thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Buttigieg Responds To Limbaugh's Homophobic Remarks: 'I'm Proud Of My Marriage'

Pete Buttigieg on Sunday shrugged off Rush Limbaugh ’ s homophobic remarks regarding his marriage , saying he isn ’ t going to “ take lectures on family values ” from the right-wing radio host ― a man known for pushing racist , sexist and anti-LGBTQ views .
“ Well , I love my husband , ” Buttigieg told CNN ’ s “ State Of The Union ” when asked if he would like to respond to comments Limbaugh made on his radio show earlier this week .
“ I ’ m faithful to my husband , ” he continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just go for a hug but I love him very much .
And I ’ m not going to take lectures on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh.
” Limbaugh referred to the openly gay Democratic presidential candidate kissing his husband Chasten Buttigieg at least five times during his show on Wednesday .
He suggested Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , wouldn ’ t fare well in the general election against President Donald Trump , whom he referred to as “ Mr .
Man.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a law student who testified before Congress about the importance of requiring insurance plans to cover birth control , as a “ slut ” and a “ prostitute.
” He has repeatedly referred to women ’ s rights advocates as “ feminazis ” and has mocked the concept of consent in sexual relations .
Limbaugh also promoted the debunked conspiracy theory that former President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. , a racist lie also embraced by Trump in 2011 .
He has said that all composite sketches of wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black activist .
Despite his laundry list of offensive remarks , including floating the idea that the Christchurch , New Zealand , mosque shootings last year were a false flag operation , Trump earlier this month awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom ― the highest civilian honor given by a U.S. president .
Following his interview with “ State Of The Union , ” Buttigieg appeared on “ Fox News Sunday , ” where host Chris Wallace asked him to respond to Limbaugh ’ s comments as well as recent remarks from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why is a homosexual man lecturing us about the sanctity of life in the womb ?
Just a little curious there ― strange , ” Gorka said Wednesday on his radio show about Buttigieg ’ s support for women ’ s reproductive rights .
Buttigieg told Wallace that he ’ s in a loving , committed relationship with his husband and reiterated that he was not going to be lectured on “ family values ” by Limbaugh or anyone who supports Trump as the “ moral as well as political leader of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my marriage , ” Buttigieg said .
“ We should have a politics of belonging that welcomes everybody .
...
I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.
” “ I came out during a general election in South Bend , ” Buttigieg said .
“ This was at a time when Mike Pence was the governor of Indiana and we didn ’ t know what would happen .
I ’ ll tell you what happened : I got reelected with 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic but socially conservative community.
” “ When it comes to LGBTQ issues ... the most important thing is not the treatment of candidates , it ’ s what ’ s happening to individuals and families across the country from brave service members who have their careers threatened by this president to kids experiencing bullying right now in this climate , ” he continued .
“ We can do better .
”

