President Biden made this emphatic assertion on Wednesday amid US media reports alleging dysfunction among her staff and doubt on her standing within the administration.
Harris, 57, is the first woman and first Black and Asian American person ever sworn in as US vice president.
Harris was born at Oakland in California. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan migrated to the US from Tamil Nadu, while her father, Donald J Harris, moved to the US from Jamaica.
Asked by a reporter whether Biden was satisfied with Harris' work leading the voting rights effort for the White House and whether he will commit to putting her on the ticket once again, Biden replied directly.
"Yes and yes," he said during a press conference held at the White House to mark the first year of his presidency.
"She's going to be my running mate, number one. And number two, I did put her in charge. I think she's doing a good job."
Biden's remarks Wednesday came after Harris dismissed a question about whether she would be on the Democratic Party's ticket in 2024 in an interview with NBC recently.
"I'm sorry, we are thinking about today. I mean honestly, I know why you're asking the question... We're focused on the things in front of us," she said.
Still, questions persist about whether Biden actually plans to run again in 2024.
Harris has said on multiple occasions that she and Biden have not discussed whether the 79-year-old will run for reelection in 2024.
Biden has been adamant that he will run for reelection in 2024, despite the fact that he will be 81 on Election Day, CNN reported.
Biden is already the oldest person in US history to be inaugurated as president, but has been deemed to be in good health and "fit to successfully execute the duties of the president, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief," according to his White House doctor, Dr. Kevin O'Connor.
Biden's relationship with Harris has not been nearly as smooth though the two top leaders insist publicly that their relationship is solid, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
According to some US media reports, people close to Harris believe she is both underutilised as a political asset and overexposed to difficult issues like the migration crisis at America's southern border.
Harris has served as the US Senator from California and has been described as a trailblazer by former president Barack Obama.
Harris is known for many firsts. She has been a county district attorney; the district attorney for San Francisco, the first woman and first African-American and Indian-origin to be elected to the position.
She was also the first female African-American and Indian-origin to become California's attorney general. Harris became the first Indian-origin and second African-American woman to join the Senate, winning the California seat vacated by Senator Barbara Boxer, who retired after 24 years.
Harris, the first woman, first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to be vice president, was for one hour and 25 minutes acting president while Biden was under anesthesia.
Over more than five hours Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the president underwent a battery of blood, physical, gastrointestinal, dental, vision and neurological examinations. Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who has been Biden's primary care physician since 2009, wrote in a six-page memo released by the White House that Biden, who turns 79 on Saturday, remains a healthy, vigorous, 78-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.
O'Connor, however, revealed that he investigated Biden for increased instances of throat clearing during public remarks and a stiffening of his gait. O'Connor reported that Biden's coughing was the result of gastrointestinal reflux and that the stiffened gait was the result of a new diagnosis of mild peripheral neuropathy, spinal arthritis and compensation for a broken foot sustained a year ago.
Interest in Biden's health has been high ever since he declared his candidacy for the White House in 2019 and remains intense as speculation about a 2024 reelection bid swirls. The visit to the medical center in the Washington suburbs was for his first routine physical exam as president and his first since December 2019.
As part of the screening, Biden underwent an extremely detailed neurological exam that ruled out stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, but caught the neuropathy, which is nerve damage in the hands and feet. O'Connor said the most common cause of the condition is diabetes, but Biden is not diabetic. Biden, he said, would soon try custom orthotics to improve his gait.
During the course of Biden's colonoscopy a benign-appearing polyp of about 3 millimeters was identified and removed and would be studied over the coming week. O'Connor said Biden has never had colon cancer.
Biden's reported body mass index classified him as slightly overweight, but his cholesterol was under control. Biden, O'Connor said, is prescribed the anticoagulant Eliquis, the statin Crestor and the seasonal allergy spray Dymista, and regularly takes the over-the-counter allergy pill Allegra and the antacid Pepcid.
O'Connor reported that Biden does not use tobacco products or drink alcohol and that he exercises at least five days per week.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said he resumed his duties after speaking with Harris and White House chief of staff Ron Klain at approximately 11:35 a.m.
As Biden left the medical center in the afternoon, he said he was feeling Great!
Great physical and a great House of Representatives vote, he said, referring to the House passage of his roughly 2 trillion social and environmental agenda.
After arriving back at the White House, he said Nothing's changed with his health, joking, "We're in great shape, and I'm looking forward to celebrating my 58th birthday.
While serving as acting president Harris was working from her office in the West Wing, Psaki said. She later traveled to Ohio once Biden awoke from the procedure.
Biden was keenly aware of the history he was making when he selected Harris to be his running mate, Psaki said, adding that she made history every day in the job.
Today was certainly another chapter in that history I think that will be noted for women, young girls across the country," she added.
During Biden's last physical exam, doctors found the former vice president to be healthy, vigorous and fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency," according to a doctor's report at the time.
In that report, O'Connor said that since 2003, Biden has had episodes of atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that's potentially serious but treatable. At the time, O'Connor cited a list of tests that showed Biden's heart was functioning normally and his only needed care was a blood thinner to prevent the most worrisome risk, blood clots or stroke.
Biden had a brush with death in 1988, requiring surgery to repair two brain aneurysms, weak bulges in arteries, one of them leaking. Biden has never had a recurrence, his doctor said, citing a test in 2014 that examined his arteries.
Dr. Jeffrey Linder, chief of general internal medicine and geriatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, read the White House report and said it contained nothing that's particularly worrisome.
All in all, according to this report it seems like he's in pretty good shape, with very common age-related illness,'' including atrial fibrillation and stiff gait, Linder said.
While the cause of Biden's mild neuropathy is unknown, Linder said it is not an unusual problem and not a cause for concern unless it's bothersome for the president. He added that there is no reason to think the small polyp that was removed was cancerous, given Biden's previous medical history.
The electronic conversation took place as US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that India will receive Covid vaccines directly from the US stockpile, the White House said.
Modi tweeted, "I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. I also thanked her (Harris) for all the support and solidarity from the US government, businesses and Indian diaspora."
Spoke to @VP Kamala Harris a short while ago. I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. I also thanked her for the all the support and solidarity from the US government, businesses and Indian diaspora.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 3, 2021
Biden, who has faced international and domestic pressure to share surplus vaccines, said he is releasing the first set of 25 million doses of which six million will be shared between India, South Korea, Mexico and Canada.
The six million "will be shared directly with countries experiencing surges, those in crisis, and other partners and neighbours," he said without giving a breakdown of how many doses will go to India.
His spokesperson Jen Psaki said that the vaccines could go out as soon as Thursday "as we are working to operationalise this, which is kind of a historic Herculean effort."
Harris has spoken to several international leaders, but till Thursday there had been no mention by the White House of a conversation with Modi, whom she had criticised in the past.
Although Harris has refrained from criticising him since assuming office, her nice Meena Harris has attacked Modi.
Calling Modi about the vaccine supply gives her clout while speaking to him.
The White House said that she also spoke to Presidents Andres Manuel Lapez Obrador of Mexico, and Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala, and Prime Minister Keith Rowley of Trinidad, who is also the Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
She "notified each of the leaders that the Biden-Harris administration will begin sharing the first 25 million doses of Covid vaccines to their respective countries and others, as part of the Biden-Harris administration's framework for sharing at least 80 million vaccines globally by the end of June", to which they thanked her and "agreed to continue working together to address Covid-19 and advance our mutual interests around the world", the White House said.
Modi tweeted that they "discussed ongoing efforts to further strengthen India-US vaccine cooperation, and the potential of our partnership to contribute to post-Covid global health and economic recovery".
The Quad -- made up of India, the US, Japan, and Australia -- had announced a plan in March for India to manufacture one billion vaccines with US and Japanese financing to be distributed to Asian countries using Australian logistics.
