buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Joe Biden Said Waiting For Votes To Be Counted Is "Numbing" But Maintained "We’re Going To Win"

WILMINGTON , Delaware — Joe Biden is sure he ’ s about to beat President Donald Trump .
And he used his address on Friday to illustrate just that , boasting about rebuilding the “ blue wall ” from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin , earning the most popular votes of any candidate in history , and seizing leads in states that Democrats haven ’ t won in decades , such as Georgia and Arizona .
Biden ’ s remarks came after a long , slow — and , for him , successful — day of vote-counting .
Starting around 4:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is now so close it ’ s set for a recount .
Four hours later , he took the lead in Pennsylvania , which Trump won in 2016 .
While people celebrated in the streets , the former vice president implored Americans to patiently await results that campaign advisers were confident would arrive at any minute .
“ We do n't have a final declaration of victory yet , ” Biden said at the Chase Center , the convention hall complex in his hometown of Wilmington that has served as his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But the numbers … tell us a clear and convincing story .
We 're going to win this race.
” Biden predicted he would surpass 300 Electoral College votes — more than the 270 needed to win — and said he would enter office with “ a mandate for action on COVID , the economy , climate change , systemic racism.
” On Friday morning , the elections analysis firm Decision Desk HQ called the race for Biden after a new batch of votes showed him taking the lead in Pennsylvania — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state is finished counting ballots .
But most major news outlets held off , waiting for more outstanding votes in Pennsylvania , Nevada , and Arizona amid razor-thin margins .
All day , Biden aides lingered in and around the Chase Center , where an elaborate stage had been in place , on standby , since Tuesday .
Ahead of his possible speech on Friday night , the campaign waited for more ballots — this time from Maricopa County in Arizona — but when the votes came in around 9 p.m. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for most news outlets .
Plans for a drive-in victory rally in the parking lot outside were put on hold for a fourth straight night as election workers continued to count ballots .
Earlier in the day , campaign officials told BuzzFeed News and others that Biden and Harris planned to speak during primetime on Friday , at 8 p.m. , with their spouses present .
That news came amid expectations that a race trending in Biden ’ s direction was about to be called and that the former vice president soon would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another day of Biden urging calm and patience .
“ As slow as it goes , it can be numbing , ” Biden said of watching numbers trickle in on TV .
“ But never forget : The tallies are n't just numbers .
They represent votes and voters , men and women who exercise the fundamental right to have their voice heard.
” Adjacent to the convention hall , in the Westin Hotel , a few Biden staffers and surrogates , including Sen. Chris Coons and Rep. Cedric Richmond , lingered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the fourth consecutive night on a small television .
“ Bob Casey just texted me , ” Coons told reporters , referring to the US senator from Pennsylvania .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re going to get a call out of Pennsylvania until tomorrow.
” “ I have not spoken directly to the vice president , ” Coons said .
“ I think the folks around him are staying calm and being appropriate , respecting voters , and respecting the process.
” The 77-year-old Biden is , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking to restore normalcy within and trust of the US government .
The campaign indicated to reporters in Wilmington that Biden would not get ahead of the networks in declaring absolute victory .
But he has also spent the latter half of the week appearing to get on with the business of what his campaign believes will be the inevitable transition to a Biden administration .
On Thursday , he and his running mate Kamala Harris attended two hourlong briefings in Wilmington , one on the economy and the other on the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly third wave that has brought the total number of deaths to at least 236,000 .
Earlier that day , the campaign published a transition website , saying the team dedicated to preparing for a possible Biden administration would “ continue preparing at full speed ” to be ready “ on day one.
” Trump did not appear publicly Friday .
“ Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President .
I could make that claim also , ” he tweeted Friday night .
The president did already wrongfully claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden has scarcely mentioned Trump in his brief remarks since Tuesday and has addressed the rancor of the two campaigns only in expressing a desire to move past it .
On Friday night , Biden offered a hallmark of victory speeches : an olive branch to those who didn ’ t support him .
“ We 're certainly not going to agree on a lot of issues , ” Biden said , “ but at least we can agree to be civil .
We have to put the anger and the demonization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to come together as a nation and heal .
It 's not gon na be easy , but we have to try .
”

WILMINGTON, Delaware — Joe Biden is sure he’s about to beat President Donald Trump. And he used his address on Friday to illustrate just that, boasting about rebuilding the “blue wall” from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, earning the most popular votes of any candidate in history, and seizing leads in states that Democrats haven’t won in decades, such as Georgia and Arizona.
Biden’s remarks came after a long, slow — and, for him, successful — day of vote-counting. Starting around 4:30 a.m., he took the lead in Georgia, which is now so close it’s set for a recount. Four hours later, he took the lead in Pennsylvania, which Trump won in 2016. While people celebrated in the streets, the former vice president implored Americans to patiently await results that campaign advisers were confident would arrive at any minute.
“We don't have a final declaration of victory yet,” Biden said at the Chase Center, the convention hall complex in his hometown of Wilmington that has served as his campaign’s headquarters this week. “But the numbers … tell us a clear and convincing story. We're going to win this race.”
Biden predicted he would surpass 300 Electoral College votes — more than the 270 needed to win — and said he would enter office with “a mandate for action on COVID, the economy, climate change, systemic racism.”
On Friday morning, the elections analysis firm Decision Desk HQ called the race for Biden after a new batch of votes showed him taking the lead in Pennsylvania — which many believe will only expand once the state is finished counting ballots. But most major news outlets held off, waiting for more outstanding votes in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona amid razor-thin margins.
All day, Biden aides lingered in and around the Chase Center, where an elaborate stage had been in place, on standby, since Tuesday. Ahead of his possible speech on Friday night, the campaign waited for more ballots — this time from Maricopa County in Arizona — but when the votes came in around 9 p.m., the state remained too close to call for most news outlets.
Plans for a drive-in victory rally in the parking lot outside were put on hold for a fourth straight night as election workers continued to count ballots. Earlier in the day, campaign officials told BuzzFeed News and others that Biden and Harris planned to speak during primetime on Friday, at 8 p.m., with their spouses present. That news came amid expectations that a race trending in Biden’s direction was about to be called and that the former vice president soon would be celebrating.
Instead, it was another day of Biden urging calm and patience.
“As slow as it goes, it can be numbing,” Biden said of watching numbers trickle in on TV. “But never forget: The tallies aren't just numbers. They represent votes and voters, men and women who exercise the fundamental right to have their voice heard.”
Adjacent to the convention hall, in the Westin Hotel, a few Biden staffers and surrogates, including Sen. Chris Coons and Rep. Cedric Richmond, lingered in the lobby, where election results played for the fourth consecutive night on a small television.
“Bob Casey just texted me,” Coons told reporters, referring to the US senator from Pennsylvania. “I don’t think we’re going to get a call out of Pennsylvania until tomorrow.”
“I have not spoken directly to the vice president,” Coons said. “I think the folks around him are staying calm and being appropriate, respecting voters, and respecting the process.”
The 77-year-old Biden is, by his own description, an institutionalist, seeking to restore normalcy within and trust of the US government. The campaign indicated to reporters in Wilmington that Biden would not get ahead of the networks in declaring absolute victory.
But he has also spent the latter half of the week appearing to get on with the business of what his campaign believes will be the inevitable transition to a Biden administration. On Thursday, he and his running mate Kamala Harris attended two hourlong briefings in Wilmington, one on the economy and the other on the coronavirus pandemic, which is deep in a deadly third wave that has brought the total number of deaths to at least 236,000. Earlier that day, the campaign published a transition website, saying the team dedicated to preparing for a possible Biden administration would “continue preparing at full speed” to be ready “on day one.”
Trump did not appear publicly Friday. “Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also,” he tweeted Friday night.
The president did already wrongfully claim victory days earlier, late Tuesday night.
Biden has scarcely mentioned Trump in his brief remarks since Tuesday and has addressed the rancor of the two campaigns only in expressing a desire to move past it. On Friday night, Biden offered a hallmark of victory speeches: an olive branch to those who didn’t support him.
“We're certainly not going to agree on a lot of issues,” Biden said, “but at least we can agree to be civil. We have to put the anger and the demonization behind us. It's time for us to come together as a nation and heal. It's not gonna be easy, but we have to try.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Two Men Were Arrested For Carrying Weapons Near A Philadelphia Vote-Counting Site

Philadelphia prosecutors have charged two Virginia men with weapons violations after they were arrested Thursday night for carrying firearms near the city 's convention center , where votes are being counted .
In a statement Friday , Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said that Joshua Macias , 42 , and Antonio LaMotta , 61 , both of Chesapeake , Virginia , faced charges of carrying concealed firearms without a license , a third-degree felony , and carrying firearms on public streets or public property , a first-degree misdemeanor .
`` Police had earlier received information [ from the FBI ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were heading to Philadelphia , possibly for a reason related to the ongoing canvas of votes , '' Krasner said in the statement .
In a press conference earlier that day , Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that when confronted by law enforcement officers , LaMotta had a 9mm Beretta in a holster and Macias had a .40-caliber Beretta handgun inside his jacket .
After the men were placed under arrest , authorities found an AR-style rifle and ammunition inside the Hummer .
Krasner said he was considering additional charges against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal offense under the election code . ''
He made it clear that the investigation was ongoing and more charges could follow but emphasized that the arrests appeared to be isolated incidents .
`` At this time , we do not have indications that the story is bigger than these two individuals , '' he said .
Macias is a cofounder of the group `` Veterans for Donald Trump , '' although he is no longer associated with the organization , having left its leadership team in August due to `` personal family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president at least once .

