Biden close to U.S. election victory as a defiant Trump vows to fight

[rooster59]

Biden close to U.S. election victory as a defiant Trump vows to fight

By Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland and Joseph Ax

 

Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden makes a statement on the 2020 U.S. presidential election results during a brief appearance before reporters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WILMINGTON, Del./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to winning the White House on Friday, expanding his narrow leads over President Donald Trump in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Georgia even as Republicans sought to raise $60 million (£45 million) to fund lawsuits challenging the results.

 

Trump remained defiant, vowing to press unfounded claims of fraud as a weary, anxious nation waited for clarity in an election that only intensified the country's deep polarization.

 

On the fourth day of vote counting, former Vice President Biden had a 253 to 214 lead in the state-by-state Electoral College vote that determines the winner, according to Edison Research.

 

Securing Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes would put Biden over the 270 he needs to win the presidency after a political career stretching back nearly five decades.

 

Biden would also win if he prevails in two of the three other key states where he was narrowly ahead on Friday: Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. Like Pennsylvania, all three were still processing ballots on Friday.

 

As Biden's lead grew in Pennsylvania, hundreds of Democrats gathered outside Philadelphia's downtown vote-counting site, wearing yellow shirts reading "Count Every Vote." In Detroit, a crowd of Trump supporters, some armed, protested outside a counting location, waving flags and chanting, "Fight!"

 

Biden planned to deliver a prime-time address on Friday, according to two people familiar with his schedule. His campaign expected that could be a victory speech if television networks call the race for him in the coming hours.

 

Meanwhile, Trump showed no sign he was ready to concede, as his campaign pursued a series of lawsuits that legal experts said were unlikely to alter the election outcome.

 

"From the beginning we have said that all legal ballots must be counted and all illegal ballots should not be counted, yet we have met resistance to this basic principle by Democrats at every turn," he said in a statement released by his campaign.

 

"We will pursue this process through every aspect of the law to guarantee that the American people have confidence in our government," Trump said.

 

Trump earlier leveled an extraordinary attack on the democratic process, appearing at the White House on Thursday evening to falsely claim the election was being "stolen" from him. Election officials across the nation have said they are unaware of any significant irregularities.

 

The Republican National Committee is looking to collect at least $60 million from donors to fund Trump's legal challenges, two sources familiar with the matter said.

 

In both Pennsylvania and Georgia, Biden overtook Trump as officials processed thousands of mail-in ballots that were cast in urban Democratic strongholds including Philadelphia and Atlanta.

 

The number of Americans voting early and by mail this year surged due to the coronavirus as people tried to avoid large groups of voters on Election Day. The methodical counting process has left Americans waiting longer than they have since the 2000 election to learn the winner of a presidential contest.

 

A sense of grim resignation settled in at the White House on Friday, where the president was monitoring TV and talking to advisers on the phone. One adviser said it was clear the race was tilting against Trump, but that Trump was not ready to admit defeat.

 

The campaign's general counsel, Matt Morgan, asserted in a statement on Friday that the elections in Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania all suffered from improprieties and that Trump would eventually prevail in Arizona.

 

He also said the campaign expected to pursue a recount in Georgia, as it has said it will do in Wisconsin, where Biden won by more than 20,000 votes. A margin that wide has never been overturned by a recount, according to Edison Research.

 

Georgia officials said on Friday they expect a recount, which can be requested by a candidate if the final margin is less than 0.5%, as it currently is.

 

Biden expressed confidence on Thursday he would win and urged patience. In response to the idea that Trump might not concede, Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement on Friday, "The United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House."

 

BIDEN MOMENTUM

 

The messy aftermath capped a vitriolic campaign that underscored the country's enduring racial, economic and cultural divides, and if he wins Biden might face a difficult task governing in a divided Washington.

 

Republicans could keep control of the U.S. Senate pending the outcome of four undecided Senate races, including two in Georgia that will be likely decided in January runoffs, and they would likely block large parts of his legislative agenda, including expanding healthcare and fighting climate change.

 

The heated campaign unfolded amid the pandemic that has killed more than 235,000 people in the United States and left millions more out of work. The country has also been grappling with the aftermath of months of protests over racism and police brutality.

 

In Pennsylvania, Biden moved ahead of Trump for the first time and had a lead of 13,558 votes by midday Friday, while in Georgia, he was 1,579 votes ahead. Both margins were expected to grow as additional ballots were tallied. Pennsylvania officials estimated on Friday they had 40,000 ballots left to count, while Georgia officials said on Friday morning there were around 4,000 regular ballots remaining.

 

Biden, 77, would be the first Democrat to win Georgia since fellow Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992.

 

In Arizona, where officials said at least 142,000 uncounted ballots remained, Biden's lead was at 41,302 votes. His margin in Nevada, where there were 63,000 mail-in ballots left to count, jumped to 20,352.

