Sales of dystopian books surge after Trump election win
In the wake of Donald Trump winning the presidency again, books about democracy, dystopia, tyranny, feminism and far-right politics are rapidly climbing bestseller charts. A number of classics have rejoined the top 20 bestsellers list since Nov. 5.
According to Amazon, the dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which takes place in a theocratic, male-dominated future America where the Constitution is suspended, media is censored and women are forced to bear children for the ruling class, went up 6,866% in only one day.
Margaret Atwood’s book, which has been adapted into an award-winning Hulu series, jumped from 209 on Amazon’s list of bestsellers to number 2. Atwood also took to social media platform X to express her thoughts on the election’s outcome.
It’s also not just those who are displeased with Trump’s win who are turning to the shelves. Soon-to-be-First-Lady-again Melania Trump’s book and Vice President-elect JD Vance’s memoir remain popular and have seen a boost in sales since Tuesday night, Nov. 5.
The self-titled “Melania” was first place in Amazon’s ranking while Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” was number 6 as of Friday morning, Nov. 8.
Omaha’s blue dot goes to Kamala Harris, but GOP House candidate leads
Nebraska’s split electoral votes have created a now-famous blue dot in the middle of America in recent elections. Congressional District 2, that dot, split when it was declared for Vice President Kamala Harris, but incumbent Republican Rep. Don Bacon leads in the U.S. House race.
Douglas County is home to Omaha, the largest city within the blue dot. The Douglas County, Nebraska Election Commission will be counting roughly 8,000 ballots on Friday, Nov. 8, most of them from early voting that came in on Monday, Nov. 4, and just before the polls closed on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The blue dot became somewhat of a focal point with the television networks, the major newspapers and political sites in the run-up to the presidential election.
Nebraska is a state that splits its electoral votes. Congressional District 2, in the traditionally red state of Nebraska, is where Democrats have made inroads in recent elections with Barack Obama winning it in 2008 and Joe Biden in 2020.
National pundits presented various scenarios in which the electoral college and the path to 270 had Kamala Harris at 269, needing one electoral vote to push her over the top and win the election. Democrats in Omaha held out hope it would be them and the blue dot.
Harris lost the election, but she did win the blue dot’s one electoral vote. According to the Nebraska secretary of state, she garnered 51% of the vote to Donald Trump’s 47.5%, a margin of about 11,000 votes.
Now, Republicans are counting on District 2 to help them keep control of the House of Representatives. Incumbent Rep. Don Bacon, R, is seeking a fifth term. He leads Democratic challenger Tony Vargas by 8,000 votes. Vargas had hoped to flip the seat from red to blue.
Bacon declared victory in Nebraska District 2 and said the blue dot should now be called the “Bacon dot.” Vargas has refused to concede, saying every vote needs to be counted.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
Donald Trump makes his first staffing announcement as president-elect, naming his White House chief of staff. And a federal judge in Texas makes a ruling concerning undocumented immigrants married to American citizens. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Trump names campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 7, 2024
She will become the first woman to hold the job of chief of staff when Trump takes office on Jan. 20. It is a position considered to be the second most powerful job in Washington — behind the presidency.
Wiles, the daughter of the late NFL broadcaster Pat Summerall, also ran Trump’s campaign in the state of Florida during the 2016 and 2020 elections. Her political career dates back to Ronald Reagan’s years, when she worked as a campaign scheduler for his 1980 presidential bid.
In a statement, Trump said, “Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns. Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to make America great again.”
In the coming days, the president-elect is set to begin reviewing other names to build out his team, including filling cabinet positions. His son Donald Trump Jr. told Fox News the key factor each candidate must have is delivering on his father’s message and not someone who “thinks they know better.”
The GOP picked up a seat in Pennsylvania with several media outlets projecting Dave McCormick defeated Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. Republicans now hold 53 seats in the chamber with two races, one in Nevada and one in Arizona, still to be called.
