crooksandliars--2020-03-03--Ken Cuccinelli Refuses To Leave Job After Judge Rules His Appointment Illegal

Ken `` Cooch '' Cuccinelli , Acting Deputy Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security , did not come by his job legally .
Par for the course , in this Trump administration .
A federal court judge ruled that Cuccinelli was illegally appointed to the job that qualified him for the DHS job he now holds .
That previous job , acting principal deputy at USCIS ( U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services ) was given to him under the Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 .
Cuccinelli , however , did not meet the qualifications for the appointment under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judge ruled that not only did he have that job illegally , two of the policies he enacted during that time are void .
According to the New York Times , One of the policies in question was a directive that reduced the time — from 48 hours to 24 — that detained migrants have to consult with lawyers before an interview with an asylum officer .
The other policy prohibited asylum officers from granting migrants an extension to prepare for that interview , which is used to assess their claim of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cuccinelli , of course , is unbothered and unconvinced .
He appeared on Fox News to reassure Dear Leader and his cult that those policies would be quickly reissued , and that he is n't planning to leave his post regardless of the judge 's ruling .
He 's laughing at the situation , shrugging it off as no big deal .
According to MSN , '' The succession for the deputy secretary of homeland security ties back to my official position as the principal deputy at USCIS [ U.S .
Citizenship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a problem with me at my current position , '' Cuccinelli said on Fox and Friends Monday after initially laughing at the news .
`` The only issue in the case is related to being the acting director at USCIS .
And this ruling is really something of an outlier .
This is a methodology that has been used in the past .
It 's been thought of as legal as — pretty broadly . ''
Do n't you feel better ?
Knowing that one of Trump 's cronies has been placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite a court ruling , he plans to stay there ?
Is there any question In your mind that Trump is planning the same move once his time in office is up ?

Ken "Cooch" Cuccinelli, Acting Deputy Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, did not come by his job legally. Par for the course, in this Trump administration.
A federal court judge ruled that Cuccinelli was illegally appointed to the job that qualified him for the DHS job he now holds. That previous job, acting principal deputy at USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) was given to him under the Vacancies Reform Act of 1998. Cuccinelli, however, did not meet the qualifications for the appointment under that act. As a result, the judge ruled that not only did he have that job illegally, two of the policies he enacted during that time are void.
According to the New York Times,
One of the policies in question was a directive that reduced the time — from 48 hours to 24 — that detained migrants have to consult with lawyers before an interview with an asylum officer. The other policy prohibited asylum officers from granting migrants an extension to prepare for that interview, which is used to assess their claim of fear of returning to their home country.
Cuccinelli, of course, is unbothered and unconvinced. He appeared on Fox News to reassure Dear Leader and his cult that those policies would be quickly reissued, and that he isn't planning to leave his post regardless of the judge's ruling.
"You can expect to see those efficiently reissued ... and that's just as a precautionary measure as an appeal goes forward. It'll be business as usual until it's played all out, Cuccinelli said."
He's laughing at the situation, shrugging it off as no big deal. According to MSN,
"The succession for the deputy secretary of homeland security ties back to my official position as the principal deputy at USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services], there's not a problem with me at my current position," Cuccinelli said on Fox and Friends Monday after initially laughing at the news. "The only issue in the case is related to being the acting director at USCIS. And this ruling is really something of an outlier. This is a methodology that has been used in the past. It's been thought of as legal as — pretty broadly."
Don't you feel better? Knowing that one of Trump's cronies has been placed illegally into his position, and that despite a court ruling, he plans to stay there?
Is there any question In your mind that Trump is planning the same move once his time in office is up?


crooksandliars--2020-03-03--'We Must Go Out And Vote Like We Never, Ever Voted Before,' Rep. John Lewis Says At Selma

Rep. John Lewis returned on Sunday to the place where , he said , “ I thought I was going to die ” —the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Alabama , where his skull was broken by white police officers during a 1965 civil rights march .
There , honoring the 55th anniversary of that march , Lewis told listeners “ We must go out and vote like we never , ever voted before.
” Lewis , who is in treatment for pancreatic cancer , was joined by most of the Democratic presidential candidates : Sens .
Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Pete Buttigieg—who dropped out of the race hours later—and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg .
“ Fifty-five years ago , a few of our children attempted to march ... across this bridge .
We were beaten , we were tear-gassed .
I thought I was going to die on this bridge .
But somehow and some way , God almighty helped me here , ” Lewis said in Sunday ’ s speech .
“ We must go out and vote like we never , ever voted before.
” ” I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm not going to give in .
We 're going to continue to fight .
We need your prayers now more than ever before , ” he continued .
“ We must use the vote as a nonviolent instrument or tool to redeem the soul of America.
” Lewis didn ’ t restrict his call to action to voting , though .
The man who was arrested dozens of times in his fight for civil rights also renewed his call for “ good trouble , ” saying “ To each and every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people ... go out there , speak up , speak out .
Get in the way .
Get in good trouble .
Necessary trouble , and help redeem the soul of America .
”

Rep. John Lewis returned on Sunday to the place where, he said, “I thought I was going to die”—the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where his skull was broken by white police officers during a 1965 civil rights march. There, honoring the 55th anniversary of that march, Lewis told listeners “We must go out and vote like we never, ever voted before.”
Lewis, who is in treatment for pancreatic cancer, was joined by most of the Democratic presidential candidates: Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg—who dropped out of the race hours later—and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Fifty-five years ago, a few of our children attempted to march ... across this bridge. We were beaten, we were tear-gassed. I thought I was going to die on this bridge. But somehow and some way, God almighty helped me here,” Lewis said in Sunday’s speech. “We must go out and vote like we never, ever voted before.”
”I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to give in. We're going to continue to fight. We need your prayers now more than ever before,” he continued. “We must use the vote as a nonviolent instrument or tool to redeem the soul of America.” Lewis didn’t restrict his call to action to voting, though. The man who was arrested dozens of times in his fight for civil rights also renewed his call for “good trouble,” saying “To each and every one of you, especially you young people ... go out there, speak up, speak out. Get in the way. Get in good trouble. Necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”
Published with permission from Daily Kos


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Biden Celebrates Big Super Tuesday Victory: 'We Are Better Than This President'

Despite a really scary moment when two anti-dairy protesters made their way to the stage where he was speaking , Joe Biden gave a passionate and joyful speech Tuesday night after `` winning '' eight states .
I put `` winning '' in quotes because delegates are awarded proportionately to any viable candidate ( over 15 % of the totals ) .
As of this writing , Biden has won Massachusetts , Alabama , North Carolina , Arkansas , Virginia , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Minnesota , and he just pulled ahead in Texas .
Elizabeth Warren is struggling everywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` reassess . ''
Here is the last half of Biden 's speech , where he definitely raised the pitch into inspirational territory .
Transcript is below .
Let 's get something straight .
Wall Street did n't build this country .
You built this country .
The middle class built this country .
And unions built the middle class .
In the neighborhood we come from -- [ booing ] [ chanting let 's go , joe ] look , the middle class is getting clobbered .
The middle class is getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail where I grew up in .
People are getting hurt , they 're badly hurt .
Guess what , they 're the places we come from , many of you come from .
They 're the reason why I 'm running .
They 're the reason why I 'm a Democrat in the first place .
These are people that build our bridges , our roads , look , who race into buildings to save other people .
Pickup our garbage , our streets , veterans , dreamers , single moms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope because i 'm coming and you 're not going anywhere .
[ cheers and applause ] we 're going to provide a pathway for 11 million citizens .
If the other guy voted -- I should n't get into that , I do n't want to get going .
Look , the iron workers , steel makers , boiler workers , these are the people that have been forgotten .
I agree with you , man .
Look , the people trump forgot , the people Iowa never forgot Iowa .
Folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy that builds wealth .
Bring everybody along regardless of their race , ethnicity , gender , disability , every stripe .
Like we did in south carolina .
Like we did across america today .
Like we 'll do all the way to the white house .
Look , that 's why I was so proud yesterday being embraced by Amy Klobuchar .
[ cheers and applause ] we won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar .
[ applause ] and we 're doing well in Texas because of Beto O'Rourke .
[ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was so proud , so incredibly proud to have Mayor Pete 's endorsement as well .
There is a man of character , intellect and courage .
By the way , I was proud to be endorsed by Jim Clyburn .
Man , he is something else .
Look , our campaign reflects the diversity of this party and this nation and that 's how it should be because we need to bring everybody along .
We need a nominee who will beat Donald Trump .
[ cheers and applause ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the speaker of the house .
Win back the United States Senate .
If that 's what you want , join us .
You want a nominee who is a Democrat , a lifelong time , a proud Democrat , Obama/Biden -- .
Look , this starts with a revival of honor and decency and character .
Trump has fanned the flames of hate and sought to divide us .
He 's insulted , demonized -- the way he talks about people , he has not a single sense of empathy .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regard for the values that made this country who we are .
Not the way you were raised by your moms and dads .
He looks at honesty and decency and respect and he views it as a sign of weakness .
He does n't believe that we 're the beacon to the world .
He does n't believe we 're all part of something bigger than ourselves .
That 's why I 've said from the moment I announced for this candidacy .
We 're literally in a battle for the soul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means uniting America .
Not sowing seeds of division and hate .
We have to beat Donald Trump , but we ca n't become like him .
We ca n't have a never-ending war between the parties .
We need a president who can fight , but make no mistake , I can fight .
But look , we need it as badly as someone who can heal .
Look , just look at what we did when we passed Obamacare , what President Obama and I to save the automotive industry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a start .
We need a president who can heal the country as well .
That is what I will do as your president .
I promise you .
[ applause ] It 's about delivering real results for you , your family and your community .
It 's not about Jill , or me , it 's about our families .
To paraphrase the poet Robert Brown , our reach should exceed our grasp .
My reach exceeds our grasp because there 's no doubt in my mind we can grasp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gentlemen , I quoted an English poet .
Let me quote a real poet now , an Irish poet .
[ laughter ] Seamus Haney who wrote a poem , and here 's what he says , and I believe this to the bottom of my being .
He said , `` History says , do n't hope on this side of the grave .
But then once in a lifetime the long forward tidal wave of justice rises up and hope and history rhyme '' .
We can make hope and history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There 's nothing we ca n't do .
This is about the future .
It 's not about the past .
It 's about our children and grandchildren about leading in this country and leading the world once again .
We have to remember who we are .
This is the United States of America .
It is time for America to get back up .
And once again , fight for the proposition that we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal , endowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We saw it often in school but do n't realize how profound it is .
We never lived up to these words , but until this president we never walked away from it .
Ladies and gentlemen , I believe with every fiber of my being that 's who we are .
Let 's get back up .
We are a decent brave , resilient people .
We can believe again but we are better than this moment .
We are better than this president .
So get back up and take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America .
There is not a single thing we ca n't do .
God bless you and may god protect our troops .
Thank you , thank you -- thank you .

