thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-03--Donna Brazile Tells RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel To 'Go To Hell' On Fox News

Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile blasted the current head of the Republican National Committee , Ronna McDaniel , on Fox News Tuesday , telling her to “ go to hell ” for her assertion that the Democratic primaries process was rigged against Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) Prompting shocked reactions from her Fox News colleagues , Brazile , now a contributor at the network , fired up when asked to respond to McDaniel ’ s earlier remarks on “ America ’ s Newsroom.
” McDaniel had said that the Democratic race for president “ is leading towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rigged against Bernie if those superdelegates have their way on that second vote , ” echoing similar rhetoric from President Donald Trump a day earlier .
In the Democratic race , those party insiders known as superdelegates must follow the lead of their state ’ s pledged delegates in the first round of convention voting , but then can back whomever they want if more voting is needed for a nominee to emerge .
Brazile responded to McDaniel by asking Republicans to “ stay the hell out of our race.
” She told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she gets “ sick and tired ... of listening to Republicans tell me and the Democrats about our process.
” She took her own shout at Republican leaders , who have adopted rules minimizing challenges to Trump ’ s renomination .
“ First of all , they don ’ t have a process , ” Brazille said .
“ They ’ re canceling primaries ...
They don ’ t have the kind of democracy that we see on the Democratic side .
And for people to use Russian talking points to sow division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazile said Democrats aren ’ t trying to prevent any candidate from winning the nomination .
“ If you have the delegates and win , you will win .
This notion that somehow or another Democrats are out there trying to put hurdles or roadblocks before one candidate ?
That ’ s stupid !
” The exchange came as voters cast their ballots in 14 states for the Super Tuesday primaries and in the wake of a string of endorsements for former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race amid fears among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only lose to Trump in November but prove a drag on many down-ballot Democrats .
Those high-profile Democrats rallying to Biden ’ s camp include Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg ― who pulled the plug on their presidential campaigns after Biden scored an impressive win in Saturday ’ s South Carolina primary ― and former Texas Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke , who ended his White House quest late last year .
Sanders has accused senior members of the Democratic establishment of attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the more moderate Biden .
Meanwhile , Trump ’ s echoing of those claims has intensified speculation that Sanders is the president ’ s preferred opponent .

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Former Democratic National Committee chair Donna Brazile blasted the current head of the Republican National Committee, Ronna McDaniel, on Fox News Tuesday, telling her to “go to hell” for her assertion that the Democratic primaries process was rigged against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Prompting shocked reactions from her Fox News colleagues, Brazile, now a contributor at the network, fired up when asked to respond to McDaniel’s earlier remarks on “America’s Newsroom.” McDaniel had said that the Democratic race for president “is leading towards a brokered convention, which will be rigged against Bernie if those superdelegates have their way on that second vote,” echoing similar rhetoric from President Donald Trump a day earlier.
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In the Democratic race, those party insiders known as superdelegates must follow the lead of their state’s pledged delegates in the first round of convention voting, but then can back whomever they want if more voting is needed for a nominee to emerge.
Brazile responded to McDaniel by asking Republicans to “stay the hell out of our race.” She told co-hosts Ed Henry and Sandra Smith that she gets “sick and tired ... of listening to Republicans tell me and the Democrats about our process.”
She took her own shout at Republican leaders, who have adopted rules minimizing challenges to Trump’s renomination. “First of all, they don’t have a process,” Brazille said. “They’re canceling primaries ... They don’t have the kind of democracy that we see on the Democratic side. And for people to use Russian talking points to sow division among Americans, that is stupid.”
“So Ronna? Go to hell,” she concluded, drawing “whoas” from the co-hosts. “No, go to hell! I’m tired of it!”
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Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile tells RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel to “go to hell” live on Fox News.
pic.twitter.com/1b9na8ebr8 — Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) March 3, 2020
Brazile said Democrats aren’t trying to prevent any candidate from winning the nomination. “If you have the delegates and win, you will win. This notion that somehow or another Democrats are out there trying to put hurdles or roadblocks before one candidate? That’s stupid!”
McDaniel responded on Twitter, claiming her remarks “obviously hit a little close to home.”
It’s ok, @donnabrazile.
I’d be having a bad day too if my party was still hopelessly divided.
Talk of a brokered convention and the DNC trying to stop Bernie obviously hit a little close to home. — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) March 3, 2020
The exchange came as voters cast their ballots in 14 states for the Super Tuesday primaries and in the wake of a string of endorsements for former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race amid fears among some party leaders that Sanders would not only lose to Trump in November but prove a drag on many down-ballot Democrats.
Those high-profile Democrats rallying to Biden’s camp include Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg ― who pulled the plug on their presidential campaigns after Biden scored an impressive win in Saturday’s South Carolina primary ― and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who ended his White House quest late last year.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-03--Cal Cunningham Wins Democratic Primary For U.S. Senate In North Carolina

ASSOCIATED PRESS Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham , left , acknowledges supporters as his wife Elizabeth , right , with their daughter , Caroline , looks on .
Cal Cunningham won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in North Carolina on Tuesday , according to projections by The Associated Press , sending him onward in the race for a Republican-held seat that Democrats hope to flip in November .
Cunningham , a military veteran and former state senator , beat out four other Democratic contenders , including progressive state Sen. Erica Smith .
He ’ ll face Republican incumbent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of President Donald Trump , in the general election .
The stakes are high in November ’ s election in a swing state that Trump won in 2016 but that Democrats hope to capture in 2020 in their efforts to gain back a Senate majority .
Cunningham , who is white , was the front-runner in the primary , endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and leading in polls in late February .
He ’ d raised $ 4.7 million by last month , compared with runner-up Smith , who is Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 240,000 .
Cunningham , who served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan , was a one-term state senator from 2001 to 2003 and ran for U.S. Senate in 2010 and lost .
He campaigned on fighting climate change , creating a public health option and allowing states to legalize marijuana .
He was considered more moderate than Smith and cast his absentee ballot in the presidential race for centrist and fellow vet Pete Buttigieg , who dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday .
Smith — who ’ s been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former public school teacher and engineer — ran further left , touting her support for a Green New Deal , “ Medicare for All ” and legalizing marijuana at the federal level .
Both candidates pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money .
After a “ Faith and Power ” PAC with reported GOP ties ran an ad campaign promoting Smith , she disavowed its support .
The November race could be a close one , with Cook Political Report rating it as “ leaning Republican.
” Tillis , who is anti-abortion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities , won his seat in 2014 by only a slim margin of 48.8 % to 47.3 % against Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan , who died last October .

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham, left, acknowledges supporters as his wife Elizabeth, right, with their daughter, Caroline, looks on. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cal Cunningham won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in North Carolina on Tuesday, according to projections by The Associated Press, sending him onward in the race for a Republican-held seat that Democrats hope to flip in November.
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Thank you, North Carolina. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. https://t.co/Ak2kwXXFAZ — Cal Cunningham (@CalforNC) March 4, 2020
The stakes are high in November’s election in a swing state that Trump won in 2016 but that Democrats hope to capture in 2020 in their efforts to gain back a Senate majority.
Cunningham, who is white, was the front-runner in the primary, endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and leading in polls in late February. He’d raised $4.7 million by last month, compared with runner-up Smith, who is Black, who’d garnered about $240,000.
Cunningham, who served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, was a one-term state senator from 2001 to 2003 and ran for U.S. Senate in 2010 and lost. He campaigned on fighting climate change, creating a public health option and allowing states to legalize marijuana. He was considered more moderate than Smith and cast his absentee ballot in the presidential race for centrist and fellow vet Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday.
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Smith — who’s been a state senator since 2015 and was a former public school teacher and engineer — ran further left, touting her support for a Green New Deal, “Medicare for All” and legalizing marijuana at the federal level.
Both candidates pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money. After a “Faith and Power” PAC with reported GOP ties ran an ad campaign promoting Smith, she disavowed its support.
Cunningham also defeated fellow candidates Trevor Fuller, Atul Goel and Steve Swenson in the primary.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--White House Bans Filming At Coronavirus Briefing, Triggering Backlash