Biden said in his announcement that seven million doses will be earmarked for South and Southeast Asia, but did not specify the recipients.
These will be distributed through COVAX, the international consortium for providing vaccines to developing countries.
COVAX will also get six million doses earmarked for Latin America and the Caribbean, and five million for Africa.
Biden said that the US would share more vaccines from its stockpile.
"In the days to come, as we draw on the experience of distributing the vaccine doses announced today, we will have more details to provide about how future doses will be shared," he said.
"The United States will be the world's arsenal of vaccines in our shared fight against this virus," Biden said.
Several members of the Congress in the US, including Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal, had asked Biden to send vaccines to India, which is facing a deadly second wave surge of the pandemic.
Psaki had indicated that the vaccines would be shared by several countries.
"Our approach will be to ensure that it is distributed in an equitable manner around the world," she said on Wednesday.
While most of the requests for sending vaccines to India focused on the 60 million AstraZeneca product in the US stockpile, Psaki said that the vaccines being donated will be a mix of those approved for use in the US -- the products of Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer.
Psaki said that the administration was waiting for FDA approval to send the AstraZeneca vaccines abroad.
Biden had so far resisted sharing vaccines globally -- except with Canada and Mexico -- because he wanted to be sure that under any eventuality, there would be enough for all Americans.
That was in contrast to India, Russia, and China which made diplomatic headway by donating vaccines and it led to domestic criticism of Biden.
Now nearly half the population of the US has been vaccinated, according to the Centres for Disease Control, giving Biden breathing space.
But the country is battling resistance to vaccinations from a sizeable part of the population.
While there is a global clamour for vaccines, the US is battling resistance to vaccinations from a sizeable part of the population.
Authorities across the US are running lotteries with million-dollar prizes and scholarships and companies are giving out beer and pastries to coax those avoiding vaccinations to get their jabs.
According to some media reports, the US may have as many as 500 million surplus doses of vaccines in the coming months.
Former President Donald Trump had taken the risky step of ordering millions of doses of vaccines -- far beyond the national requirement -- from several companies under his Operation Warpspeed even before the vaccines were being tested to ensure that there would be enough of any that obtained approval for use to cover the population.
This has led to a huge surplus.
Referring to the 25 million doses that the US has committed to sending abroad, Psaki said, "That is five times the number of doses any other country is committed to sharing."
However, India has sent abroad 66 million vaccine doses before stopping donations and exports last month when it was overwhelmed by the pandemic.
The surprising announcement by Harris, 55, came during a call with her campaign staffers on Tuesday.
Her decision makes the California senator the most high-profile candidate to date to drop out of the race to challenge President Donald Trump
"To my supporters, it is with deep regret -- but also with deep gratitude -- that I am suspending my campaign today," Harris said in a tweet on Tuesday.
"But I want to be clear with you: I will keep fighting every day for what this campaign has been about. Justice for the people. All the people," Harris said.
Harris, who is of mixed Indian and African heritage, had been polling poorly in recent weeks.
A latest poll released on Monday saw her ratings dropping down to a mere three per cent, reflecting that her campaign was struggling to make traction ahead of what is being viewed as one of the most polarised elections in American history.
Harris was among the first major Democratic Party leaders to announce her presidential run in last January, which was attended by a massive crowd of over 20,000 supporters.
Two months before the Iowa caucuses, Harris's departure was unexpected. At the start of her campaign, Democrats viewed the California senator as one of the party's strongest contenders against Trump.
While she made an impressive performance during her first Democratic party debate against former vice president Joe Biden, she had not been faring well during the subsequent debates.
In the last debate, she entered into a verbal dual with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, another Democratic presidential aspirant.
In a post on online publishing platform Medium, Harris explained the reasons for the sudden suspension of her campaign.
"I've taken stock and looked at this from every angle, and over the last few days (I) have come to one of the hardest decisions of my life. My campaign for president simply doesn't have the financial resources we need to continue," she wrote.
"I'm not a billionaire. I can't fund my own campaign. And as the campaign has gone on, it's become harder and harder to raise the money we need to compete. In good faith, I can't tell you -- my supporters and volunteers - that I have a path forward if I don't believe I do," she said.
"So, to you my supporters, it is with deep regret - but also with deep gratitude - that I am suspending my campaign today. But I want to be clear with you: I am still very much in this fight," she wrote, referring to the causes she has been vocal about.
Though not running for president any more, Harris said, she will do everything in her power to defeat incumbent Donald Trump and fight for the future of the country.
Harris said her campaign uniquely spoke to the experiences of Black women and people of colour -- and their importance to the success and future of this party.
"Our campaign demanded no one should be taken for granted by any political party. We will keep up that fight because no one should be made to fight alone," she asserted.
"And I believe our campaign showed every child in America - regardless of their colour or gender - that there are no limits to who can lead and hold positions of power in our country. In that way - this campaign has been so much bigger than me," she said.
Singh, 32, previously worked as spokesperson of two Democratic presidential candidates -- New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, the American Bazaar reported on Monday.
"I'm so excited to join the #BidenHarris ticket as Press Secretary for @KamalaHarris! Can't wait to get to work and win in November," Singh said in a tweet on Sunday.
I'm so excited to join the #BidenHarris ticket as Press Secretary for @KamalaHarris! Can't wait to get to work and win in November! https://t.co/m4wWayUzbH
— Sabrina Singh (@sabrinasingh24) August 16, 2020
Besides being a top aide to Democratic National Convention Chairman Tom Perez, Singh has also overseen party's coalition programs and several other important activities.
She comes from a family deep-rooted in American politics, said the American Bazaar repor.
Her grandfather J.J. Singh was the head of India League of America, a non-profit championing the interests of the Indian-American community.
Harris, who's mother originated from Tamil Nadu and her father from Jamaica, is the first candidate of Vice President of the US of South Asian descent.
On August 11, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden picked Harris to be his running mate for the November 3 election, in a historic move that marked a breakthrough for Indian-Americans in US politics.
(IANS)
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In her acceptance speech on Wednesday night at the ongoing Democraic National Convention (DNC) at the Chase Centre in Wisconsin, Harris, a daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, said: "It is truly an honour to be speaking with you. That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me.
"Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all."
"I accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States of America," ABC News quoted Harris as saying.
Harris was officially nominated by her sister Maya, niece Meena, and stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, CNN reported.
The Senator opened her vice presidential acceptance speech by remembering her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher from India, lamenting the fact that she could not be there to see her daughter's achievement.
"My mother taught me that service to others gives life purpose and meaning. And oh, how I wish she were here tonight but I know she's looking down on me from above," Harris was quoted as saying.
Harris' acceptance came two days after former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday was formally nominated as the Democratic Party's candidate to take on President Donald Trump in the November 3 election.
(IANS)
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Dressed in a blue-black pantsuit, Harris kicked off the debate by responding to the first question - predictably on the virus. She termed the Trump administration's response to COVID-19 as "the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country."
"On January, 28, the Vice President and the president were informed about the nature of this pandemic. They were informed that it's lethal, that it is airborne, that it will affect young people, and that it would be contracted, because it is airborne. And they knew what was happening and they didn't tell you", Harris said, punching hard within the first two minutes.
Harris' goal in this debate, based on her prep team's vantage point, is twofold: Frame Pence as complicit in Trump's chaotic response to a deadly pandemic and equally, paint a 'what if' scenario of an alternative universe, should the Biden ticket win.
Pence, political obsessors said, will be looking to jump off the sinking Trump ship, get on a lifeboat and bob away to some island where he can hang out till the 2024 election comes around.
VP debates often get lost in the news cycle of presidential politics but this one may end up being different. The political costs are already mounting for Trump, after the first presidential debate and his own COVID-19 diagnosis.
