The Trump campaign put out a press release announcing that its lawyers would be holding a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. But the Four Seasons Hotel knew nothing about it, and the press conference was switched to a drab landscaping business called Four Seasons Total Landscaping.
Rudy Giuliani did indeed conduct the event in a light industrial neighborhood in front of Four Seasons Total Landscaping.
When journalists arrived at the site of the news conference, they were flabbergasted by the scene and many quickly speculated that someone in the Trump campaign made a serious mistake. After all, the parking lot of a landscaping business in the outskirts of the city in an industrial part of town was a drab backdrop for a news conference by a president who wanted to convince Americans he still had a chance of winning. And making matters even stranger, the landscaping business was between an adult bookstore and a cremation center. The location led to lots of mockery online, and many people were very happy with the scene that was ripe for mockery, and some saw as a poignant metaphor of the failure of the Trump campaign.
There were many funny tweets remarking on the fact that this momentous event was held between a porn shop and a crematorium.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
OMG I was just laughing out loud for 20 minutes straight reading the memes. Patton Oswalt started a funny one on twitter. It’s nice to be able to laugh again without feeling the expanding dread that the end of democracy was nigh.
^^^”This is not over. For we shall mount our righteous stand at Four Seasons Total Landscaping. Next to Fantasy Island Adult Books. Across the street from the Delaware Valley Cremation Center. Between the fire extinguisher and yellow hose. #MAGA”
I got the lead from my son, who saw it on Patton Oswalt’s Twitter feed
From the Boston Globe:
“But there may be more pressing concerns, especially if Trump leans on Republican legislatures in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia to dismiss the results and submit a slate of electors to Congress who favor him, as some right-wing commentators have been suggesting.
Such a move may be unlikely, but it’s allowed by the Constitution, which designates that states appoint electors “in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct.” Since the 19th century, the popular vote in each state determined the slate of electors. But as recently as 2000, after the deadlocked election in Florida, the Supreme Court affirmed in Bush v. Gore that states “can take back the power to appoint electors.”
The Boston Globe is right — I have no doubt the Trump administration will try everything and use every threat in their powerful arsenal.
But I have been thinking how hugely important it has been that the mainstream media has reported that Biden is the victor – unconditionally. None of the usual both sides reporting a la “Republicans say irregular voting raises serious questions, Biden camp says Pennsylvania put him over the top.” We have had 4+ years of that kind of reporting and it is really good that the news media decided that facts matter, and presenting facts as opinions is dangerous. And reporting falsehoods as if falsehoods have the same weight as truth is dangerous. I just hope it lasts.
The other thing that matters a lot is what Biden and Harris did last night. The acceptance speeches were brilliant. Calmly asserting that “we won, we have already embarked on the hard work of cleaning up this country”. Presenting it as a done deal. The more it is a done deal in Americans’ minds, the harder it is for the Republicans to convince the public with their non-stop propaganda that it isn’t a done deal. Especially if the Republicans don’t have the help of the mainstream media to amplify their propaganda, as they do.
This is also why I think there should be some quiet time by everyone (including the Biden campaign) about choices they would make for cabinet positions or other important roles. Don’t give the right wing any meat for the baying dogs. Biden and Harris need to just act presidential for a while and focus on COVID-19 and getting scientists together. And once inauguration day is closer and (hopefully) Trump has conceded, then start talking about other policy.
Unfortunately, I don’t think progressive legislation is going to happen in 2021 or even 2022 if that progressive legislation is presented as coming from the left. If Biden was LBJ-savvy, he’d present a huge expansion of the ACA that gave Americans a public option (perhaps with a medicare buy-in for people over 50). And Bernie and AOC would criticize it by saying “it’s not Medicare for All, and that means it’s not as good” but Bernie or AOC would silence the voices on the left that said “it’s a sell out plan because corporations and Wall Street are telling Biden what to do”. And the Republicans in the Senate could have their fit, but Biden would be able to say “I a presenting the plan that is moderate and that the vast majority of Americans want, and I am going into your state and telling residents that this moderate plan that they voted for is being held up by their greedy Republican Senator who doesn’t care if they die and I encourage voters to start a recall campaign if their Republican Senator is preventing this moderate plan from happening because they are showing you that they only answer to the rich people who don’t care if middle class Americans die.
