‘The idea the president is still playing golf and not doing anything about it is beyond my comprehension. You’d think he’d at least want to go off on a positive note’, US president-elect, Joe Biden, said after a meeting with CEOs and labor leaders. ‘I find this more embarrassing for the country than debilitating for my ability to get started’, he said. Biden warned that if outgoing president Donald Trump continues blocking a US transition of power as the coronavirus pandemic worsens, 'more people may die'.
Continue reading...Category Archives: Joe Biden
Biden warns ‘more people may die’ if Trump refuses to cooperate on transition – live
- Biden urges Trump team to work with him on Covid planning
- ‘The idea that [Trump] is playing golf is beyond my comprehension’
- National security adviser appears to accept Trump lost election
- Campaign reportedly withdraws illegally processed ballots claim
According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, if Donald Trump wants a statewide recount, he will have to pay $7.9m.
The president lost the state by more than 20,000 votes - which means a recount is very unlikely to change the fact that he lost. Even if a recount, miraculously, left Trump ahead in the state, Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes are not enough to change the election outcome.
Georgia’s Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, told the Washington Post that senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina was among several members of his party who pressured him to toss out legally cast ballots so that Trump could win the state.
From the Post:
In a wide-ranging interview about the 2020 election, Raffensperger expressed exasperation with a string of baseless allegations coming from Trump and his allies about the integrity of the Georgia results, including claims that Dominion Voting Systems, the Colorado-based manufacturer of Georgia’s voting machines, is a “leftist” company with ties to Venezuela that engineered thousands of Trump votes not to be counted.
The atmosphere has grown so contentious, Raffensperger said, that both he and his wife, Tricia, have received death threats in recent days, including a text to him that read, “You better not botch this recount. Your life depends on it.”
Continue reading...We’re being told Biden won’t be able to achieve much. We must reject that idea | Astra Taylor
If Joe Biden is going to accomplish anything, we need to start thinking differently about power and our political system
One thing we have learned from this election is just how crazy our democratic system is. Many crucial victories came down to slim margins in swing states and the idiosyncrasies of the electoral college.
Moving forward, progressives need to rally around serious democracy reform. Every issue we care about, from heathcare to climate justice, flows from that. Without a major intervention – and even with radical candidates winning office here and there – our political system is becoming less and less representative and responsive.
Continue reading...‘Heal the damage’: Activists urge Joe Biden to move beyond ‘border security’
Biden has said he will end construction of Trump’s wall, but activists say they hope for more than a return to the status quo
As Joe Biden prepares to take office, activists say the president-elect must not only take meaningful action to stabilize the US-Mexico border, but also reckon with his own history of militarizing the border landscape and communities.
Biden has promised to end many of the Trump administration’s border policies, but has yet to unveil the kind of bold immigration plan that would suggest a true departure from Obama-era priorities. Cecilia Muñoz, Obama’s top immigration adviser who memorably defended the administration’s decision to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants, was recently added to Biden’s transition team.
Continue reading...A youth group helped Biden win. Now they want him to fix climate crisis
The Sunrise Movement helped reach 3.5m voters in swing states and are determined to hold the president-elect to his promises
Joe Biden will have to navigate a path for the most ambitious climate agenda ever adopted by a US president through not only stubborn Republican obstruction but also an emergent youth climate movement that is already formulating plans to hold him to account.
Continue reading...Trump insists ‘I concede nothing’ after tweeting that Biden ‘won’ – live coverage
The president’s scattershot comments came in a morning Twitter blitz in which he also lashed out at Fox News
- Arrests as Trump supporters assemble, rejecting Biden victory
- Million Maga March: Trump fans rage against dying of the light
- Democrats divided: Biden win brings end to uneasy truce
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Many New York City parents breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday, as Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that public schools would remain open next week, as Covid-19 testing rates remain below the threshold for closures.
Increasing positivity rates in New York City and state have prompted rollbacks of reopening initiatives, spurring De Blasio to warn on Friday that schools could close again. De Blasio said classrooms would close if the seven-day test positivity rate exceeded 3%.
Today’s indicators are similar to yesterday:
• 117 patients admitted to the hospital
• 937 new cases
• The test positivity 7-day average is 2.57%
Thankfully, schools will remain open on Monday, but we have to keep fighting back with everything we’ve got.
While his aides seek to turn up the pressure on Donald Trump, to force his co-operation with the presidential transition, Joe Biden is going about his business as the president-elect:
JUST IN: President-elect Joe Biden will address the nation on Monday about the state of the economy.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will join Biden from Wilmington, Delaware.
