US election: Biden prepares for White House and task force on coronavirus during transition limbo
The team helping Joe Biden prepare for the White House and a nonpartisan institution are asking President Donald Trump to cooperate with an orderly transition of power, despite his false claims the election was stolen
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Here’s what’s happening Monday in Election 2020:
TODAY’S TOP STORIES:
TRANSITION LIMBO: The team helping Joe Biden prepare for the White House and a nonpartisan institution are asking President Donald Trump to cooperate with an orderly transition of power, despite his false claims that the election was stolen. Those requests have thrust into the spotlight a little-known agency called the General Services Administration, which is tasked with formally beginning the transition from one administration to another based on all available facts.
REFERENDUM ON TRUMP: The 2020 presidential election has officially hit the highest turnout in more than 50 years. The turnout rate in last week’s presidential election eclipsed the 61.6% of voting age Americans who voted in the 2008 election. It has the highest turnout rate since 1968 — 62% as of Sunday. As new votes are still slowly tallied, that rate will continue to creep higher.
BIDEN'S NEW FIGHT: As he begins his transition to the presidency, Biden is pivoting from a bitter campaign battle to a more pressing fight against the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the world’s most powerful nation harder than any other. The U.S. is now averaging more than 100,000 new infections a day, and the death toll is soaring. Biden will announce Monday a task force of public health experts to help his administration prepare to take on the virus.
MANGLED ECONOMY: Biden will inherit a mangled U.S. economy — one that never fully healed from the coronavirus and could suffer again as new infections are climbing. It will in some ways be a reprise of when Biden became vice president at the depths of the financial crisis in 2008-09, with possibly fewer tools and less political leverage to press an agenda to corral the virus and stoke economic growth.
QUOTABLE: “We cannot and will not take plaintiff’s word for it — in an election where every vote matters, we will not disenfranchise potentially eligible voters based solely upon the allegations of a private foundation.” —- Federal Judge John Jones, who has said he was doubtful of claims that there were dead people on voter rolls in Pennsylvania.
ICYMI:
Trump’s election night party adds to virus scrutiny
A worried Asia wonders: What will Joe Biden do?
Pent-up global wish list of hopes, demands awaits Biden
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.