The key to getting progressive legislation passed is to present progressive legislation as moderate. The way that Republicans turned this country to the far right was their successful campaign to convince America that John Birch Society legislation is “moderate” and not far right extremist. And at the same time the Republicans mounted a successful campaign to convince America that progressive ideas that they had previous supported were far left extremist. So Biden/Harris need to reverse that, with the right kind of help from the progressives. And I know it can be done because Americans actually love progressive ideas — as long as they don’t associate those progressive ideas with “socialism” or “the left”.
In other words, progressive ideas need to be characterized always as “moderate” ideas now, and presented as “moderate” ideas that Republicans only want to stop because they are right wing extremists who only work for the rich.
It’s the perfect location for Giuliani who looks like Count Dracula and was in an embarrassing scene in a movie “tucking in his shirt.” Someone needs to bury this corrupt campaign and the whole skeevy band of Trump misfits.
The location of this landscape is in the Tacony area of Philly, and it is a few blocks away from the decommissioned Holmesburg prison which is still standing. They should have held their press conference there.
Now THAT is comedy gold.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
Sometimes truth is funnier than fiction.
Was Rudy’s fly open?
Imagine having a president who cares about people, has compassion and wants to unite the country. Biden has class. It was a joy to see on the stage adults and children having fun. Compare that with the wooden, plastic behavior of Trump and his family. They are all rigid, immaculately and properly dressed and afraid of The Donald.
Canada thought this important enough to put out the full transcript.
………………………………………..
Joe Biden’s victory speech: ‘This is the time to heal in America’ (Full transcript)
By Maclean’s
November 7, 2020
The president-elect of the United States addressed viewers and supporters in Wilmington, Delaware. Here is the full transcript of his remarks.
Folks, the people of this nation have spoken. They’ve delivered us a clear victory, a convincing victory, a victory for we, the people. And we’ve won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of the nation. Seventy-four million.
I must admit, it surprised me. Tonight, we’re seeing all over this nation, all cities in all parts of the country, indeed across the world, an outpouring of joy, of hope, renewed faith in tomorrow to bring a better day. I’m humbled by the trust and confidence you’ve placed in me.
I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see red states, only sees the United States. Will work with all my heart, with the confidence of the whole people, to win the confidence of all of you. And for that is what America is what America, I believe, is about. It’s about people, and that’s what our administration will be all about…
For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple times myself. But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. Lower the temperature. See each other again. Listen to each other again. And to make progress we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. They’re Americans.
The Bible tells us, to everything there is a season. A time to build. A time to reap and a time to sow. And a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America….
On Monday, I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisors to help take the Biden-Harris COVID plan and convert it into an action blueprint that will start on January 20, 2021. That plan will be built on bedrock science. It will be constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern. I will spare no effort—none—or any commitment to turn around this pandemic…
https://www.macleans.ca/politics/joe-bidens-victory-speech-this-is-the-time-to-heal-in-america-full-transcript/
He started his remarks by thanking everyone and his wife. Biden said,” She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn’t just what she does , it is who she is. For America’s educators, this is a great day: You’re going to have one of your own in the White House,”
Let’s hope this is more than a token nod of the head.
Seth Fiegerman
@sfiegerman
When the history books look back at this period, the first sentence should be: “It started with a ride down an escalator and ended with a press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping.”
10:46 AM · Nov 7, 2020
LOL
When the history books look back at this period, the first sentence should be: “It started with a ride down an escalator and ended with a press conference next to a dildo shop.”
But seriously, folks . . . . not yet, though (followed by a gleeful chortle).
I was thinking, however, that when the networks cut Trump off when he started his lying rant again, it was probably like cutting off his oxygen. And Biden and Harris didn’t mention him at all that I could see. . . . just another form of very effective social distancing.
All campaign money and power, get thee to Georgia. CBK
Agree about the money getting to Georgia. However, everyone else should stay away from Georgia and let Stacey Abrams and the organizations that worked with her call the shots. I saw a tweet from Andrew Yang saying he was going down there, and I wondered if that was really useful. He should go down there only if Stacey Abrams says it is a good idea.
Understanding how to reach people is what Abrams and other organizations know best. Another person who gets it is Maine progressive politician Chloe Maxmin who won in the deepest red Maine. AOC gets it, as she showed when she defeated the powerful democrat in the primary.
