Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
“Sen. Joe Manchin said yesterday he won’t vote for the Build Back Better Act, effectively ending negotiations on this version of legislation that would expand the nation's social safety net. It’s a huge blow to President Joe Biden’s agenda at a time when his administration is already scrambling to address the fallout from the spreading Omicron variant. The West Virginia Democrat has always been a key holdout on the legislation, sharing concerns over certain provisions of the massive tax and spending bill and how it may exacerbate soaring inflation in the country. Manchin's support for the bill -- a $1.9 trillion spending plan focused on expanding the nation's social safety net, reducing Americans' child care and health care costs, and climate change -- is necessary for Democrats to pass this legislation using a process called budget reconciliation, meaning it would only need 51 votes to pass in the Senate.” Read more at CNN
“The United States is likely in for a hard winter as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spreads rapidly, straining a health care system already battered by the Delta variant, Dr. Anthony Fauci said yesterday. ‘It's going to take over,’ Fauci said on CNN's ‘State of the Union,’ urging Americans to get vaccinated and get their booster shots. According to the World Health Organization, Omicron cases are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days with documented spread. Separately, Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey as well as Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado all tested positive for the coronavirus, according to tweets yesterday from their official accounts. All three Democrats are vaccinated and boosted and said they are experiencing mild symptoms. Warren was on the Senate floor last week before the chamber went on recess.” Read more at CNN
“Vaccine manufacturer Moderna said Monday that a booster dose of its coronavirus vaccine significantly raised antibody levels against the Omicron variant, amid growing concerns about its rapid spread in the United States.
A booster dose of Moderna's vaccine - half the dose used in the original shots for adults - increased antibody levels against omicron by 37 times, the company said in a statement, citing preliminary data.
Those antibodies ‘should provide some good level of protection as we go into the holiday season,’ Paul Burton, Moderna's chief medical officer, said in an interview.
Federal health officials warned this weekend, ahead of Christmas and New Year's gatherings, that the United States could face record levels of coronavirus cases in the coming days. New York state has for three straight days reported record case numbers, and officials said the country could soon face the same fate.” Read more at Boston Globe
“Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger said yesterday the House panel investigating the January 6 Capitol insurrection is looking into whether former President Donald Trump committed a crime with his involvement in the deadly riot. Kinzinger is one of two Republican members of a House committee that has been probing the attack on the Capitol earlier this year, including Trump's involvement in the episode. Separately, ‘Stop the Steal’ leader Ali Alexander has handed over thousands of text messages and communication records to the House committee that include his interactions with members of Congress and Trump's inner circle leading up to the riot, according to a court document submitted late Friday night. Alexander is a central figure for investigators seeking to understand how the rallies on January 6 were funded, organized, promoted and eventually erupted into an attack at the Capitol.” Read more at CNN
“SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Former leftist student leader Gabriel Boric will be under quick pressure from his youthful supporters to fulfill his promises to remake Chile after the millennial politician scored a historic victory in the country’s presidential runoff election.
Boric spent months traversing up and down Chile vowing to bring a youth-led form of inclusive government to attack nagging poverty and inequality that he said are the unacceptable underbelly of a free market model imposed decades ago by the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
The bold promise paid off. With 56% of the votes, Boric on Sunday handily defeated his opponent, far right lawmaker José Antonio Kast, by more than 10 points and at age 35 was elected Chile’s youngest modern president.” Read more at AP News
“Hong Kong’s bleak election. Hong Kong held its legislative election on Sunday, in the latest display of China’s growing control over the territory after remaking its electoral system. All candidates were approved by authorities, and opposition leaders languished in jail. Despite government efforts to encourage voting and feign legitimacy, the election was distinguished by record low turnout: only 30.2% of voters participated.
