buzzfeed--2020-11-08--“The Chaos May End”: How DHS Employees Are Reacting To Biden's Win

The election of Joe Biden as president after a divisive campaign has been met with excitement and relief among many Department of Homeland Security employees who had been worried that the Trump administration had done long-term damage to the agency ’ s reputation and feared what would come in a second term .
During his four years in office , Donald Trump redefined the role of the Department of Homeland Security while instituting a series of restrictive measures unlike administrations before him .
Trump banned citizens of Muslim-majority countries from coming to the US , blocked asylum protection at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut the number of refugees allowed in the US to a historically low level , and separated families at the border .
The torrent of policy changes , which one group estimated to number more than 400 , had its effect on those who served within DHS and were told to implement the measures quickly , often without preparation or adequate training .
Department leaders came and went on a regular basis , to the point where courts ruled some had been illegally appointed .
Many DHS employees believed the agency had begun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , as senior officials mimicked political talking points and declared that cities like Portland were “ under siege.
” Some employees planned to quit if Trump had won reelection , while others considered their futures and whether they could withstand another four years of frantic changes to the immigration system .
There were those who wondered what Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller had in mind for his second term without the prospects of reelection .
BuzzFeed News spoke with 20 DHS employees — including those from US Citizenship and Immigration Services ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( ICE ) , and US Customs and Border Protection — about their reactions to the election results .
The overwhelming majority were relieved and hopeful that Biden would bring a sense of stability after a tumultuous few years .
“ Pure unadulterated relief , ” said one DHS employee .
“ It gives us the opportunity to dig out from the enormously deep hole the Trump administration has dug .
What we do with that opportunity remains to be seen , but thank goodness we even have the chance.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original mission of safeguarding the nation from actual threats to our security , rather than the imagined threats among white nationalists from brown people and other immigrants , ” another employee said .
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During the course of the Trump administration , federal courts have regularly blocked several immigration policies , including one that banned asylum for those who crossed the southern border without authorization .
Employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to implement policies that would later be stopped by courts , and some tried to avoid being involved .
“ To me , it means that I can do my work with confidence that I won ’ t be asked to compromise my morals or ideals , ” said one DHS employee .
“ We no longer have to live with the fear of going to work everyday and being asked or told to do something that violates the laws and our Oath to the Constitution , ” said another employee .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the American people again.
” From the early days of the Trump administration , DHS was pushed to quickly implement a rushed policy that had been on Trump ’ s agenda since he recommended a ban on all Muslims in 2015 .
On Jan. 27 , citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries were barred from entry to the US .
The rollout of the policy was haphazard .
At one point , then–DHS secretary John Kelly issued a statement clarifying that those with green cards could enter the country as protests raged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s inspector general found that the policy was not implemented in an orderly matter .
“ In our investigation , we found that CBP was caught by surprise when the President issued the [ executive order ] on January 27 , 2017 .
DHS had little opportunity to prepare for and respond to basic questions about which categories of travelers were affected by the EO , ” the inspector general ’ s 2018 report stated .
In many ways , the implementation of the travel ban was foreshadowing for an administration that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and without lengthy training .
Longtime employees often felt their advice was ignored as senior administration officials worried about their allegiances .
“ This is vindication that character and truth and facts matter .
This means that the department will once again respect the expertise of career officials and take into account facts and what is in the best interest of the country when making policy decisions , ” another agency employee said .
“ I ’ m optimistic that DHS can hopefully start to repair its reputation and reverse course on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” one employee added .
“ Of course there will always be critics of the department ’ s mission , but it would be great if we could get to a place where the public doesn ’ t think we ’ re literally actual Nazis .
I ’ m pretty confident that Biden will appoint someone to turn things around.
” The upcoming Biden administration will likely first focus its efforts on rolling back many controversial policies , like the Muslim ban and the cuts to asylum and refugee protections .
Those within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a part of that change .
“ I am elated .
Thousands of civil servants will soon begin the job of putting the immigration system back together .
It ’ s going to be extremely challenging , no question .
But likely some of the most meaningful work I will do in my career , ” one DHS employee said .
Perhaps nowhere had seen as many changes to its mission than USCIS .
The agency , which was on the brink of furloughing most of its staff last year , has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cuts to asylum and work visas , while also putting in place a wealth test for those who wanted to obtain a green card .
The union that represents asylum officers backed immigrant advocates in their legal efforts to block some of these changes .
“ I suddenly feel like the chaos may end .
There ’ s so much work to do to rectify the damage , but I trust that a Biden administration will not intentionally cause more hurt to immigrants , those seeking refuge , and the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt intentional to cause maximum pain .
A weight just lifted , ” said one DHS employee .
“ We will be able to adjudicate cases instead of looking to punish immigrants , ” said another employee who planned to quit if Trump had won .
However , some employees who were disappointed in the result also accepted it as they looked forward .
“ The results of the election isn ’ t what I wanted , but this is part of the American democratic system , which is the greatest system in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who backed Trump .
Other employees were hesitant about the result and wondered what Biden had planned for agencies like ICE .
Before Biden takes over , however , the Trump administration has more than two months left in charge .
The agency had been planning to implement another policy aimed at restricting asylum because of the coronavirus pandemic , and some employees wondered what the agency would do next in the waning days of Trump ’ s presidency .
“ Our long nightmare will soon be over , ” one employee said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not gone yet .
”

The agency’s inspector general found that the policy was not implemented in an orderly matter.
“In our investigation, we found that CBP was caught by surprise when the President issued the [executive order] on January 27, 2017. DHS had little opportunity to prepare for and respond to basic questions about which categories of travelers were affected by the EO,” the inspector general’s 2018 report stated.
In many ways, the implementation of the travel ban was foreshadowing for an administration that often liked to push big changes quickly and without lengthy training. Longtime employees often felt their advice was ignored as senior administration officials worried about their allegiances.
“This is vindication that character and truth and facts matter. This means that the department will once again respect the expertise of career officials and take into account facts and what is in the best interest of the country when making policy decisions,” another agency employee said.
“I’m optimistic that DHS can hopefully start to repair its reputation and reverse course on the policies that led to that reputation,” one employee added. “Of course there will always be critics of the department’s mission, but it would be great if we could get to a place where the public doesn’t think we’re literally actual Nazis. I’m pretty confident that Biden will appoint someone to turn things around.”
The upcoming Biden administration will likely first focus its efforts on rolling back many controversial policies, like the Muslim ban and the cuts to asylum and refugee protections. Those within the DHS were looking forward to being a part of that change.
“I am elated. Thousands of civil servants will soon begin the job of putting the immigration system back together. It’s going to be extremely challenging, no question. But likely some of the most meaningful work I will do in my career,” one DHS employee said.
Perhaps nowhere had seen as many changes to its mission than USCIS. The agency, which was on the brink of furloughing most of its staff last year, has been at the forefront of implementing a series of cuts to asylum and work visas, while also putting in place a wealth test for those who wanted to obtain a green card. The union that represents asylum officers backed immigrant advocates in their legal efforts to block some of these changes.
“I suddenly feel like the chaos may end. There’s so much work to do to rectify the damage, but I trust that a Biden administration will not intentionally cause more hurt to immigrants, those seeking refuge, and the American people. Everything the last 4 years has felt intentional to cause maximum pain. A weight just lifted,” said one DHS employee.
“We will be able to adjudicate cases instead of looking to punish immigrants,” said another employee who planned to quit if Trump had won.
However, some employees who were disappointed in the result also accepted it as they looked forward.
“The results of the election isn’t what I wanted, but this is part of the American democratic system, which is the greatest system in the world,” said one official who backed Trump.
Other employees were hesitant about the result and wondered what Biden had planned for agencies like ICE.
Before Biden takes over, however, the Trump administration has more than two months left in charge. The agency had been planning to implement another policy aimed at restricting asylum because of the coronavirus pandemic, and some employees wondered what the agency would do next in the waning days of Trump’s presidency.
“Our long nightmare will soon be over,” one employee said before warning: “His people are not gone yet.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--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--2020-11-08--Kamala Harris Will Be The First Woman To Be Vice President

