Biden to launch COVID-19 task force, Trump plans rallies to protest election

By Andy Sullivan, Andrea Shalal and Trevor Hunnicutt

 

Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her husband Doug, celebrate at their election rally, after the news media announced that Biden has won the 2020 U.S. presidential election over President Donald Trump, in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

 

WASHINGTON/WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden will convene a coronavirus task force on Monday to examine the No. 1 problem confronting him when he takes office in January, while President Donald Trump pursues several long-shot gambits to hold on to his job.

 

Biden is due to meet with an advisory board led by former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler to examine how best to tame a pandemic that has killed https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps more than 237,000 Americans.

 

The Democratic former vice president will then give remarks in Wilmington, Delaware, about his plans for tackling COVID-19 and rebuilding the economy. He spent much of the campaign criticizing Trump's handling of the crises and has vowed to listen to scientists to guide his own approach.

 

Trump has frequently clashed with top health officials over the pandemic. Vice President Mike Pence is due to meet with the White House coronavirus task force on Monday for the first time since Oct. 20.

 

Biden clinched the presidency on Saturday, four days after the Nov. 3 election, clearing the threshold of 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. He beat Trump by more than 4 million votes nationwide, making Trump the first president to lose re-election since 1992.

 

But Trump has not acknowledged defeat and has launched an array of lawsuits to press claims of election fraud for which he has produced no evidence. State officials say they are not aware of any significant irregularities.

 

Trump has no public events scheduled for Monday, and he has not spoken in public since Thursday. As part of a public campaign to question the election results, he is planning to hold rallies to build support for his fight over the outcome, campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said.

 

Biden's advisers are moving ahead even still, also considering candidates for top Cabinet posts. But the transition cannot shift into high gear until the U.S. General Services Administration, which oversees federal property, certifies the winner.

 

Emily Murphy, the Trump appointee who runs the agency, has not given the go-ahead for the transition to begin. A GSA spokeswoman gave no timetable for the decision.

 

Until then, the GSA can continue providing Biden's team with offices, computers and background checks for security clearances, but they cannot yet enter federal agencies or access federal funds set aside for the transition.

 

The Biden campaign on Sunday pressed the agency to move ahead.

 

"America's national security and economic interests depend on the federal government signalling clearly and swiftly that the United States government will respect the will of the American people and engage in a smooth and peaceful transfer of power," the campaign said in a statement.

 

RALLIES AND RECOUNTS

 

Trump, however, has shown no signs he will engage in a transition.

 

Murtaugh said Trump will hold a series of rallies to build support for the legal fights challenging the outcome, though Murtaugh did not say when and where they would take place.

 

Trump will seek to back up his as yet unsubstantiated accusations of voting fraud by highlighting obituaries of dead people the campaign said voted in the election, Murtaugh said.

 

Trump also announced teams to pursue recounts in several states. Experts said that effort, like his lawsuits, are unlikely to meet with success.

 

"The chances of a recount flipping tens of thousands of votes across multiple states in his favor are outside anything we have seen in American history," William Antholis, director of the University of Virginia's Miller Center think tank, wrote in an essay on Sunday.

 

Leaders from across the globe have offered their congratulations to Biden, including some Trump allies, but many of Trump's fellow Republicans have yet to recognize the Democrat's victory.

 

Republican attorneys general from Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma said they will take legal action on Monday to help the Trump campaign challenge how Pennsylvania has handled mail ballots, a popular option this year for voters seeking to avoid coronavirus exposure at crowded polling locations. It was not clear how they would help Trump's legal team, which is headed by David Bossie, a seasoned political activist but not a lawyer.

 

Pennsylvania, the state that clinched Biden's victory on Saturday, has been one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds of the election.

 

Trump has repeatedly criticized mail voting as insecure, though he himself has voted that way in past elections and election experts say it is as reliable as other methods.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-09

 

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14 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Murtaugh said Trump will hold a series of rallies to build support for the legal fights challenging the outcome, though Murtaugh did not say when and where they would take place.

 

Umm, let's see....

25 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma [...] Pennsylvania

Super-spreader events inciting anger and violence, a true expression of patriotism.  Great way to run a country.

 

That’s our trump spreading covid and hate on a more positive note early reports are showing the vaccine 90% effective of course trump will say they waited till after the election to announce after all he is what he is

Sadly its all moot when 50 percent of the population beleive that thr right to ignore precautions is a matter of civil liberty.

 

 

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

 

Umm, let's see....

Super-spreader events inciting anger and violence, a true expression of patriotism.  Great way to run a country.

 

Super-spreader events inciting anger and violence, a true expression of patriotism.  Great way to run  RUIN a country.

Trump should be charged with attempted murder if any gets the virus while attending one of these stupid campaigns.   Lock him up and throw the keys away.

