captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc >> woodruff: good evening. onm judy woodruff. he newshour tonight: a major complication. president trump threatens to reject congress' long-awaited covid relief bill, if hisnd demaare not met. then, the pardon power.t the presidsues multiple controversial pardons, includinr contraconvicted of killing civilians in iraq. plus, "unfinished business." as americans are living longer, we examine the enomic benefits of somolder workers choosing to remain in the workforce. >> as older workers who are very experienced and knowledgeable retire from the labor force, we lose that productive capacity at a time when we actually nd

more productive capacity given te demographics in the country. >> woodruff: allhat and more, on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years.sf the engine that connects us.

>> supported by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. committed to building a more world.verdant and peaceful more information at macfound.org >> and with the going support of these institutions: and individuals.

>> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. th united states marked another gruesome milestone today, as deaths from covid-19d 325,000. at the same time, many more americans are feele economic impact. the labor department reported 800,000 new jobless claims last week, and as many as 14 million people could lose unemployment unless president trump signs the covid relief bill passed by congress on monday. while the white house originally gnaled he would support it, the president posted a video late yesterday hintit he would not sign unless congress increased stimulus check,0from $600 to , and cut out what he called "wasteful spending." for the latest, i'm joined by anna pmer, senior washington

correspondent for politico. so much for being here, so we ve this threaten veto, we also have the actual veto-of-the defense authorizeation bill but let's start with covid lief because that's what so many americans are counting on. where does it stand rightw? >> it is really unclear what the president's end game is.he s now saying that he is going to veto it unless there is $2,000 in direct payments. but this really isn't about the bill.nce of t the president for months has not been an-- he has been in negotiations, both republicans and democrats thought they had e deal, the white house agreeing to it several days. both sides have been kind of gloating about the fact that theyiere able to get tdone. and right now it's going right down to the wire. govement funding runs ou december 28th but some of these unemployment benefits end on saturday. and so far the president isn't on the same page as republicans and nobody really knows wh next steps are. >> woodruff: and it appears he

is not on thsame page as his own officials in his own administration, the treasury secretary,teven mnuchin was in these negotiations and went alog with the $600. is that correct? >>e was ve much a part of these negotiations. an even the white house spokesman just minutes before the president went and put out that video was on aire dnding things. this was a win for the white use. it was really going to be seen by a lot of republicans in the white house a way for the president to save face, leave office with not ony the vaccine coming out but also relief for the millions of americans who badly need itat this time. so anna, itwe know t the proforma special tomorrow, andto we understand the plan is speaker pelosi was saying that they will put this 2,000 on the floor. it is expected that republicans will on swrecor what? >> yes, senate minority, house

minority leader mccarthy was in a phone call with blican lawmaker this afternoon and signaled that the republicans would not be favor of this unanimous consent motn that they expected to have members siject to it. so that bacally is a nonstarter 6789 even if it got anywhere in the house it really is a nonstarter in the senate. there wold definite be objection there. but this is really the question of what does the predent do next. basically republicans in congress are calling the president's bluff. yvetteoed one bill this week. will yvetteo another and will they override it, that is the big questi. >> and it puts him on the side of the deocrats. irony of ironies. and then just quickly, anna, about the defense authothzeation billpresident has vetoed where does that st >> a bill that had passed for the last 59 years straight. this was not expected. both republicans and democratsew hat the president had toyed with vetoes it.

they will with all expectations that they will override this veto and that it will becom law. >> and his objections have too do with several things. some of is legal liability for big check companies, we but there were seeral reasons, apparently. >> yeah, he doesn't like where somef the spending is. he's been critical of that. but you know, this has been again i think sometimes where the president is versus where the reality of how bills become law in congress, he's pretty divorced from that process. th has been something that has been negotiated in both chambers by republicans, by democrats. enthey've come to an agreon it. certainly the white house has been briefed on it. so it not anybig surprise. he just has decided that this is something that he was going tole not be abto support and they are going to at the end ofth day, this will be the first time congress has overridden a to of president trump during his term. >> and finally anna, coming back to the covid relief bill, this