Despite a really scary moment when two anti-dairy protesters made their way to the stage where he was speaking, Joe Biden gave a passionate and joyful speech Tuesday night after "winning" eight states. I put "winning" in quotes because delegates are awarded proportionately to any viable candidate (over 15% of the totals). As of this writing, Biden has won Massachusetts, Alabama, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Minnesota, and he just pulled ahead in Texas. Elizabeth Warren is struggling everywhere and Bloomberg says he's going to "reassess."
Here is the last half of Biden's speech, where he definitely raised the pitch into inspirational territory. Transcript is below.
Let's get something straight. Wall Street didn't build this country. You built this country. The middle class built this country. And unions built the middle class. In the neighborhood we come from -- [ booing ] [ chanting let's go, joe ] look, the middle class is getting clobbered. The middle class is getting clobbered. Too many people are in jail where I grew up in. People are getting hurt, they're badly hurt. Guess what, they're the places we come from, many of you come from.
They're the reason why I'm running. They're the reason why I'm a Democrat in the first place. These are people that build our bridges, our roads, look, who race into buildings to save other people. Pickup our garbage, our streets, veterans, dreamers, single moms. By the way, every dreamer has hope because i'm coming and you're not going anywhere. [ cheers and applause ] we're going to provide a pathway for 11 million citizens. If the other guy voted -- I shouldn't get into that, I don't want to get going. Look, the iron workers, steel makers, boiler workers, these are the people that have been forgotten. I agree with you, man. Look, the people trump forgot, the people Iowa never forgot Iowa.
Folks, that's why we need an economy that builds wealth. Bring everybody along regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, every stripe. Like we did in south carolina. Like we did across america today. Like we'll do all the way to the white house. Look, that's why I was so proud yesterday being embraced by Amy Klobuchar. [ cheers and applause ] we won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar. [ applause ] and we're doing well in Texas because of Beto O'Rourke. [ cheers and applause ] that's why, I was so proud, so incredibly proud to have Mayor Pete's endorsement as well. There is a man of character, intellect and courage.
By the way, I was proud to be endorsed by Jim Clyburn. Man, he is something else. Look, our campaign reflects the diversity of this party and this nation and that's how it should be because we need to bring everybody along. We need a nominee who will beat Donald Trump. [ cheers and applause ] but also, also keep Nancy Pelosi the speaker of the house. Win back the United States Senate. If that's what you want, join us. You want a nominee who is a Democrat, a lifelong time, a proud Democrat, Obama/Biden --.
Look, this starts with a revival of honor and decency and character. Trump has fanned the flames of hate and sought to divide us. He's insulted, demonized -- the way he talks about people, he has not a single sense of empathy. He doesn't have any compassion, no regard for the values that made this country who we are. Not the way you were raised by your moms and dads. He looks at honesty and decency and respect and he views it as a sign of weakness. He doesn't believe that we're the beacon to the world. He doesn't believe we're all part of something bigger than ourselves. That's why I've said from the moment I announced for this candidacy. We're literally in a battle for the soul of America early. Folks, winning means uniting America. Not sowing seeds of division and hate. We have to beat Donald Trump, but we can't become like him. We can't have a never-ending war between the parties. We need a president who can fight, but make no mistake, I can fight. But look, we need it as badly as someone who can heal.
Look, just look at what we did when we passed Obamacare, what President Obama and I to save the automotive industry. That's not enough. It's just a start. We need a president who can heal the country as well. That is what I will do as your president. I promise you. [ applause ] It's about delivering real results for you, your family and your community. It's not about Jill, or me, it's about our families.
To paraphrase the poet Robert Brown, our reach should exceed our grasp. My reach exceeds our grasp because there's no doubt in my mind we can grasp whatever we reach for. Ladies and gentlemen, I quoted an English poet. Let me quote a real poet now, an Irish poet. [ laughter ] Seamus Haney who wrote a poem, and here's what he says, and I believe this to the bottom of my being.
He said, "History says, don't hope on this side of the grave. But then once in a lifetime the long forward tidal wave of justice rises up and hope and history rhyme". We can make hope and history rhyme because of what we've seen. There's nothing we can't do.
This is about the future. It's not about the past. It's about our children and grandchildren about leading in this country and leading the world once again. We have to remember who we are. This is the United States of America. It is time for America to get back up. And once again, fight for the proposition that we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men and women are created equal, endowed by the creator with certain inalienable rights.
We saw it often in school but don't realize how profound it is. We never lived up to these words, but until this president we never walked away from it. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe with every fiber of my being that's who we are. Let's get back up. We are a decent brave, resilient people. We can believe again but we are better than this moment. We are better than this president.
So get back up and take back this country, the United States of America. There is not a single thing we can't do. God bless you and may god protect our troops. Thank you, thank you -- thank you.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Can't Wait For The Primaries To Be Over?

The Congress is working toward a $ 7.5 billion emergency spending package for the COVID-19 response , but there 's @ @ @ @ @ do n't like language in it that would keep drug companies from price gouging on @ @ @ @ @

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crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Republicans Holding Up Emergency Coronavirus Spending To Protect Drug Company Price Gouging

The Congress is working toward a $ 7.5 billion emergency spending package for the COVID-19 response , and it was supposed to have been made public early Tuesday .
It provides additional funding to the Department of Health and Human Services for programs within its agencies ; funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health for vaccine development , medical supplies , and equipment ; and aid to states and local governments .
But there 's a hurdle : Republicans who do n't like language in it that would keep drug companies from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Democrats want the supplemental to include significant funding for the federal government to purchase large quantities of coronavirus diagnostics , treatments and vaccine [ when it becomes available ] , which will then be made available to the public without cost , '' a Democratic aide told Roll Call .
The government did this in 2009 during the swine flu outbreak .
Democrats are also pushing language to ensure that `` fair and reasonable price '' standards that are included in existing contracting regulations are vigorously applied to drug companies supplying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Republicans , however , want people to have to pay up .
Roll Call reports that Republicans `` are raising concerns that Democrats ' proposals would chill research and development and interfere with the development of a vaccine , according to sources who spoke without being identified so they could talk freely . ''
Apparently the only way the drug industry will do the right thing and try to save lives is if it can profit .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , a former drug company official himself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the issue last week : `` We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable , but we ca n't control that price because we need the private sector to invest . ''
Lord help us if we ever have to fight a world war with this team .
They 'll be more worried about defense contractors getting paid than about protecting the population .
What am I saying ?
That 's exactly what 's happening now !

The Congress is working toward a $7.5 billion emergency spending package for the COVID-19 response, and it was supposed to have been made public early Tuesday. It provides additional funding to the Department of Health and Human Services for programs within its agencies; funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health for vaccine development, medical supplies, and equipment; and aid to states and local governments. But there's a hurdle: Republicans who don't like language in it that would keep drug companies from price gouging on vaccines and treatments.
"Democrats want the supplemental to include significant funding for the federal government to purchase large quantities of coronavirus diagnostics, treatments and vaccine [when it becomes available], which will then be made available to the public without cost," a Democratic aide told Roll Call. The government did this in 2009 during the swine flu outbreak. Democrats are also pushing language to ensure that "fair and reasonable price" standards that are included in existing contracting regulations are vigorously applied to drug companies supplying the eventual vaccine and treatments to the government. Republicans, however, want people to have to pay up.
Roll Call reports that Republicans "are raising concerns that Democrats' proposals would chill research and development and interfere with the development of a vaccine, according to sources who spoke without being identified so they could talk freely." Apparently the only way the drug industry will do the right thing and try to save lives is if it can profit. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, a former drug company official himself, said essentially that at a House hearing on the issue last week: "We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest."
Lord help us if we ever have to fight a world war with this team. They'll be more worried about defense contractors getting paid than about protecting the population. What am I saying? That's exactly what's happening now!
Published with permission from Daily Kos


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Woman Told: ‘Shut Up, Sit Down’ After Asking Kellyanne Conway Tough Question

At an event with White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday , a woman was told to “ shut up @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare .
The confrontation occurred during @ @ @ @ @ Barr ’ s rollout of an elder fraud program in Tampa , Florida while Conway @ @ @ @ @ Times correspondent Anastasia Dawson reported that the woman was told to “ shut up ” @ @ @ @ @ According to reports , Conway did not directly answer the woman ’ s question .

