Presidential Election of 2020

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      Joe Biden Will Be Sworn In on a Family Bible at Inauguration

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Presidential InaugurationliveWatchHighlightsScenes from the CapitalScheduleQuestions, AnsweredJoseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in for a second term as vice president on Jan. 20, 2013, with his left hand resting on the Biden family Bible.Credit…Josh Haner/The New York TimesJoe Biden’s Family Bible Has a Long HistoryHe’s used the same Bible as far back as 1973. It was also used by his son Beau.Joseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in for a second term as vice president on Jan. 20, 2013, with his left hand resting on the Biden family Bible.Credit…Josh Haner/The New York TimesSupported byContinue reading the main storyJan. 20, 2021, 8:55 a.m. ETWhen President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. takes the oath of office on Wednesday, he is likely to place his hand on a familial artifact that has followed him throughout his 50-year political career: a hefty Bible, accented with a Celtic cross, that has been in his family since 1893.The Bible has been a staple at Mr. Biden’s past swearing-in ceremonies as a U.S. senator and as vice president. His son Beau Biden also used it when he was sworn in as the Delaware attorney general.Mr. Biden, who will make history as the country’s second Catholic president, after John F. Kennedy, often invoked his faith during the 2020 presidential campaign as he courted voters with a promise to restore the “soul of America.”In an interview last month with Stephen Colbert, Mr. Biden shared some history about the family heirloom.“Every important date is in there,” Mr. Biden said. “For example, every time I’ve been sworn in for anything, the date is inscribed.”But on Tuesday, a spokesman for Mr. Biden’s inaugural committee said he could not confirm whether Mr. Biden would use that tome for his inauguration — or even whether he would use a single Bible. (President Trump used two.)Beau Biden, the elder son of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., with the family Bible at his father’s second inauguration as vice president, in 2013.Credit…Jewel Samad/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesJoseph R. Biden Jr. rested his hand on the family Bible while being sworn in as a U.S. senator in 1973. Beau Biden, foreground right, was in attendance (if not necessarily paying attention).Credit…Associated PressThe Bible that a president-elect chooses to use for the swearing-in ceremony often relays a symbolic message to the American public, said Seth A. Perry, an associate professor of religion at Princeton University and the author of “Bible Culture and Authority in the Early United States.”“It’s difficult to imagine the ritual of the inauguration happening without that book at this point,” Professor Perry said. “It’s part of the scenery. It’s part of the thing that gives the moment the authority that it has.”Here’s a look how the Bible has figured into some of the most pivotal moments in U.S. history: the inaugurations of new American presidents.Washington’s Bible has been popular with other presidents.Like much of the pageantry associated with presidential inaugurations, the presence of a Bible at swearing-in ceremonies is steeped in tradition, dating all the way to the nation’s first president.The Presidential Inauguration More

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      Queens Man Wanted ‘Execution’ of Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. Says