is again emphasizing something blu sid a moment ago. reans had heralded this, the two republicans running in those senate runoffs i georgia. were heralding this sang it is a great thing and then the president turns around and says it is not enough. >> a lot of people are looking at this as if this s a loyalty pledge to the president. he is very frustrated that most republicans in washington, in the sete, in the house have moved on from the election and his claims tha have been totally proven to be false, that he didn't lose ecthis on. and so because of the electoral college vote on january 6th a lot of people believe that he is maybe holding this up because this is a way to kind of burn down the house. this is not gad for republicansn it certain good for the two snalt republicans in georgia who not only are running on this as the fact that it help folks who really needed the aid in their states but that this was how they are kind of members

who make washington work. that is part of their argument. send us back because we are going to be there to get things for georgia done. and this is going to be a real hard argument fothem to try to make if the president does block this relief and potentially force a shutdown. >> woodruff: remarkable drama w know, as so many people are waiting to find out whether this relief is coming or not. anna palmer, senior corresndent, senior "politico" correspondent, anna, thank you. >> woodruff: now, to the fallout from presidentrump's flood of pardons and commutations last night. mr. trump's latest round of executive clemency was a

nearly 50% increase from the number he granted in the previous four years. william brangham reports. >> brangham: the overnight swirl mpof news from president t included an off-camera clemency.ent about new grant there were 20 recipients in all: pardons for 15 of them, five others receiving commutations for their sentences.me like george papadopoulos, are familiar figures fromse special col robert mueller's russia investigation.as papadopoulos wn aide to the van der zwaan was er withalex links to former trump campaign chairman paul manafort. both papadopoulos and van der zwaan pleaded guilty to lying to investigators. both received pardons last night. three republican former congressmen were also on last night's pardon list: steve stockman of texawas serving his sentence for money laundering and fraud;of chris collins new york was serving his sentence related an insider trading case; and

duncan hunter of california was close to starting his jail sentence for misusing campaign funds. colls and hunter were also among mr. trump's earliest supporters in congress. all three received pardons. cording to dang kolbecome organize, a professor at capital university in ohio who studies executive clemency. >> a very heavily disproportioned number of the parties that he-- pardons that he has granted has been to those to whom he has a connection orol is behden or who have lied protect him. >> some of the president's previous bards and come taitions went to other allies like confident roger stone and hiser foational security advisorn. michael flyn both of whom were swept up in the the announcement of papadopoulos's pardon last night justified it by saying it was to "help correct the wrong that mueller's team inflicted on so

ma people." wirmally, the justice department is involved in rng clemcy petitions, but the >> it looks like the vast majority of pardons and come outations th the president has issued have not gone through the office of pardon. in fact the vast majority of pardon applications have been dismissed without any actioat all. so almost every one of appr to have gotlne dricthrough the white house although we don't know for certain. > >> brangham: last night's announcement also included pardons for four former 00ackwater security coractors, convicted in thekilling of more than a dozen iraqi civilians in bagad, including two young boys. the massacre sparked an international uproar in the immediate aftermath. the white house pointed to evidence issues in the case. still, today, this baghdad resident expreed outrage.

>> ( translated ): the infamous blackwater company killed citizens at nisoor square. today we heard they were released upon a personal orderpr by u.sident donald trump, as if they don't care for spilled iraqi blood. blackwater was founded by eric prince, himself a trump ally and brother of secretary of education betsye d de devos. now we want to take a deeper look at the implication ofs of blackwater pardons and for that i'm joined by ired colonel gary sos. he also an adjunct professor of law. colonel, very good to have you on the newshour. these four men were convicted by othe u.s. governmentr their role in massacring these ira civilians, unarmed civilians. do you think that this was an appropriate pardon? >> absolutely not. there is no basis for this pardon. there is no judicial error.

this is no societial wrong that is cured. these people were covicted, the primary person itrial was convicted of murder twice. and sentenced to lifetwice. the other three were convicted of volume tear mans sentenced to 30 years, there is just no reason that i can see for these pardons. >> brangham: supporters of these men including somepu icans in congress argue that the investigation into this massre was tainted from the start. that the iraqi police did most of the iniestial invgating, that the fbi didn't show up for ways that the cake was already baked before the investigation really began what do you make of that, that assertion? >> i would simply say that they are in error to think that, there were investigations by the i that found that these were indeed unwarranted shootings