The way to win is not running ad campaigns or bringing in big names or even knocking on doors for brief encounters. It is being out there listening to voters and letting them know that you hear them.
I remembered that HRC did this brilliantly when she first moved to NY and ran for Senate. She spent a huge amount of time on her “listening” campaign around the most conservative Republican parts of upstate New York, and won in a state that had elected many Republican Governors and Senators. It’s a shame that whoever advised her in that first campaign either forgot a very important lesson or got sidelined in the 16 years between her first running for Senate and 2016.
But there are too many overpaid consultants who fly into states to “help” and do terrible jobs doing the same thing that always makes them lose. I hope the 2 Georgia candidates are smart enough to ignore those voices and listen to the quiet people who know how to win.
That’s Monty Python shi*t right there.
Indeed!
It’s but a flesh wound! Is that all you got?
Poor Trump. He is having to face the fact that a sizable number of the population absolutely can’t stand him. HIs narcissism is blatant…can never admit defeat.
…………………………
Denial, and Resignation, From Trump and a Handful of Aides
Aides said the president had no plans to immediately deliver the kind of concession speech that has become traditional in past elections, and his campaign vowed to continue waging its legal battle across the country.
Nov. 7, 2020
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s motorcade was just pulling into the Trump National Golf Club in suburban Virginia on Saturday morning when news organizations ended days of waiting and declared that he had lost the presidency to Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Aides called Mr. Trump to let him know that their predictions over the past several days had come true: Every major news outlet had projected Mr. Biden to be the winner. But the president — who an hour earlier had said on Twitter that “I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!” — was not surprised, they said. And he did not change his plans to go ahead with legal challenges to the election results that several of his own advisers warned him were long shots at best, or to play golf.
The aides said Mr. Trump had no plans to immediately deliver the kind of concession speech that has become traditional in past presidential elections, and his campaign vowed to continue waging the legal battle across the country. In a statement issued while he was still on the golf course, Mr. Trump said Mr. Biden was trying to “falsely pose” as the winner.
“The simple fact is this election is far from over,” the president said, “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”…
There are people who insist that any time someone has an outsized effect upon the world, that person must be some sort of “genius.” It’s time, on the basis of Trumpty, to dispel that notion once and for all.
The Orange One is profoundly ignorant–I mean “inject disinfectant/stealth planes are literally invisible-level ignorant. He’s really stupid–I mean, Denmark will sell us Greenland/it’s all fake news/a dementia diagnostic is an IQ test-level stupid. And, to top it off, he is DELUSIONAL. And it’s the last of these traits is important because IT IS TECHNICALLY DEFINITIVE OF PSYCHOSIS. What makes a condition psychotic is if it involves GROSS DISTORTIONS OF REALITY.
I won! They stole the election! I’m going to sue! Pizza boxes over the windows! I’m Joan of Arc! Shape-shifting lizards from space at Comet Pizza!
Guiliani and Bannon, also nuts.
Trump is like the once-famous Hollywood actor, alone in her residence, playing, over and over, her silent-movie-era reels and convinced that she is a still a big star. He’s the guy off his meds who thinks he is Abraham Lincoln or Genghis Khan. He’s nuts. And if he says, “There’s an interdimensional port for demons under the Vatican,” Sean Spicer or Sarah Sanders or Kayleigh McEnany will hold a press conference and say, “He obviously did not literally mean, ‘There is a an interdimensional port for demons under the Vatican.’ He was using colorful language to warn about the importance of being flexible and expecting the unexpected.” And then his supporters in the Repugnican Limbo Party will start tossing the phrase “interdimensional” into THEIR press conferences, and Lindsay Graham will tell reporters that demons are, in fact, a real threat to American security, and Boogaloo Boys will start showing up in Vatican City, and the New York Times will run a piece saying that the country is deeply divided between those who believe in interdimensional demon ports and those who do not, and a certain commentator here will post, saying, but Nixon believed we could have peace with honor in Vietnam and Biden blah blah blah and these things are more delusional because blah blah blah.
But the clear, the obvious fact is that Donald Trump long ago slipped over into psychosis. He literally believes that WHATEVER HE WANTS TO BE TRUE IS REALITY and WHATEVER HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE TRUE IS FAKE NEWS.