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }Capitol Riot FalloutLatest UpdatesInside the SiegeVisual TimelineNotable ArrestsCapitol Police in CrisisAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyQueens Man Wanted ‘Execution’ of Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. SaysBrendan Hunt, a fervent supporter of President Trump, is also accused of urging the killing of members of Congress before Inauguration Day.Brendan Hunt in a picture from his BitChute account.Credit…  Jan. 20, 2021Updated 8:53 a.m. ETFor years, Brendan Hunt had posted wild conspiracy theories on social media platforms and his own website, asserting, among other things, that the rock star Kurt Cobain was murdered and that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax.A decade ago, he took part in the Occupy Wall Street protests against income inequality. More recently, he was a fervent supporter of President Trump, posting several videos in support of Mr. Trump’s false claims that the election had been rigged against him through vote fraud.On Tuesday, it became clear that Mr. Hunt’s online statements had gotten the authorities’ attention. He was arrested on federal charges of making death threats against prominent Democratic politicians, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Not only did Mr. Hunt, 37, an assistant analyst for New York’s court system, call last month for the “public execution” of Democratic leaders, he also urged Mr. Trump’s supporters to massacre members of Congress before Inauguration Day, according to a criminal complaint.He was arrested at his home in Ridgewood, Queens, early Tuesday. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.Since the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, many people with histories of posting vitriolic threats against public figures with relative impunity have come under greater scrutiny from the federal authorities.Although Mr. Hunt did not participate in the attack on the Capitol, his arrest underscored the scope of the federal government’s crackdown on social media comments that incite violence. Several people who posted on social media during the Jan. 6 riot are among the dozens who have been charged by federal authorities with taking part in the violent rampage.Last week, the authorities arrested another Queens man, Eduard Florea, who was not in Washington on Jan. 6 but who posted threatening messages on the social network Parler. Among the messages that caused concern was one in which he suggested that the Rev. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who was recently elected to the U.S. Senate, should be killed.Mr. Florea, who had a previous weapons conviction, was charged with illegally possessing ammunition after the authorities found thousands of rounds of rifle ammunition and a stockpile of knives at this home in Middle Village, Queens.Mr. Hunt’s threats included one posted on Facebook on Dec. 6 in which he said that Mr. Trump’s supporters “want actual revenge on democrats” and urged the president to execute Mr. Schumer, Ms. Pelosi and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, according to the complaint.“And if you dont do it, the citizenry will,” Mr. Hunt wrote, the complaint says. “We’re not voting in another rigged election. Start up the firing squads, mow down these commies, and lets take america back!”In a second post, he said the three Democrats were the sort of “high value targets” that Mr. Trump’s supporters should attack. “They really need to be put down,” he wrote, according to the complaint. “These commies will see death before they see us surrender!”Mr. Hunt made his first appearance in Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Tuesday at a hearing conducted remotely.“These threats would be grave under any circumstances, but they’re even more so in the volatile environment we find ourselves in today leading up to the inauguration,” David Kessler, a federal prosecutor, said at the hearing.Arguing for Mr. Hunt to be released on bail, Mr. Hunt’s lawyer, Leticia Olivera, said he did not have a criminal record, was not a member of a militia or paramilitary group and did not plan on harming federal officials in Washington.“The allegations in the complaint do not suggest anything other than a plan to make outlandish posts online from inside his home,” Ms. Olivera said.The federal magistrate judge hearing the matter, Ramon Reyes Jr., ordered that Mr. Hunt be held without bail until trial..css-1xzcza9{list-style-type:disc;padding-inline-start:1em;}.css-c7gg1r{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:0.875rem;line-height:0.875rem;margin-bottom:15px;color:#121212 !important;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-c7gg1r{font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:0.9375rem;}}.css-rqynmc{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:1.25rem;color:#333;margin-bottom:0.78125rem;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-rqynmc{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.5rem;margin-bottom:0.9375rem;}}.css-rqynmc strong{font-weight:600;}.css-rqynmc em{font-style:italic;}.css-yoay6m{margin:0 auto 5px;font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3125rem;color:#121212;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-yoay6m{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.4375rem;}}.css-1dg6kl4{margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:15px;}.css-16ed7iq{width:100%;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;padding:10px 0;background-color:white;}.css-pmm6ed{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}.css-pmm6ed > :not(:first-child){margin-left:5px;}.css-5gimkt{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.8125rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.03em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.03em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.03em;letter-spacing:0.03em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#333;}.css-5gimkt:after{content:’Collapse’;}.css-rdoyk0{-webkit-transition:all 0.5s ease;transition:all 0.5s ease;-webkit-transform:rotate(180deg);-ms-transform:rotate(180deg);transform:rotate(180deg);}.css-eb027h{max-height:5000px;-webkit-transition:max-height 0.5s ease;transition:max-height 0.5s ease;}.css-6mllg9{-webkit-transition:all 0.5s ease;transition:all 0.5s ease;position:relative;opacity:0;}.css-6mllg9:before{content:”;background-image:linear-gradient(180deg,transparent,#ffffff);background-image:-webkit-linear-gradient(270deg,rgba(255,255,255,0),#ffffff);height:80px;width:100%;position:absolute;bottom:0px;pointer-events:none;}#masthead-bar-one{display:none;}#masthead-bar-one{display:none;}.css-1cs27wo{background-color:white;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;width:calc(100% – 40px);max-width:600px;margin:1.5rem auto 1.9rem;padding:15px;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-1cs27wo{padding:20px;}}.css-1cs27wo:focus{outline:1px solid #e2e2e2;}.css-1cs27wo[data-truncated] .css-rdoyk0{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);}.css-1cs27wo[data-truncated] .css-eb027h{max-height:300px;overflow:hidden;-webkit-transition:none;transition:none;}.css-1cs27wo[data-truncated] .css-5gimkt:after{content:’See more’;}.css-1cs27wo[data-truncated] .css-6mllg9{opacity:1;}.css-k9atqk{margin:0 auto;overflow:hidden;}.css-k9atqk strong{font-weight:700;}.css-k9atqk em{font-style:italic;}.css-k9atqk a{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px solid #ccd9e3;}.css-k9atqk a:visited{color:#333;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;}.css-k9atqk a:hover{border-bottom:none;}Capitol Riot FalloutFrom Riot to ImpeachmentThe riot inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, followed a rally at which President Trump made an inflammatory speech to his supporters, questioning the results of the election. Here’s a look at what happened and the ongoing fallout:As this video shows, poor planning and a restive crowd encouraged by President Trump set the stage for the riot.A two hour period was crucial to turning the rally into the riot.Several Trump administration officials, including cabinet members Betsy DeVos and Elaine Chao, announced that they were stepping down as a result of the riot.Federal prosecutors have charged more than 70 people, including some who appeared in viral photos and videos of the riot. Officials expect to eventually charge hundreds of others.The House voted to impeach the president on charges of “inciting an insurrection” that led to the rampage by his supporters.Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state court system, said Mr. Hunt had been suspended without pay from his $57,800-a-year position as an assistant court analyst in the Attorney Registration Unit.Before retiring, Mr. Hunt’s father was a family court judge in Queens, Mr. Chalfen said. Mr. Hunt is the second person with ties to the state judiciary to be arrested this month. Aaron Mostofsky, whose father is a judge in Brooklyn, was charged this month with taking part in the Capitol riot.Mr. Hunt has dabbled in acting and filmmaking and has often used the alias X-ray Ultra on social media, the authorities said. A website for “X-ray Ultra Studios” includes photographs of Mr. Hunt and links to his many social media accounts.Two days after the Washington riot, Mr. Hunt posted an 88-second video titled “KILL YOUR SENATORS” on BitChute, a video-sharing platform, the complaint says. In the video, he spoke directly to the camera.“We need to go back to the U.S. Capitol when all of the Senators and a lot of the Representatives are back there,” he said, according to the complaint. “And this time we have to show up with our guns. And we need to slaughter these” people, using an expletive for emphasis.“If anybody has a gun, give me it, I’ll go there myself and shoot them and kill them,” he said, according to the complaint.The video was not available on X-ray Ultra’s BitChute channel on Tuesday, but several other videos about the Capitol riot and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories were.Mr. Hunt also posted threats on Parler, which gained popularity among right-wing users and which went dark after Amazon shut off its service because of violent content, the complaint says.A Parler account with Mr. Hunt’s name and the user name “@xrayultra” included the message “lets go, jan 20, bring your guns #millionmilitiamarch,” the complaint says.Mr. Hunt’s YouTube channel lists several videos with the title “STOP THE STEAL = ELECTION 2020.” The videos have thumbnail illustrations that depict Mr. Trump as a king, as the Marvel Comics villain Thanos and as the movie character Rambo.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Joe Biden’s Long Road to the Presidency

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      The story begins with an Irish Catholic family in northeastern Pennsylvania. Mr. Biden was born in 1942, the eldest son of Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. and Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden. He was also a son of Scranton, Pa., which would become central to his political identity. The Biden family moved to Delaware when he was 10 years old.