that occurred. there were investigations by the u.s. military that found the sameching and orse there were two trials that found the same thing. if there was any-- there wasch initiallges were dismissed because they were wrongly based unity.nts of imm but then they went to trial, another trial and they were convicted. i don't believe there is any basis to attack the cedibility and the justness of these convictions. >> brangham: so your sense is that even though, i mean the iraqi government clearly wanted us to prosecute these men for murder. and the d o.j. did handle this case and brought enormous amounts of evidence and iraqis to the united states to testify. you are confident, you are a former judge and a retired marine colonel, you are confident that these men got a fair trial and that they are guilty. >> there is not a doubt in my mind, no. a have-- throughout the middle

ea-qaeda, taliban, isis, we have provided them now with ait hammerwhich they can beat us any time we utter the words we the united states, utter the words justice or fairness. and for whaont reas t is hard to understand why this wne. because throughout the middle east, particularly on iq, of course, now they know thatedhe untates promising fairness and justness, a just outcome has let these individuals go free and they're not going to forget it.go we'rg to be a long time overcoming the distrust of america's word on the basis of this case. >> bngham: you think the are long-term implications for u.s.raqi relations from this? >> absolutely. this is not here today gon tomorrow for them. these are people who saw 20 of their individuals wounded, 17 of

them killed, including women and children, or a woman and child, orgethey are not going to this tomorrow, next week or next month. no, i think that this is something that is going to be with us and we may be paying a price for for a long te to come. >> brangham: what is your sense for what this might do for s. service members serving abroad or u.s. contractors who armehelping. n these men were there as a security detail for state departme officials in baghdad. what iwhyour sense oat this pardon might mean for all of those forces of ouroperating elsewhere in the world? >> ame you have distrust among the people whom you are trng to serve and protect, you've got a problem. he people in the middle east where we are soeavily engaged now and tomorrow, as i say, are not gog to forget that our word was not worth anything when we assured them of jusice in a case that clearly cried out for justice. there was absolutely no reason,

no alibi for these shootings, for these killings. and now we let them free. as we said before, t not going to forget this.a and distrust will translate to combat ants' deaths and injury down the rod. >> brangham: all right, retired marine general gary t solink you very much for being here. >> you bet. >> woodruff: in the day's other news, pfizer agreed to give the u.s. an additional 100 million doses of its covid-19 vaccine, doubling its current commitment. in return, the u.s. government promised to help the company get supplies.o manufacturing the u.s. has now vaccinated more

than million peoplesince it first started 10 days ago. that news came as millions of americans geared up for holiday travel and celebration. state officials like new york governor andrew cuomo >> celebrate, but just be smart about the way you celebrate. avoid the density, open thewi ow, take a walk outside. just be smart about the way you celebrate. celebrate smart. stop the shut-downs. >> woruff: meanwhile, the white house coronavirus response coordinar, dr. deborah birx, said she will soon retire, amid backlash over her out-of-state travels over the thanksgiving holiday weekend. but she promised to stay on long enough to help the incoming biden administration. british cargo and travelers slowly made their way into france today, after a two-day blockade was lifted. it aimed to prevent the spread

of a new covid-19 variant in the u.k. but a massive backlog of trucks remains near channel ports and highways in england. the gridlock is expected to take days to resolve. that comes as itain's health secretary warned his country has detected yet another new covid variant, linked to south africaa >> this neant is highly , ncerning because it is yet more transmissibd it appears to have mutated further than the new variant that has be discovered in the u.k. president-elect biden formally introduced miguel cardona asfo his nominesecretary of education in wilmington, delaware today. the connecticut education commissioner is known as a strong advocate for public schools. if confirmed, cardona said one of his top priorities will be

addressing inequities within the education system that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. >> it'our responsibility, it's our privilege, to take this moment and to do the most american thing imaginable-- to forge opportunity out of crisis. to draw on our resolve, our ingenuity and our tireless optimism as a people. >> woodruff: cardona also supports re-opening schools during the pandemic. president-elect biden has pledged to re-open most of them by the end of his first 100 days in office. e f.b.i. says iran was behind online efforts to incite violence against its director, christopher wray, and other topa officialier this month. they targeted individualses who refuted ent trump's false claims of widespread election fraud. ousted homeland secu

department official christopher krebs was also among more than a dozen people threatened. their images, home addresses, and other personal information were posted on a website, with crosshairs over their photos. in ethiopia, more than 100 people died in a new massacre over ethnic tensions today. the ethiopian human rights commission sai the attack happened in the western part of the country, separate from the ongoing conflict in tigray. it is not clear yet who the attackers were. a massive fire eruteed today at orary migrant camp in northwestern bosnia. thick black smoke billowed over tents as residents jumped fences to escape the flames. officials believe some residents started the blaze to ptest the wimp's planned closure for er refurbishing. bosnia has become a bottlenecks for thousa migrants hoping to reach the europe. hong kong media tycoon jimmy lai

