Monday, October 26, 2020

The AM Rundown: Pence Campaigns Despite Aides' Testing Positive


Vice President Mike Pence is sticking to his campaign schedule during this last week before the presidential election despite at least five of his aides, including his chief of staff Marc Short, testing positive for the coronavirus, according to reports. Another who's reportedly tested positive is Zach Bauer, Pence's "body man," meaning someone who's with him all the time to provide a assistance. However, Pence, who heads the coronavirus task force, isn't quarantining. He and his wife, Karen Pence, tested negative on Sunday. 



Meanwhile, President Trump's chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said on CNN yesterday, "We’re not going to control the pandemic," saying when asked why, "Because it is a contagious virus just like the flu." He said instead, "We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation areas." His remarks came as the U.S. passed 225,000 deaths from the coronavirus yesterday, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, as the nation's fall wave of the virus continues to grow. 

The Covid Tracking Project has recorded an increase in the seven-day average of daily new cases from 42,348 on October 2nd to 66,557 on Friday, and in increase in the seven-day average of daily deaths, from 703 on October 2nd to 807 on Friday.

➤EARLY VOTING ALREADY MORE THAN 2016 TALLY: Election Day is still more than a week away, and more people have already voted early than voted early or absentee for the entire time before Election Day in 2016. AP reported yesterday that 58.6 million ballots had been cast so far, more than the 58 million that were early or absentee in the 2016 election. The surge in early and absentee voting is being driven in part by people trying to avoid crowded polling places on Election Day amid the coronavirus pandemic, but also by voter enthusiasm. More Democrats than Republican have been doing early voting, but AP notes the margin is narrowing some, with more Republicans showing up in recent days to vote. 


➤FBI INVESTIGATING FIRE SET IN BALLOT DROP BOX IN BOSTON: The FBI is investigating after a fire was set in a ballot drop box in Boston early Sunday morning. The drop box was outside the Boston Public Library downtown, and Massachusetts election officials said the incident appears to have been a "deliberate attack." Firefighters put out the fire by filling the drop box with water. There were 122 ballots inside, and 87 were still legible and able to be processed. People who used the drop box who can't confirm online that their ballot was processed were urged to contact Boston's Elections Department. Boston Police released surveillance images of a person near the ballot box at that time of the arson.


➤BARRETT'S SENATE CONFIRMATION VOTE SET FOR TODAY: A confirmation vote in the full Senate for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett is expected for today, after a rare Sunday session in which Senate Republicans voted to advance the nomination over Democratic objections that the winner of the presidential election should fill late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat because it's so close to the election. Barrett is expected to be confirmed in the Republican-majority Senate. Only two Republicans, Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, voted with all the Democrats against advancing the nomination in yesterday's 51-48 vote. But while Murkowski voted no in the procedural vote because she's against installing a justice so close to the election, she said Saturday she will vote to confirm Barrett in the final vote, stating, "While I oppose the process that has led us to this point, I do not hold it against her." Collins, who's in a close election in Maine, has said she'll still vote no, the only Republican expected to do so.
 

➤TROPICAL STORM ZETA LIKELY TO THREATEN GULF COAST AS HURRICANE: Forecasters said Sundaythat newly-formed Tropical Storm Zeta is likely to become a hurricane today before hitting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula later in the day or early tomorrow, and will threaten the U.S. Gulf Coast by Wednesday, although it may weaken by then. Zeta is the earliest named 27th Atlantic storm, breaking the previous record of a 27th storm that formed on November 29, 2005. Storms are now being named following the Greek alphabet after official names ran out because we've had so many this Atlantic hurricane season.



⚾DODGERS TAKE 3-2 WORLD SERIES LEAD WITH 4-2 WIN OVER RAYS: The Los Angeles Dodgers took a 3-2 World Series lead with a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays last night, putting them one win away from the championship. 


Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw gave up Tampa Bay's only two runs and five hits, staying in until the sixth when he was pulled with two outs. Before that, he prevented a Rays' attempt to steal home for a tying run in the fourth inning, backing off the rubber and throwing to the catcher after he heard first baseman Max Muncy scream, "Step off!" as he went into his stretch position. L.A. scored two runs in the first, and Joc Pederson and Muncy added solo home runs in the second and fifth innings, respectively. Game 6 is on Tuesday.

🏈NFL SCORES -- WEEK 7: Here are the results of this weekend's NFL games:
  • Detroit Lions 23, Atlanta Falcons 22
  • Cleveland Browns 37, Cincinnati Bengals 34
  • Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Tennessee Titans 24
  • New Orleans Saints 27, Carolina Panthers 24
  • Buffalo Bills 18, New York Jets 10
  • Washington Football Team 25, Dallas Cowboys 3
  • Green Bay Packers 35, Houston Texans 20
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45, Las Vegas Raiders 20
  • Kansas City Chiefs 43, Denver Broncos 16
  • San Francisco 49ers 33, New England Patriots 6
  • Los Angeles Chargers 39, Jacksonville Jaguars 29
  • Arizona Cardinals 37, Seattle Seahawks 34 (OT)
Tonight's Monday Night Football game on ESPN:
  • Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams (8:15 pm ET)

➤TITANS FINED $350K FOR CORONAVIRUS VIOLATIONS: The Tennessee Titans were fined $350,000 this week for violations of the NFL's coronavirus protocols, the NFL Network reported yesterday (October 25th), saying the team was told there'd be, quote, "escalated discipline" if there are further violations. A probe found the Titans didn't follow mask mandates or communicate with players working out away from the team facility. Twenty-four members of the Titans organization tested positive for the coronavirus, leading to the postponement of their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a delay of their Week 5 game against the Buffalo Bills to a Tuesday.

➤JAGUARS' ARMSTEAD TO MISS SEASON WITH COVID COMPLICATIONS: Jacksonville Jaguars running back Ryquell Armstead is expected to miss the entire NFL season because of complications of Covid-19, ESPN reported yesterday (October 25th). Armstead has been experiencing respiratory issues and has been hospitalized twice since contracting the coronavirus. ESPN said the 23-year-old is expected to return next season.

➤COWBOYS QB DALTON SUFFERS CONCUSSION: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton had to leave in the third quarter of the team's 25-3 loss to the Washington Football Team yesterday (October 25th) after he suffered a concussion when he took a hit to the head from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic as he slid to the ground. Bostic was ejected. Dalton was making his second start replacing starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who's out with a compound fracture and dislocation of his ankle. Rookie Ben DiNucci went in after Dalton's exit. 
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