talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-27--Police Give Harrowing Accounts Of Downtown Nashville Bombing

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Nashville police urged nearby residents to get away as an ominous recording blared from a recreational vehicle .
Suddenly the warning stopped , and Petula Clark ’ s 1964 hit “ Downtown ” started playing .
Then the bomb went off .
Police officers provided harrowing details Sunday of responding to the Christmas morning explosion in downtown Nashville , at times getting choked up reliving the moments that led up to the blast and offering gratitude that they were still alive .
“ This is going to tie us together forever , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officer James Wells , who suffered some hearing loss due to the explosion , told reporters at a news conference .
“ Christmas will never be the same.
” A 63-year-old Tennessee man , Anthony Q. Warner , was under investigation in connection with the blast , Nashville Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron told The Associated Press Sunday .
He did not provide more details .
However , Warner had experience with electronics and alarms , according to public records , and had worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what happened Friday as investigators continued to chip away at the motive of the RV bombing on a mostly deserted street just after it issued the recorded warning advising people to evacuate .
“ I just see orange and then I hear a loud boom .
As I ’ m stumbling around , I just tell myself to stay on my feet and to stay alive , ” Wells said , at times tearing up .
Officer Amanda Topping said she initially parked their police car beside the RV while responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard the recording .
Topping said she called her wife to let her know that “ things were just really strange ” as she helped guide people away from the RV .
That ’ s when she heard the announcement from the RV switch from a warning to playing Clark ’ s hit , “ Downtown.
” Moments later the explosion struck .
“ I felt the waves of heat but I kind of just lost it and started sprinting toward ( Wells ) , ” Topping said .
“ I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life.
” Officer Brenna Hosey said she and her colleagues knocked on six or seven doors in nearby apartments to warn people to evacuate .
She particularly remembered a startled mother of four children .
“ I don ’ t have kids but I have cousins and nieces , people who I love who are small , ” Hosey said , adding she had to plead with the family to leave the building as quickly as possible .
The attack , which damaged an AT & T building , has continued to wreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service .
On Saturday , investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies descended on a home in Antioch , in suburban Nashville , after receiving information relevant to the investigation , said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack .
Another law enforcement official , who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity , said investigators regard someone associated with the property as a person of interest .
They did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen looking around the property , searching the home and the backyard .
A Google Maps image captured in May 2019 had shown a recreational vehicle similar to the one that exploded parked in the backyard .
It was not at the property on Saturday , according to an AP reporter at the scene .
Meanwhile , Nashville realtor , Steve Fridrich , told the AP in a statement that Warner had worked for his company as a computer consultant , and informed it that he was retiring earlier this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ past IT work , Fridrich said .
There were other signs of progress in the investigation , .
The FBI said Saturday it was looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to it .
Officials also said no additional explosive devices have been found — indicating no active threat to the area .
Investigators have received around 500 tips and leads .
“ Our investigative team is turning over every stone ” to understand who did this and why , Douglas Korneski , the special agent in charge of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at news conference Saturday .
Investigators also said they were working to identify human remains found at the scene .
Beyond that , the only known casualties were three injured people .
The infrastructure damage , meanwhile , was broadly felt , due to an AT & T central office being affected by the blast .
Police emergency systems in Tennessee , Kentucky and Alabama , as well as Nashville ’ s COVID-19 community hot line and a handful of hospital systems , remained out of service .
The building contained a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted .
Asked whether the AT & T building could have been a possible target , Korneski said : “ We ’ re looking at every possible motive that could be involved.
” Investigators shut down the heart of downtown Nashville ’ s tourist scene — an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants and shops — as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion .
AT & T said Sunday it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company worked to restore its heavily damaged building .
The company said in a statement that it was bringing in resources to help recover affected voice and data services and expects to have 24 additional trailers of disaster recovery equipment at the site by the end of the day .
Restoration efforts faced several challenges , which included a fire that forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power .
Ray Neville , president of technology at T-Mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disruptions affected Louisville , Nashville , Knoxville , Birmingham and Atlanta .
The Federal Aviation Administration has since issued a temporary flight restriction around the airport , requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30 .
Balsamo and Tucker reported from Washington .
Associated Press photographer Mark Humphrey in Nashville contributed to this report .

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville police urged nearby residents to get away as an ominous recording blared from a recreational vehicle. Suddenly the warning stopped, and Petula Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown” started playing. Then the bomb went off.
Police officers provided harrowing details Sunday of responding to the Christmas morning explosion in downtown Nashville, at times getting choked up reliving the moments that led up to the blast and offering gratitude that they were still alive.
“This is going to tie us together forever, for the rest of my life,” Officer James Wells, who suffered some hearing loss due to the explosion, told reporters at a news conference. “Christmas will never be the same.”
A 63-year-old Tennessee man, Anthony Q. Warner, was under investigation in connection with the blast, Nashville Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron told The Associated Press Sunday. He did not provide more details. However, Warner had experience with electronics and alarms, according to public records, and had worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor.
The five responding officers gave their accounts of what happened Friday as investigators continued to chip away at the motive of the RV bombing on a mostly deserted street just after it issued the recorded warning advising people to evacuate.
“I just see orange and then I hear a loud boom. As I’m stumbling around, I just tell myself to stay on my feet and to stay alive,” Wells said, at times tearing up.
Officer Amanda Topping said she initially parked their police car beside the RV while responding to the call before moving it once they heard the recording. Topping said she called her wife to let her know that “things were just really strange” as she helped guide people away from the RV.
That’s when she heard the announcement from the RV switch from a warning to playing Clark’s hit, “Downtown.” Moments later the explosion struck.
“I felt the waves of heat but I kind of just lost it and started sprinting toward (Wells),” Topping said. “I’ve never grabbed someone so hard in my life.”
Officer Brenna Hosey said she and her colleagues knocked on six or seven doors in nearby apartments to warn people to evacuate. She particularly remembered a startled mother of four children.
“I don’t have kids but I have cousins and nieces, people who I love who are small,” Hosey said, adding she had to plead with the family to leave the building as quickly as possible.
The attack, which damaged an AT&T building, has continued to wreak havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service.
On Saturday, investigators from multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies descended on a home in Antioch, in suburban Nashville, after receiving information relevant to the investigation, said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack.
Another law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, said investigators regard someone associated with the property as a person of interest. They did not identify the person.
Federal agents could be seen looking around the property, searching the home and the backyard. A Google Maps image captured in May 2019 had shown a recreational vehicle similar to the one that exploded parked in the backyard. It was not at the property on Saturday, according to an AP reporter at the scene.
Meanwhile, Nashville realtor, Steve Fridrich, told the AP in a statement that Warner had worked for his company as a computer consultant, and informed it that he was retiring earlier this month. The company has notified authorities of the past IT work, Fridrich said.
There were other signs of progress in the investigation,. The FBI said Saturday it was looking at a number of individuals who may be connected to it. Officials also said no additional explosive devices have been found — indicating no active threat to the area. Investigators have received around 500 tips and leads.
“Our investigative team is turning over every stone” to understand who did this and why, Douglas Korneski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office, said at news conference Saturday.
Investigators also said they were working to identify human remains found at the scene. Beyond that, the only known casualties were three injured people.
The infrastructure damage, meanwhile, was broadly felt, due to an AT&T central office being affected by the blast. Police emergency systems in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, as well as Nashville’s COVID-19 community hot line and a handful of hospital systems, remained out of service.
The building contained a telephone exchange, with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted.
Asked whether the AT&T building could have been a possible target, Korneski said: “We’re looking at every possible motive that could be involved.”
Investigators shut down the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene — an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants and shops — as they shuffled through broken glass and damaged buildings to learn more about the explosion.
AT&T said Sunday it was rerouting service to other facilities as the company worked to restore its heavily damaged building. The company said in a statement that it was bringing in resources to help recover affected voice and data services and expects to have 24 additional trailers of disaster recovery equipment at the site by the end of the day.
Restoration efforts faced several challenges, which included a fire that forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power.
Ray Neville, president of technology at T-Mobile, said on Twitter Saturday that service disruptions affected Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham and Atlanta.
The Federal Aviation Administration has since issued a temporary flight restriction around the airport, requiring pilots to follow strict procedures until Dec. 30.
___
Balsamo and Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press photographer Mark Humphrey in Nashville contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-27--Toomey: Trump Will Be Remembered For ‘Erratic Behavior’ If He Doesn’t Sign COVID Relief Bill

