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U.S. NEWS Saturday 5 december 2020

Among first acts, Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE same role he’s had for the by tweets,” he said.
Associated Press past several presidents,” as In addition to consider-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe the director of the Nation- ing preemptive pardons,
Biden said Thursday that he al Institute of Allergy and Trump has spent much of
will ask Americans to com- Infectious Diseases, the his time post-election trying
mit to 100 days of wear- nation’s top infectious-dis- to raise questions about an
ing masks as one of his first ease expert. He said he’s election he lost by millions
acts as president, stopping asked Fauci to be a “chief of votes while his lawyers
just short of the nationwide medical adviser” as well as pursue baseless lawsuits al-
mandate he’s pushed be- part of his COVID-19 advi- leging voter fraud in mul-
fore to stop the spread of sory team. Fauci told NBC’s tiple states. nRepublicans
the coronavirus. “Today” show on Friday, “I on Capitol Hill, meanwhile,
The move marks a notable said yes right on the spot.” have largely given the
shift from President Donald Regarding a coronavirus president cover, with many President-elect Joe Biden departs a news conference after
Trump, whose own skepti- vaccine, Biden offered defending the lawsuits and introducing his nominees and appointees to economic policy
cism of mask-wearing has begrudging credit for the few publicly congratulat- posts at The Queen theater, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Wilmington,
contributed to a politici- work Trump’s administra- ing Biden on his win. But Del.
zation of the issue. That’s tion has done in expediting Biden said Thursday that Associated Press
made many people reti- the development of a vac- he’s received private calls characterized the last four guration. Biden said Thurs-
cent to embrace a prac- cine but said that planning of congratulations from years on Capitol Hill. Trump day night that he believes
tice that public health ex- the distribution properly will “more than several sitting aides have expressed skep- it’s “important” that Trump
perts say is one of the easi- be “critically important.” Republican senators” and ticism that the president, attend, largely to demon-
est ways to manage the “It’s a really difficult but do- that he has confidence in who continues to falsely strate the nation’s commit-
pandemic, which has killed able project, but it has to his ability to cut bipartisan claim victory and spread ment to peaceful transfer
more than 275,000 Ameri- be well planned, “ he said. deals with Republicans baseless claims of fraud, of power between political
cans. The president-elect Part of the challenge the despite the rancor that’s would attend Biden’s inau- rivals.q
has frequently emphasized Biden administration will
mask-wearing as a “patri- face in distributing the vac-
otic duty” and during the cine will be instilling public
campaign floated the idea confidence in it. Biden said
of instituting a nationwide he’d be “happy” to get
mask mandate, which he inoculated in public to as-
later acknowledged would suage any concerns about
be beyond the ability of its efficacy and safety.
the president to enforce. Three former presidents —
Speaking with CNN’s Jake Barack Obama, George
Tapper, Biden said he W. Bush and Bill Clinton —
would make the request of have said they’d also get
Americans on Inauguration vaccinated publicly to
Day, Jan. 20. show that it’s safe.
“On the first day I’m inau- “People have lost faith in
gurated, I’m going to ask the ability of the vaccine
the public for 100 days to work,” Biden said, add-
to mask. Just 100 days to ing that “it matters what
mask — not forever, just a president and the vice
100 days. And I think we’ll president do.”
see a significant reduction” In the same interview,
in the virus, Biden said. Biden also weighed in on
The president-elect reiter- reports that Trump is con-
ated his call for lawmak- sidering pardons of himself
ers on Capitol Hill to pass and his allies.
a coronavirus aid bill and “It concerns me in terms
expressed support for a of what kind of precedent
$900 billion compromise bill it sets and how the rest of
that a bipartisan group of the world looks at us as a
lawmakers introduced this nation of laws and justice,”
week. Biden said.
“That would be a good Biden committed that his
start. It’s not enough,” he Justice Department will
said, adding, “I’m going to “operate independent-
need to ask for more help.” ly” and that whoever he
Biden has said his transition chooses to lead the de-
team is working on its own partment will have the
coronavirus relief pack- “independent capacity
age, and his aides have to decide who gets inves-
signaled they plan for that tigated.”
to be their first legislative “You’re not going to see in
push. our administration that kind
The president-elect also of approach to pardons,
said he asked Dr. Anthony nor are you going to see in
Fauci to stay on in his ad- our administration the ap-
ministration, “in the exact proach to making policy