Look, Don, this could work for you. Maybe the authorities will arrange for you a comfy spot in an institution for the criminally insane instead of one in a plain old prison for plain old criminals.
And, oh my Lord, I would not for the world have been spared the sight of Ghouliani flailing his arms and spouting conspiracy theory next to the dildo shop. I can’t even bring myself to generate smart quips about this because anything I say wouldn’t be as Cuckoo for Coco Puffs.
This sounds like something straight out of VEEP. Of course, I doubt that character would stand up, like Giuilani did, and declare that elections were decided by the courts rather than the people.
I liked the bit that Baldwin did but don’t care for Jim Carrey.
…………………………………………..
Biden Victory Cold Open – SNLNov 7, 2020
Saturday Night LiveJoe Biden (Jim Carrey) and Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) give speeches after the conclusion of the 2020 presidential election.
I agree, Jim Carrey is awful! Woody Harrelson actually used to do a very funny Biden. Carrey is in Biden make-up but acts like an old Jim Carrey who doesn’t share any characteristics with Biden. it’s only funny in the way that anytime Jim Carrey acts crazy or silly is funny. But it isn’t Biden. It’s just Jim Carrey dressed like Biden doing his same tired act as Jim Carey.
Bring back Woody!
Agreed. I love Jim Carrey but this is not the time to portray Biden as the Trump campaign does.
I liked Jason Sudekis’s version. And his Ted Lasso character is such a great escape.
Me too. Don’t remember Ted. Could you post a clip?
The descent of Trump
Editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes tracks the downward trajectory of Trump, starting with his Trump Tower escalator ride.
By Ann Telnaes ●
Here is the link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/opinions/2020/11/03/amp-stories/descent-trump/?wpisrc=nl_ideas
The Descent of Decency
Descent of Trump was started
When Don was in the womb
And mother thought she farted
But Don appeared in room
SomeDAM Poet,
PERFECT.
No wonder Don’s mother got sick and was in bed for a long time.
I couldn’t help but notice that this site is a metaphor for Dump.
Rudy should be happy. He doesn’t have to go far to put his hands in his pants.
The Seasons of Trump: Winter, Nuclear Winter , Slummer and Fall
The Winter of our Disconnect
The Winter of our Disconnect
Was winter of the fall
Reality did not affect
The winter clothes at all
Poor Donnie can’t take it. Who is the loser now?
…………………………………
RenewedRight.com
Donald Trump called out Fox News for this outrageous act of bias
Ever since Election Night, many Americans soured on Fox News Channel’s coverage.
The President was among them.
And Donald Trump called out Fox News for this outrageous act of bias.
On Election Night, Fox News changed the contours of the race by calling Arizona for Joe Biden.
There was only 73 percent of the vote counted and nearly one million ballots still outstanding when Fox News’ Decision Desk called the race for Biden even though no other news organization immediately followed suit.
In an email to supporters, the Trump campaign ripped the head of Fox News’ Decision Desk Aaron Mishkin for being a partisan Democrat.
“A Clinton-Voting, Biden-Donating Democrat Runs the Fox News Decision Desk,” the Trump campaign wrote.
The Trump campaign accused Fox News of meddling in the election on behalf of Joe Biden with a premature call in Arizona.
“Democrat operatives put his finger on the scale and declared Joe Biden the winner before the votes were counted,” the email continued.
“Aaron Mishkin, the director of Fox News’ election decision desk, prematurely called Arizona for Joe Biden before hundreds of thousands of ballots had been counted,” the statement added. “Even left-leaning election analysts like Nate Silver have criticized his decision.”
Fox calling Arizona for Biden changed the tenor of Election Night.
Before that call, President Trump was leading in all the states he won in 2016 and appeared on track for victory.
But Fox’s call changed all of that and the message the American people heard was that Joe Biden was on track to win 270 Electoral College votes while Donald Trump had no path to victory.
Both statements were debatable but Fox News set the left-wing narrative in motion that the President could not win with the call of Arizona.
Since that call, Joe Biden’s lead in the state has narrowed significantly and the Trump campaign and many data analysts believe the President is on track to eventually carry the state.
Renewed Right will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
If it45 watched Fox News last night, after the Biden & Harris speeches, I’m sure it put it’s foot through the TV screen. In large caps. next to Fox logo (w/the word “elected” lit up): “BIDEN ELECTED 46th PRESIDENT.”
