PBS News Hour - Politics

Pandemic deaths nationwide have now reached 285,000, as hope builds for a new vaccine and as President-elect Joe Biden assembles a team to address the pandemic. White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President-elect Joe Biden announced retired U.S. Army General Lloyd Austin as his selection for secretary of defense, a choice that has sparked a variety of reactions. Nick Schifin reports.

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Next Monday members of the Electoral College will meet in state capitals across the country to cast their votes officially for president, even as President Trump and his allies continue to press to overturn the results of the election in some states. William Brangham spoke with Trevor Potter, president of the Campaign Legal Center, to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The nation's immediate future comes down to this: one month in one state. In Georgia, Democrats need to win both U.S. Senate runoffs in January in order to control the chamber, and Republicans need to keep their base fired up. Lisa Desjardins has the story.

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The heirs to a 11th-century collection of art say their Jewish ancestors were forced to sell some of the collection in 1935 to Nazi agents. They are now seeking restitution in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. John Yang reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Amy Walter of the Cook Political and Errin Haines of The 19th News join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including President-elect Joe Biden's selections for his healthcare team, President Donald Trump's election challenges, and Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For most of American history, the transition from president to president-elect has been smooth. The loser accepts his fate, publicly concedes and the winner prepares to take the reigns. And although this election and President Donald Trump's response to losing is unprecedented, there have also been a handful of other bumpy transitions in American history. In this episode, correspondent Lisa Desjardins talks to Yale University professor Beverly Gage about moments when presidential transitions tested the country, why they were so turbulent and how they shaped our society. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With President Trump holding a rally in southern Georgia and celebrities hosting fundraisers and endorsing candidates, millions of dollars are being spent on the runoff election in Georgia, which will decide which party will control the Senate. Rickey Bevington, Senior Correspondent, Georgia Public Broadcasting, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden White House transition continues though the president-elect is already facing what may be his greatest challenges, as the pandemic fills hospitals and jars the economy again. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign continues to lose its legal challenges in moving to dispute the election result. Judy Woodruff has the story.

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While House Democrats lost races in some Republican-leaning districts, one Republican was ousted by a challenger from his own party on the right. Lisa Desjardins spoke with Rep. Denver Riggleman, a first-term Virginia Republican, about why he lost the race.

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