7 Things: Some are hopeful for vaccine while others downplay it, election drama goes on, Alabama and Auburn may not play this weekend and more …

7. Secretary of Defense fired

• President Donald Trump went on Twitter Tuesday to fire Secretary of Defense Mike Esper, simply posting, “Mike Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.” It’s been reported that Esper was aware before the tweet was posted.
• This announcement caught many off-guard, as the reason for Esper’s firing was not immediately clear, but five months ago, Esper opposed using the Insurrection Act to respond to civil unrest across the country. Trump has announced that Christopher C. Miller will take over as “Acting Secretary of Defense, effective immediately.”

6. Alabama could give assistance to states still counting

• As Georgia has come under criticism for not being able to deliver their election results yet, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has said that they’ve reached out to both Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
• Merrill said he’s expressed his “interest and enthusiasm in providing assistance, if necessary, with the closing of their General Election or upcoming Runoff Election for January 5. That offer for assistance remains for them to consider, and we wish them the best in the execution of their Runoff and look forward to a successful result.”

5. Joe Manchin throws massive monkey wrench in Democrats’ plans

• Democrats’ hope for control of the U.S. Senate hinges on what happens in two Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs over the next two months, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has made it clear what his agenda is. He advised, “Now we take Georgia, then we change the world.”
• Unfortunately for Schumer, moderate U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has made it clear that even if Democrats take both Georgia Senate seats, he will not vote to end the filibuster or pack the courts. Without those two measures passing, Democrats’ hopes of higher taxes, D.C. statehood or implementation of the Green New Deal seem all but impossible.

4. Auburn game postponed, Alabama game in jeopardy

• Due to a large number of positive coronavirus cases in the Mississippi State football program, the Auburn University vs Mississippi State football game scheduled for this weekend has been postponed until December 12.
• The University of Alabama is set to play LSU this weekend, but it’s been announced that LSU is currently dealing with a number of positive coronavirus cases. The game hasn’t officially been postponed or canceled, but it’s considered to be in “jeopardy.”

3. Barr ready to investigate voter fraud as the American media demands it never happen

• As the American media fights any attempts to look into allegations of voter fraud by declaring there is none, Attorney General William Barr has now authorized federal prosecutors to go after voting irregularities during the 2020 election. He believes it should be done before the results are certified.
• U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) has said that if there’s a recount of the votes for the presidential election, it will only result in former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) receiving more votes. She said that “all lawful votes should be counted.”

2. Hate the vaccine because Trump advocated for it

• As it’s been announced that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 90% effective, reactions are pouring in from many who refuse to be happy about this news since it happened during the time of a Trump presidency.
• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) described this as “good and bad news,” adding that the “administration is rolling out the vaccination plan and I believe it’s flawed. …They’re basically going to have the private providers do it, and that’s going to leave out all sorts of communities that were left out the first time when COVID ravaged them.”

1. New vaccine shows major promise

• The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been reported to be 90% effective. UAB vaccine expert Dr. Paul Geopfert, M.D., said this is “tremendous news,” adding that some of the “most optimistic of us were thinking about 70% effective” is what would be achieved.
• There had previously been speculation by researchers that because the vaccine for the coronavirus was being developed so quickly, it could result in it only being 60-70% effective, but obviously this vaccine is showing greater promise than that.