buzzfeed--2020-11-08--Joe Biden Will Be The Next President Of The United States

Biden won a historic number of votes and defeated a sitting president .
Now he will need to rush to address COVID-19 and deal with political divisions that Trump enabled .
Joe Biden has won the bitterly fought 2020 presidential election , bringing the former vice president into an office he had coveted for nearly five decades and ending the chaotic presidency of Donald Trump .
`` I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris , '' Biden said in a statement on Saturday morning .
`` With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation . ''
Sen. Kamala Harris will make history as the first woman , first Black woman , and first person of South Asian heritage to be elected vice president .
Trump ’ s time in office was marked by undermining public health measures during a pandemic that has killed more than 236,000 Americans , by weaponizing the functions of government against perceived opponents , and by boosting conspiracy theories and white supremacist groups .
Much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be consumed by attempting to undo what Trump has done , with nothing more pressing than gaining control over the coronavirus .
The Electoral College may turn out to be tight : States that had appeared relatively safe for Biden turned out to be close , and the result was not the landslide win some polls had projected as possible .
The coalition of states Biden assembled included those that had previously gone for Trump , like Pennsylvania , Wisconsin , and Michigan .
The drawn-out process put the nation on edge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory in several key states in the early morning hours following a long election night .
But in the popular vote , Biden won easily .
He commanded the most votes cast for any candidate ever in a US presidential race , more than 75 million .
And he defeated an incumbent who was wildly popular with his base — and who exasperated Democrats with a presidency built on racism , lies , and the appeasement of his own ego .
Biden ’ s attempts to govern will almost certainly collide with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Trumpism was not .
Biden ran his campaign on a central , existential argument that Trump represented an aberration in US politics , and that American voters want a moderate , steady hand to return the country to some semblance of normalcy .
In short , Democrats wanted this election to resoundingly repudiate Trump and his politics .
The tensions Trump inflamed and capitalized on were present in this country before he came to power , and those divisions remain strong .
While the final vote tally won ’ t be known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans voted for Trump .
Many of those voters believe Biden and other Democrats are corrupt , empowered by fraud , and unfit to lead , and they will form a vocal and zealous opposition .
Over the summer , the largest protests in American history centered on stopping police violence against Black people and rectifying systemic racism , proposals Trump and many of his followers rejected .
Unifying such a divided country , or even mitigating the partisan hostility , will be one of Biden ’ s most daunting tasks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate is still unknown , with the possibility that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will be able to continue exercising his ironclad rule .
Early in his campaign , Biden leaned heavily into his years as a DC establishment figure and dealmaker , as a pragmatist with progressive ideals but bipartisan tendencies who would seek to work with McConnell , as he had when he was vice president .
But , as many progressive Democrats pointed out , McConnell ’ s strategy when Barack Obama was president was to oppose virtually everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell will act any differently now .
And while resistance to the Democrats will make it relatively easy for McConnell to hold his ranks together , the deep splits between progressive and moderate Democrats could make it hard for Biden to keep his party unified .
Although Trump will leave office , he probably won ’ t leave the field .
He will still wield more than 88 million Twitter followers , hold sway over a Republican Party that has transformed to fit his image , and inspire millions who passionately feel he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the establishment — whether that means elites , government , or other institutions , including science .
He will likely seize every opportunity to oppose and undermine Biden .
Still , Biden will be president of the United States , with all of the official power that Trump has now lost .
He won a hard-fought campaign that was historic in a way that no one could have foreseen : COVID-19 forced sweeping closures of the basic functions of society and brought campaigning to a halt in March .
Biden chose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on with large rallies where attendees were not required to wear masks — and many indeed did not .
It was a contrast that Trump , who last month was briefly hospitalized after being diagnosed with the coronavirus , hoped would make Biden look scared , weak , and unable to draw a crowd .
Biden , though , made Trump ’ s mishandling of the pandemic the central point of his campaign , hammering Trump for minimizing the danger early on and failing to control its spread .
Biden gave expansive speeches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take to recover from it , and he modeled safe behavior by observing strict social distancing and wearing masks at all public events .
The nature of the campaign — distanced , impersonal — was unwelcome for Biden , who has built his career since the 1970s on intimate human connection and visceral emotion .
His life and career have been shaped by grief , after his wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972 and then his son Beau Biden died of cancer in 2015 .
While meeting voters on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary , he spent time connecting with them over their own losses , sometimes consoling people as he took selfies with them .
Then , as hundreds of thousands of Americans mourned loved ones who died from COVID-19 , Biden was able to speak to their pain .
“ There are moments in our history so grim , so heart-rending , that they ’ re forever fixed in each of our hearts as shared grief .
Today is one of those moments , ” Biden said in an address from his home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know how you ’ re feeling .
You feel like you ’ re being sucked into a black hole in the middle of your chest .
It ’ s suffocating , ” he said .
Trump , meanwhile , repeatedly blamed the death toll and rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in the US on a media conspiracy and his Democratic opponents .
He mocked wearing a mask as “ politically correct.
” It was after a largely maskless event to introduce Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to the US Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circle contracted the virus and the president himself had to be hospitalized .
In the final weeks of the campaign , the pandemic surged across the country , with cases rising in almost every state and the Midwest battleground region hit especially hard .
The two candidates often felt like they operated in alternate realities through the general election campaign .
Biden emphasized the very real toll the pandemic took on people ’ s lives ; Trump downplayed it , and emphasized the need to get the economy moving again .
Biden spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged for small events ; Trump held giant rallies as if nothing had changed , which in some cases likely led to coronavirus outbreaks .
But both candidates , for almost all of the race , made the campaign about Trump .
For Trump , it was the usual drive to be the center of attention and self-professed savior of the nation , occasionally referring to himself as “ your favorite president ” or comparing himself favorably to Abraham Lincoln .
For Biden , it was a constant invocation of the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his refusal to unequivocally condemn the white supremacists who marched on Charlottesville in 2017 to his cozying up to foreign authoritarians .
Biden invoked Charlottesville on day one of his campaign , arguing that he was leading a battle for the soul of the nation .
That theme persisted , a catchall for the existential threat Biden said Trump posed , be it to America ’ s decency or health and safety .
But near the end of the race , Trump did try to turn the election on Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Rudy Giuliani to implicate Biden in an unclear nefarious plot in Ukraine and China with his son Hunter ( there is no evidence that the claims were true ) .
In their first debate , Trump raised Hunter ’ s history of drug addiction , a strategy that did n't gain much traction beyond the far right .
“ My son , like a lot of people , like a lot of people we know at home , had a drug problem , ” Biden responded .
“ He ’ s overtaken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ’ s worked on it , and I ’ m proud of him.
” The second debate was canceled , when Trump refused to engage in a virtual debate after contracting the coronavirus .
The third was less hectic but did little to change the dynamics of the race .
This was Biden ’ s third run for president , and while he was the national polling leader for almost the entirety of the race , the campaign still carried a feeling of improbability .
His campaign for the Democratic nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions of plagiarism .
His 2008 bid collapsed after a poor showing in the Iowa caucus , though he would go on that year to be elected vice president under Barack Obama , the first Black president .
Biden routinely attached his legacy to Obama ’ s in this year ’ s historically diverse field of Democratic candidates , which included more women and people of color than any previous primary .
When Biden stumbled badly in Iowa ’ s caucuses and finished an embarrassing fifth in the New Hampshire primary , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Biden and his advisers argued that the race would turn in his favor in South Carolina , where a majority of Democratic voters are Black — and they were right .
Biden ’ s victory there triggered a mass clearing of the field , just as the coronavirus was beginning its spread in the US .
An ideological battle between the moderate Biden and democratic socialist Bernie Sanders quickly flamed out , and Sanders promptly endorsed Biden , emerging as one of his more dependable surrogates .
Trump , during his four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to repeal legislation and regulations that defined the Obama administration : protections for trans and gender-nonconforming children in schools and adults in the military , the DACA program for young people brought to the US as children , housing discrimination protections , and more .
How Biden , 77 , will govern is a major question after a campaign so overtaken by both the pandemic and the current president .
Before the pandemic , and before police shootings of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Jacob Blake gained national attention , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pragmatist more than a progressive .
But as crises multiplied , Biden signaled he ’ d be more open to systemic and structural changes he never explicitly outlined .
Young progressive Americans for whom this summer ’ s protests were among the first defining political movements of their lives will be watching what Biden does as president to address insidious institutional racism , as well as crises such as climate change and gun violence .
“ I don ’ t think Biden ’ s age has to necessarily be the limitation on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s going to be up to the decisions he makes and those directing him make , ” Chokwe Lumumba , the 37-year-old mayor of Jackson , Mississippi , told BuzzFeed News in June .
“ We can ’ t play it safe and assume the energy around Donald Trump will go away.
” ●