      Joseph R. Biden Jr. at age 10Biden family

      Mr. Biden, back right, with his younger siblings James and Valerie.Biden family

      Mr. Biden attended Syracuse University College of Law.Biden campaign

      After graduating from law school, Mr. Biden got his start in local politics in Delaware, winning election to the New Castle County Council in 1970. Two years later, at just 29 years old, he challenged a well-known Republican incumbent, Senator J. Caleb Boggs, a former Delaware governor. Mr. Biden won in a major upset.

      1970: During the New Castle County Council campaign.Biden campaign

      Nov. 1972: Celebrating his 30th birthday with his wife, Neilia, and their children.Bettman, via Getty Images

      Jan. 1973: Mr. Biden’s son Beau in a hospital bed.Brian Horton/Associated Press

      Weeks after Mr. Biden’s victory, his wife, Neilia, and their 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, were killed in a car accident. Mr. Biden considered giving up the Senate seat that he had just won but was persuaded to serve. He was sworn in at the hospital where his sons were treated for injuries from the crash.

      Dec. 1973: At Union Station in Washington.Bettman, via Getty Images

      As a senator, Mr. Biden commuted to Washington by train, a routine that allowed him to return home to his children each night. In the 1970s, he was a vocal opponent of busing, and decades later, he would come under fire after recalling working with segregationist senators during his early years in the Senate. As time went on, he gained clout in the chamber, becoming the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and then the panel’s chairman.

      Feb. 1978: With President Jimmy Carter at a fund-raiser.Associated Press

      Feb. 1981: Serving on the Foreign Relations Committee.George Tames/The New York Times

      In 1977, he married Jill Jacobs; they would later have a daughter, Ashley.

      Jan. 1985: His second wife, Jill, left, and their children at a swearing-in ceremony.Lana Harris/Associated Press

      Aug. 1986: On the Judiciary Committee with Senators Strom Thurmond, third from the left, and Edward M. Kennedy, center.Lana Harris/Associated Press

      June 1987: A campaign kickoff rally in Wilmington, Del.Keith Meyers/The New York Times

      In 1987, Mr. Biden began his first presidential campaign, aiming to win the Democratic nomination the following year. The 44-year-old candidate presented himself as representing a new generation and declared, “We must rekindle the fire of idealism in this country.” But his bid was derailed by a plagiarism scandal, and he dropped out of the race months before the first nominating contest.

      June 1987: Trains became a part of Mr. Biden’s political identity.Keith Meyers/The New York Times

      June 1987: The 1988 Democratic presidential candidates included Al Gore, third from right; the Rev. Jesse Jackson, third from left; and Michael S. Dukakis, second from left, the eventual nominee.Charles Tasnadi/Associated Press

      Sept. 1987: Announcing the end of his campaign.Jose R. Lopez/The New York Times

      His presidential hopes dashed, Mr. Biden faced a far graver kind of peril in early 1988: a life-threatening brain aneurysm that required emergency surgery. Not long after that, he had another operation for a second brain aneurysm. Later that year, he returned to the Senate after a seven-month absence.

      Sept. 1988: Returning to the Senate after recovering from brain surgery.Ron Edmonds/Associated Press

      As the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr. Biden presided over confirmation hearings for six Supreme Court nominees, including Robert H. Bork, whose nomination Mr. Biden succeeded in defeating, and Clarence Thomas. The memory of the Thomas hearings would linger for decades as Mr. Biden faced criticism for his handling of Anita Hill’s testimony before his committee.

      Oct. 1991: Mr. Biden, left, swearing in Anita Hill.Shutterstock

      Mr. Biden also left his mark on consequential legislation, playing a leading role in passing the 1994 crime bill, which would become associated with mass incarceration. The Violence Against Women Act, one of Mr. Biden’s top legislative achievements, became law as part of the crime bill.

      July 1994: A news conference on the Violence Against Women Act.John Duricka/Associated Press

      Jan. 1999: With Attorney General Janet Reno, left, and President Bill Clinton at a community policing event.Paul Hosefros/The New York Times

      Oct. 2002: President George W. Bush signed the authorization of force against Iraq.Mark Wilson/Getty Images

      Mr. Biden immersed himself in foreign policy during his decades as a senator, rising to serve as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 2002, he voted to authorize the war in Iraq, a vote that he later called a mistake.

      Aug. 2005: A Foreign Relations Committee hearing with Senator Barack Obama.Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

      Two decades after his first presidential bid imploded, Mr. Biden decided to try again in the 2008 election. Now in his 60s, he ran as a leader steeped in foreign policy, but he stumbled immediately when he described Mr. Obama, then a fellow senator and presidential candidate, as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” Mr. Biden’s campaign never caught on with voters, and he dropped out after finishing in a distant fifth place in the Iowa caucuses.

      Aug. 2007: The Democratic field included Mr. Obama and Hillary Clinton, the former first lady who was then a senator from New York, right.Keith Bedford for The New York Times

      Oct. 2007: Meeting with voters in Iowa.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Jan. 2008: Signing a campaign button in Iowa.Joshua Lott for The New York Times

      Jan. 2008: Leaving a caucus site in Des Moines.David Lienemann/Associated Press

      After Mr. Obama won the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, he selected Mr. Biden to be his running mate. The choice added a dose of foreign policy experience to the ticket and began a close political partnership between the two men. As vice president, Mr. Biden oversaw the implementation of the 2009 stimulus bill and later headed the administration’s cancer moonshot program.

      Oct. 2008: Campaigning as Mr. Obama’s running mate.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Jan. 2009: Marching in the inaugural parade with his wife, Jill, and their children Hunter, Ashley and Beau.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      June 2009: During a meeting on economic legislation at the White House.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      A skilled retail politician, Mr. Biden is known for his tactile, backslapping style, embracing one-on-one interactions on the campaign trail and elsewhere. His touchy-feely nature came under scrutiny in the #MeToo era, with a number of women saying he had touched them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable.

