penthouse of the cbsn broadcast center and not in captioning sponsored by cbs >> yuccas: tonight covid clash as the campaign clock runs down. >> that's all i hear about now. covid, covid, he can vid. >> we're not learning how to live with it, are you asking us to learn how to die with it, and it's wrong. >> yuccas: the white house today changing its tune on a virus victory. >> we're not going to control the pandemic. >> they are admitting defeat. >> yuccas: as the outbreak spreads inside the administration again. new cbs news polling on the state of the race. also tonight despite the surging virus early voters out in force at home and abroad. >> that we are worried about things like whether our vote will count. >> yuccas: dangerous forecast, california faces an extreme weather threat as snow-dampens wildfires play flames in colorado. >> an the vatican, an historic

choice for american catholics. plus federal judges and pioneers. >> there were only two in my class. >> we got used early on to dealing in a man's world. >> >> yuccas: and later, it is 2020 so you know it's going to be a very scary halloween this year. no kidding. >> trick or treat. this is the "cbs weekend news." >> yuccas: good evening, i'm jaimy yuccas in los angeles. nine days to go until the election and the coronavirus is once again spreading inside the trump administration. at least five aids to vice president pence now testing positive. cbs news battleground polls out today show a tight race in three southern states with joe biden having the edge over the president in florida. biden is up four points in north carolina and the contest is even in georgia. tonight the president handed out

candy to children. a front line health workers and military families after campaigning today in maine and new hampshire. cbs's paula reid starts us off. >> even as the country topped 80,000 new cases a day, president trump told supporters if new hampshire sunday that the virus is fading out. >> we're rounding the turn. we have the vaccines. we have everything. we're rounding the turn. even without the vaccines we're rounding the turn. >> but covid is still spreading among top white house staffers as vice president mike pence's chief of staff, mark short is the latest official to test positive along with four other members of the vice president's team. in a statement the white house said while vice president pence is considered a close contact with mr. short, the vp will maintain his schedule in accordance with the cdc guide lines for essential personnel. >> on "face the nation" margaret brennan pressed national security advisor robert o'brien

who also had the virus earlier this year, on pence's refusal to quarantine. >> the free election is found taition to our dem sockee. >> couldn't he do it virtually to be safer? >> well, i think is he taking all the precautions and my understanding is he tested negative as has the second lady. >> white house chief of staff mark medo-- meadows said the vice president will wear a mask and socially distance on the campaign trail but also suggested the administration is not looking to mitigate the rusk of the virus. >> we're not going to control the pandemic. we are going to control the fact that we get vaccines. therapeutics. >> vice presidential nominee senator kamala harris seized on those remarks as she landed in detroit sunday. >> they are admitting defeat. listen, he should be following the guide lines, we're doing it. we have modeled the right and good behavior and they should take our lead. >> on saturday former vice president joe biden defended his

smaller drive-in campaign event. >> i don't like the idea of all this distance but it's necessary. i appreciate you being safe. what we don't want to do is become superspreaders. >> tonight the vice presidents with back on the stump cam pawning in north carolinament when president trump was asked if his running mailt should be out campaigning after being exposed to the virus, president trump said you have to ask him. >> yuccas: with just over a week to go who are the campaigns trying to appeal to at this point. >> our cbs news poll show that biden voters tend to be more concerned about coronavirus. and those concerns are what are driving a lot of voters to support the former vice president but our polls also show that trump voters bear are more focused on immigration and the economy. in the last full weak before election day, both campaigns are going to be making their final appeal to voters even though millions have already cast their ballot. >> paula thank you. those votes nearly 60 million now have been cast despite the

pandemic. and record infections. today the u.s. death toll past 225,000. here is cbs's lilia luciano. >> america is showing up in full force to vote early and in person in all 50 states despite an alarming fall covid surge. >> from long lines in louisiana. >> i'm coming out to vote. my life depends on it. >> to california where patricia williams cast her ballot. >> i have my mask on. s have my gloves so i feel safe. >> nationwide coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are setting new records. on saturday 83,718 new infections, just shy of friday's pandemic record. 312ities-- 31 states are in the red zone for new cases. former fda commissioner scott gottlieb told "face the nation" that the next few weeks are critical. >> we're entering what is going to be the steep slope of the curve, of the epidemic curve. >> forth and south da