Sen. Pat Toomey ( R-PA ) on Sunday sternly warned President Trump that his legacy is on the line after the sitting president turned on a COVID relief bill that passed Congress in the waning weeks of his presidency .
During an appearance on “ Fox News Sunday , ” Toomey expressed his dismay over Trump ’ s refusal to sign the COVID relief bill .
The lack of Trump ’ s signature on the bill that had been considered a done deal caused unemployment benefits for millions of Americans to lapse overnight as the country reels from the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans thus far .
“ You don ’ t get everything you want , even if you ’ re president of the United States , ” Toomey said .
“ I think the COVID relief measures are really , really important.
” Toomey pointed to how governors have had to close down businesses again amid surging COVID-19 cases nationwide .
After Toomey said that it ’ s a “ hopeful sign ” that Trump has not yet vetoed the COVID relief bill passed by Congress , the Pennsylvania senator issued his stern warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lets COVID relief expire .
“ ( Trump will ) be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire , ” Toomey said .
Toomey argued that although he understands that Trump “ would like to send bigger checks to everybody , ” the President should sign the bill first “ and then make the case.
” “ Congress can pass another bill , ” Toomey said .
“ I don ’ t agree with $ 2,000 to people who have had no lost income whatsoever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the President ’ s free to make that case.
” Toomey added that Democrats would agree with him and “ see where it ends up.
” “ But we ’ ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate , ” Toomey said .
“ I think we ought to get that done.
” Amid a deadlock in a months-long fight over pandemic relief earlier this month , Toomey spearheaded a controversial provision backed by Republicans that would curb emergency Federal Reserve powers .
Earlier this month , Toomey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unacceptable ” attempt at persuading state lawmakers to overturn Pennsylvania ’ s election results that handed President-elect Joe Biden a win in the battleground state .

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) on Sunday sternly warned President Trump that his legacy is on the line after the sitting president turned on a COVID relief bill that passed Congress in the waning weeks of his presidency.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Toomey expressed his dismay over Trump’s refusal to sign the COVID relief bill. The lack of Trump’s signature on the bill that had been considered a done deal caused unemployment benefits for millions of Americans to lapse overnight as the country reels from the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 330,000 Americans thus far.
“You don’t get everything you want, even if you’re president of the United States,” Toomey said. “I think the COVID relief measures are really, really important.”
Toomey pointed to how governors have had to close down businesses again amid surging COVID-19 cases nationwide.
After Toomey said that it’s a “hopeful sign” that Trump has not yet vetoed the COVID relief bill passed by Congress, the Pennsylvania senator issued his stern warning to Trump regarding his legacy if he lets COVID relief expire.
“(Trump will) be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire,” Toomey said.
Toomey argued that although he understands that Trump “would like to send bigger checks to everybody,” the President should sign the bill first “and then make the case.”
“Congress can pass another bill,” Toomey said. “I don’t agree with $2,000 to people who have had no lost income whatsoever, which is the vast majority of Americans, but the President’s free to make that case.”
Toomey added that Democrats would agree with him and “see where it ends up.”
“But we’ve got a bill right now that his administration helped negotiate,” Toomey said. “I think we ought to get that done.”
Amid a deadlock in a months-long fight over pandemic relief earlier this month, Toomey spearheaded a controversial provision backed by Republicans that would curb emergency Federal Reserve powers.
Earlier this month, Toomey called out Trump for his “completely unacceptable” attempt at persuading state lawmakers to overturn Pennsylvania’s election results that handed President-elect Joe Biden a win in the battleground state.
Watch Toomey’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-27--Unemployment Benefits Run Dry For Millions As Trump Turns On COVID Deal

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. ( AP ) — Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet lapsed overnight as President Donald Trump refused to sign an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections .
The fate of the bipartisan package remained in limbo Sunday as Trump continued to demand larger COVID relief checks and complained about “ pork ” spending .
Without the widespread funding provided by the massive measure , a government shutdown would occur when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are pawns , ” said Lanetris Haines , a self-employed single mother of three in South Bend , Indiana , who stood to lose her $ 129 weekly jobless benefit unless Trump signed the package into law or succeeded in his improbable quest for changes .
Washington has been reeling since Trump turned on the deal after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House had assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it .
Instead , he assailed the bill ’ s plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Americans — insisting it should be $ 2,000 .
House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session .
But Trump has not been swayed in spite of the nation being in the grip of a pandemic .
“ I simply want to get our great people $ 2000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill , ” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach , Florida , where he is spending the holiday .
“ Also , stop the billions of dollars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called on Trump to sign the bill immediately as the midnight Saturday deadline neared for two federal programs providing unemployment aid .
“ It is the day after Christmas , and millions of families don ’ t know if they ’ ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority , ” Biden said in a statement .
He accused Trump of an “ abdication of responsibility ” that has “ devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking to people who are scared they ’ re going to be kicked out from their homes , during the Christmas holidays , and still might be if we don ’ t sign this bill , ’ ’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell , a Michigan Democrat .
Lauren Bauer , a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution , has calculated that 11 million people would lose aid from the programs immediately without additional relief ; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks .
Andrew Stettner , an unemployment insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation think tank , said the number may be closer to 14 million because joblessness has spiked since Thanksgiving .
“ All these folks and their families will suffer if Trump doesn ’ t sign the damn bill , ’ ’ Heidi Shierholz , director of policy at the liberal Economic Policy Institute , tweeted Wednesday .
How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in , the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits .
In some states , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpassed a certain threshold , Stettner said .
About 9.5 million people , however , had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday .
That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers , gig workers and others who were normally not eligible .
After receiving their last checks , those recipients would not be able to file for more aid , Stettner said .
While payments could be received retroactively , any gap would mean more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already grappled with bureaucratic delays , often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat while waiting for payments to kick in .
They were people like Earl McCarthy , a father of four who lives in South Fulton , Georgia , and had been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community .
He said he would be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump refused to sign the bill .
McCarthy said he already burned through much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months to begin receiving about $ 350 a week in unemployment benefits .
“ The entire experience was horrifying , ” said McCarthy .
“ I shudder to think if I had not saved anything or had an emergency fund through those five months , where would we have been ?
” He added , “ It ’ s going to be difficult if the president doesn ’ t sign this bill.
” The bill , which was in Florida awaiting Trump ’ s signature , would also activate a weekly $ 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shelton Corpening had been hoping the extra help would allow her 83-year-old mother , with whom she lives , to stop eating into her social security payments to make their $ 1,138 rent .
Corpening , who lives in the Atlanta area , had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit , prompting several of her contracts to fall through .
She was receiving about $ 125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she would be unable to pay her bills in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her temporary work for the U.S. Census and as an elections poll worker .
“ On the brink , ” Corpening , who lobbies for Unemployment Action , a project launched by the Center for Popular Democracy to fight for relief , said of her predicament .
“ One more month , if that .
Then , I run out of everything.
” In addition to the unemployment benefits that have already lapsed , Trump ’ s continued refusal to sign the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters , as well as money for cash-starved transit systems and for vaccine distribution .
The relief was also attached to a $ 1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating through September , which would mean that failing to sign it by Tuesday would trigger a federal shutdown .

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet lapsed overnight as President Donald Trump refused to sign an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections.
The fate of the bipartisan package remained in limbo Sunday as Trump continued to demand larger COVID relief checks and complained about “pork” spending. Without the widespread funding provided by the massive measure, a government shutdown would occur when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
“It’s a chess game and we are pawns,” said Lanetris Haines, a self-employed single mother of three in South Bend, Indiana, who stood to lose her $129 weekly jobless benefit unless Trump signed the package into law or succeeded in his improbable quest for changes.
Washington has been reeling since Trump turned on the deal after it had won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House had assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it.
Instead, he assailed the bill’s plan to provide $600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $2,000. House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session. But Trump has not been swayed in spite of the nation being in the grip of a pandemic.
“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill,” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending the holiday. “Also, stop the billions of dollars in ‘pork.’”
President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to sign the bill immediately as the midnight Saturday deadline neared for two federal programs providing unemployment aid.
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” Biden said in a statement. He accused Trump of an “abdication of responsibility” that has “devastating consequences.”
“I’ve been talking to people who are scared they’re going to be kicked out from their homes, during the Christmas holidays, and still might be if we don’t sign this bill,’’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat.
Lauren Bauer, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, has calculated that 11 million people would lose aid from the programs immediately without additional relief; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks.
Andrew Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, said the number may be closer to 14 million because joblessness has spiked since Thanksgiving.
“All these folks and their families will suffer if Trump doesn’t sign the damn bill,’’ Heidi Shierholz, director of policy at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, tweeted Wednesday.
How and when people would be affected by the lapse depended on the state they lived in, the program they were relying on and when they applied for benefits. In some states, people on regular unemployment insurance would continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpassed a certain threshold, Stettner said.
About 9.5 million people, however, had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expired altogether Saturday. That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who were normally not eligible. After receiving their last checks, those recipients would not be able to file for more aid, Stettner said.
While payments could be received retroactively, any gap would mean more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who had already grappled with bureaucratic delays, often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat while waiting for payments to kick in.
They were people like Earl McCarthy, a father of four who lives in South Fulton, Georgia, and had been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community. He said he would be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump refused to sign the bill.
McCarthy said he already burned through much of his savings as he waited five months to begin receiving about $350 a week in unemployment benefits.
“The entire experience was horrifying,” said McCarthy. “I shudder to think if I had not saved anything or had an emergency fund through those five months, where would we have been?”
He added, “It’s going to be difficult if the president doesn’t sign this bill.”
The bill, which was in Florida awaiting Trump’s signature, would also activate a weekly $300 federal supplement to unemployment payments.
Sharon Shelton Corpening had been hoping the extra help would allow her 83-year-old mother, with whom she lives, to stop eating into her social security payments to make their $1,138 rent.
Corpening, who lives in the Atlanta area, had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit, prompting several of her contracts to fall through. She was receiving about $125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she would be unable to pay her bills in about a month. This, despite her temporary work for the U.S. Census and as an elections poll worker.
“On the brink,” Corpening, who lobbies for Unemployment Action, a project launched by the Center for Popular Democracy to fight for relief, said of her predicament. “One more month, if that. Then, I run out of everything.”
In addition to the unemployment benefits that have already lapsed, Trump’s continued refusal to sign the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters, as well as money for cash-starved transit systems and for vaccine distribution.
The relief was also attached to a $1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating through September, which would mean that failing to sign it by Tuesday would trigger a federal shutdown.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Trump Finally Signs COVID-19 Relief Bill After Threatening Veto Over Stimulus Checks