The Trump White House faced widespread criticism on Tuesday after Vice President Mike Pence conducted a press briefing on the coronavirus outbreak , but members of the media were not allowed to record video or audio .
The administration ― which only last week vowed to be “ aggressively transparent ” with the public about the spread of the virus that has now killed nine people in the U.S. ― only allowed still photographs to be taken , CNN ’ s Jim Acosta and other journalists in attendance tweeted .
WH is allowing only still photos of this Coronavirus briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here is a photo of the VP as the briefing began .
pic.twitter.com/kB05s6IRvO — Jim Acosta ( @ Acosta ) March 3 , 2020 “ I asked Pence why the Coronavirus briefing is off camera today .
He said he believes the briefing will be back on cam tomorrow , ” Acosta later posted , noting “ the closest thing to an explanation we got ” was “ when Pence said Trump was on camera a bunch today.
” Obama-era White House chief photographer Pete Souza said he “ can ’ t ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ POTUS spoke in the White House press briefing room and video/audio was prohibited.
” “ It ’ s like they ’ re imploding , ” added Walter Shaub , the former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics .
The Trump administration ’ s coronavirus response has been widely criticized as disorganized and slow .
Trump himself has repeatedly sought to downplay the risks , sometimes with outright falsehoods .
The @ WhiteHouse held a briefing on the # CoronaVirus today and **did NOT allow video or audio to be recorded** .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ lindsaycohen ) March 4 , 2020 So the purpose of the briefing is n't to communicate vital information to the public , but just to serve as a photo op ?
Awesome .
https : //t.co/uG8nhgMcWa — Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) March 3 , 2020 This is the most b.s .
I have ever seen .
We deserve to hear and see what is going on .
https : //t.co/8fJnu0kAC3 — Eric Garcia ( @ EricG1247 ) March 3 , 2020 I ca n't ever remember a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House press briefing room and video/audio was prohibited .
Maybe ask resident expert @ markknoller if this is a first .
https : //t.co/EXjmkgPVhp — Pete Souza ( @ PeteSouza ) March 3 , 2020 Hmm .
No audio or video allowed at this coronavirus press conference .
So ... the public can ’ t see & hear—and evaluate what ’ s happening for themselves .
If it ’ s an emergency , the public needs to be informed .
If it ’ s not an emergency , the public should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joanne Freeman ( @ jbf1755 ) March 3 , 2020 No audio or video permitted at Pence WH coronavirus press conference , absolutely outrageous and will further signal the public that the Trump admin doesn ’ t have a handle on this @ SenSchumer @ SpeakerPelosi @ KevinMcCarthyTV @ senatemajldr https : //t.co/flU4QD32Rn — Laura Rozen ( @ lrozen ) March 3 , 2020 This is unacceptable .
The American people , including state and local public health officials , need credible information — not a still photo of @ VP surrounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harley Rouda ( @ RepHarley ) March 3 , 2020 To be clear - a briefing intended to inform the public and keep the public safe is being blocked from the public ?
https : //t.co/OOSli6V4ja — Sarah Brooks ( @ Sarah_K_Brooks ) March 4 , 2020 This is how you act when you are 99 % certain that one of your people is going to say something 100 % wrong .
https : //t.co/mNt4iqMoS9 — Michael Booth ( @ mboothdenver ) March 3 , 2020 What 's going on here ?
Yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be back here everyday .
Get used to seeing us . ''
But now , no cameras or even audio ?
This reeks of an effort to avoid scrutiny in real time from the public health community .
https : //t.co/rN0LVhuUGD — Matt Shuham ( @ mattshuham ) March 3 , 2020 No , actually that 's video .
It 's their cunning new plan .
Remain absolutely motionless , and maybe the virus wo n't spot you .
These guys are on top of it after all .
https : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ememess ) March 3 , 2020 Surely someone in that room is going to be a hero , right ?
If the commitment to journalism is such that some of you can ’ t feel you should even vote , certainly you ’ d feel compelled to make sure the people heard and ... we aren ’ t getting tape , are we ?
https : //t.co/n3wjJs4IsU — jamilah ( read bio before DMing ) ( @ JamilahLemieux ) March 3 , 2020

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The Trump White House faced widespread criticism on Tuesday after Vice President Mike Pence conducted a press briefing on the coronavirus outbreak, but members of the media were not allowed to record video or audio.
The administration ― which only last week vowed to be “aggressively transparent” with the public about the spread of the virus that has now killed nine people in the U.S. ― only allowed still photographs to be taken, CNN’s Jim Acosta and other journalists in attendance tweeted.
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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
“I asked Pence why the Coronavirus briefing is off camera today. He said he believes the briefing will be back on cam tomorrow,” Acosta later posted, noting “the closest thing to an explanation we got” was “when Pence said Trump was on camera a bunch today.”
Obama-era White House chief photographer Pete Souza said he “can’t ever remember a time when a VP or POTUS spoke in the White House press briefing room and video/audio was prohibited.”
“It’s like they’re imploding,” added Walter Shaub, the former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
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The Trump administration’s coronavirus response has been widely criticized as disorganized and slow. Trump himself has repeatedly sought to downplay the risks, sometimes with outright falsehoods.
We need transparency.
Instead we are getting this. https://t.co/0z6yXdodE0 — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 3, 2020
The @WhiteHouse held a briefing on the #CoronaVirus today and **did NOT allow video or audio to be recorded**.
🤦♀🤦♀🤦♀ https://t.co/UpBtxRnl8z — Lindsay Cohen (@lindsaycohen) March 4, 2020
So the purpose of the briefing isn't to communicate vital information to the public, but just to serve as a photo op?
Awesome. https://t.co/uG8nhgMcWa — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 3, 2020
This is the most b.s. I have ever seen. We deserve to hear and see what is going on. https://t.co/8fJnu0kAC3 — Eric Garcia (@EricG1247) March 3, 2020
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I can't ever remember a time when a VP or POTUS spoke in the White House press briefing room and video/audio was prohibited. Maybe ask resident expert @markknoller if this is a first. https://t.co/EXjmkgPVhp — Pete Souza (@PeteSouza) March 3, 2020
Real effort here to avoid producing images for television coverage of coronavirus https://t.co/MzsCWgTP7q — Ben Smith (@benyt) March 3, 2020
Hmm.
No audio or video allowed at this coronavirus press conference.
So...the public can’t see & hear—and evaluate what’s happening for themselves.
If it’s an emergency, the public needs to be informed.
If it’s not an emergency, the public should be told. https://t.co/buHwPm1DiR — Joanne Freeman (@jbf1755) March 3, 2020
No audio or video permitted at Pence WH coronavirus press conference, absolutely outrageous and will further signal the public that the Trump admin doesn’t have a handle on this @SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi @KevinMcCarthyTV @senatemajldr https://t.co/flU4QD32Rn — Laura Rozen (@lrozen) March 3, 2020
The important thing is not to create bad TV https://t.co/H8j6LMxs9w — 'Weird Alex' Pareene (@pareene) March 3, 2020
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Not how a functioning democracy works. https://t.co/Cg7xBadjXx — David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) March 3, 2020
The White House has prohibited audio and video at its coronavirus briefing. It's like they're imploding. https://t.co/zNDwUe3vZu — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 3, 2020
Will courtroom sketch artists replace photographers in the next briefing? — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 3, 2020
No audio or video allowed...for a virus that is spreading.
Jesus. https://t.co/po2E6AL2Y2 — Don Winslow (@donwinslow) March 3, 2020
Where is that executive order about free speech on campus again? https://t.co/mwa78iiA9n — Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) March 4, 2020
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This is unacceptable. The American people, including state and local public health officials, need credible information — not a still photo of @VP surrounded by officials. https://t.co/XvABrm1bqZ — Rep. Harley Rouda (@RepHarley) March 3, 2020
To be clear - a briefing intended to inform the public and keep the public safe is being blocked from the public? https://t.co/OOSli6V4ja — Sarah Brooks (@Sarah_K_Brooks) March 4, 2020
This is how you act when you are 99% certain that one of your people is going to say something 100% wrong. https://t.co/mNt4iqMoS9 — Michael Booth (@mboothdenver) March 3, 2020
What a ridiculous decision. This is the most incompetent Administration imaginable. https://t.co/JpmcH1gqr2 — Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) March 3, 2020
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What's going on here? Yesterday @VP bragged about how "we’ll be back here everyday. Get used to seeing us."
But now, no cameras or even audio? This reeks of an effort to avoid scrutiny in real time from the public health community. https://t.co/rN0LVhuUGD — Matt Shuham (@mattshuham) March 3, 2020
“Don’t mind me, I’m just taking 30 still photos per second.” https://t.co/VspzubFZAv — Brent Jones (@brentajones) March 3, 2020
No, actually that's video. It's their cunning new plan. Remain absolutely motionless, and maybe the virus won't spot you. These guys are on top of it after all. https://t.co/PT0tu99n0J — Michael Marshall Smith (@ememess) March 3, 2020
I hope someone has a hidden mic. https://t.co/ljuGyqSxu4 — Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) March 3, 2020
Controlling the message, not the outbreak. https://t.co/VfbY3pHyyU — Schooley (@Rschooley) March 3, 2020
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No audio or video? Authoritarian response to cover up the sheer incompetence! https://t.co/Hq7rdY1qfC — Amy Siskind 🏳🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) March 3, 2020
This is absurd. Are they doing this presser for themselves or for America?? https://t.co/m5qL8jS2Rt — Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) March 3, 2020
Surely someone in that room is going to be a hero, right? If the commitment to journalism is such that some of you can’t feel you should even vote, certainly you’d feel compelled to make sure the people heard and...we aren’t getting tape, are we? https://t.co/n3wjJs4IsU — jamilah (read bio before DMing) (@JamilahLemieux) March 3, 2020
That's probably the best way to make sure nothing is misquoted or taken out of context.
Oh wait, no, sorry, I meant that is probably the best way to BE SURE things are misquoted or taken out of context.
This is fine. https://t.co/RNAQxQtfOl — Matt Singley (@mattsingley) March 4, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-03--Joe Biden Wins Elizabeth Warren's Home State Of Massachusetts On Super Tuesday

Former Vice President Joe Biden won the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in Massachusetts on Tuesday , defeating Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her home state , The Associated Press and NBC News reported .
Initial results showed Biden with nearly 34 % of the state ’ s vote , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in second with about 27 % and Warren trailing behind in third with roughly 20 % .
Biden ’ s victory marked a major blow to Warren , who had a disappointing showing in the first handful of primary contests and again on Super Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Oklahoma , where she was born and raised , Warren was projected to finish in fourth place on Tuesday .
Biden won the state with more than 38 % of the vote , early results showed .
A Suffolk University/WBZ/Boston Globe poll released on Saturday showed Warren and Sanders in a virtual tie for first in Massachusetts , one of the most liberal states in the country .
The same poll showed Biden in a distant fifth place behind former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former South Bend , Indiana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the race on Sunday .
Biden appeared to receive a significant boost from endorsements by Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , two moderate Democrats who threw their support behind him in recent days after suspending their own campaigns .
Biden nabbed several other high-profile endorsements this week , including from former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke ( D-Texas ) , who ended his presidential bid in November , as well as former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) and former U.S .
Ambassador to the United Nations Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters in Massachusetts were torn between Warren and Sanders , who are often compared on the campaign trail given their similar progressive policy proposals This splintering likely cleared the way for Biden ’ s win in the state ― despite having never held a single campaign event there .
As of late Tuesday night , Biden was projected to win at least eight out of the 14 states holding Super Tuesday contests .
Sanders was projected to win at least four .