Joe Biden has won the bitterly fought 2020 presidential election, bringing the former vice president into an office he had coveted for nearly five decades and ending the chaotic presidency of Donald Trump.
"I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris," Biden said in a statement on Saturday morning. "With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation."
Sen. Kamala Harris will make history as the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian heritage to be elected vice president.
Trump’s time in office was marked by undermining public health measures during a pandemic that has killed more than 236,000 Americans, by weaponizing the functions of government against perceived opponents, and by boosting conspiracy theories and white supremacist groups. Much of Biden’s first months in office will be consumed by attempting to undo what Trump has done, with nothing more pressing than gaining control over the coronavirus.
The Electoral College may turn out to be tight: States that had appeared relatively safe for Biden turned out to be close, and the result was not the landslide win some polls had projected as possible. The coalition of states Biden assembled included those that had previously gone for Trump, like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The drawn-out process put the nation on edge, and led Trump to falsely claim victory in several key states in the early morning hours following a long election night.
But in the popular vote, Biden won easily. He commanded the most votes cast for any candidate ever in a US presidential race, more than 75 million. And he defeated an incumbent who was wildly popular with his base — and who exasperated Democrats with a presidency built on racism, lies, and the appeasement of his own ego.
Biden’s attempts to govern will almost certainly collide with a hard fact: Trump was defeated, but Trumpism was not. Biden ran his campaign on a central, existential argument that Trump represented an aberration in US politics, and that American voters want a moderate, steady hand to return the country to some semblance of normalcy. In short, Democrats wanted this election to resoundingly repudiate Trump and his politics.
That did not happen.
The tensions Trump inflamed and capitalized on were present in this country before he came to power, and those divisions remain strong. While the final vote tally won’t be known for some time, more than 70 million Americans voted for Trump. Many of those voters believe Biden and other Democrats are corrupt, empowered by fraud, and unfit to lead, and they will form a vocal and zealous opposition. Over the summer, the largest protests in American history centered on stopping police violence against Black people and rectifying systemic racism, proposals Trump and many of his followers rejected. Unifying such a divided country, or even mitigating the partisan hostility, will be one of Biden’s most daunting tasks.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--There's A Ton Of Georgia Memes After Joe Biden Pulled Ahead In The Vote There