At an event with White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday, a woman was told to “shut up” after she accused President Donald Trump of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare.
The confrontation occurred during Attorney’s General William Barr’s rollout of an elder fraud program in Tampa, Florida while Conway was speaking.
Tampa Bay Times correspondent Anastasia Dawson reported that the woman was told to “shut up” and “sit down.” According to reports, Conway did not directly answer the woman’s question.
It’s a busy morning in Sun City Center! @AGWilliamBarr @KellyannePolls @joegrogan45 + @TB_Times here for launch of DOJ’s Nat’l Nursing Home Initiative + crackdown on elder fraud dubbed “Keeping Seniors Safe” pic.twitter.com/dhxh5ThtQe — Anastasia Dawson (@adawsonwrites) March 3, 2020
.@KellyannePolls gets interrupted at Sun City Center by protestor after she says President Trump ‘won’t touch Medicare or Medicaid’. Security guard talks to protester - doesn’t toss her out #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/KIWWx4AHg8 — Mitch Perry (@MitchPerry18) March 3, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Super Tuesday Open Thread - UPDATE 10

Super Tuesday Open Thread - UPDATE 10

We are not likely to get results from California until days from now .
That 's democracy .
The times on this map are EASTERN .
What are you seeing in the results ?
Virginia goes to Biden in the early projections .
It 's hard to say for sure what that translates to because of how viability plays in and what that means for other candidates , but he will have at least 16 of the 99 delegates at stake .
Vermont is called for Bernie .
I 'm not going to add delegates to the totals because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to fall , though I 'm sure Vermont 's 16 will go to Bernie .
North Carolina has called it for Biden .
I will just say that these calls , in my opinion , influence states still voting -- like CA .
American Samoa goes to Bloomberg , acing Tulsi out .
Alabama is called for Biden .
Oklahoma , Massachusetts and Maine are too early to call .
Oklahoma too early to call .
Every damn thing is too early to call .
Here 's a good article about why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls .
UPDATE 8 : Utah called for Sanders .
Maine , Massachusetts , Texas and California too early to call .
UPDATE 10 : With long lines of voters still voting , the AP has called California for Bernie Sanders based upon early vote by mail ballots .
With record turnout and Texas breaking for Joe Biden ( still too early to call ) , I think they may have made a mistake .
( Karoli )

We are not likely to get results from California until days from now. That's democracy. The times on this map are EASTERN.
Super Tuesday poll closing times pic.twitter.com/Tw1uaRSnw5 — Bruce Mehlman (@bpmehlman) March 3, 2020
What are you seeing in the results?
UPDATE 1:
Virginia goes to Biden in the early projections. It's hard to say for sure what that translates to because of how viability plays in and what that means for other candidates, but he will have at least 16 of the 99 delegates at stake.
Vermont is called for Bernie. I'm not going to add delegates to the totals because it's impossible to know how they're going to fall, though I'm sure Vermont's 16 will go to Bernie.
UPDATE 2:
North Carolina has called it for Biden. I will just say that these calls, in my opinion, influence states still voting -- like CA.
UPDATE 3:
American Samoa goes to Bloomberg, acing Tulsi out.
UPDATE 4:
Alabama is called for Biden. Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Maine are too early to call. Oklahoma too early to call.
UPDATE 5:
Every damn thing is too early to call. Here's a good article about why they should quit pushing early results and calls.
UPDATE 6: Oklahoma is called for Biden
UPDATE 7: Tennessee and Minnesota called for Biden
UPDATE 8: Utah called for Sanders. Maine, Massachusetts, Texas and California too early to call.
UPDATE 9: Massachusetts called for Biden. Colorado called for Sanders.
UPDATE 10: With long lines of voters still voting, the AP has called California for Bernie Sanders based upon early vote by mail ballots. With record turnout and Texas breaking for Joe Biden (still too early to call), I think they may have made a mistake. (Karoli)


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Trump Blames Obama For His Botched COVID-19 Response

*Please note the above video is two short clips spliced together .
* Talking to reporters today Trump invented a way to blame President Barack Obama for the inadequate supplies and facilities needed to test for COVID-19 , the coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed 11 lives in the United States .
TRUMP : I just wan na add , if I could go a little bit further , the Obama Administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we 're doing .
We undid that decision a few days ago , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a much more accurate and rapid fashion .
That was a decision we disagreed with .
I do n't think we would have made it , for some reason it was made , but we 've undone that decision .
To quote the great VOX reporter , Aaron Rupar , what 's he talking about ?
Or , to go a little bit further , what in the name of orange fascist Putin a $ $ -licking tang is he talking about ?
A brave reporter in the room straightened his spine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as eloquently as I did .
REPORTER : Mr. President , you had mentioned an Obama-era rule that you had changed regarding THIS virus ?
I did n't follow that .
TRUMP : Well , let 's talk about it , go ahead .
PENCE : Well , Bob Redfield , you might speak about the ... the last administration asserted FDA jurisdiction over testing , and the development of tests like this , and Bob and the president changed that on Saturday , so that now , as I spoke to several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the ability to actually conduct coronavirus tests in state labs , university laboratories ... PENCE : Um , and that 's because of the change the president authorized .
So , does that mean that there are n't uniform standards for testing for coronavirus ?
Does it mean that there are n't even uniform standards for developing testing KITS for coronavirus ?
I do n't mean to be nitpicky about my pandemics , but it just seems we 'd want a government agency who had experts trained in supervising this sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations .
But why do that when he can blame Obama for something that probably helped Americans be healthy ?
And why do that when he was the one who hollowed out the government 's ability to respond to such crises in the first place ?

*Please note the above video is two short clips spliced together.*
Talking to reporters today Trump invented a way to blame President Barack Obama for the inadequate supplies and facilities needed to test for COVID-19, the coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed 11 lives in the United States.
TRUMP: I just wanna add, if I could go a little bit further, the Obama Administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we're doing. We undid that decision a few days ago, so that the testing can take place in a much more accurate and rapid fashion. That was a decision we disagreed with. I don't think we would have made it, for some reason it was made, but we've undone that decision.
To quote the great VOX reporter, Aaron Rupar, what's he talking about?
Trump on coronavirus testing: "The Obama administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we're doing & we undid that decision a few days ago so that testing can take place in a much more accurate & rapid fashion" (what's he talking about?) pic.twitter.com/Z0UBaORIwI — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2020
Or, to go a little bit further, what in the name of orange fascist Putin a$$-licking tang is he talking about?
A brave reporter in the room straightened his spine to asked that very thing, though not as eloquently as I did.
REPORTER: Mr. President, you had mentioned an Obama-era rule that you had changed regarding THIS virus? I didn't follow that. TRUMP: Well, let's talk about it, go ahead. PENCE: Well, Bob Redfield, you might speak about the...the last administration asserted FDA jurisdiction over testing, and the development of tests like this, and Bob and the president changed that on Saturday, so that now, as I spoke to several governors this morning, states now actually have the ability to actually conduct coronavirus tests in state labs, university laboratories... TRUMP: Big difference. PENCE: Um, and that's because of the change the president authorized.
So, does that mean that there aren't uniform standards for testing for coronavirus? Does it mean that there aren't even uniform standards for developing testing KITS for coronavirus? I don't mean to be nitpicky about my pandemics, but it just seems we'd want a government agency who had experts trained in supervising this sort of thing as the central home base of operations.
But why do that when he can blame Obama for something that probably helped Americans be healthy?
And why do that when he was the one who hollowed out the government's ability to respond to such crises in the first place?
In fact, it was Trump and Bolton who eliminated the whole White House global health security unit for countering pandemics in 2018 https://t.co/H9dxJZhOXR https://t.co/qmIraJhx3Y — Laura Rozen (@lrozen) March 4, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Montana Gov. Steve Bullock May Run For Steve Daines' Senate Seat

HUGE Senate news dropped late Wednesday which has the potential to be a game changer during the November election if it is true .
The New York Times is reporting that Democratic Governor Steve Bullock may announce that he is running for a Senate seat currently held by Steve Daines .
If he is successful in unseating Daines , this could potentially flip the Senate back to Democratic control .
Bullock has publicly said for months that he would not run for Senate , but something clearly may have changed .
The deadline to file is next Monday , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a few short days .
In an email from just yesterday , Bullock was non-committal , but an anonymous source told the New York Times that he is running .
Democrats are gunning to retake the Senate after years of blockage by the most evil Senator in decades , Mitch McConnell .
They have hopes of flipping seats in Arizona ( McSally ) , Colorado ( Gardner ) , Maine ( Collins ) and North Carolina ( Tillis ) .
This would add a 5th possible seat to flip .
Bullock is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor again and has therefore faced a full court press from Democratic insiders who see the popular Governor as a viable challenger to Daines .
It has been reported that Chuck Schumer flew out to Montana in February to meet with him and that when Bullock was in DC later in the month , he met with Barack Obama .
The current Senator , Steve Daines , is in his first term and is a huge Trump supporter .
Whether that will be a benefit in the current political climate is up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in .
Trump did win Montana in 2016 , but Bullock would be a solid contender after his excellent record with the state from his previous positions .
Democrats in disarray ?
Not at all .
We are honing our candidates and working methodicially to pick off states to work towards a common goal - retaking the White House , keeping the House of Representatives and flipping the Senate .

