Reporting from the corner of Cynicism and Bitter… A talking head at the far-right leaning streaming website Newsmax tried to insinuate all of the mainstream media (including Fox News Channel) colluded with the state of Pennsylvania to wait for Donald Trump to take his 284th trip to play golf before projecting former Vice President Joe Biden as the next president of the U.S.
“The timing on of all this, Emerald, certainly fascinates me. We talk a lot about media collusion with the Democratic Party and here we have the president just leaving the White House to go to his golf course to play a round of golf and he deserves to be able to do that.”
“We have the press conference that Rudy Giuliani is going to hold in Philadelphia happening. And at the very same time, all of all sudden, all of the networks, with the exception of Newsmax, decide that this is the time that they’re going to call the election. We are, here at Newsmax, not calling the election.”
Check out the creepy laugh when he says “He deserves to be able to do that…” Practically everyone with an interest in the election returns figured out the result would probably be announced today. Why would Trump even play golf today? And then, of course, there’s the fact that Trump lied to the American people four years ago and said there “wouldn’t be time for golf” if he was elected in 2016. It’s almost Shakespearean that Trump learned he lost the race on a golf course.
Newsmax anchor floats a conspiracy theory that the election was called to ruin Trump’s round of golf pic.twitter.com/q8dGEk22MV
President-elect Joe Biden LGBTQ organizations across the U.S. are celebrating the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. From Alphonso David, President of the Human Rights Campaign:
After four long years, we can finally celebrate — our voices were loud and clear, and together, we have elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House, by more than four million votes and counting! Their election proves once again that equality is a winning issue, and reflects both the incredible work of this organization and the strength of our shared unity.
The Biden/Harris White House will be the most pro-equality in history. President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are not just our allies, but they are true advocates for LGBTQ equality. These leaders have a clear vision: a vision where LGBTQ people are protected from discrimination; a vision where transgender and gender non-conforming people don’t fear for their lives walking down the street; a vision where LGBTQ children are loved, embraced and protected from bullying.
The results of this presidential election affirm that every vote and every voter counts. LGBTQ people and all marginalized Americans came together to make this victory possible, and now the journey to safety, equality and acceptance can continue forward.
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have promised to fight for America as a place where we all can belong and succeed, where truth and kindness matter. In the early days of their administration, they must prioritize protecting LGBTQ people equally under the law in a country where we can live without fear. We must all also confront the racism and bias that fueled the division of the last four years, and resolve to come together for justice and equality for all. We are eager to act on this historic vote for progress and get our country back on track.
From Rea Carey, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund:
Today, I breathed a sigh of relief for the first time in years, even as we know that we have hard work ahead of us. My hope is that after four years of white supremacist policies, actions and rhetoric aimed at the worst impulses of those who see LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, people of color, people with disabilities, and so many as the ‘other’ as targets for discrimination and prejudice, we have elected national leaders who have vowed to see and fight for the humanity in all of us.
I am filled with hope because our children will again live in a nation led by an administration that sees their potential, their resilience, and their diversity as strengths. I am filled with hope because for the first time in history a woman will serve as Vice President of the United States of America. After more than 100 years of women of color being cut out of the protections gained by the constitutional amendment granting mostly white women the right to vote, a woman of color will be bringing her expertise, experience and vision to lead this nation.
From Rebecca Isaacs, Executive Director of Equality Federation:
The will of the people is clear: voters have chosen Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to move us forward together towards a better future. This has been a long, difficult election unlike any we have witnessed before. But the story of the election is this: Despite all of the obstacles, we voted in enormous numbers for democracy, for justice, for equality, and for each other.
There is no question that President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris will be champions for advancing LGBTQ equality.
The will of the people is clear: voters have chosen Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to move us forward together towards a better future. pic.twitter.com/Ie0TyZp3td
From Imani Rupert-Gordon, National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director:
President-Elect Joe Biden has long been a champion of our community and he has promised the most LGBTQ-inclusive administration that has ever been in the White House. The opportunity to partner with a friendly administration and rebuild has never been greater.
And additionally noteworthy, Kamala Harris not only represents the first woman ever with the title Vice President-Elect, but also the first Black woman and South Asian woman to hold the position, which will provide a perspective that we have never had in that role before.
Joe Biden will be the 46th president of the United States, CNN projects, after a victory in Pennsylvania puts the Scranton-born Democrat over 270 electoral votes.
Apollo Flowerchild in ‘Bloody Hands’ (screen capture) Black trans singer/songwriter Apollo Flowerchild releases their haunting new single, “Bloody Hands,” on the trailblazing new label Trans Trenderz which focuses exclusively on supporting Black Trans music makers, a subsection of creatives who have been tragically underserved within the music industry. The track, produced by Blxck Cxsper, is the first by a Trans Trenderz artist to have been recorded at Studio G Brooklyn by seven-time Grammy-nominated producer, Joel Hamilton, who mixed the track. Flowerchild’s earthy baritone is set amid a hypnotic sonic soundscape. And the song’s brooding, pensive lyrics offer a window into the artist’s personal eloquence and grace.
I’m regretting every choiceDestroying all the things that I hold dearAnd a dark cloud hovers near
More than a record label, Trans Trenderz is a Black Trans-owned organization aiming to help Trans artists achieve mainstream success while feeling empowered and respected for who they are. On top of releasing music that is entirely produced by Trans people, they are leading several initiatives to help strengthen the transgender musical community: • The Ghostly Beats Project where they mobilize allies to provide Black Trans musicians the resources they need to produce and monetize their music • The Trans Trenderz Music Awards to highlight and bring recognition to the hard-working Trans creatives in all corners of the music industry • Workshops & Public Speaking, to educate and empower
Juan Melecio (image via Twitter) Some news items you might have missed: • Edge Media: Juan Melecio (above), better known as gay porn star Antonio Biaggi, finished 5th in a field of 6 candidates for two city commissioner seats in gay-centric Wilton Manors, Florida. • The Advocate: The GOP failed in its attempt to derail the campaign of Democrat Roger Montoya by shaming him over a gay porn past nearly 40 years ago. Montoya triumphed in his New Mexico race for House District 40, besting Republican opponent Justin Salazar-Torrez 56.8 percent to 43.2 percent. • Victory Fund: Todd Gloria has won his race to become the next Mayor of San Diego, California. He is the first openly LGBTQ person and first person of color to be elected to the office. • New Music: Australian superstar Kylie Minogue drops some super-cute disco beats with her latest single, “Where Does The DJ Go?” The pop diva will also be streaming a live 50-minute performance – Kylie: Infinite Disco – around the globe on Saturday, November 7.
• NBC News: Defense Secretary Mark Esper has prepared a letter of resignation, according to three current defense officials. Defense officials say Esper prepared his letter because he is one of the Cabinet officials long expected to be pushed out after the election. • Vox: Georgia now has two Senate runoffs, both to be decided on January 5, 2021, as Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) and Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock failed to cross the majority threshold in Georgia’s special election Senate race. Sen. David Perdue (R) and Jon Ossoff (D) are headed to a runoff as well as neither were able to clear the state’s 50 percent threshold. • Washington Examiner: Amid reports Donald Trump might not concede the election, a spokesman for Joe Biden’s campaign, Andrew Bates responded: “The American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.”
Amid reports the president might not concede the election, @JoeBiden spokesman @AndrewBatesNC says in part: “The American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House.”
Mayor Dean Trantalis of Fort Lauderdale (screen capture/CBS4News) As the counting of ballots continues across the country following Election Day this week, we’ve all seen stories of heated rhetoric between supporters of political candidates at the polls. But it turns out even mayors aren’t immune to ugly vitriol this election cycle. Mayor Dean Trantalis, the first openly gay mayor of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, says he was harassed by supporters of Donald Trump who began yelling homophobic slurs at him while he visited an early voting site on Saturday. “I encountered a number of people who were there on behalf of the Trump campaign who immediately accosted me, calling me pedophile, started calling me a fa**ot, and thought it was fun,” Trantalis told the local CBS News affiliate. But Mayor Trantalis didn’t assign blame to the Republican Party saying the people involved in the incident were “a lot of rabble-rousers that are fringe elements of the Trump organization that felt they could come into our city.” “Several were not from our city,” he added. “They admitted they came from other parts of the state.” (photo via Dean Trantalis) The mayor encountered similar behavior at other polling places and near his home as well. Trantalis shared that in his own neighborhood he saw yard signs for his campaign to which people had attached little pink flags. He said it was clear the flags were “a dog whistle for someone who’s gay.” “Almost to say, ‘We’re watching you, we’re around your house,’” he explained. “They wanted to intimidate me.” But the mayor is steadfast in his belief that such behavior doesn’t represent the people who live in Fort Lauderdale. “If you can’t be respectable, honorable people, you need to take your dog and pony show somewhere else,” he told CBS4News. “That’s not who we are.”