was granted bail today, after three weeks in custody. the prominent beijing critic was charged under a nationalcu rity law that punishes dissent the semi-autonomouses chinterritory. he walked out of court today after being placed under house arrest, and barred from making public statements. back in this country, consumer spending fell in novber forth first time since april. the 0.4% drop came amid the normally bustling holiday shoppingeason. and, stocks were mixed on wall street today. the dow jones industrial average rose 114 points to close at 30,130. the nasdaq fell 37 points,nd the s&p 500 added three. still to come on the newshr: inctions and deaths from covid-19 continue to rise ahead of the holiday weekend. the u.k. faces the dual challenges of a pandemic lockdown and potential no-deal

brexit. we travel to maine to examine the political divisions that remain in the wake of the election. plus, much more. >> woodruff: one state that has been hit especially hard recently by the rise of covid cases, and has gotten a lot less e.tention nationally, is tennes while its numbers are smaller than larger states, tennessee has had the highest rate of new cases and infections in the country twice this week. some hospitals are nearing capacity of what they can handle. stephanie sy has this update. sy: judy, just to underscore that point, at least 25 tennessee hospitals had complete full i.c.u.s

last week, and the main problem when we talk aboaf capacity is ng. more than 3,000 tenessns are currently hospitalized from covid. the state reported more than 4,400 new cases and 133 deaths yesterday. and, more than 6,200 peoplhave died since the pandemic began. chattanooga is sing its share all of this, unfortunately. andy berke is the mayor, and he joins me now. mayor berke, thank you so much for being with us, how are things in chattanooga and what is your greatest concern right now? >> the greatest concern is the really difficult times thatwe e going to see over the next 60 to 90 days as more pele are indoors, as we continue to see the holiday seasonlay out, and what is going to happen there. we're seing deaths escalate here on a very large basis. and we have to ncbe crned for our hospital capacity as we move >> i want to get to that. but you do have a local mask

mandate in place there. what else are you ing to contain the spread there in your city. >> well, really have restricted powers for city mayors. so thre aren't additional measures that i can put in place, for the most part we're talking about cpaigns and public statements.te but the sts a whole has preemed local mayors from making those kind of adjustments. so we really have to rely on state policies. and onorhe inftion front, you know, people are hearing different things from the national level to th state level to local level, so we really don't have consistent messag g. >> has then frustrating for you. thknow you have been critical of the factt governor lee there has not issued a statewide mask mandate. there are also all these exemptions for gatherings including for funerals and weddings and of course places ow worshih the current policy is tennessee going to be able to get a handle on cid-19? we haven't had a handle on it. just in the country but in the

world right now. and this is very disturbing to me, to the people ir seve. our first duty is to keep people fe, that they have a way to live their life safely and in a healthy fashion. we're not doing that now. so we've got to make sure that this time betwnden nows we see the vaccine roll out start to get to scale, whre we can make sure that more people can make it through these dificult weeks. >> you mentioned health care workers. and as we reported, more than two zen hospitals in your state have full icu's right now. is that wt you are seeing in chattanooga. and what are front line workers telling u? >> well, every week we have a meeting, a task force meeting that has the headsof all the hospitals as part of that. what i hear every week is our employees are stressed. they're tired.ly they're reorried about what is going on. and the issue is not about the

number of bedor space, it's always about personnel. do they have the people tht they need to serve the covid tient but then on top f that, all the other sick individuals they're seein >> i know that you and other state officials have been encouraging people not to gather beyond their immediate families. but with christmas around the corner, at message sinking in. and if not, why? >> well, i hope so. and i am going to keep saying at message. m going to live that message. but i do think that there are mixed messages that people get from seeing licies t don't we also s from the, again from. the top, from the president of ere united states on down, dit kind of messages, and the most important thing is wecr needs parties, acrossev governmentybody to be saying the same thing so that no