Former Vice President Joe Biden won the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in Massachusetts on Tuesday, defeating Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her home state, The Associated Press and NBC News reported.
Initial results showed Biden with nearly 34% of the state’s vote, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in second with about 27% and Warren trailing behind in third with roughly 20%.
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Biden’s victory marked a major blow to Warren, who had a disappointing showing in the first handful of primary contests and again on Super Tuesday, failing to win a single state.
In Oklahoma, where she was born and raised, Warren was projected to finish in fourth place on Tuesday. Biden won the state with more than 38% of the vote, early results showed.
Thank you, Massachusetts! https://t.co/CkA2gy1RPo — Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 4, 2020
A Suffolk University/WBZ/Boston Globe poll released on Saturday showed Warren and Sanders in a virtual tie for first in Massachusetts, one of the most liberal states in the country. The same poll showed Biden in a distant fifth place behind former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out of the race on Sunday.
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Biden appeared to receive a significant boost from endorsements by Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, two moderate Democrats who threw their support behind him in recent days after suspending their own campaigns.
Biden nabbed several other high-profile endorsements this week, including from former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), who ended his presidential bid in November, as well as former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.
It’s possible progressive voters in Massachusetts were torn between Warren and Sanders, who are often compared on the campaign trail given their similar progressive policy proposals This splintering likely cleared the way for Biden’s win in the state ― despite having never held a single campaign event there.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Hillary Clinton ‘Not Planning To Endorse’ Any Democrat Vying For White House

Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that she had no plans to endorse any Democratic presidential candidate as the party seeks to find its nominee .
“ I am not planning to endorse , ” Clinton told NPR ’ s Audie Cornish .
“ I am going to say the same thing I ’ ve been saying from the beginning of this vigorous primary contest : I hope the voters will pick the person that is most able to beat Donald Trump in the Electoral College .
At the end of the day , that is all that matters.
” Clinton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 Democratic presidential nominee , made her comments shortly before polls began to close on Super Tuesday .
The day showed renewed vigor for former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s bid to unseat President Donald Trump , particularly after he garnered several high-profile endorsements on Monday .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , Clinton ’ s rival for the Democratic nomination in 2016 , also fared well in some states .
Clinton said she believed there was still “ great hunger in our country for change , ” and rejected assertions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive lawmakers like Sanders .
“ You know , I think people who get things done in politics should be really admired , ” Clinton told Cornish .
“ If the establishment means you put your head down , you get to work , you figure out how you ’ re going to pay for things , you build a coalition , you actually make change , then I think that ’ s a misnomer.
” Clinton has largely stayed out of the fray as the Democratic race heats up , although she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an upcoming docu-series about her political career .
In footage set to air later this week , Clinton says of Sanders : “ Nobody likes him , nobody wants to work with him , he got nothing done.
” When asked in January if her assessment still stood , she simply replied : “ Yes , it does.
” Clinton later said she would ultimately “ do whatever I can to support our nominee , ” even if it were the Vermont senator .
“ The number one priority for our country and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I always have , I will do whatever I can to support our nominee , ” she wrote on Twitter after joking that she thought “ everyone wanted my authentic , unvarnished views.
” Politico reported last week that the former secretary of state plans to launch her own podcast sometime in late spring , which could give her a powerful megaphone as the primary season wraps up .
Clinton told NPR this week that despite her loss in 2016 and her decision not to run in 2020 , she remains “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what I consider to be the forces that are trying to tear this country apart.
” “ I am sick of divisiveness and destructiveness in our politics , ” Clinton said .
“ I am sick of getting nothing done .
”

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Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that she had no plans to endorse any Democratic presidential candidate as the party seeks to find its nominee.
“I am not planning to endorse,” Clinton told NPR’s Audie Cornish. “I am going to say the same thing I’ve been saying from the beginning of this vigorous primary contest: I hope the voters will pick the person that is most able to beat Donald Trump in the Electoral College. At the end of the day, that is all that matters.”
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Clinton, a former secretary of state and the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, made her comments shortly before polls began to close on Super Tuesday. The day showed renewed vigor for former Vice President Joe Biden’s bid to unseat President Donald Trump, particularly after he garnered several high-profile endorsements on Monday. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination in 2016, also fared well in some states.
Clinton said she believed there was still “great hunger in our country for change,” and rejected assertions that the Democratic nomination was rigged against progressive lawmakers like Sanders.
“You know, I think people who get things done in politics should be really admired,” Clinton told Cornish. “If the establishment means you put your head down, you get to work, you figure out how you’re going to pay for things, you build a coalition, you actually make change, then I think that’s a misnomer.”
Clinton has largely stayed out of the fray as the Democratic race heats up, although she has taken aim at Sanders while discussing an upcoming docu-series about her political career.
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In footage set to air later this week, Clinton says of Sanders: “Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him, he got nothing done.” When asked in January if her assessment still stood, she simply replied: “Yes, it does.”
Clinton later said she would ultimately “do whatever I can to support our nominee,” even if it were the Vermont senator.
“The number one priority for our country and world is retiring Trump, and, as I always have, I will do whatever I can to support our nominee,” she wrote on Twitter after joking that she thought “everyone wanted my authentic, unvarnished views.”
Politico reported last week that the former secretary of state plans to launch her own podcast sometime in late spring, which could give her a powerful megaphone as the primary season wraps up.
Clinton told NPR this week that despite her loss in 2016 and her decision not to run in 2020, she remains “more energized and more ready to take on what I consider to be the forces that are trying to tear this country apart.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Bernie Sanders Slams Joe Biden On Iraq, Social Security After Super Tuesday Results

As Joe Biden pulled off a series of surprising Super Tuesday upsets and the other remaining contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination faded , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) previewed how he plans to tangle with the vice president in what could quickly become a two-man race .
Speaking from his home state of Vermont , Sanders reminded supporters that despite his wins in earlier primaries and caucuses , he entered the race as an underdog candidate .
To be one of the top two candidates by Super Tuesday , Sanders suggested , was worth celebrating .
By late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner of primaries in Vermont , Colorado , Utah and California — the state with the greatest number of delegates .
But Biden picked up wins in Alabama , Arkansas , North Carolina , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Virginia , and Texas ― as well as in Massachusetts and Minnesota , two stunners for him .
The two candidates also were locked in a too-close-to-call race in Maine , where the neighboring Vermonter had been expected to do better .
Sanders , who had limited his campaign criticism of other Democrats up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday night speech without mentioning his name .
Sanders reminded voters of some of Biden ’ s least progressive stances throughout his decades-long political career― and policies that remain deeply unpopular with core Democratic voters .
“ One of us in this race led the opposition to the war in Iraq .
You ’ re looking at him .
Another candidate voted for the war in Iraq , ” Sanders said .
“ One of us has spent his entire life fighting against cuts in Social Security , and wanting to expand Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the floor of the Senate calling for cuts to Social Security , Medicare , Medicaid and veteran ’ s programs , ” he continued .
“ One of us led the opposition to disastrous trade agreements which cost us millions of good-paying jobs .
That ’ s me .
And another candidate voted for disastrous trade agreements .
“ One of us stood up for consumers and said we will not support a disastrous bankruptcy bill .
And another candidate represented the credit card companies and voted for that disastrous bill , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday leading the delegate race .
But after Biden ’ s blowout win in South Carolina ’ s Saturday primary and a surge of high-profile endorsement that followed , the former vice president was expected to perform well in the Southern states voting on Super Tuesday .
But with the centrist vote largely consolidated after Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Indianan Pete Buttigieg exited the race and joined those supporting Biden , he pulled off bigger-than-expected victories .
Biden , speaking to supporters in Los Angeles Tuesday night , took note of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you got to Super Tuesday , it ’ d be over ” for him , he noted that some analysts had predicted .
“ So I ’ m here to report , we are very much alive .
”