HUGE Senate news dropped late Wednesday which has the potential to be a game changer during the November election if it is true. The New York Times is reporting that Democratic Governor Steve Bullock may announce that he is running for a Senate seat currently held by Steve Daines. If he is successful in unseating Daines, this could potentially flip the Senate back to Democratic control.
Bullock has publicly said for months that he would not run for Senate, but something clearly may have changed. The deadline to file is next Monday, so Bullock must declare his final position in just a few short days. In an email from just yesterday, Bullock was non-committal, but an anonymous source told the New York Times that he is running.
Democrats are gunning to retake the Senate after years of blockage by the most evil Senator in decades, Mitch McConnell. They have hopes of flipping seats in Arizona (McSally), Colorado (Gardner), Maine (Collins) and North Carolina (Tillis). This would add a 5th possible seat to flip.
Bullock is barred by term limits from running for Governor again and has therefore faced a full court press from Democratic insiders who see the popular Governor as a viable challenger to Daines. It has been reported that Chuck Schumer flew out to Montana in February to meet with him and that when Bullock was in DC later in the month, he met with Barack Obama.
The current Senator, Steve Daines, is in his first term and is a huge Trump supporter. Whether that will be a benefit in the current political climate is up for debate, depending on which state you are in. Trump did win Montana in 2016, but Bullock would be a solid contender after his excellent record with the state from his previous positions.
Democrats in disarray? Not at all. We are honing our candidates and working methodicially to pick off states to work towards a common goal - retaking the White House, keeping the House of Representatives and flipping the Senate.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Black Southern Voters Signaled Bloomberg Wipeout On Super Tuesday

Helping to anchor the news coverage late into Super Tuesday evening , when it became apparent Joe Biden was going to pull out sweeping victories in the South , and surprising , dominating victories elsewhere , too , Joy Reid told a fascinating story about a scene she witnessed that gave her the glimpse into this occurrence three days before it took place .
On that Sunday , March 2 , at the commemoration of Bloody Sunday , which begins at Brown Chapel AME , Mike Bloomberg was there to speak .
So was Joe Biden , but where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in esteem with which the Black community held each candidate .
After noting that Joe Biden was who most Black people preferred originally for this nomination , but had faltered a bit and been considering Bloomberg , once Elizabeth Warren scorched Bloomberg and sent him into the ether , and once Biden regained his footing , the Black community was solidly back behind Biden .
And then Joy Reid told this story .
there was a scene inside Brown Chapel AME that told me Biden 's going to sweep this out .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states but after that night I was like , oh , he 's going to not just win , he 's going to sweep .
Biden is inside Brown Chapel AME , which is this revered church .
You do n't get on the pulpit .
You do n't get on the dais in a church like that .
REID : So now I just was down in South Carolina and in Selma , and .
I knew he 'd probably win the southern states but after that night I was like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just win , he 's going to sweep .
Biden is inside Brown Chapel AME , which is this revered church .
You do n't get on the pulpit .
You do n't get on the dais in a church like that .
RACHEL MADDOW : Slow down .
Tell the story with as much detail as possible .
I 've never heard a more fascinating story .
REID : So Brown Chapel is where the march that went across the Edmund Pettus Bridge started .
It 's where they organized .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized in churches .
That 's why Black churches got firebombed .
That 's why the 16th Street Baptist Church got firebombed .
It 's why when Goodman , Schwerner , and Chaney got killed , they were organizing voters in a church , they were trying to investigate the fire bombing of it .
That 's why they were there , right ?
So churches are where Black voters always organize .
Brown Chapel AME is revered in that sense .
So Brown Chapel AME is where they do this ceremony to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the Edmund Pettus Bridge .
It starts with a service in there .
We 're in that church .
The way that black churches work , you have to be invited to sit on the dais .
Family sits on the dais , the pastor sits on the dais , the pastor 's family , people who the pastor says can be up there .
Biden was up there .
Bloomberg was sitting in the audience .
Bloomberg was stuck in the audience having to sit there and watch person after person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharpton was on the dais , that makes sense .
Terri Sewell , Alabama Congresswoman , that 's her home church .
She gets up and says , basically , `` This is Biden country .
This is Biden 's home . ''
Biden gets to speak from the pulpit .
Bloomberg does too , but he 's in the audience .
He 's stuck there having to grimace and watch everyone laud this other person , laud this other candidate .
He could n't even leave because he would have had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would have been completely disrespectful .
So he 's sitting there grimacing .
I 'm mostly watching his face as he 's just miserable .
When he finally gets up to speak after , being laid into by the pastor about his policies against Black peoplel , stop and frisk , things like that , people turn their back on him in the church .
That does n't happen in churches .
AME is a formal kind of church .
When Biden gets up , nothing but love .
He gets up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sharpton and says , `` You remember this and that , Rev ?
Pastor , you know we go back . ''
He 's got relationships .
Bloomberg just had money .
And when we got out on to the Edmund Pettus Bridge , Bloomberg was booed .
He was heckled .
People were chanting `` stop and frisk . ''
People were n't exactly eager to march next to him .
This revered moment when Biden had left , he was n't even marching .
People who were already out , Pete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Warren marched .
All these other people .
But it was still Biden 's home , and that means -- that told me , oh , Biden 's going to win the whole South .
MADDOW : And indeed he not only has won it , he has won it resoundingly .
REID : Black voters said , you know what ?
That 's nice .
You want a revolution ?
The answer , no .
As usual , what the results of a big election was no surprise to the majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the research , put in the work , and have finer-tuned bullsh*t detectors than any other population group around .
Like any group , they 're not a monolith , and contain staggering layers of complexity , but they have learned to survive in white America better than most white Americans , so if they are telling us Joe Biden is who they think will beat Trump , it should n't shock anyone that Joe Biden won big on Super Tuesday .

Helping to anchor the news coverage late into Super Tuesday evening, when it became apparent Joe Biden was going to pull out sweeping victories in the South, and surprising, dominating victories elsewhere, too, Joy Reid told a fascinating story about a scene she witnessed that gave her the glimpse into this occurrence three days before it took place.
On that Sunday, March 2, at the commemoration of Bloody Sunday, which begins at Brown Chapel AME, Mike Bloomberg was there to speak. So was Joe Biden, but where they were seated spoke volumes about the difference in esteem with which the Black community held each candidate. After noting that Joe Biden was who most Black people preferred originally for this nomination, but had faltered a bit and been considering Bloomberg, once Elizabeth Warren scorched Bloomberg and sent him into the ether, and once Biden regained his footing, the Black community was solidly back behind Biden.
And then Joy Reid told this story.
there was a scene inside Brown Chapel AME that told me Biden's going to sweep this out. I knew he'd probably win the southern states but after that night I was like, oh, he's going to not just win, he's going to sweep. Biden is inside Brown Chapel AME, which is this revered church. You don't get on the pulpit. You don't get on the dais in a church like that. REID: So now I just was down in South Carolina and in Selma, and. I knew he'd probably win the southern states but after that night I was like, oh, he's going to not just win, he's going to sweep. Biden is inside Brown Chapel AME, which is this revered church. You don't get on the pulpit. You don't get on the dais in a church like that. RACHEL MADDOW: Slow down. Tell the story with as much detail as possible. I've never heard a more fascinating story. REID: So Brown Chapel is where the march that went across the Edmund Pettus Bridge started. It's where they organized. In the Civil Rights Era, Black voters organized in churches. That's why Black churches got firebombed. That's why the 16th Street Baptist Church got firebombed. It's why when Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney got killed, they were organizing voters in a church, they were trying to investigate the fire bombing of it. That's why they were there, right? So churches are where Black voters always organize. Brown Chapel AME is revered in that sense. So Brown Chapel AME is where they do this ceremony to start off the commemoration of the march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It starts with a service in there. We're in that church. The way that black churches work, you have to be invited to sit on the dais. Family sits on the dais, the pastor sits on the dais, the pastor's family, people who the pastor says can be up there. Biden was up there. Bloomberg was sitting in the audience. Bloomberg was stuck in the audience having to sit there and watch person after person stand up on that church. Reverend Sharpton was on the dais, that makes sense. Terri Sewell, Alabama Congresswoman, that's her home church. She gets up and says, basically, "This is Biden country. This is Biden's home." Biden gets to speak from the pulpit. Bloomberg does too, but he's in the audience. He's stuck there having to grimace and watch everyone laud this other person, laud this other candidate. He couldn't even leave because he would have had to cross across the pulpit to leave. It would have been completely disrespectful. So he's sitting there grimacing. I'm mostly watching his face as he's just miserable. When he finally gets up to speak after, being laid into by the pastor about his policies against Black peoplel, stop and frisk, things like that, people turn their back on him in the church. That doesn't happen in churches. AME is a formal kind of church. When Biden gets up, nothing but love. He gets up and speaks. He turns to Reverend Sharpton and says, "You remember this and that, Rev? Pastor, you know we go back." He's got relationships. Bloomberg just had money. And when we got out on to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Bloomberg was booed. He was heckled. People were chanting "stop and frisk." People weren't exactly eager to march next to him. This revered moment when Biden had left, he wasn't even marching. People who were already out, Pete Buttigieg marched, Amy Klobuchar marched. Elizabeth Warren marched. All these other people. But it was still Biden's home, and that means -- that told me, oh, Biden's going to win the whole South. MADDOW: And indeed he not only has won it, he has won it resoundingly. REID: Black voters said, you know what? That's nice. You want a revolution? The answer, no.
As usual, what the results of a big election was no surprise to the majority of Black people, who have done the research, put in the work, and have finer-tuned bullsh*t detectors than any other population group around. Like any group, they're not a monolith, and contain staggering layers of complexity, but they have learned to survive in white America better than most white Americans, so if they are telling us Joe Biden is who they think will beat Trump, it shouldn't shock anyone that Joe Biden won big on Super Tuesday.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Will Trump Tweets Ruin Jeff Sessions' Senate Hopes?

[ Video above from 2017 as Jeff Sessions jokes about perjury with the Federalist Society . ]
It 's nothing but gifts for Doug Jones if Republicans ca n't get their act together in Alabama .
Alabama finally sent Judge Roy Moore packing , though .
Moore did not make the cut .
After yesterday 's primary , there will be a run-off election on March 31 between Trump 's former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Auburn University Football Coach Tommy Tuberville .
Because , Alabama .
The winner of that Republican run-off will take on Democratic Senator Doug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very hard race to win oh wait a minute Trump tweeted this morning .
Looks like Trump is n't going to forgive Jeff Sessions for not being his Roy Cohn .
What if Sessions is the Republican nominee ?
What 's an Alabama MAGA type to do ?
Keep it up , Stable Genius .
It 's important to remember that , and I am not making this up , Jeff Sessions ran UNOPPOSED for US Senate in Alabama in 2014 .
Really .
Hopefully we 're over that in the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy from now on .