      Sept. 2012: Campaigning for re-election in Ohio.Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

      Jan. 2013: Beau Biden at the inaugural ceremony.Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

      Decades after losing his first wife and daughter, Mr. Biden faced another family tragedy in 2015: His son Beau, who followed him into politics and served two terms as Delaware’s attorney general, died of brain cancer at 46. Mr. Biden cited his son’s death, and the grieving that followed, when he announced he would not run for president in 2016.

      June 2015: At Beau Biden’s funeral.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Sept. 2015: Announcing he would not run for president in 2016.Carlos Barria/Reuters

      After leaving office as vice president, he published a memoir and gave paid speeches, earning millions of dollars. He campaigned for Democratic candidates ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

      Dec. 2018: At a book event in Vermont.Hilary Swift for The New York Times

      In the first months of 2019, the Democratic presidential field grew larger and larger, and Mr. Biden showed no urgency to declare his candidacy. He finally jumped into the race in late April, denouncing President Trump as a threat to the nation’s character.

      May 2019: A campaign kickoff event in Philadelphia.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      June 2019: With a portion of the Democratic candidates at the first debate.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Despite his stature as a former vice president, Mr. Biden struggled to attract some primary voters who were turned off by his moderate brand of politics and his septuagenarian status — a far cry from his days as the 29-year-old Senate candidate. Mr. Biden fell flat in the first nominating contests, finishing in fourth place in Iowa and fifth place in New Hampshire.

      Despite his early difficulties in two overwhelmingly white states, Mr. Biden counted on receiving strong support from Black voters in later contests. A big win in South Carolina turned his campaign around, and after picking up a series of key endorsements from former primary opponents, he defeated a more progressive rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, to win the Democratic nomination.

      Feb. 2020: Connecting with voters in Iowa.Jordan Gale for The New York Times

      March 2020: At a campaign event with two former presidential candidates, Senators Kamala Harris, center, and Cory Booker.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

      June 2020: A socially distant meeting with community leaders in Wilmington, Del.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      The coronavirus pandemic upended the presidential race, and Mr. Biden limited himself to campaigning virtually for much of the spring as the outbreak raged. He eventually began making occasional in-person appearances, and in August, he chose Senator Kamala Harris of California as his running mate.

      Aug. 2020: Ms. Harris was announced as Mr. Biden’s running mate.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      Mr. Biden confronted an extraordinary general election that played out as the pandemic continued to disrupt American life. He repeatedly condemned Mr. Trump’s handling of the crisis, while the president and his allies tried to portray Mr. Biden as a tool of the far left.

      The first general election debate quickly devolved into a headache-inducing brawl, as Mr. Trump repeatedly interrupted his opponent. Just days after sharing the stage with Mr. Biden, the president announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

      Sept. 2020: The first debate with President Trump.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      In his visits to battleground states, Mr. Biden held carefully arranged events with mask wearing and social distancing. Eschewing the packed events with big crowds that are a staple of presidential campaigns, he held a string of drive-in car rallies where voters beeped their horns to cheer him on.

      Oct. 2020: Supporters at a drive-in rally in Des Moines.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      Oct. 2020: Mr. Obama joined Mr. Biden at a campaign rally in Flint, Mich.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      Nov. 2020: Celebrating the win with Ms. Harris four days after the election.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      Nov. 2020: After twice falling short, Mr. Biden succeeded in his third presidential campaign.Erin Schaff/The New York Times

      Election night stretched deep into the week as ballots were counted in key states. Four days after polls closed, Mr. Biden was declared the winner. In the weeks that followed, he rolled out a diverse slate of cabinet picks and prepared to take office.

      Nov. 2020: Introducing members of his national security team.Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times

      Dec. 2020: Receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.Amr Alfiky/The New York Times

      Mr. Biden received the Covid-19 vaccine and promised to step up vaccinations across the country, setting a goal of getting 100 million shots into the arms of Americans in his first 100 days in office.

      Jan. 2021: Campaigning with Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock in the Georgia Senate runoffs.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Early January brought a major boost to his hopes of passing his legislative agenda. Democrats won both runoff elections for Georgia’s Senate seats, putting their party in control of the chamber.

      Mr. Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday is taking place 48 years after he first arrived in Washington as one of the youngest people to be elected senator. With his swearing-in, he will become the oldest president in American history.

      Jan. 2021: Arriving at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.Doug Mills/The New York Times

      Jan. 2021: Attending a memorial for victims of the coronavirus at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.Doug Mills/The New York Times More

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      Trump Grants Clemency to Stephen Bannon and Other Allies