Philadelphia prosecutors have charged two Virginia men with weapons violations after they were arrested Thursday night for carrying firearms near the city's convention center, where votes are being counted.
In a statement Friday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said that Joshua Macias, 42, and Antonio LaMotta, 61, both of Chesapeake, Virginia, faced charges of carrying concealed firearms without a license, a third-degree felony, and carrying firearms on public streets or public property, a first-degree misdemeanor.
"Police had earlier received information [from the FBI] that armed individuals in a silver Hummer were heading to Philadelphia, possibly for a reason related to the ongoing canvas of votes," Krasner said in the statement.
In a press conference earlier that day, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said that when confronted by law enforcement officers, LaMotta had a 9mm Beretta in a holster and Macias had a .40-caliber Beretta handgun inside his jacket. After the men were placed under arrest, authorities found an AR-style rifle and ammunition inside the Hummer.
Krasner said he was considering additional charges against the two men, including "possibly a criminal offense under the election code." He made it clear that the investigation was ongoing and more charges could follow but emphasized that the arrests appeared to be isolated incidents.
"At this time, we do not have indications that the story is bigger than these two individuals," he said.
Macias is a cofounder of the group "Veterans for Donald Trump," although he is no longer associated with the organization, having left its leadership team in August due to "personal family issues." He has personally met the president at least once.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--The FDA Has Authorized The COVID-19 Antibody Drug That Chris Christie Took

In October , former New Jersey governor Chris Christie was treated with Eli Lilly 's antibody therapy after being diagnosed with COVID-19 .
Eli Lilly ’ s coronavirus antibody drug , which former New Jersey governor Chris Christie took , was authorized for emergency use by the FDA on Monday .
The experimental drug was authorized to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children who are at high risk of becoming sick enough to require hospitalization , but not patients who are already hospitalized or receiving oxygen .
It has not received full approval from the FDA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety and efficacy .
The treatment , known as bamlanivimab , is a lab-made version of an antibody , one of the immune system ’ s natural defenders against viruses and other invaders .
The synthetic antibody is designed to target the coronavirus spike protein , which enables it to attach to and enter human cells .
Christie , a close ally of President Donald Trump 's , became one of a handful of patients to gain access to the treatment when he was infected with the coronavirus in early October .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving a different experimental antibody treatment made by the company Regeneron , later touting it as a “ miracle.
” Both companies filed for emergency authorization shortly afterward .
The announcement was “ exciting ” but came with “ multiple cautions , ” Megan Ranney , an emergency physician and professor at Brown University , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Although I have high hopes for this type of medication , this data does not yet support that it is a ‘ magic bullet , ’ ” she said .
The FDA ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a randomized , double-blind , and placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 465 adults with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 .
The patients receiving the therapy didn ’ t see a significant decrease in the amount of virus in their bodies compared to those receiving the placebo , which was the main outcome scientists were looking for .
By another measure , the drug did appear promising : Compared to the placebo group , patients on the drug had lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency room visits within 28 days of treatment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of success , Ranney noted that these outcomes “ may or may not ultimately be clinically significant.
” As part of Operation Warp Speed , the US government signed a $ 375 million deal with Eli Lilly in October to supply 300,000 vials of bamlanivimab , contingent on it receiving emergency authorization , and a possible additional 650,000 vials .
On Monday , Eli Lilly said it would immediately begin shipping the drug to AmerisourceBergen , a national distributor .
“ We 're proud of the speed with which we have been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat COVID-19 , ” Daniel Skovronsky , Eli Lilly 's chief scientific officer , said in a statement .
Last month , a clinical trial that was testing bamlanivimab , along with the antiviral remdesivir , in hospitalized patients was paused by the National Institutes of Health , a sponsor of the study , due to safety concerns .
It was not disclosed whether the potential safety issues were in the group receiving the treatments or the placebo .
The FDA has also issued an emergency use authorization for the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have recovered from COVID-19 .
Scientists criticized the authorization because the agency had insufficient evidence that the treatment worked .
Allowing patients to access medications before clinical trials are finished runs the risk of discouraging patients from enrolling in those trials , where they may be given the placebo , Ranney said .
The FDA ’ s emergency authorization of the antibody therapy “ will potentially put the medication out of reach of those who need new medications most , ” she wrote .
There is still no cure for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is the only coronavirus treatment to win full approval so far , a move that was also criticized by scientists .
Also Monday , the drugmaker Pfizer announced the first set of results from a late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial .
According to the company , early data showed that its vaccine was at least 90 % effective , a much higher degree of protection than outside researchers were expecting .

Eli Lilly’s coronavirus antibody drug, which former New Jersey governor Chris Christie took, was authorized for emergency use by the FDA on Monday.
The experimental drug was authorized to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children who are at high risk of becoming sick enough to require hospitalization, but not patients who are already hospitalized or receiving oxygen. It has not received full approval from the FDA, which would require more rigorous evidence of safety and efficacy.
The treatment, known as bamlanivimab, is a lab-made version of an antibody, one of the immune system’s natural defenders against viruses and other invaders. The synthetic antibody is designed to target the coronavirus spike protein, which enables it to attach to and enter human cells.
Christie, a close ally of President Donald Trump's, became one of a handful of patients to gain access to the treatment when he was infected with the coronavirus in early October. At around the same time, Trump was receiving a different experimental antibody treatment made by the company Regeneron, later touting it as a “miracle.” Both companies filed for emergency authorization shortly afterward.
The announcement was “exciting” but came with “multiple cautions,” Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and professor at Brown University, told BuzzFeed News. “Although I have high hopes for this type of medication, this data does not yet support that it is a ‘magic bullet,’” she said.
The FDA’s authorization was based on partial data from a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 465 adults with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. The patients receiving the therapy didn’t see a significant decrease in the amount of virus in their bodies compared to those receiving the placebo, which was the main outcome scientists were looking for.
By another measure, the drug did appear promising: Compared to the placebo group, patients on the drug had lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency room visits within 28 days of treatment. But because this was a secondary metric of success, Ranney noted that these outcomes “may or may not ultimately be clinically significant.”
As part of Operation Warp Speed, the US government signed a $375 million deal with Eli Lilly in October to supply 300,000 vials of bamlanivimab, contingent on it receiving emergency authorization, and a possible additional 650,000 vials. On Monday, Eli Lilly said it would immediately begin shipping the drug to AmerisourceBergen, a national distributor.
“We're proud of the speed with which we have been able to bring patients this therapy specifically designed to treat COVID-19,” Daniel Skovronsky, Eli Lilly's chief scientific officer, said in a statement.
Bamlanivimab’s possible side effects include allergic reactions, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, itching, and vomiting.
Last month, a clinical trial that was testing bamlanivimab, along with the antiviral remdesivir, in hospitalized patients was paused by the National Institutes of Health, a sponsor of the study, due to safety concerns. It was not disclosed whether the potential safety issues were in the group receiving the treatments or the placebo.
The FDA has also issued an emergency use authorization for the use of convalescent plasma, which contains antibodies from people who have recovered from COVID-19. Scientists criticized the authorization because the agency had insufficient evidence that the treatment worked.
Allowing patients to access medications before clinical trials are finished runs the risk of discouraging patients from enrolling in those trials, where they may be given the placebo, Ranney said. The FDA’s emergency authorization of the antibody therapy “will potentially put the medication out of reach of those who need new medications most,” she wrote.
There is still no cure for COVID-19. Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences, is the only coronavirus treatment to win full approval so far, a move that was also criticized by scientists.
Also Monday, the drugmaker Pfizer announced the first set of results from a late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial. According to the company, early data showed that its vaccine was at least 90% effective, a much higher degree of protection than outside researchers were expecting.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine Is More Than 90% Effective, Early Data Says

