Monday Briefing | November 2

Photo: Dr. Anthony Fauci and President Donald Trump. Photo credit: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/31/politics/white-house-fauci-trump-atlas-pandemic-response/index.html

Stories to Follow:

Last-minute push to head to the polls. As early voting comes to a close in various states across the country, people continue to stand in long lines to ensure their voice is heard. By Sunday afternoon, over 92 million people had already cast a ballot in Tuesday’s presidential election. Due to the coronavirus, more states are making concessions to allow citizens to cast ballots early and large numbers of people are opting to do so. This voter turnout is historic, with statistics showing the total number of voters so far encompasses 67 percent of the total votes cast in 2016.

Tensions rise between Fauci and the White House. The U.S.’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview that the country is poorly prepared for a pandemic winter, saying “we’re in for a whole lot of hurt.” President Trump has repeatedly asserted that the U.S. has already seen the worst of the coronavirus, but Dr. Fauci disagrees.

Happening This Week:

The presidential election. Your last chance to cast a ballot is Tuesday, November 3, and must be done in person. If you have any questions about what you can expect to see on your ballot, Stephen Colbert’s got you covered. 

Environmental Aspects of the Mongol Conquest. This Zoom talk is scheduled for Thursday, November 5, and features speaker Nicola Di Cosmo, an East Asian Studies professor at the Institute for Advanced Study.

In Your Free Time:

Go peep some leaves! It’s peak color-changing season for the trees right now, and places such as Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery and Central Park offer some great views. Just remember that the sun will set earlier this week due to Daylight Savings Time, so make sure you get to the park early for Golden Hour.

This week’s Monday Briefing was brought to you by Emmy Freedman.