‘I just want to find 11,780 votes’: In extraordinary hour-long call, Trump pressures Georgia secretary of state to recalculate the vote in his favor  —  President Trump urged fellow Republican Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state, to “find” enough votes to overturn his defeat …

POLITICO Playbook: As Pelosi scrambles for her job, McConnell loses control  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  WELCOME to the 117th Congress!  —  The new session starts at noon — yes, on a Sunday — and it promises to be a fascinating opening day.  —  THE MAIN EVENT is the speaker's vote …

Democrats may make history in Georgia's Senate runoffs  —  (CNN)Poll of the week: My average of Georgia polls shows the two Senate runoffs on Tuesday are within the margin of error and way too close to call.  —  In the race for the full six-year term, Democrat Jon Ossoff is at 49% to Republican Sen. David Perdue's 48%.

Ted Cruz will object when Congress certifies Joe Biden's election, as 11 GOP senators demand ‘audit’ and 10-day delay  —  The ‘Trump Eleven’ say the president's loss in a handful of battlegrounds deserves an emergency inquiry before the Electoral College tally is ratified.

US surgeon general contradicts Trump on Covid-19 death toll  —  Washington (CNN)US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams on Sunday said he has “no reason to doubt” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Covid-19 death toll, contradicting President Donald Trump's claim that the agency has “exaggerated” its numbers.

COVID is wildcard as Pelosi faces tricky Speaker vote Sunday  —  Two years ago, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) squeaked to the Speakership by a razor-thin edge in the face of an internal Democratic revolt.  —  This year's vote might be even closer, though for vastly different reasons.

Trump advisor Peter Navarro falsely claimed that Biden's inauguration could be delayed, contradicting the Constitution … - In a Saturday appearance on Fox News, White House trade advisor Peter Navarro falsely claimed that President-elect Joe Biden's January 20 inauguration could be postponed.

Palestinians excluded from Israeli Covid vaccine rollout as jabs go to settlers  —  Human rights groups accuse Israel of dodging obligations to millions in occupied territories who may wait months for vaccination  —  Oliver Holmes in Jerusalem and Hazem Balousha in Gaza

Who Will Be Inaugurated?  —  What is unlikely is not impossible—an admonitory caution, not an appeal to false hope.  —  Just because the theaters are closed doesn't mean that we lack for drama.  Our quivering reaction to the latest Chinese import may have shuttered Broadway …

How D.C. and its teachers, with shifting plans and demands, failed to reopen schools  —  Online classes in the District of Columbia in spring had been a disaster.  Thousands of students didn't have computers or reliable WiFi.  Many were falling behind.  So as spring gave way to summer …

The Seven Aspects of Trumpism  —  Editor's Note: Steve Schmidt is one of the founding members of the Lincoln Project.  He is a communications and public affairs strategist who has worked on several Republican campaigns, including John McCain's 2008 bid for the White House, and he is now a regular political contributor to MSNBC.

Denver Riggleman Has Seen the Future of the Republican Party  —  Denver Riggleman had a rough December.  For one thing, he's about to lose his job: Over the summer, members of the Virginia GOP voted to kick the freshman Republican out of Congress, largely because he publicly officiated a same-sex wedding.