thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-30--Without Warning, ICE Deported New York Man To War-Torn Yemen

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency deported an undocumented New Yorker who had lived in the U.S. for two decades and repeatedly checked in with the government , sending him back to his native Yemen where he fears for his life .
Last Friday , Hazaea Alomaisi , a 42-year-old Yemeni national who goes by Anwar , went to a scheduled meeting with immigration officials to review his case .
For 22 years , Alomaisi had diligently reported for these check-ins , which gave him temporary reprieve from deportation because he wasn ’ t a priority for removal .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over those years , volunteering with the fire department and photographing weddings .
But this time when he went to check in with ICE , officials told him he could not go home .
Instead , he was to be deported .
ICE sent Alomaisi to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny , New Jersey , where he stayed for a few days .
He was put on a plane from John F. Kennedy Airport to Yemen on Tuesday ― before he got a chance to see his attorney , appeal the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By the time Alomaisi ’ s lawyer , Kai De Graaf , went to visit him on Tuesday morning , immigration officials said it was too late .
Alomaisi was already on the plane back to Yemen .
He didn ’ t have the opportunity to appeal and he was deported even though he feared for his life in his native country , De Graaf said .
His deportation is emblematic of immigration policy under President Donald Trump , who ended prosecutorial discretion policies that allowed many undocumented residents to avoid deportation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Trump also dramatically decreased the number of Yemeni refugees admitted into the U.S. and barred some people from Yemen from even visiting .
Now , Alomaisi ’ s family said , he could face danger for his political activism while in the U.S. and because of the ongoing violence in Yemen .
The Mideast nation has endured years of political and civil unrest since 2011 .
Trapped in a proxy war between the Iranian-back Houthi rebels and the Saudi-supported current government , civilians face daily airstrikes , market bombs and kidnapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to crumble .
Between the lack of medical supplies and a famine that has impacted millions inside the country , Yemenis are suffering one of the world ’ s worst humanitarian crises .
Alomaisi had considered himself lucky to start over when he came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 1998 and decided to stay .
New York was the perfect place for him to settle , with over 13,000 New York-born Yemenis in the state .
He felt right at home and sought to gain legal status through several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After studying photography at Westchester Community College , Alomaisi used his talents to give back to the people who took him in .
He photographed weddings , protests and galas for the Yemeni and larger Arab community , often for free .
He was on the frontlines of the 2017 Yemeni bodega strike against Trump ’ s anti-Muslim immigration ban .
With a particular passion for wildlife , Alomaisi often showcased photos of eagles , owls and other birds on his social media pages .
In December 2016 , he even made news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during one of his photoshoots .
A volunteer with his local fire department and a Red Cross member , Alomaisi was always looking for ways to give back .
“ It ’ s a big loss for the community .
Everyone I talked to is completely shocked , ” said Ibrahim Qatabi , a senior legal worker at the Center for Constitutional Rights who has known Alomaisi for nearly a decade and has been in contact with him since his removal .
“ This was a peaceful individual who had come to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served uniquely , contributed his time to the betterment of everyone around him , ” said Qatabi .
Alomaisi told people he wasn ’ t worried and attempted to reassure his community that they would be protected .
After all , he thought there was no way the U.S. would send them to a country taken over by bombs and famine amid a conflict that the American government itself has a role in .
But he was wrong .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency deported an undocumented New Yorker who had lived in the U.S. for two decades and repeatedly checked in with the government, sending him back to his native Yemen where he fears for his life.
Last Friday, Hazaea Alomaisi, a 42-year-old Yemeni national who goes by Anwar, went to a scheduled meeting with immigration officials to review his case. For 22 years, Alomaisi had diligently reported for these check-ins, which gave him temporary reprieve from deportation because he wasn’t a priority for removal. He became active in the local Yemeni community over those years, volunteering with the fire department and photographing weddings.
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But this time when he went to check in with ICE, officials told him he could not go home. Instead, he was to be deported.
ICE sent Alomaisi to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny, New Jersey, where he stayed for a few days. He was put on a plane from John F. Kennedy Airport to Yemen on Tuesday ― before he got a chance to see his attorney, appeal the decision or say goodbye to his family.
“We were just shocked,” his uncle Adnan Alomaisi told HuffPost. Adnan was the first person Alomaisi called when he was detained. “If we knew, we would have done something faster.”
Hazaea "Anwar" Alomaisi, a 42-year-old undocumented Yemeni national, was deported on Jan 29. without warning. Hazaea Anwar Alomaisi/Facebook
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By the time Alomaisi’s lawyer, Kai De Graaf, went to visit him on Tuesday morning, immigration officials said it was too late. Alomaisi was already on the plane back to Yemen. He didn’t have the opportunity to appeal and he was deported even though he feared for his life in his native country, De Graaf said.
Alomaisi “failed to leave the country in accordance with his visa requirements” and was ordered removed by a federal immigration judge in 2005, an ICE spokesperson told HuffPost. The agency confirmed that he filed for an appeal in 2006, but said it was dismissed.
Alomaisi was released on an order of supervision in July 2011. However, that order was revoked on Jan. 21, leading to his removal one week later, ICE said.
The Yemeni Embassy in the U.S. did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment on Alomaisi’s removal.
The deportation is emblematic of immigration policy under President Donald Trump, who ended prosecutorial discretion policies that allowed many undocumented residents to avoid deportation even if they were legally eligible for it. Trump also dramatically decreased the number of Yemeni refugees admitted into the U.S. and barred some people from Yemen from even visiting.
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Now, Alomaisi’s family said, he could face danger for his political activism while in the U.S. and because of the ongoing violence in Yemen. The Mideast nation has endured years of political and civil unrest since 2011. Trapped in a proxy war between the Iranian-back Houthi rebels and the Saudi-supported current government, civilians face daily airstrikes, market bombs and kidnapping threats. Yemen’s medical infrastructure continues to crumble. Between the lack of medical supplies and a famine that has impacted millions inside the country, Yemenis are suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Alomaisi loved wildlife, taking photos of eagles and owls in particular. Hazaea Anwar Alomaisi/Facebook
Alomaisi had considered himself lucky to start over when he came to the U.S. on a tourist visa in 1998 and decided to stay. New York was the perfect place for him to settle, with over 13,000 New York-born Yemenis in the state. He felt right at home and sought to gain legal status through several avenues, all to no avail.
After studying photography at Westchester Community College, Alomaisi used his talents to give back to the people who took him in. He photographed weddings, protests and galas for the Yemeni and larger Arab community, often for free. He was on the frontlines of the 2017 Yemeni bodega strike against Trump’s anti-Muslim immigration ban.
With a particular passion for wildlife, Alomaisi often showcased photos of eagles, owls and other birds on his social media pages. In December 2016, he even made news for rescuing a famished owl he found during one of his photoshoots. A volunteer with his local fire department and a Red Cross member, Alomaisi was always looking for ways to give back.
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“It’s a big loss for the community. Everyone I talked to is completely shocked,” said Ibrahim Qatabi, a senior legal worker at the Center for Constitutional Rights who has known Alomaisi for nearly a decade and has been in contact with him since his removal.
“This was a peaceful individual who had come to the U.S. to find a better life, served uniquely, contributed his time to the betterment of everyone around him,” said Qatabi.
Alomaisi’s family said that besides regularly checking in with immigration officials, he did not have any criminal record and paid his taxes.
But with Trump’s travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, and the increase in deportations, many undocumented Yemenis feared they were perfect targets for the new administration.
Alomaisi told people he wasn’t worried and attempted to reassure his community that they would be protected. After all, he thought there was no way the U.S. would send them to a country taken over by bombs and famine amid a conflict that the American government itself has a role in. But he was wrong.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Nancy Pelosi Rips Up Trump’s State Of The Union Speech

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her printed copy of President Donald Trump ’ s speech at the conclusion of his State of the Union address on Tuesday .
The dramatic moment showed her tear and then toss the pages behind Trump ’ s back as he embraced a standing ovation at the conclusion of his address .
“ It was the courteous thing to do , considering the alternatives , ” Pelosi told a reporter who questioned her destruction .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi on why she ripped up President Trump ’ s speech : “ Because it was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” pic.twitter.com/nYTjAZAwGo — Jason Donner ( @ jason_donner ) February 5 , 2020 Trump and Pelosi had a rough start to the night , with the president appearing to snub Pelosi ’ s outstretched hand as he approached the lectern .
When she minutes later introduced him , she left out any praise of him .
Ordinarily , the speaker would declare : “ I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.
” Pelosi instead clipped it down to : “ Members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped a copy of President Donald Trump 's speech after he delivers the State of the Union address Tuesday at the Capitol .
Several Democratic lawmakers walked out of Trump ’ s speech , including Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan , Tim Ryan of Ohio and Bill Pascrell of New Jersey .
“ The lies , the bigotry , and the shameless bragging about taking away food stamps that people depend on to live — it was all beneath the dignity of the office he occupies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this forever impeached president .
”

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her printed copy of President Donald Trump’s speech at the conclusion of his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
The dramatic moment showed her tear and then toss the pages behind Trump’s back as he embraced a standing ovation at the conclusion of his address.
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“It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternatives,” Pelosi told a reporter who questioned her destruction.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi on why she ripped up President Trump’s speech: “Because it was the courteous thing to do considering the alternatives.” pic.twitter.com/nYTjAZAwGo — Jason Donner (@jason_donner) February 5, 2020
Trump and Pelosi had a rough start to the night, with the president appearing to snub Pelosi’s outstretched hand as he approached the lectern. When she minutes later introduced him, she left out any praise of him.
Ordinarily, the speaker would declare: “I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.”
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Pelosi instead clipped it down to: “Members of Congress, the president of the United States.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped a copy of President Donald Trump's speech after he delivers the State of the Union address Tuesday at the Capitol. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
Several Democratic lawmakers walked out of Trump’s speech, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Tim Ryan of Ohio and Bill Pascrell of New Jersey.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Here Are The Biggest Whoppers From Trump's 2020 State Of The Union