In the early morning hours Friday , Joe Biden pulled ahead of President Donald Trump in Georgia .
The margins @ @ @ @ @ of state there has already said there will be a recount , but Democrats are @ @ @ @ @ succeeded in flipping Georgia blue for the first time since 1992 .
When it became @ @ @ @ @ of the states to carry Biden to the White House , the memes began flowing @

In the early morning hours Friday, Joe Biden pulled ahead of President Donald Trump in Georgia.
The margins are razor-thin and the secretary of state there has already said there will be a recount, but Democrats are feeling hopeful that they have succeeded in flipping Georgia blue for the first time since 1992.
When it became clear Georgia might be one of the states to carry Biden to the White House, the memes began flowing.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Here's A Running List Of False And Misleading Information About The Election

Watch out for images and videos being taken out of context .
Election Day is here .
We may see a flood of false information about President Donald Trump and his challenger , former vice president Joe Biden .
Researchers are warning about images or videos of ballot tampering that may be old or out of context , misleading statistics on voter fraud , and baseless allegations of foreign interference .
Before sharing an online rumor with your friends and family , take the time to verify it .
This can be as easy as checking how recently an account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claim to what reputable news outlets are saying , searching online to find another source , or doing a reverse image search .
Today we 'll be keeping a running list of unverified , misleading , and fake claims that we have been able to debunk .
This list will be updated throughout the day , so please check back .
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
How to read this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no concrete evidence either confirming or refuting them .
This type of claim has either no sources or no evidence , and is based on conjecture with no original reporting behind it .
Treat this kind of information with healthy skepticism and wait to see how it develops .
MISLEADING : Posts that take a real event out of context , for example : miscaptioning a video or photo from the protests .
This can also include images that are presented at a deceptive angle or descriptions that cherry-pick facts .
Avoid spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
FALSE : Reporters or reliable sources with direct knowledge have contradicted this information on the record , or it is refuted by unimpeachable evidence .
Examples include images or videos filmed at a different time or location but presented as recent , demonstrably false claims , and websites masquerading as news outlets publishing untrue information .
On Nov. 3 , postal worker Brandon Wilson was stopped at the Peace Bridge , which connects New York and Canada , by US Customs and Border Protection as he attempted to cross into Canada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ undelivered mail .
Wilson claimed the mail belonged to him and his mother , but the Department of Justice said he “ could not account for additional names printed on the mail pieces .
Wilson further stated that he had intended to deliver the mail and had forgotten to return the mail pieces to the post office.
” Among the undelivered mail were three undelivered ballots , addressed to voters in Buffalo , New York , which were not delivered .
The people who did not receive them could still have voted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ often misleading @ Breaking911 Twitter account to emphasize them in its tweet and story headline without making it clear how few were found and that they are not the focus of the investigation .
Donald Trump Jr. and other pro-Trump Twitter users spread the tweet , suggesting it was evidence of election interference .
Late Thursday night and Friday morning , pro-Trump accounts began circulating videos purporting to show voter fraud in Pennsylvania .
The videos , taken from livestreams of ballot-counting , showed people filling out blank ballots .
The president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but what was happening is much more mundane : fixing damaged ballots .
Adrienne Marofsky , the public relations director for Delaware County , which borders Philadelphia , told BuzzFeed News what ’ s actually happening : During the processing of ballots , a machine extractor opens the ballots .
Some ballots were damaged by the extractor during this process in such a way that the ballots could not be scanned successfully .
According to the scanner manufacturer , Hart , the best practice to deal with damaged ballots that can not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each ballot to a clean ballot and scan the clean ballot .
In accordance with that guidance , the Chief Clerk of the Delaware County Bureau of Elections instructed election staff to manually transcribe the damaged ballots .
As ballots were being transcribed , the original damaged ballots were directly beside the new ballots and bipartisan observers witnessed the process at close range .
Damaged ballots have been preserved .
The false claim spread like wildfire across both Facebook and Twitter despite warning labels applied by both social media companies .
Marofsky said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a weapon .
“ Unfortunately , some residents have altered the video and are making false accusations , which baselessly and wrongly attacks the integrity of the election staff and the completely transparent process by which votes are being counted in Delaware County , ” she said .
In a misleading press conference , Laura Cox , the chair of the Michigan Republican party , talked about a glitch that caused Republican ballots to be counted as Democratic ones .
Amplified by White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , that press conference quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glitch in Antrim County , which local authorities announced on Nov. 4 .
After noticing that the results weren ’ t accurate , the inaccurately counted votes were removed , and the votes were counted again .
“ The vote totals counted by the election software did not match the printed tabulator tapes , which official results are based upon .
Because of this , the printed tabulated tapes from each precinct will be counted manually and revised , ” the announcement said .
Cox did not mention that the mistake was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of independent canvassers ) giving the false impression that it was a widespread error .
She said that several other counties in Michigan used the software , without offering any evidence that they suffered from the same issue .
The videos purport to show voters who are over 100 years old casting a ballot in Michigan , but they are misleading .
Logically , a company monitoring misinformation , reported that the people shown in the videos “ most likely are relatives of the people born in the early 1900s and inherited relatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names of the people who are over 100 years old — featured in the videos — to their likely living descendants .
According to a spokesperson for the Michigan secretary of state , even if someone cast a ballot for a voter who died , that ballot wo n't be counted : Ballots of voters who have died are rejected in Michigan , even if the voter cast an absentee ballot and then died before Election Day .
On rare occasions , a ballot received for a living voter may be recorded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the voter is dead .
This can be because of voters with similar names , where the ballot is accidentally recorded as voted by John Smith Sr when it was actually voted by John Smith Jr ; or because of inaccurately recorded birth dates in the qualified voter file ; for example , someone born in 1990 accidentally recorded as born in 1890 .
In such scenarios , no one ineligible has actually voted , and there is no impact on the outcome of the election .
Local clerks can correct the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention .
A video spreading on Twitter shows a man claiming to be a registered Democrat and canvas watcher accusing election officials in Philadelphia of preventing him from observing the vote count .
He said he was wrongfully removed from the ballot counting room in Pennsylvania and forced to stand far away .
Texas Senator Ted Cruz retweeted the video , writing falsely that , “ Dem mayors are defying the law.
” In fact , an eyewitness and a city official told BuzzFeed News that the man was removed after breaking rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lauren Vidas , an election law attorney and an observer in the room , the man was one of two people filming inside the room , which is against the rules .
The ballot counters “ didn ’ t flinch , I don ’ t even know if they noticed it , ” she said .
A spokesperson for the city ’ s commissioner ’ s office , which is responsible for administering the election , confirmed the man broke the rules .
“ He was removed from the room by security after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observer area , ” said spokesperson Kevin Feeley .
“ He was told several times that he had to stop , there are signs in multiple places saying ‘ no pictures allowed , ’ and he disregarded all of it.
” Vidas said the other person taking photos was asked to delete them and , once they did , was allowed to remain .
The man in the video refused and was asked to leave .
Vidas also said it looked like the man had Republican identification despite claiming he was a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create a scene , ” Vidas said .
“ The only people who think it ’ s a situation are people repeating it on social media .
”

