US presidential election & covid-19 restrictions, 15 november: Trump vs Biden results | Updates

Dr. Fauci says Donald Trump hasn’t attended a covid-19 meeting in 'several months'

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US’s top infectious diseases official and a member of the White House taskforce, has joined the call to allow transition talks to begin amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

Asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper if a normal transition would be to the benefit of public health, he replied: "Of course, that’s obvious. Of course, it would be better if we could starting working with them."

As the calls mount for Trump to leave, the president himself has been virtually silent on the public health disaster swirling around him. According to Fauci, Trump has not attended a meeting of the coronavirus taskforce for “several months”.

Trump coronavirus adviser urges Michigan to 'rise up' against new covid-19 measures

CNN - White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Scott Atlas criticised Michigan's new covid-19 restrictions in a tweet shortly after they were announced on Sunday evening, urging people to "rise up" against the new public health measures.

"The only way this stops is if people rise up," Atlas said. "You get what you accept. #FreedomMatters #StepUp"

Responding to Atlas' tweet on Sunday, Whitmer told CNN, "We know that the White House likes to single us out here in Michigan, me out in particular. I'm not going to be bullied into not following reputable scientists and medical professionals."

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded to the pair of tweets, casting Atlas' post as, "disappointing, irresponsible, and the reason why the United States finds itself in such desperate circumstances regarding covid-19."

President Trumps legal assault is faltering 

President Trump has made numerous accusations of electoral fraud and challenges to the election results across the US. This is in an effort to slow the certification and the inevitable, Joe Biden won the election.  Of the countless lawsuits that have been filed only one has had any traction, a case from Pennsylvania where a court ruled that the Secretary of State there was not in their authority to grant more time to voters to correct signature mismatches on their mail-in votes.  This affected a small number of ballots cast and won’t offset Biden’s 62,000 lead in the state. But none of his challenges claiming voter fraud have been substantiated. 

Pfizer vaccine’s need for cold storage may limit access to it 

The recent good news regarding Pfizer’s vaccine trial being 90 percent effective gave a ray of hope that the pandemic may be within sight.  However, one of the drawbacks of the vaccine should it be approved is its need to be stored at –70º C (-94º F) which will make distribution a challenge to places where ultra-cold storage is not available. As well there are questions as to if enough glass vials can be produced that can withstand the extreme subzero temperatures. Pfizer says that is working to overcome these issues. 

Health officials struggle to get people to worry about catching covid-19 

In the Midwest, where case numbers are soaring and hospitals are running out of beds getting people to feel the need to wear masks to help stop the spread is a challenge.  People are aware that the virus is dangerous and that their states are in the eye of the hurricane but people don’t want to curtail their lives or just aren’t worried about getting the disease. This has left health officials puzzled about how to slow the surge of cases afflicting the communities they serve. 

Georgia Senator Perdue declines to debate Democrat challenger again 

The election isn’t over in Georgia with the candidates back on the campaign trail after none of the candidates received the necessary 50 percent to avoid a runoff election for both of Georgia’s Senate seats. The runoff elections will be held on 5 January between Senator David Perdue and his challenger Jon Ossoff, as well as Senator Kelly Loeffler and her challenger Reverand Raphael Warnock. 

Perdue cancelled a second debate with his challenger prior to the 3 November election after his rival called him a “crook” for profiteering off of the coronavirus pandemic. He has again refused to participate in a 6 December which would have been hosted by the Atlanta Press Club. 

SpaceX “Resilience” makes successful launch 

A four-man crew is en route to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule named “Resilience.” The crew named the capsule with this year’s racial injustice, quarrelsome politics and the covid-19 pandemic in mind. 

Trump's effort to delegitimise this election started before 2016

As told by The New York Times, Trump's systemic and fully-rounded assault on the election process this year, actually began when he was preparing for a loss to Hillary Clinton in 2016, and claiming Obama wasn't American. The group "Stop the Steal" was invented back then, by Trump backer Roger Stone, just in case he lost.

Skip to election night 2020 in Detroit where a Republican observer admitted that they were instructed by Trump's heavies to challenge every single ballot, without cause and aggressively.