code-- dakota ranked furs and second in per capita infekszs and the risky fall travel season is here. delta is taking safety guide lines very seriously. it sadded 500 people to no fly risk for refusing to mask up on flights according to a memo obtained by krrksz bs news. the surge isn't stopping 109 year olderlynne from texas from casting her ballot, born before women even had the right to vote and marked a presidential ballot nearly two dozen times. >> we think one little vote might not make a difference but it makes a lot of difference. >> like eline californians are casting their vote in person and while health officials are urging people to wear a mask, if you don't you will be escorted to an outdoor area where you can still fulfill your civic duty and vote. jamie? >> yuccas: lilia, thank you. we turn now to extreme weather and new wildfire fears in

california. powerful winds expected tonight could leave hundreds of thousands in the state without power. as pg & e shuts down some lines to prevent them from sparking new fires. in colorado snow fell told putting plows on roads an brking possible relief to crews battling record wildfire there. flames have scorched some 300 square miles roaring through homes, ranches and rocky mountain national park. cbs news meteorologist and climate specialist jeff beardoli is tracking all of that. you are busy. >> yeah, jamie, it could be a very dangerous night across california. here is the reason. look at this pink area, extremely critical fire danger. the last time this was issued in oregon in september, it ended up being a devastating situation. so that is for tonight, during the day tomorrow the worst of it is across southern california around los angeles when the sant ana winds really begin to kick in, strong cold front pushing across the sierra nevada, the winds race down the mountain, into the valleys, into the san

francisco bay area, wind gusts in the hillsk in the canyons, up to 75, 85 mule an hour winds. so hurricane force winds are possible and that is the case across southern california during the day tomorrow. if a fire were to light it could turn extremely dangerous, very quukly. good news some relief for feur fighters in colorado, one to two feet in the mountain, even denver and boulder will see around six to 12 inches of snow. if t feels like zero on monday, feels like 18 below in denver in its own category on tuesday morning b10 below in aspen, so winter it looks like has arrived with a vengeance two months early. >> wow, jeff berardelli, thank you. a historic announcement at the vatican. pope francis today appointed the first african-american cardinal. roman regularry was among 13 new cardinals named. he has been a leader in addressing the catholic church's sexual abuse scandal. covid travel restrictions keep canada closed to most americans.

it is the same for much of europe. but as cbs's elizabeth palmer shows us americans living outside the u.s. are voting. >> turns out americans don't even have to be earthbound to vote. u.s. astronaut kate rubin who blasted off last week cast her absentedee ballot from a make shift voting booth aboard the international space station. >> i think it's really important for everybody to vote and if we can do it from space, then i believe voaks can do it from the ground too. >> that is what alex colton is doing from her home in london. >> are you are voting in a state where you think it could make a difference? >> i would certainly hope so. i'm from georgia. i have always voted in georgia. and it is superimportant, i feel like every vote counts within the system of absentee voting for u.s. ex-pats has been running smoothly for decades but this year demand is through the roof says susan suinat who runs

the u.s. vote foundation. >> as so many different crisis hit the u.s., overseas citizens became more and more aware of what was going on and wanted to participate. >> have you got any idea how many more overseas ballots will be returned this year than in prev years? >> it will probably be about double. >> would you shut up, man. >> who is on your list, joe. >> but in this most bitterly contested election in decades, american ex-pats are feeling some stress. >> now the question is do i trim the page or don't i trim the page. >> janet from new york read and reread the instructions for the ballot she printed at home. >> if it wasn't 100 percent perfect, that is what they would discount my vote. and i feel very passionate about voting in this particular election. >> i didn't receive my ballot and i have spoken to two other americans as well that have been luving here and they didn't