President Donald Trump signed Congress ’ bipartisan $ 900 billion COVID-19 relief package , which had been combined with a $ 1.4 trillion government funding bill , on Sunday night after threatening to veto it over his demand to increase stimulus payments for many Americans to $ 2,000 .
In a White House announcement laying out his decision , Trump reiterated his complaints about the bill and stated he would send a “ redlined version ” of the measure to Congress after approving it in its original form , which will send $ 600 payments .
He insisted that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Congress .
The President noted that the Democrat-controlled House would be voting on a stand-alone bill on Monday to increase those payments to the $ 2,000 he had demanded .
House Republicans had blocked the Democrats ’ efforts to amend the bill regarding the payments last week .
The President also stated that the GOP-controlled Senate will “ start the process for a vote ” to bump up the payments .
“ Much more money is coming .
I will never give up my fight for the American people !
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-CA ) said in a statement that the development was “ welcome news ” as she further pressed her GOP colleagues to follow their party leader ’ s push for increased relief checks and approve the stand-alone bill .
“ Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need , ” the Democratic leader said .
Prior to approving the package , the President tweeted on Sunday that there would be more “ information ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits had lapsed over the weekend amid Trump ’ s refusal to sign the measure .

President Donald Trump signed Congress’ bipartisan $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, which had been combined with a $1.4 trillion government funding bill, on Sunday night after threatening to veto it over his demand to increase stimulus payments for many Americans to $2,000.
In a White House announcement laying out his decision, Trump reiterated his complaints about the bill and stated he would send a “redlined version” of the measure to Congress after approving it in its original form, which will send $600 payments. He insisted that he was sending a “strong message” to Congress.
The President noted that the Democrat-controlled House would be voting on a stand-alone bill on Monday to increase those payments to the $2,000 he had demanded. House Republicans had blocked the Democrats’ efforts to amend the bill regarding the payments last week.
The President also stated that the GOP-controlled Senate will “start the process for a vote” to bump up the payments.
“Much more money is coming. I will never give up my fight for the American people!” Trump said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement that the development was “welcome news” as she further pressed her GOP colleagues to follow their party leader’s push for increased relief checks and approve the stand-alone bill.
“Every Republican vote against this bill is a vote to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny the American people the relief they need,” the Democratic leader said.
Prior to approving the package, the President tweeted on Sunday that there would be more “information” regarding the bill on Monday.
Unemployment benefits had lapsed over the weekend amid Trump’s refusal to sign the measure.
The President’s about-face narrowly avoided a looming government shutdown on Tuesday.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Bomber To Neighbor: The World Is ‘Never Going To Forget Me’

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — It seemed like a friendly chat between neighbors .
Only after a bomb exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas morning could Rick Laude grasp the sinister meaning behind his neighbor ’ s smiling remark that the city and the rest of the world would never forget him .
Laude told The Associated Press on Monday that he was speechless when he learned that authorities identified his 63-year-old neighbor , Anthony Quinn Warner , as the man suspected of detonating a bomb that killed himself , injured three other people and damaged dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing at his mailbox less than a week before Christmas and pulled over in his car to talk .
After asking how Warner ’ s elderly mother was doing , Laude said he casually asked , “ Is Santa going to bring you anything good for Christmas ?
” Warner smiled and said , “ Oh , yeah , Nashville and the world is never going to forget me , ” Laude recalled .
Laude said he didn ’ t think much of the remark and thought Warner only meant that “ something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him financially .
“ Nothing about this guy raised any red flags , ” Laude said .
“ He was just quiet.
” Laude said Warner sometimes did not respond when he and other neighbors waved to him , but said he did not take it personally .
“ I knew that he was just a recluse , ” he said .
Warner left behind clues that suggest he planned the bombing and intended to kill himself , but a clear motive remains elusive .
“ We hope to get an answer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , ” David Rausch , the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation , said Monday in an interview on NBC ’ s “ Today ” show .
“ The best way to find motive is to talk to the individual .
We will not be able to do that in this case.
” Investigators are analyzing Warner ’ s belongings collected during the investigation , including a computer and a portable storage drive , and continue to interview witnesses as they try to identify a motive for the explosion , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his financial transactions also uncovered purchases of potential bomb-making components , the official said .
Warner had recently given away a vehicle and told the person he gave it to that he had been diagnosed with cancer , though it is unclear whether he indeed had cancer , the official said .
Investigators used some items collected from the vehicle , including a hat and gloves , to match Warner ’ s DNA and DNA was taken from one of his family members , the official said .
The official could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AP on condition of anonymity .
Warner also apparently gave away his home in Antioch , a Nashville suburb , to a Los Angeles woman a month before the bombing .
A property record dated Nov. 25 indicates Warner transferred the home to the woman in exchange for no money after living there for decades .
The woman ’ s signature is not on that document .
Warner had worked as a computer consultant for Nashville real estate agent Steve Fridrich , who told the AP in a text message that Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
Officials said Warner had not been on their radar before Christmas .
A law enforcement report released Monday showed that Warner ’ s only arrest was for a 1978 marijuana-related charge .
“ It does appear that the intent was more destruction than death , but again that ’ s all still speculation at this point as we continue in our investigation with all our partners , ” Rausch added .
Furthermore , officials have not provided insight into why Warner selected the particular location for the bombing , which damaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states .
By Monday , the company said the majority of services had been restored for residents and businesses .
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S .
Bomb Data Center for intelligence and investigative leads , according to a law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner ’ s digital footprint and financial history .
The official , who was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity , said federal agents were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories , including the possibility that the AT & T building was targeted .
Doug Korneski , the special agent in charge of the FBI ’ s Memphis field office , said Sunday that officials were looking at any and all motives and were interviewing acquaintances of Warner ’ s to try to determine what may have motivated him .
The bombing took place early on a holiday morning well before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police were responding to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes .
Then , for reasons that may never be known , the audio switched to a recording of Petula Clark ’ s 1964 hit “ Downtown ” shortly before the blast .
In addition to the DNA found at the blast site , investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol were able to link the vehicle identification number recovered from the wreckage to an RV registered to Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re still following leads , but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved , ” Korneski said .
“ We ’ ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle .
We saw no other people involved.
” President-elect Joe Biden on Monday called the bombing “ a reminder of the destructive power an individual or a small group can muster and the need for continued vigilance across the board.
” President Donald Trump hasn ’ t publicly commented on the explosion but has spoken to Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and support , according to the governor ’ s office .
Balsamo reported from Washington , and Lavoie from Richmond , Virginia .
Associated Press journalists Scott Stroud and Mark Humphrey in Nashville , Michael Kunzelman in College Park , Maryland , Eric Tucker in Washington and Alexandra Jaffe in Wilmington , Delaware , contributed to this report .