In fact, the Trump campaign chaos has turned this usually muted event into a TV spectacle.
Most of the Biden-Harris weapons going into the VP debate are of Trump's own making. The US president has morphed into a walking-talking negative ad for his own re-election campaign.
Biden is up 9 points in head to head polling against Trump. Dig a little deeper and Biden has widened his lead in six battlegrounds. A RealClearPolitics average puts the gap at +4.9 for Biden.
With Trump tanking in the polls and the White House shaken by a string of new infections striking its A team, the Democrats are smelling blood and Harris, an aggressive prosecutor, is on the offence.
Everything about this debate is messy for Trump and Pence, it's all about the coronavirus, 7.5 million Americans are sick, more than 211,000 are dead and it's all happened on the Trump watch.
Trump spent the last eight months asking Americans to look at shiny objects - the stock market, bleach, hydroxychloroquine, ultraviolet light, tweets, the occasional swipe at immigration and even snuck in a giant photo op tour to the Taj Mahal one full month after he was told that COVID would be his biggest national security challenge ever.
The coronavirus blew up all those balloons and infiltrated the White House with 31 days to go before the US election 2020. Given that backdrop, Harris' 101 is to do the political version of the Hippa oath: Do no harm to the Biden ticket.
But clearly, Harris has set her sights a few notches above.
And, there's the matter of the plexiglass - an unlikely rockstar in the VP debate, making its debut in America's presidential debates. Harris' team requested they be used, Pence's team kicked and screamed and gave in.
Harris is not budging from the high ground of public health policy during America's worst public health emergency.
The trickiest terrain for Pence is coronavirus. Trump crowned him as the leader of the coronavirus task force. Until Trump got sick, Pence could do his thing while Trump did his gig.
If Harris makes Pence answer for Trump and Pence refuses, he'll have to answer for himself. Either way, there's no running away from 211,000 Americans dead and still counting.
Health experts have been going red in the face saying the virus will decide everything. So it goes with this debate.
"I'd rather have a vacuum cleaner for my president. Anybody but Trump!", Alexander Pickard, a Manhattan based voter, told IANS.
(IANS)
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President Donald Trump, however, told his supporters here that Obama was an "ineffective" campaigner and this was good news for him as in 2016 "they did a lousy job and that's why I'm your president".
Biden, 77, was the vice president during Obama's two terms. While Obama has endorsed Biden and his running mate and India-origin Senator Kamala Harris by making online campaigns for them, this would be the first time that the 59-year-old former president would be campaigning in person.
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Four years after he left the presidency, Obama because of his oratory skills, still remains the biggest crowd puller for the opposition Democratic party.
"On Wednesday, October 21, (former) President Obama will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to campaign on behalf of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris," the Biden campaign said in a statement on Friday afternoon.
No other details were immediately available.
Biden, as per the latest opinion polls, leads against Republican incumbent President Donald Trump by over nine points on an average.
However, there are signs that the polls are tightening, especially after Trump resumed his rallies after recovering from COVID-19. He has been attracting thousands of supporters to his election rallies in the battleground states.
President Trump said, "Well he campaigned harder than Hillary last time, so why do we care? The other thing he refused to endorse Joe. He knows what's going on up here with Joe. Obama refused to endorse him and even after Joe had won he didn't want to and then finally like a long time later he finally came out and endorsed him."
"But they called me they said, you know, Obama is going to start campaigning? I said, is that good or bad? I think it's a good thing because you know, they did a lousy job and I wouldn't be president of the United States if they did a good job. I probably wouldn't have run and if I did I probably wouldn't have won. It's one of those things. They did a lousy job and that's why I'm your president," he said.
Obama is the only Democratic leader who can attract a big crowd in his election rallies. His jumping into the campaign, with a little over a fortnight left for the presidential elections, is likely to motivate and encourage Black Americans and fence sitters to come out and vote, Biden strategists believe.
A day earlier, the Democratic National Committee released a new ad featuring Obama -- "The 2020 Election Is Already Here".
It highlights the stakes of this election, the importance of Americans voting now to make their voices heard and how they can find all the information they need to make their plan to vote.
Millions of Americans are already voting, make sure you stand up and join them, Obama said in the ad.
There will always be reasons to think your vote doesn't matter -- that's not new. What is new is a growing movement for justice, equality and progress on so many issues. This really is a tipping point, and that momentum only continues if we win this election. But it's gonna be close. It could come down to a handful of voters just like you. So I'm asking you to bring this thing home. Leave no doubt. Vote early, he said.
Read More: Joe Biden Leads Donald Trump In Wisconsin, Michigan: Poll
The ad is being run in all the battleground States through digital platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, and YouTube.
During the Democratic National Convention this summer, Obama had launched a blistering attack against Trump. Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because he can't," he said in August.
"And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone while those at the top take in more than ever. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before," Obama said.
(PTI)
A petition on the Change.org website demands an apology from the campaign of presidential candidate Joe Biden and Harris for the tweet by her niece, Meena, which the petitioners said was an insult to Hinduism.
Several people posted responses to the tweet that was taken down later and some of the critics ended up being blocked by Meena Harris, who is a lawyer.
The picture in her tweet showed a fair-skinned Kamala Harris as Durga astride a lion with the face of Biden and about to plunge a trident into a dark-skinned Trump lying on the ground.
The text accompanying it said: "I am actually speechless other than to say that the first day of Navaratri was LIT."
A Republican candidate for the House of Representatives from California, Nisha Sharma, drew attention to the violent nature of the tweet.
She tweeted: "A day after #FranceBeheading by Islamic radical @meenaharris tweets this out in celebration of #Navratri. This not only grossly misappropriates a Hindu deity, this provokes #Hinduphobia by promoting violence against @realDonaldTrump."
Sharma added the handle of the Secret Service that protects Trump -- as well as Kamala Harris -- to the tweet.
A day after #FranceBeheading by Islamic radical - @meenaharris tweets this out in celebration of #Navratri. This not only grossly misappropriates a Hindu deity, this provokes #Hinduphobia by promoting violence against @realDonaldTrump. @SecretService should talk to Meena ASAP. pic.twitter.com/Lg4k205ea7
— Nisha Sharma for Congress (CA-11) (@UsaNisha) October 18, 2020
Many Democrats and the media have been criticising Trump's supporters of threatening violence.
Although the Change.org petition has asked for an apology from the Biden-Harris campaign and others have criticised Kamala Harris, the tweet and the picture are not connected to her or the party's campaign.
Biden, who had earlier greeted Hindus on Ganesh Chathurthi, had sent out a Navratri greeting.
He tweeted: "As the Hindu festival of Navratri begins, Jill and I send our best wishes to all those celebrating in the U.S. and around the world. May good once again triumph over evil and usher in new beginnings and opportunity for all."
As the Hindu festival of Navratri begins, Jill and I send our best wishes to all those celebrating in the U.S. and around the world. May good once again triumph over evil — and usher in new beginnings and opportunity for all.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 17, 2020
Harris also tweeted a Navaratri greeting.
.@DouglasEmhoff and I wish our Hindu American friends and family, and all those celebrating, a very Happy Navratri! May this holiday serve as an inspiration to all of us to lift up our communities and build a more inclusive and just America.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 17, 2020
It was not clear if Meena Harris meant her tweet to appeal to Hindu American voters or it was to glorify Kamala Harris and draw attention to her partial Indian descent.
Although her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, is from a Hindu family, Kamala Harris is a Christian belonging to the Protestant Baptist sect.
Hindu American Foundation Executive Director Suhag Shukla tweeted that the "caricature of the feminine divine, Maa Durga, with faces superimposed, deeply aggrieved many Hindus globally".
Dear @meenaharris, by now you know that your tweeting a caricature of the feminine divine, Maa Durga, with faces superimposed, deeply aggrieved many Hindus globally.
