President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the second straight day, in what appears to be a rare case of "rebound" following treatment with an anti-viral drug.In a letter noting the positive test, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician, said Sunday that the president "continues to feel well" and will keep on working from the executive residence while he isolates.Biden tested positive on Saturday, requiring him to cancel travel and in-person events as he isolates for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.After initially testing positive on July 21, Biden, 79, was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid. He tested negative for the virus this past Tuesday and Wednesday, clearing him to leave isolation while wearing a mask indoors.Research suggests that a minority of those prescribed Paxlovid experience a rebound case of the virus. The fact that a rebound rather than a reinfection possibly occurred is a positive sign for Biden's health once he's clear of the disease."The fact that the president has cleared his illness and doesn't have symptoms is a good sign and makes it less likely he will develop long COVID," said Dr. Albert Ho, an infectious disease specialist at Yale University's school of public health.

Overturning Roe v. Wade and eliminating affirmative action in higher education had been leading goals of the conservative legal movement for decades.

In a span of 370 days, a Supreme Court reshaped by three justices nominated by President Donald Trump made both a reality.

Last June, the court ended nationwide protections for abortion rights. This past week, the court’s conservative majority decided that race-conscious admissions programs at the oldest private and public colleges in the country, Harvard and the University of North Carolina, were unlawful.

Precedents that had stood since the 1970s were overturned, explicitly in the case of abortion and effectively in the affirmative action context.

“That is what is notable about this court. It’s making huge changes in highly salient areas in a very short period of time,” said Tara Leigh Grove, a law professor at the University of Texas.

As ethical questions swirled around the court and public trust in the institution had already dipped to a 50-year low, there were other consequential decisions in which the six conservatives prevailed.

They rejected the Biden administration's $400 billion student loan forgiveness program and held that a Christian graphic artist can refuse on free speech grounds to design websites for same-sex couples, despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and other characteristics.

The court, by a 5-4 vote, also sharply limited the federal government's authority to police water pollution into certain wetlands, although all nine justices rejected the administration's position.

Affirmative action was arguably the biggest constitutional decision of the year, and it showcased fiercely opposing opinions from the court's two Black justices, Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

They offered sharply contrasting takes on affirmative action. Thomas was in the majority to end it. Jackson, in her first year on the court, was in dissent.

The past year also had a number of notable surprises.

Differing coalitions of conservative and liberal justices ruled in favor of Black voters in an Alabama redistricting case and refused to embrace broad arguments in a North Carolina redistricting case that could have left state legislatures unchecked and dramatically altered elections for Congress and president.

The court also ruled for the Biden administration in a fight over deportation priorities and left in place the Indian Child Welfare Act, the federal law aimed at keeping Native American children with Native families.

Those cases reflected the control that Chief Justice John Roberts asserted, or perhaps reasserted, over the court following a year in which the other five conservatives moved more quickly than he wanted in some areas, including abortion.

Roberts wrote a disproportionate share of the term's biggest cases: conservative outcomes on affirmative action and the student loan plan, and liberal victories in Alabama and North Carolina.

The Alabama case may have been the most surprising because Roberts had consistently sought to narrow the landmark Voting Rights Act since his days as a young lawyer in the Reagan administration. As chief justice, he wrote the decision 10 years ago that gutted a key provision of the law.

But in the Alabama case and elsewhere, Roberts was part of majorities that rejected the most aggressive legal arguments put forth by Republican elected officials and conservative legal advocates.

The mixed bag of decisions almost seemed designed to counter arguments about the court's legitimacy, raised by Democratic and liberal critics — and some justices — in response to last year's abortion ruling, among others. The narrative was amplified by published reports of undisclosed, paid jet travel and fancy trips for Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito from billionaire Republican donors.

“I don’t think the court consciously takes opinion into account,” Grove said. “But I think if there’s anyone who might consciously think about these issues, it’s the institutionalist, the chief justice. He’s been extremely concerned about the attacks on the Supreme Court.”

On the term's final day, Roberts urged the public to not mistake disagreement among the justices for disparagement of the court. “Any such misperception would be harmful to this institution and our country,” he wrote in the student loans case in response to a stinging dissent by Justice Elena Kagan.

Roberts has resisted instituting a code of ethics for the court and has questioned whether Congress has the authority to impose one. Still, he has said, without providing specifics, that the justices would do more to show they adhere to high ethical standards.

Some conservative law professors rejected the idea that the court bowed to outside pressures, consciously or otherwise.

“There were a lot of external atmospherics that really could have affected court business, but didn't,” said Jennifer Mascott, a George Mason University law professor.

Curt Levey, president of the Committee for Justice, pointed to roughly equal numbers of major decisions that could be characterized as politically liberal or conservative.

Levey said conservatives “were not disappointed by this term.” Democrats and their allies “warned the nation about an ideologically extreme Supreme Court but wound up cheering as many major decisions as they decried,” Levey wrote in an email.

But some liberal critics were not mollified.

Brian Fallon, director of the court reform group Demand Justice, called the past year “another disastrous Supreme Court term” and mocked experts who “squint to find so-called silver linings in the Court’s decisions to suggest all is not lost, or they will emphasize one or two so-called moderate decisions from the term to suggest the Court is not as extreme as we think and can still be persuaded from time to time.”

Biden himself said on MSNBC on Thursday that the current court has “done more to unravel basic rights and basic decisions than any court in recent history.” He cited as examples the overturning of abortion protections and other decisions that had been precedent for decades.

Still, Biden said, he thought some on the high court “are beginning to realize their legitimacy is being questioned in ways it hasn’t been questioned in the past.”

The justices are now embarking on a long summer break. They return to the bench on the first Monday in October for a term that so far appears to lack the blockbuster cases that made the past two terms so momentous.

The court will examine the legal fallout from last year's major expansion of gun rights, in a case over a domestic violence gun ban that was struck down by a lower court.

A new legal battle over abortion also could make its way to the court in coming months. In April, the court preserved access to mifepristone, a drug used in the most common method of abortion, while a lawsuit over it makes its way through federal court.

The conservative majority also will have opportunities to further constrain federal regulatory agencies, including a case that asks them to overturn the so-called Chevron decision that defers to regulators when they seek to give effect to big-picture, sometimes vague, laws written by Congress. The 1984 decision has been cited by judges more than 15,000 times.