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It seemed like a friendly chat between neighbors. Only after a bomb exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas morning could Rick Laude grasp the sinister meaning behind his neighbor’s smiling remark that the city and the rest of the world would never forget him.
Laude told The Associated Press on Monday that he was speechless when he learned that authorities identified his 63-year-old neighbor, Anthony Quinn Warner, as the man suspected of detonating a bomb that killed himself, injured three other people and damaged dozens of buildings.
Laude said he saw Warner standing at his mailbox less than a week before Christmas and pulled over in his car to talk. After asking how Warner’s elderly mother was doing, Laude said he casually asked, “Is Santa going to bring you anything good for Christmas?”
Warner smiled and said, “Oh, yeah, Nashville and the world is never going to forget me,” Laude recalled.
Laude said he didn’t think much of the remark and thought Warner only meant that “something good” was going to happen for him financially.
“Nothing about this guy raised any red flags,” Laude said. “He was just quiet.”
Laude said Warner sometimes did not respond when he and other neighbors waved to him, but said he did not take it personally. “I knew that he was just a recluse,” he said.
Warner left behind clues that suggest he planned the bombing and intended to kill himself, but a clear motive remains elusive.
“We hope to get an answer. Sometimes, it’s just not possible,” David Rausch, the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said Monday in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show. “The best way to find motive is to talk to the individual. We will not be able to do that in this case.”
Investigators are analyzing Warner’s belongings collected during the investigation, including a computer and a portable storage drive, and continue to interview witnesses as they try to identify a motive for the explosion, a law enforcement official said. A review of his financial transactions also uncovered purchases of potential bomb-making components, the official said.
Warner had recently given away a vehicle and told the person he gave it to that he had been diagnosed with cancer, though it is unclear whether he indeed had cancer, the official said. Investigators used some items collected from the vehicle, including a hat and gloves, to match Warner’s DNA and DNA was taken from one of his family members, the official said.
The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Warner also apparently gave away his home in Antioch, a Nashville suburb, to a Los Angeles woman a month before the bombing. A property record dated Nov. 25 indicates Warner transferred the home to the woman in exchange for no money after living there for decades. The woman’s signature is not on that document.
Warner had worked as a computer consultant for Nashville real estate agent Steve Fridrich, who told the AP in a text message that Warner had said he was retiring earlier this month.
Officials said Warner had not been on their radar before Christmas. A law enforcement report released Monday showed that Warner’s only arrest was for a 1978 marijuana-related charge.
“It does appear that the intent was more destruction than death, but again that’s all still speculation at this point as we continue in our investigation with all our partners,” Rausch added.
Furthermore, officials have not provided insight into why Warner selected the particular location for the bombing, which damaged an AT&T building and wreaked havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states. By Monday, the company said the majority of services had been restored for residents and businesses.
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S. Bomb Data Center for intelligence and investigative leads, according to a law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner’s digital footprint and financial history.
The official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, said federal agents were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories, including the possibility that the AT&T building was targeted.
Doug Korneski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office, said Sunday that officials were looking at any and all motives and were interviewing acquaintances of Warner’s to try to determine what may have motivated him.
The bombing took place early on a holiday morning well before downtown streets were bustling with activity. Police were responding to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Then, for reasons that may never be known, the audio switched to a recording of Petula Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown” shortly before the blast.
In addition to the DNA found at the blast site, investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol were able to link the vehicle identification number recovered from the wreckage to an RV registered to Warner, officials said.
“We’re still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved,” Korneski said. “We’ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle. We saw no other people involved.”
President-elect Joe Biden on Monday called the bombing “a reminder of the destructive power an individual or a small group can muster and the need for continued vigilance across the board.”
President Donald Trump hasn’t publicly commented on the explosion but has spoken to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and offered resources and support, according to the governor’s office.
___
Balsamo reported from Washington, and Lavoie from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press journalists Scott Stroud and Mark Humphrey in Nashville, Michael Kunzelman in College Park, Maryland, Eric Tucker in Washington and Alexandra Jaffe in Wilmington, Delaware, contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--First-Come, First-Served Vaccine Sites Strain FL County Dealing With DeSantis Order

Hundreds of people lined up at a rec center in Florida Monday for a hasty experiment in vaccine distribution : The COVID-19 immunization , recently supplied by the state of Florida ’ s health department , would be distributed on a first-come , first-served basis .
County officials had considered setting up an appointment system for the vaccines , they said , but demand was high and time was short .
Just last week , Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) bucked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s guidance , saying that Florida ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anyone 65 and older rather than frontline essential workers .
He ’ s one of a number of governors to institute their own distribution priorities .
“ We ’ re having to ride this bicycle as we build it , ” said Roger Desjarlais ( pictured above ) , the Lee County manager , at a press briefing Monday .
“ It is unfortunate that there really is a finite number of vaccines available , ” he added later .
“ And it ’ s unfortunate that we didn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The county announced Monday ’ s vaccination site on Sunday , and almost immediately , according to local outlets , people began lining up to wait overnight .
Ultimately , 600 people were vaccinated Monday , higher than initial estimates of 300 or 400 shots .
There are additional sites scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday .
The last man to receive a shot Monday , Larry Ellis , told local station WINK that his wife didn ’ t make the cut .
She gave him the last ticket available because “ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she does , ” he said .
At the press briefing Monday , Desjarlais described an elderly couple who he said had camped overnight in lawn chairs , wrapped in blankets , waiting for the vaccine .
“ Some people feel pretty desperate about the whole thing , ” he said .

Hundreds of people lined up at a rec center in Florida Monday for a hasty experiment in vaccine distribution: The COVID-19 immunization, recently supplied by the state of Florida’s health department, would be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
County officials had considered setting up an appointment system for the vaccines, they said, but demand was high and time was short.
Just last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) bucked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance, saying that Florida’s second wave of vaccines would be available to anyone 65 and older rather than frontline essential workers. He’s one of a number of governors to institute their own distribution priorities.
“We’re having to ride this bicycle as we build it,” said Roger Desjarlais (pictured above), the Lee County manager, at a press briefing Monday.
“It is unfortunate that there really is a finite number of vaccines available,” he added later. “And it’s unfortunate that we didn’t have three weeks to plan this event.”
The county announced Monday’s vaccination site on Sunday, and almost immediately, according to local outlets, people began lining up to wait overnight.
Ultimately, 600 people were vaccinated Monday, higher than initial estimates of 300 or 400 shots. There are additional sites scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The last man to receive a shot Monday, Larry Ellis, told local station WINK that his wife didn’t make the cut. She gave him the last ticket available because “I’ve got some more health issues than she does,” he said.
At the press briefing Monday, Desjarlais described an elderly couple who he said had camped overnight in lawn chairs, wrapped in blankets, waiting for the vaccine.
“Some people feel pretty desperate about the whole thing,” he said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Biden Says That Trump Admin Has Put Up ‘Roadblocks’ To Transition At OMB, DoD

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said that his transition team has hit “ roadblocks ” put up by leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget .
Earlier this month , Biden transition director Yohannes Abraham flatly denied the Pentagon ’ s claim that transition meetings had stopped for a mutually agreed-upon “ holiday pause.
” Abraham argued that the Pentagon ’ s claim of a holiday meeting break was evidence of “ isolated resistance ” from a handful of political appointees in the Trump administration , including at the Department of Defense .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stern tone when addressing the difficulties that he said his transition team has encountered .
President Trump has continued to refuse to concede , even after General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy said in a grudging letter last month that she had greenlit Biden ’ s formal transition process weeks after the President-elect ’ s projected victory .
Following a briefing with nearly two dozen of his national security advisers , Biden said that most government agencies have shown “ exemplary ” cooperation with his transition team , but that in a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with “ obstruction from political leadership.
” “ My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies , ” Biden said .
“ We need full visibility into the budget planning underway at the Defense Department and other agencies in order to avoid any window of confusion or catch-up that our adversaries may try to exploit.
” Biden then reiterated that his team has encountered “ roadblocks from political leadership ” at the departments of Defense and the OMB , before stressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to national security issues .
“ Right now , we just aren ’ t getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas , ” Biden said .
“ It ’ s nothing short , in my view , of irresponsibility.
” Biden further called out the Trump administration by pointing to his team being briefed on “ the steps needed to clean up the humanitarian disaster that the Trump administration has systematically created on our southern border.
” “ These are hard issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them much harder by working to erode our capacity .
It ’ s going to take time to rebuild that capacity , ” Biden said .
“ We ’ re going to work purposely , diligently , and responsibly to roll back Trump ’ s restrictions , starting on day one .
”

