The US recorded 166,555 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, down from more than 184,000 on Friday but still its second-highest daily total and a 12th day in a row above 100,000.
Related: Arrests in Washington as Trump supporters assemble, rejecting Biden victory
Continue reading...The rightwing channel was the first to call Arizona for Biden – and Trump and his supporters have been furious ever since
It was about 11.20pm on election night when Fox News made the call. The Democratic candidate had clinched a key swing state, a win that could set them on a path to be president of the United States.
In the Fox News studio, Karl Rove, conservative panelist and longtime Republican strategist, was apoplectic. Around the country, Republican supporters were bereft. Fox News launched an immediate inquisition into its own decision, but the network stood by the call.
Continue reading...Trump’s sway over his supporters means he will be an albatross around Republicans’ necks whether or not he runs in 2024
For Republican leaders it was, perhaps, the worst of all possible worlds.
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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...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...Chad Wolf took office unlawfully, says federal court judge, therefore could not suspend program that shields young people from deportation
A federal judge in New York has ruled that the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, assumed his position unlawfully and has invalidated Wolf’s suspension of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program, which shields young people from deportation.
“DHS failed to follow the order of succession as it was lawfully designated,” the US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis wrote.
Continue reading...From the motorcade, leaving Washington, it was clear how Trump thrives on a noisy minority’s support – and why he lost
It was a jarring few minutes of seeing the world through Donald Trump’s eyes and indulging his fantasies.
Related: Trump supporters gather in Washington as president refuses to concede to Biden
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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...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 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...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’s defeat in the reliably red state has shown Democratic voters the power of their ballot, activists say as they focus on Ossoff and Warnock’s races
Donald Trump may have forced a recount of the votes in Georgia that helped end his presidency, but the activists who organised the surge in turnout that helped defeat him have already turned their attention to two elections that will decide who controls the US Senate and the course of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Tens of millions of dollars are pouring in to the Georgia runoff races, which can be expected to draw Biden back to the campaign trail as voters have the opportunity to make history by defeating the state’s two Republican senators to give the new president control of both houses of Congress.
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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
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...Government health officials have warned that tens of thousands of Americans will die in the coming weeks as coronavirus continued to surge across the country, shattering more daily records.
Related: Coronavirus live news: Germany, Sweden and Russia all report record rises in daily cases
Continue reading...Susan Rice, Michele Flournoy, Doug Jones, Lael Brainard, Vivek Murthy and Heidi Heitkamp are some of the most frequently mentioned in Washington
Cabinet appointment speculation is a time-honored tradition in Washington DC – and despite everything else going on is US politics at the moment, 2020 is no different.
Continue reading...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...Loyalty from president’s base remains undimmed, amid belief that political establishment is colluding to deny him victory
The red and blue political bunting and yard signs planted on suburban lawns are mostly gone and with them the outward signs of America’s fiercely oppositional election. But in other respects, the tensions of the 2020 contest remain as acute as they were on polling day for many Trump supporters.
“Not many care about people as much as Trump,” said tow-truck driver Vinny Nolan as he took a rest at a highway truck stop near Hackensack, New Jersey. “The [Russia] collusion bullshit was a set-up. He gave everyone money while we iron this virus situation then they announce a vaccine two days after the election. Why didn’t they do that a week ago? He would have won.”
Continue reading...President turns to right-wing network Newsmax for support after Fox warned viewers Trump’s election victory claims were false
Donald Trump has unleashed a torrent of tweets denouncing Fox News, accusing the network of having forgotten “what made them successful, what got them there”.
“They forgot the Golden Goose,” Trump wrote in a tweet posted at midday on Thursday:
Continue reading...CEO told staffers Bannon had not violated enough policies to justify ban when he called for beheading of Anthony Fauci
Mark Zuckerberg told Facebook staffers on Thursday that former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon had not violated enough of the company’s policies to justify his suspension from the platform when he called for the beheading of two US officials and the posting of their heads outside the White House as a “warning”.
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