‘No National Shutdown,’ Biden Pledges As Transition Impasse Extends

The Hill: Biden Vows He Will Not Implement A Nationwide Shutdown 
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday said he would not implement a nationwide shutdown as part of his effort to control the spread of the coronavirus. "I’m not going to shut down the economy, period. I’m going to shut down the virus," Biden said. "I’ll say it again. No national shutdown." (Easley, 11/19)

AP: Biden Chides Trump For Lack Of Cooperation On Vaccine
President-elect Joe Biden met Thursday with governors from both parties and criticized President Donald Trump’s unprecedented attempt to block the peaceful transition of power, saying it was hindering the flow of information about programs to develop a vitally important coronavirus vaccine. “Unfortunately, my administration hasn’t been able to get everything we need,” Biden said during a video conference with the National Governors Association’s leadership team, which consists of five Republicans and four Democrats. (Peoples and Weissert, 11/20)

The Washington Post: Biden Paints Trump As Reckless As Pence And Science Advisers Cheer Vaccine News 
President Trump will be remembered as one of the nation's most reckless leaders for holding up cooperation on the deadly coronavirus pandemic after losing his bid for reelection, President-elect Joe Biden said Thursday. At the White House, Vice President Pence tried to apply a veneer of calm to a tumultuous outgoing administration as he and federal health officials held what has become a rare public discussion of the federal government’s efforts to address the pandemic. (Gearan and Min Kim, 11/19)

CNN: Joe Biden's Plans For Mask Mandates Nationwide Will Be An Early Test Of His Power Of Persuasion 
President-elect Joe Biden's team is discussing ways to persuade resistant Republican governors to get on board with mandating masks to stop the spread of Covid-19, according to sources familiar with those conversations. The Biden transition team is treading lightly so far, saying little about how the incoming administration plans to address what is likely to be among the first tests of Biden's ability to bridge political divides and find consensus. (Warren, Merica and Subramaniam, 11/19)

NBC News: Biden Urged To Pick Person Of Color For Top Health Job Amid Pandemic's Toll On Minority Groups
President-elect Joe Biden is being pushed to name a person of color as his health and human services secretary, a move supporters say is designed to acknowledge the need to address the disproportionate burden the pandemic has put on communities of color. (Pettypiece, Bennett and Golden, 11/19)

Politico: Biden Pledges To Pay For National Guard’s Covid Work 
President-elect Joe Biden pledged Thursday to fully fund the National Guard's coronavirus relief work once he's sworn in, and criticized the Trump administration for making most states pick up 25 percent of the cost of having soldiers and airmen run testing sites, staff hospitals, conduct contact tracing and do other work amid the pandemic. “It costs a lot of money and governors need that paid for,” Biden said after a video call with a bipartisan group of governors. “The fact is that this is a national emergency — that’s what FEMA is supposed to deal with. Our view is that should be done. When it comes to deploying the National Guard for Covid relief, that should be paid for.” (Ollstein, 11/19)

Also, it's Biden's birthday —

AP: Birthday Time: Biden Turns 78, Will Be Oldest U.S. President
President-elect Joe Biden turned 78 on Friday. In exactly two months, he’ll take the reins of a politically fractured nation facing the worst public health crisis in a century, high unemployment and a reckoning on racial injustice. As he wrestles with those issues, Biden will be attempting to accomplish another feat: Demonstrate to Americans that age is but a number and he’s up to the job. (Madhani, 11/20)

And what does a pandemic inauguration look like? —

The Washington Post: Inauguration Day: Officials Are Trying To Plan Amid Pandemic 
The inaugural platform is going up near the Capitol, and the District has repaved Pennsylvania Avenue for the traditional parade. But the crowds huddled together enjoying a concert on the Mall and the celebratory balls that go late into the night? They are less certain. In fact, much remains unknown about how the coronavirus pandemic will change the inaugural celebration that normally transforms the city every four years. Nine weeks away from the 59th presidential inauguration, officials are under pressure to stage an event that will begin to heal a nation bruised by its deep partisan divides. But they are also operating under the constraints of a health crisis that has upended traditions dependent on massive gatherings and cross-country travel. The result is citywide preparation for a ceremony still shrouded in uncertainty as constituents clamor for tickets and the coronavirus continues to surge around them. (Davies and Jouvenal, 11/19)