Prime - 2020
11.16.20 | 12:50 pm
Where Things Stand: A Psychologically Difficult Place To Be Prime Badge
This is your TPM afternoon briefing.
UKRAINE - 2020/11/13: In this photo illustration a syringe and  ampules with fake COVID-19 vaccine seen with the U.S flag in the background. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Conchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

That’s a headline that could encompass the societal feeling of just about any stage of 2020. But it feels particularly pointed right now.

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Trump’s Bid To Challenge His Loss In Court Is Going As Well As Everyone Expected (Not Well At All) Prime Badge
This Week in Voting Rights: A weekly roundup of news on Americans' access to the ballot box
11.16.20 | 1:19 pm
11.16.20 | 6:41 pm
Stunning Revelation Prime Badge

According to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Sen. Lindsey Graham approached him about throwing out all mail-in ballots in counties that had higher than average ballot signature mismatches. This is a request (almost certainly at President Trump’s behest) to violate the law by throwing out huge numbers of legally cast votes on an absurd premise. He might as well have asked Raffensperger to falsify the numbers. And in fact, I think that is what it amounts to. This comes out in a new interview with Raffensperger from The Washington Post.

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11.17.20 | 8:44 am
Turning the Page or Getting to the Truth? Prime Badge
on November 13, 2014 in Washington, DC.

NBC is out this morning with an article which seem to signal President-Elect Biden’s “wary” of having the Justice Department scrutinize and possibly indict his predecessor, Donald Trump. It’s a bit of a hard article to decipher. On its face, it simply says that Biden is going to leave prosecutorial decisions to the Justice Department, which is exactly what should happen. A President who makes the DOJ and its prosecutorial power a tool of his personal will is the problem we’re trying to solve not the solution it. But you can also read it as Biden doesn’t want his presidency consumed by the drama and pyrotechnics of investigations and prosecutions of Trump and his family, which sounds a lot like ‘turning the page’ and ‘looking forward not back.’

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11.17.20 | 2:09 pm
Where Things Stand: A Fuller Story Prime Badge
This is your TPM afternoon briefing.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 21:  on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The full story of the Falwells’ romantic entanglement with a one-time pool attendant-turned business associate appears to be far messier and more surprising than we knew.

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11.17.20 | 2:18 pm
LindseyGate Grows Prime Badge

Just to keep you up to date, this Lindsey Graham story continues to grow. As we noted last night, Graham approached the Republican Secretary of State in Georgia with a plan to throw out what appears to have been a huge number of legally cast mail-in ballots. Since mail-in ballots overwhelmingly favored Joe Biden, there’s every reason to think that would have made Trump the winner and quite possibly avoided a run-off for David Purdue.

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11.17.20 | 10:33 pm
Shocking Story out of Michigan Prime Badge

Stunning turn of events tonight in Michigan. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers deadlocked and was unable to certify the county’s vote. Wayne County includes Detroit. The Board has two Republicans and two Democrats. The Republicans refused to certify. But tellingly the GOP Chair said they’d agree as long as Detroit was left out. Basically, they were trying to pull a power play in which they used their power to toss out the votes of the city of Detroit.

The state GOP jumped in and lauded the decision. Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis excitedly predicted it was the first step toward the GOP state legislature tossing out the results of the election and appointing Trump electors to the electoral college. Finally President Trump himself tweeted excitedly that it was a turning point.

But then it all changed.

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11.18.20 | 10:34 am
Be Thankful Prime Badge

We should take a moment this morning to give a big thanks to the Biden campaign team and all the tens of millions of Biden voters. Because under extremely difficult circumstances they made sure it wasn’t close. Biden will win by at least 4 percentage points and likely more like 5. He will win by a 74 vote margin in the electoral college. Under normal, legitimate circumstances a win is a win is a win. Margins are just about bragging and feeling good. But this year it was critical and you can see that from the events of the last 24 hours.

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11.18.20 | 1:01 pm
Where Things Stand: Austerity For America’s Cities? Prime Badge
This is you TPM afternoon briefing.

In a narrow sense, this is a very New York City-centric issue. But if it comes to fruition, life as we know it in this city will not only collapse further into the unlivable realm than it already has in the wake of COVID-19, but we might see another outbreak spike in the city.

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