Just seven years ago, months before Trump's surprising presidential victory, then-Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reflected on the term that had just ended and made two predictions. One was way off base and the other was strikingly accurate.

In July 2016, the court had just ended a term in which the justices upheld a University of Texas affirmative action plan and struck down state restrictions on abortion clinics.

Her first prediction was that those issues would not soon return to the high court. Her second was that if Trump became president, “everything is up for grabs.”

Ginsburg's death in 2020 allowed Trump to put Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the court and cement conservative control.

Commenting on the student loan decision, liberal legal scholar Melissa Murray wrote on Twitter that Biden's plan “was absolutely undone by the Court that his predecessor built.”

WASHINGTON —

President Joe Biden's son Hunter has been charged with failing to pay federal income tax and illegally possessing a weapon and has reached an agreement with the Justice Department, according to a letter filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

Related video above: The Justice Department is nearing a decision on whether to prosecute Hunter Biden for tax crimes

As part of the agreement, made public Tuesday, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses and is expected to reach an agreement with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. It is somewhat unusual to resolve a federal criminal case at the same time the charges are filed in court, though it is not totally unheard of.

The deal ends a long-running Justice Department investigation into Biden's second son, who has acknowledged struggling with addiction following the 2015 death of his brother Beau Biden. It also averts a trial that would have generated days or weeks or distracting headlines for a White House that has strenuously sought to keep its distance from the Justice Department.

The news comes as congressional Republicans pursue their own investigations into nearly every facet of Hunter Biden's business dealings, including examining foreign payments and other aspects of his finances. It also comes days after a 37-count indictment came down against former President Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents on his Florida estate, another case with even more dramatic political implications.

Joe Biden has also faced questions about his son's business dealings and drug addiction.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union address and heard directly from House Republicans during his speech who jeered several of his proposals. This was the first time Biden addressed a joint session of Congress with Republicans in the majority in the House.

Despite the jeering, several of Biden's proposals were met with approval from both sides of the aisle. Biden will now take his message to the road as he hopes he can form agreements with a split Congress.

Things get testy

At several points during Tuesday's speech, Republicans sneered the president. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, was seen shouting at Biden during his comments on potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

"Republicans say if we don't cut Social Security and Medicare, they'll let America default on its debt for the first time in our history," Biden said to jeers from Republicans. "Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset every five years."

Despite the catcalls, it seems Biden and the White House accomplished one of his goals going into the speech: To deliver a bipartisan message.

"So tonight, let's all agree to stand up for seniors. Stand up and show them we will not cut Social Security. We will not cut Medicare," he said.

Stand up for social security

The moment prompted both sides to stand up and applaud eagerly.

But that was not the only touchy moment.

As Biden called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, several members of Congress could be heard yelling "border." He said the issue needs a bipartisan solution.

Republicans have placed blame on fentanyl overdoses, which Biden said kills 70,000 annually. Republicans say fentanyl coming across the border from Mexico is driving the numbers.

republicans want to take the economy hostage, cut medicaire and social security

"America's border problems won't be fixed until Congress acts," Biden said. "If you won't pass my comprehensive immigration reform, at least pass my plan to provide the equipment and officers to secure the border. And a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, and essential workers."

Inflation not coming down 'fast enough'

Biden detracted from his prepared remarks when addressing falling, but still high, inflation.

"Inflation has been a global problem because of the pandemic that disrupted supply chains and Putin's war that disrupted energy and food supplies," Biden said. "But we're better positioned than any country on Earth. We have more to do, but here at home, inflation is coming down. Here at home, gas prices are down $1.50 from their peak. Food inflation is coming down, not fast enough, but coming down. Inflation has fallen every month for the last months."

Biden Speech Economy

While Biden intended to discuss inflation, it appears the comments "not fast enough" were a last-minute insertion.

The consumer price index is at 6.1%, down from a June 2022 high of 9.1%. The Federal Reserve said its goal is to get inflation down to 2% annually.

Capping insulin costs at $35 a month

After Congress passed legislation last year that capped insulin costs for Medicare recipients to $35 a month, Biden called on lawmakers to limit insulin costs for all Americans.

"There are millions of other Americans who are not on Medicare, including 200,000 young people with Type I diabetes who need insulin to save their lives," Biden said. "Let's finish the job this time."

Biden added that he would veto any bill that would increase the cost of prescription drugs.

Reforming tax system

Biden said the U.S. tax system is unfair to the working class and that those making under $400,000 should not pay any more taxes. His comments come as some Republicans have proposed replacing the United States' current income tax system with a nationwide sales tax.

He has called on Congress to implement a minimum tax on billionaires of 15%. According to the Internal Revenue Service, those in the top pay income brackets pay a 35% federal income tax.

Biden: No billionaire should pay lower taxes than a teacher or firefighter"

"Let's finish the job. Reward work, not just wealth. Pass my proposal for a billionaire minimum tax," Biden said.

'What happened to Tyre in Memphis happens too often'

Biden welcomed Tyre Nichols' parents RowVaughn and Rodney Wells to his address while calling on Congress to implement additional reforms to policing. Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after being severely beaten by Memphis Police officers following a traffic stop. Five of the officers involved in the incident were charged with murder.

Two years ago, Congress attempted to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would have made it easier to prosecute officers for misconduct in uniform.

"There's too many Black and brown kids being murdered by the police. If they had passed [the George Floyd Act]... maybe my son would've come home."

Tyre Nichols family

While the bill passed the House, it could not get through the Senate due to the filibuster.

"More resources to reduce violent crime and gun crime; more community intervention programs; more investments in housing, education, and job training," Biden said.

Despite the previous GOP opposition to reforms, many Republicans cheered on Biden when the topic of police reform was brought up.

Republicans listened intently

Before heading into the House chambers, newly elected Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, told Scripps News he hopes Biden addresses the economic anxiety being felt by many Americans. Although the U.S. unemployment rate is at its lowest level in five decades, inflation and interest rates remain elevated. A CBS News poll released this week indicated nearly two out of three Americans believe the U.S. economy is bad.

Vance also said he wanted to hear the president talk about plans to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

While the White House stressed bipartisanship as a major theme in the address, Vance is concerned about Biden's posture on negotiations over the debt ceiling. Republicans have wanted to negotiate to raise the U.S. debt ceiling in conjunction with spending cuts. Biden has wanted to keep those issues separate.