annel youich news watch or which trusted messenger you get your information from, that you hear stay in your home unless absotely necessary and do not socialize with people from outside your immediate household. >> mor andy berke, we're certainly wishing you and other tennesseeans a happy and fe holiday. thank you so much for joining us. >> be heav. -- safe. >> woodruff: as we noted earlier, there is something close to chaos in southeastern england, as thousands of trucks are now starting to move, after a full border closure between the u.k. and the europe due to covid-19. this all comes just eight days before the u.k. leaves the european union, after a 4.5-year divorce that's now in its final,

and excruciating, stages.he fromouthern port of eastbourne, both on land, and sea, here's special >> reporter: it's 5:00 a.m. and the crew o"the talisman" are already preparing the bait. there's just a few days leftl untie holidays, and there's a premium to be had if they can get these crabs up and onto dinner tables in time for they normally sharis spot with french boats, eight miles off the english coast, but it's rough, raining and a sunday. just as well they're not here today-- britisfishermen say ey got a raw deal when the iek. joined the ropean union and divvd up its fish 40 years ouo, and it's stank er since. how do you feel the french fishing in british waters? >> yeah, i'm okay with it, as long as it's reciprocal. >> reporter: at the moment, it's int. >> from the coas it's six

nautical miles out, the french can fish just back of that line. we don't have the same deal. it's not reciprocal. in france it's from the coast to 12 nautical les out. >> reporter: it can get crowded in the english channel, and messy, like in 2018 when british and frenchishermen ashed in what was dubbed the scallop wars. by sunrise, michael and thcrew have pulled 150 pots. brown and spider crab that al too sm have eggs go right back in. after nine months of round-the- clock trade talks between the e.u. and the u.k., the final snag?s how much acce u.k. gives to its fishing waters and theoo sethey contain. talks between the british and the european union have intensified in the past few days, and the french may have helped focus minds. saturday, after the u.k. announced it had detected a new strain of the coronavirus, the ,try closed its borders

leaving thousands of trucks and truckers stranded, unable toen cross the ish channel. in southeast england tempers e ared. rman trucker, stuck in the u.k., summed up the frustrations: >> this is not how it ouldah work, okay, brexit one side, but other side is covid? i don't know. >> reporter: some british officials even belie french wanted to give britain a taste of what leaving the might look like in just eight days. the french say they were just trying to prevent the strain's spread. the borders are now open to all drivers who test negative, but t may take weeks to clearhe backlog. the disruption to trade stoked fears of food shortages. full of crab, one of these containers is worth about $300. not a bad tch, but compared the size of the british economy, just arop in the ocean. in fact, the u.k.'s entire one-tenth of 1% of britishjust

g.d.p. the e.u., the u.k.'s largest trading partner, says it will introduce tariffs on british exports, including fish, if the two sides fa to reach a deal by new year'creve. all the , lobster that you ught today. where's that all going? >> that's all going to mainland europe. that's all going for a christmas rket in portugal, spain, france, you know. it'll end in french and spanish and portuguese households. they'll eat that over christmaso they pay gooney. >> reporter: while michael says alhe would welcome a fair he also sees opportunity in markets like china, and back at home. >> i think if one of thepshots of brexit is that british people eat british fish, then we're winning there. b >> reporter:k in the harbor, they're collecting their catch from a make-shift repository, getting them ready to be shipped across the channel. despite l the disruption, by the way, the crabs made it to

their destination. for the pbs newshour, i'm ryan chilcote in eastbourne, england. >> woodruff: as much of the country has solidified its partisan divide, one state stood out for its bipartisan vote. what's different about maine, and what it can teach us about the rest of the country.ro >>: this is what bill green knows best-- showing off maine's great outdoors in front of a camera. ind, on a picture-perfect december day, i him for some skeet-shooting. pull. >> he did it! awesome! here in maine, the longtime host "f the popular television

program, "bill green's maine." >> every saturdawenight at 7:00, l be checking out a different part of the pine tree state. >> brown: but this year, he got in front of a camera to do something he's never done: endorse a political candidate. >> no matter who you're voting has never been morportantcollins for maine. >> brown: green was aiming for an increasingly rare political phenomenon: split-ticket voting. he stepped into the middle of a hard-fought senate race between incumbent republican susanan collindemocratic challenger sarah gideon. enormous amounts of money-- re than $180 million-- poured into the race, much of it from outside. in the end, maine went as bill green hoped: for democrat joe biden and republican susan collins. based on what you know about i thependent streak in maine, did it make sense what happened this time? >> for me, this electint that people here thought