Even had a yellow star on each side!
My favorite tweet: “There will be lawn order.”
The Political Landscape
The landscape’s changed
Was rearranged
Their season’s passed
And ass is grass
The Reign is Over
The season’s come
And season’s gone
The reign is done
But sprinkler’s on
LOL. SomeDAM. Another gem!
Robert Frost, at JFKs inauguration:
“The land was ours before we were the land’s”
Rudy Giuliani, echoing Frost, in front of Four Seasons Landscaping
“The landscape was ours before we were the landscape’s”
Now that is funny.
I loved Kate McKinnon doing Rudy Giuliani on SNL Weekend Update last night:
“I’m glad I made it to the show on time, because first I went to 30 Rocks. That’s a granite quarry in New Rochelle.”
The incoming administration has a moral responsibility a) to undo the damage done to the U.S. immigration system; b) to compensate the victims of the Trump/Sessions/Miller immigration crimes;, and c) to investigate the Crimes against Humanity perpetrated by the preceding administration in its dealings with immigrants and, where appropriate, bring charges.
Let me say that properly because it’s important.
The incoming administration has a moral responsibility
a) to undo the damage done to the U.S. immigration and asylum systems by Trump, Miller, Sessions and the other Trump maladministration white supremacist criminals;
b) to investigate in detail the Crimes against Humanity perpetrated by the preceding administration in its dealings with immigrants and asylum seekers and bring charges against the perpetrators; and
c) to compensate the victims of these crimes.
These many crimes include kidnapping, rape, sexual assault, confinement in inhumane conditions, forced sterilization, and physical assault.
denial of due process
With all the video cameras around, I’m curious why no vote fraud videos abound? 🤔😮
How would one have documented that?
By showing Trump voting at a pole in Pennsylvania?
Yes, showing Trump voting at a pole would suffice. 🤣😂
SomeDAM Poet, if Trump had vote fraud proof, videos would be posted. 🤔😮
Now, a photo of Trump peeing on a pole in Pennsylvania would be proof positive that the election was fair and that Trumps Constitutional rights had not been violated.
There must be some truth to the article. Here is what my brother now says, “Fox has gone to your side. I’m done with fox, they’ve become fake news. I’m now with Newsmax. Their exposing fox for who they are. I don’t like being lied to like you do.”
Does anyone know anything about Newsmax?
………………………………
Fox News suspends Jeanine Pirro’s show after ‘spat’ over airing baseless voter fraud claims: report
Fox News reportedly cancelled Jeanine Pirro’s show over the weekend after she was set to make the baseless claim that widespread voter fraud took place in the 2020 election.
According to Newsmax, Pirro wanted “to expose the vote fraud that took place in the election.”
https://www.alternet.org/2020/11/fox-news-suspends-jeanine-pirros-show-after-spat-over-airing-baseless-voter-fraud-claims-report/
Hong Kong (CNN Business)More than 500,000 Australians have signed a petition calling for an inquiry into the dominance of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.
The petition to parliament was launched by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd a little over three weeks ago and closed on Wednesday. It calls for a Royal Commission — Australia’s highest form of public inquiry — to “investigate threats to media diversity.” It also accused media businesses of encouraging “deliberately polarizing and politically manipulated news.”
It looks as though Rupert Murdoch has finally had enough of being dictated to by Donald. I suspect that he is behind the directive to the Faux News staff to treat the transition sanely.
Hi carolmalaysia. 🙂 Your brother used “Their” , instead of “They’re”. 🤔
Their they’re, Eddie.
Don’t worry too much about the fact that there is no they’re their.
Eddie: I know. I posted it as written.
I like SDP: Don’t worry too much about the fact that there is no they’re their.
There, that question is solved. So there. Or they’re. Maybe their.
carolmalaysia, I know your brother wrote it. 🙂 Those evil Trumpers… ☹️
Wow! I think it45’s first order of business after being hauled out of the WH (on elephant tusks, or kicked out by a donkey) would be to buy its own broadcasting company, as it has so often threatened to do.
Oh, wait…it really doesn’t have any money, does it? Surely, Ivanka will lend him some…with interest.