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday said that his transition team has hit “roadblocks” put up by leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget.
Earlier this month, Biden transition director Yohannes Abraham flatly denied the Pentagon’s claim that transition meetings had stopped for a mutually agreed-upon “holiday pause.”
Abraham argued that the Pentagon’s claim of a holiday meeting break was evidence of “isolated resistance” from a handful of political appointees in the Trump administration, including at the Department of Defense.
Biden’s remarks on Monday took a stern tone when addressing the difficulties that he said his transition team has encountered. President Trump has continued to refuse to concede, even after General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy said in a grudging letter last month that she had greenlit Biden’s formal transition process weeks after the President-elect’s projected victory.
Following a briefing with nearly two dozen of his national security advisers, Biden said that most government agencies have shown “exemplary” cooperation with his transition team, but that in a few cases the team has had to deal with “obstruction from political leadership.”
“My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies,” Biden said. “We need full visibility into the budget planning underway at the Defense Department and other agencies in order to avoid any window of confusion or catch-up that our adversaries may try to exploit.”
Biden then reiterated that his team has encountered “roadblocks from political leadership” at the departments of Defense and the OMB, before stressing the dire potential consequences of stonewalling when it comes to national security issues.
“Right now, we just aren’t getting all the information that we need from the outgoing administration in key national security areas,” Biden said. “It’s nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility.”
Biden further called out the Trump administration by pointing to his team being briefed on “the steps needed to clean up the humanitarian disaster that the Trump administration has systematically created on our southern border.”
“These are hard issues, and the current administration has made them much harder by working to erode our capacity. It’s going to take time to rebuild that capacity,” Biden said. “We’re going to work purposely, diligently, and responsibly to roll back Trump’s restrictions, starting on day one.”
Watch Biden’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Gohmert And Other Trump Toadies Sue … Pence In Cartoonish Gambit To Steal Election For Trump

Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R-TX ) is leading an inevitably doomed lawsuit against Vice President Mike Pence — who will preside over Congress ’ tallying of the Electoral College ’ s votes on January 6 — that seeks to hijack the final step in formalizing President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory .
Gohmert , joined by Arizona ’ s 11 GOP state electors , filed the suit on Sunday requesting that Judge Jeremy Kernodle , a Trump appointee who presides over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas , give Pence the power to magically replace President-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states with pro-Trump ones when Congress officially counts the Electoral College ’ s votes and cements the election results on January 6 .
Election law expert Rick Hasen kept it blunt : “ No , this won ’ t work.
” Pence ’ s office did not respond to TPM ’ s request for comment .
Though Gohmert ’ s absurd ploy won ’ t go anywhere , it illustrates how Trumpworld is putting the squeeze on Pence to help Trump steal the race , however preposterous those efforts may be .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable position of overseeing the count as Trump falsely claims those votes to be illegitimate , reportedly has tentative plans to make himself scarce right afterward : A trip to Bahrain , Israel and Poland that begins on the very day of the joint session , according to Politico .

It’s the latest Hail Mary.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is leading an inevitably doomed lawsuit against Vice President Mike Pence — who will preside over Congress’ tallying of the Electoral College’s votes on January 6 — that seeks to hijack the final step in formalizing President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Gohmert, joined by Arizona’s 11 GOP state electors, filed the suit on Sunday requesting that Judge Jeremy Kernodle, a Trump appointee who presides over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, give Pence the power to magically replace President-elect Joe Biden’s electors in swing states with pro-Trump ones when Congress officially counts the Electoral College’s votes and cements the election results on January 6.
Election law expert Rick Hasen kept it blunt: “No, this won’t work.”
Pence’s office did not respond to TPM’s request for comment.
Though Gohmert’s absurd ploy won’t go anywhere, it illustrates how Trumpworld is putting the squeeze on Pence to help Trump steal the race, however preposterous those efforts may be.
The vice president, put in the decidedly uncomfortable position of overseeing the count as Trump falsely claims those votes to be illegitimate, reportedly has tentative plans to make himself scarce right afterward: A trip to Bahrain, Israel and Poland that begins on the very day of the joint session, according to Politico.
Read the lawsuit below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Biden Will Use Defense Production Act To Supply Vaccines, Adviser Says

President-elect Joe Biden will use a Korean War-era law to supply vaccines and other COVID-19 essentials , an adviser said Monday .
The Trump administration has been somewhat reluctant to use the Defense Production Act , a law that allows the federal government to order private industries to initiate or prioritize certain orders .
But Celine Gounder , a member of Biden ’ s COVID-19 Advisory Board , said Monday that Biden ’ s DPA use would mark a departure from the current President .
“ You will see him invoking the Defense Production Act , ” Gounder said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure the personal protective equipment , the test capacity and the raw materials for the vaccines are produced in adequate supply so that those aren ’ t limiting steps in all of this.
” NBC News reported last week that Biden advisers were weighing whether he should invoke the law to help with vaccine output .
One unnamed adviser told the network that Biden officials were concerned about invoking the law equitably , without favoring one company over another .
Multiple outlets reported last week that the U.S. would likely invoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week with Pfizer for 100 million more vaccine doses .
The law , the Associated Press reported , was expected to be used in order to help Pfizer secure several raw vaccine ingredients for the vaccines .
The Trump administration acknowledged Monday that it will not meet its first vaccine distribution goal ; Biden , earlier this month , said he aimed to deliver “ at least 100 million COVID vaccine shots into the arms of the American people ” in his first 100 days in office .
The Trump administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year to keep meat processing plants open and to pressure GE to take a government order to produce ventilators .
Jeff Bialos , who served as deputy undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Affairs from 1999-2000 , told TPM that the Trump administration had employed the DPA ’ s legal tools in certain circumstances .
“ But it ’ s very ad hoc , it has the feel that it ’ s been an insider ’ s game , through companies that have relationships , ” Bialos said .
“ It just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analytical , arms-length , reasonable manner.
” Various agencies have used the DPA a couple dozen times during the pandemic to prioritize specific orders or expand domestic supply of PPE and medical supplies , according to a November Government Accountability Office report .
Biden said on the campaign trail that he would use the DPA to aid the government ’ s response to the pandemic , but he ’ s said less about the law ’ s specific role in facilitating vaccine production .
The President-elect ’ s transition team did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details on Monday .
This post has been updated .

President-elect Joe Biden will use a Korean War-era law to supply vaccines and other COVID-19 essentials, an adviser said Monday.
The Trump administration has been somewhat reluctant to use the Defense Production Act, a law that allows the federal government to order private industries to initiate or prioritize certain orders.
But Celine Gounder, a member of Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board, said Monday that Biden’s DPA use would mark a departure from the current President.
“You will see him invoking the Defense Production Act,” Gounder said on CNBC. “The idea there is to make sure the personal protective equipment, the test capacity and the raw materials for the vaccines are produced in adequate supply so that those aren’t limiting steps in all of this.”
NBC News reported last week that Biden advisers were weighing whether he should invoke the law to help with vaccine output. One unnamed adviser told the network that Biden officials were concerned about invoking the law equitably, without favoring one company over another.
Multiple outlets reported last week that the U.S. would likely invoke the DPA as part of a deal last week with Pfizer for 100 million more vaccine doses. The law, the Associated Press reported, was expected to be used in order to help Pfizer secure several raw vaccine ingredients for the vaccines.
The Trump administration acknowledged Monday that it will not meet its first vaccine distribution goal; Biden, earlier this month, said he aimed to deliver “at least 100 million COVID vaccine shots into the arms of the American people” in his first 100 days in office.
The Trump administration has occasionally used the DPA, invoking it earlier this year to keep meat processing plants open and to pressure GE to take a government order to produce ventilators.
Jeff Bialos, who served as deputy undersecretary of Defense for Industrial Affairs from 1999-2000, told TPM that the Trump administration had employed the DPA’s legal tools in certain circumstances.
“But it’s very ad hoc, it has the feel that it’s been an insider’s game, through companies that have relationships,” Bialos said. “It just hasn’t been done in an analytical, arms-length, reasonable manner.”
Various agencies have used the DPA a couple dozen times during the pandemic to prioritize specific orders or expand domestic supply of PPE and medical supplies, according to a November Government Accountability Office report.
Biden said on the campaign trail that he would use the DPA to aid the government’s response to the pandemic, but he’s said less about the law’s specific role in facilitating vaccine production. The President-elect’s transition team did not respond to TPM’s request for more details on Monday.
This post has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--The Anti-Elitist Streak Continues: Rubio Dragged For Yet Another Trumpy Take