He boasted about achievements in promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians even though his plan makes fighting between them even more likely .
He claimed he is protecting preexisting conditions in health care , even though he has repeatedly tried to kill the Affordable Care Act .
He bragged about the healthy economy as a strong indicator of the success of his presidency , when much of the economy ’ s success is due to factors outside of Trump ’ s control .
‘ We Will Always Protect Patients With Preexisting Conditions ’ He ’ s been making versions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it was a lie then and it is a lie now .
He spent most of 2017 working with the Republican Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act , including with legislation that would have undermined or eliminated entirely the key parts of the law ― including a requirement that insurers charge everybody the same premiums , regardless of medical status , and that all policies include comprehensive benefits .
Beyond general comments on health care , Trump returned to a specific lie from last year : the claim that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We will eradicate the AIDS epidemic in America by the end of the decade , ” he said .
In fact , the president ’ s efforts to stop reproductive health providers from talking about abortion by cutting off government funding are making it harder to prevent the transmission of AIDS both within the U.S. and abroad .
That ’ s not actually how it works .
There ’ s no set definition for a sanctuary city ― some referenced under the term , like California , aren ’ t actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means one with policies that allow people to be released from police custody whenever they otherwise would be , even if ICE has requested they be held longer .
Dangerous people remain locked up if they ’ re convicted or denied bail or bond .
Some federal judges have ruled it unconstitutional to keep people longer than they would be on only an ICE request .
While it ’ s true the economy has grown stronger since the Great Recession , improvements predate Trump .
Much of the blue-collar wage growth he boasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech most likely results from state minimum wage increases rather than Trump ’ s policies .
And in the first annual comprehensive review of Trump ’ s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , the Congressional Research Service reported that the legislation did not live up to its promises .
According to the CRS , the gross domestic product grew at 2.9 % , which shows no significant boost to the economy given its positive trend before the bill passed .
The president also gave himself credit for an initial deal with China that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better economic relationship between the U.S. and the world ’ s second-biggest economy ― even though it ’ s unclear whether the key element of the bargain that ’ s supposed to benefit American workers will actually be implemented and its effects have yet to be seen .
Trump bragged Tuesday of having “ shattered the mentality of American decline ” and took credit for the United States becoming “ the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world , by far.
” In fact , it was in 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became the top producer , as CNN ’ s Daniel Dale noted in a tweet ahead of Trump ’ s speech .
The actual effect of what Trump called his “ bold regulatory reduction campaign ” has been protecting planet-heating emissions from cars and power plants and ending the U.S. commitment to the climate goals of the landmark international Paris agreement that almost every other nation is still committed to .
The president has shortened the review process under the National Environmental Policy Act , clearing the way for new infrastructure projects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ignore climate change as an issue altogether .
And he ’ s stripped federal protections from nearly half the nation ’ s wetlands and hundreds of thousands of streams , proposed making it legal to incidentally kill migratory birds , and cleared the way to approve old , bee-killing pesticides and new , potentially human-killing “ forever chemicals.
” First , he misrepresented the way U.S. allies are addressing Washington ’ s frustrations with their failure to meet expectations on defense spending for members of the NATO alliance , a top issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predecessors like Obama .
Other countries have raised more than $ 400 billion already , he claimed ― a lie Dale called out by noting that , per NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg , those countries will be paying that amount by 2024 .
Then the president gave himself a pat on the back for killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , the leader of the so-called Islamic State , ignoring the role Obama ’ s administration played in crafting the anti-ISIS strategy he followed , and for last month ordering the assassination of Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran and a move that past presidents considered but decided would be too risky .
The move prompted retaliatory strikes by Iran that injured 50 American troops and worsened U.S. relations with Iraq , where the U.S. targeted Soleimani .

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President Donald Trump spoke for about an hour and 20 minutes before the U.S. Congress on Tuesday and largely stuck to the script, successfully avoiding any tirades about the ongoing Senate impeachment trial.
But even on message, the president’s State of the Union speech was all over the place.
He boasted about achievements in promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians even though his plan makes fighting between them even more likely. He claimed he is protecting preexisting conditions in health care, even though he has repeatedly tried to kill the Affordable Care Act. He bragged about the healthy economy as a strong indicator of the success of his presidency, when much of the economy’s success is due to factors outside of Trump’s control.
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Like most Trump speeches, the address was chock-full of statements that misrepresented his record and policy positions. Here are some of the highlights.
‘We Will Always Protect Patients With Preexisting Conditions’
“I have also made an ironclad pledge to American families: We will always protect patients with preexisting conditions ― that is a guarantee,” Trump said.
He’s been making versions of that claim since he first became president. But it was a lie then and it is a lie now. He spent most of 2017 working with the Republican Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, including with legislation that would have undermined or eliminated entirely the key parts of the law ― including a requirement that insurers charge everybody the same premiums, regardless of medical status, and that all policies include comprehensive benefits.
The repeal effort failed, but Trump has kept at it by using his executive authority. In 2018, his administration allowed the sale of “limited duration” plans that would allow insurers to charge higher premiums, or deny coverage altogether, to people with preexisting conditions.
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And things could get worse. The administration is backing a lawsuit that, if successful, would wipe out the Affordable Care Act. Most legal experts think the case is a joke, but it’s now won support in two federal courts. A hearing before the Supreme Court could be next.
Beyond general comments on health care, Trump returned to a specific lie from last year: the claim that he’s tackling the prevalence of AIDS. “We will eradicate the AIDS epidemic in America by the end of the decade,” he said. In fact, the president’s efforts to stop reproductive health providers from talking about abortion by cutting off government funding are making it harder to prevent the transmission of AIDS both within the U.S. and abroad.
‘Prey Upon The Public’
Trump’s comments on immigration were typically misleading and incendiary.
He provided an especially flagrant misrepresentation on so-called sanctuary cities that restrict cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“In sanctuary cities, local officials order police to release dangerous criminal aliens to prey upon the public, instead of handing them over to ICE to be safely removed,” Trump said.
That’s not actually how it works. There’s no set definition for a sanctuary city ― some referenced under the term, like California, aren’t actually cities at all ― but it broadly means one with policies that allow people to be released from police custody whenever they otherwise would be, even if ICE has requested they be held longer. Dangerous people remain locked up if they’re convicted or denied bail or bond. Some federal judges have ruled it unconstitutional to keep people longer than they would be on only an ICE request.
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While there are examples of people being released and going on to commit other crimes ― as Trump noted ― multiple researchers have found there is no link between “sanctuary” policies and crime.
‘Blue-Collar Boom’
Trump gave himself and Republicans sole credit for the economy, again calling it a “blue-collar boom.” “If we hadn’t reversed the failed economic policies of the previous administration, the world would not now be witnessing this great economic success,” Trump said in the speech.
While it’s true the economy has grown stronger since the Great Recession, improvements predate Trump. Much of the blue-collar wage growth he boasted about in his State of the Union speech most likely results from state minimum wage increases rather than Trump’s policies. And in the first annual comprehensive review of Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Congressional Research Service reported that the legislation did not live up to its promises. According to the CRS, the gross domestic product grew at 2.9%, which shows no significant boost to the economy given its positive trend before the bill passed.
U.S. manufacturing, one of Trump's favorite industries to mention, has suffered because of his trade wars. Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters
The president also gave himself credit for an initial deal with China that he says will ultimately lead to a better economic relationship between the U.S. and the world’s second-biggest economy ― even though it’s unclear whether the key element of the bargain that’s supposed to benefit American workers will actually be implemented and its effects have yet to be seen.
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And he boasted that people had been “lifted off” welfare ― which is due to improvements in the economy and stricter eligibility rules initiated by President Barack Obama. Trump’s welfare proposals have yet to take effect.
‘Bold Regulatory Reduction Campaign’
Trump bragged Tuesday of having “shattered the mentality of American decline” and took credit for the United States becoming “the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world, by far.” In fact, it was in 2012, under Obama, that the U.S. became the top producer, as CNN’s Daniel Dale noted in a tweet ahead of Trump’s speech.
The actual effect of what Trump called his “bold regulatory reduction campaign” has been protecting planet-heating emissions from cars and power plants and ending the U.S. commitment to the climate goals of the landmark international Paris agreement that almost every other nation is still committed to. The president has shortened the review process under the National Environmental Policy Act, clearing the way for new infrastructure projects, particularly those dealing with fossil fuels, to ignore climate change as an issue altogether. And he’s stripped federal protections from nearly half the nation’s wetlands and hundreds of thousands of streams, proposed making it legal to incidentally kill migratory birds, and cleared the way to approve old, bee-killing pesticides and new, potentially human-killing “forever chemicals.”
The ‘Peace Plan’
Trump previewed his 2020 sales pitch about his foreign policy: that he’s making Americans safer by taking aggressive steps that his predecessors avoided ― treating foreigners, whom he presents as exploitative or threatening or both, with greater wariness and in some cases outright violence.
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First, he misrepresented the way U.S. allies are addressing Washington’s frustrations with their failure to meet expectations on defense spending for members of the NATO alliance, a top issue for him but also a priority for predecessors like Obama. Other countries have raised more than $400 billion already, he claimed ― a lie Dale called out by noting that, per NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, those countries will be paying that amount by 2024.
Then the president gave himself a pat on the back for killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called Islamic State, ignoring the role Obama’s administration played in crafting the anti-ISIS strategy he followed, and for last month ordering the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a dramatic escalation in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran and a move that past presidents considered but decided would be too risky. The move prompted retaliatory strikes by Iran that injured 50 American troops and worsened U.S. relations with Iraq, where the U.S. targeted Soleimani.
And he promoted another move that inflamed regional tensions: his “peace plan” for Israelis and Palestinians ― a framework that infuriated the Palestinians and their supporters and emboldened Israeli hard-liners eager to advance policies like settlements and annexation that violate international law and human rights standards.
Trump’s continued failure to explore serious diplomacy made it harder for him to make good on a 2016-era promise that he’s continued to talk about: bringing back American forces and winding down the country’s foreign wars.
“We are working to end America’s wars in the Middle East,” Trump claimed Tuesday night. Since May, the president has sent more than 20,000 additional American troops to the Middle East, including deploying some to Saudi Arabia for the first time since 2003. He’s simultaneously complicated the alliances that Washington could lean on for support instead of investing its own resources, most notably with his high-profile abandonment of a crucial U.S. partner in the counter-ISIS fight, the Syrian Kurds, last year.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Democrats Walk Out During Trump’s State Of The Union Address