no one is going to do th to >> i think what goes on in washington doesn't have to much to do with it, politics should be local and the big name brand, republicans and democrats, that tem, in and upset our sys upset our state, i think were wrong. >> it st the idea >> brown: if the idea of "local" still means something in maine, you can see some of th political impact and the economic changes in the rural north, like here in ollinocket, on of the nation's leading mill towns. the mill opened in 1900. the town grew with it and became known as the "magic city." at its peak in the 1970s, the great northern paper companyor employedthan 2,000 people here. 08but, the mill closed in the town's population dwindled and aged. main street is now peppered with closed businesses. jimmy busque worked in the mill and is a former town councilor. a few days after my visit,

speaking via skype, he told me when he was growing up, millinocket really was the" magic city." >> it was a great, great place to grow up, you know. everybody knew everybody. we had a population of-- that was double what it is now. lot-- a lot of kids.milies, a everybody had money. >> brown: politically, this area was once reliably blue, but that's changed. unlike most states, maine splits its electoral votes by congressional districts, and in 2016, donald trump won the second congressional, which includes millinocket, making him the first republican since 1988 to gain an electoral vote here. he won the district this year. thsedemocrats, why did they strength there in your part of the world? >> i think they lostpeouch with thle. the democrat party, you know, growg up, would seem to be more for the working class. well, i think it's kd of turned now. i think now the democrats have lost touch with the average

person, and president trp brought the republican party, turned it right around. >> brown: what is it about his message that resnyated for so eople, do you think? >> one of the issues here ine maine thatd, that, you do it, is when he abolished the federal marine monument on the coast. it saved a lot of fishing jobs. >> brown: local issues rule here, he says, and have led to divisions just like in the rest of the country. >> well, it's always been said there's two maines, and i firmly believe there is two maines. >> brown: and are there two americas, when you look out now? >> well, it definitely is the same idea of rural america and urban america. i mean, and i feel that we've lost our country. we've definitely lost our country when we started losingal our sml towns. maines, the other foundwo in portland. it's the largest city in the state, and a democratic

stronghold on the ast. in recent years, it's become something of a hip tourist destination, with a hot "foodie" scene that includes the portland hunt and alpine club. it's owned by briana volk and her husbd, and has been med one of the best cocktail bars in america. volk is originally from oregon. she moved here about 10 years ago. >> we're so close to the ocean. our farmers are doing amazing things. and, you know, how-- how could you not be a foodie town whech you have so ccess to so many great things? >> brown: now, of cosethe pandemic is devastating hers and other local businesses. it's just one reason volk, progressive in her politics, got involved this election cycle, even publishing a cocktail boo"" collins against collins," to raise money for down-ballot >> there are rights of so many of our fellow neighbors on the tabland at risk, that that w absolutely frightening to me. you know, watching the response from the pandemic, from the

me that they had n what showed they were doing, and they are of people die, and seem tousands care. >> brown: what did the election results here in maine tell you about maine and about e country? >> i think we are, as a country, politically divided. i grew up in a rural community, and there would be issues that people would disagree on ldpolitically, but there we, like, these community conversations about it. grocery store the next day and say hi to that person, whether you disagreewith them or not. and we've just lost so much of that. >> brown: back in the north, jimmy busque isn't so sure there is a way forward. bridge this divide?o help >> i'm not sure. i don't knowow to go that direction, how to-- how to fix that. i'm not sure. >> brown: but when i asked bill green about thnotion of two maines, he rejected the idea. >> i won't subscribe to it as "two maines" because it's soin lting. but, there are haves and have- nots here, like everre else. and if you have, you've got a

and if you don't, you're fighting for opportunity for you and your children. want there to be one maine. >> brown: warmed by a winter fire, green says he's for divided government. >> not just civility, but reasonableness. i want them to come together and have to talk about it. and i want them to give and take a little bit and move forward together incrementally, to have to fight through issues and do what's best for the most people. >> brown: it's a way of thinking increasingly rare in a polarized america, but at least in maine, this election, it's what seems to have won out. i'r the pbs newshour, jeffrey brown, in the pine tree state of maine. >> woodruff: throughout this past year, paul solman has captured some of the distinct challenges older americans face in the workfce, and what still motivates them. tonight, he finishes that