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced extremely promising early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial on Monday morning as the world faces record high daily cases and deaths .
The company , which collaborated with the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech , is the first to report late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial results .
The results , which did not include the actual data from their trial and have yet to be peer-reviewed , suggested that people who received the vaccine 's two shots three weeks apart experienced 90 % fewer cases of COVID-19 compared to those who received placebo injections .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been observed .
The preliminary analysis is based on just 94 patients who developed COVID-19 in Pfizer 's trial , which has enrolled over 43,000 patients .
The efficacy numbers are expected to fluctuate as the trial continues to collect more data .
The extremely high level of protection is promising — and surprising — news after months of researchers cautioning that early coronavirus vaccines may not offer a high level of protection .
The FDA only requires that a vaccine needs to be at least 50 % effective in preventing illness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to again see the data , but those are pretty striking numbers , '' said Paul Offit , a vaccine expert at Children ’ s Hospital of Philadelphia , who sits on the FDA vaccine advisory committee .
`` I ’ m pleasantly surprised , '' Offit said , adding that most experts were expecting to see the vaccine be 50 to 60 % effective at preventing COVID-19 infections .
Eleven vaccines are currently in late-stage trials worldwide , with four frontrunners in the US sponsored by the federally funded Operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York Times , Pfizer 's senior vice president , Kathrin Jansen , stated that the company did not take any money from Operation Warp Speed to pay for research and development of its vaccine .
For months , Pfizer had promised that its early results would be ready by October , fueling President Donald Trump 's assertions that a vaccine would be ready by Election Day .
The early results instead came on the heels of a bitter election , as Joe Biden clinched the presidency .
Offit added that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high level of protection is very promising .
The company was initially planning to conduct its first analysis when 32 participants developed COVID-19 .
But Pfizer said that , after discussions with the FDA , it decided to wait until 62 cases developed .
While it was in discussion with the agency , 32 more people quickly got infected .
`` There is a tyranny of small numbers here , '' Offit said .
`` If you stop at 32 , how confident are you ?
When you ’ re at 94 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you gain greater confidence that that ’ s going to hold up over time . ''
The drug company said they are continuing to collect safety data required by the FDA , which says that half of the patients in the trial should be monitored for side effects for at least two months following their second shot , before asking the agency for emergency authorization to begin distributing its vaccine .
The company expects to meet that milestone by the third week of November .
Once that data is collected , Pfizer projected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021 , to be distributed worldwide .
`` These studies are being conducted much faster than we ’ ve ever seen before , because we ’ re in the middle of a pandemic , '' Offit said , pointing out that most vaccine trials take years to conduct .
`` You can ’ t do that here , '' Offit said .
`` I ’ m sure everyone would feel better if this 90 % efficacy wasn ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective for a year or two years .
But you can ’ t wait .
You can ’ t do a three- to four-year study when this many people are dying .
It ’ s not practical . ''
Offit said it would be helpful to receive more data in the future about whether the vaccine can prevent the severe cases of COVID-19 most at risk of causing hospitalizations and deaths , as well as information about whether it prevents asymptomatic infections .
Since the vaccine is only months into its clinical trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long it can prevent infection with the virus .
`` It ’ s a much stronger result than I had anticipated and indicates that other vaccines have a good shot at success as well , '' Emory University biostatistician David Benkeser told BuzzFeed News by email .
He noted that the trial should continue so that we can get more answers about how long immunity may last and whether the vaccine can prevent severe disease .
`` We ’ d obviously like to see the actual data , but the results released do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine belongs to a new class of messenger RNA ( mRNA ) gene injections , a type of vaccine never approved before for use in people .
They carry the genes that instruct human cells to make viral proteins , triggering an immune response .
A second frontrunner , produced by the pharmaceutical company Moderna , also uses mRNA for its coronavirus vaccine .
Pfizer last week said it would distribute the two-shot vaccine independently of the US government , from distribution centers in Michigan and Belgium .
Its shots require storage at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry ice and storage in specialized `` ultra low temperature '' refrigerators .
In public comments , FDA officials have indicated they would schedule a meeting of the vaccine advisory board of external experts who vote to recommend new vaccines once a pharmaceutical company requests emergency authorization to distribute its shots to the public .
Those meetings usually come 15 days after the agency places a notice in the Federal Register .

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced extremely promising early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial on Monday morning as the world faces record high daily cases and deaths.
The company, which collaborated with the German pharmaceutical company BioNTech, is the first to report late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial results. The results, which did not include the actual data from their trial and have yet to be peer-reviewed, suggested that people who received the vaccine's two shots three weeks apart experienced 90% fewer cases of COVID-19 compared to those who received placebo injections. The company said no serious side effects have been observed.
The preliminary analysis is based on just 94 patients who developed COVID-19 in Pfizer's trial, which has enrolled over 43,000 patients. The efficacy numbers are expected to fluctuate as the trial continues to collect more data.
The extremely high level of protection is promising — and surprising — news after months of researchers cautioning that early coronavirus vaccines may not offer a high level of protection. The FDA only requires that a vaccine needs to be at least 50% effective in preventing illness.
"That’s pretty striking. We need to again see the data, but those are pretty striking numbers," said Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who sits on the FDA vaccine advisory committee. "I’m pleasantly surprised," Offit said, adding that most experts were expecting to see the vaccine be 50 to 60% effective at preventing COVID-19 infections.
Eleven vaccines are currently in late-stage trials worldwide, with four frontrunners in the US sponsored by the federally funded Operation Warp Speed. In an interview with the New York Times, Pfizer's senior vice president, Kathrin Jansen, stated that the company did not take any money from Operation Warp Speed to pay for research and development of its vaccine.
For months, Pfizer had promised that its early results would be ready by October, fueling President Donald Trump's assertions that a vaccine would be ready by Election Day.
The early results instead came on the heels of a bitter election, as Joe Biden clinched the presidency.
Offit added that while the case numbers are still low, the high level of protection is very promising. The company was initially planning to conduct its first analysis when 32 participants developed COVID-19. But Pfizer said that, after discussions with the FDA, it decided to wait until 62 cases developed. While it was in discussion with the agency, 32 more people quickly got infected.
"There is a tyranny of small numbers here," Offit said. "If you stop at 32, how confident are you? When you’re at 94 and it's 90% effective, you gain greater confidence that that’s going to hold up over time."
The drug company said they are continuing to collect safety data required by the FDA, which says that half of the patients in the trial should be monitored for side effects for at least two months following their second shot, before asking the agency for emergency authorization to begin distributing its vaccine. The company expects to meet that milestone by the third week of November.
Once that data is collected, Pfizer projected that it is on track to produce 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021, to be distributed worldwide.
"These studies are being conducted much faster than we’ve ever seen before, because we’re in the middle of a pandemic," Offit said, pointing out that most vaccine trials take years to conduct.
"You can’t do that here," Offit said. "I’m sure everyone would feel better if this 90% efficacy wasn’t just for several months — that it was effective for a year or two years. But you can’t wait. You can’t do a three- to four-year study when this many people are dying. It’s not practical."
Offit said it would be helpful to receive more data in the future about whether the vaccine can prevent the severe cases of COVID-19 most at risk of causing hospitalizations and deaths, as well as information about whether it prevents asymptomatic infections. Since the vaccine is only months into its clinical trial, it is still not known how long it can prevent infection with the virus.
"It’s a much stronger result than I had anticipated and indicates that other vaccines have a good shot at success as well," Emory University biostatistician David Benkeser told BuzzFeed News by email. He noted that the trial should continue so that we can get more answers about how long immunity may last and whether the vaccine can prevent severe disease. "We’d obviously like to see the actual data, but the results released do look extremely promising."
The Pfizer vaccine belongs to a new class of messenger RNA (mRNA) gene injections, a type of vaccine never approved before for use in people. They carry the genes that instruct human cells to make viral proteins, triggering an immune response. A second frontrunner, produced by the pharmaceutical company Moderna, also uses mRNA for its coronavirus vaccine.
Pfizer last week said it would distribute the two-shot vaccine independently of the US government, from distribution centers in Michigan and Belgium. Its shots require storage at -94 degrees Fahrenheit, necessitating transport in dry ice and storage in specialized "ultra low temperature" refrigerators.
In public comments, FDA officials have indicated they would schedule a meeting of the vaccine advisory board of external experts who vote to recommend new vaccines once a pharmaceutical company requests emergency authorization to distribute its shots to the public. Those meetings usually come 15 days after the agency places a notice in the Federal Register.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--What Happens When Trump Gets Out Of Our Brains

Someday , someday sooner rather than later , we will be removed from Donald Trump ’ s subconscious and returned to our own devices .
That ’ s the idea .
That ’ s the hint of separation since Joe Biden was declared winner on Saturday .
For the last five years , each morning ’ s begun with — it can ’ t really begin without — whatever Trump wakes up thinking .
At first , when he became president , that seemed to throw the country into shock — that it would really be like this .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack otherwise unknown citizens from time to time .
Trump , at once immutable and ever-shocking , would not transform into A President .
Starting the day off with a bullet : ENJOY !
Years from now , this might be difficult to explain : the way entire days got yoked to one person ’ s rants , reactions , cruelties , refusals , jokes , tangents , and to just thinking so often about the president .
Even weirder , and more difficult , would be explaining how an entire country became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head .
Still , you think Trump ca n't shock you again at this late date , and then in the early morning hours , he ’ s telling you , exclamation point included , that he ’ s tested positive for a virus that ’ s now killed more than 237,000 people in the United States .
Between then and his exit from the hospital , for a few days , his ceaseless VOICE was absent — no tweets , no rallies , no calls to Hannity .
Yes , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they lacked that je nais se quoi special sauce we all know so well by now of Trump ’ s actual voice .
To fill the void , news of all the surreal events of the preceding week broke out : that donors somehow did karaoke in Minnesota and ate from a literal buffet in New Jersey ; that Trump met with Gold Star families indoors ; that nobody could say when the president was last tested for the virus nor could they pin down exactly when he had contracted it ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coursing through the White House , and names you know kept testing positive like they were in a Michael Crichton novel ; that people did not disclose to those they ’ d seen that they had contracted the virus .
On and on until , finally , Trump could reemerge from the hospital , walk up the steps to the White House , and respond to a woman 's tweet that she “ would wade [ through ] a sea of COVID infested water to vote for President Trump on November 3rd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive shift in the way we communicate : Apple only introduced the iPhone 13 years ago , and most of the interfaces through which we experience news did not mature until the 2010s .
People take photos and write to each other all day now .
Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram emphasize reaction ; each serves up the thoughts of another person and asks you to reply , like , reshare , add a comment .
On Twitter , when clicked , the heart icon explodes .
But you can extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from the iterations of and modifications to a simple joke format on TikTok to suburban wars about what 's really happening on Nextdoor .
Near-universal iPhone and Android usage means even when you are alone or in an unfamiliar place or among strangers , you can be with the people you know on some level ; sitting in an airport or waiting in line at the grocery store changed forever in this way .
This shift , especially with the platforms , creates a dual dynamic where you 're both reacting yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes concurrently .
Into the chaotic jolt of the last decade to our lives , Trump entered ( or reentered ) in 2015 .
He disregards what you 're allowed to say in public and will continue down his chosen line with the exoskeleton of his own emotions exposed — until he changes direction .
With Trump , as the New Yorker ’ s Ben Wallace-Wells recently put it , past and future get pushed aside and “ all that is left is an overwhelming present.
” Nobody may ever command anyone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even when the next president was about to speak on Saturday night , the current president was still a frequent subject on television ; the only constant we ’ ve had is this electric dynamic with Trump at the center , pushing into everyone 's brains .
You can see how reacting to Trump has dominated in ways good , bad , superficial , nightmarish , and everything in between — reshaping everything from the gender makeup of the political parties to conservatives ’ view of trade to , possibly , the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
There ’ s an entire meta layer of politics too , built around reaction as object : the right-wing , scoreboard-bitches politics of : fire : savage owns versus blue-wave resistance superficiality that adopts unusual figures as righteous versus a cancel culture obsession that emphasizes online conversation as the story over most else .
Inside this objectively confusing and chaotic period , some people reasonably view the prevailing lesson , or at least the ethos , of the last decade as : Nothing matters .
The idea is a breezy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nihilism to mask a bruised-heartedness .
Institutions couldn ’ t stop Trump during the 2016 Republican primary , TV networks continued airing his rallies and accepting his live calls even when people were begging them to stop , Republican campaigns wouldn ’ t attack him because they kept waiting for Trump to break open on his own accord , with his supporters falling their way .
Trump would continue to be Trump , unimpeded , amassing more power .