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As Joe Biden pulled off a series of surprising Super Tuesday upsets and the other remaining contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination faded, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) previewed how he plans to tangle with the vice president in what could quickly become a two-man race.
Speaking from his home state of Vermont, Sanders reminded supporters that despite his wins in earlier primaries and caucuses, he entered the race as an underdog candidate. To be one of the top two candidates by Super Tuesday, Sanders suggested, was worth celebrating.
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By late Tuesday, Sanders had been declared the winner of primaries in Vermont, Colorado, Utah and California — the state with the greatest number of delegates. But Biden picked up wins in Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas ― as well as in Massachusetts and Minnesota, two stunners for him. The two candidates also were locked in a too-close-to-call race in Maine, where the neighboring Vermonter had been expected to do better.
Sanders, who had limited his campaign criticism of other Democrats up to now, unloaded on Biden in his Tuesday night speech without mentioning his name. Sanders reminded voters of some of Biden’s least progressive stances throughout his decades-long political career― and policies that remain deeply unpopular with core Democratic voters.
“One of us in this race led the opposition to the war in Iraq. You’re looking at him. Another candidate voted for the war in Iraq,” Sanders said.
“One of us has spent his entire life fighting against cuts in Social Security, and wanting to expand Social Security. Another candidate has been on the floor of the Senate calling for cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veteran’s programs,” he continued.
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“One of us led the opposition to disastrous trade agreements which cost us millions of good-paying jobs. That’s me. And another candidate voted for disastrous trade agreements.
“One of us stood up for consumers and said we will not support a disastrous bankruptcy bill. And another candidate represented the credit card companies and voted for that disastrous bill,” the senator concluded.
Sanders entered Super Tuesday leading the delegate race. But after Biden’s blowout win in South Carolina’s Saturday primary and a surge of high-profile endorsement that followed, the former vice president was expected to perform well in the Southern states voting on Super Tuesday. But with the centrist vote largely consolidated after Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Indianan Pete Buttigieg exited the race and joined those supporting Biden, he pulled off bigger-than-expected victories.
Biden, speaking to supporters in Los Angeles Tuesday night, took note of the dramatic turnaround in his fortunes. “When you got to Super Tuesday, it’d be over” for him, he noted that some analysts had predicted. “So I’m here to report, we are very much alive.”
In a clear jab at Sanders, he said, “People are talking about a revolution, we started a movement. We’ve increased turnout.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Trump Sues The Washington Post For Defamation

President Donald Trump has fulfilled his threat to sue more media outlets for defamation .
His target this time : The Washington Post .
Trump ’ s campaign sued The New York Times for libel last week over a 2019 opinion piece written by Max Frankel , a former executive editor of the newspaper .
Frankel suggested in his essay that Trump ’ s campaign had engaged in a “ quid pro quo ” with Russia before the 2016 presidential election .
Filed in federal court in Washington , D.C. , the suit takes aim at opinion articles from last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meddling .
In the first , opinion writer Greg Sargent said Trump had “ tried to conspire with ” a “ sweeping and systematic ” attack by Russia in 2016 ; in the second , writer Paul Waldman questioned whether Russia and North Korea would help Trump get elected this year .
Both articles cited Trump ’ s assertion , made during an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos , that there was “ nothing wrong with listening ” to a foreign power if it offered dirt on his political opponents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post as “ fake news , ” and last September , the president tweeted that two reporters from the paper “ shouldn ’ t even be allowed on the grounds of the White House because their reporting is so DISGUSTING & FAKE.
” Kristine Coratti Kelly , the Post ’ s vice president of communications , told The Associated Press that it was “ disappointing to see the president ’ s campaign committee resorting to these types of tactics , and we will vigorously defend this case.
” “ The Trump campaign has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punish an opinion writer for having an opinion they find unacceptable , ” Eileen Murphy , a spokeswoman for The New York Times , said in a statement .
“ Fortunately , the law protects the right of Americans to express their judgments and conclusions , especially about events of public importance .
“ We look forward to vindicating that right in this case.
” The lawsuit has been filed by the Trump-Pence reelection campaign , not the president himself , which means the legal costs can be borne by a special donor-funded @ @ @ @ @ @

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Trump’s campaign sued The New York Times for libel last week over a 2019 opinion piece written by Max Frankel, a former executive editor of the newspaper. Frankel suggested in his essay that Trump’s campaign had engaged in a “quid pro quo” with Russia before the 2016 presidential election.
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The president called Frankel’s remarks “totally wrong” during a press briefing last Wednesday.
“They did a bad thing,” Trump told reporters, referring to the Times. “There will be more coming.”
Trump threatens more lawsuits against media outlets that express opinions he doesn’t like pic.twitter.com/7aq53B1CzH — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 27, 2020
On Tuesday, Trump’s reelection campaign slapped The Washington Post with a similar lawsuit.
Filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., the suit takes aim at opinion articles from last year that linked Trump to Russian election meddling.
In the first, opinion writer Greg Sargent said Trump had “tried to conspire with” a “sweeping and systematic” attack by Russia in 2016; in the second, writer Paul Waldman questioned whether Russia and North Korea would help Trump get elected this year.
Both articles cited Trump’s assertion, made during an interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, that there was “nothing wrong with listening” to a foreign power if it offered dirt on his political opponents.
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The Post and its owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, are frequent targets of Trump’s attacks.
He’s repeatedly referred to the Post as “fake news,” and last September, the president tweeted that two reporters from the paper “shouldn’t even be allowed on the grounds of the White House because their reporting is so DISGUSTING & FAKE.”
Kristine Coratti Kelly, the Post’s vice president of communications, told The Associated Press that it was “disappointing to see the president’s campaign committee resorting to these types of tactics, and we will vigorously defend this case.”
“The Trump campaign has turned to the courts to try to punish an opinion writer for having an opinion they find unacceptable,” Eileen Murphy, a spokeswoman for The New York Times, said in a statement. “Fortunately, the law protects the right of Americans to express their judgments and conclusions, especially about events of public importance. “We look forward to vindicating that right in this case.”
The lawsuit has been filed by the Trump-Pence reelection campaign, not the president himself, which means the legal costs can be borne by a special donor-funded account, according to NPR.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Joe Biden Narrowly Wins Texas's 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary

Biden ’ s rally in Texas was part of a last-minute swing through the state that ended up focusing on major metropolitan areas with large blocs of Black voters ― a demographic with whom he enjoyed popularity in Texas even before his big South Carolina win .
In addition to Dallas , the other stop on his tour on Monday was Houston , which also has a large Black population .
Dollar for dollar , the Biden rival who got the least value for his investment was likely former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg .
Apparently knowing he was poised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida , where voters aren ’ t due to head to the polls until March 17 .
He swatted away the suggestion that his presidential bid was hurting Biden ’ s chances , claiming instead that Biden was taking votes away from him .
( By Tuesday night , as Bloomberg ’ s disappointing results poured in , it emerged that he is reassessing his campaign ’ s future on Wednesday . )
But though the full details of the delegate math have yet to emerge , Biden ’ s win in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose strong polling position in Texas and much-touted strength with Latino voters appeared to put the state within his reach .
But until very recently , that operation was very grassroots ― consisting almost entirely of networks of thousands of volunteers knocking on doors and hosting events independently .
The campaign began airing television ads in the state in February and opened up field offices in mid-February .
The campaign ’ s treatment of Texas is a stark contrast with California , where the Sanders campaign had built a robust operation dating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a challenging state for any campaign , since it consistently has among the lowest voter turnout in the nation .
And the state ’ s Latinos ― some of whom are ineligible to vote either due to their young age or lack of citizenship ― tend to have lower voting rates than the overall population .
“ It was great in Nevada and we shocked the world , but , really , people have been working for generations to turn out Latinos in Texas , and we ’ re going to show them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rocha told HuffPost .
As the campaign did in Nevada and Iowa before that , it introduced Sanders in television ads and mailers as the son of an immigrant father .
Rocha and his team then ensured that they disseminated Sanders ’ s standard message about fighting for “ Medicare for All , ” a $ 15 minimum wage and free college tuition on the right channels , using the right languages ― a formula Rocha calls a matter of “ cultural competency.
” For example , the campaign spent more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the state , targeting areas such as South Texas , where residents are more likely to be primarily Spanish speakers .
In East Texas , where Rocha grew up , Latinos are more likely to be English speakers or bilingual , and they received more bilingual materials .
Though some residents voting for Cisneros told HuffPost they were voting for Sanders , who endorsed Cisneros , it was not always the case ― nor was it always the case that Sanders voters all backed Cisneros .
Regardless , Sanders appeared to enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way he stands up for ordinary people ― the way he talks about the change he wants to make in the U.S. , ” said Mike Segura , an oil rig mover who voted for Sanders at Santa Niño Elementary School .
Segura said he was unsure about how to vote in the congressional race so he left that part of the ballot blank .