Election Day is here. We may see a flood of false information about President Donald Trump and his challenger, former vice president Joe Biden. Researchers are warning about images or videos of ballot tampering that may be old or out of context, misleading statistics on voter fraud, and baseless allegations of foreign interference.
Before sharing an online rumor with your friends and family, take the time to verify it. This can be as easy as checking how recently an account sharing the information was created, comparing the claim to what reputable news outlets are saying, searching online to find another source, or doing a reverse image search.
Today we'll be keeping a running list of unverified, misleading, and fake claims that we have been able to debunk. This list will be updated throughout the day, so please check back.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Jennifer Lopez Had An Emotional Reaction To Joe Biden's Historic Win

`` I hope we can all come together , love each other , and appreciate each other , '' she @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's a new day . ''

"I hope we can all come together, love each other, and appreciate each other," she said on her IG story. "It's a new day."


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Julia Louis-Dreyfus Is Obviously Celebrating Kamala Harris' Historic Win

The actor and comedian spent seven seasons playing the first female VP of America in Veep , and now she @ @ @ @ @ kids that a woman has actually taken office .

The actor and comedian spent seven seasons playing the first female VP of America in Veep , and now she can proudly tell her two kids that a woman has actually taken office.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--All The Celebrities Were Out Celebrating Joe Biden And Kamala Harris' Election Win

And even if they could n't get out of the house , some found ways to party anyway — like @ @ @ @ @ down the street in her PJs and threw a one-woman party in Boston .

And even if they couldn't get out of the house, some found ways to party anyway — like Jennifer Lawrence, who ran down the street in her PJs and threw a one-woman party in Boston.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Selena Gomez Sang "Party In The U.S.A." To Celebrate Joe Biden And Kamala Harris' Historic Win

A week ago , Selena revealed that the 2020 election was her first time voting ever .
`` Honestly , @ @ @ @ @ say this , '' she said , before adding , `` I was dealing with @ @ @ @ @ issues and I did n't get the opportunity to vote ... Voting is something we @ @ @ @ @ And it 's never been more important . ''

A week ago, Selena revealed that the 2020 election was her first time voting ever. "Honestly, I'm not ashamed to say this," she said, before adding, "I was dealing with a lot of mental health issues and I didn't get the opportunity to vote... Voting is something we should make time for. And it's never been more important."


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Here Are Some Great Gritty Memes About Joe Biden Winning The Election

ICYMI , Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 US presidential election .
The race was called on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ 20 electoral votes pushed Biden over the edge into victory over President Donald Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ celebrating , especially in Philadelphia , where the city 's mail-in ballots helped Biden overcome @ @ @ @ @ And on the internet , one figure in particular was credited with flipping Pennsylvania — @ @ @ @ @ , the one-and-only Gritty .