Yay! But–speaking of SNL, I will miss Cicely Strong’s excellent Jeanine Pirro impersonation. Spot-on!
I get it. I’m also worn out. How can people have experienced Trump and somehow think he did great things for this country?
BEST QUOTE: Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize pretty much for not being George W. Bush. If the metric holds, Joe Biden should win two Nobel Prizes and an Oscar for not being Donald Trump.
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Rest Today. Soon We Begin the Work of Clearing Trump’s Wreckage.
Trump has yet to concede, and may never, and it doesn’t matter a damn.
November 8, 2020
…Between COVID’s conquering of the country and the economy, Trump’s barefaced embrace of racism and armed white nationalism, the shattering of international relations, the utter disdain for glaring climate science, the children in cages orphaned by ICE, Trump’s grueling minute-to-minute need to be the top headline every single day, even if those headlines blare a warning about his authoritarian intentions to undermine the constitution, all this and so much more have made this nation a house on fire from the inside out.
This all needs to be said out loud, over and over again, because some 70 million people saw the same four years I did and decided to give the man another term. Those voters didn’t take a flier on the new guy like they did in ’16. They rode the same four years of bad road I did, looked at the alternative represented by Joe Biden, and said, “Nah, I’ll have seconds, please.” If I live long enough to see the stars burn out, I still will never fully understand it.
That’s why I feel numb today. I am also utterly spent. Donald Trump did not defeat me, but Lord, it was close. Covering this White House has been like having an earthquake scream in your ear for four years. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if he’d won, and if he runs again in 2024 as threatened, I am going to give serious consideration to living in a tree and learning to speak squirrel until he goes away again.
Trump has every intention of being in our faces forever, and as he is the Living God Emperor of the Republican Party, in the Oval or otherwise, he has 70 million pockets to pick with a new media enterprise or whatever the next grift will be.
That is, unless the laws he has so brazenly broken over the years catch up with him. Trump is a creature of reality TV, and the very real potential for a “Trump: Trial of the Century” spectacle in New York State someday for fraud and tax evasion would surely keep him in our collective consciousness, but for far more palatable reasons. A.G. Letitia James and D.A. Cyrus Vance, your tables are almost ready.
There is so much to be done to repair the damage from these last four years. I’m ready for it, more than ready, but I’m going to sit here and breathe a bit until I stop feeling weird about such a good day. It was a good day, historic, but the miles we have to go before we sleep are daunting, and there is no shame in recharging your batteries.
Comedian Chris Rock said it best on his Instagram account: “Oddly I don’t feel like celebrating. I feel like Tom Hanks towards the end of Cast Away. I’m really happy the ship came but I don’t want to party. I just want to take a shower cut my hair eat a shrimp find Helen Hunt deliver my last package and figure out the rest of my life.”…
https://truthout.org/articles/rest-today-soon-we-begin-the-work-of-clearing-trumps-wreckage/?utm_source=Truthout&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Truthout+Share+Buttons
Whoops…& I used the pronoun “him” rather than “it,” speaking of misuse of pronouns.
Asia expects Biden to stress diplomacy
Straits Times
Singapore
PUBLISHED8 HOURS AGO
While congratulatory messages for US President-elect Joe Biden pour in from across the globe, politicians from one country have stayed conspicuously silent.
China’s leaders held back from commenting on the results of the United States election, and Chinese state media largely reported just the news of Mr Biden’s win.
But the hawkish Communist Party-backed Global Times took aim at the US in two editorials over the weekend.
One described the “negative effects of indulging and intensifying social divisions” resulting in “a destructive tipping point”, while the other said “the balance of power in the election shows that the serious social division has jeopardised Americans’ judgment”.
China-US ties have worsened significantly in recent years, with tensions bubbling on multiple fronts, including the pandemic and tussles over trade and technology.
Others around the world were more upbeat, with government leaders expressing hopes of strengthening ties with Mr Biden’s administration and political watchers predicting a return to more congenial diplomacy…
https://str.sg/JLTP
Senator Bernie Sanders:
Thank you and congratulations.
Because of your efforts, we have won the most important election in the modern history of our country.
As I’ve said many times, this election was not just about Biden vs. Trump and what their views on the issues were. It went much deeper than that. This was an election about whether we end pathological lying in the White House and retain democracy and the rule of law in our country, and thank God, we have done that.