As the first Black woman vice president , and the former top law enforcement officer in California , Harris is likely to take a prominent role in an administration grappling with racial unrest and a reckoning over racism in policing .
And she will also face a conservative Supreme Court that seems likely to roll back reproductive rights for women , perhaps even threatening Roe v. Wade .
Harris ’ s entire career has been marked by firsts : She was the first woman and first Black person to become district attorney of San Francisco , and then attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first Black woman senator — and only the second elected in American history .
Harris , 56 , injected energy and enthusiasm into the Democratic ticket when Joe Biden chose her to be his vice president this summer .
In Harris , many Democrats saw what Biden did : a “ bridge ” to the future of a rapidly changing , diversifying party .
Kamala Devi Harris , the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India , became the first woman , first Black woman , and first person of South Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shattering one of the last remaining barriers for women in American government .
Kamala Harris before the first Democratic presidential primary debate for the 2020 election in June 2019 in Miami .
Those issues , especially the Black Lives Matter movement , will be a historic opportunity for Harris as a leader in a party whose older , whiter leadership has drifted apart from an increasingly young , diverse , and energized base .
But they could also pose a challenge .
Harris has been criticized by Black activists for the tough-on-crime approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California .
While she has embraced Black Lives Matter and the need for dramatic shifts in policing in her own presidential campaign , mistrust lingers between Harris and some of the racial justice movement ’ s top voices .
She will also face challenges that most of her predecessors have not .
She has been the subject of sexist and racist comments , including incessant mockery and mispronunciations of her name from Republicans , including Trump and her Senate colleague David Perdue .
Trump called her a “ monster ” after her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently attacked her during his rallies .
Harris has not always drawn attention to her gender on the campaign trail the way other women candidates looking to make history have .
In the Democratic primary , Kirsten Gillibrand built an entire , pink-branded campaign around women ’ s issues , and Elizabeth Warren made pinky promises to little girls .
But during her primary campaign , Harris made a point of using “ she ” / “ her ” pronouns when she spoke about the presidency and as she described members of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applause , or even surprise , from the audience .
She was doing it , she told BuzzFeed News in 2019 , to help people expand their understanding of what was possible in politics .
“ I ’ ve always been very aware that for these jobs , we ’ re asking people to see what they ’ ve not seen before , ” Harris said .
●

Those issues, especially the Black Lives Matter movement, will be a historic opportunity for Harris as a leader in a party whose older, whiter leadership has drifted apart from an increasingly young, diverse, and energized base. But they could also pose a challenge.
Harris has been criticized by Black activists for the tough-on-crime approach she took as a law enforcement official in California. While she has embraced Black Lives Matter and the need for dramatic shifts in policing in her own presidential campaign, mistrust lingers between Harris and some of the racial justice movement’s top voices.
She will also face challenges that most of her predecessors have not. She has been the subject of sexist and racist comments, including incessant mockery and mispronunciations of her name from Republicans, including Trump and her Senate colleague David Perdue. Trump called her a “monster” after her debate against Vice President Mike Pence and frequently attacked her during his rallies.
Harris has not always drawn attention to her gender on the campaign trail the way other women candidates looking to make history have. In the Democratic primary, Kirsten Gillibrand built an entire, pink-branded campaign around women’s issues, and Elizabeth Warren made pinky promises to little girls.
But during her primary campaign, Harris made a point of using “she”/“her” pronouns when she spoke about the presidency and as she described members of her cabinet. Her words would sometimes provoke applause, or even surprise, from the audience.
She was doing it, she told BuzzFeed News in 2019, to help people expand their understanding of what was possible in politics.
“I’ve always been very aware that for these jobs, we’re asking people to see what they’ve not seen before,” Harris said. ●


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--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--2020-11-08--Facebook Has A Metric For “Violence And Incitement Trends.” It’s Rising.

