning amid Trump’s baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. Raffensperger also accused Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) of demanding that he disregard all absentee ballots in counties where there was a high rate of signature-matching rejections.
In a Washington Post report published Saturday night, Raffensperger maintained that it’s his job as Georgia’s secretary of state to follow the law.
“People made wild accusations about the voting systems that we have in Georgia,” Raffensperger told the Post, referring to a Trump-touted bogus conspiracy theory alleging that machines made by Dominion Voting Systems were programmed to hand Biden more votes. “They were asking, ‘How do we get to 270? How do you get it to Congress so they can make a determination?’”
After telling the Post that he’s “not supposed to put my thumb on the Republican side,” the Georgia secretary of state argued that fellow Republicans are only harming themselves by feeding into unfounded allegations that are an attempt to delegitimize the election process, which Raffensperger warned could discourage Republicans from voting in the Senate runoffs.
“People need to get a grip on reality,” Raffensperger told the Post.
Raffensperger then reiterated that not only is he facing threats, but his family has taken the brunt as well. Raffensperger told the Post that he and his wife have received many threats over the past few weeks and that there was a break-in at another relative’s home, which prompted him to accept a state security detail.
Raffensperger bluntly called out Republicans who’ve failed to condemn threats to his family’s safety.
“If Republicans don’t start condemning this stuff, then I think they’re really complicit in it,” Raffensperger told the Post. “It’s time to stand up and be counted. Are you going to stand for righteousness? Are you going to stand for integrity? Or are you going to stand for the wild mob? You wanted to condemn the wild mob when it’s on the left side. What are you going to do when it’s on our side?”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-29--PA Supreme Court Rejects Another GOP Effort To Block Certification Of Biden’s Win

HARRISBURG , Pa. ( AP ) — Pennsylvania ’ s highest court on Saturday night threw out a lower court ’ s order preventing the state from certifying dozens of contests on its Nov. 3 election ballot in the latest lawsuit filed by Republicans attempting to thwart President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory in the battleground state .
The state Supreme Court , in a unanimous decision , threw out the three-day-old order , saying the underlying lawsuit was filed months after the expiration of a time limit in Pennsylvania ’ s expansive year-old mail-in voting law allowing for challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lawsuit ’ s staggering demand that an entire election be overturned retroactively .
“ They have failed to allege that even a single mail-in ballot was fraudulently cast or counted , ” Justice David Wecht wrote in a concurring opinion .
The state ’ s attorney general , Democrat Josh Shapiro , called the court ’ s decision “ another win for Democracy.
” President Donald Trump and his lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , meanwhile , have repeatedly and baselessly claimed that Democrats falsified mail-in ballots to steal the election from Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania , a state Trump had won in 2016 .
The week-old lawsuit , led by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of northwestern Pennsylvania , had challenged the state ’ s mail-in voting law as unconstitutional .
As a remedy , Kelly and the other Republican plaintiffs had sought to either throw out the 2.5 million mail-in ballots submitted under the law — most of them by Democrats — or to wipe out the election results and direct the state ’ s Republican-controlled Legislature to pick Pennsylvania ’ s presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request — for the state ’ s lawmakers to pick Pennsylvania ’ s presidential electors — flies in the face of a nearly century-old state law that already grants the power to pick electors to the state ’ s popular vote , Wecht wrote .
While the high court ’ s two Republicans joined the five Democrats in opposing those remedies , they split from Democrats in suggesting that the lawsuit ’ s underlying claims — that the state ’ s mail-in voting law might violate the constitution — are worth considering .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Republican in 2009 , had issued the order Wednesday to halt certification of any remaining contests , including apparently contests for Congress .
It did not appear to affect the presidential contest since a day earlier , Gov .
Tom Wolf , a Democrat , had certified Biden as the winner of the presidential election in Pennsylvania .
Wolf quickly appealed McCullough ’ s decision to the state Supreme Court , saying there was no “ conceivable justification ” for it .
The lawsuit ’ s dismissal comes after Republicans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Trump campaign and its GOP allies filed in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania .
On Friday , a federal appeals court in Philadelphia roundly rejected the Trump campaign ’ s latest effort to challenge the state ’ s election results .
In that lawsuit , Trump ’ s campaign had complained that its observers had not been able to scrutinize mail-in ballots as they were being processed in two Democratic bastions , Philadelphia and Allegheny County , which is home to Pittsburgh .
Trump ’ s lawyers vowed to appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ assessment that the “ campaign ’ s claims have no merit .
”