Someday, someday sooner rather than later, we will be removed from Donald Trump’s subconscious and returned to our own devices. That’s the idea. That’s the hint of separation since Joe Biden was declared winner on Saturday.
For the last five years, each morning’s begun with — it can’t really begin without — whatever Trump wakes up thinking. At first, when he became president, that seemed to throw the country into shock — that it would really be like this. He would still watch TV all day and attack otherwise unknown citizens from time to time. Trump, at once immutable and ever-shocking, would not transform into A President. Starting the day off with a bullet: ENJOY!
Years from now, this might be difficult to explain: the way entire days got yoked to one person’s rants, reactions, cruelties, refusals, jokes, tangents, and to just thinking so often about the president. Even weirder, and more difficult, would be explaining how an entire country became accustomed to living inside one person's head.
Still, you think Trump can't shock you again at this late date, and then in the early morning hours, he’s telling you, exclamation point included, that he’s tested positive for a virus that’s now killed more than 237,000 people in the United States. Between then and his exit from the hospital, for a few days, his ceaseless VOICE was absent — no tweets, no rallies, no calls to Hannity. Yes, there were a few tweets from his account, but they lacked that je nais se quoi special sauce we all know so well by now of Trump’s actual voice. To fill the void, news of all the surreal events of the preceding week broke out: that donors somehow did karaoke in Minnesota and ate from a literal buffet in New Jersey; that Trump met with Gold Star families indoors; that nobody could say when the president was last tested for the virus nor could they pin down exactly when he had contracted it; that the virus seemed to just be coursing through the White House, and names you know kept testing positive like they were in a Michael Crichton novel; that people did not disclose to those they’d seen that they had contracted the virus. On and on until, finally, Trump could reemerge from the hospital, walk up the steps to the White House, and respond to a woman's tweet that she “would wade [through] a sea of COVID infested water to vote for President Trump on November 3rd,” by appending:
“Thank you Heather!”
Trump rose alongside a massive shift in the way we communicate: Apple only introduced the iPhone 13 years ago, and most of the interfaces through which we experience news did not mature until the 2010s. People take photos and write to each other all day now.
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram emphasize reaction; each serves up the thoughts of another person and asks you to reply, like, reshare, add a comment. On Twitter, when clicked, the heart icon explodes. But you can extend that dynamic across all kinds of platforms, from the iterations of and modifications to a simple joke format on TikTok to suburban wars about what's really happening on Nextdoor. Near-universal iPhone and Android usage means even when you are alone or in an unfamiliar place or among strangers, you can be with the people you know on some level; sitting in an airport or waiting in line at the grocery store changed forever in this way. This shift, especially with the platforms, creates a dual dynamic where you're both reacting yourself and consuming the reactions of millions, sometimes concurrently.
Into the chaotic jolt of the last decade to our lives, Trump entered (or reentered) in 2015. He disregards what you're allowed to say in public and will continue down his chosen line with the exoskeleton of his own emotions exposed — until he changes direction. With Trump, as the New Yorker’s Ben Wallace-Wells recently put it, past and future get pushed aside and “all that is left is an overwhelming present.”
Nobody may ever command anyone’s attentions ever again like this. Even when the next president was about to speak on Saturday night, the current president was still a frequent subject on television; the only constant we’ve had is this electric dynamic with Trump at the center, pushing into everyone's brains. You can see how reacting to Trump has dominated in ways good, bad, superficial, nightmarish, and everything in between — reshaping everything from the gender makeup of the political parties to conservatives’ view of trade to, possibly, the public’s view of schools reopening during the pandemic. There’s an entire meta layer of politics too, built around reaction as object: the right-wing, scoreboard-bitches politics of :fire: savage owns versus blue-wave resistance superficiality that adopts unusual figures as righteous versus a cancel culture obsession that emphasizes online conversation as the story over most else.
Inside this objectively confusing and chaotic period, some people reasonably view the prevailing lesson, or at least the ethos, of the last decade as: Nothing matters. The idea is a breezy nihilism, or at least an ironic nihilism to mask a bruised-heartedness. Institutions couldn’t stop Trump during the 2016 Republican primary, TV networks continued airing his rallies and accepting his live calls even when people were begging them to stop, Republican campaigns wouldn’t attack him because they kept waiting for Trump to break open on his own accord, with his supporters falling their way. Trump would continue to be Trump, unimpeded, amassing more power.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--The MAGA Movement Is Splintering Between Those Preparing For A Future Without Trump And Those Refusi

The MAGA Movement Is Splintering Between Those Preparing For A Future Without Trump And Those Refusing To Imagine One