Authorities framed the low turnout as an indication of high satisfaction with the government. ‘There is a saying that when the government is doing well and its credibility is high, the voter turnout will decrease because the people do not have a strong demand to choose different lawmakers,’ said Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied making sexual assault allegations against a retired Communist Party leader, following more than a month of growing concern about her safety and whereabouts that led to the Women's Tennis Association pulling out of China. ‘I have never spoken or written about anyone sexually assaulting me,’ Peng told a Singapore-based Chinese-language newspaper yesterday in her first comments to international media since the explosive allegations came to light. When asked if she has been able to move freely or was concerned about her safety, Peng said she has ‘always been free’ and that she has been living at her home in Beijing. Peng also said she wrote an email to WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon recanting the allegations ‘completely of my own will.’ However, skepticism remains about how freely Peng has been allowed to communicate.” Read more at CNN
“Sudan erupts in protests. On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators faced teargas as they marched throughout Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, to protest the country’s October military coup. The day was symbolic: it also marked the third anniversary of the ousting of military dictator Omar al-Bashir. According to independent reports, at least 45 people have been killed by government crackdowns on the demonstrations since the October coup.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Leaving Afghanistan? Hundreds of Afghans have been waiting in long lines—and enduring freezing temperatures—for the chance to secure passports to leave Afghanistan. Although the Taliban stopped issuing passports after their takeover in August, leaving many trapped in the country, they announced the resumption of the process on Saturday.” Read more at Foreign Policy
“Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican who resigned from the U.S. Senate for health reasons in 2019, died at 76.” Read more at New York Times
“After three months of testimony from 32 witnesses, the criminal fraud case of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is now in the hands of the jury. Holmes faces nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The jury of eight men and four women is tasked with determining whether Holmes -- who claimed to have revolutionized blood testing -- knowingly misled investors, doctors, and patients about her startup in order to take their money. Deliberations are scheduled to begin later today. If convicted, Holmes faces up to 20 years in prison. She has pleaded not guilty.” Read more at CNN
“WASHINGTON — Officials up and down the East Coast have long agitated for money to help replace crumbling bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor, the heavily traveled route between Washington and Boston. After decades of underinvestment, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed last month is poised to deliver much-needed improvements.
The funding includes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak in 1971, handing the agency billions of dollars to address its repair backlog, modernize its fleet and reduce trip times. The $66 billion in new funding for rail could also fuel Amtrak’s expansion in its routes across the country, an elusive goal that could generate millions more in revenue for the agency and extend its network to new areas….
Still, officials say it will take time for riders to see the full impact since Amtrak will need to ramp up hiring and construction projects could take years. Shortages of electricians, machinists and train operators could also lengthen improvement projects.” Read more at New York Times
“Closing arguments are expected Monday in the case against former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter , who fatally shot Daunte Wright while she yelled ‘Taser’ in a traffic-stop-turned-arrest earlier this year. Potter choked up on the witness stand Friday and buried her face in her hands as she recounted the moments of the arrest and shooting. Potter, 49, is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter in Wright's death. The 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department quit two days after the shooting, along with the police chief. She was arrested the next day. Wright's death happened in the midst of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, later convicted of murdering George Floyd.” Read more at USA Today
“DECATUR, Ga. (AP) — Stacey Abrams, who built her national reputation by advocating for voting rights, is calling on Congress to take action on federal voting rules as the Democrat launches a second bid to become Georgia’s governor.
Senators including Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock, Abrams’ close ally, have been arguing in recent days that the Senate must try again on federal voting standards, despite earlier setbacks.
In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Abrams said senators need to override Republican opposition to new federal voting guarantees by weakening the legislation-blocking filibuster to allow the Democrats’ bare majority to pass new rules. Otherwise, Abrams said, more Republican-dominated state legislatures nationwide will adopt voting restrictions like Georgia did this year. Read more at AP News
“If Sen. Joe Manchin bolts the Democratic Party, he'd be more likely to switch to independent — and caucus with the Democrats — than become a Republican, people close to him tell Axios.