[Video above from 2017 as Jeff Sessions jokes about perjury with the Federalist Society.]
It's nothing but gifts for Doug Jones if Republicans can't get their act together in Alabama.
Alabama finally sent Judge Roy Moore packing, though. Moore did not make the cut. After yesterday's primary, there will be a run-off election on March 31 between Trump's former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Auburn University Football Coach Tommy Tuberville. Because, Alabama.
The winner of that Republican run-off will take on Democratic Senator Doug Jones in November, which could be a very hard race to win oh wait a minute Trump tweeted this morning.
This is what happens to someone who loyally gets appointed Attorney General of the United States & then doesn’t have the wisdom or courage to stare down & end the phony Russia Witch Hunt. Recuses himself on FIRST DAY in office, and the Mueller Scam begins! https://t.co/2jGnRgOS6h — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2020
Looks like Trump isn't going to forgive Jeff Sessions for not being his Roy Cohn. What if Sessions is the Republican nominee? What's an Alabama MAGA type to do?
Keep it up, Stable Genius.
It's important to remember that, and I am not making this up, Jeff Sessions ran UNOPPOSED for US Senate in Alabama in 2014. Really.
Hopefully we're over that in the Democratic Party, and have a solid 50-state strategy from now on.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Dear Leader Demands New Trump Political Appointees Specify What They Like Best About Him

A staple of Donald Trump 's `` presidency '' has been the round-the-table invitations to top officials to offer their praise of Dear Leader during televised administration meetings , one of the more visible ( and deeply weird ) manifestations of Trump 's insistence on lavish adulation and quick anger toward anyone who does not provide it .
See , for example , the White House 's briefings on COVID-19 , which have featured very little substantive information but have been peppered with praise for Trump 's supposed effectiveness in dealing with an outbreak for which we still have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now the demands that government officials offer up praise for Dear Leader are being expanded to a brand new venue : New hires in the Trump administration will be asked to write down what it is about Dear Leader they like best , and we are not even kidding on that one .
CNN is reporting that new questions on the hiring questionnaire for would-be political appointments to government agencies now contain more explicit tests of loyalty for applicants , including a question asking job seekers to explain what part of Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
The changes were put out by ex-Trump `` body man '' John McEntee , chosen by Trump as the new head of the Presidential Personnel Office , as part of McEntee 's program to re-vet administration appointees , weeding out the ones seen as insufficiently loyal to Trump and replacing them with more reliable toadies .
Other questions ask applicants to list the `` thinkers '' and `` books '' that have `` influenced '' them , and which `` political commentator '' is closest to their own views .
Fortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ correct '' answers will likely consist of whoever Donald Trump praised most recently in his Twitter feed .
Why stop there ?
Here ’ s a better way to determine which new hires are the best fits for a Donald Trump administration : Put a ten-dollar bill on the interview table .
If the would-be hire looks like they would rather bite their interviewer to death than let those ten bucks slip back out of their range , there you go—there ’ s your new Trump guy .
This is legal , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding Trump , it is creepy , paranoid , and grotesque , but political appointees in the executive branch , as opposed to career federal servants , serve at the pleasure of the president and can be held to whatever standards of `` loyalty '' an Oval Office boil might demand of them .
In an administration in which subject matter expertise is distinctly not a requirement for top government posts , making hires instead based on who can best complete an essay question about their love for Dear Leader and his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quoted White House press secretary and possible crisis actor Stephanie Grisham as making that point clear , framing the move as the `` right '' of a president .
If it 's technically legal to do , there 's nobody on Trump 's team who 's worried it 's going to look overly authoritarian or cultish .
Team Trump has , in fact , seemed to abandon most efforts to even pretend at prior norms or normality , now that the Republican Senate has effectively green-lit a retaliation spree across all of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's well-being ( and more importantly , to the lackeys forced to deal with him in person ) that he be fed a constant stream of praise and that absolutely nobody under his control contradict even his most outlandish and dangerously incoherent statements .
Trump has steadily lost the ability to pretend at nonnarcissistic concerns during his tenure , and is now tasking the few people he trusts with sweeping anyone who will not praise him from government .
And this is what he 's doing in the months leading up to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he ’ d do if safely reelected to another four-year term .

A staple of Donald Trump's "presidency" has been the round-the-table invitations to top officials to offer their praise of Dear Leader during televised administration meetings, one of the more visible (and deeply weird) manifestations of Trump's insistence on lavish adulation and quick anger toward anyone who does not provide it. See, for example, the White House's briefings on COVID-19, which have featured very little substantive information but have been peppered with praise for Trump's supposed effectiveness in dealing with an outbreak for which we still have no competent measurements after early administration bungles.
Now the demands that government officials offer up praise for Dear Leader are being expanded to a brand new venue: New hires in the Trump administration will be asked to write down what it is about Dear Leader they like best, and we are not even kidding on that one.
CNN is reporting that new questions on the hiring questionnaire for would-be political appointments to government agencies now contain more explicit tests of loyalty for applicants, including a question asking job seekers to explain what part of Trump's campaign message "most appealed" to them. The changes were put out by ex-Trump "body man" John McEntee, chosen by Trump as the new head of the Presidential Personnel Office, as part of McEntee's program to re-vet administration appointees, weeding out the ones seen as insufficiently loyal to Trump and replacing them with more reliable toadies.
Other questions ask applicants to list the "thinkers" and "books" that have "influenced" them, and which "political commentator" is closest to their own views. Fortunately for would-be cheaters, the most "correct" answers will likely consist of whoever Donald Trump praised most recently in his Twitter feed.
Why stop there? Here’s a better way to determine which new hires are the best fits for a Donald Trump administration: Put a ten-dollar bill on the interview table. If the would-be hire looks like they would rather bite their interviewer to death than let those ten bucks slip back out of their range, there you go—there’s your new Trump guy.
This is legal, by the way. Like nearly everything else surrounding Trump, it is creepy, paranoid, and grotesque, but political appointees in the executive branch, as opposed to career federal servants, serve at the pleasure of the president and can be held to whatever standards of "loyalty" an Oval Office boil might demand of them. In an administration in which subject matter expertise is distinctly not a requirement for top government posts, making hires instead based on who can best complete an essay question about their love for Dear Leader and his campaign promises is within presidential powers.
CNN quoted White House press secretary and possible crisis actor Stephanie Grisham as making that point clear, framing the move as the "right" of a president. If it's technically legal to do, there's nobody on Trump's team who's worried it's going to look overly authoritarian or cultish.
Team Trump has, in fact, seemed to abandon most efforts to even pretend at prior norms or normality, now that the Republican Senate has effectively green-lit a retaliation spree across all of government. It is important to Dear Leader's well-being (and more importantly, to the lackeys forced to deal with him in person) that he be fed a constant stream of praise and that absolutely nobody under his control contradict even his most outlandish and dangerously incoherent statements. Trump has steadily lost the ability to pretend at nonnarcissistic concerns during his tenure, and is now tasking the few people he trusts with sweeping anyone who will not praise him from government.
And this is what he's doing in the months leading up to an election. It's difficult to imagine what he’d do if safely reelected to another four-year term.
Republished with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Mike Bloomberg Suspends Presidential Campaign; Endorses Joe Biden

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this morning he is dropping out of the Democratic race for president .
In the `` blink-and-you'll-miss-it '' three-month-long campaign , Bloomberg dropped more than half a billion dollars on advertising , but managed only 38 delegates ( Hi , American Samoa ! )
as of the end of Super Tuesday .
He is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden , and pledges to continue to do whatever he must to defeat Donald Trump in November .
Three months ago , I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump .
Today , I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : to defeat Donald Trump — because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult .
I 'm a believer in using data to inform decisions .
After yesterday 's results , the delegate math has become virtually impossible — and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists .
[ ... ] I 've known Joe for a very long time .
I know his decency , his honesty , and his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate change , and good jobs .
I 've had the chance to work with Joe on those issues over the years , and Joe has fought for working people his whole life .
Today I am glad to endorse him — and I will work to make him the next President of the United States .
Let 's hope he lends Biden his advertising team , and uses his money to prop up voter registration and election security .

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this morning he is dropping out of the Democratic race for president.
In the "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" three-month-long campaign, Bloomberg dropped more than half a billion dollars on advertising, but managed only 38 delegates (Hi, American Samoa!) as of the end of Super Tuesday. He is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden, and pledges to continue to do whatever he must to defeat Donald Trump in November.
Excerpts from Bloomberg's Statement:
Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump. Today, I am leaving the race for the same reason: to defeat Donald Trump — because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult. I'm a believer in using data to inform decisions. After yesterday's results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible — and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists.
[...]
I've known Joe for a very long time. I know his decency, his honesty, and his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country — including gun safety, health care, climate change, and good jobs. I've had the chance to work with Joe on those issues over the years, and Joe has fought for working people his whole life. Today I am glad to endorse him — and I will work to make him the next President of the United States.
Let's hope he lends Biden his advertising team, and uses his money to prop up voter registration and election security.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Steve Kornacki Explains The Coalition That Put Biden Across The Top

Stephanie Ruhle brought on Steve Kornacki to explain last night 's results .
`` Let 's talk about who showed up last night .
Bernie Sanders ' argument has been ' I 'm bringing in a new broader coalition .
That 's my magic , ' '' Ruhle said .
`` So Sanders has made inroads with Hispanic voters but the coalition that Joe Biden put together , there 's a bunch of parts to it , '' Kornacki said .
He talked about the massive African-American vote totals Biden won .
`` It 's not just a great sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a terrible sign for Sanders .
Why ?
Because the number is so low .
And also because this is exactly what happened to Bernie Sanders in 2016 .
He actually ran even with Hillary Clinton in 2016 with white voters , but he got blown out with black voters .
He was getting in the mid teens in 2016 .
He spent four years trying to improve that , make inroads , and here he is at 15 % again , getting crushed by Joe Biden .
`` What that means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and look at what happened last night , I say the southeast , it 's a reason why Biden did n't just win these states , Biden ran up the score in these states .
Look at this , a 30-point win last night for Joe Biden in Virginia .
We thought Biden had a chance to win Virginia , nobody thought it was going to be 30 points .
`` You go to the state of Alabama , look at this margin , 63 to 17 .
Joe Biden won this state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely got past 15 % .
That 's the delegate threshold .
These are crushing margins and they mean lots of delegates . ''