To avoid such an error in judgement, for future reference, please refer to: https://t.co/yXBRCE4xcw
— Suhag A. Shukla (@SuhagAShukla) October 18, 2020
"Insult of Hindu Goddess for political gains, shame," said Danny Gaekwad, a member of the advisory committee for Indian Voices for Donald Trump, a Republican campaign unit.
The Change petition circulated by a group calling itself Global Hindus asked the "Biden-Harris campaign to issue an apology to the Global Hindu community for the desecration of Goddess Devi Durga, especially during the auspicious and sacred time of Navaratri".
A person identified only as Shalu tweeted: "Doesn't matter how many dosas the Harris fam(ily) makes on camera, they're quite disconnected from their heritage & only use it for marketing."
Meena Harris said in another tweet: "#MyNameIs Meenakshi. I'm named after the Hindu goddess, as well as my great great grandmother. I come from a long line of strong women who taught me to be proud of my heritage and to demand respect, especially from racist white men like @sendavidperdue who are threatened by us."
That is the Twitter handle of Republican Senator David Perdue, who said at a Trump rally, "Kah-mah-la, Kah-maah-la, Kamala-mala-mala, I don't know, whatever", while referring to the Vice Presidential candidate.
(IANS)
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Trump, a Republican, is seeking re-election to the White House. Biden, 77, who has been a Senator for several decades and was a vice president during the Obama Administration is urging his countrymen to put him in the Oval Office for a four-year-term beginning January 20, 2021.
On Friday, Trump addressed three rallies in battle ground States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota which the president hopes to wrest from the Democrats after several decades.
Biden, whose campaign has mostly been in the virtual domain, including through zoom calls, was also campaigning in three states of Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Vice President Mike Pence was in Arizona, while Democratic vice-presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris was making stops in Texas, a Republican bastion, which many political analysts say is in play this time.
In addition to this Trump's family members- daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and sons Eric and Donald J Trump Jr- were campaigning aggressively for their father in various battle ground States.
So are Jill Biden, the former second lady and Dough Emhoff, husband of Kamala Harris, making a case for the Biden-Harris ticket.
The Democrats whose campaigns, in the past led by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were known for a grass root movement and ground game, have moved their campaign into the virtual domain.
With no dearth of money that it raised in the last three months, the party has flooded the digital domain and air waves across the country with its campaigning, particularly in the battle ground States.
The few election rallies of the Biden campaigns are restricted to drive-in car rallies, that at times number a few hundred at the most, or a few dozen in person maintaining COVID-19 social distancing measures. The Biden campaign has described it as a responsible campaigning.
The Trump campaign says that the Bidens have not been able to attract people towards their side and reflects a lackluster response from Americans. On the other hand, the Biden campaign has accused the Republican Party and Trump of being irresponsible by holding massive rallies which they say are super spreaders for the coronavirus.
His rallies are full of energy and enthusiasm, with many of his supporters driving for hours and waiting at the venue to listen to their leader.
In their election rallies, both Biden and Trump emphasise on one common point, urging people to come out and vote. The two leaders broadly use the first half of their speech by ripping apart the policies of their opponents and even launching a scathing personal attack.
The second half of their speech is devoted to presenting their vision and key policy elements of what their administrations will do, if voted to power.
While both the Trump and Biden campaigns have a different pathway, the two leaders promise to create jobs, make the US a manufacturing hub, address the challenges posed by China, and promise not to raise taxes for the majority of Americans.
Both the campaigns argue that they have the best plan and it is only under them that the US can retain its core values of liberty and freedom.
On Saturday, Biden would be joined by former president Barack Obama in Michigan. They will discuss bringing Americans together to address the crises facing the country and winning the battle for the soul of the nation, his campaign said on Friday.
His running mate Harris would be in Florida, another battle ground State.
Over the next three days, Trump, as per his campaign, is planning to address as many as 14 election rallies in key battle ground States. On Saturday, the president is carpet bombing key State of Pennsylvania with as many as four rallies in one day. On Sunday and Monday, his election rallies are in Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Iowa.
As of Friday, Trump's last election rally was scheduled to be held at Grand Rapids in Michigan at 10.30 pm on Monday. Trump is known for adding more stops to his campaign at the last minute.
(PTI)
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In a video posted by her niece, Meena Harris, the Democratic senator told Meena's 4-year-old daughter, Amara Ajagu, "You could be president, but not right now. You have to be over the age of 35."
“You could be president.” pic.twitter.com/akB2Zia2W7
— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) November 5, 2020
The video shows Amara Ajagu sitting on Kamala Harris' lap as they engage in a conversation. The discussion between Harris and and her great niece is about being a President.
Later, Meena Harris posted on Twitter about the video. "For context my daughter wants to be both president and an astronaut," she wrote.
Meena Harris has recently written a book, Ambitious Girl which is a NYT bestseller. "I wrote another kids' book! A girl sees a strong woman onTV labelled as "too assertive" and "too ambitious," sending her on a journey of discovery about challenges faced by women & girls, and how we can reclaim words meant to knock us down. "Pre-order now," said a tweet on her handle.
(IANS)
The Prime Minister also congratulated Vice President elect Kamala Harris saying her success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans.
In a series of tweets, Modi said, "Congratulations Joe Biden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights."
Congratulations @JoeBiden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights. pic.twitter.com/yAOCEcs9bN
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 7, 2020
Congratulating Kamala Harris, who is set to become first women Vice President of the US, he said, "Heartiest congratulations Kamala Harris! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership."
Heartiest congratulations @KamalaHarris! Your success is pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for your chittis, but also for all Indian-Americans. I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 7, 2020
Modi's remarks came soon after Biden, the former two-term vice president and a Senate veteran, won the US Presidential elections to be the 46th President of the US. While Harris will be the next vice president, the first woman and the first person of colour to hold the office.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi also extended warmest congratulations to President-elect Biden and Harris on her election as the next Vice President.
She said, "Under the wise and mature leadership of President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris; India looks forward to a close partnership that will be beneficial to peace and development in our region and around the world."
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took to twitter and wrote, "Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden. I'm confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction."
Congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden. I’m confident that he will unite America and provide it with a strong sense of direction.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2020
"Congratulations, Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris! It makes us proud that the first woman to serve as Vice President of the US traces her roots to India," he said in another tweet congratulating Harris.
Congratulations, Vice-President-elect @KamalaHarris! It makes us proud that the first woman to serve as Vice President of the USA traces her roots to India.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 7, 2020
(IANS)
"Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities," Harris said to wild cheers. Harris' mother Shyamala Gopalan, core to every Harris stump, came in for special mention.
Harris arrived in a motorcade flashing red and blue lights, the first sign that the earth has shifted from beneath the Donald Trump-Mike Pence White House. When she spoke, Harris offered glimpses of the incredible promise of multicultural America.
Dressed in a luminous peach and white pant suit with satin tones, Harris beamed as she walked on stage to the sounds of her favourite hip hop music. Here are a few standout quotes from Harris' powerful remarks at a location that has come to be known as America's most famous parking lot:
"Congressman John Lewis, before his passing, wrote democracy is not a state. It is an act. And what he meant was that America's democracy is not guaranteed. It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it. To guard it, and never take it for granted and protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes some sacrifices, but there is joy in it. And there is progress. Because we, the people, have the power to build a better future."
"My mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris...who is always in our hearts. When she came here from India at the age of 19, she could not have imagined this moment. But she believed so deeply in America, where a moment like this is possible. And so I'm thinking about her, and about the generations of women, Black women, Native American women who have paved the way for this moment tonight."
"What a testament it is to Joe's character that he has the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country, and select a woman as his vice president. But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl, watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities. And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way."