ICYMI, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 US presidential election. The race was called on Saturday morning after Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes pushed Biden over the edge into victory over President Donald Trump.
Biden supporters in Pennsylvania are celebrating, especially in Philadelphia, where the city's mail-in ballots helped Biden overcome Trump's early lead.
And on the internet, one figure in particular was credited with flipping Pennsylvania — the myth, the legend, the one-and-only Gritty.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--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--2020-11-09--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--2020-11-09--I Tried A Cannabis-Infused Serum For Better Orgasms And It Actually Blew My Mind

The consistency of this serum is definitely more cream-like than other CBD-infused lubes because , again , this is technically @ @ @ @ @ of a serum .
At first I did n't really notice anything different from any @ @ @ @ @ had tried in the past .
And then , seemingly out of nowhere , it @ @ @ @ @ vagina sprang to life .
It 's worth mentioning that during this point in my @ @ @ @ @ off the drug Cymbalta , which is an SNRI ( selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake @ @ @ @ @ my ability to lubricate myself AND orgasm even more difficult than it was prior to @ @ @ @ @ my expectations for this serum were relatively low .
I expected to orgasm , and @ @ @ @ @ But what I did n't expect to happen was feel myself be able to self-lubricate @ @ @ @ @ ... but multiple times .
In a row .

So why exactly is cannabis — and more specifically CBD — found in lubes these days? Well, that's because CBD has been found to promote muscle relaxation. Vaginal and clitoral smooth muscle relaxation is a prerequisite for sexual arousal and orgasms in people with vaginas, and that's exactly what CBD has been found to help with. And today we're going to be discussing my recent adventures with Manna Vella's SX , which isn't technically categorized as a lube but rather a serum to help enhance the FEMALE BONER. However, did I use it basically as a lube? Mmhmmmm, yes, yes I did.


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--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."


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--Can You Pass A Middle School Sex Ed Test?

The penis is made up of two parts : the _____ and the ______ .

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buzzfeed--2020-11-09--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--The Attorney General Has Authorized The DOJ To Look Into Baseless Claims Of Voting "Irregularities"

US Attorney General William Barr authorized the Department of Justice on Monday to investigate baseless claims of voting `` irregularities '' as many Republican leaders continued to refuse to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden 's victory .
Citing no credible evidence of voter fraud , President Trump and his team have refused to concede the election as his campaign threatened to file lawsuits in Arizona , Nevada , Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin , and Georgia to contest the results , claiming in legal challenges that Republican observers were n't allowed adequate access or that mail-in ballot rules were applied unfairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general in the US comes just two days after Biden clinched enough votes to win the 2020 presidential election , and breaks the DOJ 's own policy not to take `` overt investigative steps '' until after an election is certified .
In a memo sent across the DOJ ranks , as well as to FBI Director Christopher Wray , Barr said that `` now that the voting has concluded , it is imperative that the American people can trust that our elections were conducted in such a way that the outcomes accurately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
The memo also points out that investigations into voter fraud require consultation with the DOJ 's Public Integrity Section 's Election Crimes Branch , which usually does not take `` overt investigative steps '' until an election is certified .
But in his memo , Barr directed officials to move ahead with investigations , saying the `` practice has never been a hard and fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and delayed enforcement approach can result in situations in which election misconduct can not realistically be rectified , '' Barr wrote .
The memo comes as Biden 's team has moved toward a transition of power with no assistance from the sitting administration , including announcing a COVID-19 task force .
The White House has instead focused on pushing unfounded claims of voter fraud , including in a press conference by White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , who appeared alongside Trump campaign officials .
Despite the allegations from Trump , his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been rejecting their claims in court .
But that has n't stopped top Republicans and supporters of the president from echoing their claims , including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , who defended Trump 's questioning of election results without evidence .
`` In the United States of America , all legal ballots must be counted , '' McConnell said , using similar talking points as Trump 's campaign .
`` The process should be transparent or observable by all sides and the courts are here to work through concerns . ''
McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden despite returns showing he had won the Electoral College , saying the Constitution gives the media no role in selecting the president .
As of Monday evening , the only Republican senators to publicly congratulate Biden on his victory were Susan Collins of Maine , Mitt Romney of Utah , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , and Ben Sasse of Nebraska .
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida said that while the `` early results '' seem to show Biden won , Trump has the right to pursue recounts and legal challenges .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out that most instances of `` election misconduct '' are never at a scale that would change the impact of an election , .
`` Any concerns that overt actions taken by the Department could inadvertently impact an election are greatly minimized , if they exist at all , once voting has been concluded , even if election certification has not yet ben completed , '' he wrote .
Still , the top law enforcement official in the country authorized officials to `` pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your jurisdictions . ''
`` Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that , if true , could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual case , '' he added .
Barr also warned against spending time and resources on `` specious , speculative , fanciful or far-fetched claims . ''
`` Nothing here should be taken as any indication that the Department has concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election , '' he wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and guidance to emphasize the need to timely and appropriately address allegations of voting irregularities so that all American people , regardless of their preferred candidate or party , can have full confidence in the results of our elections . ''

