1 big thing: Biden adds to his Pentagon shortlist | Friday, November 27, 2020
| | | | | | | Presented By Facebook | | | | Axios PM | | By Mike Allen ·Nov 27, 2020 | | Good afternoon. Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 361 words, a 1.5 minute read. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Biden adds to his Pentagon shortlist |  | | | Austin testifying before Congress in 2015. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | | | | President-elect Joe Biden is considering retired four-star General Lloyd Austin as his nominee for defense secretary, two sources with direct knowledge of the decision-making tell Axios' Hans Nichols and Jonathan Swan. - The shortlist also includes Jeh Johnson, Tammy Duckworth and Michele Flournoy.
Why it matters: A nominee for Pentagon chief was noticeably absent when the president-elect rolled out his national security team Tuesday. - Flournoy had been widely seen as the likely pick, but Axios is told other factors — race, experience, Biden's comfort level — have come into play.
Behind the scenes: When the president-elect omitted a candidate for secretary of defense from his marquee national security rollout, it raised questions about whether there were problems with Flournoy's nomination or a late-blooming candidate had eclipsed her. Between the lines: Biden's top advisers feel pressure to announce an African American to a prominent Cabinet role. Earlier this week, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), a top ally, said he was disappointed more African Americans had not been included in Biden's early selections. - Austin would be the first Black secretary of defense in American history.
- The former head of U.S. Central Command, Austin retired from the Army in 2016. He would need a congressional waiver to serve, just as President Trump's first defense secretary, James Mattis, had required as a recent military retiree.
The big picture: The Biden team wants to elevate diplomacy and de-emphasize the military as an instrument of national power. Go deeper. |     | | | | | | 2. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Lisa Rathke/AP | | | | University of Vermont students walk through a tent leading to a COVID-19 testing site on campus. | | | | | | | | A message from Facebook | | Let's support Black-owned businesses this holiday season | | |  | | | | This holiday season, at Facebook, we launched the #BuyBlack Friday campaign to encourage people to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses. Explore our #BuyBlack gift guide, created in partnership with The U.S. Black Chambers, to find businesses like Brooklyn Tea. Learn more here | | | | | | 3. Catch up quick | - A federal appeals court unanimously rejected the Trump campaign's emergency appeal seeking to file a new lawsuit against Pennsylvania's election results. Go deeper.
- Thanksgiving Day consumer spending increased by roughly 22% year over year, topping a $5.1 billion record, according to Adobe Analytics data, CNBC reports.
- Top WHO scientists called for more data on the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Go deeper.
- The NFL has again postponed a Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers matchup due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Go deeper.
| | | | | | | | 4. ⚽️ 1 smile to go |  | | | The USWNT celebrates in Breda, Netherlands. Photo: Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images | | | | In its first game since early March, the U.S. women's national team beat the Netherlands by a 2-0 margin, AP reports. - The game was a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, which the U.S. won by the same margin.
- Nine of the 11 U.S. starters for the final were in the starting lineup today. Notably missing was Alex Morgan, who came in as a second-half substitute for her 170th appearance with the team.
The U.S. team wore Black Lives Matter warmup uniforms. Nine players knelt during the national anthem. | | | | | | | | A message from Facebook | | Let's celebrate and support small businesses like Tiny Tassel | | |  | | | | Tiny Tassel, a South Carolina-based jewelry, clothing and accessories business, is one of the many Black-owned businesses that we're proud to support through Facebook's #BuyBlack Friday campaign. Find Tiny Tassel and others through the #BuyBlack Gift Guide. Learn more here | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters.
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