receive theirs either. >> she did register online though and was able to print one but it has shaken her faith. >> i'm not really sure, so i do feel more sceptical than i have in the past. >> in the lobby of the u.s. embassy in london there is a special mail box. some americans rattled by changes to the u.s. postal service and allegations of fraud choose to post their ballots here. one was patricia wynn. >> how confident are you that your vote will be counted in the long run? >> i think it's really worrying that we actually start to question these institutions and that we are worried about things like weather our vote will count. >> these votes could be decisive if battleground states and that is spur spurring ex-pat voters on. after all, you have to be in it to win it. elizabeth palmer, cbs news, london. >> yuccas: very true. straight ahead on the cbs weekend news, the women without blazed the trail by sitting on

the bench. we'll meet the first female federal judges. and later, trick or treat. as halloween this year promises a real scare.

>> on c sthoat the yay is 51, the nays 48, the motion is agreed to. >> yuccas: today the u.s. senate met in a rare session voting to advance supreme court nominee amy coney barrett toward final confirmation despite democratic objections. a final vote is expected tomorrow. barrett would be just the fifth woman to ever serve on the high court compared to 109 men. but before any woman became a justice others blazed the trail. here's cbs's jan crawford. >> for most of these women they were the first. >> there were only two of news my law school class. >> we got used early on to dealing in a man's world. >> there were forks in the road. >> judge anne thompson, the

first female and african american federal judge in new jersey. >> rulings that come from the bench make a big difference. they determine lives. >> judge susan blacker the first female federal court judge in florida. >> that's one thing wonderful about more women in law, and more women on the bench. all of a sudden you will have women who are different from each other. so you are not branded as a woman. >> and judge stephanie seymour, its first in oklahoma. >> we have been discriminated against in various times in our life. so we bring a different perspective to some of the cases we deal with. >> in 1979 president carter appointed these women and 20 others to the federal bench making a statement about the future of the judiciary. >> what was that statement? that women can do this job and they did the job. and i think that that made it possible for women to follow. and to help get over the

stereotypes. >> what do you mean. >> there are some assumptions about, at that time, about women being soft, being emotional. >> for judge seymour her path to court was blocked, literally when pregnant practicing law. >> and the bailives just threw his arm across the way after my male colleague went through and he said only lawyers are allowed up here. and i sort of stood up straight and stuck my belly out and said i'm one of those and just pushed my way through. >> the way these women persevered while also juggling child raising with preparation, they knew the stakes were high. >> though even though were you this historic first federal woman judge in the state you were going to work to get the kids to the orthodontist, to thawr sports practices. >> absolutely. sitting in the bleachers,

reading briefs, absolutely. >> these trail blazer has a message for those of tomorrow. >> think of what you want to do in this world. and go for it. what can make a difference and what can you be good at. >> just as these women did. jan crawford, cbs news, washington. >> yuccas: great advice. girl power. love it. still ahead on the cbs weekend news, a fight for a vit kal voting bloc, african-american men.

>> yuccas: as the presidential campaign enters its final stretch both parties are making a strong push for an often overlooked voting bloc, african-american men. our new cbs news bet poll shows black americans overwhelmingly support joe biden. 90% compared to 8% for president trump. cbs's nikole killion spoke to three generations of men to see where they stand. >> i'm 46, take it easy.

>> each week demetrius short leads runners through nashville but it is the race for president that has him going the extra mile. >> have you all voted yet? >> yes. i voted, normally with me being in the military, i'm apolitical, pretty much an independent. >> which is why retired marine harold rucker didn't support president trump or hillary clinton four years ago. >> i pretty much voted for the libertarian. i couldn't see either one of those two. >> imagine if all those folks actually turned out to vote. >> this election the biden and trump campaigns are increasingly courting african-american men through ads. >> now it's our turn. >> our responsibility to take our power back. >> he wants everyone in america to have the opportunity towards success. >> and most recently in the last debate. >> nobody has done more for the black community than donald trump. criminal justice reform. prison reform.