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s highest court on Saturday night threw out a lower court’s order preventing the state from certifying dozens of contests on its Nov. 3 election ballot in the latest lawsuit filed by Republicans attempting to thwart President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the battleground state.
The state Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, threw out the three-day-old order, saying the underlying lawsuit was filed months after the expiration of a time limit in Pennsylvania’s expansive year-old mail-in voting law allowing for challenges to it.
Justices also remarked on the lawsuit’s staggering demand that an entire election be overturned retroactively.
“They have failed to allege that even a single mail-in ballot was fraudulently cast or counted,” Justice David Wecht wrote in a concurring opinion.
The state’s attorney general, Democrat Josh Shapiro, called the court’s decision “another win for Democracy.”
President Donald Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, have repeatedly and baselessly claimed that Democrats falsified mail-in ballots to steal the election from Trump. Biden beat Trump by more than 80,000 votes in Pennsylvania, a state Trump had won in 2016.
The week-old lawsuit, led by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly of northwestern Pennsylvania, had challenged the state’s mail-in voting law as unconstitutional.
As a remedy, Kelly and the other Republican plaintiffs had sought to either throw out the 2.5 million mail-in ballots submitted under the law — most of them by Democrats — or to wipe out the election results and direct the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature to pick Pennsylvania’s presidential electors.
In any case, that request — for the state’s lawmakers to pick Pennsylvania’s presidential electors — flies in the face of a nearly century-old state law that already grants the power to pick electors to the state’s popular vote, Wecht wrote.
While the high court’s two Republicans joined the five Democrats in opposing those remedies, they split from Democrats in suggesting that the lawsuit’s underlying claims — that the state’s mail-in voting law might violate the constitution — are worth considering.
Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia McCullough, elected as a Republican in 2009, had issued the order Wednesday to halt certification of any remaining contests, including apparently contests for Congress.
It did not appear to affect the presidential contest since a day earlier, Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, had certified Biden as the winner of the presidential election in Pennsylvania.
Wolf quickly appealed McCullough’s decision to the state Supreme Court, saying there was no “conceivable justification” for it.
The lawsuit’s dismissal comes after Republicans have lost a flurry of legal challenges brought by the Trump campaign and its GOP allies filed in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania.
On Friday, a federal appeals court in Philadelphia roundly rejected the Trump campaign’s latest effort to challenge the state’s election results.
In that lawsuit, Trump’s campaign had complained that its observers had not been able to scrutinize mail-in ballots as they were being processed in two Democratic bastions, Philadelphia and Allegheny County, which is home to Pittsburgh.
Trump’s lawyers vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court despite the judges’ assessment that the “campaign’s claims have no merit.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-30--Biden To Finally Receive First Presidential Intel Briefing On Monday

President-elect Joe Biden is slated to receive his first presidential daily briefing on Monday , his transition team announced on @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris will also receive the briefing , then both she and Biden will meet @ @ @ @ @ according to aides .
The announcement came after President Donald Trump , who continues to @ @ @ @ @ the election , finally allowed his rival to begin the transition process last week .
@ @ @ @ @ urged Trump administration to grant Biden access to classified intel , though many of them @ @ @ @ @ as president-elect .

President-elect Joe Biden is slated to receive his first presidential daily briefing on Monday, his transition team announced on Sunday night.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will also receive the briefing, then both she and Biden will meet with transition advisers afterward, according to aides.
The announcement came after President Donald Trump, who continues to falsely deny that he lost the election, finally allowed his rival to begin the transition process last week.
A few Republican senators had urged Trump administration to grant Biden access to classified intel, though many of them still refuse to recognize Biden as president-elect.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-30--Moderna To Ask FDA To Approve New COVID-19 Vaccine That’s 94% Effective