Four years ago , Steve Bannon watched Donald Trump declare victory in the small hours of election night in 2016 , a victory for which Bannon assigned himself much of the credit and which he thought would make him historically powerful .
“ I am Thomas Cromwell in the court of the Tudors , ” Bannon notoriously told the journalist Michael Wolff in an interview after Trump ’ s win .
Cromwell , Henry VIII ’ s adviser who played a key role in the English state in the 1500s , eventually fell out of favor with the king and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon ’ s banishment from the White House and Trump ’ s good graces in the summer of 2017 .
Four years later , as Trump loses the presidency while clinging desperately to false claims of a “ stolen ” election , it is Bannon who wants to do the beheading .
“ Second term kicks off with firing Wray , firing Fauci , ” Bannon said on his livestream web show Thursday of the current FBI director and top infectious diseases official .
“ I 'd actually like to go back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'd put the heads on pikes , right .
I 'd put them at the two corners of the White House as a warning to federal bureaucrats.
” Bannon ’ s cohost mused about how “ traitors ” used to be “ hung , ” and Bannon remarked , “ That 's how you won the revolution .
No one wants to talk about it .
The revolution was n't some sort of garden party , right ?
It was a civil war.
” ( Twitter swiftly imposed a permanent ban on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and YouTube removed the video . )
Bannon ’ s call for the execution of federal officials deemed insufficiently supportive of Trump was certainly an escalation for him — though not much of one , coming the day after he urged the attorney general to send federal agents to arrest Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey .
But he ’ s far from alone among certain segments of the MAGA hardcore who have been crossing new rhetorical lines in their desperation to keep Trump in office .
An important divide has arrived on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election over how far to go in following Donald Trump , and how far people are willing to go to destroy others who don ’ t follow along .
At the heart of the divide is a gap between those triangulating for a future without Trump and those who are refusing to imagine one .
Those that were important before Trump — like Fox News and certain elected Republicans — have walked a fine line , softly entertaining Trump ’ s wild lies about rigging while focusing more on the need for further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and making loaded remarks about the elections processes in Democratic cities like Philadelphia .
Those that owe their influence to Trump — the network of far-right Internet personalities , websites , and independent TV channels that gained popularity by riding his coattails , or figures who remodeled themselves in Trump ’ s image — have hewed to or exceeded Trump ’ s claims .
As the days dragged on and it became increasingly clear that Trump ’ s path had closed , influential figures such as the members of the Fox News primetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing out attacks on the incoming Biden administration and offering glowing praise of Trump ’ s tenure in office .
Trump ’ s attempt to contest the results continued , but true hope that it would be successful had waned on all but the fringe .
The MAGA diehards ’ efforts to throw out the election will be futile .
But their influence on the Trump-supporting base is important , and affects both the future of the conservative media and the way the Republican Party will handle Trump ’ s most adoring fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have spent the last four years being told that the president is the victim of a huge conspiracy to undermine him , and many will never believe that this election was legitimate — a fact that hasn ’ t been lost on Republicans deciding how to react to this crisis .
The closest parallel could be to the Tea Party a decade ago , a movement fueled by hard-right conservative media that demanded ideological purity from establishment Republicans and threatened their seats in Congress .
The fragmentation of conservative media has empowered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steal ” and weakened any possibility that reality will intrude on those who are consuming their news through the hodgepodge of fringe sources popular on the Trump right these days .
On the final weekend of the campaign , I asked voters at Trump rallies where they got their news .
Some did mention Fox News , but I was surprised that nearly everyone I talked to emphasized other sources just as much or more .
The Parrishes , a retired couple who went to Trump ’ s rally in Hickory , North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like Fox News apart from Tucker Carlson , finding the hosts too “ egotistical and arrogant , ” said Mary Ellen Parrish , and that “ there ’ s a lot of deception , ” her husband Chuck said .
The couple mostly get their information online : Mary Ellen from Twitter and Chuck from YouTube , where he has discovered the `` flat Earth '' conspiracy theory , to which he ascribes .
Jerry Senn , 82 , at Trump ’ s rally in Fayetteville , North Carolina , mentioned One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorites , though he likes Fox too .
He goes online to read Bill O ’ Reilly and Dennis Prager ’ s websites .
Jennifer Justice , 34 , at the same rally , said , “ I do n't watch mainstream news .
I follow a lot of people on YouTube and on alternative media , but I do n't watch Fox .
I do n't watch MSNBC .
I don ’ t watch CNN.
” Some of her favorites include Steven Crowder , Ben Shapiro , and Candace Owens .
Multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Facebook .
Already , Trump family members and some of the new wave of Trump-like politicians are using Trump ’ s popularity with the base to threaten any Republican who doesn ’ t publicly agree with the fraud allegations .
“ The total lack of action from virtually all of the ‘ 2024 GOP hopefuls ’ is pretty amazing .
They have a perfect platform to show that they ’ re willing & able to fight but they will cower to the media mob instead .
Don ’ t worry @ realDonaldTrump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual !
” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted on Thursday .
The implicit threat of Trump ’ s wrath worked , kind of : Shortly after Trump Jr ’ s tweet , Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton weighed in , tweeting , “ All votes that are *legally* cast should be counted .
There is NO excuse not to allow poll watchers to observe counting , ” and including a link to donate to Trump ’ s campaign to support its legal challenges in various states .
Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Nations , struck a more cautious note on Twitter , emphasizing Republican wins in the House and Senate .
“ We all owe @ realDonaldTrump for his leadership of conservative victories for Senate , House , & state legislatures .
He and the American people deserve transparency & fairness as the votes are counted .
The law must be followed .
We have to keep the faith that the truth will prevail.
” This was not enough for Trump purists .
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz , an archetypal member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing her of “ eulogizing ” Trump .
Bannon ’ s maximalist position is shared by other former Trump officials , including those of the “ populist intellectual ” variety who had been part of the effort to reframe Trumpism as a movement with a clear ideological basis .
Former White House speechwriter Darren Beattie — who lost his job after it was revealed that he had spoken at a white nationalist conference — tweeted on Thursday , “ Screw Biden ... if they take this from Trump it 's war on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning even as they rode his coat tails and kissed his ass.
” While lacking the eloquence that perhaps was exhibited in Beattie ’ s speechwriting work , the language and the message is the same : This is a war , which must be won at any cost .
Michael Anton , Trump ’ s former National Security Council spokesperson who had gained notoriety as the author of the incendiary “ Flight 93 Election ” essay in 2016 , wrote for the pro-Trump website American Greatness casting the situation as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Fox News show on Thursday to discuss the situation .
Carlson — like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham , the other two hosts who command huge audiences during Fox News ’ primetime — has devoted his show to openly sowing doubt in the legitimacy of the election , giving valuable airtime to the misinformation spreading through the right about the validity of the counting process .
While none of the three have matched Trump ’ s “ stolen ” language , they have heavily implied it .
But something else began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daytime , the news division hasn ’ t indulged Trump ’ s election claims as much as might have been expected ; another News Corp property , the New York Post , has run articles mocking the Trump family ’ s reaction to the election .
And in the evenings , the primetime opinion hosts have also provided potential rhetorical pathways for Trump to back off .
On Wednesday night , Ingraham made a point of praising Trump ’ s accomplishments and casting him as a martyr whose influence would only increase if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage to succeed , how powerful is Donald Trump in the next two- and four-year period ?
” she said .
“ People aren ’ t going to take it.
” Trump and his movement , she said , would be made “ much more powerful , ” and Democrats were making a “ huge mistake.
” “ He will be bigger , ” agreed her guest Newt Gingrich .
By Friday , Ingraham was all but admitting that Trump had lost .
During an opening monologue that seemed designed to cheer up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-term accomplishments and assured viewers that “ If there is no path for Donald Trump 's second term , it does n't mean the end of the America First movement . ''
The same night , Carlson also acknowledged that Trump might lose and focused his show on an attack on Biden as a “ lackey ” of Big Tech and a “ hologram ” who is merely a cutout for corporate interests .
Carlson also previewed the kind of intra-Republican infighting that could be on the agenda , attacking Sen. Lindsey Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , and pledging to give $ 500,000 in support of his postelection litigation — for saying he is open to compromising with Democrats on immigration .
These lines signal a path forward for the right , and for Trump supporters , that is absent in the rhetoric of the dead-enders like Bannon .
If you insist that Trump has won , period , and will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 , period , there ’ s nowhere to go from there .
But where is there to go for people like Bannon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon ’ s War Room show hosted a livestream atop a building across from the Capitol .
Four broadcasts were taking place from a large white tent on the rooftop : his show , America ’ s Voice News , The John Fredericks Show , and GTV , a Chinese-language media company owned by the Chinese dissident billionaire Guo Wengui , for whom Bannon has worked since shortly after leaving the White House .
The big , brightly lit tent contained a few rows of tables , technical equipment for the livestreams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arranged in front of TVs showing Bannon ’ s broadcast .
Bannon and his cohosts , Jack Maxey and former Breitbart London editor Raheem Kassam , sat side by side at a table with the Capitol dome in the back of the shot .
GTV was in a separate area , broadcasting in Chinese .
Two years ago , Bannon had hosted a similar event as midterm results came in ; that time , his gathering had attracted bigger names in MAGA world and a clutch of reporters .
This year , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tent housing the event ; the real VIPs were at the White House ’ s election night party , and the tier below at least got an invite to a gathering hosted by the campaign at the Trump International Hotel .
That these were not the MAGA A-list didn ’ t reduce their enthusiasm .
With my friend and former colleague who was also there to write about the event , the Atlantic writer McKay Coppins , I spoke with Harlan Hill , a right-wing personality who had carved out a niche for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had switched to Trump .
Hill , like nearly all of the guests , wore no mask , and when we introduced ourselves he shook our hands jovially .
He was fully confident in Trump ’ s reelection and eager to discuss it .
“ Oh , he 's gon na win , ” Hill declared .
“ A hundred percent.
” He added , “ If it goes the other way , I ’ ll eat my shoe . ''
Outside the tent , we encountered Kassam on a break from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 and had gone on to work for Bannon during Bannon ’ s failed effort to influence European politics .
Upon seeing us , he demanded that Coppins leave , insisting that he wouldn ’ t be “ fair , ” without being able to provide a single example of why that would be when pressed .
Kassam unleashed a string of insults on the dark rooftop .
We were “ psychopaths , ” he said , who “ actually make shit up.
” Though his ire was initially directed towards Coppins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I argued with him , demanding that I leave too .
I told him I found his behavior “ unnerving , ” to which he remarked cryptically that there were cameras around — thus , I supposed , no reason to be unnerved .
( I still don ’ t know what he was implying might have happened in the absence of cameras . )
We explained to Kassam that Bannon and his spokesperson Alexandra Preate had both said it was fine for us to come , and he promptly turned heel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was sorry but she had no choice but to back his insistence that we leave , since it was “ his party.
” Before leaving , we reminded the two of them that we ’ d attended the event in a journalistic capacity and had never agreed to any off-the-record ground rules , which prompted Kassam to turn on his phone ’ s camera ( with flash ) and follow us out as we left while filming us and shouting that we were “ not there as reporters !
” Kassam ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ d never seen him blow up like that in person , and , because of my work covering the right , I have known him for several years .
It seemed as though a pressure valve had been released by the bitter election and the prospect of Trump ’ s power slipping away , destroying the normal boundaries between Twitter and real life .
Later this week , both Hill and Kassam were in Philadelphia , agitating against the vote-counting there as Trump ’ s chances of winning the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m going to Philly tomorrow with a team , ” Hill tweeted on Thursday .
“ This is war.
” By Saturday , the war was lost .
Along with the other networks , Fox News called the election for Biden .
●