The story takes us through Trump's defunding the national postal system earlier this year, plans within his party to deploy aggressive poll watchers and his abuse of the US rightwing news media cycle and echo chambers on social media. Overall, an extremely successful and poisonous plan.

CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS CHECKS

Second stimulus check update: why has Donald Trump pushed to approve the covid-19 relief bill?

Trump wants a new stimulus bill, apparently

Donald Trump, after being silent on the matter since the election tweeted on Saturday that he wants Congress to pass a coronavirus relief bill.

Read the full story:

Washington imposes new covid measures

Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced sweeping new restrictions on gatherings and businesses on Sunday, including a ban on indoor service at restaurants and bars, to combat a recent surge in covid-19 cases in the state, according to Reuters.

The restrictions, most of which will take effect Monday and last for one month, come as the average daily tally for cases has doubled in the past two weeks, Inslee told a news conference.

The spike in cases “...means, unfortunately, the time has come to reinstate restrictions on activities statewide to preserve the public’s well-being and to save lives,” Inslee said.

Indoor gatherings will be prohibited outside one’s household and outdoor gatherings will be limited to five people.

Religious services and in-store retail will be limited to 25% occupancy, Inslee said, while fitness gyms must halt indoor services, and youth and adult sports will be restricted to activities outdoors.

Donald Trump promises more "big" lawsuits to come

Trump promises more lawsuits yet to come as he continues his baseless assault on the US election process this year, which we gently remind you was found by Trump's own government to be the most secure in history this week.

As it becomes evident that almost 100% of the dozens of suits have been thrown out, laughed at or just plain failed, he's begun to deny that those ones were even his.

Trump to make sweeping China sanctions in last weeks at White House

Axios reports today that Donald Trump will enact a series of hardline policies during his final 10 weeks to cement his legacy on China, citing senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the plans.

Trump officials plan to sanction or restrict trade with more Chinese companies, government entities and officials for alleged complicity in human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, or threatening U.S. national security.

The administration also will crack down on China for its labor practices beyond Xinjiang forced labor camps.

But don’t expect big new moves on Taiwan or more closures of Chinese consulates in the U.S., officials say.

National security council spokesperson John Ullyot told Axios: “Unless Beijing reverses course and becomes a responsible player on the global stage, future US presidents will find it politically suicidal to reverse President Trump’s historic actions.”

Trump hates Fox, considers buying rival network

Since Fox News called Arizona for Joe Biden along with Associated Press late on election night, Donald Trump was no longer friends with the network.

After his wrath turned to Fox on Twitter, his supporters, and their main audience, turned away, and apparently towards Newsmax, a rival "news" network.

Now it appears as though Trump may be considering cashing in on the damage he's brought upon Fox and buying out the rival station. Heaven knows he'll be looking for a new job come 20 January.

One in every 378 people in the US tested positive for covid-19 in the past week

"It's hard to overstate how much the U.S. coronavirus outbreak has deteriorated this past week, with each day ushering in new, disturbing records," begins this write up by NPR.

When compared directly to our preceding post detailing one nurse's account in one of the hardest hit states, the whole picture is more than frightening.

A South Dakota nurse on Trumpsim's effect on covid patients

South Dakota saw 1,855 new cases yesterday. An emergency room nurse posted today a harrowing account of coronavirus deniers who make her job even more challenging.

"I have a night off from the hospital. As I’m on my couch with my dog I can’t help but think of the Covid patients the last few days. The ones that stick out are those who still don’t believe the virus is real.

The ones who scream at you for a magic medicine and that Joe Biden is going to ruin the USA. All while gasping for breath on 100% Vapotherm.

They tell you there must be another reason they are sick. They call you names and ask why you have to wear all that “stuff” because they don’t have COViD because it’s not real. Yes. This really happens.

And I can’t stop thinking about it. These people really think this isn’t going to happen to them. And then they stop yelling at you when they get intubated. It’s like a fucking horror movie that never ends. There’s no credits that roll. You just go back and do it all over again."

On the divided Democratic party

The Guardian takes a look at divisions in the Democrats, as Biden prepares to take the reins.

Lauren Gambino writes; Democrats face a reckoning, four years in the making, after an election that accomplished their mission but did little to resolve urgent questions about the party’s political future and serious internal divisions.