California governor calls special session to protect liberal policies
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has called a special legislative session to protect the state’s liberal policies ahead of a second Trump presidency. Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday they’re preparing to “protect California values” against the incoming administration.
California is ready to fight.
I just called an emergency special session to help bolster our legal resources and protect our state against any unlawful actions by the incoming Trump Administration.
Whether it be our fundamental civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate… pic.twitter.com/fIBPKsehot
“We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights and restrict access to essential reproductive care,” Bonta said. “Mr. Trump repeatedly overstepped his authority between 2016 and 2020. There’s no reason to think he won’t do it again. We checked him and we stopped him, and we pushed him back into his box when he tried to step out of it.”
The California special session is scheduled to start Dec. 2. Newsom is also calling on the state legislature to give the attorney general’s office more funding to battle federal challenges.
In his ruling on Thursday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker — who was appointed by President-elect Trump during his first term — said Congress has not given the executive branch the authority to implement such a policy. Campbell Barker had previously put an administrative hold on the regulation as he considered the lawsuit, which was brought by Texas and 15 other states.
The policy, which the Biden administration called “Keeping Families Together,” would have applied to spouses who have been living in the country for 10 years, as well as stepchildren. It could have affected between 750,000 and 800,000 people.
3 arrested in former ‘One Direction’ singer Liam Payne’s death
In a press release, Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said authorities had arrested an employee at the hotel where Payne fell to his death last month, an alleged drug dealer, and a person who “accompanied the artist daily during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires.”
Officials said at least four supplies of narcotics were “conclusively proven” to have been addressed to Payne during his stay at the Casa Sur hotel between Oct. 13 and 16. Payne fell from a third-floor balcony of the hotel on Oct. 16.
Thursday’s report revealed that in the 72 hours before he died, Payne had alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription anti-depressant in his system.
The hotel employee and alleged dealer are both charged with providing narcotics while the third person is charged with providing narcotics and abandonment of a person followed by death.
Man behind AOL’S iconic ‘you’ve got mail’ dies at 74
An iconic voice that defined a generation in technology has died.
Elwood Edwards, endearingly known as AOL’s “You’ve got mail” guy, died Tuesday. Nov. 5, at the age of 74 after suffering from a “long illness,” according to an announcement by local news station WKYC-TV in Cleveland, Ohio.
Edwards worked there as a graphics and camera operator, among other roles. According to the announcement, made Thursday, he died one day before his 75th birthday.
Thinking of leaving the US? Breaking down the costs of moving abroad
As election results unfolded and Vice President Kamala Harris struggled to reach 270 electoral votes, Americans flocked to Google, spiking searches for terms like “moving to Canada” by over 5,000%. Many are exploring emigration as a way to escape domestic unrest, but experts said relocation is complex and costly, especially for moving to countries like Canada.
On election night, searches for “immigrate to Canada” began climbing around 8 p.m. EST, with the trend peaking on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 6.
The U.S.-Canada border topped the list of relocation queries, but interest also rose for other countries including Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Popular destination countries such as Canada have intricate immigration systems. Canada’s Express Entry program requires applicants to meet high standards in education, skills and language proficiency.
The total base cost for a single person moving to Canada is estimated at $15,264, while a family of four will need about $27,603. These figures cover settlement funds and fees but many applicants also choose to hire immigration lawyers for additional assistance. Those lawyers typically cost between $2,800 and $3,600.
Beyond Canada, countries in Latin America and Europe are also popular among Americans seeking a new home. In Mexico, Americans can stay visa-free for up to 180 days. Residency visa applications have also jumped 70% in recent years.
For remote workers, Panama and Costa Rica offer digital nomad visas with income requirements of around $3,000 per month.
Popular European destinations, including Spain and Italy, also have digital nomad visas with similar income-based or employment requirements.
In the Caribbean, investment-based citizenship programs offer faster routes for wealthier Americans, with St. Kitts and Nevis requiring a minimum $250,000 investment for expedited citizenship that can be passed to family members.