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Presidential InaugurationliveWatchHighlightsScenes from the CapitalScheduleQuestions, AnsweredAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyWith Hours Left in Office, Trump Grants Clemency to Bannon and Other AlliesThe president continued using his power to help his supporters, including his former chief strategist and one of his top 2016 fund-raisers.Stephen K. Bannon in 2017 at the White House. He was under indictment on charges that he misused money he helped raise for a group backing President Trump’s border wall.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York TimesMaggie Haberman, Kenneth P. Vogel, Eric Lipton and Jan. 20, 2021Updated 2:15 a.m. ETWASHINGTON — President Trump used his final hours in office to wipe away convictions and prison sentences for a roster of corrupt politicians and business executives and bestow pardons on allies like Stephen K. Bannon, his former chief strategist, and Elliott Broidy, one of his top fund-raisers in 2016.The wave of clemency grants, hours before Mr. Trump’s departure from the White House, underscored how many of his close associates and supporters became ensnared in corruption cases and other legal troubles, and highlighted again his willingness to use his power to help them and others with connections to him.His decision to grant clemency to a raft of elected officials and business executives caught up in high-profile corruption cases also represented a final lashing out by Mr. Trump at a criminal justice system that he had come to view as unfairly hounding him and his allies. It came as the Senate prepared for his second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting the deadly riot at the Capitol this month, and could be another factor in influencing whether Republicans join Democrats in voting to convict him.Mr. Trump retains the power to issue further pardons — including theoretically for himself and members of his family — until noon Wednesday, when his four-year tenure comes to an end. But officials said they did not anticipate him doing so.The latest round of pardons and commutations — 143 in total — followed dozens last month, when Mr. Trump pardoned associates like Paul Manafort and Roger J. Stone Jr., and four Blackwater guards convicted in connection with the killing of Iraqi civilians.Mr. Bannon was under indictment on charges that he misused money he helped raise for a group backing Mr. Trump’s border wall, but had not yet gone to trial. Mr. Broidy pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws as part of a covert campaign to influence the Trump administration on behalf of Chinese and Malaysian interests.Rick Renzi in 2007. Mr. Renzi, a Republican and former member of the House, was sentenced in 2013 to three years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme involving an Arizona land swap deal.Credit…Pool photo by Sabah ArarAmong others receiving pardons from Mr. Trump were three prominent Republicans who had served in the House before their convictions. They were Rick Renzi, who was sentenced in 2013 to three years in jail in association with a bribery scheme involving an Arizona land swap deal; Robert Hayes of North Carolina, who pleaded guilty in 2019 to lying to the F.B.I.; and Randall “Duke” Cunningham of California, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to taking $2.4 million in bribes from military contractors.Mr. Trump commuted the sentence of Kwame M. Kilpatrick, a Democrat and former Detroit mayor who was convicted in 2013 for using his office to enrich himself and his family through shakedowns, kickbacks and bid-rigging schemes.And Mr. Trump commuted the sentence of William T. Walters, a wealthy sports gambler. A jury convicted Mr. Walters in 2017 on charges related to his role in an insider-trading scheme, and he was sentenced to five years in prison.Mr. Walters hired Mr. Trump’s former personal lawyer John M. Dowd in 2018, after he stopped representing Mr. Trump, The New York Times reported this week. Mr. Dowd bragged to Mr. Walters and others that he could help them receive a pardon because of his close relationship with the president.Mr. Dowd had also said that Mr. Trump would look favorably upon those who had been investigated by federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, an office that the president has long viewed as hostile to him and that has been involved in other investigations touching on him and his allies, according to two people briefed on the matter. Mr. Walters has paid Mr. Dowd tens of thousands of dollars to represent him, the people said.The pardon of Mr. Bannon was particularly notable because he had been charged with a crime but had yet to stand trial. An overwhelming majority of pardons and commutations granted by presidents have been for those convicted and sentenced.The White House had planned to release the list of those granted clemency earlier in the day, but the debate over Mr. Bannon, who encouraged Mr. Trump publicly to fight the certification of the 2020 election, was part of the delay, officials said.By late afternoon Tuesday, advisers believed they had kept a pardon for Mr. Bannon from happening. But by about 9 p.m., Mr. Trump had changed his mind and Mr. Bannon was added to the list.Mr. Trump and Mr. Bannon spoke by phone during the day as the president was weighing the pardon, as Mr. Bannon’s allies tried to apply pressure to make it happen and his detractors pushed the president not to go ahead with it.Among other things, Mr. Bannon has been a frequent antagonist of the Republican leader in the Senate, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has blamed Mr. Trump for stoking the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Mr. McConnell has left open the possibility of voting to convict Mr. Trump in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.Mr. Bannon in August leaving Federal District Court in Manhattan after his arrest and arraignment on fraud charges.Credit…Jefferson Siegel for The New York TimesMr. Trump’s decision to grant Mr. Bannon a pardon is the latest twist in a complicated relationship between the two men that started during the 2016 presidential campaign, fell apart during Mr. Bannon’s time as the White House’s chief strategist and was resurrected in recent months as Mr. Bannon encouraged Mr. Trump’s bid for a second term and the efforts to overturn the election.Mr. Bannon was indicted and arrested in August by federal prosecutors in Manhattan on charges related to the money raised to promote the construction of the border wall long sought by Mr. Trump.The group said that it planned to use the funds to build portions of the wall that Mr. Trump had been blocked from using federal funding on. Conservative activists, like Mr. Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., appeared at an event for the group, which ultimately brought in $25 million in donations. Mr. Bannon used $1 million for his own personal expenses, according to the prosecutors.The Presidential Inauguration More

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      On Night Before Inauguration, Biden Leads Mourning for Virus Victims