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Murtaugh said Trump will hold a series of rallies to build support for the legal fights challenging the outcome, though Murtaugh did not say when and where they would take place.

They’re still scouting the best gardening centers and adult book shops. 

5 hours ago, Tug said:

That’s our trump spreading covid and hate on a more positive note early reports are showing the vaccine 90% effective of course trump will say they waited till after the election to announce after all he is what he is

Pence broke his silence to take credit for it today.  ????

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/mike-pence-covid-vaacine-pfizer-b1719698.html

1 hour ago, Mango Bob said:

Trump should be charged with attempted murder if any gets the virus while attending one of these stupid campaigns.   Lock him up and throw the keys away.

I suspect something like this will happen, don't know what the exact charge will be.  Reckless endangerment?

We're chockers with legal scholars here in TVF, we'll get crackerjack insight on this.

 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Trump has no public events scheduled for Monday, and he has not spoken in public since Thursday.

He played golf though...

No public events scheduled.

Now that even his Foxy  laddies are moving away from him, I guess he's stuck with Onan network.

Hey, trump has decency to at least not jerk in public... so far

Love it.  Dr. Rick Bright, the whistleblower who was fired, will be on this task force. Trump's going to love that.

7 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

They’re still scouting the best gardening centers and adult book shops. 

 

Don't forget the crematorium nearby the Four Seasons Total Landscaping office.

 

 

11 hours ago, Tug said:

That’s our trump spreading covid and hate on a more positive note early reports are showing the vaccine 90% effective of course trump will say they waited till after the election to announce after all he is what he is

... and any claim he makes about his long promised vaccine which still hasn't materialized doesn't even slightly reduce the very sad fact that some 237,000 Americans (latest count) have died from Covid 19 on his watch and he did basically nothing to attack the problem.

 

Further he claimed to have tested positive (also his wife), 3 days later he had been in hospital and out again , claiming to be negative and dancing at his many super spreader rallies and claiming that Covid 19 isn't that bad. But note that trump, his staff and his doctors all refused to give any details whatever of dates of tests or any other detail. I believe he was never positive at all, just a nasty lying game, par for the course for this evil immoral man.

 

His wife also claimed to revert to negative with 2 or 3 days, because she ate healthy food. Do you believe her? I don't. 

Just now, scorecard said:

... and any claim he makes about his long promised vaccine which still hasn't materialized doesn't even slightly reduce the very sad fact that some 237,000 Americans (latest count) have died from Covid 19 on his watch and he did basically nothing to attack the problem. And for the last 2 or 3 weeks he's hardly mentioned Covid 19, despite the fact that around/over 1,000 Americans are dying every day from Covid 19.

 

Further he claimed to have tested positive (also his wife), 3 days later he had been in hospital and out again , claiming to be negative and dancing at his many super spreader rallies and claiming that Covid 19 isn't that bad. But note that trump, his staff and his doctors all refused to give any details whatever of dates of tests or any other detail. I believe he was never positive at all, just a nasty lying game, par for the course for this evil immoral man.

 

His wife also claimed to revert to negative with 2 or 3 days, because she ate healthy food. Do you believe her? I don't. 

 

Old man and a baby. 

5 minutes ago, Opl said:

Plus the highly capable/experienced Dr Farci rudely disrespected many times, including in front of the media whilst Dr. Farci is sitting just 3 meters away. 

I feel a lot better after seeing some of the names on this panel. Best and brightest comes to mind; huge fan of Atul Guwande.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

39 minutes ago, Opl said:

And the world erupts in joy, markets go through roof, gold tanks as President Trump's Warp Speed vaccine development program starts to bear fruit.  But.. wait, now all MSM say no! Pzfier took no development funds from Warp Speed.??

 

While the company hasn't taken federal money for R and D, it did strike a $1.95 billion contract with the US government to provide 100 million doses of the vaccine after it is developed.

 

Operation Warp Speed also took steps to assist the company in speeding up production and distribution of the vaccine. From HHS.gov.

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/07/22/us-government-engages-pfizer-produce-millions-doses-covid-19-vaccine.html

 

Or use Google's time dial to go back before the election:  Pfizer, BioNTech Win $1.95B “Warp Speed” Order for COVID-19 Vaccine

 

Edited November 10, 20205 yr by rabas

10 minutes ago, rabas said:

And the world erupts in joy, markets go through roof, gold tanks as President Trump's Warp Speed vaccine development program starts to bear fruit.  But.. wait, now all MSM say no! Pzfier took no development funds from Warp Speed.??

 

While the company hasn't taken federal money for R and D, it did strike a $1.95 billion contract with the US government to provide 100 million doses of the vaccine after it is developed.

 

Operation Warp Speed also took steps to assist the company in speeding up production and distribution of the vaccine. From HHS.gov.