Leave it to Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-FL ) to get himself roasted once again for misguided tweets parroting President Trump ’ s poor attempts to paint himself as a populist .
On Sunday , Rubio used Dr. Anthony Fauci — White House coronavirus task force member whose grave warnings on COVID-19 starkly contrasted those of the President throughout much of this year — to further propel his newfound war against the “ elite.
” Rubio criticized Fauci ’ s early mistakes on mask guidance when COVID first hit the U.S. and accused Fauci of “ distorting the level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of apparent distrust aimed at Fauci of course did not prevent Rubio from eagerly getting a COVID-19 vaccine alongside a handful of members of Congress earlier this month .
The Florida senator , who ’ s a law school graduate and who served on the faculty of Florida International University , also insinuated that Fauci is part of an “ elite bubble.
” Rubio ’ s recent adoption of Trumpian language via Twitter could be a sign of how establishment Republicans like Rubio will try to maintain Trump ’ s populist messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and criticizing the incoming Biden administration come January .
In Rubio ’ s case specifically , the shift in tone has backfired substantially on Twitter given his background as a lawyer and a lifelong conservative politician .
( Also , if you remember , Trump mocked the Florida senator as “ little Marco ” during the 2016 presidential campaign trail ) .
Earlier this month , Rubio was swiftly dunked on for joining the pile of conservatives clutching their pearls after Jen O ’ Malley Dillon , who will serve as President-elect Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staff , slammed Republicans by using a swear word .
Alongside his fellow conservatives , Rubio conveniently ignored Trump ’ s expansive history of issuing derogatory comments toward people and groups who stand at odds with him .
Last month , Rubio was roasted for his ignorance of the fact that Trump and several of his cabinet members attended Ivy League schools when he tried to paint President-elect Joe Biden as an elitist over his Cabinet picks .
The latest episode of Rubio embracing Trump ’ s ironic anti-elitist crusade didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swiftly put the Florida senator in his place .

Leave it to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to get himself roasted once again for misguided tweets parroting President Trump’s poor attempts to paint himself as a populist.
On Sunday, Rubio used Dr. Anthony Fauci — White House coronavirus task force member whose grave warnings on COVID-19 starkly contrasted those of the President throughout much of this year — to further propel his newfound war against the “elite.”
Rubio criticized Fauci’s early mistakes on mask guidance when COVID first hit the U.S. and accused Fauci of “distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity.” That level of apparent distrust aimed at Fauci of course did not prevent Rubio from eagerly getting a COVID-19 vaccine alongside a handful of members of Congress earlier this month. The Florida senator, who’s a law school graduate and who served on the faculty of Florida International University, also insinuated that Fauci is part of an “elite bubble.”
Dr. Fauci lied about masks in March Dr. Fauci has been distorting the level of vaccination needed for herd immunity It isn’t just him Many in elite bubbles believe the American public doesn’t know “what’s good for them” so they need to be tricked into “doing the right thing” — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 27, 2020
Rubio’s recent adoption of Trumpian language via Twitter could be a sign of how establishment Republicans like Rubio will try to maintain Trump’s populist messaging in Trump’s absence while stonewalling and criticizing the incoming Biden administration come January. In Rubio’s case specifically, the shift in tone has backfired substantially on Twitter given his background as a lawyer and a lifelong conservative politician. (Also, if you remember, Trump mocked the Florida senator as “little Marco” during the 2016 presidential campaign trail).
Earlier this month, Rubio was swiftly dunked on for joining the pile of conservatives clutching their pearls after Jen O’Malley Dillon, who will serve as President-elect Joe Biden’s White House deputy chief of staff, slammed Republicans by using a swear word. Alongside his fellow conservatives, Rubio conveniently ignored Trump’s expansive history of issuing derogatory comments toward people and groups who stand at odds with him.
Last month, Rubio was roasted for his ignorance of the fact that Trump and several of his cabinet members attended Ivy League schools when he tried to paint President-elect Joe Biden as an elitist over his Cabinet picks.
The latest episode of Rubio embracing Trump’s ironic anti-elitist crusade didn’t go smoothly either. Twitter users swiftly put the Florida senator in his place.
the kind of tweet that could get a person hired as communications director for Ron DeSantis https://t.co/S9ep8GpGlG — John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 28, 2020
I think i speak for most Americans when i plead with you to stop sending stupid tweets like this. You're not helping. Stick to the Bible verses that your staff researches for you. https://t.co/coNuNVILAy — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) December 28, 2020
Um, ok but like what’s your platform when Trump is gone? Is it still “crazy conspiracy” or do you try to reclaim an actual set of beliefs bc…my memory is long. https://t.co/1oMtkbBPlM — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) December 28, 2020
Tell me which "elite bubble" that might be? The one where scientists worked tirelessly to create&ensure safety of vaccines in record time? Where healthcare workers went without PPE? Where 300k+ Americans died? Or: the bubble where you went to the front of the line for a vaccine? https://t.co/rpRdM4RmYK — Megan Ranney MD MPH ? (@meganranney) December 28, 2020
Only people in suits who spend all their time in gilded offices or jetsetting — and whose sole aim in life is the desperate pursuit of power — would tweet this nonsense, intended to divide, definitely not intended to heal. https://t.co/KYEUZiT2ub — Vin Gupta “?!” MD (@VinGuptaMD) December 27, 2020
This will come in handy when former Senator Rubio is old & still trying to pretend he wasn't wrong abt everything in his entire "at least I'm not as bad as them" career. https://t.co/dAsRIzPoDt — John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) December 27, 2020
You got the vaccine. You’re nonessential. You jumped to the front of the line cause you’re a punk. Punk ass. “Elite”? F-%k you. https://t.co/8Fyqq5Xnus — Matthew Modine (@MatthewModine) December 28, 2020


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--WHO Calls For Expanded Measures To Find New Variants of COVID

BERLIN — The head of the World Health Organization says it ’ s important to step up genomic sequencing worldwide @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus are detected as the pandemic enters its second year .
New variants @ @ @ @ @ Africa that appear to be more infectious have caused concern and triggered new travel restrictions @ @ @ @ @ Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at an online news conference Monday from Geneva that “ there @ @ @ @ @ challenges in the year ahead — for example new variants of COVID-19 and helping people @ @ @ @ @ pandemic continue to combat it.
” He said that the WHO is working closely with @ @ @ @ @ “ better understand any and all changes to the virus ” and their impact .
@ @ @ @ @ “ underscore the importance of increasing genomic sequencing capacity worldwide ” and of sharing information @ @ @ @ @ and other countries .
He said that “ only if countries are looking and testing @ @ @ @ @ to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope .
”

BERLIN — The head of the World Health Organization says it’s important to step up genomic sequencing worldwide to ensure that new variants of the coronavirus are detected as the pandemic enters its second year.
New variants detected in Britain and South Africa that appear to be more infectious have caused concern and triggered new travel restrictions this month.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at an online news conference Monday from Geneva that “there will be setbacks and new challenges in the year ahead — for example new variants of COVID-19 and helping people who are tired of the pandemic continue to combat it.”
He said that the WHO is working closely with scientists across the world to “better understand any and all changes to the virus” and their impact.
Tedros said he wanted to “underscore the importance of increasing genomic sequencing capacity worldwide” and of sharing information with the U.N. health agency and other countries. He said that “only if countries are looking and testing effectively will you be able to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Sunday Breaks Another Record For Air Travel During COVID-19

More Americans used air travel on Sunday than at any point since mid-March , the Transportation Security Administration said Monday .
That broke the post-COVID-19 record that had previously been set… four days earlier , with the start of a wave of Christmas-related travel .
More than 1.28 million travelers passed through TSA checkpoints Sunday , according to the TSA , up from the pre-Christmas COVID-19 record of more than 1.19 million the Wednesday prior .
Sunday ’ s traveler throughput was roughly half of that on the same Sunday last year , the TSA said .
Wednesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the throughput a year ago .
Since mid-March , TSA has recorded 11 days in which more than 1 million people used air travel .
Six of those days were in the second half of December .
The record numbers come despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging Americans not to travel for the holidays , an effort to stem the spread of the viral disease .
The United States has seen a surge in cases over the past three months .
In all , the country has recorded more than @ @ @

More Americans used air travel on Sunday than at any point since mid-March, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday.
That broke the post-COVID-19 record that had previously been set… four days earlier, with the start of a wave of Christmas-related travel.
More than 1.28 million travelers passed through TSA checkpoints Sunday, according to the TSA, up from the pre-Christmas COVID-19 record of more than 1.19 million the Wednesday prior.
Sunday’s traveler throughput was roughly half of that on the same Sunday last year, the TSA said. Wednesday’s high was more than 60 percent of the throughput a year ago.
Since mid-March, TSA has recorded 11 days in which more than 1 million people used air travel. Six of those days were in the second half of December.
The record numbers come despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urging Americans not to travel for the holidays, an effort to stem the spread of the viral disease.
The United States has seen a surge in cases over the past three months. In all, the country has recorded more than 330,000 COVID-19 deaths


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Operation Warp Speed Set To Miss Initial COVID Vaccine Distribution Goal