The MAGA diehards’ efforts to throw out the election will be futile. But their influence on the Trump-supporting base is important, and affects both the future of the conservative media and the way the Republican Party will handle Trump’s most adoring fans going forward. Trump’s supporters have spent the last four years being told that the president is the victim of a huge conspiracy to undermine him, and many will never believe that this election was legitimate — a fact that hasn’t been lost on Republicans deciding how to react to this crisis. The closest parallel could be to the Tea Party a decade ago, a movement fueled by hard-right conservative media that demanded ideological purity from establishment Republicans and threatened their seats in Congress.
The fragmentation of conservative media has empowered the loudest voices calling to “stop the steal” and weakened any possibility that reality will intrude on those who are consuming their news through the hodgepodge of fringe sources popular on the Trump right these days.
On the final weekend of the campaign, I asked voters at Trump rallies where they got their news. Some did mention Fox News, but I was surprised that nearly everyone I talked to emphasized other sources just as much or more. The Parrishes, a retired couple who went to Trump’s rally in Hickory, North Carolina, told me they didn’t like Fox News apart from Tucker Carlson, finding the hosts too “egotistical and arrogant,” said Mary Ellen Parrish, and that “there’s a lot of deception,” her husband Chuck said. The couple mostly get their information online: Mary Ellen from Twitter and Chuck from YouTube, where he has discovered the "flat Earth" conspiracy theory, to which he ascribes.
Jerry Senn, 82, at Trump’s rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, mentioned One America News Network and Newsmax as his favorites, though he likes Fox too. He goes online to read Bill O’Reilly and Dennis Prager’s websites. Jennifer Justice, 34, at the same rally, said, “I don't watch mainstream news. I follow a lot of people on YouTube and on alternative media, but I don't watch Fox. I don't watch MSNBC. I don’t watch CNN.” Some of her favorites include Steven Crowder, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens. Multiple voters mentioned how much news they get from Facebook.
Already, Trump family members and some of the new wave of Trump-like politicians are using Trump’s popularity with the base to threaten any Republican who doesn’t publicly agree with the fraud allegations. “The total lack of action from virtually all of the ‘2024 GOP hopefuls’ is pretty amazing. They have a perfect platform to show that they’re willing & able to fight but they will cower to the media mob instead. Don’t worry @realDonaldTrump will fight & they can watch as usual!” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted on Thursday. The implicit threat of Trump’s wrath worked, kind of: Shortly after Trump Jr’s tweet, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton weighed in, tweeting, “All votes that are *legally* cast should be counted. There is NO excuse not to allow poll watchers to observe counting,” and including a link to donate to Trump’s campaign to support its legal challenges in various states.
Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, struck a more cautious note on Twitter, emphasizing Republican wins in the House and Senate. “We all owe @realDonaldTrump for his leadership of conservative victories for Senate, House, & state legislatures. He and the American people deserve transparency & fairness as the votes are counted. The law must be followed. We have to keep the faith that the truth will prevail.” This was not enough for Trump purists. Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, an archetypal member of the MAGA wave, sniped at Haley, accusing her of “eulogizing” Trump.
Bannon’s maximalist position is shared by other former Trump officials, including those of the “populist intellectual” variety who had been part of the effort to reframe Trumpism as a movement with a clear ideological basis. Former White House speechwriter Darren Beattie — who lost his job after it was revealed that he had spoken at a white nationalist conference — tweeted on Thursday, “Screw Biden... if they take this from Trump it's war on the GOP that has sabotaged Trump from the beginning even as they rode his coat tails and kissed his ass.” While lacking the eloquence that perhaps was exhibited in Beattie’s speechwriting work, the language and the message is the same: This is a war, which must be won at any cost.
Michael Anton, Trump’s former National Security Council spokesperson who had gained notoriety as the author of the incendiary “Flight 93 Election” essay in 2016, wrote for the pro-Trump website American Greatness casting the situation as a “coup.”
Anton appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show on Thursday to discuss the situation. Carlson — like Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, the other two hosts who command huge audiences during Fox News’ primetime — has devoted his show to openly sowing doubt in the legitimacy of the election, giving valuable airtime to the misinformation spreading through the right about the validity of the counting process. While none of the three have matched Trump’s “stolen” language, they have heavily implied it.
But something else began happening on Fox News. During the daytime, the news division hasn’t indulged Trump’s election claims as much as might have been expected; another News Corp property, the New York Post, has run articles mocking the Trump family’s reaction to the election.
And in the evenings, the primetime opinion hosts have also provided potential rhetorical pathways for Trump to back off.
On Wednesday night, Ingraham made a point of praising Trump’s accomplishments and casting him as a martyr whose influence would only increase if the Democrats win. “If they manage to succeed, how powerful is Donald Trump in the next two- and four-year period?” she said. “People aren’t going to take it.” Trump and his movement, she said, would be made “much more powerful,” and Democrats were making a “huge mistake.” “He will be bigger,” agreed her guest Newt Gingrich. By Friday, Ingraham was all but admitting that Trump had lost. During an opening monologue that seemed designed to cheer up Trump himself, Ingraham warmly listed his first-term accomplishments and assured viewers that “If there is no path for Donald Trump's second term, it doesn't mean the end of the America First movement."


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--Scientists Are Relieved About A Biden Presidency. They Say The Real Work Can Start Now.

After four years of relentless attacks on science , researchers and doctors are hopeful that Biden will fight the pandemic and climate change .
For scientists who have watched in horror as President Donald Trump relentlessly insulted , undermined , and ignored science , while more than 236,000 Americans died during a historic pandemic , Joe Biden ’ s victory on Saturday was a long-awaited cause for celebration .
“ It feels very much like the four-year war on science has come to an end , ” Jacquelyn Gill , an ecologist at the University of Maine , told BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of relief , ” said Jennifer Glass , associate professor of astrobiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology .
“ I finally feel hope again after four years of attacks on science and facts.
” “ I am ecstatic , ” said Bob Wachter , chair of the University of California at San Francisco ’ s department of medicine .
“ It ’ s a victory for science and it gives us some hope that we will right things , not only for COVID specifically , but for the general approach that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth , and competence.
” And yet , even though Biden received a historic number of votes to clinch the presidency , scientists said that the widespread show of support for Trump shows how much work remains to be done .
In a number of hotly contested battleground states , the former vice-president narrowly edged out an opponent who won more than 70 million votes overall .
Trump ’ s stronger-than-predicted showing saddened — though not necessarily surprised — doctors and scientists who have been watching as the coronavirus infected millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West , under Trump ’ s watch .
Trump ’ s values , including his disregard of science , are not disappearing anytime soon , and Biden ’ s administration has an enormous gap to close , researchers and physicians said .
“ People have decided that Trumpian values — nationalism , white supremacy — are more important than anything else including a generational pandemic , including their own families in some cases , ” said Angela Rasmussen , a virologist at Columbia University .
“ Every election cycle , we say health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Esther Choo , an emergency physician and professor at Oregon Health and Science University .
This year , “ a health issue was the most dominant topic for the entire world and the United States .
It has never so much been on the ballot .
I think that still did not make this election cycle obvious.
” Wachter said Biden ’ s presidency is at least an opportunity for a fresh start .
“ I see the mishandling of COVID as being tragic in its own right , but also being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attitudes that are only going to get us into more trouble , ” he said .
“ We just can ’ t get this right if we don ’ t agree on facts and respect expertise and competence and apply those things to attacking really hard problems .
I ’ m confident we ’ ll begin doing that now.
” Ultimately , Biden ’ s victory was clear .
The former vice-president received more votes than any other presidential candidate in history and , in the popular vote , won by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump in 2016 .
If Biden ends up taking states where he led as of Saturday morning , such as Arizona , Nevada , and Georgia , his electoral vote total would comfortably exceed the 270 needed to win .
At the same time , Trump won more votes than he did in 2016 and held onto major states like Ohio , Florida , and Texas .
And even though they lost the White House , Republicans gained House seats and will likely hang on to their Senate majority , dependent on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia in January .
Without Democratic control there , Biden will likely have a much harder time achieving his agenda .
So far , Trump has said that he will not concede and will contest the results in court until there is an “ honest vote count.
” There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud .
Jack Goldstone , a sociologist at George Mason University , worried about potential unrest breaking out if Trump does not concede soon .
“ That will drag out the pain and deepen the wound , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet has moved America to the center of the political spectrum , ” said Goldstone , who studies the factors that drive political violence and instability .
“ It ’ s left us still pushing in different directions , and if that does n't change we 're heading for continuing conflict and difficulty.
” Scientists generally lean left .
In a survey conducted by the journal Nature , about 86 % of 579 scientists planning to vote said they supported Biden and named the coronavirus and climate change as their top issues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was the main concern for those backing Trump .
That mirrors the split among voters ’ priorities nationwide .
But scientists have also traditionally stayed out of politics and activism , preferring to let their research speak for itself .
That changed during the Trump administration .
“ I think a lot of people have realized that just standing on the sidelines and trying to be ‘ objective ’ has not served our scientific community or the people we ’ re here to serve as scientists , ” said Gill , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Whether we ’ re working for government agencies or receiving government funding , we ’ re working on issues for the public good .
I think a lot of scientists are realizing our position as public servants is tenuous in ways we didn ’ t appreciate before .
I think we ’ ve gone through a one-way door.
” The profession ’ s shift toward speaking up became even clearer this election , when historically neutral scientific institutions jumped into the fray .
From high-profile journals and publications ( Nature , Science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal of Medicine , Scientific American ) , to professional organizations ( the National Academy of Sciences ) and dozens of Nobel laureates , the scientific establishment issued unprecedented criticisms of Trump or full-throated endorsements of Biden .
That political participation can ’ t end just because Biden is in charge , scientists say .
On the contrary : the real work needs to begin now .
That work will need to consist of essentially undoing all the damage the Trump administration did over the last four years .
“ We ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ ll be able to have actual experts in the various scientific offices that have been empty , we ’ ll see an end to gag orders and silencing of government experts , ” Gill said .
“ We may actually be able to get the work done of solving some of our biggest scientific problems , instead of fighting constantly for just the basic right to do science.
” Chanda Prescod-Weinstein , an assistant professor of physics and core faculty in women ’ s and gender studies at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes that the diverse , energized coalitions that elevated Biden into office will stay engaged .
“ Booting Trump from the White House is a step in the right direction , but there ’ s a lot of work to do , ” she said .
“ Physicians and scientists , they ’ re supposed to keep their heads down and do their work , take care of their patients and do their research , ” said Eric Topol , a cardiologist at Scripps Translational Science Institute .
But “ the old rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ … that ’ s history .
It ’ s a whole new look now .
We ’ ve got to rise to the challenge , and it ’ s profound .
”