Other countries like Portugal offer visa programs that provide a pathway to residency for retirees.
Experts caution that costs and requirements vary widely by destination. They stress these moves require careful planning around income, job security and tax obligations.
For those seriously considering Canada, it’s helpful to know the country’s recent political leanings. Major urban centers like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal typically lean progressive, while Alberta and Saskatchewan tend to be more conservative.
In the face of post-election stress, mental health professionals encourage Americans to explore coping strategies at home.
“Routine, rest, and limiting exposure to election coverage can be effective ways to reduce stress,” Dr. Ashley Zucker, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente, said.
If symptoms interfere with sleep or daily activities, mental health services are readily available.
What Trump’s second presidency could mean for the Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court watchers are wondering who may retire as President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term. Trump’s election and the GOP’s takeover of the Senate means Republicans would be able to replace any court justice if they retire.
The court’s oldest member is 76-year-old Clarence Thomas, who was nominated by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. Justice Samuel Alito, who was nominated by President George W. Bush in 2005, is the second oldest at 74.
Thomas and Alito make up a third of the conservative majority on the court.
In his first term, Trump was able to nominate and get senate approval for three conservative U.S. Supreme Court appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Cavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
They were instrumental in voting to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. The court also ruled on the expansion of presidential powers earlier this year.
That ruling found that a former president is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority, but not for unofficial acts.
However, there is no indication that Thomas and Alito are considering retirement. However, the option is more realistic under a Trump presidency as opposed to allowing a future Democratic president to pick their successors.
Canadian border prepares for spike in asylum seekers after Trump victory
Canada is preparing for a possible surge in asylum seekers as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promised deportations of undocumented immigrants prompts fears of increased border crossings. Canadian officials are on alert, anticipating potential risks as harsher U.S. policies could drive more people to attempt dangerous, unauthorized crossings in winter.
Getty Images
Canadian border agencies and immigration support groups expect that renewed U.S. deportation efforts may motivate asylum seekers to move north, particularly through unofficial crossings. The popular crossing at Roxham Road in Quebec, a former hub for asylum seekers in 2017, closed last year under a revised Safe Third Country Agreement, leaving would-be migrants with fewer options and likely pushing them to cross in remote, hazardous areas.
The RCMP is preparing for scenarios that range from a small uptick in arrivals to a significant influx, and officials are concerned about increased risks in remote areas, especially as severe winter weather sets in. Immigration services in Montreal are also preparing for a possible increase in cases at airports and formal border crossings but warn that delays in work permits and claims processing may put further pressure on the system.
The potential for an increase in undocumented residents has raised broader policy questions as Canada considers its capacity to handle a growing number of immigrants without formal asylum claims. The situation has drawn attention from Quebec officials, who have urged federal leaders to strengthen border security and expedite immigration processes if crossings rise dramatically.
Canadian authorities remain vigilant and responsive to changing conditions, preparing to adapt if the U.S. policies lead to more migration pressures along the northern border.
Jan. 6 defendant seeks sentencing delay, hopes for pardon after Trump win
As the country speculates on what a second term under President-elect Donald Trump may bring, one question is top of mind for many: Will he pardon Jan. 6 defendants? A North Carolina man convicted for his role in the Capitol riot has requested a delay in his sentencing, hoping for clemency.
Christopher Carnell, 22, filed the motion just hours after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. Carnell’s attorney argued that her client expects the incoming president to grant clemency to those involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Carnell was convicted in February of felony obstruction and several misdemeanor charges for his actions on Jan. 6. He was among those who entered the Capitol building and allegedly photographed documents from a senator’s desk.
Carnell’s lawyer said her client is “awaiting further information” from Trump’s team about potential clemency actions. However, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell quickly denied the request to delay his sentencing, which is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 8.
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to pardon Jan. 6 defendants, saying they were being treated unfairly.
“If I win, we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly, and if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly,” Trump said.