"And to the American people. No matter who you voted for. I will strive to be a vice president, like Joe was to President Obama: loyal, honest, and prepared waking up every day thinking of you and your family. Because now is when the real work begins, the hard work, the necessary work, the good work, the essential work to save lives and beat this epidemic to rebuild our economy."
(IANS)
Pattnaik has created a sand sculpture of both the leaders to congratulate them on the historic victory.
Congratulations President-elect, @JoeBiden and Vice President-elect, @KamalaHarris for the historic victory. My sandart at #Puri beach in India. #USElections2020 pic.twitter.com/SPXXw2Nl5Q
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) November 8, 2020
He used about 10 tonnes of sand and took 6 hours to complete the sculpture.
"We are very happy that the first time a woman of Indian origin was elected as Vice President. I would like to congratulate Kamala Harris," Pattnaik said.
He has created many sand sculptures for US election.
Padma awardee Pattnaik has participated in more than 60 international sand art competitions and festivals around the world and won many awards for the country.
He always tries to give a social message around the world through his sand sculptures.
(IANS)
Following a tense week of vote tallying, Democratic presidential candidate Biden on Saturday won the state of Pennsylvania and vaulted ahead in the race to become the next president of the United States. Biden's win in the key battleground state put him over the threshold of 270 electoral votes, cutting off all avenues for his opponent.
As his vice president, Harris will make history in myriad ways, becoming the first woman - and the first woman of colour - to occupy the office.
"We aren't just going to rebuild what has worked in the past. This is our opportunity to build back better than ever," said the Biden-Harris transition team, giving details of the priorities for the next administration.
"President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are confronting a pandemic, an economic crisis, calls for racial justice, and climate change. The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One," it said.
Once sworn into office, Biden and Harris will provide the much-needed national leadership to tackle the pandemic and begin our nation's recovery, it said.
Biden and Harris would be sworn in on January 20. The mandate of the transition team is to put in place the infrastructure that can ensure smooth transition from the outgoing administration and efficiently run the administration on day one.
Observing that the American people deserve an urgent, robust, and professional response to the growing public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the team said that Biden believes that the federal government must act swiftly and aggressively to help protect and support the families, small businesses, first responders, and caregivers essential to help them face this challenge.
The Biden-Harris administration will always, listen to science, ensure public health decisions are informed by public health professionals, and promote trust, transparency, common purpose, and accountability in the government, it said.
Economic recovery is the second top priority for the Biden-Harris administration. In this time of crisis, President-elect Biden has a plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, make it easier for workers to organise unions and collectively bargain, and to give America's working families the tools, choices, and freedom they need to build back better, it said.
"That starts with a real strategy to deal with the pandemic. We can't solve the jobs crisis until we solve the public health crisis. Implementing Biden's comprehensive strategy to get the pandemic under control and effectively reopen the economy an approach that will both protect the health and safety of our people and boost economic activity is one of the president-elect's top priorities," said the transition.
"The moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism. To deal with the growing economic inequality in our nation. And to deal with the denial of the promise of this nation to so many," said the transition listing out its third priority.
As part of his commitment to uplifting Black and Brown communities, Biden will also work to build an economy where every American enjoys a fair return for their work, and an equal chance to get ahead.
An economy more vibrant and more powerful precisely because everybody will be included in the deal. An economy where Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), and Native American workers and families are finally welcomed as full participants, it said.
President-elect Biden is leading the world to address the climate emergency and leading through the power of example, said the transition.
"Biden knows how to stand with America's allies, stand up to adversaries, and level with any world leader about what must be done. He will not only recommit the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change he will go much further than that. He is working to lead an effort to get every major country to ramp up the ambition of their domestic climate targets," it said.
(PTI)
On the first workday after their victory lap in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden andA Harris are tipped to begin Monday by naming a Covid Task Force, co-chaired by former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler and Yale professor Marcella Nunez-Smith.
This will mark the first of several top staffing decisions for the Biden-Harris team in the frenzied run up to Inauguration Day on January 20, 2021.
For Murthy, this return to the White House will be especially sweet. He was asked to resign by Trump in the spring of 2017, although he was named to a four year term by former President Barack Obama, starting 2014.
Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017. He is the author of NYT Best Seller "Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World".
Biden and Harris have already released their seven-point Covid response plan, which reads mostly like a repair-job after nine months of Trump's blow-it-all-up chaos.
First: Fix Trump's testing-and-tracing fiasco to ensure all Americans have access to regular, reliable, and free testing.
Second: Fix personal protective equipment (PPE) problems for good.
Third: Provide clear, consistent, evidence-based national guidance for how communities should navigate the pandemic and the resources for schools, small businesses, and families to make it through.
Fourth: Plan for the effective, equitable distribution of treatments and vaccines because discovering isn't enough if they get distributed like Trump's testing and PPE fiascos.
Fifth: Protect older Americans and others at high risk.
Sixth: "Rebuild and expand the defenses that Trump has dismantled to predict, prevent, and mitigate pandemic threats, including those coming from China.
Seventh: Implement mask mandates nationwide by working with governors and mayors and by asking the American people to do what they do best: step up in a time of crisis.
America's top doctors have already warned of a "dark winter" ahead, where the virus hangs around longer in the wintry air and becomes particularly lethal when people are spending more time indoors with predominantly canned air circulating.
America has had its worst caseloads during election week, breaking catastrophic records - more than 100,000 cases in a single day.
Pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to play ball. Officials cutting across the timeline of three former US Presidents Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton called on the Trump administration "to immediately begin the post-election transition process".
Trump, who spent the weekend golfing in Virginia, remains defiant. His former lawyer cum fixer Michael Cohen predicts that Trump "cannot" accept the election loss and will continue his "nonsense".
(IANS)
When the Biden administration takes over, Emhoff will break new ground as America's first 'second gentleman'.
Emhoff has been on leave from his law firm DLA Piper since Kamala Harris joined the Biden ticket. AP reports that Emhoff's decision reflects the Biden administration's focus on avoiding potential ethical issues, in sharp contrast with the current Trump administration.
Emhoff, 56, leaned into his political support role during the campaign and plans to continue that way. Emhoff will also be the first ever Jewish spouse in the long history of White House power couples.
"Doug, you're going to have to learn what it means to be a barrier-breaker yourself in this job you're about to take on," President-elect Biden had said at his first joint appearance with Harris as his running mate.
Harris met Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, on a blind date in 2013 and married a year later. Emhoff's marriage to Harris is his second; he has children from his earlier marriage, now in their 20s.
On November 9, Harris tweeted a photo of herself and Emhoff taken on the night of the victory speech, to her 11 million followers saying "Meet the love of my life."
Meet the love of my life, @DouglasEmhoff. pic.twitter.com/YrhpWqI4bR
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 9, 2020
"Love you Madam Vice President-elect!" Emhoff tweeted right back at her.
Love you Madam Vice President-elect!
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) November 9, 2020
Emhoff's social handle describes him as "dad, Kamala Harris hubby, lawyer, wannabe golfer, advocate for justice and equality", in that order.
It turns out that it was Emhoff who filmed Harris calling Biden moments after the election victory, a video that Harris shared on social media.
The unprecedented role switch at the highest levels of US politics is drawing rousing applause. "This is what decent, honorable and honest people do: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, will leave his job as a partner with a high-profile law firm to focus on his role in the new Biden administration," Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin tweeted.
This is what decent, honorable and honest people do: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, will leave his job as a partner with a high-profile law firm to focus on his role in the new Biden administration.
— Jennifer 'the people have decided' Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) November 10, 2020
(IANS)
According to the Biden-Harris transition team, Harris was vaccinated on Tuesday by Patricia Cummings, a clinical nurse manager at the United Medical Center.