US Attorney General William Barr authorized the Department of Justice on Monday to investigate baseless claims of voting "irregularities" as many Republican leaders continued to refuse to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden's victory.
Citing no credible evidence of voter fraud, President Trump and his team have refused to concede the election as his campaign threatened to file lawsuits in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia to contest the results, claiming in legal challenges that Republican observers weren't allowed adequate access or that mail-in ballot rules were applied unfairly.
Barr's instructions to assistant attorneys general in the US comes just two days after Biden clinched enough votes to win the 2020 presidential election, and breaks the DOJ's own policy not to take "overt investigative steps" until after an election is certified.
In a memo sent across the DOJ ranks, as well as to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Barr said that "now that the voting has concluded, it is imperative that the American people can trust that our elections were conducted in such a way that the outcomes accurately reflect the will of the voters."
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
The memo also points out that investigations into voter fraud require consultation with the DOJ's Public Integrity Section's Election Crimes Branch, which usually does not take "overt investigative steps" until an election is certified.
But in his memo, Barr directed officials to move ahead with investigations, saying the "practice has never been a hard and fast rule."
"Such a passive and delayed enforcement approach can result in situations in which election misconduct cannot realistically be rectified," Barr wrote.
The memo comes as Biden's team has moved toward a transition of power with no assistance from the sitting administration, including announcing a COVID-19 task force.
The White House has instead focused on pushing unfounded claims of voter fraud, including in a press conference by White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who appeared alongside Trump campaign officials.
Despite the allegations from Trump, his administration, and campaign officials, judges have been rejecting their claims in court. But that hasn't stopped top Republicans and supporters of the president from echoing their claims, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who defended Trump's questioning of election results without evidence.
"In the United States of America, all legal ballots must be counted," McConnell said, using similar talking points as Trump's campaign. "The process should be transparent or observable by all sides and the courts are here to work through concerns."
McConnell also mocked news outlets for projecting that Biden won despite returns showing he had won the Electoral College, saying the Constitution gives the media no role in selecting the president.
As of Monday evening, the only Republican senators to publicly congratulate Biden on his victory were Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida said that while the "early results" seem to show Biden won, Trump has the right to pursue recounts and legal challenges.
But even in his memo, Barr pointed out that most instances of "election misconduct" are never at a scale that would change the impact of an election.
"Any concerns that overt actions taken by the Department could inadvertently impact an election are greatly minimized, if they exist at all, once voting has been concluded, even if election certification has not yet been completed," he wrote.
Still, the top law enforcement official in the country authorized officials to "pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions."
"Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual case," he added.
Barr also warned against spending time and resources on "specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims."
"Nothing here should be taken as any indication that the Department has concluded that voting irregularities have impacted the outcome of any election," he wrote. "Rather, I provide this authority and guidance to emphasize the need to timely and appropriately address allegations of voting irregularities so that all American people, regardless of their preferred candidate or party, can have full confidence in the results of our elections."


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--Fox News Did The Bare Minimum And Finally Stopped Showing The Trump Team's Latest Election Lies

Fox News cut away from a Trump campaign press conference about postelection litigation in Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany made false and unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud .
`` Unless she has more details to back that up , I ca n't in good countenance continue showing you this , '' anchor Neil Cavuto told viewers soon after McEnany , who said she was speaking for the campaign in her `` personal capacity , '' began her remarks accusing the Democratic Party of `` welcoming '' fraud and illegal voting .
`` That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other side is effectively rigging and cheating , '' Cavuto added .
A spokesperson for the White House press office declined to comment .
The Trump campaign also did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
While it seemed to be a rare move for the conservative news channel , which has been described as a `` mouthpiece '' for the president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's relationship with the network .
On election night , Fox News and the Associated Press called Arizona for President-elect Joe Biden with just 73 % of the expected vote counted — a decision that drew the ire of Trump , his team , and supporters of the president 's .
( Other networks and outlets , including BuzzFeed News , have not yet projected a winner in Arizona as of Monday evening . )
The next day , Fox News anchors pushed back against McEnany , whose recent campaign appearances have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violating a federal law prohibiting executive branch employees from engaging in political activity as she questioned the legality of a decision allowing Pennsylvania to count ballots received up to three days after Election Day .

Fox News cut away from a Trump campaign press conference about postelection litigation in Pennsylvania on Monday afternoon as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany made false and unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud.
"Unless she has more details to back that up, I can't in good countenance continue showing you this," anchor Neil Cavuto told viewers soon after McEnany, who said she was speaking for the campaign in her "personal capacity," began her remarks accusing the Democratic Party of "welcoming" fraud and illegal voting.
"That's an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating," Cavuto added.
A spokesperson for the White House press office declined to comment. The Trump campaign also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
BuzzFeed News has journalists around the US bringing you trustworthy stories on the 2020 elections. To help keep this news free, become a member.
While it seemed to be a rare move for the conservative news channel, which has been described as a "mouthpiece" for the president, it came amid reports of fractures in Trump's relationship with the network. On election night, Fox News and the Associated Press called Arizona for President-elect Joe Biden with just 73% of the expected vote counted — a decision that drew the ire of Trump, his team, and supporters of the president's. (Other networks and outlets, including BuzzFeed News, have not yet projected a winner in Arizona as of Monday evening.)
The next day, Fox News anchors pushed back against McEnany, whose recent campaign appearances have raised concerns about whether she has been violating a federal law prohibiting executive branch employees from engaging in political activity as she questioned the legality of a decision allowing Pennsylvania to count ballots received up to three days after Election Day.


buzzfeed--2020-11-10--Ukrainians Say Trump’s Defeat Means Their “Nightmare” Is Over