Related: Trump faces growing pressure to start transition as Covid surges across US
Continue reading...Tracking the US election results: ‘We needed to be clear, fast, and accurate’
The team behind our US election results tracker discuss how it came together, why readers around the world loved it, and how it came to be the most-viewed page ever on the Guardian’s website
On Wednesday 4 November, the Guardian recorded its highest-ever digital traffic, reaching more than 190 million page views and 52.9m unique browsers worldwide in 24 hours - exceeding all previous traffic records by an enormous margin. Our live results tracker – a collaborative project from the Guardian’s newsroom, visual journalism, designers and engineering teams – has received over 94 million page views so far since launch, and continues to draw in readers. Here, the team behind it explain why visual journalism is so critical to what we do.
US poll chaos is a boon for the enemies of democracy the whole world over
While Democrats and Republicans squabble in Washington, injustice and violence reigns from Palestine to Mozambique
Believe it or not, the world did not stop turning on its axis because of the US election and ensuing, self-indulgent disputes in the land of the free-for-all. In the age of Donald Trump, narcissism spreads like the plague.
But the longer the wrangling in Washington continues, the greater the collateral damage to America’s global reputation – and to less fortunate states and peoples who rely on the US and the western allies to fly the flag for democracy and freedom.
Continue reading...Arrests in Washington as Trump supporters assemble, rejecting Biden victory
Counter-demonstrators clash with Maga groups that echo president’s baseless claims of fraud
Donald Trump continued to rage against the dying light of his US presidency on Saturday, falsely claiming to be the victim of mass voter fraud and praising rightwingers and conspiracy theorists who gathered in Washington to echo his fabrication.
Trump emerged from the White House to applause, cheers, waving and whistles from hundreds of supporters lining both sides of the street. They punched the air, took pictures with phones and held signs that included “Best prez ever” and “Stop the steal”.
Continue reading...Joe Biden administration: president-elect assembles a diverse cabinet
Susan Rice is being considered for secretary of state and Michele Flournoy is reportedly top choice for defence secretary
Joe Biden is piecing together what he has promised to be a diverse cabinet, with Michele Flournoy reportedly top choice for US defence secretary and Susan Rice considered a frontrunner for secretary of state.
Continue reading...Trump supporters rally in Washington as president refuses to concede – live
- Trump comes close to admitting defeat but stops short of concession
- Is Biden walking into a Republican trap?
- Georgia Senate runoffs battle is already on
- US sees record 184,000 new daily Covid cases
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Joe Biden is reportedly poised to choose a woman to lead the Pentagon, an historic decision.
The president-elect’s expected selection, Michele Flournoy, is described by the Associated Press as a “a politically moderate Pentagon veteran … regarded by US officials and political insiders as a top choice for the position.”
Out of his bunker for a second straight day, Donald Trump made a deliberate pass by his supporters in town for today’s Maga rallies in his presidential motorcade before veering off toward Trump National in Sterling, Virginia.
More details from the White House pool report:
POTUS emerged from the south portico at 10am wearing a red hat, blue jacket and blue trousers. He appeared to be holding a newspaper. He got inside the presidential limousine and the motorcade headed out to Pennsylvania Avenue.
It was greeted by applause, cheers, waving and whistles from hundreds of Trump supporters lining both sides of the street. They punched the air, took pictures with phones and held signs that included ‘Best prez ever’ and ‘Stop the steal’.
Continue reading...US sees record 184,000 new daily Covid cases as Trump politicises vaccine effort
Deaths increase as states implement new social restrictions and president threatens not to deliver vaccines to New York
The US set yet another daily record for new coronavirus cases on Friday, topping 184,000, while Donald Trump promised imminent distribution of a vaccine – except to New York, which he threatened to leave out for political reasons – and the president-elect, Joe Biden, pleaded with Americans to follow basic mitigation measures.
Related: 'Failure is not an option': Biden's Covid taskforce ready to step up
Continue reading...Donald Trump comes close to admitting defeat but stops short – video
Donald Trump appeared to come close to acknowledging Joe Biden's election victory in a Rose Garden press conference.
Discussing the possibility of a national lockdown, the president said: 'Whatever happens in the future, who knows which administration it will be, I guess time will tell ... this administration will not go to a lockdown.'