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/07/22/us-government-engages-pfizer-produce-millions-doses-covid-19-vaccine.html

 

Or use Google's time dial to go back before the election:  Pfizer, BioNTech Win $1.95B “Warp Speed” Order for COVID-19 Vaccine

 

 Still at it spreading misinformation. This is the official statement from Kathrin Jansen, VP Pfizer.

 

Pfizer has pushed against the notion that it worked with the Trump administration, and sought to present itself as separate from Operation Warp Speed, the government's initiative to accelerate the development and distribution of a vaccine. 

"We were never part of the Warp Speed," Kathrin Jansen, a senior vice president and the head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer, told The New York Times. "We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone."

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in September told CBS News' Margaret Brennan that the company was taking somewhat of a risk by not taking taxpayer money to help with the vaccine, but that it wouldn't "break" the pharmaceutical giant.

"I wanted to liberate our scientists from any bureaucracy," Bourla said. "When you get money from someone, that always comes with strings. They want to see how we are growing to progress, what types of moves you are going to do. They want reports. I didn't want to have any of that."

10 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

 Still at it spreading misinformation. This is the official statement from Kathrin Jansen, VP Pfizer.

 

Pfizer has pushed against the notion that it worked with the Trump administration, and sought to present itself as separate from Operation Warp Speed, the government's initiative to accelerate the development and distribution of a vaccine. 

"We were never part of the Warp Speed," Kathrin Jansen, a senior vice president and the head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer, told The New York Times. "We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone."

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in September told CBS News' Margaret Brennan that the company was taking somewhat of a risk by not taking taxpayer money to help with the vaccine, but that it wouldn't "break" the pharmaceutical giant.

"I wanted to liberate our scientists from any bureaucracy," Bourla said. "When you get money from someone, that always comes with strings. They want to see how we are growing to progress, what types of moves you are going to do. They want reports. I didn't want to have any of that."

 

My links are from "Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News" and the HHS.gov website. And you call it mis-information !  She is talking about R&D dollars only. Not the $2 billion contract and assistance for manufacturing and distribution.

 

Horse meets trough, won't drink.

11 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

My links are from "Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News" and the HHS.gov website. And you call it mis-information !  She is talking about R&D dollars only. Not the $2 billion contract and assistance for manufacturing and distribution.

 

Horse meets trough, won't drink.

You're fired..haven't you got the tweet yet?????

11 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

My links are from "Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News" and the HHS.gov website. And you call it mis-information !  She is talking about R&D dollars only. Not the $2 billion contract and assistance for manufacturing and distribution.

 

Horse meets trough, won't drink.

So you are incorrect. Its still n the r and d stage and they have had no assistance from the govt. they are not part of warp speed.

 

when its all approved then the govt will assist. 

12 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

My links are from "Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News" and the HHS.gov website. And you call it mis-information !  She is talking about R&D dollars only. Not the $2 billion contract and assistance for manufacturing and distribution.

 

Horse meets trough, won't drink.

You did implied that Pfizer took development funds in your opening statement. This was corrected. 

"Biden to launch COVID-19 task force, Trump plans rallies to protest election"

 

Or, in other words,

 

Biden to launch COVID-19 task force, Trump to launch COVID-19.

9 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

You did implied that Pfizer took development funds in your opening statement. This was corrected. 

No, my direct statement:

 

While the company hasn't taken federal money for R and D ...

 

I then posted factual information from renowned websites.

Edited November 10, 20205 yr by rabas

Biden will do what Trump should have done 9 months ago.

 

Meanwhile Pfizer and a German co. announce good results for a vaccine.  Their latest large test shows 90% effective. Stock market soared 1600 points in the first 5 minutes - even after it cut back a little and sure will correct more. Still it is like some good news after months (years) of nastiness. Like a bad dream,  Trump is over.

20 minutes ago, Sujo said:

So you are incorrect. Its still n the r and d stage and they have had no assistance from the govt. they are not part of warp speed.

 

when its all approved then the govt will assist. 

No.

 

Companies often undertake development only because they have a signed contract, same as an LC.  It's common. In addition, the govt has guaranteed to assist with manufacturing and logistics support. 

 

If the gov had said nothing and guaranteed nothing, then you would be correct. As it stands, you are incorrect.

16 minutes ago, rabas said:

No.

 

Companies often undertake development only because they have a signed contract, same as an LC.  It's common. In addition, the govt has guaranteed to assist with manufacturing and logistics support. 

 

If the gov had said nothing and guaranteed nothing, then you would be correct. As it stands, you are incorrect.

 

Pfizer and German BioNtech started work together on a potential vaccine for Covid-19 in March 2020. Trump signed the contract on logistic and distribution in July 2020. Somehow your assertion falls short again.