Multiple Democrats walked out before President Donald Trump finished his State of the Union address on Tuesday night .
Reps. Rashida Tlaib ( Mich. ) , Bill Pascrell ( N.J. ) and Tim Ryan ( Ohio ) left the room before Trump ’ s hour-plus speech concluded .
“ I walked out of that speech , ” Tlaib tweeted after Trump ’ s address ended .
“ The lies , the bigotry , and the shameless bragging about taking away food stamps that people depend on to live ― it was all beneath the dignity of the office he occupies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Pascrell called Trump a liar , tweeting that his presidency is “ a national tragedy.
” Ryan tweeted that he walked out of the State of the Union speech because “ it ’ s like watching professional wrestling .
It ’ s all fake.
” During the address , the president awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh , who announced yesterday that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer .
Limbaugh , a conspiracy theorist and major Trump supporter , now joins civil rights activist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a recipient of the prestigious award .
At least eight other Democrats boycotted Trump ’ s address , including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( N.Y. ) , Ayanna Pressley ( Mass . )
and Maxine Waters ( Calif. ) .
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted earlier on Tuesday that she would not use her “ presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump ’ s lawless conduct [ and ] subversion of the Constitution.
” “ None of this is normal , and I will not legitimize it , ” the freshman congresswoman added .
Toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a protester was removed from one of the galleries after shouting something while the president was discussing how he would protect people ’ s right to bear arms .
It was later revealed that the person was Fred Guttenberg , the father of Jaime Guttenberg , a 14-year-old student who was killed in the Parkland , Florida , school shooting .
It was unclear what Guttenberg shouted from the top gallery , but he was escorted outside by security .
After Trump concluded his address , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech she had in front of her .
Pelosi and other Democratic women wore white in a show of protest against Trump and to honor the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment , which gave women the right to vote .
Democratic lawmakers have boycotted Trump ’ s State of the Union addresses in the past .
In 2019 and 2018 , several Democrats did not attend the address to protest the president ’ s lies and racist rhetoric .

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Multiple Democrats walked out before President Donald Trump finished his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Bill Pascrell (N.J.), Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Jackie Speier (Calif.) left the room before Trump’s hour-plus speech concluded.
“I walked out of that speech,” Tlaib tweeted after Trump’s address ended. “The lies, the bigotry, and the shameless bragging about taking away food stamps that people depend on to live ― it was all beneath the dignity of the office he occupies. Shame on this forever impeached president.”
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Pascrell called Trump a liar, tweeting that his presidency is “a national tragedy.” Ryan tweeted that he walked out of the State of the Union speech because “it’s like watching professional wrestling. It’s all fake.”
A representative for Speier confirmed to HuffPost that the congresswoman walked out after Trump discussed using an executive order to restrict abortion care.
Trump’s speech, themed “The Great American Comeback,” focused on issues such as immigration, the economy and health care.
During the address, the president awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who announced yesterday that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Limbaugh, a conspiracy theorist and major Trump supporter, now joins civil rights activist Rosa Parks and humanitarian activist Helen Keller as a recipient of the prestigious award.
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At least eight other Democrats boycotted Trump’s address, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Maxine Waters (Calif.). Ocasio-Cortez tweeted earlier on Tuesday that she would not use her “presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump’s lawless conduct [and] subversion of the Constitution.”
“None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it,” the first-term congresswoman added.
Toward the end of Trump’s speech, a protester was removed from one of the galleries after shouting something while the president was discussing how the Second Amendment was “under siege all across our country.” It was later revealed that the person was Fred Guttenberg, the father of Jaime Guttenberg, a 14-year-old student who was killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. It was unclear what Guttenberg shouted from the top gallery, but he was escorted outside by security.
Kasie Hunt, an NBC News correspondent, reported that “many Democrats on the floor turned toward the gallery” where Guttenberg was sitting and “applauded him as he was taken out of the chamber.”
Guttenberg was invited to the State of the Union as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) guest.
After Trump concluded his address, Pelosi ripped up her copy of his speech she had in front of her. Pelosi and other Democratic women wore white in a show of protest against Trump and to honor the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
Democratic lawmakers have boycotted Trump’s State of the Union addresses in the past. In 2019 and 2018, several Democrats did not attend the address to protest the president’s lies and racist rhetoric.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Twitter Users Hail 'Queen' Pelosi For Ripping Up Trump's 'Garbage' Speech

It was the rip heard ’ round the world .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) took the thunder out of President Donald Trump ’ s State of the Union speech on Tuesday night by ripping it up as he finished speaking .
“ It was the courteous thing to do , considering the alternatives , ” Pelosi said in response to a reporter as she left the event .
The ending capped off an evening that began with an icy moment between the two : Trump appeared to snub Pelosi ’ s offer of a handshake , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduction to the president .
The speech ’ s dramatic conclusion quickly trended on Twitter ― with many Pelosi supporters hailing her act of defiance : YYYAASSS QUEEN to Pelosi ripping his speech in half and tossing it on the table like garbage .
— Stephanie Land ( @ stepville ) February 5 , 2020 His words have never been worth the paper they ’ re printed on , so this makes sense .
https : //t.co/fkizb1YVEW — George Conway ( @ gtconway3d ) February 5 , 2020 Better rip up a ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , right @ realDonaldTrump ?
!
?
— Martina Navratilova ( @ Martina ) February 5 , 2020 Nancy Pelosi shredding Trump ’ s SOTU speech right in front of his dumb face is literally the most badass thing I ’ ve ever seen in my entire life .
pic.twitter.com/rUnQLgXOtv — dontatme30⁷ ( @ dontatme30 ) February 5 , 2020 “ Because it was a courteous thing to do considering the alternative .
It was such a dirty speech.
” -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi , when asked why she ripped up Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Queen .
Legend.
# SOTU — Charlotte Clymer🏳🌈 ( @ cmclymer ) February 5 , 2020 Watching the people who decry “ liberal snowflakes ” clutching their pearls over Pelosi tearing up President Pussygrabber ’ s speech is probably the best thing I ’ ve ever seen .
— Angry Staffer ( @ AngrierWHStaff ) February 5 , 2020 It ’ s over .
There is no moment in reality TV that will now ever top Nancy Pelosi ripping up the words of the reality TV President .
— Roland Scahill ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean that speech was trash so Pelosi was not wrong # SOTU pic.twitter.com/Av7NRv0R8M — Omar S. Aguado ( @ omaraguadoart ) February 5 , 2020 The only # SOTU highlight you need to see tonight .
Nancy Pelosi is a fucking badass .
pic.twitter.com/TpD1H1f5MD — Natalie ( @ natateaaa ) February 5 , 2020 When @ SpeakerPelosi ripped up Trump 's speech , she spoke for the majority , thank you madame Speaker .
# StateOfTheUnion # SOTU2020 — David Weissman ( @ davidmweissman ) February 5 , 2020 Pelosi tore up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shredded the Constitution .
Only the latter threatens to undermine America .
— Alheli Picazo ( @ a_picazo ) February 5 , 2020 There has never been a moment more appropriate to use the phrase “ YAS QUEEN.
” # Pelosi pic.twitter.com/SJ76JtVv51 — PebblesJ ( @ Madison_Jourdan ) February 5 , 2020 Dear @ GOP Don ’ t worry , we already know you are going to wag fingers at us about civility after the Pelosi shred .
But daily he shreds truth , norms , decency , honor , and dignity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shreds lives .
So .
Spare .
Us .
You # hypocrites # Pelosi # shredded — A Republic If You Can Keep It ( @ kamcc71 ) February 5 , 2020