 

Pennsylvania, one of three traditionally Democratic states that handed Trump his 2016 victory, had long been seen as crucial to the 2020 race, and both candidates lavished enormous sums of money and time on the "Rust Belt" state.

 

While many rural areas in Pennsylvania remain in favor of Trump, Democrats are strong in big cities such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

 

Trump, 74, has sought to portray as fraudulent the slow counting of mail-in ballots. He has unleashed a series of social media posts baselessly claiming fraud, prompting Twitter and Facebook to append warning labels.

 

States have historically taken time after Election Day to tally all votes, although in most presidential elections the gap between candidates is big enough that television networks project the winner and the losing candidate concedes before counting formally ends.

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Wilmington, Delaware and Steve Holland in Washington; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia; Michael Martina in Detroit; and John Whitesides, Steve Holland, Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-07

 

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[harada]

I just heard that Trump says that he may leave America if he loses, Trump Tower Patong?  

 

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, harada said:

I just heard that Trump says that he may leave America if he loses,

 

The gift that just keeps giving; has a US President ever had his passport withheld due to being a flight risk?

[Jeffr2]

56 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

The gift that just keeps giving; has a US President ever had his passport withheld due to being a flight risk?

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-legal-troubles-possible-indictment-doj-mueller-new-york-2020-11

 

Legal problems galore await Trump now that he's lost reelection — and, soon, his presidential immunity

[Tug]

Time to put on your big boy pants and stop beeing such a crybaby stop inciting dumb people to do dumb things it is what it is you lost you are fired stop damaging the country 

[Scott]

Troll posts reported and removed.

 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

 

The gift that just keeps giving; has a US President ever had his passport withheld due to being a flight risk?

No. But there's always a first time. My own feeling is that it would be the best thing for the country if his entire family fled the country to evade prosecutions. Literally locking him up would make him a martyr to the Pepe the Frog/Q/Proud Boys etc. crowd of cultists.

[OneMoreFarang]

Let's not forget that he will still be POTUS for nearly three month. I don't really want to think about what damage he can and probably will do in that time.

[Salerno]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

My own feeling is that it would be the best thing for the country if his entire family fled the country to evade prosecutions.

 

Not so sure.

 

If there is in fact anything to answer for; I think due process would help the US regain in the eyes of the world some of the lustre lost in the past 4 years. For them to run, and get away with running, sinks almost to Thai "justice" level à la redbull et al.

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's not forget that he will still be POTUS for nearly three month. I don't really want to think about what damage he can and probably will do in that time.

Indeed. 

Its time to think about that.

That phase has already begun.

He has lost.

He's desperately flailing because that's who he is but he knows that he lost.

He will probably never concede or if he does it will be the most toxic concession in history on the lines of I will vacate this dump the white house but you stole the election but watch out I'll be back. But the beauty part is that a concession is not required of the loser. It's customary but not required.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

a defiant Trump vows to fight

He knows that every US agency will be investigating him and his family in a few months time.

[bronzedude]

5 hours ago, harada said:

I just heard that Trump says that he may leave America if he loses, Trump Tower Patong?  

 

Comrade Donald Tower Pyongyang or Trump Tower Moscow, or Loser Tower Istanbul or Bat Nuggets Tower Beijing more likely where his friends can keep him entertained.

[Brickbat]

_{Doesn’t this Nutjob know he’s not King, but an elected public SERVANT. And he’s been FIRED}

[George Aylesham]

5 hours ago, harada said:

I just heard that Trump says that he may leave America if he loses, Trump Tower Patong?  

 

But surely the US has an extradition agreement with Thailand?

[mtls2005]

President-elect Biden gave an awesome speech.

 

Finally, complete cogent sentences from a (PE-) POTUS.

 

Thoughts and prayers to WH CoS mark meadows, hopefully he makes a full recovery, as do all those he (re-)infected.

 

Plenty of time left to: build the wall, lock her up and repeal and replace the ACA?

 

 

 

 

 

[CharlieH]

Reported posts and those containing Trolling imagery have been removed.

[earlinclaifornia]

Oh my, Tucker Carlson is telling America that Biden is a hologram. Most all of FOX is truly disturbing attacks. Periodically s a news person provides actual news. About 10%, sad good bye, forever I hope

[earlinclaifornia]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Let's not forget that he will still be POTUS for nearly three month. I don't really want to think about what damage he can and probably will do in that time.

Any time spent fighting his dismal outcome is actualy a good thing as he can't destroy more of America.      Recount Recount

[earlinclaifornia]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

President-elect Biden gave an awesome speech.

 

Finally, complete cogent sentences from a (PE-) POTUS.

 

Thoughts and prayers to WH CoS mark meadows, hopefully he makes a full recovery, as do all those he (re-)infected.

 

Plenty of time left to: build the wall, lock her up and repeal and replace the ACA?

 

 

 

 

 

A Presidential speech was so refreshing. Time foe all to listen to both sides and find compromise.

