The A-M Rundown: Biden Moves Closer To 270 Electoral Votes

TRUMP SUES IN THREE STATES: As of early Thursday morning, the presidential election still hadn't been decided, but former Vice President Joe Biden had Wisconsin and Michigan called for him Wednesday, two of the three "blue wall" states President Trump took from the Democrats in 2016, and was close to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win. He was at 264 according to the Associated Press' count, with Trump at 214. The battleground states of Pennsylvania -- the third "blue wall" state Trump flipped in 2016 -- Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina were still not called, but all three were close, as heavily Democratic mail-in ballots cut into Trump's Election Day voting early lead as they were counted. AP and Fox News called Arizona for Biden on Election Night, but others still haven't, and Biden's lead there was falling as mail-in and provisional ballots were being counted. 

With millions of votes still to be counted, Biden already had more than 72 million votes, the most in history, and had 2.4 percent lead in the popular vote over Trump, according to the AP's count. Biden delivered remarks yesterday afternoon, after speaking briefly the night before, saying he expected to win, while not declaring victory, and saying that he'd represent everyone, stating, "I will govern as an American president. There will be no red states and blue states when we win. Just the United States of America."

"We're going to win this election. We've actually won in just a matter of counting the votes fairly."

Rudy Giuliani joined Eric and Lara Trump for a news conference in Philadelphia to protest the vote counting process pic.twitter.com/GhchSXqSvy

— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) November 5, 2020

Meanwhile, Trump's campaign filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia to stop the vote counting and requested a recount in Wisconsin, where Biden led by more than 20,000 votes. After speaking from the White House at around 2:30 a.m. following Election night, when he falsely claimed that he'd won and that "fraud" was taking place in counting the votes, Trump didn't speak publicly yesterday. He did, however, tweet false claims of winning several states and questioned the vote counting as Biden made gains. Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, son Eric and daughter-in-law Lara went to Philadelphia, where they claimed, without evidence, that there was wrongdoing in the vote counting.

Senate and House: Democratic Senator Gary Peters managed to hold on to his seat in Michigan, just beating out Republican John James as his race was called Wednesday. Four Senate races remained undecided, all seats currently held by Republicans: one in Alaska, one in North Carolina, and two in Georgia, one of which is headed for a January runoff since neither candidate got above 50 percent, and the other just on the brink as of this morning of also going to a runoff for the same reason. The Senate balance stands as of now at 48-48. In the House, Republicans have picked up five seats so far, shrinking the Democrats' majority. 

The Wall Street Journal 11/5/20

➤U.S. SETS RECORD FOR CORONAVIRUS CASES: The U.S. set a new record for coronavirus cases Wednesday, surging 45 percent over the past two weeks to a seven-day average of daily new cases of 86,352, according to Johns Hopkins University's data. Deaths are also increasing, up 15 percent to an average of 846 each day, and a total of more than 233,700. The COVID Tracking Project reported 1,116 deaths yesterday and 103,000 confirmed cases. Cases are increasing in almost every state, and hospitalizations set new records yesterday in Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

➤U.S. FORMALLY LEAVES PARIS CLIMATE CHANGE PACT: The U.S. formally left the Paris Agreement on climate change yesterday, five years after helping negotiate it. President Trump triggered the withdrawal a year ago from the pact that he'd repeatedly criticized, and it became official yesterday. The U.N. agency that oversees the treaty aimed at reducing the impact of climate change expressed regret at the withdrawal by the U.S. There are 189 countries that have ratified the accord, under which countries set their own voluntary targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, and increase those goals every few years. The only binding part of the accord is that countries have to accurately report on their efforts. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has said he would put the U.S. back into the Paris Agreement.

➤SUPREME COURT HEARS CASE OVER SAME-SEX FOSTER PARENTING: The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case over a Catholic social services agency in Philadelphia refusing to work with same-sex couples as foster parents. The religious rights case is being heard by a high court that shifted to be even more conservative with the recent appoint of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the seat of late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died in September. Catholic Social Services said it should still be able to have a contract with the city to find foster homes for children even though it won't work with same-sex couples. Philadelphia says it doesn't allow the agencies it works with to discriminate. As it has been doing since last term, the justices heard arguments by phone because of the coronavirus pandemic.

NEWS: Urban Meyer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Brady Quinn & Rob Stone are all out this Saturday due to COVID protocols, The Post has learned.https://t.co/ysETe2FfGw

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) November 5, 2020

🏈LIONS QB STAFFORD ON RESERVE/COVID LIST: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was put on the Reserve/Covid-19 list Wednesday, however his wife said on social media that he'd tested negative. His status is unknown for the Lions game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The reserve/Covid-19 list is for players who either test positive or have been in close contact with an infected person. Stafford had been on the list three months ago, but was removed when it was discovered his test had been a false positive.

🏈FOUR 49ERS PUT ON RESERVE/COVID LIST: The San Francisco 49ers put four players on the reserve/Covid-19 list yesterday, and said they wouldn't play in tonight's game against the Green Bay Packers. ESPN reported that wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive yesterday morning, and that left tackle Trent Williams and wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel were also put on the list as close contacts of Bourne. The 49ers will also be without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tonight, after he injured his ankle in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, and tight end George Kittle, who hurt his foot in the same game.

🏀NBA PLAYERS EXPECTED TO OKAY DECEMBER 22ND SEASON START: The NBA's board of governors and the players' association will hold separate meetings today, after which they're expected to agree to start the new season on December 22nd and play a shortened 72-game schedule, ESPN reported yesterday. The last season, which was suspended for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, just ended on October 11th when the L.A. Lakers won the NBA championship.

🏈LOUISVILLE-VIRGINIA GAME POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS: This weekend's football game between Louisville and Virginia has been postponed after an increase in positive coronavirus tests among the Louisville team members and staff, the schools announced Wednesday (November 4th). They plan to reschedule the game on November 14th, when both have a bye week. Louisville vice president and director of athletics Vince Tyra said there are 22 cases, 15 of them players.

➤MOST OF FLORIDA NOW IN FORECAST CONE FOR TROPICAL STORM ETA: The storm that made landfall as Category 4 hurricane in Nicaragua on Tuesday is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression as it boomerangs over Central America over the next couple days and then returns to the Caribbean Sea, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters then expect Eta — it rhymes with “beta” — to strengthen again, regaining tropical storm status as it moves northeast toward Cuba and Florida. The current forecast has the storm approaching the Florida peninsula early Monday and possibly moving into the Gulf of Mexico, but forecasters said a lot about the storm’s path and intensity is still unknown.