( Associated Press ) Moderna Inc. said it would ask U.S. and European regulators Monday to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results confirm the shots offer strong protection — ramping up the race to begin limited vaccinations as the coronavirus rampage worsens .
Multiple vaccine candidates must succeed for the world to stamp out the pandemic , which has been on the upswing in the U.S. and Europe .
U.S. hospitals have been stretched to the limit as the nation has seen more than 160,000 new cases per day and more than 1,400 daily deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago in China , the virus has killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide .
Moderna is just behind Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in seeking to begin vaccinations in the U.S. in December .
Across the Atlantic , British regulators also are assessing the Pfizer shot and another from AstraZeneca .
Moderna created its shots with the U.S. National Institutes of Health and already had a hint they were working , but said it got the final needed results over the weekend that suggest the vaccine is more than 94 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far in its huge U.S. study , 185 were trial participants who received the placebo and 11 who got the real vaccine .
The only people who got severely ill — 30 participants , including one who died — had received dummy shots , said Dr. Tal Zaks , the Cambridge , Massachusetts , company ’ s chief medical officer .
When he learned the results , “ I allowed myself to cry for the first time , ” Zaks told The Associated Press .
“ We have already , just in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just imagine the impact then multiplied to the people who can get this vaccine.
” Moderna said the shots ’ effectiveness and a good safety record so far — with only temporary , flu-like side effects — mean they meet requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use before the final-stage testing is complete .
The European Medicines Agency , Europe ’ s version of FDA , has signaled it also is open to faster , emergency clearance .
WHAT COMES NEXT The FDA has pledged that before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , its scientific advisers will publicly debate whether there ’ s enough evidence behind each candidate .
First up on Dec. 10 , Pfizer and BioNTech will present data suggesting their vaccine candidate is 95 % effective .
Moderna said its turn at this “ science court ” is expected exactly a week later , on Dec. 17 .
If the FDA allows emergency use , Moderna expects to have 20 million doses ready for the U.S. by year ’ s end .
Recipients will need two doses , so that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects to have 50 million doses globally in December .
Half of them — or enough for 12.5 million people — are earmarked for the U.S .
This week , a different panel of U.S. experts , established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , will meet to decide how initial supplies will be given out .
They ’ re expected to reserve scarce first doses for health care workers and , if the shots work well enough in the frail elderly , for residents of long-term care facilities .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , other essential workers and people at highest risk from the coronavirus would get in line .
But enough for the general population isn ’ t expected until at least spring .
Outside the U.S. , Zaks said significant supplies from Moderna would be available later , “ in the first quarter ” of next year .
“ Obviously we are doing everything in our power to increase the capacity and accelerate the timelines , ” he said .
Both Moderna ’ s and Pfizer ’ s vaccines are made with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetic code for the “ spike ” protein that studs the virus .
That messenger RNA , or mRNA , instructs the body to make some harmless spike protein , training immune cells to recognize it if the real virus eventually comes along .
AstraZeneca last week announced confusing early results of its vaccine candidate from research in Britain and Brazil That vaccine appears 62 % effective when tested as originally intended , with recipients given two full doses .
But because of a manufacturing error , a small number of volunteers got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in that group , the vaccine appeared to be 90 % effective .
Experts say it ’ s unclear why the lower-dose approach would work better and that it may just be a statistical quirk .
A larger U.S. study of the AstraZeneca candidate still is underway that should eventually give the FDA a better picture of how well it works .
The FDA has said any COVID-19 vaccine would have to be at least 50 % effective .
Meanwhile Britain ’ s government will have to decide whether its U.K. data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
STILL IN THE PIPELINE Johnson & Johnson also is in final-stage testing in the U.S. and several other countries to see if its vaccine candidate could work with just one dose .
Both the J & J and AstraZeneca vaccines work by using harmless cold viruses to carry the spike protein gene into the body and prime the immune system .
The different technologies have ramifications for how easily different vaccines could be distributed globally .
The AstraZeneca shots won ’ t require freezer storage like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late-stage testing , too .
Another U.S. company , Novavax Inc. , announced Monday that it has finished enrolling 15,000 people in a late-stage study in Britain and plans to begin recruiting even more volunteers for final testing in the U.S. and Mexico “ in the coming weeks.
” Vaccines made by three Chinese companies and a Russian candidate also are being tested in thousands of people in countries around the world .
____ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solely responsible for all content .