The metric , which assesses the potential for danger based on keywords , rose to 580 from 400 this week — a 45 % increase .
As votes are being tallied across the country to determine the next US president , internal Facebook data shows that the company has seen a significant increase in what it calls “ violence and incitement trends.
” In a post to a group on Facebook ’ s internal message board , one employee alerted their colleagues to a nearly 45 % increase in the metric , which assesses the potential for danger based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last five days .
The post , which was seen by BuzzFeed News , notes that trends were previously rising “ slowly , ” but that recently “ some conspiracy theory and general unhappiness posts/hashtags ” were gaining popularity .
“ The ‘ probable violence and incitement ’ metric for explore has been slowly rising over the last few days , ” the post ’ s author wrote , referring to Facebook ’ s “ Explore ” search tool .
“ The risky hashtags seem conspiracy-theory-esque.
” The internal metric , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at around a score of 400 on Oct. 31 .
It rose to a 24-hour average of nearly 580 as of Thursday morning .
Although Facebook has a policy on violence and incitement , the existence of a metric shows the extent to which the company actively measures activity on its platform that can foster unrest .
In recent years , the social media platform was widely criticized for inciting genocide in Myanmar , fostering political unrest in the Philippines , and abetting the organization of domestic extremism in places like Kenosha , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ violence and incitement ” number indicates that the company 's own internal metrics have found Facebook posts are contributing to an unstable situation around the counting of ballots in the US presidential election as President Donald Trump and his supporters attempt to inject unfounded doubts into the process .
Do you work at Facebook or another technology company ?
We ’ d love to hear from you .
Reach out at ryan.mac @ buzzfeed.com , craig.silverman @ buzzfeed.com , or via one of our tip line channels .
In the post , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hashtags ranging from popular Trump slogans , including # DrainTheSwamp , # Trump2020 , and # KeepAmericaGreat , to “ qanon-esque ” sayings like # WatchTheWater .
QAnon is the collective delusion pushed by a growing number of the president ’ s supporters and Republican politicians that a secret cabal of deep state operatives and people who sexually abuse children control the government .
These hashtags , which are gaining popularity , point to the overall theme , the employee wrote of “ democrats stealing the election , not trusting the results , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t panic because most of these hashtags aren ’ t very prevalent , but it does seem to be a building trend that ideally we stop before it gains momentum , ” the employee said in their post .
“ While these hashtags aren ’ t as explicitly risky as # RiggedElection and # VoterFraud , they do promote similar ideas ; given we have approval to block those hashtags , it would be great if we could come up with a standard for these ‘ borderline ’ hashtags.
” The employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already been monitoring and suppressing hashtags that seed doubt about the election process and violate its terms of service .
Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois declined to say which hashtags the company had suppressed , or how long the `` violence and incitement '' metric had been in use .
`` We 're staying vigilant in detecting content that could incite violence during this time of heightened uncertainty , '' she said .
`` We 've readied products and policies in advance of this period so we can take action quickly and according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a disinformation researcher and fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars , said she wasn ’ t aware Facebook had a metric for “ violence and incitement ” trends and was heartened that they were tracking it .
Still , she said , suppression of individual hashtags “ is not going to do the trick.
” “ We ’ re talking about the broader structure of Facebook that incentivizes these communities to organize and foster offline violence , ” Jankowicz said .
“ I ’ m not sure they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a structure that they ’ re relying on to keep people engaged and make money these days.
” The employee ’ s report on the “ violence and incitement ” metric came hours before the social network banned a fast-growing Facebook group called Stop the Steal , due in part to calls for violence circulating among its more than 365,000 members .
The group was formed on Wednesday by apparent Republican operatives and members used it to sow discord about the vote-totaling process , organize protests , and make threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures that we are taking during this period of heightened tension , we have removed the group ‘ Stop the Steal , ’ which was creating real-world events , ” Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement .
“ The group was organized around the delegitimization of the election process , and we saw worrying calls for violence from members of the group.
” While Facebook acted after multiple complaints and press questions about the group , its organizers had already prepared for a scenario in which it was banned .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning asked potential members to join a direct mailing list “ in the event that social media censors this group.
” On a companywide call on Thursday , Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Vice President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg said the group was removed for attempting to delegitimize the vote-counting process .
Clegg , the former United Kingdom deputy prime minister , added that Facebook had been “ prepared for this , ” despite the group amassing more than 360,000 members in less than 48 hours .
Prior to the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political and social issue groups , though Stop the Steal seemed to spread organically across the platform without any algorithmic distribution .
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin criticized Facebook for its slow response to groups like Stop the Steal , adding that it ’ s time the company started “ providing answers.
” “ Mark Zuckerberg needs to stop getting caught flat-footed when Facebook is used to promote violence and undermine democracy , ” she said in a statement .
“ Facebook has the tools to track violence and now they need to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their platform.
” “ It ’ s worrisome that Facebook continues to refuse to make meaningful changes to the products and features that have become essential tools for violent groups , ” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner .
“ When the risks of a poorly designed product are foreseeable , businesses that don ’ t take steps to fix their products to address those risks are normally held liable for the harms they cause.
” During a Thursday all-hands meeting , Zuckerberg opened by discussing the election and thanking his employees for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He answered questions about when employees would return to the office and the progress of their cryptocurrency arm and said that any regulation of the company may be harder to achieve because the country appears to be heading toward a split government .
One question , however , about how to make Facebook “ filled with more love and less divisiveness ” gave him pause .
Election results seem to indicate so far , that the country is pretty divided , he said .
“ My hope is that by building up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people can join groups meaningful to them — that ’ s how people can build a stronger social fabric , ” Zuckerberg said .
An hour earlier , Facebook had banned a group trying to undermine US democracy .
Zuckerberg did not acknowledge this seeming contradiction and moved on .
He closed his discussion with employees by answering questions about stress-eating and his least favorite Halloween candy .
“ Milky Way , ” he said .
“ I ’ ve never been a Milky Way person.
” ●

As votes are being tallied across the country to determine the next US president, internal Facebook data shows that the company has seen a significant increase in what it calls “violence and incitement trends.”
In a post to a group on Facebook’s internal message board, one employee alerted their colleagues to a nearly 45% increase in the metric, which assesses the potential for danger based on hashtags and search terms, over the last five days. The post, which was seen by BuzzFeed News, notes that trends were previously rising “slowly,” but that recently “some conspiracy theory and general unhappiness posts/hashtags” were gaining popularity.
“The ‘probable violence and incitement’ metric for explore has been slowly rising over the last few days,” the post’s author wrote, referring to Facebook’s “Explore” search tool. “The risky hashtags seem conspiracy-theory-esque.”
The internal metric, which has not previously been reported, had been at around a score of 400 on Oct. 31. It rose to a 24-hour average of nearly 580 as of Thursday morning.
Although Facebook has a policy on violence and incitement, the existence of a metric shows the extent to which the company actively measures activity on its platform that can foster unrest. In recent years, the social media platform was widely criticized for inciting genocide in Myanmar, fostering political unrest in the Philippines, and abetting the organization of domestic extremism in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The rapid uptick in the “violence and incitement” number indicates that the company's own internal metrics have found Facebook posts are contributing to an unstable situation around the counting of ballots in the US presidential election as President Donald Trump and his supporters attempt to inject unfounded doubts into the process.
Do you work at Facebook or another technology company? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out at ryan.mac@buzzfeed.com, craig.silverman@buzzfeed.com, or via one of our tip line channels.
In the post, the Facebook employee highlighted a number of hashtags ranging from popular Trump slogans, including #DrainTheSwamp, #Trump2020, and #KeepAmericaGreat, to “qanon-esque” sayings like #WatchTheWater. QAnon is the collective delusion pushed by a growing number of the president’s supporters and Republican politicians that a secret cabal of deep state operatives and people who sexually abuse children control the government.
These hashtags, which are gaining popularity, point to the overall theme, the employee wrote of “democrats stealing the election, not trusting the results, and supporting Trump.”
“I wouldn’t panic because most of these hashtags aren’t very prevalent, but it does seem to be a building trend that ideally we stop before it gains momentum,” the employee said in their post. “While these hashtags aren’t as explicitly risky as #RiggedElection and #VoterFraud, they do promote similar ideas; given we have approval to block those hashtags, it would be great if we could come up with a standard for these ‘borderline’ hashtags.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Democrats Will Hold On To The House, Likely Giving Nancy Pelosi Another Two Years As Speaker