Anger at Manchin coursed throughout the party yesterday, and some Democrats with races next year pivoted from attacking GOP rivals to going after Manchin.
Why it matters: Manchin’s surprise body blow to President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda set off new speculation among Democrats — including in the White House — that he may leave the party next year, Axios' Hans Nichols and Alayna Treene report.
The timing and venue for Manchin's declaration: ‘I can’t get there. This is a no — ‘on ‘Fox News Sunday,’ days before Christmas — looked like a middle finger to Democrats.
The White House was caught off guard and responded with an angry statement.
Manchin has consistently denied any interest in leaving the party, telling reporters in October: ‘I can’t control rumors, and it’s bull**** ... capital.’
The big picture: Progressives were worried all year that they would whittle down their spending ambitions to bring Manchin aboard, only to have him pull the rug out once the negotiations got real.
They were right. As soon as President Biden signed the infrastructure bill last month, they lost all leverage.
What we're watching: Many Democrats told Axios yesterday that they don’t believe Build Back Better is truly dead — that it’s a matter of figuring out what can actually pass in 2022.
Some lawmakers believe the path is one touted by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), chair of the House’s centrist New Democrat Coalition. She's proposing fewer programs that last a longer time.” Read more at Axios
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrives on Capitol Hill last Wednesday. Photo: Kent Nishimura/L.A. Times via Getty Images
“Despite Sen. Joe Manchin's desertion, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tells colleagues in a letter this morning that he plans a vote on a ‘revised version’ Build Back Better early next year, and ‘we will keep voting on it until we get something done.’
Schumer said he wants every senator to have ‘the opportunity to make their position known on the Senate floor, not just on television.’
Why it matters: Schumer's letter gives Democrats, who control the executive and legislative branches, a path toward restoring momentum as the midterm year starts, rather than opening with an empty plate.
Schumer also said the Senate will consider voting rights legislation in January — ‘as early as the first week back.’
Between the lines: Those plans put Manchin on the spot twice, Axios managing editor Margaret Talev notes.” Read more at Axios
Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Sony Pictures via AP
“‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is easily the biggest hit of the pandemic era, bringing in $253 million in its North American debut over the weekend, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer writes.
The movie is the third-highest-grossing North American box office opener in history, behind 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’ ($357 million) and 2018’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ ($258 million).
Why it matters: The success suggests moviegoers will dismiss COVID for the right film.
The intrigue: Sony, which released Spider-Man, is one of the only standalone movie studios left that doesn’t have its own streaming service. That's why Spider-Man had a traditional theatrical release.” Read more at Axios
“Omicron hits sports
In March 2020, a canceled N.B.A. game — the so-called Rudy Gobert game — marked the moment that the pandemic became a reality for many Americans. Twenty-one months later, the sports world is again the face of an outbreak, this time as Omicron spreads.
N.B.A. officials postponed five games after dozens of players either tested positive or had close contact with someone who had. To help fill their depleted roster, the Brooklyn Nets reinstated Kyrie Irving, who has missed the entire season because he is not vaccinated. He went into Covid protocols before playing a game.
Omicron is affecting other sports, too. The N.F.L. rescheduled three games this weekend to account for outbreaks. The Premier League in England called off most of its games this weekend. And the N.H.L. is postponing 21 games between today and Dec. 23.” Read more at New York Times
“WOODFORD, Va. — ‘What actually keeps you from getting any nausea is that you’re so zoned in on just doing this,’ Brandon Brown said, speaking for himself after noticing that I’d barely avoided throwing up into my mask.
We were on our third loop on the oval track at Dominion Raceway, just a few yards east of Interstate 95 in central Virginia. After a couple of gentle loops, Mr. Brown steered us right up a short, sloped track — then floored the accelerator in the silver Chevrolet pace car and headed into a sharp left at 70 miles an hour.