Operation Warp Speed is set to miss the first distribution goal it laid out , Trump administration officials said last week , saying that getting the vaccines to people has been “ slower than we thought it would be.
” Trump administration officials had promised to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of 2020 , meaning that 40 million doses would be distributed by Jan. 1 .
But Gen. Gustave Perna , chief operating officer of the Trump administration ’ s effort to accelerate vaccine development , said that the government would only have allocated 20 million doses by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised .
“ We have allocated 15.5 million doses of vaccine and we are on track to allocate another 4.5 to 5 million next week , which will bring us to 20 million doses of vaccine allocated to America before the end of the year , ” Perna said in a Dec. 23 briefing with reporters .
“ We ’ ll finish those deliveries in the first week of January.
” Perna ’ s remarks suggest that the Trump administration will not complete delivery of half of its projected estimate of vaccine until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local governments will then oversee the vaccine ’ s distribution .
Michael Pratt , chief communications officer for Operation Warp Speed , told TPM in a statement that distribution falls to the states and that the effort will “ allocate 20 million doses for first vaccinations by the end of December 2020 , with distribution of the first 20 million doses spanning into the first week of January as states place orders for them.
” “ These doses are being distributed at states ’ direction to the American people as quickly as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million doses expected to be allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed , ” the statement reads .
It ’ s a retrenchment in ambition and scale for the effort , which has achieved unprecedented success in accelerating vaccine development but is running into delays in getting the shots into people ’ s arms .
And it comes as Trump administration officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a timeframe that medical supply chain experts say is unrealistic .
In November , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said that 40 million doses of the vaccine would be available by the end of December — “ enough to vaccinate about 20 million of our most vulnerable Americans.
” Since then , Azar and other top Trump administration officials have reiterated that estimate while also hyping an unrealistic timeline for widespread availability of the vaccine .
Azar has said that the vaccine could be as widely available as the flu shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Health Adm. Brett Giroir has said that the majority of the population could be vaccinated by late spring .
These promises set up expectations that are impossible for the incoming Biden administration to meet .
Lower-level Operation Warp Speed officials have contradicted the rosy timeline put forward by top officials .
Moncef Slaoui , head of Operation Warp Speed , made similar remarks to Perna at the Dec. 23 briefing , defining down the Trump administration ’ s initial commitment On Dec. 2 , Slaoui said that he was “ confident ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 million Americans by Dec. 31 — a task requiring 40 million doses .
“ And end of February , we will have potentially immunized a 100 million people , which is really more or less the size of the significant at-risk population , the elderly , the health-care workers , the first line workers , people with comorbidity , ” he added .
But on Dec. 23 — less than three weeks later — Slaoui said that “ the commitment that we can make is to make vaccine doses available.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but that getting “ shots in arms ” had been “ slower than we thought it would be.
” “ That objective is not met , ” Slaoui said .
Cracks have shown both in Operation Warp Speed ’ s ability to deliver the weekly cadence of vaccine that the Trump administration has promised to the states and in the capability of overstretched state and local public health departments to quickly inject the shots .
The first week of distribution saw states complain that their allocations had been cut and Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two vaccines currently available , claim that it had millions of doses sitting in its warehouse waiting for distribution orders .
Separately , state health officials have said that absent additional funding , they will lack the capacity to quickly distribute the shot itself — particularly when it comes to mass vaccinations scheduled for the spring and summer .
President Trump signed relief legislation on Sunday that allocated at least $ 4.5 billion to state and local public health departments to distribute the vaccine .
That will help states meet vaccine demand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding until this week — combined with the time it will take to distribute the money allocated by Congress — has already caused delays .
Perna , the Operation Warp Speed general , said that some issues had been due to quality control checks on the vaccine shipments .
“ We have had to adjust our timelines , ” Perna said .
This story has been updated .

Operation Warp Speed is set to miss the first distribution goal it laid out, Trump administration officials said last week, saying that getting the vaccines to people has been “slower than we thought it would be.”
Trump administration officials had promised to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of 2020, meaning that 40 million doses would be distributed by Jan. 1.
But Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of the Trump administration’s effort to accelerate vaccine development, said that the government would only have allocated 20 million doses by Jan 1. — far fewer than promised.
“We have allocated 15.5 million doses of vaccine and we are on track to allocate another 4.5 to 5 million next week, which will bring us to 20 million doses of vaccine allocated to America before the end of the year,” Perna said in a Dec. 23 briefing with reporters. “We’ll finish those deliveries in the first week of January.”
Perna’s remarks suggest that the Trump administration will not complete delivery of half of its projected estimate of vaccine until the first week of January. State and local governments will then oversee the vaccine’s distribution.
Michael Pratt, chief communications officer for Operation Warp Speed, told TPM in a statement that distribution falls to the states and that the effort will “allocate 20 million doses for first vaccinations by the end of December 2020, with distribution of the first 20 million doses spanning into the first week of January as states place orders for them.”
“These doses are being distributed at states’ direction to the American people as quickly as they are available and releasable, and the rapid availability and distribution of so many doses – with 20 million doses expected to be allocated for distribution just 18 days after the first vaccine was granted emergency use authorization – is a testament to the success of Operation Warp Speed,” the statement reads.
It’s a retrenchment in ambition and scale for the effort, which has achieved unprecedented success in accelerating vaccine development but is running into delays in getting the shots into people’s arms.
And it comes as Trump administration officials have boasted of mass vaccine availability on a timeframe that medical supply chain experts say is unrealistic.
In November, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said that 40 million doses of the vaccine would be available by the end of December — “enough to vaccinate about 20 million of our most vulnerable Americans.”
Since then, Azar and other top Trump administration officials have reiterated that estimate while also hyping an unrealistic timeline for widespread availability of the vaccine.
Azar has said that the vaccine could be as widely available as the flu shot by February, while HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir has said that the majority of the population could be vaccinated by late spring.
These promises set up expectations that are impossible for the incoming Biden administration to meet. Lower-level Operation Warp Speed officials have contradicted the rosy timeline put forward by top officials.
Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, made similar remarks to Perna at the Dec. 23 briefing, defining down the Trump administration’s initial commitment
On Dec. 2, Slaoui said that he was “confident” the government would be able to vaccinate 20 million Americans by Dec. 31 — a task requiring 40 million doses.
“And end of February, we will have potentially immunized a 100 million people, which is really more or less the size of the significant at-risk population, the elderly, the health-care workers, the first line workers, people with comorbidity,” he added.
But on Dec. 23 — less than three weeks later — Slaoui said that “the commitment that we can make is to make vaccine doses available.”
He added that “that commitment is met,” but that getting “shots in arms” had been “slower than we thought it would be.”
“That objective is not met,” Slaoui said.
Cracks have shown both in Operation Warp Speed’s ability to deliver the weekly cadence of vaccine that the Trump administration has promised to the states and in the capability of overstretched state and local public health departments to quickly inject the shots.
The first week of distribution saw states complain that their allocations had been cut and Pfizer, the manufacturer of one of the two vaccines currently available, claim that it had millions of doses sitting in its warehouse waiting for distribution orders.
Separately, state health officials have said that absent additional funding, they will lack the capacity to quickly distribute the shot itself — particularly when it comes to mass vaccinations scheduled for the spring and summer.
President Trump signed relief legislation on Sunday that allocated at least $4.5 billion to state and local public health departments to distribute the vaccine. That will help states meet vaccine demand, though some experts say the lack of funding until this week — combined with the time it will take to distribute the money allocated by Congress — has already caused delays.
Perna, the Operation Warp Speed general, said that some issues had been due to quality control checks on the vaccine shipments.
“We have had to adjust our timelines,” Perna said.
This story has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-28--Trump Announces Georgia Rally As Lin Wood Makes Fresh Call To Boycott Vote

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a rally in Georgia next week , the day before the state is set to vote in a crucial Jan. 5 runoff election .
Trump announced the trip shortly before news broke that — after a weeklong tantrum and after-the-fact demands — he would in fact sign the COVID-19 stimulus and government funding deal that had been negotiated by Congress .
The President ’ s brief insistence that Congress increase the $ 600 per-person relief checks in the legislation to $ 2,000 had put the Georgia runoff candidates for whom Trump is campaigning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and David Perdue ( R-GA ) , in political pinch : Oppose more spending , or support the party leader ?
Perdue kept quiet .
Loeffler squirmed under questioning from reporters .
Trump ’ s visit comes in the middle of a record period of COVID-19 diagnoses in Georgia .
Fifty-three people died of the disease on Saturday alone , according to state figures .
So far , more than 2 million Georgians have voted early in the runoff elections , according to the U.S .
Elections Project .
And with the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jon Ossoff , turnout in these final days is key .
At least one Trump ally continues his counterintuitive efforts to suppress the Republican vote .
Lin Wood , the attorney who ( along with Sidney Powell ) has most vocally backed up Trump ’ s bogus claims of widespread voter fraud , took to Twitter on Christmas to convince Republicans to skip the runoff election — as a way to “ break the algorithm ” and prove , once and for all , that Democrats cheated .
Trump has at times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , retweeting Wood ’ s call to jail Georgia ’ s Republican governor and secretary of state .
If Republicans sit out next week ’ s election in large enough numbers , according to Wood , “ the fraud will be so obvious , SCOTUS can then invalidate the Presidential election .
Real conservative senators can then be appointed after Kemp , Perdue and Loeffler ’ s arrest.
” It ’ s hard to measure the impact that Wood and some of his QAnon-adjacent allies are having with their calls to boycott the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll suggested that some Republican voters were indeed considering sitting out the runoff .

