A few days off. It does wonders for the soul. Can’t wait for my real vacation next week.
The news, however, doesn’t take time off… I never totally walk away from it either. So, a few things on the radar.
Coronavirus
Vaccines. They are here. They are in the arms of those who need them: our front line workers. It’s such a good sight to see. We’re still a long way from this being over, but it’s a beginning.
And it looks like a second vaccine will soon be in the pipeline. The New York Times is reporting that Modena’s Covid-19 vaccine will get emergency FDA approval in the coming days.
This is really good news.
Politics
Congress wants to go home for Christmas. With that said, expect some kind of stimulus bill soon. Really soon. Lawmakers are meeting to keep the government running and help Americans affected by Coronavirus.
Also, congratulations are in order… finally. Senator Mitch McConnell has acknowledged Joe Biden as the President-elect. He had no choice. The Electoral College certified Biden’s win.
From the Washington Post, McConnell said on the Senate floor: “So today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. The president-elect is no stranger to the Senate. He’s devoted himself to public service for many years.”
On Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, he said, “Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the very first time.”
The Senator is also said to be telling his fellow Republican senators not to join a long shot effort by House Republicans to challenge the Electoral College results.
Transition
Meantime, President-elect Joe Biden continues to build his cabinet. Multiple sources say he will pick Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary. “Mayor Pete” would be the first openly gay man to hold a cabinet level position.
Wow. Lots of good news. Not all though. Vaccines are here, but cases keep rising. Some states, like California, are close to being overwhelmed. ABC News reports the state has ordered five thousand more body bags and has dozens of refrigerated trucks standing by. Governor Gavin Newsom calling it, “the most intense Covid-19 surge to date.”
Finally, have you seen the Doc Morris commercial? The Dutch pharmacy company has an ad that will make you laugh, cry and be hopeful. Go find it. Let’s just say it’s about a grandfather trying to get in shape for an important event. It ends with “so you can take care of what matters in life.”
Please, do yourself a favor and watch it … and take care.