series with a look at the oldest workers among us-- those who are 80 and above-- and what lessons they have to offer for the rest of us. it's the last in our older workers series, "unfinished business." the entire series waproduced by diane lincoln estis. >> i want to be pulled, tucked and lifted till i can't move my face. >> solman: "take my nose, please," about com undergoing plastic surgery, debuted when the film'sti firs producer, joan krone, was 89. >> everybody just laughed. theyatted me on the head, like, "joan is in her 80s ands shking her first movie." i just was proud of being ableom to aish something at that age that people didn't expect it and they still don't expect it. >> solman: didn't expect "take my nose," her first fil didn't expect her next film about botox, at almost 93. >> luckily, i don't anything that's-- that's life- threatening at the moment. i suppose just my age is life- threatening.

>> solman: life itself is life- threatening? right, but, you know, if i just dwell on that, that, you know, that's a waste of time. >> solman: americans are living longer. y as of lar, u.s. lifep expectancy was 79, from 71 in 1970; 53 in 1920. no wonder many so-called "older workers" are still at it, says researcher nari rhee. in the share of older adults who are still working. ic fact, rightow, before the pandem, about 13% of seniors age 70 and older were working. >> solman: joan kron created the plastic surgery beat at "allure" magazine in her 60s, and maintained it for 25 years. she had a face lift early on. could not have done without, and that is plastic surgery, because there is so much discrimination against the way that you look if if you look like sody's grandmother, they really don't want you around. >> solman: but, if you work long enough... >> now they kind of think i'm

kind of cute. i'm a cute little old lady. >> solman: kron'still going because she loves her work. but she doesn't mind the financial benefits, either. io the longer people wk, they contribute additnally to their social security benefits. >> solman: and working longer isn't just an economic benefit for the individual, says maestas. >> there is more capacity to work than is currently being as older workers who are very. experienced and knowledgeable retired from the labor force l e that productive capacity at a time when we actually need more productive capacity givengr the dehics in the country. >> solman: virtual bessons are ne 80-year-old cecia wyatt s been teaching piano for 62 years. >> retirement never comes into my mind. i love music, i love people of all ages, and i love teaching.>> solman: if you love what you do, it's easy to play on.

but wyatt believes work keeps her sharp. teaching music you are always thinking, e you always counting, you are always thinking about things that keep the mind going.th bu inner joy of music-making i think is exactea at tt of what keeps us jive and >> solman: but nt in music. working longer in general can be good for your health, says professor maestas. >> this can arise from having purpose, from having socialer engagements, itions in the workplace. there's even research that shows people who have particular kinds of work tasks, like work tasks that involve creativity, have variation, that they derive cognitive benefits.>> solman: most in pianist wyatt's circle have not continued on the job. >> they've worked in jobs where retirement was most likely mandatory, and i think it's made

a difference in their lives, and it's not for the better. >> solman: how has it been for the worse? >> i know people who feelpr sed. i think working is such a part of a productive adult. so i think when that's taken useless.enly you feel a bit >> solman: financial analyst may lee began working for the state of california in 1943. what technology did you use when you were working with numbers? >> i used the old chinese abacus. >> solman: an abacus? >> and then from there, i went to the comptometer, and then went to the ten-key adding machines. and then we got calculators and we had electric adding machines. and then we went into computer. one step at a time. >> solman: lee, now 100, officially retired in 1990, when her peion became higher than her salary, but returned soon after. she's paid part-time, but has volunteered some 31,000 additional hours.

>> i enjoy working. and sometimes i just do gebra equations, trying to figure out what's the best. >> solman: you do algebra problems at home for fun? >> yeah, just for fun. >> solman: and so, as thisse es ends, the lessons? pick long-lived parents. do what you love and can master. take on challeng. but remember, says professor maestas, that's impossible for many of us. >> not everybody is healthy enough to work longer, and erybody can work longer job enough.ryone likes their we would say you should work longer. >> solman: but for t, like producer joan kron, who have the knack and drive? >> there are so many benefits that i have for my age, and very good memory, patience, and because i'm a widow, i don't have a husnd that says, "stop working, dear, let's go away for the weekend." >> solman: moreover, says may lee, you appreciate what really matters.