On Nov. 9 , 2016 , Daria Kaleniuk , executive director of the Kyiv-based Anti-Corruption Action Center , an influential organization that has shaped Ukraine ’ s reform efforts , described news of Donald Trump ’ s shock election victory as waking up in a “ terrible nightmare.
” For her and many other Ukrainians , the prospect of an American president who glorified Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested Crimea , the southern Ukrainian peninsula annexed by the Kremlin in 2014 , belonged to Moscow was terrifying .
While Trump never recognized Russia ’ s land grab , Kaleniuk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nightmarish state for much of his presidency as their country was dragged into the crossfire of Washington political battles , including the monthslong impeachment saga and the efforts of the president ’ s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to dig up dirt about Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine .
Along the way , they also watched as the highly respected US ambassador to Kyiv , Marie Yovanovitch , was recalled and Washington ’ s point person for the ongoing Ukrainian–Russian war , Kurt Volker , resigned , weakening Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But speaking to BuzzFeed News on Monday , four years later and two days after Trump lost reelection to Biden , a staunch supporter of Ukraine , Kaleniuk said it felt like she was finally “ waking up ” from the nightmare .
Since it was announced that Biden had defeated Trump to become the 46th president of the United States , Ukrainians hoping to see Washington–Kyiv relations restored to their pre-Trump state have reveled in the news that there will soon be an American president who supports them rather than calling their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of terrible people.
” Biden has visited the Eastern European country six times , vowed to back its democratic ambitions , and said he views Russia as a major security threat .
“ For Ukraine , a new American leader brings great opportunities , ” Svitlana Zalishchuk , a reform activist and former Ukrainian lawmaker who has worked closely with US officials in the past , wrote on Facebook in a post that included a selfie with President-elect Biden from one of his past visits to Kyiv .
Oleksandr Danylyuk , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Defense Council who found himself caught up in efforts last year by Giuliani and Trump-appointed officials to get the country to open political investigations into the Bidens in exchange for the release of critical military aid worth some $ 400 million , called the victory a “ big relief.
” “ For Ukraine overall , it is a better outcome , ” he told BuzzFeed News .
“ Finally we could get a clear strategy for Ukraine and for Russia [ and a ] more logical and stable model for our cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is more relieved than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , although you wouldn ’ t know from his public statements .
Since finding himself at the center of Trump ’ s impeachment , which stemmed from a phone call in May 2019 , Zelensky has tried desperately to remain out of the US election discourse .
He has rarely commented on US–Ukraine relations and has been careful not to say anything publicly that could be interpreted as him taking a side in the presidential race .
But behind the scenes , government officials close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretly rooting for Biden and was delighted when he won .
The Ukrainian president could not be reached for comment on Monday after he tested positive for the coronavirus and went into self-isolation .
But in a tweet on Saturday that hinted at his preference , Zelensky was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Biden and Vice President–elect Kamala Harris ; he said he was “ optimistic about the future of the strategic partnership with the United States.
” The two countries , Zelensky continued , “ have always collaborated on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fight against corruption .
Our friendship becomes only stronger !
”

On Nov. 9, 2016, Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Kyiv-based Anti-Corruption Action Center, an influential organization that has shaped Ukraine’s reform efforts, described news of Donald Trump’s shock election victory as waking up in a “terrible nightmare.”
For her and many other Ukrainians, the prospect of an American president who glorified Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested Crimea, the southern Ukrainian peninsula annexed by the Kremlin in 2014, belonged to Moscow was terrifying.
While Trump never recognized Russia’s land grab, Kaleniuk and many other Ukrainians existed in that nightmarish state for much of his presidency as their country was dragged into the crossfire of Washington political battles, including the monthslong impeachment saga and the efforts of the president’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to dig up dirt about Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine.
Along the way, they also watched as the highly respected US ambassador to Kyiv, Marie Yovanovitch, was recalled and Washington’s point person for the ongoing Ukrainian–Russian war, Kurt Volker, resigned, weakening Washington’s influence in Ukraine and the region.
But speaking to BuzzFeed News on Monday, four years later and two days after Trump lost reelection to Biden, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, Kaleniuk said it felt like she was finally “waking up” from the nightmare.
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
Since it was announced that Biden had defeated Trump to become the 46th president of the United States, Ukrainians hoping to see Washington–Kyiv relations restored to their pre-Trump state have reveled in the news that there will soon be an American president who supports them rather than calling their country “corrupt” and “full of terrible people.” Biden has visited the Eastern European country six times, vowed to back its democratic ambitions, and said he views Russia as a major security threat.
“For Ukraine, a new American leader brings great opportunities,” Svitlana Zalishchuk, a reform activist and former Ukrainian lawmaker who has worked closely with US officials in the past, wrote on Facebook in a post that included a selfie with President-elect Biden from one of his past visits to Kyiv.
Oleksandr Danylyuk, the former chief of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council who found himself caught up in efforts last year by Giuliani and Trump-appointed officials to get the country to open political investigations into the Bidens in exchange for the release of critical military aid worth some $400 million, called the victory a “big relief.”
“For Ukraine overall, it is a better outcome,” he told BuzzFeed News. “Finally we could get a clear strategy for Ukraine and for Russia [and a] more logical and stable model for our cooperation with the US.”
Perhaps no one is more relieved than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although you wouldn’t know from his public statements.
Since finding himself at the center of Trump’s impeachment, which stemmed from a phone call in May 2019, Zelensky has tried desperately to remain out of the US election discourse. He has rarely commented on US–Ukraine relations and has been careful not to say anything publicly that could be interpreted as him taking a side in the presidential race.
But behind the scenes, government officials close to Zelensky told BuzzFeed News he was secretly rooting for Biden and was delighted when he won.
The Ukrainian president could not be reached for comment on Monday after he tested positive for the coronavirus and went into self-isolation. But in a tweet on Saturday that hinted at his preference, Zelensky was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Biden and Vice President–elect Kamala Harris; he said he was “optimistic about the future of the strategic partnership with the United States.”
The two countries, Zelensky continued, “have always collaborated on security, trade, investment, democracy, fight against corruption. Our friendship becomes only stronger!”