Stephanie Ruhle brought on Steve Kornacki to explain last night's results.
"Let's talk about who showed up last night. Bernie Sanders' argument has been 'I'm bringing in a new broader coalition. That's my magic,'" Ruhle said.
"So Sanders has made inroads with Hispanic voters but the coalition that Joe Biden put together, there's a bunch of parts to it," Kornacki said.
He talked about the massive African-American vote totals Biden won.
"It's not just a great sign for Biden that was happening, it's a terrible sign for Sanders. Why? Because the number is so low. And also because this is exactly what happened to Bernie Sanders in 2016. He actually ran even with Hillary Clinton in 2016 with white voters, but he got blown out with black voters. He was getting in the mid teens in 2016. He spent four years trying to improve that, make inroads, and here he is at 15% again, getting crushed by Joe Biden.
"What that means when you go to the results map and look at what happened last night, I say the southeast, it's a reason why Biden didn't just win these states, Biden ran up the score in these states. Look at this, a 30-point win last night for Joe Biden in Virginia. We thought Biden had a chance to win Virginia, nobody thought it was going to be 30 points.
"You go to the state of Alabama, look at this margin, 63 to 17. Joe Biden won this state by nearly 50 points. Bernie Sanders barely got past 15%. That's the delegate threshold. These are crushing margins and they mean lots of delegates."


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--New White House Technique: Ban Video Cameras From Briefings

The Trump administration on Tuesday barred the media from filming or recording audio of a daily coronavirus briefing at the White House , sparking outrage from members of the press and progressive critics .
Journalists were only permitted to take still photos of the briefing , HuffPost reported Tuesday , leading some to characterize the press conference as a mere photo-op rather than an effort to convey critical information about the disease as it spreads across the United States .
The briefing was led by Vice President Mike Pence , who was appointed by President Donald Trump to head the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter Laura Rozen called the decision to ban video and audio `` absolutely outrageous '' and said the move `` will further signal [ to ] the public that the Trump administration does n't have a handle on this . ''
Jim Acosta , CNN 's chief White House correspondent , tweeted that `` the closest thing to an explanation we got as to why the coronavirus briefing was off-camera with no audio was when Pence said Trump was on camera a bunch today . ''
`` We need transparency .
Instead we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , author of the Popular Information newsletter , tweeted late Tuesday .
The photo-only press briefing came as the Trump administration is reportedly working to clamp down on White House coronavirus messaging .
Federal scientists and health officials , according to the New York Times , are now required to coordinate with Pence on all public appearances and statements related to the outbreak .
Michael Halpern , deputy director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists , wrote in a blog post last week that Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` is a highly dangerous power grab that undermines both emergency response and public faith in the reliability of information coming out of the government . ''
`` If this censorship and retaliation trend continues , we can expect more gross incompetence in handling the virus ' spread , '' Halpern warned .
`` More people will get needlessly sick and more people will needlessly die . ''

The Trump administration on Tuesday barred the media from filming or recording audio of a daily coronavirus briefing at the White House, sparking outrage from members of the press and progressive critics.
Journalists were only permitted to take still photos of the briefing, HuffPost reported Tuesday, leading some to characterize the press conference as a mere photo-op rather than an effort to convey critical information about the disease as it spreads across the United States.
The briefing was led by Vice President Mike Pence, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to head the White House's coronavirus response.
Al-Monitor reporter Laura Rozen called the decision to ban video and audio "absolutely outrageous" and said the move "will further signal [to] the public that the Trump administration doesn't have a handle on this."
Jim Acosta, CNN's chief White House correspondent, tweeted that "the closest thing to an explanation we got as to why the coronavirus briefing was off-camera with no audio was when Pence said Trump was on camera a bunch today."
WH is allowing only still photos of this Coronavirus briefing. No audio or video permitted. Here is a photo of the VP as the briefing began. pic.twitter.com/kB05s6IRvO — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 3, 2020
"We need transparency. Instead we are getting this," Judd Legum, author of the Popular Information newsletter, tweeted late Tuesday.
The photo-only press briefing came as the Trump administration is reportedly working to clamp down on White House coronavirus messaging. Federal scientists and health officials, according to the New York Times, are now required to coordinate with Pence on all public appearances and statements related to the outbreak.
Michael Halpern, deputy director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, wrote in a blog post last week that Trump's effort to "muzzle" federal scientists "is a highly dangerous power grab that undermines both emergency response and public faith in the reliability of information coming out of the government."
"If this censorship and retaliation trend continues, we can expect more gross incompetence in handling the virus' spread," Halpern warned. "More people will get needlessly sick and more people will needlessly die."
Republished from Common Dreams (Jake Johnson, staff writer) under a Creative Commons License.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Joe Biden Even Won Texas In His Stunning Super Tuesday Sweep

The usual conspiracy theories are in play this morning , but here 's the most likely reality : Just as Bernie Sanders benefited in 2016 from the `` anybody but Clinton '' vote , Joe Biden won big last night with the `` anybody but Bernie '' vote .
Many Democrats were willing to vote for Bernie as long as the numbers told them he was their best or only option for taking down Trump , but after Biden 's surprise margin in South Carolina , they saw a different option and voted for it .
CNN 's Phil Mattingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's shocking victory .
`` Let 's start with the number one key .
If anyone told you the morning after Super Tuesday , Biden would be 76 delegates ahead of Sanders , they 'd be lying through their teeth , '' he said .
`` That 's how big of a night Tuesday night was .
Let 's start with a couple of 'wow ' moments .
Wow moments starting with Minnesota .
Minnesota , Joe Biden won by 65,000 votes .
38.6 % .
Bernie Sanders at 29.9 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were questions whether or not Joe Biden would actually hit the 15 % mark that would make him viable for statewide delegates .
Obviously got a major boost from Amy Klobuchar 's endorsement the night before Super Tuesday .
Joe Biden in a state that Bernie Sanders won in 2016 in a caucus back then , ended up crushing in minnesota .
`` Move over to the northeast .
Bernie Sanders country .
Another state that he won in a caucus in 2016 .
Joe Biden still not called yet but leading Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7800 votes .
There are questions whether Joe Biden would be viable in this state , let alone have a chance to win this state .
Move down a little bit to John Berman 's home state , Massachusetts .
This is Elizabeth Warren 's home state .
This is a place that 's right next door to where bernie sanders is from in vermont .
joe biden won by almost 89,000 votes .
elizabeth warren coming in third place .
there were some wow moments earlier in the night .
`` Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign .
The state of Texas , the state where Bernie Sanders was organized and had a ton of money , ton of organization .
Joe Biden over the course of the night trailing , then pulling even , then taking the lead as the election day vote , not the early vote , the election day vote started to roll in in the suburbs . ''
`` Right now , 93 % reporting up by 71,000 votes .
CNN has projected Joe Biden will win Texas .
The other key -- and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but maybe not to this degree , the mid-Atlantic and the south .
Joe Biden just blowing out through these states exactly what his case 's best-case scenario would be .
He did it whether it was Virginia , North Carolina , Tennessee , Alabama , Arkansas , Oklahoma .
Then you include Texas in that .
That 's how you get to where Joe Biden had the night that he had .
`` But I do want to point out one key thing that 's outstanding or one of the biggest things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the largest pot of delegates at play .
415 delegates in the state of California and look at this map right now .
almost all light blue .
Light blue is Bernie Sanders .
Bernie Sanders , about 240,000 votes ahead with 48 % reporting .
now , it 's worth noting it 's going to take some time .
The vote is going to come in over the course of days .
this is where Sanders thought he could pick up a lot of delegates .
He still has a opportunity @ @

The usual conspiracy theories are in play this morning, but here's the most likely reality: Just as Bernie Sanders benefited in 2016 from the "anybody but Clinton" vote, Joe Biden won big last night with the "anybody but Bernie" vote. Many Democrats were willing to vote for Bernie as long as the numbers told them he was their best or only option for taking down Trump, but after Biden's surprise margin in South Carolina, they saw a different option and voted for it.
CNN's Phil Mattingly took a closer look this morning at Biden's shocking victory.
"Let's start with the number one key. If anyone told you the morning after Super Tuesday, Biden would be 76 delegates ahead of Sanders, they'd be lying through their teeth," he said.
"That's how big of a night Tuesday night was. Let's start with a couple of 'wow' moments. Wow moments starting with Minnesota. Minnesota, Joe Biden won by 65,000 votes. 38.6%. Bernie Sanders at 29.9%. John, going into Minnesota, there were questions whether or not Joe Biden would actually hit the 15% mark that would make him viable for statewide delegates. Obviously got a major boost from Amy Klobuchar's endorsement the night before Super Tuesday. Joe Biden in a state that Bernie Sanders won in 2016 in a caucus back then, ended up crushing in minnesota.
"Move over to the northeast. Bernie Sanders country. Another state that he won in a caucus in 2016. Joe Biden still not called yet but leading Bernie Sanders in the state of Maine by 7800 votes. There are questions whether Joe Biden would be viable in this state, let alone have a chance to win this state. Move down a little bit to John Berman's home state, Massachusetts. This is Elizabeth Warren's home state. This is a place that's right next door to where bernie sanders is from in vermont. joe biden won by almost 89,000 votes. elizabeth warren coming in third place. there were some wow moments earlier in the night.
"Here's the big moment for the Biden campaign. The state of Texas, the state where Bernie Sanders was organized and had a ton of money, ton of organization. Joe Biden over the course of the night trailing, then pulling even, then taking the lead as the election day vote, not the early vote, the election day vote started to roll in in the suburbs."
"Right now, 93% reporting up by 71,000 votes. CNN has projected Joe Biden will win Texas. The other key -- and I think this is what some expected but maybe not to this degree, the mid-Atlantic and the south. Joe Biden just blowing out through these states exactly what his case's best-case scenario would be. He did it whether it was Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Then you include Texas in that. That's how you get to where Joe Biden had the night that he had.
"But I do want to point out one key thing that's outstanding or one of the biggest things that's still outstanding. And that's the largest pot of delegates at play. 415 delegates in the state of California and look at this map right now. almost all light blue. Light blue is Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders, about 240,000 votes ahead with 48% reporting. now, it's worth noting it's going to take some time. The vote is going to come in over the course of days. this is where Sanders thought he could pick up a lot of delegates. He still has a opportunity."
UPDATE: Biden has won Maine.


crooksandliars--2020-03-04--Despite Massive Republican Voter Suppression, Black Voters In Texas Waited Hours To Vote

Carla Reed and Hervis Rogers , the last two voters at Texas Southern University .
Finally got their `` I @ @ @ @ @ waited six hours , until just after 1am .
# TXDecides pic.twitter.com/ngh5gl1nNy The real headline @ @ @ @ @ just Joe Biden 's surprise victory .
( Even though it was . )
The @ @ @ @ @ the Texas GOP closing 750 voting places in black and brown communities , those voters @ @ @ @ @ -- and waited hours to do so .
They gave Joe Biden the victory : @ @ @ @ @ time you do n't feel like going to the polls .