>> you make people happy. you're happy. but generally, people sad and volunteer to do something good. money isn't everything. happiness is more important. >> solman: whether you find it in doing equations or tickling the ivories. >> my own children say, mom, you've never worked. well, that's true. i've never missed a year of teaching, but i don't consider that work. it's play. it's pleasure. >> solman: for the pbs newshour, this is older worker paul solman, younger than cecelia wyatt, born the year after may lee started her job. >> woodruff: finally tonight, it's a holiday season unliker. any ot one artist who's brought much joy to prior seasons is, like everyone ee, wrestling with what this year has brought. jeffrey brown is back with

dancer misty copeland, for our ongoing series on arts a culture, "canvas." >> brown: for much of the last decade, misty copeland has been a major star in american cultural life. as principal dancer with the american ballet theatre, and as a history-making role model, the first black woman to achieve that position in the company's 75 year history. now, amid a pandemic shutdown of live performances, the graceful steps and powerful moves have all but stopped, for her and dancers all over the country. >> this is the longest in my 20-year professional career that i've really gone without really intense training. and i haven't been on a stage r.since december of last y >> brown: that has to be disappointing, frustrating. >> it's all those things. it's all those tngs. dancers have been furloughed, a

lot of them have lost their jobs >> brown: to help, copeland. created "swans for relief," gathering a group of 32ba erinas from around the world to help raise money for dancers and companies. she's also continuing her work to diversify and broaden ballet's reach, including with a ildren's book titled" bunheads." >> it's really to bring a more authentic and positive experience and light to how young people experience dance. it's an endearing name that dancers haveor the ones who are just so passionate about it. they just can't take those buns off their heads when theget home--la ( hs ) --after training. but i always felt like it was like a rite of passage. and i love that fact that i was called a bunhead. and it's like a little group that you want to be a part of. >> brown: copeland's own story is by now well-known, how she

started at age 13-- much later than most dancers-- and stood out for both her talent, and the color of her skin. she persevered and, in a 20- years-and-counting professional career, has had an enormous impact, making ballet visible in new ways. did you have fears, doubts along the way that almost made you stop, or were you just kind of strong and gung-ho fe beginning? >> i definitely was strong and gung-ho. the fears and doubts i had were really around the color of my skin, which was later, once ime be professional dancer, that i was more exposed to that reality. bu was definitely what made me question whether or noth i belonged in e ballet world, being a member of american ballet theatre, which is a company that's 90 dancers, and i was the only black womor the first decade of my career. so if that doesn't sow doubt, i

don't know what will. ( laughs ) and you know, it was really me taking the steps to be open to having support and guidance from a lot of people in the black community that made me feel that it's okato be the first and it's okay to be different. and i think that's such aes powerfulge for young >> brown: the racind social death of george floyd have ledhe to a new reckoning within the artsorld-- one copeland thin is long overdue. it's been an issue i know you've talked a lot about in field. what needs to happen? >> i've been having these conversations very openly for 20 years of my career with american ballet theater, and this is the first time that i feel a shift in-- an authentic interest in what i'm saying, and what my colleagues are saying, and what's happening in the world. that, to me, is the first step. that it's not just about

creating a diversity initiative and plastering my face on it and saying that progress is being made. there just needs to be acknowledgement of the fact that so many dancers of color are not given equal opportunity, or not given opportun all. heat there are so many negative ings that we'v onto from the past, because we've never had to address it. the ball world can so easily spotlight is not o, andere the now, i think tha you know, everything is being exposed. >> brown: ironically, the shutdown may help-- at least ain exposing more people art form from which they might for now, dance is available all over onle and streaming services. what do you see happening this holiday season? >> this to me is an incredible opportunity for ballet to reach more people.

we've never truly had a strong virtual presence, and online presence, anthis is just what we have to do. and it's allowing more people to see us, and i think that whatevewe come out of this and whatever the world looks like, whatever theater looks like in the future, more people will be interested and more people will have been exposed to it.d think that that is one of the most beautiful things about this time. >> brown: copeland knows the crisis for dance and other performing arts is real, but, fearless onstage, she's also hopeful as she waits offstage. for the pbs newshour, i'm jeffrey brown. -- sai the u.s. a hundredive million a dishal covid vaccines but the u.s. will be paying for them, 1.95 billion to be precise. and that is the newshour for

i'm judy woodruff. join us online, and agaiowhere tomovening. for all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you, please stay safe, andu we'll see yoon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by:

>> the ford foundation. working with visionaries on the frontlines of social cnge worldwid >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions: and foundations. >> this program was made possible by the corporation foru blic broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. i. lidia bastianich,

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