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Former Vice President Joe Biden won Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary in Texas, The Associated Press reported early Wednesday morning.
It was by far one of the closest races of the night, remaining neck-and-neck between him and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for several hours after the polls closed.
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Texas, one of 14 states to vote for Democratic candidates on Super Tuesday, awards 228 delegates, making it the biggest trove of the night after California.
Biden’s campaign upset expectations, carrying it on the strength of a three-day earned media blitz in which Biden’s onetime moderate rivals coalesced behind his candidacy. Polling that had once shown Sanders holding a modest lead over Biden in Texas began shifting following Biden’s dramatic win in South Carolina on Saturday.
Of all the endorsements Biden picked up in the interim, the blessing of former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a short-lived presidential candidate whose 2018 run for Senate nearly ousted Sen. Ted Cruz (R), was likely the most significant pickup in Texas.
O’Rourke joined Biden at a rally in Dallas on Monday night. The former vice president promised that O’Rourke, who made tougher gun laws a trademark of his presidential bid, could play a role in the development of his gun safety policies.
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Call it a W. Thank you, Texas. pic.twitter.com/iXFI1ys9wi — Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 4, 2020
“We won Minnesota because of [Minnesota Sen.] Amy Klobuchar. And we’re doing well in Texas because of Beto O’Rourke,” Biden said in a victory speech in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
Biden’s rally in Texas was part of a last-minute swing through the state that ended up focusing on major metropolitan areas with large blocs of Black voters ― a demographic with whom he enjoyed popularity in Texas even before his big South Carolina win. In addition to Dallas, the other stop on his tour on Monday was Houston, which also has a large Black population.
As in other Super Tuesday states, the series of Texas-focused endorsements and rallies managed to propel Biden beyond competitors who had invested far greater resources in developing campaign infrastructure in Texas.
Dollar for dollar, the Biden rival who got the least value for his investment was likely former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Apparently knowing he was poised to underperform, Bloomberg spent the day in Florida, where voters aren’t due to head to the polls until March 17. He swatted away the suggestion that his presidential bid was hurting Biden’s chances, claiming instead that Biden was taking votes away from him. (By Tuesday night, as Bloomberg’s disappointing results poured in, it emerged that he is reassessing his campaign’s future on Wednesday.)
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But though the full details of the delegate math have yet to emerge, Biden’s win in the state is especially disappointing for Sanders, whose strong polling position in Texas and much-touted strength with Latino voters appeared to put the state within his reach.
The Sanders campaign maintains that it has had an operation on the ground in Texas longer than any of its rivals.
But until very recently, that operation was very grassroots ― consisting almost entirely of networks of thousands of volunteers knocking on doors and hosting events independently. The campaign began airing television ads in the state in February and opened up field offices in mid-February. The campaign’s treatment of Texas is a stark contrast with California, where the Sanders campaign had built a robust operation dating back to the summer.
Sanders’s aides nonetheless saw in Texas a chance to replicate its success at reaching ― and appealing to ― Latino voters. Latinos make up an estimated 40% of Texas residents ― a fraction of a percentage point higher than in California.
Texas is a challenging state for any campaign, since it consistently has among the lowest voter turnout in the nation. And the state’s Latinos ― some of whom are ineligible to vote either due to their young age or lack of citizenship ― tend to have lower voting rates than the overall population.
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Prior to Super Tuesday, though, Chuck Rocha, a Mexican American raised in Tyler, Texas, cast it as the perfect testing ground for the Sanders campaign’s long-promised ― and as yet unproved ― conceit that it stood to benefit from expanding the electorate.
“It was great in Nevada and we shocked the world, but, really, people have been working for generations to turn out Latinos in Texas, and we’re going to show them that it can be done,” Rocha told HuffPost.
As the campaign did in Nevada and Iowa before that, it introduced Sanders in television ads and mailers as the son of an immigrant father. Rocha and his team then ensured that they disseminated Sanders’s standard message about fighting for “Medicare for All,” a $15 minimum wage and free college tuition on the right channels, using the right languages ― a formula Rocha calls a matter of “cultural competency.”
For example, the campaign spent more than $1 million on Spanish-language television ads alone across the state, targeting areas such as South Texas, where residents are more likely to be primarily Spanish speakers. In East Texas, where Rocha grew up, Latinos are more likely to be English speakers or bilingual, and they received more bilingual materials.
Former Vice President Joe Biden addresses supporters at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles. He appeared to gain an eleventh-hour lead in Texas. Mike Blake/Reuters
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In the U.S.-Mexico border city of Laredo, a hotly contested Democratic primary in which attorney Jessica Cisneros was taking on conservative Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar anchored a ticket where Sanders was vying with Biden for dominance.
Though some residents voting for Cisneros told HuffPost they were voting for Sanders, who endorsed Cisneros, it was not always the case ― nor was it always the case that Sanders voters all backed Cisneros. Regardless, Sanders appeared to enjoy significant support.
“I like the way he stands up for ordinary people ― the way he talks about the change he wants to make in the U.S.,” said Mike Segura, an oil rig mover who voted for Sanders at Santa Niño Elementary School. Segura said he was unsure about how to vote in the congressional race so he left that part of the ballot blank.
Flor Renovato voted for Sanders at the same school, seeing in his promises of Medicare for All and plans for a more compassionate approach to criminal justice and immigration, the closest approximation of her “morals.”
But Renovato was also excited about Cisneros’s candidacy, seeing it as part of the same movement for progress, and she was disappointed that Sanders did not visit the district to campaign for her.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Maine Voters Overwhelmingly Approve New Law Tightening School Vaccine Requirements

Mainers voting in Tuesday ’ s presidential primary overwhelmingly decided to keep a new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccines .
The measure , which will take effect in September 2021 , had faced fierce opposition from some religious groups and personal freedom advocates .
Maine voters were asked on their ballots whether they wanted to reject the new law , which applies to K-12 and university students , as well as employees of nursery schools and health care facilities .
With 67 % of precincts reporting , 73 % of voters chose to uphold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks who clearly listened to medical professionals , ” Bobby Reynolds , campaign manager of “ No on 1 , ” which had pushed for the law ’ s approval , told Bangor Daily News .
The Maine vaccine law will take effect in September and apply to children and others attending public and private K-12 schools , colleges and universities and employees of nursery schools and health care facilities .
https : //t.co/QrTaRwjvxw pic.twitter.com/YqdA2qcUXz — Bangor Daily News ( @ bangordailynews ) March 4 , 2020 Scientists overwhelmingly agree that vaccines are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of illnesses including measles , mumps , whooping cough and polio .
A 95 % vaccination rate , however , is required to achieve “ herd immunity ” within a community and to prevent disease outbreaks .
In Maine , vaccination rates for many diseases have fallen below that critical threshold .
According to NPR , more than 5 % of kindergarteners in the state are unvaccinated because of nonmedical exemptions — a rate more than twice the national average .
Maine has the country ’ s second-highest rate of whooping cough , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also expressed concerns about potential measles outbreaks .
Retired schoolteacher Barbara Grant told the Portland Press Herald this week that she supported the new vaccine law because she ’ d witnessed firsthand “ the impact of unvaccinated children in school.
” Maine is now one of five states that don ’ t allow nonmedical exemptions for vaccinations .

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Mainers voting in Tuesday’s presidential primary overwhelmingly decided to keep a new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions for childhood vaccines. The measure, which will take effect in September 2021, had faced fierce opposition from some religious groups and personal freedom advocates.
Maine voters were asked on their ballots whether they wanted to reject the new law, which applies to K-12 and university students, as well as employees of nursery schools and health care facilities.
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With 67% of precincts reporting, 73% of voters chose to uphold the new law.
“Mainers are practical folks who clearly listened to medical professionals,” Bobby Reynolds, campaign manager of “No on 1,” which had pushed for the law’s approval, told Bangor Daily News.
“At its core, this was a public health issue,” Reynolds added.
The Maine vaccine law will take effect in September and apply to children and others attending public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities and employees of nursery schools and health care facilities. https://t.co/QrTaRwjvxw pic.twitter.com/YqdA2qcUXz — Bangor Daily News (@bangordailynews) March 4, 2020
Scientists overwhelmingly agree that vaccines are safe and effective at preventing a plethora of illnesses including measles, mumps, whooping cough and polio. A 95% vaccination rate, however, is required to achieve “herd immunity” within a community and to prevent disease outbreaks.
In Maine, vaccination rates for many diseases have fallen below that critical threshold. According to NPR, more than 5% of kindergarteners in the state are unvaccinated because of nonmedical exemptions — a rate more than twice the national average.
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Maine has the country’s second-highest rate of whooping cough, NPR noted. Doctors in the state have also expressed concerns about potential measles outbreaks.
Retired schoolteacher Barbara Grant told the Portland Press Herald this week that she supported the new vaccine law because she’d witnessed firsthand “the impact of unvaccinated children in school.”
“I am a strong ‘no’ vote,” Grant said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--The Suburban Surge That Helped Save Joe Biden

