5 Takeaways On The New Biden-Harris Presidential Ticket

Also: WBUR poll shows four in 10 Mass. voters will cast ballot by mail; new map from state shows communities at high risk of spreading COVID-19 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( August 12, 2020 Good Morning Boston, ⚡ A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Quiet day in politics yesterday, right? 🙃 We'll cover it all... – In the presidential race, former Vice President Joe Biden has [picked Sen. Kamala Harris]( of California as his running mate. That makes her the third woman and first Black and first Asian American candidate to be nominated for vice president by a major political party. - While Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who was on the short-list for the spot, didn't make the cut, she [pledged her support]( for the duo on Twitter. - The Markey-Kennedy debate [got heated]( last night. Why are we watching? The race is one of the most closely watched political contests in the state this year, pitting a long-term member of Congress from Massachusetts against an heir to the state’s most storied political family. - Of note: Heading into the debate, Markey got a boost: an [endorsement]( progressive group MoveOn Political Action. They'll be running some ads for him. And in local coronavirus outbreak news: - We have new data from the state to help determine which areas are "high risk." Gov. Charlie Baker[unveiled a new map and ranking system]( to determine a community's risk level for spreading the virus. The designations are based on the average daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 people. - This is important because it will help Baker's administration dedicate more resources to the areas that need it the most. Right now, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn and Revere have the state's highest risk of transmission. - Baker also commented on Trump's executive order in regard to unemployment benefits. He said he wants Congress to come up with a new relief package that extends unemployment benefits without requiring funding from the states. Baker thinks Trump's plan would require Massachusetts to redirect some of its federal emergency pandemic funding, which would likely mean less money for school reopening plans. -The feds have [reached an agreement]( with Cambridge-based Moderna to manufacture and deliver 100 million doses of the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. - Heading to the Cape for a beach day this month? Parking will be tough. Yarmouth is considering adding police patrols to its beaches for crowd control and to get people to stop parking illegally. And in Mashpee, officials restricted beaches to residents only and banned parking on some streets. P.S.– Remember when we thought "Tiger King" was going to be one of the strangest and most memorable things to come out of 2020? I miss those days, but [Carole Baskin's crusades]( continue. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)[5 Takeaways On The New Biden-Harris Presidential Ticket]( Beyond making history, Biden showed his vision for the future, opened a window into his decision-making and picked someone who will likely be able to stand up well in a vice-presidential debate. [Read more.]( - Local Angle: [Once A Top Contender, Elizabeth Warren Nixed As Joe Biden's Running Mate]( - Related: [Trump Tweets His Campaign's Ad Targeting Harris Minutes After Biden Announces VP Pick](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [WBUR Poll: 4 In 10 Mass. Voters Plan To Cast Ballots By Mail]( That means election officials will have to handle well over a million mail-in ballots, if turnout is similar to what it was in the last presidential campaign — far more than they'd get from absentee ballots in a more typical election year. [Read more.]( 3. [Facing Allegations Of Inappropriate Behavior, Alex Morse Still Sees A Path To Victory Against Congressman Richard Neal]( The 31-year-old mayor is taking on one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington: Richard Neal, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, who's been representing western Mass. for the past 30 years. [Read more.]( 4. [Rollins Criticizes Group That Bailed Out Repeat Sex Offender Charged In New Rape]( "What I find interesting about the Bail Fund’s recent behavior of posting higher bails for violent serious crimes ... is that any incentive for good behavior by the alleged offender is removed. There is no pressure applied to the accused by the Bail Fund. Rather, their mantra is ‘Free Them All.’ " [Read more.]( 5. [8 Arrested After Climate Activists Hang Banner On Citgo Sign]( The group unfurled the "CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW" banner Monday evening as the Red Sox began their game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - The payroll tax delay could boost your take-home pay. But [don't spend it quite yet.]( - Did you catch ["one of the best" meteor showers]( of the year this morning? The Perseid meteor shower lasted longer than the average meteor streak, with 50 to 100 meteors per hour. - A Biden-Harris team knows how the levers of Washington work, writes Eileen McNamara [in this commentary]( and will engage them in the restoration of a democracy brought to the brink of collapse by the feckless leadership of a corrupt would-be autocrat. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [What It's Like When COVID-19 Lasts For Months]( [Listen]( LOCAL ELECTIONS [Fact Checking Kennedy And Markey On Their Black Lives Matter Claims]( How Markey And Kennedy Are Working For Workers. [Read more.]( We Asked, They Answered: 4th District Candidates Vying For Kennedy's Seat Tell Us Why They're Running. [Read more.]( Mass. 2020 Primary: What To Know About Voting By Mail Or At The Polls. [Read more.]( What We're Reading - Opinion: Yes, Racism Is A Public Health Crisis ([The Boston Globe]( - What Happens To Viral Particles On The Subway ([The New York Times]( - Extraordinary Access: A Reporter Follows A Police Officer On A Mental Health Call ([Nieman Storyboard]( Tell Me Something Good [Meet One Farmer Who Left His Tech Job To Transform Northern Virginia's Agroscape]( Sylvanaqua Farms is focusing on pasture-raised chickens, forested pigs, grass-fed beef and pasteurized eggs. The farm is also starting to preserve rare seeds of Indigenous varieties of corn, beans and squash, and plans to reincorporate wilding and foraging. Before you go: Triple-decker or [raccoon playground]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. 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