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Pete Buttigieg on Sunday shrugged off Rush Limbaugh’s homophobic remarks regarding his marriage, saying he isn’t going to “take lectures on family values” from the right-wing radio host ― a man known for pushing racist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ views.
“Well, I love my husband,” Buttigieg told CNN’s “State Of The Union” when asked if he would like to respond to comments Limbaugh made on his radio show earlier this week.
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“I’m faithful to my husband,” he continued. “On stage, we usually just go for a hug but I love him very much. And I’m not going to take lectures on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh.”
“I love my husband. I’m faithful to my husband,” @petebuttigieg responds to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s recent comments. “I’m not going to take lectures on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh.” #CNNSOTUhttps://t.co/bOje6TVl1s pic.twitter.com/icNbNMetlw — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) February 16, 2020
Limbaugh referred to the openly gay Democratic presidential candidate kissing his husband Chasten Buttigieg at least five times during his show on Wednesday. He suggested Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, wouldn’t fare well in the general election against President Donald Trump, whom he referred to as “Mr. Man.”
“A gay guy, 37 years old, loves kissing his husband on debate stages,” Limbaugh said Wednesday. “Can you see Trump have fun with that?”
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He suggested the “grand pooh-bahs” of the Democratic Party are worried about Buttigieg’s presidential bid:
They’re sitting there and they’re looking at Mayor Pete — a 37-year-old gay guy, mayor of South Bend, loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage — and they’re saying, “Okay. How’s this gonna look, a 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man, Donald Trump? What’s gonna happen there?”
Limbaugh, who announced earlier this month that he has advanced lung cancer, has a long history of spewing hateful vitriol on his radio show.
In 2012, he referred to Sandra Fluke, a law student who testified before Congress about the importance of requiring insurance plans to cover birth control, as a “slut” and a “prostitute.” He has repeatedly referred to women’s rights advocates as “feminazis” and has mocked the concept of consent in sexual relations.
Limbaugh also promoted the debunked conspiracy theory that former President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S., a racist lie also embraced by Trump in 2011. He has said that all composite sketches of wanted criminals look like Jesse Jackson, the Black activist.
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Despite his laundry list of offensive remarks, including floating the idea that the Christchurch, New Zealand, mosque shootings last year were a false flag operation, Trump earlier this month awarded Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom ― the highest civilian honor given by a U.S. president.
Following his interview with “State Of The Union,” Buttigieg appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” where host Chris Wallace asked him to respond to Limbaugh’s comments as well as recent remarks from former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka.
“Why is a homosexual man lecturing us about the sanctity of life in the womb? Just a little curious there ― strange,” Gorka said Wednesday on his radio show about Buttigieg’s support for women’s reproductive rights.
Buttigieg told Wallace that he’s in a loving, committed relationship with his husband and reiterated that he was not going to be lectured on “family values” by Limbaugh or anyone who supports Trump as the “moral as well as political leader of the United States.”
″I’m proud of my marriage,” Buttigieg said. “We should have a politics of belonging that welcomes everybody. ... I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.”
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Wallace asked if he thinks his sexuality would be an issue in the election.
“I came out during a general election in South Bend,” Buttigieg said. “This was at a time when Mike Pence was the governor of Indiana and we didn’t know what would happen. I’ll tell you what happened: I got reelected with 80% of the vote in my generally Democratic but socially conservative community.”
“When it comes to LGBTQ issues ... the most important thing is not the treatment of candidates, it’s what’s happening to individuals and families across the country from brave service members who have their careers threatened by this president to kids experiencing bullying right now in this climate,” he continued. “We can do better.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Sex Abuse Scandal At Jim Jordan's Old Team Will 'Get Worse' For Him, Warns Ex-Wrestler

A onetime captain on Rep. Jim Jordan ’ s ( R-Ohio ) former Ohio State University wrestling team warned Saturday that it ’ s “ going to get worse ” for the powerful congressman regarding the sex abuse scandal involving his old team .
Former wrestler Adam DiSabato told MSNBC ’ s Joy Reid that Jordan called him repeatedly to plead with him to contradict DiSabato ’ s own brother ’ s account in 2018 that he told Jordan of sexual abuse .
DiSabato insisted Jordan was fully aware that Strauss was molesting athletes during physicals .
The sexual abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , ” he told Reid .
There are “ others that are going to come out on my behalf ” to reveal information , and it ’ s “ just going to get worse , ” he warned .
For Jordan to “ keep denying ” he knew what was going on is “ just digging himself a bigger hole , ” he added .
DiSabato testified before the Ohio House Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday that Jordan was not only aware of allegations of sexual abuse but that the congressman begged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said then that Jordan “ called me crying , groveling ... begging me to go against my brother , ” adding : “ He ’ s a coward.
” WATCH : “ Jim Jordan called me , begging me to change my story .
To go against my brother .
I had to get my lawyer to tell him to stop .
That ’ s the kind of cover up it is .
He ’ s a coward.
” Trumpist Rep. @ Jim_Jordan won ’ t outwrestle the sex abuse scandal demons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ TheTNHoller ) February 13 , 2020 A referee stated in a lawsuit filed late last year that Strauss masturbated in front of him in a shower after a wrestling match at the university — and that he reported the encounter to Jordan .
“ Yeah , that ’ s Strauss , ” Jordan and then-head coach Russ Hellickson responded , according to the lawsuit .
Former Ohio State wrestler Dunyasha Yetts also said that he ( and other teammates ) spoke to Jordan directly about Strauss .
Other ex-wrestlers have said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going on .
Dozens of athletes have filed lawsuits against the university for ignoring allegations of sexual abuse .
One suit cites instances of Strauss “ drugging and raping athletes ” and claims Strauss preyed on underage boys who participated in athletic events on campus .
The university stated in its annual crime report last year that Strauss committed at least 1,429 sexual assaults and 47 rapes during his 20-year tenure .
Strauss was never charged and died by suicide in 2005 .
When asked about DiSabato ’ s interview with Reid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ian Fury , told Cleveland.com : “ Another lie .
Congressman Jordan never saw or heard of any abuse , and if he had he would have dealt with it .
”