Pelosi also wrote in the letter that Democrats had “ flipped critical battleground states , ” but as of Thursday afternoon , the party had not ousted a single incumbent House Republican running for reelection .
“ Though it was a challenging election , all of our candidates – both Frontline and Red to Blue – made us proud , ” Pelosi wrote .
“ Our discipline in building a massive battlefield proved essential in keeping the Majority .
Our success enabled us to win in our ‘ mobilization , messaging and money , ’ forcing Republicans to defend their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely retain her position as the leader of the party after winning her own race in California , but she acknowledged in a letter to Democratic members Wednesday that the fight to keep the House was more trying than many imagined it would be .
Republicans picked up at least four new seats .
WASHINGTON — Democrats have retained their majority in the House of Representatives , securing the necessary 218 seats on Sunday evening , according to Decision Desk HQ .
While Democrats will hold on to their majority in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand their membership in the House .
Instead , they lost several high-profile seats , and some centrist members of the caucus are reportedly pushing for new leadership .
Pelosi confirmed to CNN last month that she planned to seek another term as speaker if Democrats kept their majority .
She is the first woman to serve as speaker of the House , a position she first assumed in 2007 and held until 2011 when Republicans took the majority .
She was elected as speaker again last year .
She vowed in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic leader in the House in order to assuage younger , progressive members seeking a change .
“ I ’ ve been around a while , I don ’ t think anybody in our caucus , even in a drunken stupor , is thinking they could run against Nancy Pelosi and win the speakership , ” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri told Politico in late October .
“ Any departure by Nancy Pelosi will be because she wants to depart , ” he added .
“ She is riding in that parade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the parade is following joyfully.
” But as the election unfolded , that parade was not quite so joyful .
In total , Democrats needed to defend 30 seats in districts that President Donald Trump won in 2016 ; 28 of the 50 seats FiveThirtyEight considered most likely to flip this cycle were held by Republicans .
Democrats led in the polls ahead of Election Day , and had significant opportunities to pick up a number of seats across the country , but wound up with at least a four-seat loss .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina that had previously been held by Republicans , but that ’ s in large part thanks to redistricting which changed the makeup of those seats so significantly that FiveThirtyEight gave Democrats a 99 % chance of winning in them .
In 2018 , Democrats secured their majority by winning a number of important suburban swing districts , and the party considered many of the first-year lawmakers among their 42 “ frontline ” members whose seats were more vulnerable to flip this cycle .
Four of those high-profile members have now lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication .
In Florida , Democratic Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala both lost to their Republican challengers , as did Democratic Reps. Abby Finkenauer of Iowa , Kendra Horn of Oklahoma , Joe Cunningham of South Carolina , and Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico .
After taking back the House majority in 2018 , Democrats had history on their side going into 2020 : The last time the majority in the chamber flipped two elections in a row was 1954 , and the last time it flipped in a presidential election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in 1952 .
Since taking control of the chamber two years ago , Democrats have passed bills that would expand voting rights nationally , address mass shootings , and disperse additional COVID-19 relief funds , but nearly every bill died in the Republican-controlled Senate .
That fate appears likely to meet Democrats again , as the party ’ s hopes of flipping the Senate have all but evaporated in recent days .
Last year , House Democrats also voted to impeach Trump on two counts .
No Republicans voted in favor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate , but two Democrats , Reps. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey , broke with the party and voted against the president ’ s impeachment .
Van Drew then left the Democratic Party entirely and became a Republican .
Van Drew won his reelection race .
Peterson did not .

While Democrats will hold on to their majority in the chamber, the party had hoped to expand their membership in the House. Instead, they lost several high-profile seats, and some centrist members of the caucus are reportedly pushing for new leadership.
Pelosi confirmed to CNN last month that she planned to seek another term as speaker if Democrats kept their majority. She is the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, a position she first assumed in 2007 and held until 2011 when Republicans took the majority. She was elected as speaker again last year.
She vowed in 2018 to serve just two more terms as the Democratic leader in the House in order to assuage younger, progressive members seeking a change.
“I’ve been around a while, I don’t think anybody in our caucus, even in a drunken stupor, is thinking they could run against Nancy Pelosi and win the speakership,” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri told Politico in late October. “Any departure by Nancy Pelosi will be because she wants to depart,” he added. “She is riding in that parade at the front. And the rest of the parade is following joyfully.”
But as the election unfolded, that parade was not quite so joyful.
In total, Democrats needed to defend 30 seats in districts that President Donald Trump won in 2016; 28 of the 50 seats FiveThirtyEight considered most likely to flip this cycle were held by Republicans.
Democrats led in the polls ahead of Election Day, and had significant opportunities to pick up a number of seats across the country, but wound up with at least a four-seat loss. Democrats did win two new seats in North Carolina that had previously been held by Republicans, but that’s in large part thanks to redistricting which changed the makeup of those seats so significantly that FiveThirtyEight gave Democrats a 99% chance of winning in them.
In 2018, Democrats secured their majority by winning a number of important suburban swing districts, and the party considered many of the first-year lawmakers among their 42 “frontline” members whose seats were more vulnerable to flip this cycle. Four of those high-profile members have now lost their seats, as of time of publication.
In Florida, Democratic Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Donna Shalala both lost to their Republican challengers, as did Democratic Reps. Abby Finkenauer of Iowa, Kendra Horn of Oklahoma, Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, and Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico.
After taking back the House majority in 2018, Democrats had history on their side going into 2020: The last time the majority in the chamber flipped two elections in a row was 1954, and the last time it flipped in a presidential election year was two years prior to that, in 1952.
Since taking control of the chamber two years ago, Democrats have passed bills that would expand voting rights nationally, address mass shootings, and disperse additional COVID-19 relief funds, but nearly every bill died in the Republican-controlled Senate. That fate appears likely to meet Democrats again, as the party’s hopes of flipping the Senate have all but evaporated in recent days.
Last year, House Democrats also voted to impeach Trump on two counts. No Republicans voted in favor of impeachment and beginning a trial in the Senate, but two Democrats, Reps. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, broke with the party and voted against the president’s impeachment. Van Drew then left the Democratic Party entirely and became a Republican. Van Drew won his reelection race. Peterson did not.


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Trump's Campaign Shared Fake News (Literally) To Justify Their Lies About The Election Result

`` We also wish to add that Mr. Murtaugh has been officially notified via email about this error , '' the Times added .
The Washington Times later replied to Murtaugh 's tweet , saying that the image was `` doctored , '' and that the newspaper `` never ran a 'President Gore ' headline . ''
There was just one problem : the front page was a complete fabrication .
Trump staff had apparently printed out the front page and plastered it all over their office kitchen as some form of motivation to keep fighting against the media 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College .
In his tweet , Murtaugh wrote , `` Greeting staff at @ TeamTrump HQ this morning , a reminder that the media does n't select the President . ''
In the tweet , which has since been deleted , Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh shared photos of a fabricated Washington Times ' newspaper front page with the headline `` President Gore . ''
As President Donald Trump continues spreading lies about the election result , his campaign spokesperson posted a fake front page on Twitter on Sunday suggesting that news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gore the winner of the 2000 presidential election .
Murtaugh and the Times did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News ' requests for comment .
The fake front page , which includes the text of the actual story printed by the Washington Times on Nov. 8 , 2000 ( which said that George W. Bush had defeated Gore ) , appears to have been originally posted in 2010 on the website DeviantArt.com .
During what was a chaotic election night in 2000 , major news networks initially named Gore the projected winner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retracted that call and projected that Bush had won the state and the presidency .
But after it became clear the race was too close to call , networks again retracted their projection .
Bush ultimately won Florida and the presidency after a Supreme Court decision ended a recount in the state .
Unlike 20 years ago , networks and news outlets did not project a winner on election night this year .
Instead , due to an unprecedented number of voters casting ballots by mail , they waited until Saturday morning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump could not overcome the Democratic nominee 's widening margin in the state of Pennsylvania , which , with its 20 electoral votes , pushed him over the 270 electoral-vote benchmark needed to win the presidency .
Since Election Day and even after Biden was named the winner , Trump has falsely claimed victory and alleged a widespread conspiracy to steal the election from him , as part of a months-long effort to undermine the election and democracy .
While it takes weeks to certify the results of an election ( and Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the Electoral College votes on Dec. 14 ) , the vote counts released by election officials are clear : Biden will be the next president of the United States .
If you have a news tip , we ’ d like to hear from you .
Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels .
Earlier Sunday , former president Bush issued a statement saying that he had called both Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris to congratulate them , adding that the election results were `` clear .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , your vote counted , '' Bush said , adding that Trump has `` the right to request recounts and pursue legal challenges , and any unresolved issues will be properly adjudicated . ''
Still , he said , `` The American people can have confidence that this election was fundamentally fair , its integrity will be upheld , and its outcome is clear . ''
In another now-deleted tweet , Rep. Paul Gosar , a Republican from Arizona who has supported Trump 's lies about the election , called Bush an “ @ @ @ @ @ @