Donald Trump has refused to concede to the president-elect, instead making false claims of mass voter fraud
Continue reading...‘Failure is not an option’: Biden’s Covid taskforce ready to step up
Advisory board set up by president-elect to play high-profile role as pandemic enters its deadliest phase so far
President-elect Joe Biden has set up a 13-member coronavirus advisory board will play a high-profile role in helping the Biden-Harris administration contain the coronavirus pandemic in the US as it enters its deadliest phase so far.
Related: Officials condemn Trump's false claims and say election 'most secure in US history'
Continue reading...Trump repeats false Covid claims and attacks New York governor Cuomo in first remarks since election loss – live
- President says: ‘This administration will not be going to a lockdown’
- Biden says coronavirus surge requires ‘urgent action
- Trump law firm pulls out of Pennsylvania election case
- US sets another single-day record with 153,496 Covid cases
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Congressional dinner shifts to to-go meals after outrage
The dinner for new members of Congress being held by Democrats will be modified, shifting to a to-go food model, after outrage over an indoor meal, said Nancy Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill on Friday evening.
Pelosi and other Congress members slammed for holding indoor dinner during pandemic
Congress members are being hit with intense blowback for holding indoor banquets as the coronavirus pandemic worsens and health experts advise Americans against social gatherings.
House Dem and GOP leaders are holding respective dinners for new members.
.@SpeakerPelosi told me it’s safe. “It’s very spaced,” she said and there is enhanced ventilation and the Capitol physician signed off. pic.twitter.com/ZXjf72lnrP
Cancel this event, @SpeakerPelosi — it sets a deadly example while COVID is the worst it's ever been. https://t.co/7HTzFVlhBg
Imagine telling families not to hold Thanksgiving (we shouldn’t) and then doing this. Come. On. https://t.co/ws9k2QDBLU
California, among other states, is begging people not to travel for Thanksgiving, and counties — including Pelosi's district — are shutting down all indoor dining.
This needs to be moved outside, at least. Even if it can be made safe indoors, it's a terrible example. https://t.co/2nabkx5QpZ
Trump comes close to admitting defeat but stops short of formal concession
- Trump makes first public remarks since weekend election loss
- Seemed to be on verge of acknowledging Biden’s victory
Donald Trump has come closer than ever to admitting that he lost the US presidential election, suggesting “time will tell” but stopping short of a formal concession to president-elect Joe Biden.
Related: Joe Biden ignores Trump obstruction to press ahead with cabinet selection
Continue reading...Joe Biden ignores Trump obstruction to press ahead with cabinet selection
The president-elect is likely to value Washington experience but must balance the wings of his party and a possibly hostile Senate
Joe Biden’s team is pressing forward with preparations to take over the federal government when his term starts despite virtually no help from Donald Trump’s outgoing administration.
Continue reading...Ma Jun: China has started to ‘walk the walk’ on climate crisis
US dropped the environmental ball under Trump, but Biden victory means the two countries can work together for a green recovery, says campaigner
Ma Jun experienced a strange role reversal during Donald Trump’s presidency. Over more than two decades as one of China’s top environmental campaigners, American encouragement for Beijing to cut carbon emissions and temper the damage of rapid industrialisation had been part of the background music. Ma never imagined he would see the US renege on environmental commitments while China began to face up to the challenge.
“It’s been frustrating,” says Ma of the past four years as we speak on the phone, the bustle of Beijing audible in the background. “When it comes to environmental collaboration between the governments, it has been hard to do anything.”
Continue reading...Nancy Pelosi tells Republicans to ‘stop the circus’ as Trump still refuses to concede – live
- House speaker says Republicans ‘refusing to accept reality’
- Fauci says national lockdown not necessary because of vaccines
- November on track to be worst month of pandemic so far in US
- Biden names Ron Klain, Obama’s Ebola tsar, as chief of staff
- What will Mike Pence do next after Trump’s election loss?
- Sign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email
Pope blesses president-elect
Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Thursday, and Biden thanked him for his “blessing and congratulations,” his transition team said in a statement.
Related: Soul of the nation: how Joe Biden's faith will shape his presidency
Here’s where the day stands so far:
Continue reading...Nancy Pelosi accuses Republicans of ‘refusing to accept reality’ over election result – video
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, held a press conference on Capitol Hill, calling on Republican lawmakers to accept the results of the presidential election.
Pelosi emphasised the need to pass another coronavirus relief bill, saying: 'Stop the circus and get to work on what really matters to the American people'
Continue reading...