"One of the things I do worry about is the president's posture right now is we're not going to negotiate on the debt ceiling, we're not going to negotiate on the budgetary picture in the United States," Vance said. "That's not the right thing to do. That is not what the American people want. We need the president to negotiate with Republicans."

New: Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) tells @ScrippsNews he believes Pres. Trump is still the leader of the GOP and "a person that a lot of people look to."

Watch our interview with J.D. Vance here: pic.twitter.com/nX3sDsI4Tz

— Nathaniel Reed (@ReedReports) February 8, 2023

Huckabee Sanders offers GOP's rebuttal

Newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave the Republican Party's official response to the speech. She previously served as President Donald Trump's White House press secretary.

She called Biden "unfit" to be president.

"And while you reap the consequences of their failures, the Biden administration seems more interested in woke fantasies than the hard reality Americans face every day. Most Americans simply want to live their lives in freedom and peace, but we are under attack in a left-wing culture war we didn’t start and never wanted to fight," she said.

WASHINGTON —

Debt ceiling negotiations are locked on a classic problem that has vexed, divided and disrupted Washington before: Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy want to roll back federal government spending, while President Joe Biden and other Democrats do not.

Time is short to strike a deal before a deadline as soon as June 1, when the Treasury says the government risks running out of cash to pay its bills. Negotiators are expected to convene Wednesday for another round of talks as frustration mounts. The political standoff is edging the country closer to a crisis, roiling financial markets and threatening the global economy.

"They've got to acknowledge that we're spending too much," said McCarthy.

Cheered on by a hard-charging conservative House majority that hoisted him to power, McCarthy, R-Calif., was not swayed by a White House counter-offer to freeze spending instead. "A freeze is not going to work," McCarthy said.

Video above: Why the United States has a debt ceiling

The longstanding Washington debate over the size and scope of the federal government now has just days to be resolved. Failure to raise the nation's debt ceiling, now at $31 trillion, would risk a potentially chaotic federal default, almost certain to inflict economic turmoil at home and abroad.

From the White House, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was "ridiculous" to suggest Biden wasn't acting with urgency after Republicans complained about the pace. "He wants to see this done as soon as possible," she said.

Dragging into a third week, the negotiations over raising the nation's debt limit were never supposed to arrive at this point.

The White House insisted early on it was unwilling to barter over the need to pay the nation's bills, demanding that Congress simply lift the ceiling as it has done many times before with no strings attached.

But the newly elected speaker visited Biden at the Oval Office in February, urging the president to come to the negotiating table on a budget package that would reduce spending and the nation's ballooning deficits in exchange for the vote to allow future debt.

"I told the president Feb. 1," McCarthy recounted. "I said, Mr. President, you're not going to raise taxes. You've got to spend less money than was spent this year."

Negotiations are focused on finding agreement on a 2024 budget year limit. Republicans have set aside their demand to roll back spending to 2022 levels, but say that next year's government spending must be less than it is now. But the White House instead offered to freeze spending at current 2023 numbers.

"We are holding firm to the speaker's red line," said a top Republican negotiator, Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana. "Which is that we will not do a deal unless it spends less money than we're spending this year."

By sparing defense and some veterans accounts from reductions, the Republicans would shift the bulk of spending reductions to other federal programs, an approach that breaks a tradition in Congress of budget cap parity.

Graves said there were still "significant gaps" between his side and the White House.

Agreement on that topline spending level is vital. It would enable McCarthy to deliver spending restraints for conservatives while not being so severe that it would chase off the Democratic votes that would be needed in the divided Congress to pass any bill.

But what, if anything, Democrats would get if they agreed to deeper spending cuts than Biden's team has proposed is uncertain.

Asked what concessions the Republicans were willing to give, McCarthy quipped, "We're going to raise the debt ceiling."

The White House has continued to argue that deficits can be reduced by ending tax breaks for wealthier households and some corporations, but McCarthy said he told the president at their February meeting that raising revenue from tax hikes is off the table.

The negotiators are now also debating the duration of a 1% cap on annual spending growth going forward, with Republicans dropping their demand for a 10-year cap to six years, but the White House offering only one year, for 2025.

Typically, the debt ceiling has been lifted for the duration of a budget deal, and in this negotiation the White House is angling for a two-year agreement that would push past the presidential elections.

Past debt ceiling talks have produced budget agreements in which both parties have won some concessions in a give and take. Both have wanted to raise the debt limit to prevent a economy-shattering federal default.

Graves explained the Republican position this time around. Since Biden already boosted federal spending in significant ways with his COVID-19 rescue package, Inflation Reduction Act and other bills, "they've already got theirs."

"We're willing to give them an increase in debt ceiling. That's what they're getting," he said.

And yet, the Republicans are pushing additional priorities as the negotiators focus on the $100 billion-plus difference between the 2022 and 2023 spending plans as a place to cut.

Republicans want to beef up work requirements for government aid to recipients of food stamps, cash assistance and the Medicaid health care program that the Biden administration says would impact millions of people who depend on assistance.

All sides have been eyeing the potential for the package to include a framework to ease federal regulations and speed energy project developments. They are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in unspent COVID-19 funds now that the pandemic emergency has officially lifted.

The White House has countered by keeping defense and nondefense spending flat next year, which would save $90 billion in the 2024 budget year and $1 trillion over 10 years.

Video below: President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy offered remarks from the Oval Office on Monday

The House speaker promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting, making any action doubtful until the weekend — just days before the potential deadline. The Senate would also have to pass the package before it could go to Biden's desk to be signed.

McCarthy faces a hard-right flank in his own party that is likely to reject any deal, and that has led some Democrats to encourage Biden to resist any compromise with the Republicans and simply invoke the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling on his own, an unprecedented and legally fraught action the president has resisted for now.

___

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Stephen Groves, Kevin Freking, Chris Megerian, Darlene Superville and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden delivered his first formal State of the Union speech on Tuesday night. He tried to convince Americans that a recovering pandemic-era economy is due to his work in the White House so far, as the country struggles amid rising inflation. The conflict in Ukraine also took up a significant spot in the address, as Biden works to convince Americans that the Russian invasion can be controlled with sanctions and diplomacy.

