• Trump has dropped his Arizona lawsuit.
• 130 Secret Service agents who protected Trump at his rallies have contracted coronavirus
• Illinois, Maryland and Washington may get lockdowns
• Trump's PA law firm Porter Wright moved to withdraw from representing him today.
• Another day, another record shattered:

More than 153,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday as some 66,000 people were hospitalized nationwide.

We can now begin the process of putting science ahead of incompetence and working together, get control over this virus instead of continuing to allow it to control us. It's time for us to get to work. [More...]

Democrats have turned some major ruby red states blue: The media has now called Georgia (in addition to AZ and PA) for Joe Biden.

The Electoral Vote total is now 306-232.

Goodbye Red States, Goodbye Trumps, Welcome Biden/Harris, we've got a lot of damage to reverse and a lot to do. So let's get to work.

Honestly, I'm much more concerned about COVID-19 than I am about how Trump leaves office. No matter how he tries to spin it, Trump's lasting legacy will not be that he was cheated and robbed in his bid for re-election. It will be the tens of thousands of deaths he failed to prevent because of his failure as a leader.

I am electioned-out. I haven't read the news about him or his lawsuits or the vote tally in a few days (which feels like an eternity and has been quite liberating). But I'm going to break my silence of the past few days to share my prediction as how Donald Trump plans to get himself out of the election fiasco he has created, and why we shouldn't fall into the trap of celebrating his defeat on Thanksgiving.

I predict within days Donald Trump will announce he quits. That's right. He'll resign. He will say the vote was rigged and since no one will do anything about it, the country doesn't deserve him. Before Thanksgiving (or certainly before Christmas) I predict he'll head to Mar-a-Lago, never to be seen at the White House again. Glory, Glory Hallelujah. [More...]

The time has come to leave Donald Trump behind. He's toast. The fat lady sang. The Supreme Court is not coming to his rescue. He's lived high on our dime (and the dime of the Secret Service covering his and his kids' international and domestic travel) long enough.)

As soon as the media stops covering Donald Trump, which it will shortly, he'll be on his way to somewhere like Abu Dhabi faster than the speeding bullet trains in Asia can get him there. (He can't possibly be dumb enough to think he's safe from arrest at Mar-a-Lago and he would never be able to adapt to a non-opulent lifestyle or a place where English isn't widely spoken). So why is he hanging on to his desk in the oval office so tightly? What is he afraid of? My theory is five-fold: [More....]

Update: Great speech by Kamala Harris. Biden now comes running down tarmac - he certainly seems very physically fit for his age. He's really happy. He talks about unity and healing.

Original Post: Kamala Harris starts with a quote from John Lewis about democracy. She adds:

"We the people have the power to build a better future." You (the voters) protected our democracy.

She is very gracious, always talking about us rather than her. Good for her that she is making us want to celebrate.

"You chose hope and unity decency science and yes truth." [More...]

It is so heartening to see the streets filled with youth and people of color cheering and dancing in cities across America.

Congratulations, America. You won. The witch is gone.

Let's all take a few days to breathe our sighs of relief.

Yes, the vote tallies in the four critical states can change, but probably not enough to make Donald Trump anything but a loser. Two of the lawsuits he filed yesterday have already been dismissed. I'm not celebrating yet, but this song has been popping into my head since yesterday:

All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
All your reindeer armies, are all going home
The lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all her blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you
Forget the dead you’ve left, they will not follow you
The vagabond who’s rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, go start anew
And it’s all over now, Baby Blue

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Update 7:40 pm: CNN just interviewed Richard Barrett, the head of vote counting somewhere in Georgia. He was the best, most composed, intelligible guest all night (even though the guy interviewing him was a jerk. He asked, "Are all of these ballots legal?" Like the guy would say no?) He was also very nice looking. And he managed to keep repeating the word "adjudcated" like it was sexy or something. I hope he gets promoted.

New numbers in Maricopa, AZ increase Joe Biden's lead the state.

Biden is also ahead in Nevada, and those two states are all he needs,according to John King. Biden does not need PA. And he may take Georgia for good measure.

[More...]

Update 8:06 p.m. MT: The latest numbers are not encouraging. Trump is now ahead in Ohio, PA, NC, and GA. Trump is on the rails in Arizona. John King keeps comparing Biden's numbers to Hillary's 2016 numbers. I'm not sure they mean that much. He also keeps talking about the "suburban revolt" against Trump. And the changing demographics. But if Trump takes PA, FL, Ohio, WI, NC and MI, I don't see a Democrat win, no matter what Arizona does.

Update 7:31 pm MT: Biden takes Colorado! Hickenlooper wins the U.S. Senate seat, dethroning Trump ally Cory Gardner. John King is talking faster than I can listen. But I suspect Trump will take Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas. I don't know about Ohio or PA.

Update: John King on CNN says Trump is out if Biden takes Ohio. No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio.

Update: 6:30 pm MT: Donald Trump has won Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana; West Virginia; Democrat Joe Biden has won Connecticut, Delaware, Vermont, the District of Colombia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

Ohio, PA and Florida are still in play. Trump is currentlhy ahead in Michigan. Biden is ahdead in Ohio including the suburbs of Cleveland. Polls close in Colorado in 30 minutes.[More...]

There are other things happening in the world, besides the presidential election.

Here's a place to discuss them, all topics welcome.

If you want escapism, I recommend Tehran on Apple TV (only 8 episodes) and as always, Money Heist and Reign on Netflix.

Like many of you, I have been on edge for days. I don't know what is going to happen. No one does. Watching Donald Trump's rallies this weekend, with lie after lie on everything from COVID to the economy to why minorities should love him, and watching them mindlessly cheer him, leaves me little hope.

And there's Biden, with no charisma at all. Only die hard Democrats and Trump haters will come out for him.

I do believe one of them will win decisively and we will have a winner in short order, although perhaps not on Tuesday night.

And a special Bronx cheer for the idiot son of Donald Trump who said on Fox on Thursday that Covid-deaths have been declining to almost nothing. The very day he said that, more than 1,000 Americans died.

The horrendous storm created by Donald Trump in all his infamy better end soon. The toll to the United States if he is not dethroned decisively is unimaginable.

My current prediction: Trump will lose in a landslide. But that will only matter to him if the popular vote difference is huge. So no matter where you live, even if it's in a blue state, please VOTE against Donald Trump. Any popularily shown to Trump will be taken as a sign by his undeserving children that they are heirs to his current position.

I am busy all afternoon -- time for a new open thread, all topics welcome.