As President Donald Trump continues spreading lies about the election result, his campaign spokesperson posted a fake front page on Twitter on Sunday suggesting that news outlets incorrectly named former vice president Al Gore the winner of the 2000 presidential election.
In the tweet, which has since been deleted, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh shared photos of a fabricated Washington Times' newspaper front page with the headline "President Gore."
In his tweet, Murtaugh wrote, "Greeting staff at @TeamTrump HQ this morning, a reminder that the media doesn't select the President."
Trump staff had apparently printed out the front page and plastered it all over their office kitchen as some form of motivation to keep fighting against the media's project of Joe Biden winning the Electoral College.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
There was just one problem: The front page was a complete fabrication.
The Washington Times later replied to Murtaugh's tweet, saying that the image was "doctored," and that the newspaper "never ran a 'President Gore' headline."
"We also wish to add that Mr. Murtaugh has been officially notified via email about this error," the Times added.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Here's How Newspapers Across The US And Around The World Covered Biden's Win (And Trump's Loss)

David Mack is a deputy director of breaking news for BuzzFeed News and is based in New York .
Got @ @ @ @ @ it here .

Here's How Newspapers Across The US And Around The World Covered Biden's Win (And Trump's Loss)
Biden defeating Trump was front-page news from Iowa to Alaska to Japan.


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Here's Everything "SNL" Had To Say About The 2020 Election In Last Night's Highly-Anticipated Episod

Here's Everything "SNL" Had To Say About The 2020 Election In Last Night's Highly-Anticipated Episode

Given all the chaos — and potential material — that 've happened in the past 24 hours alone , fans @ @ @ @ @ the crew would put together for this highly-anticipated episode .
Lucky for you , I @ @ @ @ @ here .
Let 's get into it !

Given all the chaos — and potential material — that has happened in the past 24 hours alone, fans were buzzing to see what the crew would put together for this highly anticipated episode. Lucky for you, I've got the answers right here. Let's get into it!


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Just Electing Joe Biden Won’t Stop The Coronavirus Pandemic

Doctors and scientists expect a night-and-day difference in how the Biden administration will seek to handle the coronavirus .
Is it too late ?
More masks , more tests , more scientists : Joe Biden ’ s victory in the presidential election will flip the United States ’ coronavirus pandemic response to what doctors and scientists hope will be a long-overdue , full-throated , nationally coordinated effort that will save lives .
But the president-elect is being handed an unprecedented health crisis with no easy fixes .
On his predecessor ’ s watch , the coronavirus infected upwards of 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Access to a vaccine is likely months away .
Public confidence in federal health agencies has eroded .
Cases , hospitalizations , and deaths are surging across the country , more than two months before Biden will take office .
And despite winning the election , Biden will need to persuade the 70 million-plus people who voted for Trump to accept his more aggressive strategy to combat the pandemic .
Any COVID relief funding he ’ ll want to pass to boost the economy will depend on a deeply divided Congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hands of Georgia voters in a double runoff in January .
But with Biden in charge , the country at least has a chance of containing the outbreak , according to medical experts .
They expect to see a night-and-day difference between him and President Donald Trump , who told the world not to fear the virus even when he was infected with it .
The Trump administration ’ s strategy consisted mostly of banking on a vaccine while giving up on preventing or slowing infections , flouting the guidance of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast , Biden “ respects scientists , he respects doctors , ” Eric Topol , a cardiologist at the Scripps Translational Science Institute , told BuzzFeed News .
“ That ’ s something that will be refreshing , for sure.
” “ Our work begins with getting COVID under control , ” Biden said in his victory speech in Wilmington , Delaware , on Saturday night .
He linked recovery of the US economy directly to stopping the spread of the virus , a contrast with Trump ’ s embrace of reopening businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A nationally coordinated approach like the one Biden proposed during the campaign , “ will make a world of difference , ” said Amesh Adalja , an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security who spoke to reporters ahead of the election .
Biden ’ s seven-point plan essentially flips the US coronavirus response from Trump ’ s state-led one to a central federal effort .
It calls for doubling drive-thru testing nationwide , using wartime powers to manufacture enough medical equipment for vulnerable people , and injecting another $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also calls for implementing a nationwide mask mandate that could save about 70,000 lives and establishing a public health corps that would employ 100,000 Americans as contact tracers .
He has said he ’ ll return the federal response to one driven by scientists — quickly naming cabinet officials for federal agencies central to the pandemic response as well as a 12-person coronavirus task force .
But with new cases now exceeding 100,000 a day , Biden will face a series of immense challenges following his inauguration .
`` The country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because everything has been so messed up , '' said Nicole Lurie , a former HHS official at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations .
( Lurie has been a pandemic adviser to the Biden campaign but said that she does not speak on its behalf . )
“ The challenge in this whole tragedy will be helping people understand that their individual behavior helps coronavirus cases and with the economic recovery , ” she added .
“ They go together.
” Esther Choo , an emergency physician and a professor at Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration ’ s goal should be “ retooling conversations so that it is not a conversation about what one party believes or the other party believes , but is focused in the data in a way that it has always been in previous pandemics.
” As people head indoors for winter during the remaining two months of Trump ’ s tenure , the death toll in the US could reach 405,000 by Feb. 1 , according to pandemic modeler Ali Mokdad of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more vigilant to take care of our loved ones , ” Mokdad said in a recent briefing held by the Infectious Diseases Society of America .
“ The US is languishing in this pandemic because of a failed , and sometimes completely absent , federal response , ” pediatrician Rhea Boyd said by email .
“ There is no escaping that fact , especially as we watch other nations , some with comparable resources to ours and some with less , successfully navigate their way through this international crisis with far fewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous task of regaining the public ’ s trust after an election that spun basic medical questions , from the usefulness of masks to the dangers of prescribing unvetted drugs , into points of political tribalism .
Abetted by advisors like neuroradiologist Scott Atlas , Trump flouted mask-wearing and social distancing , and expressed an openness to the controversial strategy of fully reopening society and letting the virus spread among healthy people .
“ I hope that trust will come back from the general public — it ’ s going to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Angela Rasmussen , a virologist at Columbia University .
“ This is definitely not going to happen overnight even if the CDC , on night one , issues clear and consistent guidelines.
” Ideally , Topol said , a Biden administration would demonstrate a commitment to transparency by holding daily press briefings with the heads of the key health agencies and career scientists like Anthony Fauci , whom Trump sidelined and publicly berated .
“ On day one , we have the science and public health experts call all the shots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made vaccines a central part of its strategy , overpromising on both their timing and efficacy .
Now , a Biden administration faces the prospect of telling the public that vaccines will likely be , at best , 70 % effective at blocking the disease .
A vaccine is not expected to be available for the vast majority of Americans until the middle of next year .
On Oct. 30 , the CDC ’ s Amanda Cohn warned an agency advisory panel that a vaccine was “ not a panacea.
” And getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be an enormous challenge .
When vaccines begin rolling out , they will need to conquer logistical hurdles , such as national distribution and low-temperature storage requirements .
During the campaign , Trump took shots at Biden for how he handled the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic as vice president .
Only around 23 % of adults ended up getting an H1N1 flu vaccine , serving as a cautionary tale .
As public trust in the coronavirus vaccine plummeted this summer , convincing people to get their shot — and , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back for their second dose — will be difficult .
“ There are some hardcore people who don ’ t want a vaccine , ” said Ezekiel Emanuel , a health advisor to the Biden campaign and a former adviser to the Obama administration .
“ But the real target is people who are wavering and uncertain because of the way that the FDA has been pressurized , the politicization .
I think once the public is convinced the Biden administration is not doing that , they 'll have a very different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to BuzzFeed News prior to the election , will reportedly be part of the president-elect ’ s coronavirus transition taskforce . )
Biden ’ s campaign promise for a national mask mandate will also face steep challenges .
Americans are intensely divided by party in how they see the pandemic , with Republicans expressing 92 % of the “ skepticism or opposition ” to masks reported by a recent Pew Research Center survey .
Whether the president can even order a national mask mandate is an open question , the Congressional Research Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Depending on the scope of a direct federal mask mandate , ” it concluded , “ there may not be an existing federal mechanism suitable to enforce it.
” Many of Biden ’ s coronavirus strategies are also contingent on funding that will require cooperation from Congress .
If the Democrats fail to seize the Senate , Biden ’ s plan will likely face an uphill battle to receive full funding .
At stake is a $ 2 trillion sequel to 2020 coronavirus stimulus funding that Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and then said he supported earlier this week while election results were up in the air .
A decade ago , McConnell blocked expanding stimulus funding , despite a deep , painful recession , and health experts fear a repeat of this scenario .
“ Sen .
McConnell has no real interest in ending the pandemic , addressing the social and economic crisis that has come in the virus ’ wake .
He ’ s blocked any robust efforts coming out of the House for months now , ” Gregg Gonsalves , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News .
“ He is all about power , amassing it for his party at all costs.
” In the absence of more stimulus funding to support workers staying at home , more businesses will be forced to open and at-risk employees will have to choose between getting evicted and risking infection .
Those conditions will make the virus more likely to spread .
“ You can ’ t have public health agencies entrusted with asking so much of people , if they ’ re not going to have the support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rasmussen said .
Lurie said she expected the new administration to make bipartisan outreach efforts , based on Biden ’ s and Sen. Kamala Harris ’ histories in office .
“ I think you will see governors , mayors , all kinds of elected officials will welcome more federal help , ” she said .
“ People everywhere are really tired of the pandemic .
”