For scientists who have watched in horror as President Donald Trump relentlessly insulted, undermined, and ignored science, while more than 236,000 Americans died during a historic pandemic, Joe Biden’s victory on Saturday was a long-awaited cause for celebration.
“It feels very much like the four-year war on science has come to an end,” Jacquelyn Gill, an ecologist at the University of Maine, told BuzzFeed News.
“I feel a huge sense of relief,” said Jennifer Glass, associate professor of astrobiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “I finally feel hope again after four years of attacks on science and facts.”
“I am ecstatic,” said Bob Wachter, chair of the University of California at San Francisco’s department of medicine. “It’s a victory for science and it gives us some hope that we will right things, not only for COVID specifically, but for the general approach that our government is taking towards science, truth, and competence.”
And yet, even though Biden received a historic number of votes to clinch the presidency, scientists said that the widespread show of support for Trump shows how much work remains to be done.
In a number of hotly contested battleground states, the former vice-president narrowly edged out an opponent who won more than 70 million votes overall. Trump’s stronger-than-predicted showing saddened — though not necessarily surprised — doctors and scientists who have been watching as the coronavirus infected millions of Americans, and as record-breaking wildfires burned the West, under Trump’s watch.
Trump’s values, including his disregard of science, are not disappearing anytime soon, and Biden’s administration has an enormous gap to close, researchers and physicians said.
“People have decided that Trumpian values — nationalism, white supremacy — are more important than anything else including a generational pandemic, including their own families in some cases,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University.
“Every election cycle, we say health care is on the ballot,” said Esther Choo, an emergency physician and professor at Oregon Health and Science University. This year, “a health issue was the most dominant topic for the entire world and the United States. It has never so much been on the ballot. I think that still did not make this election cycle obvious.”
Wachter said Biden’s presidency is at least an opportunity for a fresh start.
“I see the mishandling of COVID as being tragic in its own right, but also being emblematic of a broader set of policies and attitudes that are only going to get us into more trouble,” he said. “We just can’t get this right if we don’t agree on facts and respect expertise and competence and apply those things to attacking really hard problems. I’m confident we’ll begin doing that now.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--World Leaders Are Congratulating Joe Biden For Winning The Election

After four years of heightened tensions between President Donald Trump and crucial international allies , world leaders responded to the news of Joe Biden 's victory in the 2020 election on Saturday with praise and congratulations .
As vice president in the Obama administration , Biden had fostered relationships with world leaders , and many called him a `` true ally '' to their nations and alliances in their remarks .
Many also congratulated Kamala Harris on her historic ascendency to vice president–elect .
`` We will further build on this foundation as we continue to keep our people safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global COVID-19 pandemic , and work to advance peace and inclusion , economic prosperity , and climate action around the world , '' Trudeau said in an expanded statement .
“ I look forward to working with President-elect Biden , Vice President-elect Harris , their administration , and the United States Congress as we tackle the world ’ s greatest challenges together . ''
`` Congratulations !
The American people have decided .
Joe Biden will be the 46th president of the United States of America .
I wholeheartedly wish him luck and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first elected female Vice President of her country , '' Merkel said in a statement in German .
`` I look forward to future collaborations with President Biden .
Our transatlantic friendship is irreplaceable if we want to tackle the largest challenges of our times . ''
`` I look forward to working very closely with President-elect Biden , Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris and the new administration to further strengthen the bond between North America and Europe , '' said Stoltenberg , who has steered the military alliance organization through Trump 's criticisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage of the US .
Martin referenced Biden 's Irish Catholic roots in his statement on Twitter , saying , `` I also look forward to welcoming him back home when the circumstances allow ! ''
`` We congratulate @ JoeBiden , the next president of the United States and @ kamalaharris , the first female vice president of the United States , '' Duque tweeted in Spanish .
`` We wish you every success in your tenure . ''

After four years of heightened tensions between President Donald Trump and crucial international allies, world leaders responded to the news of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election on Saturday with praise and congratulations.
As vice president in the Obama administration, Biden had fostered relationships with world leaders, and many called him a "true ally" to their nations and alliances in their remarks.
Many also congratulated Kamala Harris on her historic ascendency to vice president–elect.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--Judges Are Rejecting Trump’s False Claims Of Shady Poll Practices After Looking At The Evidence

What these cases have done is given Trump and his supporters a vehicle to push false claims that the lawful counting of ballots after Election Day is illegal or evidence of fraud .
On Thursday night , the president lied repeatedly , accusing Democrats of trying to “ rig ” the election , referring to “ mystery ballots ” and “ secret count rooms ” — claims that judges had rejected earlier in the day after hearing the campaign ’ s evidence .
WASHINGTON — In the 48 hours since polls closed on Election Day , President Donald Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledge to flood the courts with challenges , but so far it has either lost cases outright or gotten orders with little to no effect on vote tallies .
The witness — a Republican poll watcher in Wayne County — reported that she ’ d learned an election worker was being told to backdate late-arriving absentee ballots .
The witness claimed another poll observer , who wasn ’ t named , heard from the election worker , also unnamed , about the issue .
The witness reported that she then spoke with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handwritten note that read , “ entered receive date as 11/2/20 on 11/4/20.
” Stephens wasn ’ t persuaded .
At best , she told Trump campaign lawyer Mark “ Thor ” Hearne II , what had been presented was secondhand hearsay , which is rarely accepted in court .
Hearne insisted that the witness was relaying firsthand experience , but Stephens said the witness ’ s account was too many steps removed from any actual misconduct the campaign was trying to prove .
“ ‘ I heard somebody else say something ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Come on now , ” Stephens said .
The campaign lost the case .
It had presented the poll watcher ’ s account as part of a lawsuit that didn ’ t even challenge ballots counts .
Instead , it claimed Michigan ’ s secretary of state wasn ’ t giving party election inspectors and citizen “ challengers ” access to observe counting and ballot drop boxes where voters could submit absentee ballots .
Stephens found the campaign not only failed to prove that , but also that the case was on shaky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sued the secretary of state — but if an observer was being denied access , the local election officials at that polling site or ballot drop box were the ones responsible , the judge said .
A judge in Chatham County , Georgia , which includes Savannah , dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Thursday that attempted to sow doubt about whether election officials were properly setting aside absentee ballots that arrived after the state ’ s Election Day deadline .
The campaign presented two witnesses who said they were worried about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 53 ballots .
Under questioning by the county ’ s lawyer , they admitted they didn ’ t have evidence that those ballots had arrived late , however .
A county official testified that the ballots had , in fact , arrived on time and were handled separately because they needed to be specially checked and entered into a computer system .
Like Stephens in Michigan , Chatham County Judge James Bass Jr. immediately announced from the bench at the end of the hearing that he was dismissing the case .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day , Bass wrote that there was no evidence that ballots that arrived after Election Day were being counted , and no evidence that county officials had “ failed to comply with the law.
” Throughout the day on Thursday , the Trump campaign teased an imminent lawsuit in Nevada challenging votes there — but as of Thursday night , nothing had actually been filed in court .
If you have a news tip , we ’ d like to hear from you .
Reach out to us via one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign claimed to have won big victories in two cases in Pennsylvania on Thursday , but neither involved the kind of major , outcome-determining court orders that the campaign presented them as in press releases .
On Election Day , a Philadelphia judge had rejected the campaign ’ s argument that their poll watchers were entitled to stand physically closer to the ballot-counting process than they were being allowed .
On Thursday , the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed that decision and ruled that observers could stand within 6 feet as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi , a Trump campaign adviser , brandished a copy of the order at a press conference in Philadelphia ( and was drowned out by protesters blasting Beyoncé ) — but in an opinion released later in the day , the court noted that even with closer access , observers still didn ’ t have any right to challenge the validity of the ballots .
In another case before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania , the Trump campaign alleged that Secretary of State Kathleen Boockvar had unlawfully extended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a voter ID requirement , from Nov. 9 to Nov. 12 .
The campaign claimed victory when the court entered an order directing counties to separate ballots in which the voter ’ s identification is verified during that contested three-day period while the case is pending — but it was unclear how many ballots that would affect , and there was still a chance the court could decide they were valid .
A Trump campaign legal adviser appearing on Fox News on Thursday echoed the president ’ s claims that they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court to decide — `` We ’ re waiting for the United States Supreme Court … to step in and do something , '' Harmeet Dhillon said .
But the lawsuits filed by the campaign so far don ’ t present the kind of election-defining legal questions the court would be likely to take up ; plus , it wasn ’ t clear if the one case already pending before the court would be relevant to who wins .
Pennsylvania Republicans are challenging a state Supreme Court order that extended the deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from Election Day to Nov. 6 .
Trump ’ s campaign filed a request this week to join the case at the US Supreme Court to back the state GOP ’ s position .
But that case would only become another Bush v. Gore — the 2000 decision that effectively handed the win to George W. Bush by halting a recount in Florida — if the election comes down to Pennsylvania ’ s 20 electoral votes , and if the number of ballots that arrived between Nov. 3 and Nov. 6 are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Speaking to reporters on Thursday , Boockvar didn ’ t specify how many absentee ballots had arrived since Nov. 3 , but she did say it was a “ tiny fraction ” of the ballots that arrived after the primary election in the spring ; the Philadelphia Inquirer reported tens of thousands had arrived in the week after that election .