He normally goes a lot faster, up to about 200 m.p.h., he said between turns. The trick is ‘keeping a lot of control and staying as smooth as possible, so you can drive as fast as possible,’ he said. ‘You can ruin a lot of days if you start lollygagging and thinking of other things.’
Mr. Brown, wiry and intense at age 28, could talk about this stuff forever, and preferably nothing else. He has been dreaming of racing since he first got into a go-kart 20 years ago, and he will happily explain the nuances of the sport at length. But he has been losing sleep ever since he found himself suddenly tossed into what is every normal American’s worst nightmare: becoming a central character in this country’s hostile and divided politics.
Brandon Brown, you see, is the original Brandon, the guy in the anti-Biden rallying cry ‘Let’s Go, Brandon!’
On Oct. 2, at the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala., he experienced the greatest thrill in his life when he raced to his first-ever NASCAR victory after 113 Xfinity Series contests. His face covered in sweat, an ecstatic Mr. Brown stood before an NBC Sports Network camera for the post-race interview, shouting, ‘This is a dream come true! Wow! Talladega! Dad, we did it!’
As the interview continued, a number of people in the stands started rhythmically chanting the name of President Biden preceded by a four-letter expletive, a chant that was clearly audible on the broadcast.
The reporter cut in with an attempt to stay on message and to cover up what was being said: ‘As you can hear, the chants from the crowd — ‘Let’s go, Brandon!’’
The moment was, objectively, pretty funny; it was also, to some on the right, a symbol of the way in which the news media ignores their views.
With the chant, a catchphrase was born. Soon afterward, ‘Let’s Go, Brandon’ flags and yard signs popped up across the country. A Florida congressman intoned ‘Let’s Go, Brandon’ on the House floor, and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida referred to the ‘Brandon administration.’
Mr. Brown wasn’t listening to the crowd when he was basking in his win. He first noticed that he had become a meme when he checked Twitter, which he uses almost exclusively for tweeting about NASCAR, with the occasional mild joke thrown in, for his nearly 30,000 followers….
But the hot slogan of the American right doesn’t turn out to be something you can easily shake off. Now Mr. Brown finds himself facing a threat to his vocation: He’s an athlete on the cusp of breaking out in a sport that relies on corporate sponsors, a group that likes nothing less than the whiff of divisive partisanship.
‘Our whole navigation is, you want to appeal to everybody, because, all in all, everybody is a consumer,’ Mr. Brown said after our drive. ‘I have zero desire to be involved in politics.’
He had reached out to me, through a spokesman for his team, because he realized that waiting out the storm wasn’t working. But as his name took on a new meaning, his silence on the matter seemed to be a political statement. And for most athletes these days — and many others — politics can be hazardous to your ability to make money.” Read more at New York Times
“It’s like a scene straight out of the teen drama ‘Gossip Girl.’ Middle-school students are creating anonymous Instagram accounts to dish on who’s dating, who’s cheating and who’s carrying weed in their backpack. In some cases, kids are posting photos of other kids, making fun of their hair or clothes. Some accounts spread rumors about students’ sexuality.
The latest form of cyberbullying is occurring at schools across the country and, like other forms of bullying from the past, it can result in fights, social rejection and self harm.
Parents are begging school administrators to shut down the accounts. Social-media networks tend to be responsive, especially where allegations of criminal behavior are concerned, but schools still say they’re overwhelmed. Even when Instagram shuts down the accounts, reporting them is like playing Whac-A-Mole—as soon as kids know that adults are aware of them, they delete the posts or the accounts and create new ones.
Meanwhile, tension is rising between parents and educators over these gossip—aka ‘spilling the tea’—accounts, and resurfacing questions about who is responsible for students’ online social lives.” Read more at Wall Street Journal
“Lives Lived: Eve Babitz was a child of Hollywood who wrote about the pleasures of Los Angeles — and famously appeared in a photo, naked, playing chess with Marcel Duchamp. She died at 78.” Read more at New York Times