An Ignoble Experiment: Right wing readies election lies in Virginia

By Liza Hearon

Tuesday, Nov. 2

YOUNGKIN'S RIGHT-WING ALLIES READY TO CLAIM VIRGINIA ELECTION WAS STOLEN Virginia goes to the polls today to elect a new governor, and it's a tight race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin. While Youngkin has said he would accept the results of the election were he to lose, some of his most ardent right-wing allies don't feel the same way. One state senator has used radio interviews, Facebook and other platforms to spread convoluted conspiracy theories about Democratic plots to "steal" the election. [HuffPost]

BIDEN APOLOGIZES FOR TRUMP IN CLIMATE SUMMIT SPEECH President Joe Biden, in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference this week, apologized for former President Donald Trump's anti-science actions. "I shouldn't apologize, but I do apologize for the fact the United States, the last administration, pulled out of the Paris accords and put us sort of behind the eight ball a little bit," Biden told world leaders. Today, the White House unveiled a set of sweeping policies to rein in methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas far stronger than carbon dioxide. [HuffPost]

MANCHIN TALKS TRASH ABOUT BILL HE HELPED NEGOTIATE Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) called a press conference to trash the latest draft of the Build Back Better bill that partly resulted from his own extensive negotiations with the White House. His gambit will slow down any action on Democrats' legislative agenda this week. And the wrangling continues ... [HuffPost]

SUPREMES APPEAR OPEN TO ALLOWING CHALLENGES TO TEXAS ABORTION LAW The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over Texas' hotly debated abortion ban, and although it could be days or weeks before the court issues a ruling, justices who will cast key votes on the issue signaled apprehension over the law's wider implications. The arguments did not concern the legality of a six-week abortion ban, but rather the unique structure of the law and whether its opponents can mount federal court challenges against it. [HuffPost]

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WORLD CONVENES AGAIN TO CONFRONT EXISTENTIAL EMERGENCY Surely you've seen many headlines about the climate summit happening in Scotland this week. If you're wondering what's at stake or how we got to this point, read Alexander C. Kaufman's explainer on why this event will set the course either away from climate calamity — or cement a disaster. [HuffPost]

SOCIAL SECURITY SURVIVOR'S BENEFITS FINALLY EQUALLY AVAILABLE Social Security survivor's benefits are now available to same-sex spouses and partners after being denied to them for years based on old bans on gay marriage. "Marriage equality came too late for many of us, but it was not too late to fix this problem involving survivor's benefits," said Helen Thornton, who was denied benefits for a long-term partner who died before same-sex couples could get married. [HuffPost]

TEXAS GOV RANTS ABOUT 'PORNOGRAPHY' IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES Gov. Greg Abbott (R) wrote a letter to the Texas association of school boards warning against "pornographic or obscene" books in school libraries, without providing any concrete examples of such books. It comes after some Republican state representatives have launched inquiries or targeted books primarily by women, people of color and LGBTQ writers. [HuffPost]

WHAT THE BUFFALO MAYOR'S RACE MEANS FOR THE LEFT India Walton, a registered nurse turned community activist, hopes to prove that progressive candidates can win mayoral races and govern major cities. But it might prove tough to beat Mayor Myron Brown, a business-friendly moderate. Daniel Marans checks in on the competitive race in Buffalo, New York. [HuffPost]

NEW DETAILS EMERGE IN 'RUST' SHOOTING Moments after actor Alec Baldwin's fatal gunshot rang out on the set of "Rust," cinematographer Halyna Hutchins reportedly stumbled backwards into the arms of the film's head electrician and spoke some of her last words while beginning to recognize the seriousness of the situation as it set in. The Los Angeles Times published a detailed account of the fatal shooting. [HuffPost]