In the days and weeks to come I’m sure that everyone in the world is going to be taking credit for Biden’s victory, and the media and the pundits will have their views. But let me just say this.
In my view, multi-racial, multi-generational progressive grassroots organizations all across this country played an extraordinary role in helping to make this victory possible. We made phone calls, we texted, we registered voters, we did virtual rallies, we distributed literature and we knocked on doors when possible. Knowing the importance of this election we did everything that we could, and more.
Together, we built widespread support for Biden among young people, people of color and the working class. In my view, Biden’s success would not have been possible without those extraordinary efforts.
And I just want to thank you all for what you did.
One of the areas where the progressive movement had real success was getting more and more young people into the voting booth and into the political process. The latest estimates that I have seen show that over 53% of young people ages 18 to 29 voted, which not only eclipses 2016’s turnout rate, but would be the highest youth turnout rate in American history. And those young people voted overwhelmingly for Biden and other Democrats.
In battlegrounds like Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia young voters very strongly supported Biden and other Democrats. In Georgia, for example, 90% of young black voters and 62% of young white voters chose Biden over Trump. And that made all the difference not only in winning that state for Biden, but forcing two Republican senators into runoff elections that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. One of the candidates in that runoff election is Reverend Raphael Warnock, whom we strongly supported.
Further, the strong economic agenda that the progressive movement fought for helped bring out low-income working people to vote for Biden. National exit polls show that voters with an annual family income under $50,000 voted against Trump by a 15-point margin.
Needless to say, my campaign staff and I were deeply involved in this campaign. Over the last few months we hosted more than 20 virtual rallies, viewed by millions of people, in battleground states as well as special events with young people, rural voters, the Latino community and the Muslim community.
Starting in October, we re-launched some of our very effective organizing work to reach out directly to voters in key battleground states. A dedicated group of staff and volunteers had one-on-one conversations with voters to get them the information they needed to cast their votes in this election. Further, we ended up sending 4.6 million texts across 14 states thanks to the efforts of more than 800 texting volunteers who helped mobilize our movement in support of 75 down-ballot candidates and propositions.
We also played an active role in supporting down-ballot progressive candidates, because we understand that real change comes from the bottom on up. In total, we endorsed more than 200 candidates running for local and state positions. Of those races that have been called, two-thirds of our endorsed candidates won.
It is also worth mentioning that many progressive ballot initiatives passed across the country. In Florida, voters chose to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Colorado voters passed an initiative to provide 12 weeks of paid family leave. The people of Arizona voted to increase taxes on those making over $250,000 to increase funding for public education.
But now, as we celebrate our victories, we understand that our struggle is not over. It has just begun. We have accomplished step one by defeating Trump. Much more needs to be done.
Not only do we have to win the two Senate runoff elections in Georgia coming up in January so that we can have Democratic control over the U.S. Senate, but we’re going to have to do everything possible to make sure that Congress and the new president move rapidly and aggressively to address the enormous crises facing our country.
In the next several months I will present to the Senate an agenda that I would like to see passed in the first 100 days of the new Congress. This is an agenda that, among many other proposals, will include a strong COVID-19 relief package that protects the unemployed and small businesses.
It is an agenda that will end starvation wages in America, make it easier for workers to join unions and provide equal pay for equal work.
It is an agenda that will create millions of good-paying jobs as we rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.
It is an agenda that makes health care a human right as we move toward a Medicare for All single-payer system, and an agenda that substantially lowers the outrageously high cost of prescription drugs in this country.
It is an agenda that will make it possible for all working class young people to gain a college education without going into debt, and will radically improve our dysfunctional childcare system.
It is an agenda that will create millions of good-paying jobs as we lead the world in combating climate change and transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel.
It is an agenda that demands that the wealthy and powerful start paying their fair share of taxes.
It is an agenda that will take on the systemic racism that prevails throughout our country and our broken and racist criminal justice system.
It is an agenda that will lead to comprehensive immigration reform and a path towards citizenship for the undocumented.
Sisters and brothers, we have come a long way in the last five years. But the truth is that we still have an incredible amount of work ahead of us, and the path forward will not be easy.
Let us continue going forward together. Let us continue our struggle to transform this country and create a government based on the principles of justice.
Thank you for all you’ve done, and will do, for our movement.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders