Moving On

Reality is starting to set in for Washington. [electoral map]( Erin Schaff/Getty Images The Big Picture: Now What? While President Trump continues to baselessly allege widespread fraud, the political world is starting to move on from his presidency. [Key states]( have [certified]( their [election results](. Republican election officials have pushed back against the president’s rhetoric, which they say has led to threats to election workers. A growing number of Republican senators are acknowledging Democrat Joe Biden will be president. Trump’s own attorney general, Bill Barr, said there is no evidence of a level of fraud that would overturn the election results. Legislatively, Trump is also being pushed aside. Trump has threatened to veto the defense authorization act, but Congress may have the votes to override his veto. Even senators, who have been allies, are -- respectfully -- disagreeing with Trump’s veto threat and declining to accede to his tweet bludgeons. One person [who has entered as a player]( in congressional negotiations, however, is Biden. He is calling for “compromise” on a coronavirus aid package that could be passed before he officially becomes president. For his part, Trump appears to be moving on, too -- of course without acknowledging defeat. [Multiple sources tell NPR]( Trump is seriously considering a 2024 presidential bid. He even could announce it officially in the week or days before Biden is inaugurated in an effort to overshadow the new president. Trump will try to convince his loyal base that he might make a comeback. He’ll attempt to keep them fired up while freezing out other Republicans for 2024. But reality is starting to set in, if not for Trump, then for the rest of Washington. States are set to finalize their electors Tuesday. Electors will then officially cast votes Dec. 14. So there aren’t many more ticks left on the clock of the Trump presidency, and Americans must figure out for themselves what just happened -- and where they go from here. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [White House transition]( Alex Wong/Getty Images Transition Updates Biden’s budget pick: Senate Republicans [are already opposing]( Neera Tanden's intended nomination to a top Biden administration budget role, citing her criticism of the GOP on Twitter. But Democrats are pushing back, noting Republicans aren't bothered by President Trump's critical tweets. COVID planning: President-elect Biden said he's asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, [to become his chief medical adviser]( in his new administration, in addition to continuing to serve in his current role. Biden also said he plans to call on Americans to wear masks for the first 100 days of his administration. Brian Deese for top econ role: President-elect Biden announced [he has picked Brian Deese]( as director of his National Economic Council. Deese worked in the Obama White House, helping to rescue the auto industry during the financial crisis, and later managing his climate policy. Georgia elections official rebukes Trump, GOP: A top elections official in Georgia [excoriated President Trump and other Republicans]( for the repeated, false allegations of fraud in the state that he says have led to violent death threats aimed at election officials. "Someone's going to get hurt, someone's going to get shot, someone's going to get killed," Gabriel Sterling said Tuesday in an emotional and forceful news conference. "It's not right." — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Thanksgiving travel]( Go Nakamura/Getty Images COVID-19 Updates The coronavirus pandemic continues to surge across the U.S., with new daily cases, hospitalizations and deaths all hitting record highs this week. On Thursday, [more than 100,000 Americans were hospitalized]( with COVID-19, far outpacing peaks in April and July. [You can follow a state-by-state breakdown of new cases and deaths here.]( The U.S. economy also continues to suffer through the pandemic. The Labor Department said Friday that [employers added just 245,000 jobs]( in November, a number far below projections and further proof the ongoing pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the labor market. After months of inaction, [momentum appears to be building]( in Congress to pass another coronavirus economic relief bill — but key policy differences over liability protections and whether to help state and local governments continue to be the chief hang-ups. And as the release of coronavirus vaccines draws nearer, Joe Biden [along with three former presidents]( — Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — all said they’d take the vaccine on camera to encourage skeptical Americans to do the same. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Barack Obama]( U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/AP ICYMI Trump locks in oil drilling in wildlife refuge: On Thursday, the Trump administration [announced that it would auction off drilling rights]( in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a month before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. This last-minute may draw legal challenges from opponents and close the chapter on a decades long battle over the land, home to polar bears and other wildlife. House votes to decriminalize marijuana: For the first time, Congress [voted to decriminalize marijuana]( at the federal level. The bill, known as the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act,would remove cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances and help cancel low-level marijuana convictions and arrests. However, the act is not expected to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate. Trump and presidential pardons: As President Trump’s time in office comes to an end, allies are urging the president to issue [pardons for friends, family, and close aides](. Many previous presidents have issued a number of controversial pardons in their last few weeks of office but Trump is distinctly more willing to grant pardons to political allies than his predecessors. While there are [limits to a presidential pardon]( it remains to be seen whether Trump will attempt to pardon himself. A viral view of the Biden administration: While president-elect Biden may be the oldest person to ever be elected president, his grandchildren, ranging between their late teens to 20s, are [using TikTok and Twitter]( to show the public a more personal side of the Biden family. — Kalyani Saxena, NPR Politics intern --------------------------------------------------------------- [Guide to coping the pandemic]( Malaka Gharib/NPR The Shot: A Traditional White House Christmas On Monday, first lady Melania Trump [unveiled the Christmas decorations]( that will adorn the White House this holiday season. While her unconventional decorations have sparked memes in the past, this year the first lady’s choice of golden lighting and fir trees is far more traditional. The unveiling of the decorations comes after recordings of Melania Trump’s frustration with Christmas made headlines earlier this year. — Kalyani Saxena, NPR Politics intern [See more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]