Moderates argue that Biden’s success, which included reclaiming three states in the rust belt Trump won in 2016 and expanding the map to sun belt battlegrounds, was evidence that a moderate who rejected liberal appeals was best positioned to build a winning coalition.

And the progressives blamed unexpected losses on an embrace of “status quo centrism” that failed to capture voters’ imagination and faulted moderate candidates for not developing strong enough brands and digital strategies to withstand inevitable attacks.

Obama on the state of the nation

In an interview with the BBC, Barack Obama says America faces a huge task in reversing a divisive conspiracy culture.

US ELECTIONS

Presidential inauguration: when will Joe Biden take over the White House?

Inauguration day and Joe Biden's transition explained

When does the handover of power begin, and what's different about this year?

Read the full story:

Mayor of New York confirms schools to remain open for now

But urges residents not to become complacent or give in to pandemic fatigue, as this weekend the city has averaged almost 1,000 new cases per day.

Americans discuss responsible, pandemic friendly Thanksgiving plans

Some discuss cancelling Thanksgiving and even movingChristmas to July in light of worsening daily coronavirus cases and deaths all over the US.

"So we'll be around for another holiday season"

Obama on taking cabinet role: 'Michelle would leave me'

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, two days ahead of publication of his memoir, A Promised Land, Barack Obama confirmed that he would not take a position in Joe Biden’s cabinet if the president-elect offered it – because if he did, he fears, Michelle Obama would leave him.

He detailed the toll his role as president took on his wife's own ambitions as a lawyer.

#TrumpConceded trending on Twitter

But then again, so is "I concede nothing". Clear as mud.

To recap; after seemingly coming even closer still to accepting election defeat in a tweet today saying Joe Biden "won", Donald Trump later insists: "I concede NOTHING!"

Donal Trump's Twitter feed does not make Joe Biden president or not president, the American people did that.

Full Ron Klain interview on Joe Biden transition to White House

Watch as Biden's new chief of staff explain to NBC how the first week of transition has gone for Biden's dedicated team.

From Georgia and want to vote in runoffs?

Here's where to sort out your mail in ballot courtesy of Stacey Abrams. Safety first!

20 arrested in light clashes at Million Maga March DC

The Guardian' video shows a summary of the day Saturday when several thousand protesters and counter protesters gathering in Washington DC to dispute the presidential election result.

No major violence broke out but 20 were arrested in clashes.

Ron Klain pushes Trump on a deadline to start Biden transition 

Ron Klain, Joe Biden’s incoming White House chief of staff, has said the federal government needs to sign off on transition team efforts this week so that Biden can receive national security briefings and address covid-19.

While it seems like January 20th is a long way away, if you're looking to mount a response to a global health crisis, economic crisis, climate crisis and a fractured society at home, every waking hour counts for Biden's smooth transition. 

“What we really want to see this week ... is the General Services Administration issue that ascertainment,” Klain told NBC’s Meet the Press.

Cuomo delivers remarks in New York on covid-19

Governor Cuomo urges renewed trust in federal government to aide effectiveness of vaccine when it comes.

Strangely talking in the past tense, he emphasised that coronavirus has killed twice as many black people as white people in America. With the second wave of infections in full swing, this is most certainly a present tense issue.

NY Gov. Cuomo may sue Trump admin. over covid vaccine access

Andrew Cuomo is planning to sue the Trump administration over the distribution of the covid-19 vaccine, alleging that the president’s plan discriminates against Black and minority communities. Cuomo says the federal plan is too reliant on healthcare providers that some Black and brown people do not have easy access to.

“If the Trump administration does not change this plan and does not provide an equitable vaccine process, we will enforce our legal rights,” Cuomo said on Sunday. “We will bring legal action to protect New Yorkers.”

Black and Latino people have experienced much higher death rates that white people from Covid-19. “Those are ugly facts,” Cuomo said. “We must have the courage to face it and admit it.” He added that he wanted to see the vaccine available in places such as churches and community centres.