The real headline out of Texas isn't just Joe Biden's surprise victory. (Even though it was.)
The real story is that despite the Texas GOP closing 750 voting places in black and brown communities, those voters turned out to vote yesterday -- and waited hours to do so. They gave Joe Biden the victory:
Breaking News: Joe Biden won Texas, giving him the 2nd-biggest delegate prize of Super Tuesday, and rounding out his sweep of states across the South https://t.co/JDLsAM5vrg — The New York Times (@nytimes) March 4, 2020
While voters in rich white cities of Texas reported smooth sailing, voters in predominantly minority neighborhoods reported waiting up to 7 hours to vote.
Since 2012, Texas closed 750 polling locations in heavily minority areas. This is systemic racism. #VoterSuppression pic.twitter.com/nNLiYxz78c — 🌹Becca 🐾🌲👣🌎 (@Becca4Bernie) March 4, 2020
It is almost 1 a.m.
And people in Texas were still in line to vote as of a few moments ago.https://t.co/HXwLVhfui2#SuperTuesday #Texas2020 #TexasPrimary #VoteTexas #txlege — Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) March 4, 2020
Per the exit poll, basically black voters alone are the reason Biden carried Texas.
He was losing whites (narrowly) and Hispanics (badly) pic.twitter.com/HZJneLPbhr — Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) March 4, 2020
This is INSANE. These people have been waiting in line to vote for five hours at TSU. Polls closed 4.5 hours ago. pic.twitter.com/PLEJxixini — Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) March 4, 2020
Just remember this the next time you don't feel like going to the polls.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--'A Tool': Twitter Mocks Matt Gaetz For Wearing A Gas Mask On The House Floor

Matt Gaetz , the Republucan Representative from Florida who has a fun history of DUI , decided to make some @ @ @ @ @ Congress when he wore a full on gas mask .
In Congress .
While working @ @ @ @ @ about his fear of contracting coronavirus or was he mocking those that are afraid ?
@ @ @ @ @ but hey , Matt Gaetz found it funny and decided to make it into a @ @ @ @ @ least he was muzzled for the day .
But at the same time , it @ @ @ @ @ who are taking this virus seriously and worry about their family members getting it .

Matt Gaetz, the Republucan Representative from Florida who has a fun history of DUI, decided to make some sort of statement today in Congress when he wore a full on gas mask. In Congress. While working.
Is this a statement about his fear of contracting coronavirus or was he mocking those that are afraid? People are dying worldwide, but hey, Matt Gaetz found it funny and decided to make it into a joke.
Twitter had thoughts:
You won’t believe the shoes Matt Gaetz is wearing today. #FloridaMan pic.twitter.com/VmFN7t0fjq — Jim Himes (@jahimes) March 4, 2020
Matt Gaetz was spotted wearing gas mask today in Congress. He might need it after all, shaking hands and all, Mike Pence is nearby, no kisses! pic.twitter.com/0X6elpFH74 — Max Howroute▫ (@howroute) March 5, 2020
Matt Gaetz, a Florida Rep, wore a gas mask onto the house floor. He further compared the floor to that of a 'Petri dish.' Strange, considering he referred to it as a hoax days earlier. Here's a tip for ALL politicians: (common sense really) try not to engage in hypocrisy. pic.twitter.com/CU2v8p0tXQ — Zachary Wethington (@RealZKW) March 5, 2020
On one hand, I agree that Gaetz wearing a gas mask is a tasteless stunt in the context of an outbreak that has already killed about a dozen in America and thousands around the world. On the other, it probably prevents him from speaking so long as he wears it. — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 4, 2020
Matt Gaetz, our most normal member of Congress, is wearing a full-on gas mask on the House floor right now, being super normal — Addy Baird (@addysbaird) March 4, 2020
Matt Gaetz would have to pick up 20 I.Q. points just to be classified an “idiot.” https://t.co/j33LuBbJVW — Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) March 5, 2020
Matt Gaetz is a tool. pic.twitter.com/ROU1KgrgiW — Kimberley Johnson (@AuthorKimberley) March 4, 2020
Hey, at least he was muzzled for the day. But at the same time, it's incredibly insulting to people who are taking this virus seriously and worry about their family members getting it.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--Rick Santelli Wishes Everyone Could Get COVID-19 At Once To Stabilize Financial Markets

CNBC analyst and notorious Tea Party ranter Rick Santelli took to the airwaves Thursday to make the case that everyone should just get the coronavirus all at once so the people who were going to die could die and the markets could settle down .
`` I 'm not a doctor , '' he said , for which we all should be grateful .
`` Think about how the world would be if you tried to quarantine everybody because of generic-type flu . ''
Uh .
We have a flu vaccine which is pretty effective in limiting the death rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for it .
`` Maybe we 'd be better off if we gave [ COVID-19 ] to everybody , and in a month it would be over because the mortality is going to be any different than the long-term picture but the difference is we 're wreaking havoc on global economies , '' he continued .
This is what people say who are obsessed with money at the expense of humanity .
It is as stark and real as it can be , right there in black and white from the guy who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his little staged Tea Party rant .
When all you care about is the almighty dollar , why think about the children and parents and husbands and wives who will be lost to this virus ?
I mean , he 's basically saying that millions should die needlessly because ... markets .

CNBC analyst and notorious Tea Party ranter Rick Santelli took to the airwaves Thursday to make the case that everyone should just get the coronavirus all at once so the people who were going to die could die and the markets could settle down.
"I'm not a doctor," he said, for which we all should be grateful. "Think about how the world would be if you tried to quarantine everybody because of generic-type flu."
Uh. We have a flu vaccine which is pretty effective in limiting the death rate from that particular virus. But wait for it.
"Maybe we'd be better off if we gave [COVID-19] to everybody, and in a month it would be over because the mortality is going to be any different than the long-term picture but the difference is we're wreaking havoc on global economies," he continued.
This is what people say who are obsessed with money at the expense of humanity. It is as stark and real as it can be, right there in black and white from the guy who tried to burn everything down in 2009 with his little staged Tea Party rant.
When all you care about is the almighty dollar, why think about the children and parents and husbands and wives who will be lost to this virus? I mean, he's basically saying that millions should die needlessly because...markets.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--Sen. Kamala Harris Puts Misogyny On Blast After Sen. Warren Suspends Campaign

Discussing the news that Senator Elizabeth Warren has suspended her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president , John King and his panel listened to words of wisdom from Senator Kamala Harris — another former candidate who ended her campaign in December .
Sen. Harris absolutely slammed the misogyny that STILL , in 2020 , has such a large majority of voters doubting the capability and strength of a woman to lead this nation .
SEN. HARRIS : This election cycle in particular has also presented very legitimate questions about the challenges of women running for president of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are no women currently in this race .
And , you know , we can have a longer discussion about it , but the reality of it is there is still a lot of work to be done to make it very clear that women are exceptionally qualified and capable of being the commander-in-chief of the United States of America .
CNN reporter Athena Jones was even more explicit , as she expanded on what Senator Harris said .
JONES : I think it is a fair point , I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we saw this in 2016 .
There are a lot of people who might support an Elizabeth Warren or an Amy Klobuchar , but in the end , when it comes down to the voting booth , they 're concerned that others wo n't support them .
I can tell you that a lot of the support that I heard on the ground , I talked to almost a hundred voters between New Hampshire and South Carolina , kind of evenly split , almost every single person who said they were supporting Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they pointed to the idea that she was a woman , they wanted a strong woman to lead , and they were very proud about that .
But it 's looking like you ca n't win the nomination just with the support of women , even though she had a lot of that .
It 's not enough to have the support of women .
It 's imperative that female candidates have the vocal , outspoken support of men , too , if there is ever to be a hope that a girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office — or sitting there herself — might one day come true .