buzzfeed--2020-11-09--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 ca n'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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 a few tweets from his account , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 : Trump rose alongside a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 would n'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--Mitch McConnell Is Backing Trump’s Right To Baselessly Contest The Election

WASHINGTON — In a short but extraordinary speech Monday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stood behind President Donald Trump , who is baselessly alleging widespread voter fraud after losing the presidential election to Joe Biden .
Trump continues to vow he will fight the election results in the courts , despite judges repeatedly tossing out his legal team ’ s claims on the evidence .
On the Senate floor Monday afternoon , McConnell defended Trump ’ s right to question the election results and repeated talking points used by Trump ’ s team .
“ In the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be counted .
Any illegal ballots must not be counted , ” he said .
“ The process should be transparent or observable by all sides and the courts are here to work through concerns.
” 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 is no evidence of widespread voter fraud , or that “ illegal ” votes swung the election for Biden .
Trump ’ s team conceded in court that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell , the most powerful Republican in Congress , is well versed in crafting statements that do not anger President Trump .
But in the midst of a contested election , his speech is a sign the Republican establishment may refuse to acknowledge the reality that Trump lost the election .
McConnell even mocked news outlets for projecting that Biden was the winner after the numbers showed he had won the Electoral College , saying the Constitution gives the media no role in selecting the president .
“ Our institutions are actually built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place to consider concerns , ” said McConnell .
“ And President Trump is 100 % within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options.
” McConnell said if Democrats are confident that nothing illegal occurred , “ they should have no reason to fear extra scrutiny.
” While Senate Republicans have no power to overturn the results of the election , and Trump ’ s legal fights appear to be going nowhere , they could adopt the position that Biden is not a legitimate president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his policies .
At the same time , McConnell did not say he believes Trump ’ s allegations .
On Sunday , Sen. Roy Blunt , ranked number four in Senate Republican leadership , said it was time for Trump ’ s lawyers to present their evidence of fraud , if they have it .
The only Republican senators to publicly congratulate Biden on his victory are Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine , Mitt Romney of Utah , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , and Ben Sasse of Nebraska .
If you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to hear from you .
Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels .
Many others hedged when asked Monday if Trump should concede the election .
At least a dozen Republican senators said Trump has the right to contest the election and go to court to provide whatever evidence of fraud he may have .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham went much further in an appearance on Fox News Sunday , encouraging not just Trump but the Republican Party to “ fight back ” to overturn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Republicans don ’ t challenge and change the US election system , there ’ ll never be another Republican president elected again , ” he said .
“ To my Republican colleagues out there , we have to fight back or we will accept our fate.
” Graham encouraged Trump to continue his fight to overturn the election results “ Trump has not lost , ” he said .
“ Do not concede , Mr. President .
Fight hard .
”

WASHINGTON — In a short but extraordinary speech Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stood behind President Donald Trump, who is baselessly alleging widespread voter fraud after losing the presidential election to Joe Biden.
Trump continues to vow he will fight the election results in the courts, despite judges repeatedly tossing out his legal team’s claims on the evidence. On the Senate floor Monday afternoon, McConnell defended Trump’s right to question the election results and repeated talking points used by Trump’s team.
“In the United States of America, all legal ballots must be counted. Any illegal ballots must not be counted,” he said. “The process should be transparent or observable by all sides and the courts are here to work through concerns.”
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 is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, or that “illegal” votes swung the election for Biden. Trump’s team conceded in court that their observers are overseeing the ballot counts.
McConnell, the most powerful Republican in Congress, is well versed in crafting statements that do not anger President Trump. But in the midst of a contested election, his speech is a sign the Republican establishment may refuse to acknowledge the reality that Trump lost the election. McConnell even mocked news outlets for projecting that Biden was the winner after the numbers showed he had won the Electoral College, saying the Constitution gives the media no role in selecting the president.
“Our institutions are actually built for this. We have the system in place to consider concerns,” said McConnell. “And President Trump is 100% within his rights to look into allegations of irregularities and weigh his legal options.”
McConnell said if Democrats are confident that nothing illegal occurred, “they should have no reason to fear extra scrutiny.”
While Senate Republicans have no power to overturn the results of the election, and Trump’s legal fights appear to be going nowhere, they could adopt the position that Biden is not a legitimate president and use that as a justification to block his policies.
At the same time, McConnell did not say he believes Trump’s allegations. On Sunday, Sen. Roy Blunt, ranked number four in Senate Republican leadership, said it was time for Trump’s lawyers to present their evidence of fraud, if they have it. The only Republican senators to publicly congratulate Biden on his victory are Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska.
If you have a news tip, we’d like to hear from you. Reach out to us via one of our tip line channels.
Many others hedged when asked Monday if Trump should concede the election. At least a dozen Republican senators said Trump has the right to contest the election and go to court to provide whatever evidence of fraud he may have.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham went much further in an appearance on Fox News Sunday, encouraging not just Trump but the Republican Party to “fight back” to overturn the election results in the courts.
“If Republicans don’t challenge and change the US election system, there’ll never be another Republican president elected again,” he said. “To my Republican colleagues out there, we have to fight back or we will accept our fate.”
Graham encouraged Trump to continue his fight to overturn the election results “Trump has not lost,” he said. “Do not concede, Mr. President. Fight hard.”