“Any plan that intentionally burdens communities of colour to hinder access to the vaccine deprives those communities of equal protection under the law,” said Cuomo. “We need to make special efforts for the vaccine to reach the underserved Black, Brown and poor communities. The private market alone will not do it.”

US NEWS

Second stimulus check: can Trump approve it now?

Second stimulus check: can Trump approve it now?

Despite his unfounded claims to the contrary, Donald Trump will be leaving the White House in January, but he could yet play a pivotal role in a coronavirus relief package.

Full story:

Trump: "I concede NOTHING!"

Having earlier posted a tweet in which he said President-elect Joe Biden had “won” the election, Donald Trump has again taken to Twitter to insist he has not accepted defeat in the election.

"He only won in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS MEDIA," Trump said of Biden, in a tweet in which the president continued his baseless claims of widespread electoral fraud. "I concede NOTHING! We have a long way to go. This was a RIGGED ELECTION!"

Prosecutors ask Barr to rescind memo on US vote counting irregularities - Washington Post

US prosecutors are asking Attorney General William Barr to rescind a memo issued earlier this week that instructed them to publicly investigate "substantial" allegations of vote counting irregularities, saying they have not seen the unusual activity, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

The 16 assistant US attorneys specially assigned to monitor the presidential election this month also said Barr's Monday memorandum had thrust prosecutors into partisan politics and that the policy change was not based in fact, according to the Post, which saw a copy of the letter.

(Reuters)

"No excuse" for not socially distancing, wearing a mask - Dr Fauci

Dr Anthony Fauci, the US’ top infectious disease expert, has said there is "no excuse" for not wearing a mask and socially distancing as the country battles to bring down world-record daily rises in coronavirus cases.

"Everybody’s got to do it," Dr Fauci told anchor Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union. "There’s no excuse not to do that right now. Because we know that can turn things around. That’s the tool we have."

He continued: “We have good news with regard to the vaccine, so there is light at the end of the tunnel, help is coming and that should, I believe, motivate people to just say we are going to double down and do this uniformly. Those are the tools we have right now. And they do work. We can get this to plateau to come down."

"People are worn out, but we’ve got to hang in there a bit longer, particularly as we get into the holiday season and the late fall and winter months."

Asked when he expected daily life to return to something approaching normality in the US, Dr Fauci said the answer was dependent on enough Americans agreeing to be vaccinated, and added that the roll-out of vaccines should not mean people give up on other safety measures such as mask-wearing.

"It depends on a number of factors. For example, we have [good progress on] vaccines now, the first that came out was highly effective, I anticipate that the second one would be comparable. That’s great, but we have to get people to take the vaccine.

"We could start getting things back to relative normal as we get into the second or third quarter of the year. But we’ve got to get the vaccines to be deployed and we can’t abandon fundamental public health measures."

Dr Fauci also cautioned that the roll-out of a vaccine will not bring the pandemic to an end overnight. "It’s not going be a light switch," he said.

(Photo: Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

CORONAVIRUS

Second stimulus check: where does Biden stand on $1,200 payment?

Where does Biden stand on $1,200 stimulus checks?

Congress has been urged to pass a coronavirus relief bill - which would potentially feature a second stimulus check - but a deal before US President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in appears to be unlikely.

If Americans have to wait until after Biden takes office, here's what we can expect from the 77-year-old when it comes to relief legislation and stimulus checks:

"He won": Trump starting to accept defeat?

Donald Trump has offered the closest thing yet to a concession of defeat to Joe Biden, using the phrase "he won" in a tweet in which he continued to spout false claims that the outcome of this month's US presidential election was altered by widespread electoral fraud.

"He won because the Election was Rigged," Trump said. "NO VOTE WATCHERS OR OBSERVERS allowed, vote tabulated by a Radical Left privately owned company, Dominion, with a bad reputation & bum equipment that couldn’t even qualify for Texas (which I won by a lot!), the Fake & Silent Media, & more!"

Holding up of transition "the most unpatriotic thing Trump can do"

Blocking the transition by refusing to concede defeat in the US election is "the most unpatriotic thing Trump can do on his way out of office", says CNN national security analyst Samantha Vinograd.

"The Biden team is doing everything they can to prepare for the transition despite the constraints Donald Trump is placing on them," Vinograd told CNN anchor Abby Phillip.

“[But] there are certain things they can't do, absent the US General Services Administration ascertaining Biden is the winner."

"This is an all-hands-on-deck scenario"

Amid world-record spikes in coronavirus cases in the US, CNN analyst Dr Abdul El-Sayed has urged Americans to minimise Thanksgiving gatherings to avoid infections surging even further after the holiday period.

"It may mean that we have to forgo the kind of social interactions that the holidays bring with them" said Dr El-Sayed, adding that government authorities should also consider greater coronavirus restrictions than those currently being implemented. "When it comes to the spikes that we have seen, our politics have just not been there," he said.

He concluded: "This is an all-hands-on-deck scenario, and we’ve got to treat it that way."

Following the announcement that a Pfizer vaccine has been found to be 90% effective in human trials, Dr El-Sayed said he expected people in the US who do not belong to at-risk groups to be vaccinated by mid-to-late 2021. "The most likely times I have seen are starting into the summer months and next fall," he said.

California urges new arrivals to quarantine

A woman at the Saint Cornelius Catholic Church in Long Beach, California, places a candle representing people who lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic, during a non-denominational memorial service to provide a space for community members who have lost loved ones.

After California passed one million coronavirus cases a travel advisory was issued on Friday urging a two-week quarantine for those arriving from other states or countries.

(Photo by Apu GOMES / AFP)

“I feel badly about restaurants losing business

“And I feel it’s almost a neighbourly obligation to keep neighbourhood restaurants afloat.

“Even though I can cook at home, several nights a week I go out for takeout purely to support those places,”

A member of the Proud Boys and supporter of US President Donald Trump gestures with a white power hand symbol as thousands participate in a 'Stop the Steal' protest near the US Capitol building

US ELECTION 2020

What has Trump tweeted since Biden won US presidential election 2020?

Trump on Twitter

Of course, these latest tweets are not particularly new, and we have been keeping an eye on the reaction by the defeated president following the election.

Trump on Twitter

A more concerning tweet followed from Trump.

Maintaining baseless claims over fraud is, of course, dangerous, irresponsible and a threat to national security, but stoking up further violence is another thing completely.

We are so used to US presidents trying to calm tensions, resolve conflicts and appeal to the better nature of all Americans, that this behaviour can only be described as unpresidential.

Trump on Twitter

The now lame duck president has been rather active over the last 24 hours on his favourite social media release vehicle. 

First up was a shout out to his lawyer who is pushing the case against the election. As we continue to point out, however, after multiple attempts, the arguments being made for widespread voter fraud are being thrown out of court.

US Election 2020

US Election 2020: will Trump give a concession speech and accept defeat?

Donald Trump and admitting defeat

It's now over a week since the US presidential election was called for Joe Biden but the incumbent president continues to make baseless claims of voter fraud.

Will he give a concession speech? How does the process normally work? What happens if he doesn't?

Will Gittens takes a look...

Protest footage from DC

More footage is being shared of some of the more violent clashes from Saturday night's protests in the capital.

Warning: contains strong language and violence

Dead voter apology from Tucker Carlson

Fox News host Tucker Carlson apologised for one of his fake news stories that a dead man had voted in Georgia.

He admitted he was absolutely wrong, and that it was the dead veteran’s widow who voted in Georgia, and not her late husband. 

How the American people help keep the postal service honest

As soon as it became apparent that operational changes made by DeJoy were slowing the mail, an enormous wave of public pressure, including congressional hearings, forced him to back off of making any operational changes before the election.

Voting rights advocates sued to force him to roll back the remaining changes, and public pressure and the US district judge overseeing the federal case, Emmett Sullivan, caused the USPS to adopt what it calls “extraordinary measures” to keep ballots moving faster than the rest of the mail.

Trump protesters take aim at opponents

Maddow highlights some of the choice language captured in the Post's article on Saturday's protests in Washington.

Demand prep as movement restricted

Grocery stores and food companies are preparing for a possible surge in sales amid a new rise in covid-19 cases and the impending holiday rush. 

Supermarkets are stockpiling groceries and storing them early to prepare for the fall and winter months, when some health experts warn the country could see another widespread outbreak of virus cases and new restrictions.

Food companies are accelerating production of their most popular items, and leaders across the industry are saying they won’t be caught unprepared.

Biden's tough road ahead

President-elect Joe Biden will not be in the White House until after 20 January next year but he has already started work in preparation.

But, as the Post explains, delivering on some of his promises is not going to be plain sailing.

Clashes breakout between opposing sides in D.C. 

The Washington Post reports that around 8 p.m. skirmishes occurred between Trump supporters and counter-protestors.  The Trump supporters had attended a rally in the nation's capital to falsely claim that President Trump had won the 2020 election.

At least 10 have been arrested as police, four of whom on gun charges as law enforcement separated the two sides.  One individual was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being stabbed. 

How to keep safe from covid-19 when dining outdoors 

The coronavirus has shown itself to be especially good at spreading indoors when people are close together so restaurants have set up outdoor seating to make clients feel safe and save their businesses.  However as winter weather sets in those same restaurants have created outdoor enclosures to protect their customers from the cold reducing the ability of the free flow of outdoor air to disperse the virus load in the air. Good Morning America talks to Lindsey Marr from Virginia Tech about how the virus can spread in tented structures and what measures you can take if you plan to enjoy dining out. 

Freezer supply concerns mount as race is on for covid-cold vaccine storage

Reuters report that U.S. states, cities, and hospitals are scrambling to buy ultra-cold freezers that can safely store Pfizer covid-19 vaccine, ignoring advice from the CDC to hold off.

The push reveals a lack of infrastructure to support a super cold vaccine campaign, including equipment to store millions of doses of Pfizer’s vaccine at temperatures of minus 94°F, significantly below the standard for vaccines of 36-46°F.

Some specialty freezer makers warn of months-long waits for units.

It also marks widespread wariness of the advice from the CDC, which on Aug. 26 urged healthcare providers not to purchase ultra low temperature (ULT) freezers, saying it was working on solutions for Pfizer’s “very complex storage and handling requirements.”

Trump's attack on Fox News continues

As has become customary since his formerly peachy relationship with the broadcaster soured over election results, Trump unsurprisingly tweets that Fox News is suppressing information on attendance of a protest called "March for Trump" or "Million MAGA March" in Washington, today.

Several thousand Trump supporters are thought to have shown up.

North Dakota issues statewide mask mandate

North Dakotans will be required to wear masks indoors in public, and outdoors in any setting where social distancing isn't possible.

The new rule comes into effect tomorrow and is due to last at least until 13 December. North Dakota is one of the states with the worst case increases in recent days, and nationwide the country amassed almost 185,000 new daily infections yesterday.

Governor Doug Burgum said that the requirement is in order to "avoid any need for economic shutdown".

Repeat. The number is around 5,000 inc. counter-protesters

It seems not only can Donald Trump not count votes, he also struggles with counting protesters.

Donald Trump Jr makes appalling comparison

The President's son and top advisor appears to have made a direct comparison between the disappointed portion of the electorate who voted for the losing candidate in the election, Donald Trump (which is a fact so routine in democracy that it's almost mundane) and the mass trauma and systemic oppression experienced by African Americans over the course of 250 years in the US.

This summer, the US (and the world) saw the largest race riots since the 1960's Civil Rights movement in protest to systemic racism, triggered by the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

The vast majority of Black Lives Matter protests were peaceful, but some high profile cities in the US saw damage to property and violence.

Disputes on Twitter over crowd size at #MarchforTrump

Many news organisations report the count at several thousand including counter-protesters.

US election and coronavirus: latest news

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the US elections, with all the ongoing reaction, breaking news and regular updates of the fall-out from the historic election on 3 November.

We'll also be keeping you updated on all the latest developments to do with the pandemic which is the number one priority for President-elect Joe Biden who is already getting to work on how he plans to govern a very divided United States with Donald Trump still yet to recognise or acknowledge defeat.

In his victory speech, Biden, along with his vice president-elect Kamala Harris, called for unity and cooperation and said he knew how Trump supporters felt. But with so much disinformation filling social media accounts across the country - some driven from the White House - it's clear that desire is going to take some time to fulfil.