In Ankeny , an upper-middle-class suburb of Des Moines , Iowa , Biden finished no better than fourth in 12 of the city ’ s 16 precincts .
In one precinct , he finished sixth , trailing even Andrew Yang .
In Hillsborough and Rockingham counties in New Hampshire , where many voters commute to Boston , he earned less than 10 % of the vote .
These suburbs are populated with the type of white , typically college-educated voters who have bounced from candidate to candidate over the course of the campaign like Goldilocks choosing her bowl of porridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg who was “ just right.
” Following a strong debate performance , Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) took the title in New Hampshire .
Voters in both states often described Biden as too old and perhaps unable to take on President Donald Trump .
But both those candidates faded in the more diverse states that were the next two to cast votes .
In South Carolina , suburban voters ― many of them former Republicans disgusted by Trump ― turned to Biden .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic primary so far , at the urging of Klobuchar and Buttigieg , their suburban cousins around the country ratified their decision , helping Biden to neutralize or even surpass Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
( The final delegate count from Tuesday remains unclear . )
Biden ran up the score in suburban counties on the East Coast and in the South on Tuesday , thrashing former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Sanders , his major rival for the nomination .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Washington , where 61 % of residents have a college diploma , Biden won nearly half the vote and beat Sanders by 60,000 votes .
In Dakota County , Minnesota , Biden was winning 43 % of the vote over Sanders ’ s 27 % , opening up a nearly 10,000-vote lead .
He was even leading both Sanders and Warren in Middlesex County , Massachusetts .
Many of these places have swung toward Democrats in recent years , helping power the party ’ s gains in the midterms , and voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over advancing specific policy goals .
“ Voters are clearly looking for someone who can beat Trump and are making the calculation that he is the best option , ” said Dan Sena , a Democratic strategist who was the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when Democrats took control of the House in 2018 .
“ Remember , in 2018 , it was the most electable Democrats that won primaries , not any given ideology that won the day.
” The suburban voters are not the most important part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Southerners , who rejuvenated him in South Carolina , provided him with massive margins in the Tidewater region of Virginia and may end up crucially providing him with all of Alabama ’ s statewide delegates .
But they are the newest part , and could prove key as the race shifts to the Midwestern states of Michigan , Missouri , Illinois and Ohio in the coming weeks .
( Sanders performed stronger with Black voters in Northern cities than he did with Southern Black voters in 2016 . )
Addisu Demissie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bid this cycle and worked on Barack Obama ’ s campaign in 2008 and Hillary Clinton ’ s presidential campaign in 2016 , noted Biden ’ s coalition was beginning to take on the same general outline as the former Democratic president ’ s .
And these voters are not only backing Biden , they ’ re also turning out in significantly higher rates .
In Loudon County , adjacent to Fairfax , where the median income is above $ 135,000 , turnout essentially doubled .
In Mecklenburg County , which includes Charlotte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , turnout jumped 25 % .
A surge of voters turning out for the moderate Democratic candidate in a primary is not unprecedented in the Trump era .
In the runup to the Democratic primary in the 2017 Virginia governor ’ s race between now-Gov .
Ralph Northam and former Rep. Tom Perriello , operatives in both camps assumed high turnout would boost the more progressive Perriello .
But turnout ended up skyrocketing 70 % , with the new voters mostly flocking to Northam .
“ It ’ s the same trend we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters liked both candidates but clearly consolidated around the one they saw as most electable , ” said Jared Leopold , who was the communications director for the Democratic Governors ’ Association during the race .
“ The intraparty ideological fight pales in comparison to the thirst to beat Donald Trump and his buddies .
”

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In Iowa, the suburbs killed former Vice President Joe Biden. In New Hampshire, they did it again. On Tuesday, they saved his campaign.
In Ankeny, an upper-middle-class suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, Biden finished no better than fourth in 12 of the city’s 16 precincts. In one precinct, he finished sixth, trailing even Andrew Yang. In Hillsborough and Rockingham counties in New Hampshire, where many voters commute to Boston, he earned less than 10% of the vote.
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These suburbs are populated with the type of white, typically college-educated voters who have bounced from candidate to candidate over the course of the campaign like Goldilocks choosing her bowl of porridge. In Iowa, it was former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg who was “just right.” Following a strong debate performance, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) took the title in New Hampshire. Voters in both states often described Biden as too old and perhaps unable to take on President Donald Trump.
But both those candidates faded in the more diverse states that were the next two to cast votes. In South Carolina, suburban voters ― many of them former Republicans disgusted by Trump ― turned to Biden. And on the most important night of the Democratic primary so far, at the urging of Klobuchar and Buttigieg, their suburban cousins around the country ratified their decision, helping Biden to neutralize or even surpass Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). (The final delegate count from Tuesday remains unclear.)
Biden ran up the score in suburban counties on the East Coast and in the South on Tuesday, thrashing former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sanders, his major rival for the nomination. In Fairfax County, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, where 61% of residents have a college diploma, Biden won nearly half the vote and beat Sanders by 60,000 votes. In Dakota County, Minnesota, Biden was winning 43% of the vote over Sanders’s 27%, opening up a nearly 10,000-vote lead. He was even leading both Sanders and Warren in Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Many of these places have swung toward Democrats in recent years, helping power the party’s gains in the midterms, and voters in them have always prioritized defeating Republicans over advancing specific policy goals.
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“Voters are clearly looking for someone who can beat Trump and are making the calculation that he is the best option,” said Dan Sena, a Democratic strategist who was the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when Democrats took control of the House in 2018. “Remember, in 2018, it was the most electable Democrats that won primaries, not any given ideology that won the day.”
Supporters attend a Super Tuesday night rally for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Los Angeles. Kyle Grillot/Reuters
The suburban voters are not the most important part of Biden’s coalition. That remains Black Southerners, who rejuvenated him in South Carolina, provided him with massive margins in the Tidewater region of Virginia and may end up crucially providing him with all of Alabama’s statewide delegates. But they are the newest part, and could prove key as the race shifts to the Midwestern states of Michigan, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio in the coming weeks. (Sanders performed stronger with Black voters in Northern cities than he did with Southern Black voters in 2016.)
Addisu Demissie, who managed Cory Booker’s presidential bid this cycle and worked on Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008 and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016, noted Biden’s coalition was beginning to take on the same general outline as the former Democratic president’s.
It appears Biden is basically reassembling the Obama (primary) coalition tonight - AfAms+college whites. With residual strength with older non-college whites - it’s a pretty formidable coalition. — Addisu Demissie (@ASDem) March 4, 2020
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And these voters are not only backing Biden, they’re also turning out in significantly higher rates. In Loudon County, adjacent to Fairfax, where the median income is above $135,000, turnout essentially doubled. In Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte, North Carolina, and its suburbs, turnout jumped 25%.
A surge of voters turning out for the moderate Democratic candidate in a primary is not unprecedented in the Trump era. In the runup to the Democratic primary in the 2017 Virginia governor’s race between now-Gov. Ralph Northam and former Rep. Tom Perriello, operatives in both camps assumed high turnout would boost the more progressive Perriello. But turnout ended up skyrocketing 70%, with the new voters mostly flocking to Northam.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Michael Bloomberg Drops Out Of Presidential Race, Endorses Joe Biden

“ Three months ago , I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump , ” Bloomberg said in a statement Wednesday .
“ 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.
” Bloomberg noted that his poor showing on Super Tuesday made the delegate math “ virtually impossible , ” acknowledging “ a viable path to the nomination no longer exists.
” Bloomberg only won the American Samoa Democratic caucus on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ 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 , ” Bloomberg ’ s statement said .
“ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next President of the United States.
” The billionaire businessman ’ s campaign made it into the top tier of a crowded field of Democratic candidates after he was late to enter the race in November .
Bloomberg , 77 , was the richest person ever to run for the presidency , with a net worth estimated at $ 54 billion .
Fellow billionaire Tom Steyer from California , who dropped out of the race in late February , has a net worth estimated at $ 1.6 billion , a fraction of Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg ’ s campaign , as the candidate spent over $ 40 million on advertising , he drew swift criticism from fellow contenders who accused him of trying to “ buy ” the nomination .
By the end of January , the billionaire had spent more than $ 400 million of his own funds on his campaign — blowing past previous records for the most spent by any primary candidate .
Two top contenders for the Democratic nomination have made billionaires a target of their campaigns : Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , ” and a major proposal from Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
is a wealth tax on the ultrarich .
Meanwhile , Bloomberg frequently reminded voters of his immense wealth during his campaigning .
Bloomberg focused his campaign on defeating Trump , a common message among Democratic hopefuls , and touted his background as a businessman , former big-city mayor and philanthropist .
Bloomberg has been an outspoken critic of Trump .
Earlier this year , he called the president a “ dangerous ” man “ who is recklessly running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg came under fire from fellow candidates and others for his record on race issues , particularly his support for New York law enforcement ’ s “ stop-and-frisk ” initiative , which disproportionately targeted people of color .
As mayor , Bloomberg was credited with eliminating New York City ’ s budget deficit and lowering the city ’ s crime rate , but he has also long been criticized by activists and local Black leaders for the policy ’ s harm to Black and Latinx residents .
In November , Bloomberg , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Black church : “ I was wrong and I am sorry , ” reversing his yearslong support of the policing strategy .
Then in February , he claimed that he had “ inherited ” stop-and-frisk — even though police stops increased sevenfold during his time as mayor .
Fellow Democratic contenders , particularly Warren , came after Bloomberg for his alleged history of sexism and misogyny at his eponymous media company .
At a February debate , Warren repeatedly demanded that Bloomberg release women from his company ’ s nondisclosure agreements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have made sexual harassment and gender discrimination claims .
Bloomberg was a Republican when he was elected mayor of New York in 2001 , but he re-registered as a Democrat in October 2018 .
The businessman served three terms as mayor from 2002 to 2013 , the third term as an independent .
As a philanthropist , Bloomberg spent billions of dollars on issues like immigration and gun control , and in 2018 he donated millions to support Democrats in the midterm elections .
After he entered the presidential race , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican candidates who supported immigration and gun law reforms .