In a tweet late Tuesday, Harris said: "Today I got the Covid-19 vaccine. I am incredibly grateful to our frontline health care workers, scientists, and researchers who made this moment possible.
"When you're able to take the vaccine, get it. This is about saving lives."
Harris' vaccination, which was also broadcast live on TV, came almost a week after President-elect Joe Biden received his.
After receiving the shot, Harris said she wants to "encourage everyone to get the vaccine. It is relatively painless. It happens really quickly. It is safe".
The Vice President-elect also confirmed that her husband, Doug Emhoff, would be receiving the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday, CNN reported.
"I want to remind people that right in your community is where you can take the vaccine, where you will receive the vaccine, by folks you may know, folks who are otherwise working in the same hospital where your children were born.
"Folks who are working in the same hospital where an elderly relative received the kind of care that they needed," CNN quoted Harris as saying.
The US Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for two Covid-19 vaccines: one from Pfizer/BioNTech and one from Moderna.
The two vaccines have shown similar efficacy levels of near 95 per cent, and both require two doses administered several weeks apart.
On December 18, Vice President Mike Pence, Second Lady Karen Pence, Surgeon General Jerome Adams,House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination all on live TV, in a bid to instill confidence among Americans.
President Donald Trump, who had tested positive for the virus in October, is yet to get vaccinated.
As of Wednesday morning, the US, currently the hardest-hit country in the world by the pandemic, has registered a total of 19,299,960 confirmed coronavirus cases and 334,830 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
Both tallies are the highest in the world.
(IANS)
The 58-year-old vice president-elect was inspired by Justice Sotomayor's background, ABC News reported, ahead of the presidential inauguration event on January 20.
They have both previously served as former prosecutors -- Harris in California, Sotomayor in New York. Sotomayor, 66, is third female justice in US Supreme Court history.
During her victory speech Harris weaved in an adage from her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who often told her she would be the first to do many things, but urged her to open doors for others.
"While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last," said Harris in November.
For the historic day, Harris has chosen to be sworn in using two Bibles. One previously belonged to Regina Shelton, who was like a second mother to Harris and her sister Maya.
Harris and Maya often visited Shelton's house after school while their mother was still at work as a breast cancer researcher.
Shelton lived two doors down from Harris' home. Harris used Shelton's Bible to take the oath of office to be attorney general of California and later to become a United States senator, CNN reported.
The second Bible that Harris will take her oath of office belongs to Thurgood Marshall, the civil rights icon and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court, her aide said.
Harris has often said that Marshall was one of the inspirations for her legal career and has described him as a "childhood hero of mine."
The vice president-elect said in a video posted to Twitter in July, "Thurgood Marshall and the work that he did is ... really one of the main reasons I wanted to be a lawyer. Thurgood was a fighter, he was a boxer in the courtroom."
Harris was born in Oakland, California, in 1964. Her mother, Shyamala, who immigrated to the US from Chennai, died of cancer in 2009. Harris' father, Donald, is a Jamaican American professor of economics.
President-elect Joe Biden and Harris will take their oaths of office on the West Front of the US Capitol during a significantly scaled-down event on January 20.
Authorities are bracing for more violence ahead of the inauguration after supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed and breached the US Capitol on January 6 in an unprecedented riot that left five people, including a police officer, dead. The National Park Service has announced that the National Mall will be closed to the general public on Inauguration Day due to security concerns.
Asked about the safety concerns taking the oath outside, Harris told NPR in an interview: "I think we cannot yield to those who would try and make us afraid of who we are."
Kolam, a traditional Indian art form of drawing geometric patterns on the floors as a sign of welcome, was part of the virtual kick-off ceremony of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris, who traces her origin to Tamil Nadu where these auspicious designs adorn almost every household.
In Tamil Nadu, where Harris has roots, women draw Kolams on the ground to invite health and prosperity into houses where they are displayed.
Pictures of thousands of Kolam tiles were on Saturday woven into a video to welcome Biden and Harris in the spirit of Presidency for All' and to showcase the multi-cultural heritage of America.
More than 1,800 individuals from across the US and many from India participated in the online initiative to create thousands of Kolam designs to celebrate the historic event.
Many believe Kolams symbolise positive energy and new beginnings. People of all ages from various communities collaborated from their homes to create tiles with eco-friendly materials. What started out as a local project spread way beyond our expectations, said Shanthi Chandrasekar, an award-winning multimedia and multidisciplinary artist from Maryland who took the initiative along with several others.
The initial idea was to have these Kolam patterns from across the country in front of the White House as a symbol of good beginning to the new administration.
The Washington DC police gave permission to the organisers to have it near the Capitol Hill around the inauguration venue. However, due to the unprecedented security measures that have been enforced in Washington DC, the permission was cancelled.
Pictures of thousands of Kolam tiles were on Saturday woven into a video to welcome Biden and Harris in the spirit of Presidency for All' and to showcase the multi-cultural heritage of America.
A date for the installation after the inauguration will be set up after a go-ahead from the local security, said Sowmya Somnath who is part of the Inauguration Kolam 2021 organising team in her volunteer capacity.
Washington DC Public Schools arts director Mary Lambert and visual arts manager Lindsey Vance joined Chandrasekar to combine thousands of Kolam drawings made by people from many different backgrounds to welcome Biden when he takes office in a few days.
Hundreds of artists, citizens and students from across the country collaborated online to combine thousands of local pieces.
This is what we wanted when we planned to have thousands of Kolam tiles in front of the White House, said Somnath.
Students from 10 public schools in Washington DC participated in making the art.
Lambert said the District of Columbia Public School arts curriculum focuses on equity and believes cultural representation is an important part of that effort.
This project provided an opportunity for our students to learn about another culture and the math skills needed for creation in the arts. As well, an opportunity to express their identity through visual arts and to see that united with others from around the country, said Lambert.
Major Democratic fund raiser Shekar Narasimhan, whose niece and grandniece joined many others to make tiles for the inauguration Kolam, supported the project.
Narasimhan said the project reflects and honours the history of America.
With the rise of diverse America, the energy behind this artwork is a reminder of what binds us together as Americans, he said.
I am so grateful and honoured to be able to share my love for Kolams through the #2021kolam community project. The real celebrities are the children who have invested so much of themselves into beautifying the dots and the shapes around them that will come together for our collaborative welcome offering for Inauguration Kolam #2021, Chandrasekar said.
The response has been way beyond our expectations. We have people send in their tiles from all the way from California, Boston, New Jersey and many places. From day cares to people in their 90s have participated in this. The response has been amazing, she added.
Biden and Harris will take the oath of office on January 20.
(PTI)
Speaking to OTV, Rao, a resident of Jatni village-- around 20 kilometres from the state capital-- said, "In order to extend my wishes to Joe Biden who will be taking oath as the President of US today I have crafted his photo frame inside the glass bottle."
[caption id="attachment_510918" align="aligncenter" width="648"] L Eswar Rao crafts miniature photo frame of Joe Biden using small pieces of stones inside a glass bottle to congratulate him ahead of his swearing-in[/caption]
Rao has also inscribed 'Congratulations' on the photo frame which he took around seven days to complete.
"The frame inside the bottle is 6.5 inches high and 3 inches wide. I have used four small pieces of stones, clay, wood and some pieces of papers to create to the frame," said Rao.
"During the tenure of Donald Trump, India and US had established cordial relations and I want to Biden take it forward after he assumes office," said Rao.
On the other hand, internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has also created a massive sand art on the beach at Puri congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their swearing-in.
#Inauguration2021 A historic moment. Best wishes to USA President-elect @JoeBiden and Vice President-elect @KamalaHarris . My SandArt at Puri beach in india. @BidenInaugural pic.twitter.com/g1Ew5uVWVh
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) January 20, 2021
It may be noted that Joe Biden will take oath as the 46th President of USA today. Along with Biden, Indian-origin Kamala Harris will take oath as the first woman Vice President of the country.