The State of the Union speech

With a plethora of issues facing the nation, it could be a hard sell for Biden to reassure Americans that there will be great improvements to come in the months and years ahead. With an approval rating hovering around 40%, which has been going down since the withdrawal from Afghanistan, a number of major issues will have to be tackled as the president makes his case.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova was invited to be a guest of first lady Jill Biden, joining her for the Tuesday evening speech. She received a standing ovation as she was introduced. The invitation was a show of solidarity between the White House and Ukraine as fears mount that Putin could increase his attacks on Russia's neighbor.

Members of Congress wore blue and yellow ribbons during the address in a show of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine and its government. Some wore blue and yellow suits, while others wore the ribbons, pinned to their lapels.

Biden said during Tuesday's speech, addressing the invasion of Ukraine, "Throughout our history, we’ve learned this lesson: When dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos. They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising."

He said, "That’s why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War II. The United States is a member along with 29 other nations."

"We shared with the world in advance what we knew Putin was planning and precisely how we would try to falsify and justify — how he would try to falsify and justify his aggression," Biden said.

Biden gave one strong assurance to Ukraine and NATO allies saying during the speech, "As I have made crystal clear: The United States and our Allies will defend every inch of territory of NATO countries with the full force of our collective power. Every single inch."

COVID-19

The president acknowledged that Americans are "tired, frustrated, and exhausted" after having dealt with more than two years of life during a pandemic. But urged voters to trust that the country is moving forward and progressing.

Biden said, "We’ve reached a new moment in the fight against COVID-19, with severe cases down to a level not seen since last July. Just a few days ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, issued new mask guidelines."

"Under these new guidelines, most Americans in most of the country can now be mask free. And based on the projections, more of the country will reach that point across the next couple of weeks," the president said.

He urged Americans to get vaccinated and said that the U.S. has ordered more Pfizer anti-viral treatment pills than any other country, promoting the "Test to Treat" initiative which aims to provide more testing at pharmacies and provide antiviral treatment pills, at no cost, for those who test positive.

Biden's top domestic agenda priorities

The president also implored Congress to act and pass legislation that will address high priorities for the administration like dealing with rising costs for families, the country's deficit, lowering energy costs, and improving family and medical leave for working Americans.

The president touted his American Rescue Plan saying, "Few pieces of legislation have done more in a critical moment in our history to lift us out of crisis."

Economy

Biden was expected to promote his work as the U.S. economy worked to recover, and he did. The president said, "Our economy grew at a rate of 5.7% last year, the strongest growth in nearly 40 years, the first step in bringing fundamental change to an economy that hasn’t worked for the working people of this nation for too long."

And China came up as Biden said, "As I’ve told Xi Jinping, it is never a good bet to bet against the American people. We’ll create good jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing roads, airports, ports, and waterways all across America."

U.S. Infrastructure

Speaking on improving U.S. roads and other crucial elements of the country's infrastructure the president said, "I'm announcing that this year we will begin fixing over 65,000 miles of highway."

The president said, "When we use taxpayers' dollars to rebuild America, we're going to do it by buying American, buying American products," as he signaled possible further efforts to heavily boost manufacturing in the U.S.

Rising costs for families, inflation, gas prices

The president also addressed income inequality, taxing the wealthy, and various price hikes for goods during the pandemic. Biden said that the U.S. Department of Justice will announce a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud to uncover crimes during the pandemic.

Biden urged lawmakers to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 and increase the Child Tax Credit, building off previous pleas to lawmakers during his speech to work to make childcare more affordable for American families.

The president said, "I can announce that the United States has worked with 30 other countries to release 60 million barrels of oil from reserves around the world. America will lead that effort, releasing 30 million barrels from our own Strategic Petroleum Reserve. And we stand ready to do more if necessary, unified with our allies."

He said, "These steps will help blunt gas prices here at home. And I know the news about what’s happening can seem alarming. But I want you to know that we are going to be OK."

The opioid epidemic, drug addiction and mental health

Biden said that beating the opioid epidemic is a top priority for his administration urging law enforcement and state and local government to work together to also go after drug traffickers. He urged lawmakers to also focus more on mental health resources in their communities.

"We'll meet the test, protect freedom and liberty expand fairness and opportunity and we will save democracy," Biden said, wrapping up his address with a final plea of hope and optimism for the American people.

RELATED: White House releases excerpts of President Biden's State of the Union speech
RELATED: Biden announces ban of Russia from US airspace during State of the Union address

How to watch

The speech began live on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET, streamed here and on Facebook.

First formal State of the Union

In 2021, President Biden delivered his first joint address to Congress, which was similar to a State of the Union address. Attendance at that speech was limited because of the pandemic, but for this year's State of the Union the entire congressional body was invited, with just their guests being limited for safety.

All attendees had to submit a negative PCR test a day before the speech and masks were optional, NPR reported.

On Tuesday it was a much different atmosphere than last year as a noticeably smaller group of those in attendance were seen wearing masks. And the image of lawmakers and others without masks echoed portions of Biden's speech trying to reassure the country that a recovery from the pandemic is happening and that Americans would soon get back to more normalcy.

The Republican response

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds would deliver the Republican response after President Biden's speech. Gov. Reynolds will deliver the speech from Des Moines, Iowa.

Security is high

In a move that has now become a normal sight around the Capitol Complex since the Jan. 6 siege, a large fence will remain up. The fence has disrupted daily life for those who live in the neighborhood around the U.S. Capitol.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert Contee said on Monday, as the AP reported, “We regularly handle peaceful demonstrations and welcome all to the nation’s capital to exercise their First Amendment rights,” he said.

Contee went on to say that officers are “prepared to take swift law-enforcement actions for violations of our local and federal laws, if necessary.”

Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the U.S. is imposing another round of sanctions against Russia on Friday.

Under these new sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will not be allowed to travel to the U.S.

The U.S. will also move to freeze the leaders' assets, the Treasury Department announced.

Psaki also added the U.S. will not be sending American troops to fight in Ukraine.

“It is not in our interest to be in a war with Russia," said Psaki during the White House briefing.

The U.S. has previously imposed sanctions on heads of state, including Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The announcement from the U.S. comes shortly after Britain announced it plans to impose its own sanctions on Putin and Lavrov.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “the world must make certain President Putin would fail in this act of aggression.”

Earlier on Friday, the European Union voted to go ahead with a third round of sanctions against Putin and Lavrov.

27 member states decided to freeze the assets of the two Russian leaders.