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It was the rip heard ’round the world.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) took the thunder out of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday night by ripping it up as he finished speaking.
“It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternatives,” Pelosi said in response to a reporter as she left the event.
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The ending capped off an evening that began with an icy moment between the two: Trump appeared to snub Pelosi’s offer of a handshake, and she dispensed with part of the traditional introduction to the president.
The speech’s dramatic conclusion quickly trended on Twitter ― with many Pelosi supporters hailing her act of defiance:
YYYAASSS QUEEN to Pelosi ripping his speech in half and tossing it on the table like garbage. — Stephanie Land (@stepville) February 5, 2020
His words have never been worth the paper they’re printed on, so this makes sense. https://t.co/fkizb1YVEW — George Conway (@gtconway3d) February 5, 2020
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Better rip up a (campaign) speech than rip apart our country, right @realDonaldTrump ?!? — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) February 5, 2020
... the state of our union is wild. pic.twitter.com/jaZX3SVssL — fake nick ramsey (@nick_ramsey) February 5, 2020
NANCY IS THE SINEAD O'CONNOR WE DESERVE. — Bess Kalb (@bessbell) February 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi shredding Trump’s SOTU speech right in front of his dumb face is literally the most badass thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. pic.twitter.com/rUnQLgXOtv — dontatme30⁷ (@dontatme30) February 5, 2020
Pelosi shredding the speech right now is some real time shade. Wow. — David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) February 5, 2020
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi is a badass.pic.twitter.com/etfDsFBOhu — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) February 5, 2020
“Because it was a courteous thing to do considering the alternative. It was such a dirty speech.”
-- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when asked why she ripped up Trump's speech on national television
Hero. Queen. Legend.#SOTU — Charlotte Clymer🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) February 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi tearing up that garbage SOTU speech is a whole damn mood. 👑🔥💪🏽 — Alexandra the Brave (@SashaMichelle89) February 5, 2020
Watching the people who decry “liberal snowflakes” clutching their pearls over Pelosi tearing up President Pussygrabber’s speech is probably the best thing I’ve ever seen. — Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) February 5, 2020
It’s over. There is no moment in reality TV that will now ever top Nancy Pelosi ripping up the words of the reality TV President. — Roland Scahill (@rolandscahill) February 5, 2020
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I mean that speech was trash so Pelosi was not wrong #SOTU pic.twitter.com/Av7NRv0R8M — Omar S. Aguado (@omaraguadoart) February 5, 2020
The only #SOTU highlight you need to see tonight. Nancy Pelosi is a fucking badass. pic.twitter.com/TpD1H1f5MD — Natalie (@natateaaa) February 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi is the boss of bosses. #SOTU2020 https://t.co/VHexZYI4nT — Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) February 5, 2020
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When @SpeakerPelosi ripped up Trump's speech, she spoke for the majority, thank you madame Speaker. #StateOfTheUnion #SOTU2020 — David Weissman (@davidmweissman) February 5, 2020
Pelosi tore up a printout of a speech.
The Republicans shredded the Constitution.
Only the latter threatens to undermine America. — Alheli Picazo (@a_picazo) February 5, 2020
Nancy Pelosi is the Queen 👑 https://t.co/vvZp9CWcWf — Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) February 5, 2020
There has never been a moment more appropriate to use the phrase “YAS QUEEN.” #Pelosi pic.twitter.com/SJ76JtVv51 — PebblesJ (@Madison_Jourdan) February 5, 2020
Dear @GOP
Don’t worry, we already know you are going to wag fingers at us about civility after the Pelosi shred.
But daily he shreds truth, norms, decency, honor, and dignity.
And as a serial rapist, he shreds lives.
So. Spare. Us. You #hypocrites #Pelosi #shredded — A Republic If You Can Keep It (@kamcc71) February 5, 2020
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Pelosi is Stone Cold and I’m loving it. pic.twitter.com/rUKSkz200M — Brian D. Shields🧢 (@BrianDShields) February 5, 2020
At end of Trump’s #SOTU delivery, Nancy Pelosi rips up his speech. pic.twitter.com/wi1OXx1B9e — Liza Donnelly (@lizadonnelly) February 5, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Trump Awards Rush Limbaugh The Medal Of Freedom At SOTU

The award ’ s presentation , which was performed by first lady Melania Trump , came one day after “ The Rush Limbaugh Show ” host announced on his radio program that he ’ d been diagnosed with “ advanced ” lung cancer .
Trump , in introducing Limbaugh , heralded him as “ a special man ” who has inspired millions of Americans through his “ decades of tireless devotion to our country.
” Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh reacts as he is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump during U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union address .
“ This is not good news , ” Trump said of the radio host ’ s stage 4 cancer diagnosis , “ but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet.
” Limbaugh has said that he will miss some of his shows while he receives and recovers from cancer treatment .
“ I wish I didn ’ t have to tell you this , and I thought about not telling anybody , ” he told his listeners on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this without anybody knowing , because I don ’ t like making things about me , but there are going to be days that I ’ m not going to be able to be here.
” Limbaugh , seen giving a thumbs up after presented the award , has been a steadfast supporter of Trump throughout his presidency Limbaugh has been a steadfast supporter of Trump throughout his presidency .
In July , he defended Trump ’ s hard-line immigration policy by suggesting that drinking water from a toilet could be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants .
He ’ s also known for espousing conspiracy theories , such as one he pushed in March suggesting that the white supremacist who massacred dozens of people at mosques in New Zealand was actually a leftist trying to “ smear his political enemies.
” Trump reportedly spoke at length about Limbaugh ’ s power during an off-the-record meeting at the White House ahead of his national address on Tuesday , sources told The New York Times , The Washington Post and CNN .
Limbaugh has said that he will miss some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovers from cancer treatment .
Presidents traditionally bestow the Medal of Freedom upon “ individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States , to world peace , or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors , ” according to the White House .
Few radio personalities have received the prestigious award .
The most recent was Paul Harvey , another conservative radio broadcaster , who received the medal from President George W. Bush .

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President Donald Trump presented right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.
The award’s presentation, which was performed by first lady Melania Trump, came one day after “The Rush Limbaugh Show” host announced on his radio program that he’d been diagnosed with “advanced” lung cancer.
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Trump, in introducing Limbaugh, heralded him as “a special man” who has inspired millions of Americans through his “decades of tireless devotion to our country.”
Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh reacts as he is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump during U.S. President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
“This is not good news,” Trump said of the radio host’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis, “but what is good news is that he is the greatest fighter and winner that you will ever meet.”
Limbaugh has said that he will miss some of his shows while he receives and recovers from cancer treatment.
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“I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, and I thought about not telling anybody,” he told his listeners on Monday. “I thought about trying to do this without anybody knowing, because I don’t like making things about me, but there are going to be days that I’m not going to be able to be here.”
Limbaugh, seen giving a thumbs up after presented the award, has been a steadfast supporter of Trump throughout his presidency Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
Limbaugh has been a steadfast supporter of Trump throughout his presidency. In July, he defended Trump’s hard-line immigration policy by suggesting that drinking water from a toilet could be “a step up” for some detained migrants. He’s also known for espousing conspiracy theories, such as one he pushed in March suggesting that the white supremacist who massacred dozens of people at mosques in New Zealand was actually a leftist trying to “smear his political enemies.”
Trump reportedly spoke at length about Limbaugh’s power during an off-the-record meeting at the White House ahead of his national address on Tuesday, sources told The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN.
Limbaugh has said that he will miss some of his shows while he receives and recovers from cancer treatment. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
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Presidents traditionally bestow the Medal of Freedom upon “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” according to the White House.
Few radio personalities have received the prestigious award. The most recent was Paul Harvey, another conservative radio broadcaster, who received the medal from President George W. Bush.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Trump, Pelosi Seem To Swap Snubs As State Of The Union Gets Off To Icy Start

The State of the Union address got off to a cold start Tuesday night as President Donald Trump appeared to @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ( D-Calif. ) outstretched hand .
Pelosi looked off to her right and @ @ @ @ @ the apparent snub .
Trump also did not shake the hand of Mike Pence , @ @ @ @ @ ’ t extend his hand to receive one , either .
Moments later , Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ of her own with a highly abbreviated introduction : “ Members of Congress , the @ @ @ @ @ ” In most cases , the speaker begins by saying , “ I have the @ @ @ @ @ of presenting to you the president of the United States.
” Last year , Trump @ @ @ @ @ Pence but began speaking before she could introduce him .
In 2018 , Paul Ryan @ @ @ @ @ speaker , and the event began with handshakes and the more traditional “ high privilege @ @ @ @ @ .