[nobodysfriend]

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

In Detroit, a crowd of Trump supporters, some armed, protested outside a counting location, waving flags and chanting, "Fight!"

 

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Trump showed no sign he was ready to concede

 

7 hours ago, rooster59 said:

to falsely claim the election was being "stolen" from him.

 

5 hours ago, Tug said:

Time to put on your big boy pants and stop beeing such a crybaby stop inciting dumb people to do dumb things it is what it is you lost you are fired stop damaging the country 

 It is still too early to declare victory . For both .

A peaceful transition of power is not guaranteed .

Meanwhile , in China , the US election and all the quarrel involved , has become a laughing stock .

What happens in the US now , is proof of their superiority for the chinese people .

All events about the US election are extensively covered by chinese media .

[bannork]

Meanwhile, gambler's blues from Donald's favourite friend across the pond.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, harada said:

I just heard that Trump says that he may leave America if he loses, Trump Tower Patong?  

 

 

Trump from mid-October:

Quote

 

“Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life – what am I going to do?

...

Trump said he might not feel so good after an election loss to Biden. “Maybe I have to leave the country, I don’t know,” he joked.

 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/16/trump-jokes-he-might-leave-country-if-he-loses-joe-biden/3688173001/

 

[robblok]

Most of the Trump supporters on this forum know the race is run. They are awfully quiet thankfully not many are as crazy as Trump. 

 

Trump has every right to recounts, but his bias hate for mail in votes in time of a pandemic is nothing more then a farce. He knows that Democrats (the smarter part of the populace about covid) fears covid. While Trump his supporters don't fear it at all. So a larger percentage of those mailed in will be democrat votes.

 

So its just his way of not wanting Democrat votes to count. If anyone is trying to steal an election its the former president by disqualifying people who were smart enough to vote by mail and try to counter the current pandemic. 

 

What a pathetic little man to want to win by way of legal tricks and cheating. But actually that is all that he has done since he became president. All his lies have been exposed so often its just crazy that he still has a voting base.

[CorpusChristie]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

Most of the Trump supporters on this forum know the race is run. They are awfully quiet thankfully not many are as crazy as Trump. 

 

Trump has every right to recounts, but his bias hate for mail in votes in time of a pandemic is nothing more then a farce. He knows that Democrats (the smarter part of the populace about covid) fears covid. While Trump his supporters don't fear it at all. So a larger percentage of those mailed in will be democrat votes.

 

So its just his way of not wanting Democrat votes to count. If anyone is trying to steal an election its the former president by disqualifying people who were smart enough to vote by mail and try to counter the current pandemic. 

 

What a pathetic little man to want to win by way of legal tricks and cheating. But actually that is all that he has done since he became president. All his lies have been exposed so often its just crazy that he still has a voting base.

 

   It will be interesting to see whether theres any irregularities in the voting patterns for the mailed in votes , whether theres an huge abnormal amount of people voting .

  Like if the normal voter turn-out is usually 70 % and it suddenly jumps to 90 % .

You call people liars, then make something up about Democrats' fearing Covid and Republicans do not fear Covid , had Trump made a similar comment , you would be calling him a liar, just saying 

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

 

   It will be interesting to see whether theres any irregularities in the voting patterns for the mailed in votes , whether theres an huge abnormal amount of people voting .

  Like if the normal voter turn-out is usually 70 % and it suddenly jumps to 90 % .

You call people liars, then make something up about Democrats' fearing Covid and Republicans do not fear Covid , had Trump made a similar comment , you would be calling him a liar, just saying 

I never made up something like that the proof is in the fact of how for instance the Trump lovers took far less care to prevent covid then Biden his rallies. The president has constantly downplayed covid its only natural his brainwashed supporters believe him. Biden on the other hand made covid part of the election and promoted mail voting.

 

I made nothing up i used my brain and connected a few things not that hard to do.

[sucit]

When does the recount start?

[Jingthing]

A little fun history.

45 has joined the one term president club.

The last one was Jimmy Carter.

 

https://www.worldhistoryedu.com/us-presidents-one-term/

 

 

US Presidents that failed to get re-elected

[onthedarkside]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

A little fun history.

45 has joined the one term president club.

The last one was Jimmy Carter.

 

https://www.worldhistoryedu.com/us-presidents-one-term/

 

You're missing George H.W. Bush, 89-93.

 

[Youlike]

36 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 It is still too early to declare victory . For both .

A peaceful transition of power is not guaranteed .

Meanwhile , in China , the US election and all the quarrel involved , has become a laughing stock .

What happens in the US now , is proof of their superiority for the chinese people .

All events about the US election are extensively covered by chinese media .

Have they ever had elections in China? They even got their own army disqualified from a world championship for armies held in china becuase they tried to cheat. Can it even be more funny?

 

China will miss their big Biden friends soon when they're in jail, that's what corrupt leaders deserve.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, onthedarkside said:

 

You're missing George H.W. Bush, 89-93.

 

Omg. Yes I did.