More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, and over 1,000 have been convicted. While Trump has not promised a blanket pardon for all defendants, he has said as recently as July that “if they’re innocent, I will pardon them.”
Why Arizona and Nevada are taking days to count ballots
On Election Day in Arizona, the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. Two days later, only 69% of the ballots have been counted in the Grand Canyon State. Nevada is also still counting ballots, with 90% of the vote tabulated.
Although President-elect Donald Trump seems to have a path to victory in both states, key senate races still hang in the balance.
Why does Arizona take days to count and process ballots?
It comes down to the returned early ballots that need to be processed and scanned to verify voters’ signatures before those votes can be counted.
Early ballots dropped off on Election Day cannot be counted until after Election Day because of the signature verification process. This can take days, depending on the number of voters who dropped off early ballots on Election Day.
Arizona law also allows a five-day curing period for county election officials to “ensure only valid signatures are counted.”
“State law provides voters with questionable signatures five calendar days after the 2024 general election to confirm their signature,” elections officials said.
The law also lets political parties conduct a random hand count of ballots.
County officials in Arizona cannot declare election results until Nov. 11 at the earliest, according to Arizona law. The secretary of state has until Nov. 25 to canvass those results.
The Arizona Clean Elections Commission said the process is designed to protect the integrity and accuracy of the vote count.
To help speed up the process, lawmakers passed a bill in February 2024 allowing voters dropping off their early ballots on Election Day to stand in line and show their ID. This would allow their signatures to be verified immediately, bypassing the need for later verification.
However, more than 225,000 early ballots were dropped off on Election Day in Maricopa County alone.
Maricopa County election officials had estimated before Election Day it would take at least 10 days to count all ballots.
Nevada’s ballot counting process
In Nevada, state law allows mail-in ballots with no postmark or an unclear postmark to be counted until 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. Ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted until 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
Nevada state law also permits a signature curing process through Nov. 12.
In 2020, Nevada did not declare now-President Joe Biden the winner until four days after Election Day.
Republican leadership in Congress shaping up ahead of key vote
Republicans won a majority in the Senate and believe they are on track to maintain their majority in the House. So once the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2025, who will be in leadership?
In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is vying to keep the gavel. Johnson wrote a letter to his Republican colleagues in which he laid out their top priorities: secure the border, promote investment through the tax code, prioritize domestic energy production, reduce regulations and expand school choice.
“We will operate from our well designed playbook, and execute those plays with precision, to put points on the board and win for the American people,” Johnson wrote in the letter.
Johnson has the support of President-elect Donald Trump, which is a key advantage. He even got a shout out during Trump’s victory speech.
“I want to thank Mike Johnson, I think he’s doing a terrific job. Terrific job,” Trump said during his victory speech.
With Trump’s support, it will be tough to challenge Johnson. However, Republicans are on track to have a one or two seat majority. If anyone decides to put up a fight like they did with former Rep. Kevin McCarthy in 2022, this could become a true battle.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is also running to keep his job. He has consistently been elected unanimously to be House Republicans’ number two, there’s no reason to believe that will change.
The biggest question is Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. She’s the conference chair and if she runs again, she’ll likely win. She is also contending to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the new Trump administration, which would leave an opening.
The Republican congressional leadership elections will take place on Nov. 13.
In the Senate, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is stepping down as Republican leader after the longest serving tenure in history.
Three lawmakers are running to take his place: Sens. John Thune, S.D., John Cornyn, Texas, and Rick Scott, Fla.
Thune currently serves as the Republican Whip, or the number two. He’s in charge of counting how republicans will vote on certain bills and trying to convince holdouts to support the party’s legislative priorities.
Cornyn previously served as whip but had to step down because he was term-limited.
Scott previously served as the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the party’s campaign arm. He also challenged McConnell for leader in 2022 but only received 10 votes compared to McConnell’s 37.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., will take Thune’s place as whip.