The inauguration ceremony titled 'Celebrating America' is scheduled to take place on January 20 at the US Capitol in Washington late in the afternoon.
Harris smiles as she reads from the first rush of letters tumbling into the Biden Inaugural Committee's inbox in response to the "Letters to Kamala" digital campaign.
Our young leaders fuel me with hope for a better tomorrow. #LettersToKamalapic.twitter.com/jYnndIjO3R
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 19, 2021
"Our young leaders fuel me with hope for a better tomorrow," Harris posted on her social channels, hours before she takes over as America's first woman Vice President.
From pleas for racial equality to simple words of praise and awe or just sketches of Harris, a sampling of the letters floating online offer glimpses into the ways that young people are processing the historic nature of Harris' barrier shattering political rise.
Reading it out in a short video is a little Indian girl dressed in a traditional Indian orange dress. "I cannot believe you're of Indian descent, just like me, "Here's my dog to keep you company," reads the last line of Sahana's letter.
"Aww that's so great. That dog looks really lovely and so comforting. Thank you, Sahana," says Harris.
Similarly, a girl scout Amelia Phillips writes to Harris, "I have been waiting for a girl vice president since...forever."
There's no last date. At least not just yet, so kids can continue sending letters to letters@bideninaugural.org or post them online with the hashtag #LetterstoKamala.
(With Inputs From IANS)
Harris is wearing Christopher John Rogers and Sergio Hudson, according to chatter filtering from her aides. Rogers, a New York City resident, is a young Black designer, from Baton Rouge. Sergio is Black designer from South Carolina. Both Rogers and Hudson have dressed former First Lady Michelle Obama and Beyonce.
Two hours after Donald Trump lifted off from the lawns of White House, the world got its first look at America's new political leadership in a single frame at the US Capitol - the location of the inauguration ceremony. This is the exact spot where a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol on January 6 in a bid to overturn the election results from November 2020.
Joe Biden and his wife, Jill and Vice President-elect Harris and her husband arrived at the complex about 90 minutes before the noon swearing-in ceremony. Incoming First Lady Jill Biden is dressed in shades of olympic and sapphire blue.
Biden's motorcade wound its way through deserted Washington streets to reach the Capitol after a morning church service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. About 25,000 National Guard members are guarding every aspect of Inauguration Day. Security has been stepped up to unprecedented levels for this event after the violent storming of the US Capitol.
Biden takes the oath of office at noon Wednesday to become the 46th President of the United States. He takes over at a time of multiple crises hammering a deeply divided nation.
(IANS)
As per reports, Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts administered the oath of office to Biden.
Earlier, Kamala Devi Harris created history by becoming the first woman, first Black and first South Asian to become the Vice President of the US.
Harris was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina woman to sit in the nation's apex court, shortly before Joe Biden was to be sworn-in as the US President.
(With inputs from IANS)
BTS fans across the world collectively lost their calm when they found out that VP is also an ARMY. This surprising fact came to limelight when one of the Twitter users shared that Kamala Harris follows the official handle of BTS. Additionally, what came as a sweet surprise was BTS’s chartbuster song Boy With Luv song also found a place in her music playlist.
KAMALA HARRIS FOLLOW BTS AND ADD BOY WITH LUV ON HER SPOTIFY PLAYLIST OMG pic.twitter.com/MBPe9ZFUNx
— мιηα⁷✨ (@kingtancastle) January 20, 2021
Oh, ARMY look at this the new Vice President of America #KamalaHarris is following @BTS_twt now!☺️ pic.twitter.com/5Yw8uotXrF
— ~💙~ᴮᴱ BTS Swiss Army Base ⁷ | W.I.N.G (@bts_swiss_army) January 20, 2021
And she's a fan!!!!! Kamala Harris' Playlist got BTS' BWL on it!!!
Madam Vice President got excellent taste! pic.twitter.com/Bm5yXg2MeV— KPphoenix💜𐤀 (@PphoenixK) January 20, 2021
During her swearing-in ceremony, Kamala wore a sombre all purple formal outfit. The colour purple traditionally in the US symbolises bipartisanship – a combination of Democratic blue and Republican red and also the women’s suffrage. The BTS fans also applauded her as purple is also the colour of the ARMY and is seen as a symbol of hope and empowerment.
She wear purple! How do you feel @BTS_twt being followed by the most powerful woman on earth right now. As your fan I’m beaming with pride! #KamalaHarris is a symbol of hope and empowerment especially us women. pic.twitter.com/8FqJLZFyeh
— ᴮᴱ WHISPER 🦋⁷ (@Whisper1204) January 20, 2021
The Grammy-nominated boy band is the biggest band in the world but with the most powerful woman on earth also a fan of the K-pop band, BTS is surely making its World Domination dream come true one song at a time.
Biden made the announcement at the White House on Wednesday, describing Harris as someone compared to whom nobody "is better qualified to do this," citing the vice president's experience as California's former attorney general, Xinhua news agency reported.
Faced with bipartisan pressure to tackle the surge of immigrants, especially unaccompanied children seeking reunion with their parents in the United States, at the US-Mexico border, Biden acknowledged there was a "serious spike" in people heading to the southern border even during the previous administration.
"This new surge we are dealing with now started in the past administration but it is our responsibility" to resolve the problem, he said.
Senior administration officials briefing reporters on the decision said Wednesday that Harris will work along two tracks: in the near term, "stemming the flow of irregular migrants" to the United States; and in the longer term, establishing a "strategic partnership" with Mexico and countries in the Northern Triangle -- El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala -- that is "based on respect and shared values, to enhance prosperity, combat current corruption, and strengthen the rule of law."
The new role of Harris resembles that of Biden when he was vice president and asked by then President Barack Obama in 2014 and 2015 to lead diplomatic efforts in the Northern Triangle after a surge of unaccompanied minors from those countries began arriving in the United States.
Harris said Wednesday that there is "no question this is a challenging situation," stressing the need to enforce laws and address the root causes in the meantime. She said she looked forward to engaging in diplomacy with the relevant countries, as well as reaching out to the private sector.
Administration officials including Roberta Jacobson, special assistant to the president and coordinator for the southwest border, and Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council's senior director for the Western Hemisphere, travelled to Mexico and Guatemala this week to discuss with officials there plans to stop migrants from fleeing the countries.
"I would fully expect that to be the case. She's doing a great job. She's a great partner, she's a great partner," he said when asked about his vice-presidential candidate in the 2024 election at his news conference on Thursday.
A reporter pointed out that former President Donald Trump had set up his re-election campaign soon after taking office but Biden hasn't yet.
"My predecessor need do to," he said and joked, "My predecessor, oh God, I miss him."
He said, "My plan is to run for reelection. That's my expectation."
"I don't even think about (it)," he said about the prospects of facing his nemesis Trump again. "I have no idea if there will be a Republican Party. Do you?"
Turning philosophical, he said: "The way I view things, I've become a great respecter of fate in my life."
He said that his goal is to "change the paradigm. We start to reward work, not just wealth."
He will be 81 years old in 2024.
Having already exceeded the goal of giving out 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine before the target day of 100 days in office, he raised the target to 200 million shots.
This was Biden's first news conference and the 64-day lag since taking office was longest of recent presidents.
The hour-long formal encounter with reporters was a marked contrast to the confrontational style of Trump and the reporters. When he entered the East Room of the White House, the reporters respectfully stood up to greet him.
Since he is gaffe-prone when he speaks spontaneously, the encounter was carefully orchestrated with Biden calling up reporters from an apparently screened list on the podium of only reporters from media considered sympathetic to him.