A onetime captain on Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) former Ohio State University wrestling team warned Saturday that it’s “going to get worse” for the powerful congressman regarding the sex abuse scandal involving his old team.
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Former wrestler Adam DiSabato told MSNBC’s Joy Reid that Jordan called him repeatedly to plead with him to contradict DiSabato’s own brother’s account in 2018 that he told Jordan of sexual abuse. DiSabato insisted Jordan was fully aware that Strauss was molesting athletes during physicals.
The sexual abuse was “blatant knowledge throughout our wrestling team,” he told Reid. There are “others that are going to come out on my behalf” to reveal information, and it’s “just going to get worse,” he warned.
For Jordan to “keep denying” he knew what was going on is “just digging himself a bigger hole,” he added.
DiSabato testified before the Ohio House Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday that Jordan was not only aware of allegations of sexual abuse but that the congressman begged others to cover for him. He said then that Jordan “called me crying, groveling ... begging me to go against my brother,” adding: “He’s a coward.”
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WATCH: “Jim Jordan called me, begging me to change my story. To go against my brother. I had to get my lawyer to tell him to stop. That’s the kind of cover up it is. He’s a coward.”
Trumpist Rep. @Jim_Jordan won’t outwrestle the sex abuse scandal demons. pic.twitter.com/M41CzBGbQq — The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 13, 2020
A referee stated in a lawsuit filed late last year that Strauss masturbated in front of him in a shower after a wrestling match at the university — and that he reported the encounter to Jordan. “Yeah, that’s Strauss,” Jordan and then-head coach Russ Hellickson responded, according to the lawsuit.
Former Ohio State wrestler Dunyasha Yetts also said that he (and other teammates) spoke to Jordan directly about Strauss. Other ex-wrestlers have said it was impossible for Jordan not to know what was going on.
Dozens of athletes have filed lawsuits against the university for ignoring allegations of sexual abuse. One suit cites instances of Strauss “drugging and raping athletes” and claims Strauss preyed on underage boys who participated in athletic events on campus.
The university stated in its annual crime report last year that Strauss committed at least 1,429 sexual assaults and 47 rapes during his 20-year tenure. Strauss was never charged and died by suicide in 2005.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Bernie Sanders Minces No Words In Takedown Of Rival Michael Bloomberg