More masks, more tests, more scientists: Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election will flip the United States’ coronavirus pandemic response to what doctors and scientists hope will be a long-overdue, full-throated, nationally coordinated effort that will save lives.
But the president-elect is being handed an unprecedented health crisis with no easy fixes. On his predecessor’s watch, the coronavirus infected upwards of 9 million Americans and killed more than 237,000. Access to a vaccine is likely months away. Public confidence in federal health agencies has eroded. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are surging across the country, more than two months before Biden will take office.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
And despite winning the election, Biden will need to persuade the 70 million-plus people who voted for Trump to accept his more aggressive strategy to combat the pandemic. Any COVID relief funding he’ll want to pass to boost the economy will depend on a deeply divided Congress, with control of the Senate resting in the hands of Georgia voters in a double runoff in January.
But with Biden in charge, the country at least has a chance of containing the outbreak, according to medical experts. They expect to see a night-and-day difference between him and President Donald Trump, who told the world not to fear the virus even when he was infected with it. The Trump administration’s strategy consisted mostly of banking on a vaccine while giving up on preventing or slowing infections, flouting the guidance of his own top federal health officials.
In contrast, Biden “respects scientists, he respects doctors,” Eric Topol, a cardiologist at the Scripps Translational Science Institute, told BuzzFeed News. “That’s something that will be refreshing, for sure.”
“Our work begins with getting COVID under control,” Biden said in his victory speech in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday night. He linked recovery of the US economy directly to stopping the spread of the virus, a contrast with Trump’s embrace of reopening businesses even as pandemic case numbers surged.
A nationally coordinated approach like the one Biden proposed during the campaign, “will make a world of difference,” said Amesh Adalja, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security who spoke to reporters ahead of the election.
Biden’s seven-point plan essentially flips the US coronavirus response from Trump’s state-led one to a central federal effort. It calls for doubling drive-thru testing nationwide, using wartime powers to manufacture enough medical equipment for vulnerable people, and injecting another $25 billion into manufacturing and distributing vaccines. It also calls for implementing a nationwide mask mandate that could save about 70,000 lives and establishing a public health corps that would employ 100,000 Americans as contact tracers. He has said he’ll return the federal response to one driven by scientists — quickly naming cabinet officials for federal agencies central to the pandemic response as well as a 12-person coronavirus task force.


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Trump Screwed The US On Climate Change. Can Biden Save It?