The EU has also contemplated banning Putin and Lavrov from traveling in the EU.

But European leaders have decided against it for now, saying it may complicate diplomatic moves.

As tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine, concerns are growing for people who fear for family and friends in Ukraine.

Some are worried about how an invasion will impact their loved ones. A Maryland man whose father is from Ukraine told sister station WBAL how the Ukrainian community in the Baltimore area feels about the situation.

Greg Zilberman, the owner of Silk Road Bistro, said his concerns are growing about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially after President Joe Biden said he is convinced that Russia has decided to invade.

"It's definitely overwhelming to say the least. It's a very uneasy feeling that it brings upon the world. Russia invasion anywhere, any country invading anywhere, there is always the risk of world war," Zilberman said.

The thought of war has Zilberman concerned, like many others in Baltimore's Ukrainian community. His father is from Ukraine and Zilberman said he has a friend there now.

"I'm nervous for him. I'm nervous for everybody there. There's no way that something like this doesn't result in bloodshed, unfortunately," Zilberman said.

Zilberman said the entire situation is complicated and it has many in the Ukrainian community divided.

"Some of them are really big Putin supporters. 'Come on in, we're your people, this isn't an invasion.' The other half, 'Why are you coming into our country? Stay out. Russia isn't big enough?'" he said.

If Russia does invade, he said that many are worried about how it will happen and the impact it will have on people there.

"Are they going to peacefully cross the border? Are they going to kick people from their homes? What kind of temporary government is going to be established?" Zilberman said.

Zilberman said he is closely monitoring the situation every day. He thinks some type of military action is definitely possible, but overall, he is hoping and praying for the best.

"Obviously, a peaceful resolution will be ideal, but it's a conflict like all the others in the world. It's not so black and white, it's a gray area," he said.

Zilberman said the issue has been a hot-button topic for many Ukrainians that come to his restaurant. He said he is hoping things between both countries are solved peacefully.

A senior defense official says President Joe Biden has approved the deployment of 3,000 more U.S. troops to Poland.

They will join 1,700 other members of the 82nd Airborne Division who have been heading to Poland in recent days. Combined, the 4,700 soldiers comprise an infantry brigade intended to reassure fellow NATO member Poland of a U.S. defense commitment amid the crisis in neighboring Ukraine.

As CNN reported, a person familiar with the plan said that President Biden will speak with Russia's Vladimir Putin on Saturday. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the two leaders will speak by phone.

The additional U.S. troop deployment comes as the White House warns that Russian President Vladimir Putin could launch an invasion of Ukraine any day now.

Earlier on Friday President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as they can. Sullivan issued the public warning saying Russia's President Vladimir Putin could instruct his troops to invade Ukraine at any time.

The announcement that the U.S. would be sending thousands of additional troops came just after that public warning to American citizens.

President Joe Biden's top science adviser Eric Lander resigned late on Monday after the White House confirmed that an internal investigation found credible evidence that he mistreated his staff.

It marks the first Cabinet-level departure of the Biden administration. Press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden accepted Dr. Lander's resignation Monday with "gratitude for his work" on the pandemic, the Cancer Moonshot, climate change "and other key priorities."

The White House rebuked Lander over his treatment of his staff, but initially signaled he would be allowed to remain on the job, despite Biden's Inauguration Day assertion that he would fire anyone, "on the spot," who shows disrespect to others.

Lander apologized late last week after he was accused of addressing White House Office of Science and Technology Policy staff in a "demeaning way." Dr. Lander sent an email to OSTP staff late on Friday apologizing for his conduct after a White House investigation uncovered evidence he violated the White House policy for respect in the workplace.

As Politico first reported, the message to staff said, “I am deeply sorry for my conduct. I especially want to apologize to those of you who I treated poorly or were present at the time.”

Lander was over around 140 people and according to an investigation, 14 current and former staffers in the Office of Science and Technology Policy reported similar aspects of a toxic work environment, Axios reported.

An internal review in 2021, after a workplace complaint was filed, showed evidence that Lander treated staff disrespectfully and bullied them. A White House review of the issue was able to find evidence that Dr. Lander violated "Safe and Respectful Workplace Policy." The Biden administration gave Lander counseling.

On Jan 20, 2021, newly-elected President Joe Biden said, standing before his appointees remotely, "If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. On the spot. No ifs, ands or buts. Everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity."

As Axios noted, while there were multiple complaints from women regarding Lander's behavior towards staff, a White House investigation did not find evidence credible evidence of gender-based discrimination, an OSTP spokesperson said.

The White House on Friday said that beginning next week, Americans will be able to visit a government website and order free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests and have them delivered directly to their homes.

According to a White House fact sheet, the new website, COVIDTests.gov, will launch next Wednesday.

Biden Administration officials say that once the website launches, Americans will be able to order four free tests per household to their homes, which will ship in between seven to 12 days. The tests will be sent through USPS First Class mail in the continental U.S., and through Priority Mail in Alaska, Hawaii and in U.S. territories.

The White House added that it will prioritize orders and send tests first to "households experiencing the highest social vulnerability and in communities that have experienced a disproportionate share of COVID-19 cases and deaths, particularly during this omicron surge."

The Biden Administration also says it will launch a call line, where people without internet access will be able to place orders for free tests.

The White House says 500 million tests will be available once the website launches. Earlier this week, the Biden Administration said it had placed an order for another 500 million tests, which will be available later this year.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — President Joe Biden is expected in Las Vegas Saturday to attend a memorial service for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who died last week from pancreatic cancer.

Organizers of the memorial service at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts confirmed the president is expected to attend.

Reid was Nevada's longest-serving senator. He and the president worked closely with each other for two decades in the Senate and for the eight years Biden was vice president in the Obama administration.

Biden previously issued a statement on Reid's passing in which he called the former senator one of "the all-time great Senate Majority Leaders in our history," "a dear friend," and "a giant of our history."

On January 12th, Senator Harry Reid will lie in state in the United States Capitol Rotunda.

It will be an honor to pay tribute to him in the Capitol next week.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 3, 2022

Reid will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.

This story was originally reported on ktnv.com.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday revoked the travel restrictions on several African countries which he instituted in late November in the days after the discovery of the omicron variant strain of COVID-19.