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Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is dropping out of the 2020 presidential race and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden.
“Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump,” Bloomberg said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
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Bloomberg noted that his poor showing on Super Tuesday made the delegate math “virtually impossible,” acknowledging “a viable path to the nomination no longer exists.” Bloomberg only won the American Samoa Democratic caucus on Tuesday, failing to win any other primaries.
Bloomberg said Biden has the “best shot” to defeat Trump.
“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,” Bloomberg’s statement said. “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.”
The billionaire businessman’s campaign made it into the top tier of a crowded field of Democratic candidates after he was late to enter the race in November.
Bloomberg, 77, was the richest person ever to run for the presidency, with a net worth estimated at $54 billion. Fellow billionaire Tom Steyer from California, who dropped out of the race in late February, has a net worth estimated at $1.6 billion, a fraction of Bloomberg’s.
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At the start of Bloomberg’s campaign, as the candidate spent over $40 million on advertising, he drew swift criticism from fellow contenders who accused him of trying to “buy” the nomination. By the end of January, the billionaire had spent more than $400 million of his own funds on his campaign — blowing past previous records for the most spent by any primary candidate.
Two top contenders for the Democratic nomination have made billionaires a target of their campaigns: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has long railed against the “billionaire class,” and a major proposal from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is a wealth tax on the ultrarich. Meanwhile, Bloomberg frequently reminded voters of his immense wealth during his campaigning.
Bloomberg had vowed in late February to stay in the race for the Democratic nomination “right to the bitter end.”
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who was a late entrant in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, speaks to reporters on Nov. 26 in Phoenix. Rick Scuteri/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bloomberg focused his campaign on defeating Trump, a common message among Democratic hopefuls, and touted his background as a businessman, former big-city mayor and philanthropist. Bloomberg has been an outspoken critic of Trump. Earlier this year, he called the president a “dangerous” man “who is recklessly running this country.”
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In November, Bloomberg, a then-soon-to-be presidential candidate, told a crowd at a Black church: “I was wrong and I am sorry,” reversing his yearslong support of the policing strategy. Then in February, he claimed that he had “inherited” stop-and-frisk — even though police stops increased sevenfold during his time as mayor.
Fellow Democratic contenders, particularly Warren, came after Bloomberg for his alleged history of sexism and misogyny at his eponymous media company. At a February debate, Warren repeatedly demanded that Bloomberg release women from his company’s nondisclosure agreements, which are meant to silence women who have made sexual harassment and gender discrimination claims.
Bloomberg was a Republican when he was elected mayor of New York in 2001, but he re-registered as a Democrat in October 2018. The businessman served three terms as mayor from 2002 to 2013, the third term as an independent.
As a philanthropist, Bloomberg spent billions of dollars on issues like immigration and gun control, and in 2018 he donated millions to support Democrats in the midterm elections. After he entered the presidential race, he received criticism for his previous donations to Republican candidates who supported immigration and gun law reforms.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Ex-Labor Secretary Turns Donald Trump's Insulting Nickname For Democrats On The GOP

President Donald Trump ’ s go-to insult for the Democrats gets turned on the GOP-controlled Senate in former Labor Secretary Robert Reich ’ s latest video .
In the clip released on his YouTube channel Tuesday , Reich , who served under former President Bill Clinton , rips Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and his “ gang ” of “ do-nothing Republicans ” for refusing to take up hundreds of bills passed by the Democratic-controlled House .
Trump has repeatedly ranted about the Democrats being the “ do nothing Democrats ” on Twitter and at his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RADICAL LEFT , DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS .
THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA , AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY !
!
!
!
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 18 , 2019 Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left , Do Nothing Democrats , AND I DID NOTHING WRONG !
A terrible Thing .
Read the Transcripts .
This should never happen to another President again .
Say a PRAYER !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 18 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bills lying in McConnell ’ s legislative graveyard ” and highlighted how McConnell appears to be focused instead on “ ramming through a spate of unqualified , hyperpartisan judges who will shape the courts for decades to come.
” “ America used to have a Senate that served the people , but under Mitch McConnell ’ s leadership , what was once the world ’ s greatest deliberative body has become a partisan circus , ” Reich added .
“ He and his Republican colleagues have done nothing to benefit the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constituents to serve the will of Donald Trump and Republican fat cats .
History will not be kind to them , ” he concluded .

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President Donald Trump’s go-to insult for the Democrats gets turned on the GOP-controlled Senate in former Labor Secretary Robert Reich’s latest video.
In the clip released on his YouTube channel Tuesday, Reich, who served under former President Bill Clinton, rips Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his “gang” of “do-nothing Republicans” for refusing to take up hundreds of bills passed by the Democratic-controlled House.
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Trump has repeatedly ranted about the Democrats being the “do nothing Democrats” on Twitter and at his campaign rallies.
SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS. THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA, AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2019
Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats, AND I DID NOTHING WRONG! A terrible Thing. Read the Transcripts. This should never happen to another President again. Say a PRAYER! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2019
Reich mentioned “just some of the bills lying in McConnell’s legislative graveyard” and highlighted how McConnell appears to be focused instead on “ramming through a spate of unqualified, hyperpartisan judges who will shape the courts for decades to come.”
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“America used to have a Senate that served the people, but under Mitch McConnell’s leadership, what was once the world’s greatest deliberative body has become a partisan circus,” Reich added.
“He and his Republican colleagues have done nothing to benefit the American people, ignoring the voices of their constituents to serve the will of Donald Trump and Republican fat cats. History will not be kind to them,” he concluded.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Supreme Court Split In First Major Abortion Case Of Trump Era

The court struck down a virtually identical Texas law in 2016 , with Justice Stephen Breyer writing for the majority that the admitting privilege requirement provided “ few , if any , health benefits , ” posed “ a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions , ” and constituted an “ undue burden ” on the right to an abortion ― the legal test for whether a law regulating abortion is unconstitutional .
But the court has moved to the right since then .
June Medical Services v. Russo is the first major abortion case since Justices Neil Gorsuch and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court by President Donald Trump .
Chief Justice John Roberts is expected to be the swing vote in the case .
While he dissented in Whole Woman ’ s Health v. Hellerstedt , the 2016 case , some legal experts believe he may be reluctant to overturn it so quickly .
“ This is a case about respect for the court ’ s precedent , ” said Julie Rikelman , a lawyer at the Center for Reproductive Rights who represents the abortion clinic challenging the law .
She argued that the justices must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whole Woman ’ s Health to Louisiana ’ s law .
Nothing had changed since the 2016 decision “ that would justify such a legal about-face , ” she said .
She emphasized that Whole Woman ’ s Health was not based solely on the state-specific impact of admitting privileges in Texas , but on studies and expert testimony on the general effect of the regulation on women seeking abortions .
The court ’ s four liberal justices appeared inclined to oppose the law .
Roberts offered few clues on his position .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the court was bound by the decision in Whole Woman ’ s Health , asking at one point if “ the results could be different in different states.
” Rikelman said that if enacted , the law would have an even more severe impact on clinics in Louisiana than the Texas law had in that state .
After Texas passed its admitting privileges law , about half its clinics shuttered .
Louisiana would be left with only one doctor and one clinic to provide services for the entire state , she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Louisiana ’ s solicitor general , disputed those facts .
She argued that abortion providers in the state did not try hard enough to get admitting privileges , and that the law was justified by “ abundant ” evidence of health and safety violations .
The requirement would not significantly burden women seeking abortions , she said , because Texas and Louisiana are distinct states with fundamentally different circumstances .
Roberts did not seem persuaded that the Louisiana law provides medical benefits , as Louisiana ’ s solicitor general claimed .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be different in different places , but as far as the benefits of the law , that ’ s going to be the same in each state , isn ’ t it ?
” he asked .
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned whether the hospital admitting privilege requirement for doctors made sense .
She noted that complications are rare , and in those cases where women need hospitalization , it is usually after the abortion , when they are back home .
They are more likely to be admitted to hospitals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which could be hundreds of miles from the clinic where they had the procedure .
Murrill also argued that the plaintiffs in the case ― a Shreveport abortion clinic and two of its doctors ― did not have legal standing to bring the case in the first place .
As a general rule , people have to assert their own constitutional rights in court .
But since 1976 , the Supreme Court has allowed clinics and doctors to sue on behalf of patients , under a legal doctrine called “ third-party standing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that abortion providers have a conflict of interest with their patients and should not be able to represent them .
Justice Samuel Alito seemed receptive to this argument .
But if the court was to decide that doctors and clinics could not bring cases on behalf of their patients , it would need to overrule at least eight previous abortion decisions , Breyer said .
Kavanaugh appeared to have similar concerns as Roberts .
He asked the lawyer for the clinic whether she thought all admitting privilege laws were unconstitutional , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Reproductive rights groups warn that if the Louisiana law is upheld , it would allow abortion clinics to be regulated out of existence .
The constitutional right to an abortion would exist in name only for women in many largely rural states , especially in the Midwest and the South .