Joe Biden , who ran on the most progressive climate platform ever in a US presidential election , just won the presidency .
Now converting that platform into meaningful action could prove his administration ’ s toughest challenge .
The reality of the climate situation is grim .
Even before Donald Trump took office , the world was hurtling toward catastrophic warming .
His actions as US president made things worse .
Carbon dioxide and methane levels in the atmosphere are soaring .
There ’ s been more than 1 degree Celsius of warming since the 19th century and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more degrees by the century ’ s end .
Wildfires and other disasters are getting more common and intense .
And people across the country , from California to Texas , are already paying the price for inaction with their homes , their health , and their lives .
Biden faces a steep uphill battle to undo Trump ’ s environmental policies and roll out an ambitious $ 2 trillion climate plan to transition toward renewable energy , tackle environmental justice , and cut climate pollution .
And he ’ ll have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic that has killed more than 230,000 people and cratered the economy .
And even if the Democrats win the two remaining seats in Georgia ’ s runoff in January , Congress is deeply divided — making it extremely unlikely he ’ ll be able to achieve all that he wants .
Pushing forward with Biden ’ s climate plan will require executive orders , new regulation , and , most importantly , groundbreaking legislation to reinvent America ’ s energy infrastructure .
But there ’ s little chance of new , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s watch , and the Republican Senate could also drag its feet on confirming key Biden administration officials , including cabinet members and the administrator of the EPA .
“ I would urge everyone who cares about climate change to be realistic about what ’ s achievable in the first few years of a Biden administration because he ’ s cleaning up Trump ’ s mess and getting us back on track , ” Kim Carnahan , formerly the State Department ’ s chief climate negotiator under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carnahan left the administration earlier this year . )
By one estimate calculated by the research and policy firm Rhodium Group , these rollbacks have the potential to generate 1.75 billion US tons more of climate pollution into the atmosphere by 2035 than if the original rules had stayed in effect .
“ The cumulative impact of the standards and regulations that we ’ ve modeled is pretty big , ” said Rhodium climate researcher Hannah Pitt .
But she added that not all of Trump ’ s devastating impacts are so easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not captured in the Rhodium analysis include those that irreparably harm the environment .
Trump approved the Dakota Access pipeline and Keystone XL pipeline , two oil pipelines that drew significant opposition from landowners and Indigenous communities , both currently being challenged in court .
He opened up Alaska ’ s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , the largest stretch of wilderness in the US , to oil and gas development and he slashed the size of Utah ’ s Bears Ears National Monument to boost fossil fuel extraction .
The administration also aggressively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that affect the daily lives of Americans : narrowing the purview of the Clean Water Act , rejecting scientists ’ recommendations to strengthen air pollution standards for soot and smog , and rolling back rules designed to make chemical plants and offshore drilling safer for workers .
“ The Trump administration has comprehensively attempted to dial back climate protections , ” said Gerrard , adding that many of the rollbacks have been struck down in court .
According to a review by the Washington Post , at least 89 of Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , the administration has received 17 favorable judgments , including the rollback of a rule requiring oil and gas companies to reduce their natural gas flaring on public lands , and 37 unfavorable ones , such as the administration ’ s unlawful hold on rules mandating that air conditioners and other products use less energy .
As it became clear the election was turning in his favor , on Friday Biden tweeted about how voters “ have given us a mandate for action on COVID and the economy and climate change and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic damage caused by the pandemic while tackling climate change in a way “ that will put the United States on an irreversible path to achieve net-zero emissions , economy-wide , by no later than 2050.
” Some of his other climate promises included creating millions of well-paying jobs in clean energy and infrastructure , having a carbon-pollution-free power sector by 2035 , securing benefits for coal miners and others who have lost jobs due to the transition away from fossil fuels , boosting funding for agencies to clean up pollution in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and establishing an Environmental and Climate Justice Division in the Justice Department to hold polluters accountable .
Part of Biden ’ s vision can be achieved through executive orders and new regulations .
But after four years of Trump , the EPA , Interior , and Energy Department have lost much of their scientific expertise .
“ It will take time to rebuild agencies , just to be in a place to issue regulations , ” said Robert Brulle , a sociologist with the Institute at Brown for Environment & Society .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoe.
” For some activists , that ’ s the path the president should take .
“ Joe Biden has a mandate to act.
” Jamal Raad , co-founder of the climate policy and advocacy group Evergreen Action , told BuzzFeed News in an email .
“ He does n't have to wait for GOP Senators owned by the fossil fuel industry to get on board . ''
Such moves , similar to the path taken by former president Barack Obama , could be vulnerable to the whims of another hostile administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan would involve securing cooperation from Congress and passing sweeping legislation , which seems unlikely .
But Curt Spalding , Obama ’ s former EPA Region 1 head , isn ’ t precluding the possibility of a new coronavirus relief package in Congress offering an upcoming opportunity to slip in some climate measures .
Biden is “ a person of the Senate who loves the Senate , ” Spalding said .
“ He may well be able to pull something together.
” But congressional Democrats representing states and districts with fossil fuel interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic Party is not unified , ” David Victor , a specialist in climate policy at the University of California , San Diego , told BuzzFeed News .
“ There ’ s a world of difference between running for office and actually governing.
” Similar divisions within Democratic ranks stymied efforts to pass comprehensive climate legislation in the first two years of Barack Obama ’ s presidency , before the Democrats lost control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections .
Back then , the fossil fuel industry launched a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brulle , the sociologist at Brown , expects a similar effort this time around .
“ Stand by for a major offensive , ” he said .
Meanwhile , Trump ’ s presidency also helped spur a groundswell of climate advocacy , particularly among young people , determined to push lawmakers to take action on climate .
One such group representing these newer activists , Sunrise Movement , convinced Democratic members of Congress to support the Green New Deal after the 2018 midterms and backed Biden only after he secured the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is prepared to push his administration and members of Congress to take aggressive environmental action .
“ We delivered for Biden , now it ’ s his time to deliver for us , '' Varshini Prakash , co-founder of the Sunrise Movement , said in a statement .
`` He ran as the climate candidate , and he must govern as the climate president .
There ’ s no time to waste , and we can ’ t afford to spend another four years twiddling our thumbs in the face of Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his power and use every tool at his disposal to immediately address the climate crisis . ''
The rest of the environmental movement is ready to fight , too .
“ [ Biden ] got the most votes of any candidate in the history of our country .
Most ambitious plan , most votes ever , ” Gene Karpinski , president of the League of Conservation Voters , said on a press call .
He added that a big coalition of those voters “ made clear again and again and again that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” “ So we ’ re all-in to make sure that happens , ” Karpinski said .

As it became clear the election was turning in his favor, on Friday Biden tweeted about how voters “have given us a mandate for action on COVID and the economy and climate change and systemic racism.”
Biden campaigned on repairing the economic damage caused by the pandemic while tackling climate change in a way “that will put the United States on an irreversible path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.”
Some of his other climate promises included creating millions of well-paying jobs in clean energy and infrastructure, having a carbon-pollution-free power sector by 2035, securing benefits for coal miners and others who have lost jobs due to the transition away from fossil fuels, boosting funding for agencies to clean up pollution in low-income communities and communities of color, and establishing an Environmental and Climate Justice Division in the Justice Department to hold polluters accountable.
Part of Biden’s vision can be achieved through executive orders and new regulations. But after four years of Trump, the EPA, Interior, and Energy Department have lost much of their scientific expertise. “It will take time to rebuild agencies, just to be in a place to issue regulations,” said Robert Brulle, a sociologist with the Institute at Brown for Environment & Society. “That would be a tough row to hoe.”
For some activists, that’s the path the president should take. “Joe Biden has a mandate to act,” Jamal Raad, cofounder of the climate policy and advocacy group Evergreen Action, told BuzzFeed News in an email. “He doesn't have to wait for GOP Senators owned by the fossil fuel industry to get on board."
Such moves, similar to the path taken by former president Barack Obama, could be vulnerable to the whims of another hostile administration. A more enduring and far-reaching climate plan would involve securing cooperation from Congress and passing sweeping legislation, which seems unlikely.
But Curt Spalding, Obama’s former EPA Region 1 head, isn’t precluding the possibility of a new coronavirus relief package in Congress offering an upcoming opportunity to slip in some climate measures.
Biden is “a person of the Senate who loves the Senate,” Spalding said. “He may well be able to pull something together.”
But congressional Democrats representing states and districts with fossil fuel interests may not be so cooperative. “The Democratic Party is not unified,” David Victor, a specialist in climate policy at the University of California, San Diego, told BuzzFeed News. “There’s a world of difference between running for office and actually governing.”
Similar divisions within Democratic ranks stymied efforts to pass comprehensive climate legislation in the first two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, before the Democrats lost control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections.
Back then, the fossil fuel industry launched a massive lobbying campaign to fight proposed climate legislation. Brulle, the sociologist at Brown, expects a similar effort this time around. “Stand by for a major offensive,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump’s presidency also helped spur a groundswell of climate advocacy, particularly among young people, determined to push lawmakers to take action on climate. One such group representing these newer activists, Sunrise Movement, convinced Democratic members of Congress to support the Green New Deal after the 2018 midterms and backed Biden only after he secured the Democratic nomination. The group has declared that it is prepared to push his administration and members of Congress to take aggressive environmental action.
“We delivered for Biden, now it’s his time to deliver for us," Varshini Prakash, cofounder of the Sunrise Movement, said in a statement. "He ran as the climate candidate, and he must govern as the climate president. There’s no time to waste, and we can’t afford to spend another four years twiddling our thumbs in the face of Republican obstruction. He must do everything in his power and use every tool at his disposal to immediately address the climate crisis."
The rest of the environmental movement is ready to fight, too. “[Biden] got the most votes of any candidate in the history of our country. Most ambitious plan, most votes ever,” Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, said on a press call. He added that a big coalition of those voters “made clear again and again and again that they want climate action and they want it now.”
“So we’re all-in to make sure that happens,” Karpinski said.