The witness — a Republican poll watcher in Wayne County — reported that she’d learned an election worker was being told to backdate late-arriving absentee ballots. The witness claimed another poll observer, who wasn’t named, heard from the election worker, also unnamed, about the issue. The witness reported that she then spoke with the poll worker, who gave her a handwritten note that read, “entered receive date as 11/2/20 on 11/4/20.”
Stephens wasn’t persuaded. At best, she told Trump campaign lawyer Mark “Thor” Hearne II, what had been presented was secondhand hearsay, which is rarely accepted in court. Hearne insisted that the witness was relaying firsthand experience, but Stephens said the witness’s account was too many steps removed from any actual misconduct the campaign was trying to prove.
“‘I heard somebody else say something’ — how is that not hearsay? Come on now,” Stephens said.
The campaign lost the case. It had presented the poll watcher’s account as part of a lawsuit that didn’t even challenge ballots counts. Instead, it claimed Michigan’s secretary of state wasn’t giving party election inspectors and citizen “challengers” access to observe counting and ballot drop boxes where voters could submit absentee ballots. Stephens found the campaign not only failed to prove that, but also that the case was on shaky ground to begin with; it had sued the secretary of state — but if an observer was being denied access, the local election officials at that polling site or ballot drop box were the ones responsible, the judge said.
A judge in Chatham County, Georgia, which includes Savannah, dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Thursday that attempted to sow doubt about whether election officials were properly setting aside absentee ballots that arrived after the state’s Election Day deadline. The campaign presented two witnesses who said they were worried about a break in the chain of custody for 53 ballots. Under questioning by the county’s lawyer, they admitted they didn’t have evidence that those ballots had arrived late, however. A county official testified that the ballots had, in fact, arrived on time and were handled separately because they needed to be specially checked and entered into a computer system.
Like Stephens in Michigan, Chatham County Judge James Bass Jr. immediately announced from the bench at the end of the hearing that he was dismissing the case. In a written order released by the court later in the day, Bass wrote that there was no evidence that ballots that arrived after Election Day were being counted, and no evidence that county officials had “failed to comply with the law.”
Throughout the day on Thursday, the Trump campaign teased an imminent lawsuit in Nevada challenging votes there — but as of Thursday night, nothing had actually been filed in court.
If you have a news tip, we’d like to hear from you. Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.
The Trump campaign claimed to have won big victories in two cases in Pennsylvania on Thursday, but neither involved the kind of major, outcome-determining court orders that the campaign presented them as in press releases.
On Election Day, a Philadelphia judge had rejected the campaign’s argument that their poll watchers were entitled to stand physically closer to the ballot-counting process than they were being allowed. On Thursday, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed that decision and ruled that observers could stand within 6 feet as long as they observed other pandemic-related safety measures. Former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, a Trump campaign adviser, brandished a copy of the order at a press conference in Philadelphia (and was drowned out by protesters blasting Beyoncé) — but in an opinion released later in the day, the court noted that even with closer access, observers still didn’t have any right to challenge the validity of the ballots.
In another case before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, the Trump campaign alleged that Secretary of State Kathleen Boockvar had unlawfully extended the deadline for absentee voters to comply with a voter ID requirement, from Nov. 9 to Nov. 12. The campaign claimed victory when the court entered an order directing counties to separate ballots in which the voter’s identification is verified during that contested three-day period while the case is pending — but it was unclear how many ballots that would affect, and there was still a chance the court could decide they were valid.
A Trump campaign legal adviser appearing on Fox News on Thursday echoed the president’s claims that they’d take the election to the US Supreme Court to decide — "We’re waiting for the United States Supreme Court … to step in and do something," Harmeet Dhillon said. But the lawsuits filed by the campaign so far don’t present the kind of election-defining legal questions the court would be likely to take up; plus, it wasn’t clear if the one case already pending before the court would be relevant to who wins.
Pennsylvania Republicans are challenging a state Supreme Court order that extended the deadline for election officials to accept absentee ballots, from Election Day to Nov. 6. Trump’s campaign filed a request this week to join the case at the US Supreme Court to back the state GOP’s position. But that case would only become another Bush v. Gore — the 2000 decision that effectively handed the win to George W. Bush by halting a recount in Florida — if the election comes down to Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes, and if the number of ballots that arrived between Nov. 3 and Nov. 6 are large enough to affect the final tally.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Boockvar didn’t specify how many absentee ballots had arrived since Nov. 3, but she did say it was a “tiny fraction” of the ballots that arrived after the primary election in the spring; the Philadelphia Inquirer reported tens of thousands had arrived in the week after that election.


buzzfeed--2020-11-11--More Americans Are In The Hospital With COVID-19 Than Ever Before

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Incoming .
The number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 surpassed 60,000 on Tuesday , breaking all previous records as coronavirus outbreaks surge nationwide .
The increase in severely ill COVID-19 patients comes as health officials across the country say hospitals are running out of intensive care unit beds .
Total coronavirus case numbers for the US have exceeded 10 million in a third wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerated in September .
Experts such as Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , are warning that a `` hard winter '' is ahead for the US ; scientists are concerned about overloaded hospitals and increasing infections unless the surge is blunted .
“ We have just seen everywhere that when cases overwhelm public health systems , overwhelm hospitals , that deaths are going to rise , '' global health lawyer Alexandra Phelan of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakota , hospitals have reached their patient limit .
On Monday , Gov .
Doug Burgum announced that state health officials amended a rule allowing infected healthcare workers who do n't have symptoms to continue working to help handle the caseload overwhelming hospitals ' COVID-19 units .
In Des Moines , hospitals `` are nearly full , as we ’ re caring for the most inpatient COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic , '' warned the UnityPoint Health – Des Moines medical system .
Decatur County Hospital has barred visitors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paperwork , citing the outbreak there .
`` We must stop the spread of this new and dangerous virus , '' the hospital warned in its announcement .
According to Iowa 's COVID-19 tracker , there are a record 1,135 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state , a record 196 of them are in ICU beds , and a record 166 people were admitted in the past 24 hours .
In Tulsa , Oklahoma , where health officials warned that there were no more ICU beds available in the city on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comply with efforts to slow the spread of the virus .
`` Tulsans can not fight this on our own , '' Mayor G.T .
Bynum wrote on Facebook .
`` I again implore the state and our neighboring communities to listen to those medical professionals asking for steps to be taken that will slow the spread of this virus .
Politically convenient speeches about freedom and personal responsibility are not preventing our ICUs from being maxed out . ''
Compared to patients hospitalized with the flu , COVID-19 patients are five times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the CDC .

In North Dakota, hospitals have reached their patient limit. On Monday, Gov. Doug Burgum announced that state health officials amended a rule allowing infected healthcare workers who don't have symptoms to continue working to help handle the caseload overwhelming hospitals' COVID-19 units.
In Des Moines, hospitals "are nearly full, as we’re caring for the most inpatient COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic," warned the UnityPoint Health – Des Moines medical system. Decatur County Hospital has barred visitors, except to accompany minors or fill out paperwork, citing the outbreak there. "We must stop the spread of this new and dangerous virus," the hospital warned in its announcement.
According to Iowa's COVID-19 tracker, there are a record 1,135 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state, a record 196 of them are in ICU beds, and a record 166 people were admitted in the past 24 hours.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, where health officials warned that there were no more ICU beds available in the city on Monday, the mayor pleaded with residents to comply with efforts to slow the spread of the virus.
"Tulsans can not fight this on our own," Mayor G.T. Bynum wrote on Facebook. "I again implore the state and our neighboring communities to listen to those medical professionals asking for steps to be taken that will slow the spread of this virus. Politically convenient speeches about freedom and personal responsibility are not preventing our ICUs from being maxed out."
Compared to patients hospitalized with the flu, COVID-19 patients are five times more likely to die in the hospital, according to the CDC.
Peter Aldhous contributed reporting for this story.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--A Mega-Viral TikTok Claims Guys Get Boners When They Poop, So We Got To The Bottom Of It

`` It 's not typical , but it can happen , '' Dr. Berman explained .
`` It could be @ @ @ @ @ contraction during vasalva , which means the guy contracts his pelvic floor or kegel muscles @ @ @ @ @ .
However , there is no physiological explanation for erections and defecation to happen simultaneously @ @ @ @ @ hemorrhoids and vascular engorgement and trapping of blood in the penis , but it 's @ @ @ @ @ happen spontaneously during defacation . ''

"It's not typical, but it can happen," Dr. Berman explained. "It could be caused by increased pelvic floor contraction during vasalva, which means the guy contracts his pelvic floor or kegel muscles that could cause an erection. However, there is no physiological explanation for erections and defecation to happen simultaneously. Straining down can cause hemorrhoids and vascular engorgement and trapping of blood in the penis, but it's not typical for erections to happen spontaneously during defacation."