In a proclamation published by the White House, Biden lifted the restrictions the prevented people from traveling to the United States from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In his proclamation, Biden noted that the travel restrictions were no longer necessary because health officials have assured him that people who are vaccinated have significant protection against severe omicron infection, because the variant is now widespread and because the U.S. still requires international travelers to present a negative test to enter the country.

"In light of these changed circumstances, and based on the recommendation of the CDC, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to revoke Proclamation 10315. The travel restrictions imposed by that proclamation are no longer necessary to protect the public health," Biden's statement read.

Officials in South Africa first detected the omicron variant at the end of November. Biden imposed travel restrictions to southern Africa on Nov. 26.

Just over a month later, omicron is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the U.S., accounting for more than 73% of cases. While daily COVID-19 cases have spiked in recent days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have remained level at about 1,100 a day.

WASHINGTON — In a major step to fight climate change, the Biden administration is raising vehicle mileage standards to significantly reduce emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases.

A final rule being issued Monday would raise mileage standards starting in the 2023 model year, reaching a projected industry-wide target of 40 miles per gallon by 2026.

The mileage rules are the most ambitious tailpipe pollution standards ever set for passenger cars and light trucks.

Mileage goals set by the Trump administration would achieve only 32 miles per gallon in 2026.

The move comes a day after Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin delivered a potentially fatal blow to Biden’s $2 trillion social and environmental policy bill, jeopardizing Democrats’ agenda and infuriating the White House.

WASHINGTON — Child tax credits, hearing benefits for those on Medicare, and even investments to limit climate change were all supposed to be issues addressed in the coming days by Congress.

However, as we have been reporting, the Build Back Better bill has stalled with no indication President Biden withe President Biden being unable to get his agenda voted on by Christmas.

So what's the divide. Is it money? Politics? The type of programs?

SPLIT SENATE

You are wrong if you thought President Biden's agenda has stalled because of Republicans battling Democrats.

The Build Back Better bill was always written so that it could become law with only Democratic votes since Democrats control the house and the senate.

So what's the divide?

Right now, President Biden hasn’t been able to convince every Democratic senator to be on board, with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia being the most elusive.

Because Manchin’s support is needed, Manchin has as much veto power on this issue as the president.

As far as money, that isn’t the problem.

Both President Biden and Senator Manchin agree spending around $1.7 trillion is okay.

The debate is over how to spend the money and for how long.

President Biden wants the legislation to create and fund everything from capping child care costs to offering medicare hearing coverage to investing in climate change.

The President addresses all of these issues by only funding some programs for a limited time since he can only spend a limited amount of money.

For example, President Biden only funds the expanded child tax credit for one year.

Child care subsidies would last just three years.

Funding for pre-K would expire after six years.

Manchin disagrees with that approach.

Instead of funding a plethora of programs for a couple of years, Democrats should pick one or two and fund them for a decade or so.

If they don’t, he fears benefits could be taken away from Americans by future leaders, or they would contribute to the national debt.

"I think everybody has to choose what we can sustain,” Manchin told reporters this week.

“My grandfather used to say un-managed debt will make a coward out of the decisions you make.”

A big question now is what does president Biden do next?

Officially the White House says negotiations with Senator Manchin and every other Democrat continue over the holidays. Still, the philosophical disagreement won't be an easy one to overcome.

WILMINGTON, Del. —

A difficult political atmosphere for President Joe Biden may have become even more treacherous with the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse.

Biden was already facing sliding poll numbers with an electorate worn down by the coronavirus pandemic and increasing inflation. Now, the president finds himself caught between outraged Democrats — some of whom were already stewing over Biden’s inability to land police reform and voting rights legislation — and Republicans looking to use the Rittenhouse case to exploit the national divide over matters of grievance and race.

“This is one of the last things Biden wants to be engaging in at this moment as he tries to finish up the big Build Back Better bill and get that across the finish line through the Senate,” said Christopher Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. “Race and Kyle Rittenhouse is not the space where he wants or needs to be going deep right now.”

The acquittal of Rittenhouse has touched off new conversations about racial justice, vigilantism and policing in America. The Illinois teen armed himself with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle during an August 2020 protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, days after the shooting of a Black man by a white police officer. He said he came to the small city to help protect a car lot from vandals and provide medical aid.

Rittenhouse would end up fatally shooting two men and maiming a third. Rittenhouse and his lawyers successfully argued that he had acted in self-defense during a confrontation in which he feared for his life.

The verdict in the case comes at a moment when Biden is trying to keep fellow Democrats focused on passing his massive social services and climate bill and hoping to turn the tide with Americans who have soured on his performance as president.

The president responded carefully following Friday's verdict, expressing respect for the jury’s decision. He later added in a written statement that, like many Americans, he was “angry and concerned” with the jury acquittal of Rittenhouse.

Meanwhile, Republicans, who had success in this month’s Virginia election in part by accusing Democrats of promoting critical race theory in public schools, are embracing 18-year-old Rittenhouse as their newest hero in America’s culture wars.

GOP Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Matt Gaetz of Florida have said they’d like to hire him as an intern, with Gosar suggesting they arm wrestle for the honor. Another Republican, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, on Saturday predicted that liberal outrage over the Rittenhouse trial would benefit her party.

“It seems liberals want self-defense to be illegal,” Boebert tweeted. “Try running on that in 2022 and see how far it gets you with the majority of the sane American public.”

Former President Donald Trump was quick to stand with Rittenhouse following the verdict. He called the teen “brave” for testifying in his own defense and accused the left of trying “to fan hatred” with its treatment of Rittenhouse.

Trump has spent much of his post-presidency stoking divisions with his frontal criticism of Biden and of any Republican who has not marched in lockstep with his views. And most Republicans, either through silence or direct endorsement, have followed his lead.

In the aftermath of the acquittal, Republicans have highlighted a tweet by Biden during his winning 2020 presidential campaign in which he appeared to suggest that Rittenhouse was a white supremacist.

The tweet, from September 2020, excoriated Trump for failing “to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage” the previous night and included a video that contained a still image of Rittenhouse from the night of the Kenosha shooting and footage of torch-bearing white supremacists at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel are among party officials who have called on Biden to apologize.

“He smeared a teenager to score political points and spread lies about this case,” McDaniel wrote on Twitter. “What Biden did was dangerous and inflammatory.”

Asked by a reporter soon after the verdict if he stood by his campaign social media posting, Biden responded that “I stand by what the jury has concluded.”

Borick, the Muhlenberg College pollster, said the results of this month’s elections in Virginia show that driving at cultural issues — including race and transgender rights — could be a good strategy for Republicans trying to energize a segment of the electorate that was passionate about Trump but less enthusiastic about the rest of the GOP. But Borick warned that the GOP’s fulsome embrace of Rittenhouse wasn’t without risk.

“I don’t know if it’s a great place to be if you’re trying, come the midterms, to reach suburban voters and educated voters who might not fault the decision to acquit Rittenhouse because of the circumstances but are far from comfortable holding him up as a hero,” Borick said.

Even before the verdict, Biden had been facing increased pressure from some Democrats over the lack of progress on passing voting rights and police reform legislation.

Last month, a day after Senate Republicans filibustered a major voting bill for the second time this year, Biden acknowledged that the process of governing could be “frustrating and sometimes dispiriting” but urged supporters to “keep the faith.”

At the same, civil rights leaders have expressed frustration that Biden has not used the power of the bully pulpit more to push for a broad police reform bill named after George Floyd, the Black Minneapolis man whose killing last year by police touched off protests around the U.S.

Speaking at an event earlier this week where he signed into law a trio of bills to increase aid to police, Biden only made passing mention of the George Floyd act, asking legislators from both parties to work together to make it law.

“That’s next,” Biden said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In Washington, DC, the buzz of the town is President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better bill. But one thing that’s not being talked about is something called SALT.

“The problem is, this policy is very, very expensive and regressive,” said Maya MacGuineas, the president of the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

MacGuineas has been very focused on SALT in recent weeks.

So, what is SALT? Clearly, we're not talking about the table seasoning, but "state and local taxes" and deductions you may or may not be able to take on your federal tax return. Before 2017, there was no limit on how much of the state and local taxes an individual paid that they could deduct from the federal tax return but in 2017, former President Donald Trump’s tax cuts changed that.

“You add all those state and local taxes together and they were capped at a deduction of $10,000,” said Sharon Lassar, the director of The School of Accountancy at the University of Denver.

She has been following the news around SALT and the bill. The most recent proposal would increase the SALT cap from $10,000 to more than $72,000, reducing the overall tax burden for some.

“In this package, 80% of the benefits go to people making over $200,000 per year,” said MacGuineas. “This is not the targeted low-income people that a lot of people expect in this bill.”

So, who exactly benefits from the SALT cap repeal? It’s individuals with high incomes in states with high-income taxes. So, think New York, New Jersey, and California.

“The average person probably doesn’t pay more than $10,000 in state and local taxes,” said MacGuineas. “About 50% of this is going to the very richest 1% and they, on average, would be getting an annual tax break of over $35,000.”

A big advocate for the removal of the SALT cap is Rep. Thomas Souzzi from New York. He recently said in a statement, “This fix will put money back in the pockets of hardworking, middle-class families in our districts,” but would not respond to our requests for an interview.

One thing to keep in mind: no text draft of this bill has been released to the public yet. So, we are only getting this from people working on the bill.

VATICAN CITY —

President Joe Biden said Pope Francis told him he should continue to receive Communion, as the world's two most prominent Roman Catholics ran overtime in highly personal discussions on climate change, poverty and the coronavirus pandemic that also touched on the loss of the president's adult son and jokes about aging well.

Biden's support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage has has put him at odds with many U.S. bishops, some of whom have suggested he should be denied Communion.

Biden said abortion did not come up in the meeting at the Vatican. “We just talked about the fact he was happy that I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving communion,” Biden said.

Video released by the Vatican showed several warm, relaxed moments between Francis and Biden as they repeatedly shook hands and smiled. Francis often sports a dour look, especially in official photos, but he seemed in good spirits Friday. The private meeting lasted about 75 minutes, according to the Vatican, more than double the normal length of an audience with the pontiff.

The pair sat across from one another at a desk in the papal library, accompanied by a translator. They then proceeded to an exchange of gifts and a broader meeting including the first lady and top officials. The lengthy session put Biden more than an hour behind schedule.

“Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution,” the White House said. "He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.”

Biden takes pride in his Catholic faith, using it as a moral guidepost to shape many of his social and economic policies. He wears a rosary and attends Mass weekly.

After leaving the Vatican, Biden said he had a “wonderful time” and that the pope prayed for him and blessed his rosary beads. Asked what the prayer was about, Biden replied, “Peace.”

A dozen Swiss Guards in their blue and gold striped uniforms and red-plumed halberds stood at attention in the San Damaso courtyard as Biden and his wife, Jill, arrived. They were received by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, who runs the papal household, and then greeted one by one the papal ushers, or papal gentlemen, who lined up in the courtyard.

“It’s good to be back,” Biden said as he shook the hand of one of them. “I’m Jill’s husband,” he told another before he was ushered into the frescoed Apostolic Palace and taken upstairs to the pope’s private library.

According to the Vatican, Biden presented Francis a woven chasuble, or liturgical vestment, made in 1930 by the famed papal tailor Gammarelli and used by the pope’s Jesuit order in the U.S., where it was held in the archives of Holy Trinity Church, Biden’s regular parish in Washington. The White House said it would make a donation to charity in the pope’s name.

Holy Trinity is steeped in American history and played a role in advocating for abolition, desegregation and civil rights since it was founded in 1787. President John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic U.S. president, also worshipped there.

Biden also slipped what's known as a challenge coin into the pope's palm during a handshake, and hailed Francis as “the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.”

The personalized coin depicts Biden's home state of Delaware and a reference to his late son Beau's military unit, the 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade. Biden told Francis that Beau would have wanted him to present the coin to the pope.

"The tradition is, and I’m only kidding about this, but next time I see you, if you don’t have it, you have to buy the drinks," Biden said, referring to the coin. He added: “I’m the only Irishman you’ve ever met who's never had a drink.”

Francis laughed and responded: “The Irish brought whisky.”

Biden, 78, also relayed the story of American baseball player Satchel Paige, a Black pitcher who played late into his fifties, in a parable about aging. “'How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were,'" Biden quoted Paige as saying. "You’re 65, I’m 60,” Biden added, as Francis, 84, pointed to his head and laughed.

Francis presented Biden with a ceramic tile depicting the iconography of the pilgrim, as well as a collection of the pope’s main teaching documents, the Vatican said. In the Vatican video, he could be heard asking Jill Biden to “pray for me.”