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a rally in Georgia next week, the day before the state is set to vote in a crucial Jan. 5 runoff election.
Trump announced the trip shortly before news broke that — after a weeklong tantrum and after-the-fact demands — he would in fact sign the COVID-19 stimulus and government funding deal that had been negotiated by Congress.
The President’s brief insistence that Congress increase the $600 per-person relief checks in the legislation to $2,000 had put the Georgia runoff candidates for whom Trump is campaigning, Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA), in political pinch: Oppose more spending, or support the party leader? Perdue kept quiet. Loeffler squirmed under questioning from reporters.
On behalf of two GREAT Senators, @sendavidperdue & @KLoeffler, I will be going to Georgia on Monday night, January 4th., to have a big and wonderful RALLY. So important for our Country that they win! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2020
Trump’s visit comes in the middle of a record period of COVID-19 diagnoses in Georgia. Fifty-three people died of the disease on Saturday alone, according to state figures.
So far, more than 2 million Georgians have voted early in the runoff elections, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
And with the two Republicans polling neck-and-neck with Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, turnout in these final days is key.
At least one Trump ally continues his counterintuitive efforts to suppress the Republican vote.
Lin Wood, the attorney who (along with Sidney Powell) has most vocally backed up Trump’s bogus claims of widespread voter fraud, took to Twitter on Christmas to convince Republicans to skip the runoff election — as a way to “break the algorithm” and prove, once and for all, that Democrats cheated.
I have received much criticism for demanding that GA fix the 11/3 fraud before we vote in 1/5 runoff. In full disclosure, I am not a fan of any of the 4 candidates in Senate runoff. Communists or China compromised in my opinion. I just want an HONEST election. Don’t you? pic.twitter.com/AjEuuWRFGJ — Lin Wood (@LLinWood) December 26, 2020
Trump has at times endorsed Wood’s line of thinking, retweeting Wood’s call to jail Georgia’s Republican governor and secretary of state.
If Republicans sit out next week’s election in large enough numbers, according to Wood, “the fraud will be so obvious, SCOTUS can then invalidate the Presidential election. Real conservative senators can then be appointed after Kemp, Perdue and Loeffler’s arrest.”
It’s hard to measure the impact that Wood and some of his QAnon-adjacent allies are having with their calls to boycott the race. One recent but limited-in-size SurveyUSA poll suggested that some Republican voters were indeed considering sitting out the runoff.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-29--Harris To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine On Tuesday

The Biden transition team announced on Monday evening that Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be administered the vaccine for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ Biden received the vaccine in a televised event last week .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ people should be prepared , when it ’ s available , to take the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s nothing to worry about.
” Several days before Biden was vaccinated @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the president-elect and Harris would be receiving the vaccine at @ @ @ @ @ from suffering the potential side effects simultaneously .
Earlier this month , leading COVID-19 expert @ @ @ @ @ of Biden and Harris receiving the vaccine as they prepare to enter the White House @ @ @ @ @ security reasons , I really feel strongly that we should get them vaccinated as soon @ @ @ @ @ ” he said during an interview on “ Good Morning America .
”

The Biden transition team announced on Monday evening that Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be administered the vaccine for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
President-elect Joe Biden received the vaccine in a televised event last week.
“I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared, when it’s available, to take the vaccine,” he said. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
Several days before Biden was vaccinated, incoming White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the president-elect and Harris would be receiving the vaccine at separate times to prevent them from suffering the potential side effects simultaneously.
Earlier this month, leading COVID-19 expert Anthony Fauci stressed the urgency of Biden and Harris receiving the vaccine as they prepare to enter the White House in January.
“For security reasons, I really feel strongly that we should get them vaccinated as soon as we possibly can,” he said during an interview on “Good Morning America.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-29--Biden To Address Nation On Anticipated Post-Holiday COVID Surge

President-elect Joe Biden will deliver an address on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic from Wilmington , Delaware , on Tuesday , transition officials have said .
Axios reported early Tuesday that the President-elect will likely use the remarks to reinforce warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week that suggested a surge in coronavirus infections and related deaths is anticipated in the coming weeks .
The agency has forecasted 16,400 to 27,600 new deaths likely to be reported by mid-January , amid increased indoor gatherings and an uptick in holiday air travel that reached its highest levels on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic in March .
Per Axios , Biden will also admonish the Trump administration for failing to meet its vaccine distribution pledge after recent reports suggested that Operation Warp Speed is lagging behind its initial goal .
Biden , who has said he has plans to administer 100 million doses of vaccine during his first 100 days in office , will also likely discuss how he will roll out his inoculation program , which is expected to make use of the Defense Production Act .
Biden ’ s effort ahead of his inauguration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s dire turn comes as President Donald Trump has been largely silent since last month ’ s election about a public health crisis which has now killed more than 335,000 people in the United States .

President-elect Joe Biden will deliver an address on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic from Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday, transition officials have said.
Axios reported early Tuesday that the President-elect will likely use the remarks to reinforce warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week that suggested a surge in coronavirus infections and related deaths is anticipated in the coming weeks. The agency has forecasted 16,400 to 27,600 new deaths likely to be reported by mid-January, amid increased indoor gatherings and an uptick in holiday air travel that reached its highest levels on Sunday since the early days of the pandemic in March.
Per Axios, Biden will also admonish the Trump administration for failing to meet its vaccine distribution pledge after recent reports suggested that Operation Warp Speed is lagging behind its initial goal.
Biden, who has said he has plans to administer 100 million doses of the vaccine during his first 100 days in office, will also likely discuss how he will roll out his inoculation program, which is expected to make use of the Defense Production Act.
Biden’s effort ahead of his inauguration to address the nation on the pandemic’s dire turn comes as President Donald Trump has remained largely silent since last month’s election about the public health crisis that has now killed more than 335,000 people in the United States.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-29--Sanders To Hold Up Senate’s Veto Override On Defense Bill To Force Vote On $2,000 Relief Checks

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) announced on Monday night his plan to filibuster the Senate ’ s vote on a bipartisan defense bill , which had been vetoed by President Donald Trump , in order to force a vote on giving Americans $ 2,000 relief checks amid COVID-19 .
“ This week on the Senate floor Mitch McConnell wants to vote to override Trump ’ s veto of the $ 740 billion defense funding bill and then head home for the New Year , ” Sanders tweeted .
“ I ’ m going to object until we get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 direct payment to the working class.
” Trump , who had threatened to veto Congress ’ sweeping COVID-19 relief package if its relief checks were not increased from $ 600 to $ 2,000 before ultimately signing the bill anyway , backed the Vermont senator .
“ Give the people $ 2000 , not $ 600 .
They have suffered enough !
” Trump tweeted in response to a report on Sanders ’ plan .
Democrats have pounced on the President ’ s push for larger payments , turning the screws on Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on January 5 , which will determine whether the GOP will keep its majority in the chamber .
The House passed its legislation on $ 2,000 payments on Monday .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announced on Monday night his plan to filibuster the Senate’s vote on a bipartisan defense bill, which had been vetoed by President Donald Trump, in order to force a vote on giving Americans $2,000 relief checks amid COVID-19.
“This week on the Senate floor Mitch McConnell wants to vote to override Trump’s veto of the $740 billion defense funding bill and then head home for the New Year,” Sanders tweeted. “I’m going to object until we get a vote on legislation to provide a $2,000 direct payment to the working class.”
Trump, who had threatened to veto Congress’ sweeping COVID-19 relief package if its relief checks were not increased from $600 to $2,000 before ultimately signing the bill anyway, backed the Vermont senator.
“Give the people $2000, not $600. They have suffered enough!” Trump tweeted in response to a report on Sanders’ plan.
Democrats have pounced on the President’s push for larger payments, turning the screws on Republican senators ahead of the Georgia Senate runoffs on January 5, which will determine whether the GOP will keep its majority in the chamber. The House passed its legislation on $2,000 payments on Monday.