opportunity zones. >> we have to provide for economic opportunities, better education, better health care. >> the candidates have unveiled specific plans appealing to the estimated 30 million eligible african-american voters. 13 percent of black male voters supported president trump in 2016. move than three times the rate of black women. >> which candidate do you feel speaks best it to the issue of african-american men. >> i don't feel like anybody really just came out and took an extremely strong position to not only protect african-americans but to progress african-americanss. >> to talk about voting and the importance of voting but there are a lot of black men who don't. >> that is why we are here to encourage each other. nothing is going to change if we all talk the seat. >> so they are putting their best foot forward. nubbing oel kill on, cbs news, nashville. >> yuccas: next on the cbs weekend news, a california neighborhood on edge when they spot a cat up a tree.

thing is, it's a really big cat.

>> the sheriff's office in a los angeles suburb got a call about a cat up a tree but in california you can't just say here kitty kitty. >> he's got like a mountain tiger. and i saw sth tail of it. >> so it's not exactly a mountain tiger, more like a mountain lion. she was asleep at first and wearing a clar and an ear tag. no attempt though to coex it down. get this, authorities just left her hanging hoping she would head home by night fall. when we return, costume, candy and covid. we preview a spooky and safe halloween.

>> yuccas: finally it's that time for ghosts and goblins an things that go bump in the night but it is 2020 so trick or treating is uniquely scary this year. here's cbs's michael george. >> in a town famous for witch trials and halloween celebrations the scariest thing in salem, massachusetts this year, the tourists. the mayor is selling sight seers to stay home. >> this is not the year to come to salem, this is not the year to visit. >> but people are showing up anyway. >> it's been crazy. like there's been just as many crowds as usual. >> halloween won't be so much about door to door trick or treating this year. fantastic displays like this one can be enjoyed by people safely from a distance. >> here we go. >> thank you. >> how do you dispense treats from a distance? in this washington, d.c. neighborhood one family came up with a solution. >> a covid safe candy slide. >> jinx. >> the slide made from pvc pipe. >> truck or treat.

>> while keeping socially distant. the mayo clinic urging americans to avoid high risk activities like costume parties, haunted houses and especially trick or treating. >> unfortunately having many people from durch households mixing in close proximity is a high risk activity. >> instead recommending alternative low risk celebrations. >> in case you are wondering, the candy on this slide is disinfected first. halloween isn't cancelled, it's just different. >> everything that has been different, how to purpose, so we can give a little bit of normal see. >> they deserve it. >> michael gorge, cbs news, new york. >> how bay corny joke like what's a ghost's favorite dessert? ice cream. >> yeah, i know, not that funny, that is the cbs weakened news for this sunday. coming up, 60 minutes and interviews with both presidential candidates and their running mates, i'm jamie

now at 6:00 a live look outside. powerful winds expected to blast the bay area. the critical window that could ignite wildfires. pg&e just minutes away from giving us an update on the safety shutoffs as the utility begins to cut power to thousands of customers. i'm john ramos in the berkeley hills where a warning to preevacuate the area for fire danger has a lot of people wondering what to do. we'll have that story coming up. and good evening, thanks for joining us, i'm juliette goodrich. >> i'm brian hackney. the bay area bracing for the most dangerous fire conditions of the year. let's take a live look outside where winds are starting to pick up and could be strong enough to topple trees and send branches into power lines. that has prompted pg&e to cut power to thousands of customers across the bay area.

first wave of blackous are already happening in parts of napa and sonoma counties. pockets of marin county are also without power right now. alameda and contra costa counties could see shutoffs in a couple of hours. customers in parts of san mateo and santa clara counties could be left in the dark later tonight. we've got team coverage on the critical fire danger. we'll begin with meteorologist paul nolan and aaron villareal. >> the dry air the gusty winds are bringing into the bay area. not just the inland mountains and hills or some of the inland valleys. every single square inch of the bay area is included in this red flag warning through 11:00 tomorrow morning. we're talking about wind gusts in the high elevations, 60 to 70 miles an hour, which means any spark would rapidly grow into a dangerous fire that would be able to spread quickly. valleys along the coast, the sustained winds will be