Unlike Trump, who spontaneously called on reporters hostile to him and had it out, Biden did not take questions from anyone from media like Fox News that White House considers unfriendly.
Biden often looked at notes when answering questions.
The few times he raised his voice were when he condemned the Republicans for their opposition to voting rights legislation proposed by his party to expand access to polling.
He said that it is "sick", "despicable" and "un-American".
The selected reporters mostly obliged him with softball the questions.
The only forceful questions that put him on the defensive were about the migration crisis at the Mexico border, where thousands of people are trying to enter the country and children are being held under appalling conditions.
He blamed Trump for the dysfunction at the border and denied that the perception of him as welcoming was driving the surge of migrants.
He quipped, "I guess I should be flattered if people are coming because I'm the nice guy."
But he distanced himself from the assertion that his attitude towards immigrants was bringing in more of them and said the surge "happens every single, solitary year... in winter when it's cooler.
Biden said that Trump "dismantled all the elements that exist to deal with what had been a problem and -- and has been -- continued to be a problem for a long time".
Biden said that most of those coming in were being sent back to Mexico but he was welcoming of children coming by themselves.
"The only people we're not going to let sitting there on the other side of the Rio Grande (border) by themselves with no help are children," he said.
He has been crticised for keeping children in the border patrol custody for longer than the 72 hours mandated by courts.
He acknowledged that some are held in "circumstances that are not acceptable" and said it could be resolved by sending the children to their relatives sooner and by creating more facilities to hold them.
(Arul Louis/IANS)
The magazine made the announcement on its Twitter page late Thursday night.
Biden and Harris ran in one of the most contentious presidential races in American history, which saw a record number of voters turn out amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that continues to rage across the country, The Hill news outlet said in a report.
The former Vice President won 51.3 per cent of the popular vote, garnering 81.2 million over incumbent President Donald Trump's 74.2 million votes, according to tallies from the Cook Political Report.
Biden and Harris beat three other finalists: frontline healthcare workers and America's top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci; the racial justice movement; and President Trump, the BBC reported.
In a statement, Time's editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote: "For changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year."
Biden is the 10th President-elect to achieve the title, but his selection marks the first time a President-elect and Vice President-elect have shared the cover together, The Hill news reported.
Former Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover and Gerald Ford are the only US Presidents never named "Person of the Year".
Every year, Time chooses a person, a group, an idea or an object that "for better or for worse" has had the most impact on the events over the 12 months.
Biden and Harris are scheduled to take office after their inauguration on January 20, 2021.
(IANS)
The electoral college formally voted them to the offices on Monday following the bitterly contested November 3 presidential poll even as the acrimony continues with President Donald Trump questioning the legality of the election.
The electors began officially casting their ballots in state legislature buildings across the country at different times starting at 10 am Washington time, and Biden and Harris crossed the 270 mark to win when California electors voted at 5 p.m. The voting was to continue for two more hours till Hawaii voted at 7 p.m. (Tuesday 5.30 a.m. in India).
In the US political system, the presidential elections are held indirectly with the citizens voting for the 538 members of the electoral college distributed among states based on their size. These electors formally elect the president and vice president with separate ballots.
Biden and Harris got 306 electors, including former President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in New York, while President Donald Trump got only 232.
The way was cleared for the electoral college to vote after the US Supreme Court threw out on Friday an appeal by Republicans against the conduct of the elections in some of the states and Wisconsin State Supreme Court on Monday dismissed another case brought by Trump.
Trump and his supporters, however, have not given up and threaten more lawsuits and action in Congress in January when it will meet to certify the electoral college votes paving the way for the swearing in of Biden and Harris on January 20.
Trump has alleged that there was widespread fraud in the elections and in his continuing steady drumbeat of tweets, he alleged as recently this morning that the election was "rigged." Democrats have accuse Trump of undermining the people's confidence in the election system.
Biden said in remarks prepared for his speech after the voting is complete, "We the People voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact."
"And so, now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal," he added.
Under legal requirements, the state officials will send their results to Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the local chief judge and the nation's Archivist David Ferreiro, who will make them officially available to the public.
The next stage is a meeting of the newly elected Congress on January 6 to formally count the electoral votes and certify the election.
At this stage members of Congress can object to the election result -- as some Democrats in 2016 questioning the legitimacy of Trump's election because they claimed that he had won through Russian interference.
While objections from some Republicans to Biden's election is expected, Congress is unlikely to sustain them as many Republicans in the Senate have said that they have accepted Biden's election.
Till last week when the states completed the formality of counting and declaring the election results, the announcement of Biden's victory was by media based on their projections and not official or legally binding.
(Arul Louis/IANS)
The Electoral College officially sealed their election on Monday giving voice to the 81 million voters who cast their ballots for the Democratic party team, while President Donald Trump continued to question the legality of the November 3 election asserting that there was widespread fraud.
After the Electoral College Biden completed its voting, Biden declared: "In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed. We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact."
The way was cleared for the Electoral College to vote after the Supreme Court on December 11 rejected a lawsuit from Texas in a bid to overturn the election results in four battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court on Monday dismissed another case brought by Trump.
Those were the latest legal challenges to the election, especially in the so-called swing states where neither party has an established lead, that the Republicans and Trump had lost.
The members of the Electoral College met in state legislatures across the country at different times to vote and the final results, 306 for Biden and 232 for Trump, reflected the election's outcome.
A peculiarity of the US is that certain media declare the election results before they are officially done, even while the counting still on, and politicians generally accept the verdict.
However, Trump had refused to accept the media reckoning but will now have to abide by the electoral college verdict with little recourse.
In the US political system, the presidential elections are held indirectly with the citizens voting for the 538 members of the Electoral College distributed among states based on their size.
These electors formally elect the President and Vice President in separate ballots.
Former President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were among the electors in New York.
The next stage is a meeting of the newly elected Congress on January 6 to formally count the electoral votes and certify the election.
Members of Congress can object to the election result, as some Democrats did in 2016 questioning the legitimacy of Trump's election because they claimed that he had won through Russian interference.
While objections from some Republicans to Biden's election is expected, Congress is unlikely to sustain them as many Republicans in the Senate have said that they have accepted the former Vice President's victory.
While Trump has not conceded the election to Biden and continues to challenge the results, he had already agreed to cooperate with Biden's transition team dropping his earlier objections to providing it access to information and facilities for smoothly taking over from him on January 20.
He has also tacitly admitted defeat last month in a tweet, "he won because the election was rigged", but quickly went back on it and resumed his challenges.
Trump's bluster in continuing to question the Biden-Harris victory appears to be a payback for the Democrats campaign to delegitimise his victory in 2016 by claiming that he had won with Russian collaboration.
Now Biden denounced denounced Trump's attempt to delegitimise the Democratic win, accusing him of taking a "position that refused to respect the will of the people, refused to respect the rule of law, and refused to honour our Constitution".
A Gallup opinion poll found that 83 per cent of Republicans did not think that reports about Biden winning were "accurate".
In the face of the massive distrust from the Republicans, Biden tried to appeal to them, saying: "Now it is time to turn the page as we've done throughout our history. To unite. To heal.
"As I said through this campaign, I will be a president for all Americans. I will work just as hard for those of you who didn't vote for me, as I will for those who did."
Harris, whose mother Shyamala is from India and her father Donald Harris is a Jamaican of African descent, will also be the first African-American Vice President.
"I may be the first, but I will not be the last. It's on those of us leading the way to leave the door more open than it was when we walked in," she tweeted on Sunday about her string of firsts.
There have been two unsuccessful women candidates for Vice President -- Democrat Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Republican Sarah Palin in 2008.
The 78-year-old Biden will be the oldest person to become President and also the second Catholic after John F. Kennedy.
(Arul Louis/IANS)