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The State of the Union address got off to a cold start Tuesday night as President Donald Trump appeared to refuse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) outstretched hand.
Pelosi looked off to her right and gave a slight shrug after the apparent snub.
Trump also did not shake the hand of Mike Pence, although the vice president didn’t extend his hand to receive one, either.
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Moments later, Pelosi may have delivered a snub of her own with a highly abbreviated introduction: “Members of Congress, the president of the United States.”
In most cases, the speaker begins by saying, “I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.”
Last year, Trump shook hands with Pelosi and Pence but began speaking before she could introduce him.
In 2018, Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was still speaker, and the event began with handshakes and the more traditional “high privilege and distinct honor” introduction.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Republicans Celebrate Trump Getting Away With It At State Of The Union

But Trump also stoked his normal partisan cheers , with sections of his speech focused on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border , arresting undocumented immigrants , and attacking progressive health care proposals as dangerous socialism ― even saying that “ 132 lawmakers in this room have endorsed legislation to impose a socialist takeover of our health care system.
” During his roughly 80-minute speech , Trump didn ’ t bother striking much of a bipartisan tone , and he managed to spin some of his least populist policies as popular wins .
At one point , he touted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of food stamps and 10 million people being “ lifted off ” of welfare , an interesting way to describe kicking millions of people off of social programs .
While Democrats in the chamber sat stoically in their seats , Republicans applauded and shouted raucously ― including chanting “ four more years ” before Trump even began speaking .
GOP lawmakers routinely interrupted his speech to cheer everything Trump said .
They gave him standing ovations for lines as anodyne as , “ I kept my promises , we did our job ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about an undocumented immigrant committing crimes in a “ sanctuary city.
” Trump ’ s takeover of the GOP has been complete for years , but Tuesday night ’ s address was more evidence of the sheer ownership he has over Republicans .
Their utter excitement from being in the same room as Trump was evident .
Republican members staked out seats along the middle aisle for hours in order to have a moment with Trump as he entered the chamber .
That ’ s a normal custom for the State of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual when the president is this mendacious and self-serving .
Even the Republicans who think they ’ re in on the joke of Donald Trump found plenty of opportunities to hoot and cheer .
When Trump expressed views they find more controversial ― like paid family leave , or when he spoke in support of tariffs against China instead of the free trade policies the GOP has traditionally supported ― Republicans still applauded .
They ’ ve all become loyal foot soldiers for Trump .
Instead of being in on the joke , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s impeachment trial is further proof .
Not a single GOP lawmaker in the House voted to impeach Trump , and in the Senate , only two Republican lawmakers even voted to have witnesses during the impeachment trial .
On Wednesday , GOP senators are expected to acquit the president of two charges , even though many have acknowledged they believe Trump acted improperly by pressuring a foreign government to investigate one of his political rivals .
The State of the Union almost certainly signals zero shift in Trump ’ s behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bother pretending it would .
Though he was able to draw bipartisan applause from time to time , he was still irascible in his own way , even as he read words off of a teleprompter .
While this was only Trump ’ s third State of the Union address , it ’ s actually the fourth and likely final time he will address Congress if he isn ’ t re-elected .
Trump ’ s first speech before Congress , which took place about a month after he was sworn into office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custom , and it was greeted by some cable pundits as the night he “ became president of the United States.
” There was , of course , no change in Trump ’ s style after that , just as there hasn ’ t been a change since before he ran for president .
After his first address , Trump immediately pursued his most ambitious and divisive policy goals : the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act .
But with Republicans no longer controlling the House , Trump ’ s policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In this State of the Union , Trump was light on offering specific proposals he expects Congress to take up .
He name-checked an initiative to plant 1 trillion trees , as well as prayer in school .
And he did mention paid family leave ― a policy that Democrats have championed for years and Republicans have resisted .
Democrats were mostly stone-faced during the speech , occasionally applauding noncontroversial lines and occasionally groaning at some Trump ’ s more outrageous claims .
At one point , after Trump claimed he was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he wanted bipartisan legislation to address drug prices , Democrats began chanting “ HR 3 , ” the bill number of the measure the House passed ― that ’ s now dead in the Republican-controlled Senate ― that would significantly lower prescription prices .
But Trump drew bipartisan applause for a lot of other lines .
Some of the biggest cheers were for individuals Trump invited to the State of the Union as his guests .
World War II veteran Charles McGee , one of the first black fighter pilots , drew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13-year-old Iain Lanphier , McGee ’ s grandson , got big applause for his desire to join the Space Force .

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WASHINGTON ― On the eve of a final impeachment vote in the Senate, President Donald Trump came to Congress Tuesday night and delivered his third formal State of the Union address, focusing his speech on the strong economy and avoiding the topic of impeachment entirely.
Delivered in a House chamber that had impeached him less than seven weeks ago, Trump avoided his normal tone ― one of off-the-cuff bombast and aggrievement ― and mostly stuck to the teleprompter, delivering crafted lines peppered with an assortment of lies and half-truths.
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But Trump also stoked his normal partisan cheers, with sections of his speech focused on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, arresting undocumented immigrants, and attacking progressive health care proposals as dangerous socialism ― even saying that “132 lawmakers in this room have endorsed legislation to impose a socialist takeover of our health care system.”
During his roughly 80-minute speech, Trump didn’t bother striking much of a bipartisan tone, and he managed to spin some of his least populist policies as popular wins. At one point, he touted 7 million people “coming off” of food stamps and 10 million people being “lifted off” of welfare, an interesting way to describe kicking millions of people off of social programs.
While Democrats in the chamber sat stoically in their seats, Republicans applauded and shouted raucously ― including chanting “four more years” before Trump even began speaking. GOP lawmakers routinely interrupted his speech to cheer everything Trump said. They gave him standing ovations for lines as anodyne as, “I kept my promises, we did our job” and as controversial as a prolonged story about an undocumented immigrant committing crimes in a “sanctuary city.”
Trump’s takeover of the GOP has been complete for years, but Tuesday night’s address was more evidence of the sheer ownership he has over Republicans. Their utter excitement from being in the same room as Trump was evident. Republican members staked out seats along the middle aisle for hours in order to have a moment with Trump as he entered the chamber. That’s a normal custom for the State of the Union, but it’s less usual when the president is this mendacious and self-serving.
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Even the Republicans who think they’re in on the joke of Donald Trump found plenty of opportunities to hoot and cheer. When Trump expressed views they find more controversial ― like paid family leave, or when he spoke in support of tariffs against China instead of the free trade policies the GOP has traditionally supported ― Republicans still applauded. They’ve all become loyal foot soldiers for Trump. Instead of being in on the joke, they are the joke.
The Senate’s impeachment trial is further proof. Not a single GOP lawmaker in the House voted to impeach Trump, and in the Senate, only two Republican lawmakers even voted to have witnesses during the impeachment trial. On Wednesday, GOP senators are expected to acquit the president of two charges, even though many have acknowledged they believe Trump acted improperly by pressuring a foreign government to investigate one of his political rivals.
Trump avoided mentioning impeachment, though he has spent years obsessing over the matter. But his carefully choreographed address Tuesday was still full of rancor and lacking in the vaunted “presidential” tone.
The State of the Union almost certainly signals zero shift in Trump’s behavior, and Trump didn’t really bother pretending it would. Though he was able to draw bipartisan applause from time to time, he was still irascible in his own way, even as he read words off of a teleprompter.
While this was only Trump’s third State of the Union address, it’s actually the fourth and likely final time he will address Congress if he isn’t re-elected. Trump’s first speech before Congress, which took place about a month after he was sworn into office, was just a joint address, per custom, and it was greeted by some cable pundits as the night he “became president of the United States.”
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President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Feb. 4, 2020. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
There was, of course, no change in Trump’s style after that, just as there hasn’t been a change since before he ran for president. After his first address, Trump immediately pursued his most ambitious and divisive policy goals: the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act.
But with Republicans no longer controlling the House, Trump’s policy prerogatives are mostly dead on arrival. In this State of the Union, Trump was light on offering specific proposals he expects Congress to take up. He name-checked an initiative to plant 1 trillion trees, as well as prayer in school. And he did mention paid family leave ― a policy that Democrats have championed for years and Republicans have resisted.
Unwilling to cross their president, Republicans joined Democrats in applauding the president’s call to pass bipartisan legislation to “extend family leave to mothers and fathers all across the nation.”
But with the presidential election about eight months away, the address Tuesday night was mostly a campaign event, albeit with Democratic members of Congress composing half of the crowd, and the other half trading red baseball caps for dark suits.
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The big theme of Trump’s speech was the success of the economy. He began his address by pointing to the gains America has made during his time in office.
“Jobs are booming, incomes are soaring, poverty is plummeting, crime is falling, confidence is surging, and our country is thriving and highly respected again,” Trump said.
True to form, Trump managed to take full credit for economic gains that began early in the Obama administration.
“If we had not reversed the failed economic policies of the previous administration, the world would not now be witness to America’s great economic success,” Trump said, to moans from the Democratic side.
Democrats were mostly stone-faced during the speech, occasionally applauding noncontroversial lines and occasionally groaning at some Trump’s more outrageous claims. At one point, after Trump claimed he was “taking on big pharmaceutical companies” and said he wanted bipartisan legislation to address drug prices, Democrats began chanting “HR 3,” the bill number of the measure the House passed ― that’s now dead in the Republican-controlled Senate ― that would significantly lower prescription prices.
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Some Democrats ― including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Al Green (D-Texas), and a handful of others ― boycotted the State of the Union altogether.
Before the address, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that she would not “normalize Trump’s lawless conduct and subversion of the Constitution.”
“None of this is normal,” Ocasio-Cortez said, “and I will not legitimize it.”
Other Democrats protested in their own way. About 60 Democratic women wore white to honor the women’s suffrage movement. And there were plenty of applause lines that Democrats refrained from participating in.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may have inadvertently delivered the most eloquent Democratic response. After Trump’s speech was over, she was caught on camera ripping it in half, delighting many Democrats and characteristically pissing off almost every Republican.
But Trump drew bipartisan applause for a lot of other lines. Some of the biggest cheers were for individuals Trump invited to the State of the Union as his guests. World War II veteran Charles McGee, one of the first black fighter pilots, drew massive cheers from both sides. And 13-year-old Iain Lanphier, McGee’s grandson, got big applause for his desire to join the Space Force.
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Trump also arranged for a soldier to surprise his wife and children in the chamber by coming back from deployment.
But Republicans also had their own moments. At one point, Trump paused the State of the Union so first lady Melania Trump could award conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.
Republicans stood and cheered during the entire impromptu ceremony in the House gallery. And eventually, some started giving Rush a Trumpian thumbs-up ― one of the president’s signature gestures.
It was a fitting moment for the Republican Party, which has been strongly influenced by Limbaugh over the last 30 years and hijacked by Trump in the last five.
Perhaps the most understated moment of the night was when Trump acknowledged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s role in getting Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.
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McConnell has also been instrumental in scuttling a real impeachment trial in the Senate, working hard behind the scenes to ensure that senators wouldn’t even hear witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Parkland Victim's Dad Gets Booted From State Of The Union For Shouting At Trump