TV talk show hosts react to Trump winning presidential election
TV talk show hosts, late-night and daytime, have added their voices to the many reactions to Donald Trump winning the 2024 presidential election. Most of these hosts specifically speak to viewers who don’t side with supporters of the president-elect.
Comedian Jon Stewart told his “Daily Show” audience on election night Tuesday, Nov. 5, to not listen to what the pundits and pollsters may take from the results.
“We’re going to come out of this election and we’re going to make all kind of pronouncements about what this country is and what this world is. And the truth is, we’re not really going to know s–t. And we’re going to make it seem like this is the finality of our civilization. And this is the thing.
We’re all going to have to wake up tomorrow morning, and work like hell to move the world to the place that we prefer it to be. And I just want to point out, just as a matter of perspective, that the lessons that our pundits take away from these results that they will pronounce with certainty will be wrong.”
Jon Stewart
Over On ABC’s “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg opened the show Wednesday, Nov. 6, by saying, “So? What happened last night? Anybody do anything interesting?”
“What’s important to me is this — tens of millions of Americans, our friends, neighbors, family members voted for Donald Trump. We disagree with him, but they’re good decent people who are patriots and love this country. I can’t speak to what drove them to the conclusion of being with him. I think it’s a moment for us to listen to each other, hear each other, express what our concerns are and listen to people who are with him.
This is a country that there is truly more that unites us than divides us. I know it doesn’t feel like that for many people in this moment. But we need to bring down the temperature, the name-calling, the demonizing.”
Farah Griffin.
Co-host Sunny Hustin said she wasn’t entirely surprised by Trump’s victory. She gave her reasons why she believed it happened.
“I’m surprised by the result, but I’m not surprised. As a woman of color, I was so hopeful that a mixed-race woman married to a Jewish guy could be elected president of this country. I think it had nothing to do with policy. This was a referendum of cultural resentment in this country.”
Sunny Hustin
Turning to late night, “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon stuck with comedy to express his views of the election.
“It was a tough night for Democrats. Today, they turned to Elon Musk like, ‘So tell me more at living on Mars. How close are we?”
Jimmy Fallon
Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno appeared on CBS’ “The Talk” to discuss the results. Leno said it was “a great day for democracy.”
“The nice thing about this election is, it was fair. It was honest. OK. I was not a fan, but that’s OK. It’s the president of the United States. Let’s all get together. Thank you very much, you know?”
Jay Leno
Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, all outspoken critics of Donald Trump, used their platform to try to reassure their viewers, who they suspected were feeling nervous about another Trump presidency.
“How you doing?” Colbert said to open Wednesday’s show.”If you watch the show regularly, I’m guessing you’re not doing great. Yeah, me neither.”
Later in the show’s monologue, Colbert said, “As a late-night host people often say to me, ‘Come on, part of you got to want Trump to win because he gives you so much material to work with.’ No. No.”
“The people voted and this is the choice we made. In January, Donald Trump becomes president and that’s that. He won. It doesn’t mean we give up, but it also doesn’t mean we storm the Capitol because we don’t like the result.”
Jimmy Kimmel
“This is real, and this is something I accept — half the country thinks he’s a good person, or they don’t care that he’s not, because they think he’s a good president. And because of that, he’s gonna be our president again. That’s how democracy works in America, a country that is a privilege to live in even on a morning like today.”
Seth Meyers
The TV hosts agree on this point: the results are final and Donald Trump will once again be U.S. president.
Before ending his opening thoughts, Meyers tried to put a smile on the faces of his viewers by sharing a story about his time at the polling station when a poll worker addressed his 6-year-old son.
“And he looked at my son, and he very sweetly said, ‘Hello, young man! Are you here to see the wheels of democracy turn up close?’ And my son looked at me and he sort of did this thing where he waved me down, and then he whispered in my ear, ‘Is that Donald Trump?’
I think my son is totally fine with how everything went yesterday, ’cause he left that polling place with like 55 stickers and 100 pens.”