Rick Santorum (screen capture via CNN) CNN political analyst Rick Santorum told CNN viewers this morning that “Democrats need to give Republicans, including Trump, time and space to work through their feelings about losing.” “You know he’s just found out that he’s probably not going to be the president of the United States,” added Santorum.
The Twitterverse found that idea a bit funny considering how famously thoughtful Trump supporters have been about Democrats’ “feelings.”
Rick Santorum just said on @CNN: “Democrats need to give Republicans, including Trump, time and space to work through their feelings about losing.” Below: A photo of a lobster boat in Maine flying a giant “Trump 2020: F— Your Feelings” flag. A good friend of mine sent it to me pic.twitter.com/e5gQXzDt3Q
Guy in my neighborhood – Black SUV with vanity plates PUNSHER1 – had this flag over the summer. Yeah, now this same camp wants civility and respect… Right.. pic.twitter.com/ik4VQCD4Ht
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (screen capture) Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told reporters Friday that Trump needs to “put his big boy pants on” and acknowledge that “he lost and he needs to congratulate the winner.” “Just as Jimmy Carter did, just as George H.W. Bush did and frankly just as Al Gore did,” added Kenney. “Stop this and let us move forward as a country.” As of 1:24 p.m., Biden leads with about 13,492 votes in Pennsylvania with just under 112,000 mail ballots left to count, according to the secretary of state’s website.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told reporters Friday that Trump needs to “put his big boy pants on” and acknowledge that “he lost.” Biden currently holds a narrow lead in that state over Trump #Election2020https://t.co/FGnEUJtyxspic.twitter.com/6rabIFtnd6
L-R Donald Trump, Joe Biden (screen capture, campaign photo) As of 10 am today, this is the state of play in the race for the presidency via the New York Times:
Mr. Biden, who was winning the popular vote by more than four million votes and has already won 253 electoral votes, pulled ahead of Mr. Trump in Pennsylvania by about 12,000 votes on Friday afternoon. If his lead holds — and it is expected to — the state’s 20 electoral votes would vault him past the threshold to win the election.
In Georgia, his lead was so narrow that state officials said a recount was inevitable.
In Arizona, Mr. Biden maintained his lead as election officials continued to plow through tens of thousands of ballots from Phoenix and its sprawling suburbs. His advantage shrank slightly, but not by as much as Republicans had hoped.
In Nevada, Mr. Biden nearly doubled his lead Friday to around 20,000 votes.
Mr. Biden had already begun to project the image of a man preparing to assume the mantle of office on Thursday, meeting with his economic and health advisers to be briefed on the coronavirus pandemic. He also urged the public on Thursday to show a “little patience” as the vote-counting in battleground states continued.
Note – one media outlet, Business Insider (working with Decision Desk HQ) has called the race for Joe Biden. (graphic via NY Times)(graphic via NY Times)
Donald Trump leaves the hospital after treatment for the coronavirus (photo: public domain) Although Donald Trump told his followers on the campaign trail about the coronavirus – “By the way, on November 4, you won’t hear about it anymore” – sadly we are. For the second day in a row, the U.S. has reported over 100,000 new cases of the virus in a single day. From the New York Times:
The country burst across the 100,000 threshold of reported cases a day earlier, the first time it had done so since the pandemic began. The total count of new infections Wednesday was at least 107,000, according to a New York Times database.
On Thursday evening, the county in the U.S. hit 102,297, and was expected to go up.
Twenty-three states have recorded more cases in the past week than in any other seven-day stretch.
Five states — Colorado, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota and Nebraska — set single-day case records on Wednesday. Cases were also mounting in the Mountain West and even in the Northeast, which over the summer seemed to be getting the virus under control.
Until November 4th., Fake News Media is going full on Covid, Covid, Covid. We are rounding the turn. 99.9%.
Reporting from the corner of Cynicism and Bitter… A talking head at the far-right leaning streaming website Newsmax tried to insinuate all of the mainstream media (including Fox News Channel) colluded with the state of Pennsylvania to wait for Donald Trump to take his 284th trip to play golf before projecting former Vice President Joe Biden as the next president of the U.S. 