Gun control activist Fred Guttenberg , whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed in the Parkland , Florida , school shooting , was escorted out of the House chamber on Tuesday night for protesting President Donald Trump ’ s remarks about guns during his State of the Union address .
Guttenberg , who was invited to the event by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , shouted in protest as Trump spoke about the Second Amendment — which the president said was “ under siege all across our country.
” “ So long as I am president , I will always protect your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms , ” Trump said .
That protestor is @ fred_guttenberg , who 's daughter Jaime Guttenberg was killed in the Parkland massacre .
Trump did not mention gun violence once during the # SOTU .
He wants to defend the right to bear arms ?
What about our right to not be shot ?
# IStandWithFred https : //t.co/JxLWphiZLK — March For Our Lives ( @ AMarch4OurLives ) February 5 , 2020 Videos circulating on social media show security leading a man believed to be Guttenberg out of the room .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ many Democrats on the floor turned toward the gallery ” where Guttenberg was sitting and “ applauded him as he was taken out of the chamber.
” Guttenberg ’ s daughter and 16 others were killed on Valentine ’ s Day in 2018 when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School .
Since the massacre , Guttenberg has emerged as a vocal advocate for eradicating gun violence — and as a fierce critic of the president .
In an interview with CNN last year , Guttenberg accused Trump of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ My daughter died in Parkland .
I ’ ll live with that every second of every day .
And he lied to me and all the other victims that day and he ’ s done it again since the other mass shootings , when he talks about doing the right thing for a brief second and then he says , ‘ but I spoke to the NRA , ’ and he walks away from it , ” Guttenberg said .
.
@ fred_guttenberg lost his daughter in the Parkland shooting and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
Tonight he stood up to a president that believes peace and the second amendment are mutually exclusive and was removed.
# ImWithFred pic.twitter.com/RprctMp2iE — David Hogg ( @ davidhogg111 ) February 5 , 2020

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Gun control activist Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, was escorted out of the House chamber on Tuesday night for protesting President Donald Trump’s remarks about guns during his State of the Union address.
“What about victims of gun violence like my daughter?” Guttenberg shouted at Trump, the activist told HuffPost.
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Guttenberg, who was invited to the event by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, shouted the protest as Trump spoke about the Second Amendment — which the president said was “under siege all across our country.”
“So long as I am president, I will always protect your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms,” Trump said.
That protestor is @fred_guttenberg, who's daughter Jaime Guttenberg was killed in the Parkland massacre.
Trump did not mention gun violence once during the #SOTU .
He wants to defend the right to bear arms? What about our right to not be shot?#IStandWithFred https://t.co/JxLWphiZLK — March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) February 5, 2020
That’s when Guttenberg had enough.
“After listening to him blame ‘illegals’ for violence and then launch into the Second Amendment, I just let my emotions get the best of me,” Guttenberg told HuffPost.
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Videos circulating on social media show security leading Guttenberg out of the room.
According to NBC News correspondent Kasie Hunt, “many Democrats on the floor turned toward the gallery” where Guttenberg was sitting and “applauded him as he was taken out of the chamber.”
Guttenberg’s daughter and 16 others were killed on Valentine’s Day in 2018 when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Since the massacre, Guttenberg has emerged as a vocal advocate for eradicating gun violence — and as a fierce critic of the president.
In an interview with CNN last year, Guttenberg accused Trump of lying repeatedly to gun violence victims.
“My daughter died in Parkland. I’ll live with that every second of every day. And he lied to me and all the other victims that day and he’s done it again since the other mass shootings, when he talks about doing the right thing for a brief second and then he says, ‘but I spoke to the NRA,’ and he walks away from it,” Guttenberg said.
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In February 2019, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called for Guttenberg’s removal from a congressional hearing on gun violence after he and fellow Parkland father Manuel Oliver interrupted the senator to speak out against gun violence.
In 2018, Guttenberg was snubbed by Brett Kavanaugh during the judge’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
“I’m the father of Jaime Guttenberg, who was murdered in Parkland,” Guttenberg said to Kavanaugh with a hand extended after a hearing session ended.
Instead, Kavanaugh turned his back on Guttenberg and walked away. The exchange was captured in photos and video. Guttenberg told HuffPost Kavanaugh later winked at him.
White House counsel Don McGahn (second from right) watches as Fred Guttenberg (left), the father of Jamie Guttenberg, attempts to shake hands with Brett Kavanaugh. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press
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“When I got back to my seat, I looked over to the table where he was sitting, and he winked,” Guttenberg told HuffPost at the time. “And I thought that was maybe his way of saying ‘We’re good.’ That’s what I was hoping. Until a minute later, three heavily armed D.C. cops took me out of the room.”
David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, expressed his solidarity with Guttenberg in a tweet Tuesday night.
“#ImWithFred,” he wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley And Other Democrats To Skip Trump's Address

Some Democratic lawmakers are opting to skip out on President Donald Trump ’ s State of the Union address on Tuesday amid the president ’ s impeachment trial in the Senate .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) said she did not want to “ use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump ’ s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution , ” adding that this was a “ deeply personal decision ” for each lawmaker to make .
“ None of this is normal , and I will not legitimize it , ” the progressive congresswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
, who will also boycott the address , criticized Trump in a statement , saying he “ consistently demonstrates contempt for the American people , contempt for Congress , and contempt for our constitution.
” Adding that Trump is “ strong-arming a sham impeachment trial ” in the Senate , Pressley said : “ This presidency is not legitimate.
” At least eight lawmakers planned not to attend the president ’ s address , including Reps. Maxine Waters ( D-Calif. ) , Steve Cohen ( D-Tenn. ) , Earl Blumenauer ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Frederica Wilson ( D-Fla. ) .
Rep. Al Green ( D-Texas ) said he won ’ t attend a speech by “ an impeached ... lawless , shameless , corrupt [ and ] unapologetically bigoted president — who is still engaging in a coverup.
” After much deliberation , I have decided that I will not use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump ’ s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution .
None of this is normal , and I will not legitimize it .
Consequently , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Union .
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( @ AOC ) February 4 , 2020 To think that I would attend the # SOTU to hear the message of an IMPEACHED president is a thought that in no way would be consistent w/ my fight and struggle against this dishonorable president .
I will certainly NOT be there !
— Maxine Waters ( @ RepMaxineWaters ) February 4 , 2020 The president was impeached by the House in December , accused of withholding military aid from Ukraine in order to pressure it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as of refusing to cooperate with the House ’ s investigation into these events .
On Wednesday , the Senate is expected to acquit Trump in a party-line vote .
Senate Republicans voted on Friday against hearing from any of the firsthand witnesses to the president ’ s conduct , making this the first impeachment trial in U.S. history to feature no witness testimony .
Reps. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) and Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) — members of the so-called “ Squad ” of progressive congresswomen , alongside Ocasio-Cortez and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be attending Trump ’ s address Tuesday .
Omar said she ’ ll be there “ not to confer any legitimacy ” on Trump ’ s actions but rather “ on behalf of all of those targeted by this President to say , ‘ We are greater than hate.
’ ” Other lawmakers who are attending the State of the Union are continuing the tradition of inviting a guest .
Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) planned to bring Elder Joseph Paul Jr. , who works with formerly incarcerated people on reentry into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend Trump ’ s State of the Union addresses in previous years .
In 2019 and 2018 , several lawmakers skipped out on the address , citing Trump ’ s lies , as well as in protest of his racism and other actions in office .

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Some Democratic lawmakers are opting to skip out on President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday amid the president’s impeachment trial in the Senate.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said she did not want to “use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump’s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution,” adding that this was a “deeply personal decision” for each lawmaker to make.
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“None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it,” the progressive congresswoman added.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), who will also boycott the address, criticized Trump in a statement, saying he “consistently demonstrates contempt for the American people, contempt for Congress, and contempt for our constitution.” Adding that Trump is “strong-arming a sham impeachment trial” in the Senate, Pressley said: “This presidency is not legitimate.”
After much deliberation, I have decided that I will not use my presence at a state ceremony to normalize Trump’s lawless conduct & subversion of the Constitution.
None of this is normal, and I will not legitimize it.
Consequently, I will not be attending the State of the Union. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 4, 2020
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To think that I would attend the #SOTU to hear the message of an IMPEACHED president is a thought that in no way would be consistent w/ my fight and struggle against this dishonorable president. I will certainly NOT be there! — Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) February 4, 2020
The president was impeached by the House in December, accused of withholding military aid from Ukraine in order to pressure it into investigating presidential rival Joe Biden, as well as of refusing to cooperate with the House’s investigation into these events.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) — members of the so-called “Squad” of progressive congresswomen, alongside Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley — both said they’ll be attending Trump’s address Tuesday.
Omar said she’ll be there “not to confer any legitimacy” on Trump’s actions but rather “on behalf of all of those targeted by this President to say, ‘We are greater than hate.’”
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Other lawmakers who are attending the State of the Union are continuing the tradition of inviting a guest. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) planned to bring Elder Joseph Paul Jr., who works with formerly incarcerated people on reentry into society.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Nicolle Wallace Zings Trump With A Jab On What She'd Rather Vote For

MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace urged the Democratic Party to resolve its internal issues on Monday , declaring that she ’ d vote for any candidate it chose over President Donald Trump , whom she blasted as “ the enemy.
” Wallace ’ s comments came during the network ’ s Iowa caucus coverage , following a disagreement between her guests , political commentator Jason Johnson and Nina Turner , an adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
The two had clashed over Turner ’ s characterization of billionaire presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg , who skipped the Iowa caucuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bought his way into the election .
Wallace told them she understood their different views about the U.S. political system , but pivoted away from their heated debate with her own reminder : “ The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides at Charlottesville.
” “ The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who just got a permission slip to cheat in presidential elections .
The enemy is a guy who called his generals ‘ dopes ’ and ‘ losers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go into battle with , ” Wallace added .
“ That is the enemy , and I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves.
” “ I ’ ve said I ’ ll vote for … if y ’ all pick an automobile , I will vote for it .
”

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MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace urged the Democratic Party to resolve its internal issues on Monday, declaring that she’d vote for any candidate it chose over President Donald Trump, whom she blasted as “the enemy.”
Wallace’s comments came during the network’s Iowa caucus coverage, following a disagreement between her guests, political commentator Jason Johnson and Nina Turner, an adviser to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The two had clashed over Turner’s characterization of billionaire presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, who skipped the Iowa caucuses, as an “oligarch” who bought his way into the election.
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Wallace told them she understood their different views about the U.S. political system, but pivoted away from their heated debate with her own reminder: “The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who thinks there were good people on both sides at Charlottesville.”
“The enemy is the guy in the Oval Office who just got a permission slip to cheat in presidential elections. The enemy is a guy who called his generals ‘dopes’ and ‘losers’ who he didn’t want to go into battle with,” Wallace added.
“That is the enemy, and I am nauseous when I see Democrats fight amongst themselves.”
“I’ve said I’ll vote for … if y’all pick an automobile, I will vote for it.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Joe Biden’s Political Rivals Are Ready To Pounce

Adding to his problems : Biden faces increasing threats to his hold on two different key groups of voters .
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Buttigieg are both challenging him for the votes of electability-obsessed moderates , and can now point to the Iowa results to argue that Biden ’ s support among working-class white voters is overstated .
And recent polling indicates that investor Tom Steyer is chipping away at Biden ’ s support from Black and Latino voters in Nevada and South Carolina .
“ What these results make clear is that this is a five person race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties haven ’ t been fully reported and the current data doesn ’ t tell the full story , ” Klobuchar campaign manager Justin Buoen wrote on Twitter .
“ We ’ re in a virtual tie with VP Biden and we look forward to making our case in New Hampshire.
” “ Biden ’ s finish around fourth sends a signal to voters in future states that if your only reason for supporting him was the electability bandwagon or thinking he was inevitable , that is dead , ” said Adam Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign Committee , which backs Warren .
“ We expect former Biden voters to take a look at others , vote their heart , and ultimately support stronger candidates like Elizabeth Warren.
” Biden still maintains a lead in most national polling , with only Sanders providing a real challenge .
His unique strength with African American voters gives him an electoral firewall in the South that could prove frustratingly difficult for his rivals to break through .
But with Sanders leading in New Hampshire and Nevada a toss-up , Biden is facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state until perhaps South Carolina on Feb. 29 .
Biden ’ s team spent much of the day downplaying the impact of the vote in Iowa , and some of his surrogates went further to inaccurately suggest the caucus results couldn ’ t be trusted .
Iowa , they argued , is inconsequential to the broader delegate count .
And there are real reasons to think the Hawkeye State was a poor fit for Biden : Iowa is the nation ’ s fifth-whitest , essentially the opposite of Biden ’ s diverse coalition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turnout surge in the state , the electorate was younger than typical for a caucus , according to entrance poll data .
New Hampshire , comparatively , was always supposed to be difficult for Biden : He was facing challenges from two senators from neighboring states in Warren and Sanders , and its electorate is even whiter than Iowa ’ s .
Unite The Country , a super PAC backing Biden , suggested in late January it saw little need to compete in the state .
Voters interviewed at Biden ’ s event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , though most were still considering Klobuchar or Buttigieg .
Many expressed fears about Sanders , in particular , winning the nomination , suggesting he would lose to Trump .
Almost all , however , were prepared for Biden to lose the state ’ s vaunted first-in-the-nation primary and suggested he would do better in more diverse states later on in the voting process .
And before any results had been reported in Iowa , the Biden campaign had already switched gears to focusing on the races in Super Tuesday states — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 3 , that will decide the fate of more than one-third of the delegates going to the Democratic convention .
The Biden campaign spent Tuesday morning touting endorsements in Tennessee , Alabama and Arkansas ― three Super Tuesday states that are largely seen as part of his electoral firewall in the South .
The former vice president has won the support of former Arkansas Gov .
Mark Pryor , former Arkansas Sen. David Pryor , and several mayors in Super Tuesday states .
Biden has already hit the campaign trail with Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him during a South Carolina campaign swing over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend .
“ Black voters in South Carolina don ’ t wait for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and then make a decision .
The idea that ‘ I win Iowa , and then Black people will like me , ’ is absurd , ” she said .
“ Black voters are aware of momentum , but I don ’ t think the results in the early states will show that anyone has momentum .
”

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CONCORD, N.H. – Former Vice President Joe Biden is embarking on an extended journey through rocky political seas following a weaker-than-expected performance in the Iowa caucuses, with his safe harbor of the South Carolina primary nearly a month away.
Oh, and his Democratic political rivals are ready to lob some cannonballs in his direction.
The preliminary results of the Iowa caucuses, released Tuesday afternoon following the prior night’s reporting debacle, showed Biden earning just 15% of the state’s popular vote, well behind the three other leading Democratic contenders in the state ― Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
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While Biden’s strength in rural areas allowed him to earn 16% of Iowa’s delegates, the result still has both his progressive and moderate political rivals hoping New Hampshire ― a state Biden allies have previously suggested was uniquely unfriendly to him ― could deliver a knockout punch to his chances.
Adding to his problems: Biden faces increasing threats to his hold on two different key groups of voters. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Buttigieg are both challenging him for the votes of electability-obsessed moderates, and can now point to the Iowa results to argue that Biden’s support among working-class white voters is overstated. And recent polling indicates that investor Tom Steyer is chipping away at Biden’s support from Black and Latino voters in Nevada and South Carolina.
Almost every other candidate’s allies are taking the opportunity to argue that Biden’s inevitability bubble as a former vice president and national front-runner has burst.
“What these results make clear is that this is a five person race. Some of Amy’s strongest counties haven’t been fully reported and the current data doesn’t tell the full story,” Klobuchar campaign manager Justin Buoen wrote on Twitter. “We’re in a virtual tie with VP Biden and we look forward to making our case in New Hampshire.”
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“Biden’s finish around fourth sends a signal to voters in future states that if your only reason for supporting him was the electability bandwagon or thinking he was inevitable, that is dead,” said Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which backs Warren. “We expect former Biden voters to take a look at others, vote their heart, and ultimately support stronger candidates like Elizabeth Warren.”
Biden himself acknowledged his poor showing as he campaigned Wednesday in New Hampshire.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We took a gut punch in Iowa,” he said, according to Politico.
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign thought it wouldn’t need a good showing in New Hampshire. That’s changed after a poor performance in Iowa. Mike Segar / Reuters
Biden still maintains a lead in most national polling, with only Sanders providing a real challenge. His unique strength with African American voters gives him an electoral firewall in the South that could prove frustratingly difficult for his rivals to break through. But with Sanders leading in New Hampshire and Nevada a toss-up, Biden is facing the potential of not winning a single state until perhaps South Carolina on Feb. 29.
At an event at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall here, Biden seemed to acknowledge Iowa hadn’t gone the way he hoped and the Feb. 11 New Hampshire primary would be key to his future success.
“It’s good to be back in New Hampshire,” he told the crowd. “More than you know.”
“There’s nothing to come back from yet, but I’d like you to rocket me out of here to make sure this thing works, OK?” he continued.
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John Lynch, a popular former Democratic governor who helped introduce Biden, seemed to set a high bar for the former Delaware senator’s performance in the Granite State.
“Is Joe Biden going to win New Hampshire?” Lynch asked the crowd, before noting a poll released Tuesday night showing Biden tied with Sanders in the state. (Most polls show Sanders with a fairly healthy lead in New Hampshire, with Biden, Warren and Buttigieg grouped together behind him.)
Biden’s team spent much of the day downplaying the impact of the vote in Iowa, and some of his surrogates went further to inaccurately suggest the caucus results couldn’t be trusted. Iowa, they argued, is inconsequential to the broader delegate count. And there are real reasons to think the Hawkeye State was a poor fit for Biden: Iowa is the nation’s fifth-whitest, essentially the opposite of Biden’s diverse coalition. And while there was no large turnout surge in the state, the electorate was younger than typical for a caucus, according to entrance poll data.
“We competed hard and hoped for more, but this was never a state that made a lot of sense for us demographically,” a Biden aide said. “We’re not surprised and not deterred.”
Before their spin Tuesday, however, Biden and his allies had long suggested he could win Iowa. “I plan on winning Iowa,” he told reporters in November.
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New Hampshire, comparatively, was always supposed to be difficult for Biden: He was facing challenges from two senators from neighboring states in Warren and Sanders, and its electorate is even whiter than Iowa’s. Unite The Country, a super PAC backing Biden, suggested in late January it saw little need to compete in the state.
In a shift that signified Biden’s increased need to turn in a strong performance in New Hampshire, Unite The Country announced Tuesday it would spend $900,000 on television and digital ads focused on Biden’s ability to beat Trump and pass gun control legislation.
Voters interviewed at Biden’s event here were typically leaning toward voting for him, though most were still considering Klobuchar or Buttigieg. Many expressed fears about Sanders, in particular, winning the nomination, suggesting he would lose to Trump. Almost all, however, were prepared for Biden to lose the state’s vaunted first-in-the-nation primary and suggested he would do better in more diverse states later on in the voting process.
“Doesn’t affect me at all. That was kind of a mess,” said Bob Weiner, a college athletic coach from Concord, when asked if he was worried about Biden’s Iowa performance. “The first two primaries are not representative of his support.”
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And before any results had been reported in Iowa, the Biden campaign had already switched gears to focusing on the races in Super Tuesday states — 16 primaries, all taking place on March 3, that will decide the fate of more than one-third of the delegates going to the Democratic convention.
The Biden campaign spent Tuesday morning touting endorsements in Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas ― three Super Tuesday states that are largely seen as part of his electoral firewall in the South. The former vice president has won the support of former Arkansas Gov. Mark Pryor, former Arkansas Sen. David Pryor, and several mayors in Super Tuesday states. Biden has already hit the campaign trail with Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) who endorsed him during a South Carolina campaign swing over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
While those states have seen little public polling, Biden’s strength with African American voters is expected to power him to victories there.
“Black voters in South Carolina don’t wait for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and then make a decision.” - Adrianne Shropshire, the executive director of BlackPAC
Adrianne Shropshire, the executive director of BlackPAC, said Biden’s struggles in early states likely won’t hurt his standing with Black voters. But she did say Biden would be smart to worry about how a lack of momentum could hurt Black turnout.
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“Black voters in South Carolina don’t wait for voters in Iowa and New Hampshire and then make a decision. The idea that ‘I win Iowa, and then Black people will like me,’ is absurd,” she said. “Black voters are aware of momentum, but I don’t think the results in the early states will show that anyone has momentum.”
While recent polls have shown Steyer taking away portions of Biden’s support from Black voters in South Carolina, Shropshire was skeptical Steyer could hold on to it. “I just don’t know how durable that is,” she said.
Biden could also face a financial problem. FEC records released shortly before the caucuses showed his campaign with just $9 million cash on hand, far less than Warren, Sanders and Buttigieg’s totals.
Biden’s financial position looks even weaker when compared to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a multibillionaire who is self-funding his campaign and has been explicit in his hopes that his candidacy can offer a moderate alternative if Biden crumbles in the early states.
In the first three weeks of January, the billionaire spent $262.9 million on advertising across the Super Tuesday states, according to data from Advertising Analytics. For comparison, the Biden campaign spent $11.2 million in that same time period. On Thursday, Bloomberg’s campaign announced plans to double its television advertising output and to hire more than 2,000 field organizers.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--DNC Chairman Says Iowa Caucuses Debacle 'Should Never Happen Again'