Discussing the news that Senator Elizabeth Warren has suspended her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, John King and his panel listened to words of wisdom from Senator Kamala Harris — another former candidate who ended her campaign in December. Sen. Harris absolutely slammed the misogyny that STILL, in 2020, has such a large majority of voters doubting the capability and strength of a woman to lead this nation.
SEN. HARRIS: This election cycle in particular has also presented very legitimate questions about the challenges of women running for president of the United States. Look at what's happened. There are no women currently in this race. And, you know, we can have a longer discussion about it, but the reality of it is there is still a lot of work to be done to make it very clear that women are exceptionally qualified and capable of being the commander-in-chief of the United States of America.
CNN reporter Athena Jones was even more explicit, as she expanded on what Senator Harris said.
JONES: I think it is a fair point, I mean we saw this last time around, we saw this in 2016. There are a lot of people who might support an Elizabeth Warren or an Amy Klobuchar, but in the end, when it comes down to the voting booth, they're concerned that others won't support them. I can tell you that a lot of the support that I heard on the ground, I talked to almost a hundred voters between New Hampshire and South Carolina, kind of evenly split, almost every single person who said they were supporting Elizabeth Warren was a woman. And oftentimes they pointed to the idea that she was a woman, they wanted a strong woman to lead, and they were very proud about that. But it's looking like you can't win the nomination just with the support of women, even though she had a lot of that.
It's not enough to have the support of women. It's imperative that female candidates have the vocal, outspoken support of men, too, if there is ever to be a hope that a girl's dream of seeing a woman in the Oval Office — or sitting there herself — might one day come true.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--Zerlina Maxwell Unloads After Warren Ends Bid: ‘Why Does A Woman Have To Settle For The Number Two J

Zerlina Maxwell Unloads After Warren Ends Bid: ‘Why Does A Woman Have To Settle For The Number Two Job?’

Political commentator Zerlina Maxwell lamented the impact of sexism in politics on Thursday after Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-MA ) signaled that she was suspending her campaign for president .
After the news broke that Warren would end her quest for the White House , MSNBC ’ s Crag Melvin spoke to Maxwell and former Sen. Claire McCaskill ( D-MO ) about why there is a lack of diversity at the top of the Democratic Party .
“ Considering the diversity of the base of the party , how can it be that the two men left standing are white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked .
“ Joe Biden got the support of black voters in America , ” McCaskill pointed out .
“ That had a lot to do with Barack Obama .
It had a lot to do with him being perceived as the guy that Barack Obama trusted the most.
” Maxwell argued that Warren “ would have done much better if she were a man.
” “ I think this is a moment where we really have to take a deep look into the cultural reasons why this is happening , ” Maxwell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessarily have anything to do with any of the mistakes that Warren made because Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders make plenty of those and they ’ re still in the race.
” “ We have never had a woman president , ” she continued .
“ And for some reason , it seem like only women are concerned about this fact and I would like more men to be vocal about the fact that they want to see women in positions of leadership.
” Maxwell slammed men who think that it is sufficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why does a woman have to settle for the number two job ?
” she asked .
“ That ’ s all I have to say about that.
” “ For the record , I want to see women in positions of power , ” Melvin replied .
“ Well , it ’ s important that you say that , ” Maxwell pointed out .
“ You vocalize it .
You don ’ t have to support Elizabeth Warren .
I didn ’ t support any candidate in this race .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have a favorite.
” Maxwell admitted that she had worked for the last two Democratic presidential nominees — Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — and neither are white men .
“ I wasn ’ t a Hillary person or an Obama person , I ’ m a Democrat , ” she explained .
“ I want more men to do what you just did , which is say , ‘ I would like to see women in positions of leadership . '
” “ And not just when they get daughters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Maxwell concluded .

Political commentator Zerlina Maxwell lamented the impact of sexism in politics on Thursday after Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) signaled that she was suspending her campaign for president.
After the news broke that Warren would end her quest for the White House, MSNBC’s Crag Melvin spoke to Maxwell and former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) about why there is a lack of diversity at the top of the Democratic Party.
“Considering the diversity of the base of the party, how can it be that the two men left standing are white guys in their 70s?” Melvin asked.
“Joe Biden got the support of black voters in America,” McCaskill pointed out. “That had a lot to do with Barack Obama. It had a lot to do with him being perceived as the guy that Barack Obama trusted the most.”
Maxwell argued that Warren “would have done much better if she were a man.”
“I think this is a moment where we really have to take a deep look into the cultural reasons why this is happening,” Maxwell opined. “This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with any of the mistakes that Warren made because Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders make plenty of those and they’re still in the race.”
“We have never had a woman president,” she continued. “And for some reason, it seem like only women are concerned about this fact and I would like more men to be vocal about the fact that they want to see women in positions of leadership.”
Maxwell slammed men who think that it is sufficient to have a woman vice president.
“Why does a woman have to settle for the number two job?” she asked. “That’s all I have to say about that.”
“For the record, I want to see women in positions of power,” Melvin replied.
“Well, it’s important that you say that,” Maxwell pointed out. “You vocalize it. You don’t have to support Elizabeth Warren. I didn’t support any candidate in this race. I didn’t endorse. I don’t have a favorite.”
Maxwell admitted that she had worked for the last two Democratic presidential nominees — Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton — and neither are white men.
“I wasn’t a Hillary person or an Obama person, I’m a Democrat,” she explained. “I want more men to do what you just did, which is say, ‘I would like to see women in positions of leadership.'”
“And not just when they get daughters and discover that women are people,” Maxwell concluded.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--WATCH: David Plouffe Makes Brian Kilmeade Furious: Fox News Is Trump's 'Happy Place'

Obama 's former campaign manager joined Trump 's favorite place of worship Fox and Friends Thursday morning to discuss the Democratic primary and his new book ?
Did you even check on that before you asked him , Fox bookers ?
Everything Plouffe said appeared to make co-host Brian Kilmeade a little upset .
After discussing Joe Biden 's lack of fundraising , Plouffe turned his attentions to Donald Trump and his obsession with getting re-elected .
`` Trump 's got this [ Fox News ] network .
He 's got his unofficial campaign chairman Vladimir Putin .
He 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brilliant marketer , ” Plouffe said .
Kilmeade cut him off angrily : `` But that is not right .
Don ’ t say his unofficial campaign chairman Vladimir Putin .
That 's beneath you ... ” “ Listen , he got help last time , ” Plouffe retorted .
Kilmeade then fired back at Plouffe 's insinuation that Fox news is in Trump 's pocket : “ He doesn ’ t have the whole network .
Every show here is different , '' Brian said .
Kilmeade tried to claim that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under his thumb , and held up as `` evidence '' that on Hannity last night Donald said he was unhappy with Fox News .
Plouffe shrugged that excuse right off .
Plouffe said , “ This is his happy place .
It ’ s like his own political Westworld , where he be the man he wants to be , not the man he is.
” That warranted a heated response from Kilmeade , who said Trump “ knows it ’ s the number one channel in America .
We beat every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ratings , the default defense for any attack on Fox .
Sad !
It certainly is n't .
Trump gets angry at Fox News because they interview some Democrats , and he hates their polls because even those polls show him trailing .
He wants 100 % pro-Trump coverage at all times .
98 % just is n't good enough .

Obama's former campaign manager joined Trump's favorite place of worship Fox and Friends Thursday morning to discuss the Democratic primary and his new book? Did you even check on that before you asked him, Fox bookers?
Whoever is our nominee, it will take all of us registering voters, organizing, creating and sharing content and more to win an election we can’t afford to lose. Some thoughts in both those books on sale today, for adults and kids, about how and why you can make the difference. pic.twitter.com/DUmsn9fAdU — David Plouffe (@davidplouffe) March 3, 2020
Everything Plouffe said appeared to make co-host Brian Kilmeade a little upset.
After discussing Joe Biden's lack of fundraising, Plouffe turned his attentions to Donald Trump and his obsession with getting re-elected.
"Trump's got this [Fox News] network. He's got his unofficial campaign chairman Vladimir Putin. He's got billions of dollars. He's a brilliant marketer, ” Plouffe said.
Kilmeade cut him off angrily: "But that is not right. Don’t say his unofficial campaign chairman Vladimir Putin. That's beneath you...”
“Listen, he got help last time,” Plouffe retorted.
Kilmeade then fired back at Plouffe's insinuation that Fox news is in Trump's pocket: “He doesn’t have the whole network. Every show here is different," Brian said.
"Well..."
Kilmeade tried to claim that Trump doesn't have the whole network under his thumb, and held up as "evidence" that on Hannity last night Donald said he was unhappy with Fox News.
Plouffe shrugged that excuse right off.
Plouffe said, “This is his happy place. It’s like his own political Westworld, where he be the man he wants to be, not the man he is.”
That warranted a heated response from Kilmeade, who said Trump “knows it’s the number one channel in America. We beat every channel, no matter the format.”
Ratings, the default defense for any attack on Fox. Sad!
“This is not a debate,” Plouffe replied.
It certainly isn't. Trump gets angry at Fox News because they interview some Democrats, and he hates their polls because even those polls show him trailing. He wants 100% pro-Trump coverage at all times. 98% just isn't good enough.


crooksandliars--2020-03-05--Pence's Press Secretary Snaps At Reporter At Coronavirus Presser

Well this was a special ending to Mike Pence 's Coronavirus briefing this morning : BRIAN KAREM : Can the @ @ @ @ @ [ louder ] Gentlemen , ladies !
Can the uninsured get tested ?
KATIE MILLER @ @ @ @ @ wo n't get you anywhere .
Yep , that 's Stephen Miller 's bride Katie @ @ @ @ @ press secretary for the Coronavirus outbreak and serving up a healthy dose of confidence and @ @ @ @ @ at the `` press release '' she worked on earlier this week .
It contains @ @ @ @ @ the president . ''
This ludicrous press release from the Office of the Vice President @ @ @ @ @ one : Donald Trump .
That the VP 's office felt they had to do @ @ @ @ @ the president suggests how nuts things must now be in the White House .
pic.twitter.com/e5HWkTPx1e

Well this was a special ending to Mike Pence's Coronavirus briefing this morning:
BRIAN KAREM: Can the uninsured get tested? [Pence and staff begin to exit room.] KAREM [louder] Gentlemen, ladies! Can the uninsured get tested? KATIE MILLER: Screaming for the camera won't get you anywhere.
Yep, that's Stephen Miller's bride Katie, serving as point-person and press secretary for the Coronavirus outbreak and serving up a healthy dose of confidence and candor!
Take a look at the "press release" she worked on earlier this week. It contains tweets "in praise of the president."
TFW Bill Kristol questions your media release choices?