The warm encounter stood in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s 2017 meeting with Francis, with whom the former president had a prickly relationship. Photos from that 30-minute meeting showed a stone-faced Francis standing beside a grinning Trump. Biden's meeting also was longer than the 52 minutes Barack Obama spent with Francis in 2014.

Biden is visiting Rome and then Glasgow, Scotland, for back-to-back summits, first a gathering for leaders of Group of 20 leading and developing nations and then a global climate conference.

Biden and Francis have previously met three times but Friday's encounter was their first since Biden became president.

Biden also met separately Friday with Group of 20 summit hosts Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

He will end the day by meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, part of an effort to mend relations with France after the U.S. and U.K. decided to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, scotching an existing French contract.

Biden’s meeting with Pope Francis generated some controversy in advance as the Vatican on Thursday abruptly canceled plans to broadcast the meeting with Biden live and denied press access. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the revised television plan reflected the virus protocol for all heads of state audiences, though he didn’t say why more robust live TV coverage had been initially scheduled and then canceled.

The Vatican instead provide edited footage of the encounter to accredited media.

The visit came as U.S. bishops prepared to meet in roughly three weeks in Baltimore for their annual fall convention. Among the agenda items is an effort by conservatives to disqualify Biden from receiving Communion. Any document emerging from the event is unlikely to single out the president by name, but he still could face some form of rebuke.

Francis has stressed that he will not reject political leaders who support abortion rights, though Catholic policy allows individual bishops to choose whether to prevent people from taking Communion.

Predicting the outcome of elections can sometimes be easy. Other years, it is not. Professor Allan Lichtman has predicted every election since 1984, using a model he developed alongside Soviet Union scientists.

One of Lichtman's proudest achievements was accurately predicting the 2016 election. President Donald Trump signed a Washington Post article about Lichtman in recent years with his autograph and the phrase "good call."

THE METHOD

Lichtman doesn't look at polls.

"Polls are not predictors, they are misused as predictors," Lichtman said.

Instead, Lichtman looks at the political party currently controlling the White House. Then he uses 13 keys to gauge whether the party controlling the White House will lose or not.

They are: midterm gains, no contest in the primary, incumbency, no third party, strong short-term economy, strong long-term economy, major policy change, no social unrest, no scandal, no overseas failure, major overseas achievement, charismatic incumbent, uncharismatic opponent.

"If six or more, any six more, turn against the party holding the White House, they are a predicted loser," Luchtman said.

2020 PREDICTION

Lichtman says before 2020, Trump appeared to be heading to a reelection. However Trump has now lost seven keys.

In Lichtman's opinion, Trump has lost midterm gains, short term economy, long-term economy, no social unrest, no scandal, major overseas achievement, and charismatic incumbent.

"Could I be wrong? Of course human beings are wrong. But my keys have quite a track record," Lichtman said.

Now that the conventions are over, what will happen next with the campaigns?

RALLIES & TRAVEL TO SWING-STATES

In-person rallies in arenas do not appear to be happening this election season.

While Democrats have been skeptical about them for months, President Donald Trump's team has also accepted the reality of the pandemic in recent weeks.

That does not mean an end to travel however.

"The one thing I can guarantee you is the president will continue to travel to these states," Marc Lotter, a longtime aide to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, said.

For now, Trump is planning on holding stops at airports, like today's visit to New Hampshire. Campaign aides also say he is open to more in-person visits to places like diners.

As for the Biden campaign, they are committed to virtually campaigning -- for now.

"We are keeping our supporters, our staff safe, but we are still getting the vice president’s message out to voters," TJ Tucklo told Scripps National Political Editor Joe St. George recently.

However, during a virtual fundraiser on Thursday, Biden hinted about getting out to swing states after Labor Day in a responsibly way.

VOLUNTEERS

Trump and Biden vary differently when it comes to what they are doing with their volunteers. For instance in Michigan, the Trump campaign is continuing to knock on doors. The Biden campaign is not.

As a result, voters should continue to expect campaign text messages, email invitations to virtual speeches and more digital ads on their Facebook news feed.

The next major political event is the first presidential debate on September 29.

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Merry Christmas. Happy holidays, Jill. And I wish you and your family peace, joy, health and happiness this season. But we know for so many of you in our nation, this has been a very difficult year. And we're reminded in this season of hope, our common humanity and what we're called to do for one another. Many of our fellow Americans were struggling to find work, literally put food on the table, pay their rent or their mortgage reminded we're on this earth to care for one another, to give what we can and to be a source of help and hope to friend and stranger, like many families, air facing their first Christmas, having lost a loved one. And Joe and I know that sorrow and we know how in times of grief, a kind word can mean so much. This is also a season of gratitude, and we're so thankful for the front line and essential workers who have put themselves at risk for all of us. And for the scientists and researchers who have worked to deliver vaccines that are an incredible scientific breakthrough. And we're thinking of our service members for far from home and the loved ones who missed them. Our family knows your sacrifice, and our hearts are with you for the Bidens. We usually have 20 to 25 people over Christmas Eve for dinner, but not this year. Well, we're gonna miss our family, but it's what we need to do to keep our family safe. We hope you'll consider limiting travel on the size of family gatherings as well. This year, even as our celebrations are dimmed, we know that this won't be forever and brighter days are coming soon. On this holy day, we remember that love and joy can be shared across the farthest distances we celebrate apart but not alone. And look forward to next year when we can come together with renewed appreciation for the people and the traditions we love. So from our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

WATCH: The Bidens share holiday video message

Updated: 11:56 PM EST Dec 25, 2020

President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden shared a holiday video message on social media Friday."We know for so many of you in our nation, this has been a very difficult year," the president-elect said in the video released Friday. "And we're reminded in this season of hope our common humanity and what we're called to do for one another."The Bidens also thanked frontline workers who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic and scientists who have developed vaccines against COVID-19 in record time.Watch the video above to see the message.

President-elect Joe Biden and Jill Biden shared a holiday video message on social media Friday.

"We know for so many of you in our nation, this has been a very difficult year," the president-elect said in the video released Friday. "And we're reminded in this season of hope our common humanity and what we're called to do for one another."

The Bidens also thanked frontline workers who have worked tirelessly during the pandemic and scientists who have developed vaccines against COVID-19 in record time.

Watch the video above to see the message.