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Presidential InaugurationliveLatest UpdatesQuestions, AnsweredWho’s PerformingHeightened SecurityPast Inaugural FirstsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyOn Night Before Inauguration, Biden Leads Mourning for Virus Victims“To heal we must remember,” Mr. Biden said, standing in front of the Reflecting Pool, which was surrounded by 400 lights meant to mark the 400,000 people who have died from Covid-19.President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. with his wife, Jill Biden, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff. Mr. Biden paid tribute to the victims of the pandemic on the same day that the death toll in the United States topped a staggering 400,000.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York TimesJan. 19, 2021Updated 9:56 p.m. ETWASHINGTON — President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived in the nation’s capital on Tuesday for the first time since his election, and on the eve of his inauguration, he did what his predecessor declined to do by leading a national mourning for Americans killed by the coronavirus.In a somber sundown ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial in a city virtually occupied by troops on guard against political violence, Mr. Biden paid tribute to the victims of the pandemic on the same day that the death toll in the United States topped a staggering 400,000 — and almost a year to the day from the first report of the virus appearing in the country.“To heal we must remember,” Mr. Biden said, standing in front of the Reflecting Pool, which was surrounded by 400 lights meant to mark the 400,000 victims of the virus. “It’s hard sometimes to remember. But that’s how we heal. It’s important to do that as a nation. That’s why we’re here today. Between sundown and dusk, let us shine the lights in the darkness along the sacred pool of reflection and remember all whom we lost.”As the incoming president spoke, the bells at Washington National Cathedral began to chime and the Empire State Building in New York and the Space Needle in Seattle were illuminated. Cities from Miami to San Diego also lit buildings for the occasion while Mr. Biden’s inaugural committee encouraged Americans to light candles in their windows in a show of national solidarity. Events were also held in the two cities that Mr. Biden calls his hometowns, Wilmington, Del., and Scranton, Pa.A field of flags on the National Mall represents the thousands of Americans who would normally attend the inauguration.Credit…Todd Heisler/The New York TimesThe evocative ceremony provided a moment of catharsis that the nation has not experienced until now and underscored the change in store as Mr. Biden takes the oath of office on Wednesday as the 46th president of the United States. Throughout the pandemic, President Trump has refused to hold a similar event of national mourning and offered little public empathy for its victims, even as he and members of his family and staff have themselves been infected and recovered from the virus.Mr. Trump made no mention of the grim new landmark of 400,000 dead on Tuesday in his farewell address to the nation and referred to the victims in just a single sentence. “We grieve for every life lost, and we pledge in their memory to wipe out this horrible pandemic once and for all,” he said in the address, which was released on video.Otherwise, he focused on the “brutal toll” the virus took on the economy and boasted of his success in developing a vaccine in record time, without mentioning the troubles in distributing the lifesaving shots.For Mr. Biden, 78, it was a melancholy day as he prepared to take the reins of a country in crisis on Wednesday. In leaving Wilmington for Washington to achieve a goal he spent three and a half decades seeking, he was openly emotional, wiping tears from his eyes and choking up. He mused aloud about his own death and said he wished it was his dead son, Beau Biden, who was becoming president rather than him. But he insisted that dark days would be followed by brighter ones.“It’s deeply personal that our next journey to Washington starts here, a place that defines the very best of who we are as Americans,” the president-elect said at a send-off ceremony at the Major Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III National Guard/Reserve Center in New Castle, Del., named for the son who served in Iraq and as the state’s attorney general before dying of brain cancer in 2015. “I know these are dark times, but there’s always light. That’s what makes this state so special. That’s what it taught me: There’s always light.”Paraphrasing James Joyce, who once said, “When I die, Dublin will be written on my heart,” Mr. Biden paused to compose himself and his voice trembled. “Excuse the emotion, but when I die, Delaware will be written on my heart,” he said. Referring to Beau Biden, he added: “I only have one regret, that he’s not here. We should be introducing him as president.”The Presidential Inauguration More

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      Fox News Fires a Key Player in Its Election Night Coverage

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }Capitol Riot FalloutLatest UpdatesInside the SiegeVisual TimelineNotable ArrestsCapitol Police in CrisisAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyFox News Fires a Key Player in Its Election Night CoverageThe politics editor who defended the network’s accurate projection that Biden had won Arizona is out after a backlash from viewers, including President Trump.Fox News is making staffing changes and emphasizing its right-wing opinion programming after a ratings slump that has lasted two months.Credit…Dina Litovsky for The New York TimesRachel Abrams and Jan. 19, 2021, 8:21 p.m. ETTwo senior leaders of Fox News’s reporting division are exiting the network as the cable channel replaces some news programming with right-wing opinion shows and tries to lure back viewers who balked at its coverage of the 2020 election and its aftermath.On Tuesday morning, Fox News fired Chris Stirewalt, the veteran politics editor who was an onscreen face of the network’s election night projection that Joseph R. Biden Jr. had defeated President Trump in Arizona, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.Fox News was the first news outlet to call Arizona for Mr. Biden, a move that infuriated many of its regular viewers — including Mr. Trump, who denounced the network as insufficiently loyal and urged fans to watch Newsmax and One America News instead.On Monday, Bill Sammon, Fox News’s longtime Washington bureau chief, told staff members that he would retire at the end of January. Three people with knowledge of internal discussions said that Mr. Sammon, who had editorial oversight of the network’s Decision Desk, had faced criticism from network executives over his handling of election coverage, despite the Arizona call ultimately being accurate.Fox News declined to comment on the departures; Mr. Sammon’s retirement was previously reported by The Hill. In addition to their exits, roughly 20 Fox News digital journalists were laid off on Tuesday. The network attributed the layoffs in a statement to a realignment of “business and reporting structure to meet the demands of this new era.”Executives at Fox News — the profit center of Rupert Murdoch’s American media empire — have been concerned by a postelection drop in ratings, a slump that has persisted for two months as upstart rivals like Newsmax gained viewers by featuring fringier fare that embraced Mr. Trump’s baseless theories about electoral fraud.Prominent conservative pundits at Fox News who supported Mr. Trump, like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, remain popular and are tied to the network under long-term contracts.Fox’s corporate leadership has been scrutinizing the news division, which is led by Jay Wallace, the president and executive editor of Fox News Media, according to a person with knowledge of internal discussions. Fox News’s daytime news programs, which often feature conservative guests but are helmed by anchors who do not report to the network’s opinion side, have experienced a sharp loss in viewership.Mr. Stirewalt appeared on Fox News several times on election night and the days afterward. He vigorously defended the network’s early call of Arizona, even as anchors like Martha MacCallum grilled him about the decision; other TV networks did not call Arizona for Mr. Biden until days later. On Nov. 4, asked on-air about the Trump campaign’s baseless claims of fraud, Mr. Stirewalt memorably replied, “Lawsuits, schmawsuits. We haven’t seen any evidence yet that there’s anything wrong.”Mr. Stirewalt’s analysis bore out: Mr. Trump did not win Arizona and his team produced no credible findings of fraud. But Mr. Stirewalt’s defense of the Arizona call drew condemnation from Trump fans, and he soon disappeared from the network’s coverage; his last on-air appearance at Fox News was Nov. 16. (Mr. Stirewalt continued to co-host a Fox News politics podcast with the anchor Dana Perino, an episode of which was published on Sunday.)Election coverage on Fox News on Nov. 3, 2020. Joseph R. Biden Jr. won the race in Arizona.Credit…Fox NewsExecutives at Fox News believe Mr. Stirewalt’s appearances turned off viewers who were dismayed to see Fox News, like every other mainstream media outlet, eventually declare Mr. Biden the president-elect on Nov. 7, said three people with knowledge of the network’s inner workings. On Monday, Fox News moved Ms. MacCallum, one of its lead news anchors, out of the early evening and into the less desirable 3 p.m. time slot. Ms. MacCallum’s previous 7 p.m. hour has shifted to an opinion-focused program with an anchor to be announced; Brian Kilmeade of the morning show “Fox & Friends” is temporarily in the role.One contender for the 7 p.m. slot is Maria Bartiromo, the veteran business journalist who is a prominent face of Fox Business and has been a loyal on-air ally to Mr. Trump. On her Tuesday show on Fox Business, Ms. Bartiromo stated that left-wing protesters had impersonated Trump supporters during the riot at the United States Capitol — a claim that has been thoroughly debunked.The network is also considering a late-night slot for the conservative pundit Greg Gutfeld, a co-host of “The Five” who also helms a popular Saturday night talk show for the network, according to two people familiar with the discussions.Emily Flitter and Ben Smith contributed reporting.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Democrats, Assuming Power, Face Recalcitrant Republicans