(Associated Press) Moderna Inc. said it would ask U.S. and European regulators Monday to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results confirm the shots offer strong protection — ramping up the race to begin limited vaccinations as the coronavirus rampage worsens.
Multiple vaccine candidates must succeed for the world to stamp out the pandemic, which has been on the upswing in the U.S. and Europe. U.S. hospitals have been stretched to the limit as the nation has seen more than 160,000 new cases per day and more than 1,400 daily deaths. Since first emerging nearly a year ago in China, the virus has killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide.
Moderna is just behind Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in seeking to begin vaccinations in the U.S. in December. Across the Atlantic, British regulators also are assessing the Pfizer shot and another from AstraZeneca.
Moderna created its shots with the U.S. National Institutes of Health and already had a hint they were working, but said it got the final needed results over the weekend that suggest the vaccine is more than 94% effective.
Of 196 COVID-19 cases so far in its huge U.S. study, 185 were trial participants who received the placebo and 11 who got the real vaccine. The only people who got severely ill — 30 participants, including one who died — had received dummy shots, said Dr. Tal Zaks, the Cambridge, Massachusetts, company’s chief medical officer.
When he learned the results, “I allowed myself to cry for the first time,” Zaks told The Associated Press. “We have already, just in the trial, have already saved lives. Just imagine the impact then multiplied to the people who can get this vaccine.”
Moderna said the shots’ effectiveness and a good safety record so far — with only temporary, flu-like side effects — mean they meet requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use before the final-stage testing is complete. The European Medicines Agency, Europe’s version of FDA, has signaled it also is open to faster, emergency clearance.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The FDA has pledged that before it decides to roll out any COVID-19 vaccines, its scientific advisers will publicly debate whether there’s enough evidence behind each candidate.
First up on Dec. 10, Pfizer and BioNTech will present data suggesting their vaccine candidate is 95% effective. Moderna said its turn at this “science court” is expected exactly a week later, on Dec. 17.
RATIONING INITIAL DOSES
If the FDA allows emergency use, Moderna expects to have 20 million doses ready for the U.S. by year’s end. Recipients will need two doses, so that’s enough for 10 million people.
Pfizer expects to have 50 million doses globally in December. Half of them — or enough for 12.5 million people — are earmarked for the U.S.
This week, a different panel of U.S. experts, established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will meet to decide how initial supplies will be given out. They’re expected to reserve scarce first doses for health care workers and, if the shots work well enough in the frail elderly, for residents of long-term care facilities. As more vaccine gradually becomes available in coming months, other essential workers and people at highest risk from the coronavirus would get in line. But enough for the general population isn’t expected until at least spring.
Outside the U.S., Zaks said significant supplies from Moderna would be available later, “in the first quarter” of next year.
“Obviously we are doing everything in our power to increase the capacity and accelerate the timelines,” he said.
Both Moderna’s and Pfizer’s vaccines are made with the same technology, using a piece of genetic code for the “spike” protein that studs the virus. That messenger RNA, or mRNA, instructs the body to make some harmless spike protein, training immune cells to recognize it if the real virus eventually comes along.
ASTRAZENECA CONFUSION
AstraZeneca last week announced confusing early results of its vaccine candidate from research in Britain and Brazil
That vaccine appears 62% effective when tested as originally intended, with recipients given two full doses. But because of a manufacturing error, a small number of volunteers got a lower first dose — and AstraZeneca said in that group, the vaccine appeared to be 90% effective.
Experts say it’s unclear why the lower-dose approach would work better and that it may just be a statistical quirk.
A larger U.S. study of the AstraZeneca candidate still is underway that should eventually give the FDA a better picture of how well it works. The FDA has said any COVID-19 vaccine would have to be at least 50% effective.
Meanwhile Britain’s government will have to decide whether its U.K. data is sufficient for an early rollout there.
STILL IN THE PIPELINE
Johnson & Johnson also is in final-stage testing in the U.S. and several other countries to see if its vaccine candidate could work with just one dose.
Both the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines work by using harmless cold viruses to carry the spike protein gene into the body and prime the immune system.
The different technologies have ramifications for how easily different vaccines could be distributed globally. The AstraZeneca shots won’t require freezer storage like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Candidates made with still other technologies are in late-stage testing, too. Another U.S. company, Novavax Inc., announced Monday that it has finished enrolling 15,000 people in a late-stage study in Britain and plans to begin recruiting even more volunteers for final testing in the U.S. and Mexico “in the coming weeks.”
Vaccines made by three Chinese companies and a Russian candidate also are being tested in thousands of people in countries around the world.
____
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-11-30--Biden Fractures Foot After A Fall, Will ‘Likely’ Require A Boot For Several Weeks

President-elect Joe Biden will likely need to wear a boot over the next several weeks after he was diagnosed with @ @ @ @ @ , according to the Democrat ’ s doctor .
Dr. Kevin O ’ Connor , @ @ @ @ @ who also serves as the director of executive medicine at GW Medical Faculty Associates , @ @ @ @ @ a CT scan “ confirmed hairline ( small ) fractures of President-elect Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , which are in the mid-foot.
” “ It is anticipated that he will likely @ @ @ @ @ several weeks , ” O ’ Connor said .
Biden , who at age 78 @ @ @ @ @ to enter office , fell while playing with his dog on Saturday .
President Donald @ @ @ @ @ to recognize Biden ’ s electoral victory and has instead been baselessly insisting for weeks @ @ @ @ @ and the Democrats cheated in the election , retweeted NBC News ’ video of Biden @ @ @ @ @ s office in Newark , Delaware on Sunday .

President-elect Joe Biden will likely need to wear a boot over the next several weeks after he was diagnosed with a foot fracture on Sunday, according to the Democrat’s doctor.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the president-elect’s physician who also serves as the director of executive medicine at GW Medical Faculty Associates, said in a statement that a CT scan “confirmed hairline (small) fractures of President-elect Biden’s lateral and intermediate cuneiform bones, which are in the mid-foot.”
“It is anticipated that he will likely require a walking boot for several weeks,” O’Connor said.
Biden, who at age 78 will be the oldest president to enter office, fell while playing with his dog on Saturday.
President Donald Trump, who still refuses to recognize Biden’s electoral victory and has instead been baselessly insisting for weeks that the former vice president and the Democrats cheated in the election, retweeted NBC News’ video of Biden departing an orthopedic specialist’s office in Newark, Delaware on Sunday.
“Get well soon!” Trump tweeted.