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared divided on Wednesday during arguments in a critical abortion case that could dramatically reshape the landscape of reproductive rights in America.
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The case centers on a Louisiana law that bans doctors from providing abortions unless they have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles, a requirement that major medical groups deem unnecessary and ultimately detrimental to women’s health.
The court struck down a virtually identical Texas law in 2016, with Justice Stephen Breyer writing for the majority that the admitting privilege requirement provided “few, if any, health benefits,” posed “a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions,” and constituted an “undue burden” on the right to an abortion ― the legal test for whether a law regulating abortion is unconstitutional.
But the court has moved to the right since then. June Medical Services v. Russo is the first major abortion case since Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh were appointed to the high court by President Donald Trump.
Chief Justice John Roberts is expected to be the swing vote in the case. While he dissented in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the 2016 case, some legal experts believe he may be reluctant to overturn it so quickly.
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“This is a case about respect for the court’s precedent,” said Julie Rikelman, a lawyer at the Center for Reproductive Rights who represents the abortion clinic challenging the law. She argued that the justices must extend the court’s ruling in Whole Woman’s Health to Louisiana’s law. Nothing had changed since the 2016 decision “that would justify such a legal about-face,” she said.
She emphasized that Whole Woman’s Health was not based solely on the state-specific impact of admitting privileges in Texas, but on studies and expert testimony on the general effect of the regulation on women seeking abortions.
The court’s four liberal justices appeared inclined to oppose the law. Roberts offered few clues on his position. His questions focused on the extent to which the court was bound by the decision in Whole Woman’s Health, asking at one point if “the results could be different in different states.”
Rikelman said that if enacted, the law would have an even more severe impact on clinics in Louisiana than the Texas law had in that state. After Texas passed its admitting privileges law, about half its clinics shuttered. Louisiana would be left with only one doctor and one clinic to provide services for the entire state, she said, decimating abortion access.
Elizabeth Murrill, Louisiana’s solicitor general, disputed those facts. She argued that abortion providers in the state did not try hard enough to get admitting privileges, and that the law was justified by “abundant” evidence of health and safety violations. The requirement would not significantly burden women seeking abortions, she said, because Texas and Louisiana are distinct states with fundamentally different circumstances.
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“The laws are different, the facts are different, the regulatory structures are different,” Murrill said.
Roberts did not seem persuaded that the Louisiana law provides medical benefits, as Louisiana’s solicitor general claimed. “I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places, but as far as the benefits of the law, that’s going to be the same in each state, isn’t it?” he asked.
In Whole Woman’s Health, the court found the admitting privileges requirement served no health benefit.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned whether the hospital admitting privilege requirement for doctors made sense. She noted that complications are rare, and in those cases where women need hospitalization, it is usually after the abortion, when they are back home. They are more likely to be admitted to hospitals in their own communities, she said, which could be hundreds of miles from the clinic where they had the procedure.
Murrill also argued that the plaintiffs in the case ― a Shreveport abortion clinic and two of its doctors ― did not have legal standing to bring the case in the first place. As a general rule, people have to assert their own constitutional rights in court. But since 1976, the Supreme Court has allowed clinics and doctors to sue on behalf of patients, under a legal doctrine called “third-party standing.”
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Murrill challenged the longstanding precedent, contending that abortion providers have a conflict of interest with their patients and should not be able to represent them. Justice Samuel Alito seemed receptive to this argument. But if the court was to decide that doctors and clinics could not bring cases on behalf of their patients, it would need to overrule at least eight previous abortion decisions, Breyer said.
Kavanaugh appeared to have similar concerns as Roberts. He asked the lawyer for the clinic whether she thought all admitting privilege laws were unconstitutional, and if they could ever have a valid purpose.
She said the medical consensus against the laws was clear.
Justice Clarence Thomas and Gorsuch did not ask any questions.
Reproductive rights groups warn that if the Louisiana law is upheld, it would allow abortion clinics to be regulated out of existence. The constitutional right to an abortion would exist in name only for women in many largely rural states, especially in the Midwest and the South.
“Louisiana lawmakers have tried every which way to end abortion care in our state,” said Kathaleen Pittman, clinic administrator at Hope Medical Group, the lead plaintiff. “This law would be devastating for the women in our state and would no doubt have repercussions nationwide.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Mike Bloomberg's Campaign Ends As One Of The Biggest Product Flops In History

Mike Bloomberg spent more than half a billion dollars of his own money on a Democratic presidential run and dropped out with just 44 delegates to show for it , as of the time of publication .
The billionaire former New York City mayor ’ s campaign , the most expensive presidential primary campaign in history , will go down as one of the most expensive product launch flops ever .
In the end , it is likely Bloomberg will have spent more than $ 600 million through Super Tuesday .
That breaks down to about $ 13.6 million per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of The Associated Press and NPR .
He spent more than $ 500 million on television and online advertising , including nearly $ 200 million just in the Super Tuesday states .
That bought him a victory in the Pacific island territory of American Samoa , but he finished outside the top two in every other state .
Bloomberg could run only because he is one of the richest men in the world .
He spent just 1 % of his estimated $ 62 billion fortune to buy an unprecedented media hype campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic Party presidential debate stage and the ability to campaign across more states at once than any other candidate .
But , in the end , when voters actually saw the product hyped across television and Instagram , they chose not to buy it .
It comes as no surprise that Bloomberg ’ s social media influence campaign was run by the same company that helped hype the 2017 Fyre Festival .
Bloomberg ’ s rationale for his campaign was that former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s underfunded campaign would fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
That rationale imploded with Biden ’ s broad victory in South Carolina on Saturday .
But even before that , Bloomberg fell flat .
His Wizard of Oz media hype campaign brought him great attention and apparent support , but when he stepped out from behind the curtain and onto the debate stage he was left deflated .
Super Tuesday revealed a yawning gap between those who voted early for Bloomberg and those who voted on Tuesday ― his primary day support tanked .
When Bloomberg was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( D-Mass . )
immediately punctured him as a misogynist in the mold of President Donald Trump and the architect of racist criminal justice policies .
His bloodless anti-charisma may be loved by pro-business centrists , but it muted the positive earned media he received through his massive television ad buys and tongue-in-cheek social media influencer campaign .
Warren may have delivered the kill shot that popped the Bloomberg balloon , but his campaign ’ s cash-fueled bloat was also bound to cause problems .
Like any product rushed to market , Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bugs and poorly thought out ideas .
He hired a massive staff with corporate-level salaries , but some of these staffers were more enthusiastic about the paycheck than the candidate .
The campaign opened dozens of offices , but some were never fully staffed .
His punchy social media campaign often resulted in unforced errors requiring the deletion of tweets and posts .
And while it all ended with a historic flameout , Bloomberg still showed that a billionaire can spend just a tiny fraction of their wealth for significant political influence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t matter for Bloomberg .
He will likely make back the $ 600 million he spent just on compound interest alone before November ’ s general election .

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Mike Bloomberg spent more than half a billion dollars of his own money on a Democratic presidential run and dropped out with just 44 delegates to show for it, as of the time of publication. The billionaire former New York City mayor’s campaign, the most expensive presidential primary campaign in history, will go down as one of the most expensive product launch flops ever.
In the end, it is likely Bloomberg will have spent more than $600 million through Super Tuesday. That breaks down to about $13.6 million per delegate, based on the delegate count of The Associated Press and NPR.
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He spent more than $500 million on television and online advertising, including nearly $200 million just in the Super Tuesday states. That bought him a victory in the Pacific island territory of American Samoa, but he finished outside the top two in every other state.
Bloomberg could run only because he is one of the richest men in the world. He spent just 1% of his estimated $62 billion fortune to buy an unprecedented media hype campaign.
It won him a seat on the Democratic Party presidential debate stage and the ability to campaign across more states at once than any other candidate. But, in the end, when voters actually saw the product hyped across television and Instagram, they chose not to buy it. It comes as no surprise that Bloomberg’s social media influence campaign was run by the same company that helped hype the 2017 Fyre Festival.
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg walks off stage after speaking during a rally Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Bloomberg’s rationale for his campaign was that former Vice President Joe Biden’s underfunded campaign would fall apart leaving no moderate alternative to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). That rationale imploded with Biden’s broad victory in South Carolina on Saturday.
But even before that, Bloomberg fell flat. His Wizard of Oz media hype campaign brought him great attention and apparent support, but when he stepped out from behind the curtain and onto the debate stage he was left deflated. Super Tuesday revealed a yawning gap between those who voted early for Bloomberg and those who voted on Tuesday ― his primary day support tanked.
When Bloomberg was in the race, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) immediately punctured him as a misogynist in the mold of President Donald Trump and the architect of racist criminal justice policies. His bloodless anti-charisma may be loved by pro-business centrists, but it muted the positive earned media he received through his massive television ad buys and tongue-in-cheek social media influencer campaign.
Warren may have delivered the kill shot that popped the Bloomberg balloon, but his campaign’s cash-fueled bloat was also bound to cause problems.
Like any product rushed to market, Bloomberg’s campaign was loaded down with bugs and poorly thought out ideas. He hired a massive staff with corporate-level salaries, but some of these staffers were more enthusiastic about the paycheck than the candidate. The campaign opened dozens of offices, but some were never fully staffed. His punchy social media campaign often resulted in unforced errors requiring the deletion of tweets and posts.
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