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyNews AnalysisDemocrats, Assuming Power, Face Recalcitrant RepublicansThe looming impeachment trial of President Trump in the Senate also presents a complication for Democrats hoping for a fast start in the Biden era.Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is set to realize his goal of becoming majority leader Wednesday after the presidential inauguration.Credit…Erin Schaff/The New York TimesJan. 19, 2021, 7:55 p.m. ETWASHINGTON — Democrats will take control of both the White House and Congress on Wednesday for the first time in a decade, but they have already discovered the difficulties of governing with so little room to maneuver around Republicans who appear in no mood to cooperate.Even before President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in as the new president, a Republican senator put up a roadblock on Tuesday to one of his cabinet nominees, helping deny Mr. Biden the Day 1 confirmation of national security officials that other incoming presidents have taken for granted for decades. And Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who is set to become majority leader, found himself in difficult negotiations with Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and incoming minority leader, over plans for running an evenly split Senate.On top of those hardly trifling issues, the looming impeachment trial of President Trump presents an extraordinary complication for a party that would no doubt prefer to focus on a bold Democratic agenda out of the gate. However it is eventually structured, the trial is certain to sap time, energy and momentum from the opening days of the new Democratic era in Washington.“It does put a wrinkle in the road,” conceded Christopher J. Dodd, a former Democratic senator from Connecticut and a close adviser to Mr. Biden. “I know Joe is disappointed that it will take some time. But the fact of the matter is, what occurred that day was of such significance that to ignore it or treat it in a casual way would only be an invitation for it to happen again.”The Republican resistance comes as Mr. Biden has made clear that he wants to work with both parties to achieve his legislative ambitions and still sees an opportunity for bipartisan consensus in a Senate that has become much more polarized since he left in 2009 after 36 years.Mr. Schumer is set to become majority leader by the narrowest possible margin on Wednesday afternoon after the inauguration of Mr. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and the seating of three new Democratic senators, setting the margin at 50 to 50 with Ms. Harris empowered to cast tiebreaking votes.Dismissing concerns about the implications of the Senate trial for the Biden agenda, Mr. Schumer and his colleagues have said they can manage to do two things at once, conducting the proceeding while advancing Mr. Biden’s nominees and his other priorities.But the Senate has struggled in recent years to do even one thing at once, and experience has shown that presidential impeachments consume a lot of oxygen.Still, Democrats say they have no choice and few reservations about plunging ahead with a trial they see as a crucial element of a national reckoning after the violent Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol and attempt to disrupt the counting of the presidential Electoral College ballots.“We have to send a very strong message that it is unacceptable for a president of the United States to incite a violent mob for the purposes of overturning a democratic election,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland. “I think we can make clear that this conduct has to be held accountable while we can work to open a new chapter.”Mr. Schumer, Mr. Van Hollen and other Democrats insist that the trial of Mr. Trump for inciting the attack can be conducted quickly if Republicans cooperate. They were buoyed on Tuesday by a strong statement from Mr. McConnell, who made clear that he held the president responsible for the violence and said Mr. Trump had “provoked” the mob.Senator Josh Hawley, center, said he would block quick confirmation of the homeland security secretary nominee, an early blow to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s hopes of working with both parties.Credit…Anna Moneymaker for The New York TimesBut even as Mr. McConnell has indicated an openness to allowing the trial to move forward, he was playing hardball in talks with Mr. Schumer on a so-called power sharing arrangement for managing the Senate in the longer term. In a memo to Republican colleagues and in talks with Mr. Schumer, Mr. McConnell said he wanted Democrats to agree not to weaken the filibuster in exchange for his cooperation in cutting a deal that would let Senate committees get down to business.That created a dilemma for Mr. Schumer, who, along with Democratic activists, wants to hold out the idea of eliminating the 60-vote threshold for advancing legislation — which in recent years has allowed the minority party to block most major initiatives — if Republicans uniformly line up against Mr. Biden’s agenda. The Democratic leader’s office urged Mr. McConnell to drop his demand and instead implement a plan developed 20 years ago, when the Senate was evenly divided and the two parties split committees down the middle.“Leader Schumer expressed that the fairest, most reasonable and easiest path forward is to adopt the 2001 bipartisan agreement without extraneous changes from either side,” said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Mr. Schumer.Regardless of how the negotiations go, Mr. McConnell made it clear Tuesday that Republicans had no intention of clearing the way for Democrats’ most cherished progressive priorities.“Certainly November’s elections did not hand any side a mandate for sweeping ideological change,” he said. “Americans elected a closely divided Senate, a closely divided House and a presidential candidate who said he’d represent everyone.”Mr. Biden’s push to have the Senate confirm some of his key nominees as soon as he took the oath Wednesday encountered an obstacle when Senator Josh Hawley, the Missouri Republican who led the challenge to the Electoral College vote, said he would block quick confirmation of Mr. Biden’s secretary of homeland security nominee, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, over immigration concerns.“Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden’s promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures,” Mr. Hawley said.His move infuriated Democrats, many of whom blame Mr. Hawley for the Jan. 6 riot that prompted the heightened security concerns that they say require the position to be filled immediately.“I think it really would be disgraceful, and shameful, but unfortunately, Senator Hawley is marching to his own drummer,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, about the delay.The contours of the impeachment trial remain unclear, and even the start date is unknown since Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not yet presented the Senate with the sole charge. Democrats would like to operate on two tracks and conduct Senate business for part of the day while holding the trial during the remainder — an approach that would require discipline and long hours.But Republicans, some of whom say Democrats have boxed themselves in by insisting on the trial during the crucial opening days of Mr. Biden’s tenure, offered a reminder and a warning Tuesday that impeachment takes center stage in the Senate once a trial begins.“Once she sends the articles of impeachment over, it displaces all other business,” Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, told reporters on Capitol Hill.While the Senate obviously has its hands full and the new era is not off to the smoothest start, Mr. Schumer, rising to a position he has coveted for years, said Democrats had big plans for their majority.“The next several months will be very busy,” he said, “and a very consequential period for the United States Senate.”AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Biden and Harris: Two Paths Converge at the White House