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Kamala Harris Is The First Woman Vice President–Elect But Said She "Won’t Be The Last"

Dressed in the white of suffragettes , Kamala Harris addressed the nation Saturday in a speech that traced the arc of history to the moment she was elected as the country ’ s first woman vice president .
At the center of her words were Black women , to whom Harris , the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica , credited her historic achievement .
Black women , Harris said , “ are too often overlooked , but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.
” Harris will be the first Black woman vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold the office .
It was a reflection of the weight of history in Harris ’ s election that she spoke Saturday , on a night usually reserved for the president-elect .
It reflected , too , the huge importance Harris ’ s selection has had for Joe Biden ’ s campaign , providing a jolt of energy and inspiration for many Democrats , as well as a vision of the future that Biden , a 77-year-old white man , could not offer .
As she introduced Biden , Harris praised him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president.
” She began , though , with her mother , Shyamala Gopalan Harris , who came to the United States at 19 .
“ Maybe she didn ’ t quite imagine this moment , ” Harris said .
“ But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible.
” “ So I ’ m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black women .
Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American women throughout our nation 's history who have paved the way for this moment tonight.
” She placed her election in history , saying she was thinking of the “ struggle ” of the women who came before her to secure voting rights for women , of “ their determination and the strength of their vision , to see what can be unburdened by what has been .
I stand on their shoulders.
” And she spoke directly to “ every little girl watching ” and to what could come next .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman in this office , ” Harris said , “ I won ’ t be the last .
”

Dressed in the white of suffragettes, Kamala Harris addressed the nation Saturday in a speech that traced the arc of history to the moment she was elected as the country’s first woman vice president.
At the center of her words were Black women, to whom Harris, the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, credited her historic achievement. Black women, Harris said, “are too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.”
Harris will be the first Black woman vice president and first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. It was a reflection of the weight of history in Harris’s election that she spoke Saturday, on a night usually reserved for the president-elect.
It reflected, too, the huge importance Harris’s selection has had for Joe Biden’s campaign, providing a jolt of energy and inspiration for many Democrats, as well as a vision of the future that Biden, a 77-year-old white man, could not offer.
As she introduced Biden, Harris praised him for having “the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president.”
She began, though, with her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who came to the United States at 19. “Maybe she didn’t quite imagine this moment,” Harris said. “But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible.”
“So I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black women. Asian, White, Latina, and Native American women throughout our nation's history who have paved the way for this moment tonight.”
She placed her election in history, saying she was thinking of the “struggle” of the women who came before her to secure voting rights for women, of “their determination and the strength of their vision, to see what can be unburdened by what has been. I stand on their shoulders.”
And she spoke directly to “every little girl watching” and to what could come next.
“While I may be the first woman in this office,” Harris said, “I won’t be the last.”


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Here's How Women Reacted To Kamala Harris Speaking For The First Time As The Vice President–Elect

Wearing a white suit in a nod to suffragettes who came before her , Kamala Harris on Saturday spoke for the first time as as the vice president–elect .
As the first woman , Black woman , and South Asian vice president–elect , Harris broke a number of barriers on the Democratic ticket , and women had a strong reaction as she delivered her victory speech .
People immediately took notice of her white suit as she stepped up on stage , an obvious nod to the suffragette movement that fought to win women the right to vote .
Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her who fought for women 's rights , and for their right to vote .
`` Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all , '' Harris said , singling out Black women in her speech .
`` Including the Black women who are often , too often , overlooked but so often proven they are the backbone of our democracy . ''
The daughter of immigrants , Harris was born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother , and quickly rose to political prominence as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senator representing the state .
After breaking a series of barriers for women and immigrants in the US , Harris 's speech was an emotional one for many women witnessing the historic moment as she spoke for the first time as the vice president-elect .
For some women , the moment was not just important for them , but for the younger generations who would know a woman , and daughter of immigrants , had a place in the White House .

Harris immediately acknowledged the fight of women before her who fought for women's rights, and for their right to vote.
"Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all," Harris said, singling out Black women in her speech. "Including the Black women who are often, too often, overlooked but so often proven they are the backbone of our democracy."
The daughter of immigrants, Harris was born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother, and quickly rose to political prominence as attorney general of California and then as a senator representing the state.


buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Barack Obama Just Congratulated Joe Biden And Kamala Harris On Winning The Election

Former president Barack Obama has congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their election victory on Saturday .
`` In this election , under circumstances never experienced , America turned out in numbers never seen .
And once every vote is counted , President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will have won a historic and decisive victory , '' he said .
`` I know he 'll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart , whether or not he had their vote .
So I encourage every American to give him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The election results at every level show that the country remains deeply and bitterly divided .
It will be up to not just Joe and Kamala , but each of us , to do our part — to reach out beyond our comfort zone , to listen to others , to lower the temperature and find some common ground from which to move forward , all of us remembering that we are one nation , under God . ''
Biden was Obama 's vice president for both terms of his presidency and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president recently joined the campaign trail to help get Biden elected .

Former president Barack Obama has congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their election victory on Saturday.
"In this election, under circumstances never experienced, America turned out in numbers never seen. And once every vote is counted, President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris will have won a historic and decisive victory," he said.
"I know he'll do the job with the best interests of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote. So I encourage every American to give him a chance and lend him your support. The election results at every level show that the country remains deeply and bitterly divided. It will be up to not just Joe and Kamala, but each of us, to do our part — to reach out beyond our comfort zone, to listen to others, to lower the temperature and find some common ground from which to move forward, all of us remembering that we are one nation, under God."
Biden was Obama's vice president for both terms of his presidency and the two became close friends.
The former president recently joined the campaign trail to help get Biden elected.