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez demanded answers from the tech firm behind the app that failed to properly submit results from the Iowa caucuses , saying that such a situation “ should never happen again.
” “ It is clear that the app in question did not function adequately , ” Perez said in a statement late Tuesday , adding that it won ’ t be used in Nevada or other states .
“ The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.
” He insisted that the party ’ s goal is to ensure “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , ” adding that its ultimate goal is to beat President Donald Trump .
Just in : First statement from DNC Chairman Tom Perez on Iowa .
Pretty tough , goes beyond language of disappointment : “ What happened last night should never happen again ...
The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.
” pic.twitter.com/t9v3Ub2jIg — Alex Seitz-Wald ( @ aseitzwald ) February 5 , 2020 An app , developed by tech company Shadow , was used by the Democratic Party in the Iowa caucuses .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results easier and quicker by enabling caucus site leaders to upload results from their locales .
But on Monday , Democrats in Iowa reported major problems in attempting to submit results .
Late Monday , as the country still hadn ’ t seen any official results , the public ’ s concern and frustration boiled over as Iowa Democrats said they were conducting a “ quality control ” check and couldn ’ t say when the numbers would be released .
By late Tuesday , the Iowa Democratic Party had still only released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At a news conference in Des Moines ahead of the release of the partial results , state party chair Troy Price apologized for the reporting breakdown .
“ The reporting of the results and circumstances surrounding the 2020 Iowa Democratic Party caucuses were unacceptable , ” Price said .
“ As chair of the party , I apologize deeply for this .
”

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Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez demanded answers from the tech firm behind the app that failed to properly submit results from the Iowa caucuses, saying that such a situation “should never happen again.”
“It is clear that the app in question did not function adequately,” Perez said in a statement late Tuesday, adding that it won’t be used in Nevada or other states. “The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.”
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He insisted that the party’s goal is to ensure “every vote is counted as quickly as possible,” adding that its ultimate goal is to beat President Donald Trump.
Just in: First statement from DNC Chairman Tom Perez on Iowa.
Pretty tough, goes beyond language of disappointment: “What happened last night should never happen again... The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.” pic.twitter.com/t9v3Ub2jIg — Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) February 5, 2020
An app, developed by tech company Shadow, was used by the Democratic Party in the Iowa caucuses. The app was supposed to make reporting the results easier and quicker by enabling caucus site leaders to upload results from their locales. But on Monday, Democrats in Iowa reported major problems in attempting to submit results.
Late Monday, as the country still hadn’t seen any official results, the public’s concern and frustration boiled over as Iowa Democrats said they were conducting a “quality control” check and couldn’t say when the numbers would be released.
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By late Tuesday, the Iowa Democratic Party had still only released results from 62% of precincts.
At a news conference in Des Moines ahead of the release of the partial results, state party chair Troy Price apologized for the reporting breakdown.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-04--Yokohama Cruise Ship Carrying 3,700 Quarantined For Coronavirus

A Princess Cruises ship with 3,711 onboard is under mandatory quarantine for two weeks off the coast of Yokohama in Japan after 10 passengers on board tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus .
The Japanese Ministry of Health discovered the infected passengers during a health screening of all passengers and crew aboard the ship , the Diamond Princess , after a previous passenger was diagnosed with the virus , the company said in a series of press releases .
The 10 people who tested positive for the virus were escorted off the ship by the Japanese Coast Guard and transported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s second-largest city , located about 17 miles from Tokyo .
The ship ’ s 2,666 guests and 1,045 crew members will have to remain quarantined on the ship for at least 14 days .
Approximately half of the guests onboard are from Japan .
The Diamond Princess cruise ship departed from Yokohama on Jan. 20 for a 14-day trip and arrived in Hong Kong on Jan. 25 .
A passenger , who is from Hong Kong , disembarked from the ship and did not return .
On Jan. 25 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was diagnosed with the coronavirus on Feb. 1 .
Officials from Hong Kong announced in a statement that the infected patient was an 80-year-old man from Hong Kong who had likely contracted the virus from another human , CNN World reported .
The patient first arrived in Tokyo via a flight on Jan. 17 with his two daughters and developed a cough .
He boarded the Diamond Princess three days later .
The hospital reported that the man is in stable condition and the family members who traveled with him do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
The new strain of coronavirus originated in Wuhan in mainland China and has spread to numerous countries around the world , including the United States .
Hong Kong has a total of 18 cases of the virus and reported its first death ― a 39-year-old man who visited Wuhan ― linked to it on Tuesday .
“ The new coronavirus is having a major impact on tourism , the economy and our society as a whole , ” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in an official response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The government will do its utmost to address the impact .
”

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A Princess Cruises ship with 3,711 onboard is under mandatory quarantine for two weeks off the coast of Yokohama in Japan after 10 passengers on board tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus.
The Japanese Ministry of Health discovered the infected passengers during a health screening of all passengers and crew aboard the ship, the Diamond Princess, after a previous passenger was diagnosed with the virus, the company said in a series of press releases.
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The 10 people who tested positive for the virus were escorted off the ship by the Japanese Coast Guard and transported to local hospitals in Yokohama, the country’s second-largest city, located about 17 miles from Tokyo.
Yokohama’s port is a hot spot for cruise ships and international travel.
The ship’s 2,666 guests and 1,045 crew members will have to remain quarantined on the ship for at least 14 days. Approximately half of the guests onboard are from Japan.
Princess Cruises canceled two upcoming voyages leaving Yokohama, originally scheduled to depart Feb. 4 and Feb. 12.
The Diamond Princess cruise ship departed from Yokohama on Jan. 20 for a 14-day trip and arrived in Hong Kong on Jan. 25. A passenger, who is from Hong Kong, disembarked from the ship and did not return. On Jan. 25, he visited a hospital in Hong Kong and was diagnosed with the coronavirus on Feb. 1.
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Officials from Hong Kong announced in a statement that the infected patient was an 80-year-old man from Hong Kong who had likely contracted the virus from another human, CNN World reported.
The patient first arrived in Tokyo via a flight on Jan. 17 with his two daughters and developed a cough. He boarded the Diamond Princess three days later.
The hospital reported that the man is in stable condition and the family members who traveled with him do not have any symptoms, Princess Cruises said on Tuesday.
The new strain of coronavirus originated in Wuhan in mainland China and has spread to numerous countries around the world, including the United States. Hong Kong has a total of 18 cases of the virus and reported its first death ― a 39-year-old man who visited Wuhan ― linked to it on Tuesday.
There are 20 coronavirus cases in Japan.
“The new coronavirus is having a major impact on tourism, the economy and our society as a whole,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in an official response to the outbreak, according to The Japan Times. “The government will do its utmost to address the impact.”