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      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyBiden and Harris: Two Paths Converge at the White HouseSix articles published by our reporters during the campaign illustrate the personal and political arcs of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris through the years.President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris gave victory speeches in Wilmington, Del., on Nov. 7, 2020, the day they were declared the winners of the election.Credit…Erin Schaff/The New York TimesJan. 19, 2021, 7:25 p.m. ETWhen Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Kamala Harris take the oath of office on Wednesday, they will instantly make history, as Ms. Harris becomes the first woman to hold the nation’s second highest office. Forced to hold their celebration amid tragedy, as the nation remains mired in the coronavirus pandemic and faces threats of right-wing violence, they will seek to cast their inauguration as a hopeful moment for the country.In so many ways, this is a moment Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris have prepared for their entire careers. They each entered politics as young adults, staking out positions as moderate Democrats and clearly harboring ambition for higher office.As a young man, Mr. Biden sat out the Vietnam-era activism that animated so many others in his generation, an early prelude to his lifelong image as a family man not particularly interested in courting controversy. Mr. Biden’s first two presidential runs, two decades apart, fizzled out. But after spending eight years as vice president, Mr. Biden was able to cast his third presidential bid as a way of cementing — and in many ways, restoring — President Barack Obama’s legacy after a tumultuous term under President Donald J. Trump.Ms. Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, and speaks frequently of being pushed in a stroller during civil rights demonstrations in California’s Bay Area. As a child, she traveled to see her mother’s family in India, trips that shaped her for the rest of her life. At the same time, Ms. Harris’s mother raised her to see herself as a Black woman, as she knew the world would view her daughter. Ms. Harris chose to attend college at Howard University, where she honed her own views about power.Here is a look back at articles by The New York Times that illustrate the paths that led Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris to their roles as president and vice president.As a young man, and as a student at the University of Delaware, Mr. Biden settled into the polished but unpretentious identity that would become his political brand.Credit…Biden CampaignJoe Biden’s Non-Radical 1960sMr. Trump often criticized Mr. Biden as a tool of leftist agitators. Friends say that has never much been his way, even as a young man surrounded by protest. As he put it in a campaign speech: “Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?” Read the complete article here.Ms. Harris, front center, in 1972 with her younger sister and her mother, who is flanked by her own parents. Ms. Harris’s grandparents were visiting the United States at the time.Credit…via Joe Biden campaignHow Kamala Harris’s Family in India Helped Shape Her ValuesMs. Harris gained part of her foundation from her mother’s side of the family, which defied stereotypes in India and promoted equality for women. Read the complete article here.When Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. sought the 1988 Democratic nomination for president, he was a young lawmaker running on a message of generational change. His bid, though, was doomed by self-inflicted mistakes. Here’s how it unfolded.CreditCredit…Keith Meyers/The New York TimesBiden’s First Run for President Was a Calamity. Some Missteps Still Resonate.In his 1988 campaign, Mr. Biden was prone to embellishment. Hints of that linger today. But unlike then, his message to voters during his final bid was clear: He’s a stabilizing statesman in a tumultuous time. Read the complete article here.Ms. Harris joined the highly competitive Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which was founded at Howard.Credit…via Alpha Kappa AlphaWhat Kamala Harris Learned About Power at HowardAs a college student, Ms. Harris wanted to have an impact. The method she landed on — pushing for change by working inside institutions — set her on the path to the vice presidency. Read the complete article here.In Mr. Biden, Barack Obama found a running mate who would conjure the comforting past and lessen the sense of change. But it was a rocky road to his selection.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York TimesObama and Biden’s Relationship Looks Rosy. It Wasn’t Always That Simple.Their partnership is the stuff of buddy-movie lore, but those who saw it up close described a more difficult, complicated dynamic. Read the complete article here.Ms. Harris was one of a historic six women who ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. After Mr. Biden ultimately won the nomination, he chose her as his running mate.Credit…Erin Kirkland for The New York TimesWhat Kamala Harris BelievesDuring the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Ms. Harris found herself in a potent but unpredictable position: Voters thrilled to her as a messenger, yet the content of her message remained a work in progress. Read the complete article here.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More