Mincing no words , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) took aim at fellow Democratic presidential contender Mike Bloomberg at an event in Las Vegas on Saturday — asserting the billionaire businessman and politician has little chance , despite “ all his money , ” of defeating Donald Trump in the upcoming election .
“ Regardless of how much money a multi-billionaire candidate is willing to spend on this election , we will not create the energy and excitement we need to defeat Donald Trump if that candidate pursued , advocated for and enacted racist policies like ‘ stop and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his city to live in fear , ” Sanders said , referring to Bloomberg ’ s complicated legacy as New York City ’ s former mayor .
Tonight @ BernieSanders directory addressed @ MikeBloomberg 's candidacy to Clark County Democrats : '' And let me also say a word about the current campaign and say to you that regardless of how much money a multi-billionaire candidate is willing to spend on his election ... pic.twitter.com/jbOAGPMWMW — People for Bernie ( @ People4Bernie ) February 16 , 2020 Speaking at a Clark County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg ’ s earlier opposition to raising the minimum wage — a position he has since shifted on .
In an ambitious labor plan released by his campaign Saturday , Bloomberg expressed support for a $ 15 per hour minimum wage .
Sanders went on to skewer his political rival for opposing “ modest proposals during Barack Obama ’ s presidency to raise taxes on the wealthy while advocating for cuts to Medicare and Social Security ” and for refusing to hold “ the crooks on Wall Street accountable.
” Sanders ’ comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Democratic caucuses .
Early voting will be held in the state through Tuesday .

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Mincing no words, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took aim at fellow Democratic presidential contender Mike Bloomberg at an event in Las Vegas on Saturday — asserting the billionaire businessman and politician has little chance, despite “all his money,” of defeating Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
“Regardless of how much money a multi-billionaire candidate is willing to spend on this election, we will not create the energy and excitement we need to defeat Donald Trump if that candidate pursued, advocated for and enacted racist policies like ‘stop and frisk’ which caused communities of color in his city to live in fear,” Sanders said, referring to Bloomberg’s complicated legacy as New York City’s former mayor.
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Tonight @BernieSanders directory addressed @MikeBloomberg's candidacy to Clark County Democrats:
"And let me also say a word about the current campaign and say to you that regardless of how much money a multi-billionaire candidate is willing to spend on his election... pic.twitter.com/jbOAGPMWMW — People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) February 16, 2020
Speaking at a Clark County Democratic Party dinner, Sanders also criticized Bloomberg’s earlier opposition to raising the minimum wage — a position he has since shifted on. In an ambitious labor plan released by his campaign Saturday, Bloomberg expressed support for a $15 per hour minimum wage.
Sanders went on to skewer his political rival for opposing “modest proposals during Barack Obama’s presidency to raise taxes on the wealthy while advocating for cuts to Medicare and Social Security” and for refusing to hold “the crooks on Wall Street accountable.”
Sanders’ comments came as early voting began for Nevada’s Democratic caucuses. Early voting will be held in the state through Tuesday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Kellyanne Conway Rips Bloomberg's Alleged Sexism Despite Trump's Own History

During an appearance on “ Fox News Sunday , ” Conway told host Chris Wallace that Bloomberg ’ s past remarks , as reported by The Washington Post earlier this week , are “ far worse ” than Trump ’ s comments from the infamous “ Access Hollywood ” tape .
On the tape , published just weeks before the 2016 election , Trump can be heard bragging on a hot mic that he grabs women “ by the pussy ” and kisses them without their consent .
Wallace asked Conway if Trump would be able to “ make an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg should he win the Democratic nomination given his “ own long history of sexist comments.
” Trump , who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women , has hurled numerous insults at women about their appearances , including describing some as “ fat pigs ” and “ slobs.
” “ Oh , please , ” she said .
“ First of all , I ’ ve been working by his side for four years .
He ’ s the best boss I ’ ve ever had ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the same thing about Bloomberg .
He then asked whether Bloomberg ’ s alleged comments were “ any worse ” than the “ Access Hollywood ” tape .
“ It ’ s far worse , ” Conway said .
“ Oh my goodness , it ’ s far worse .
And by the way that was fully litigated .
That happened on Oct. 7 .
He won a month later.
” “ The way Michael Bloomberg treated employees , female employees ... to have created that kind of culture , that unsafe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re being harassed because of your gender , ” she continued .
“ That is problematic.
” The Post reported several allegations against Bloomberg that he made crude remarks and fostered a hostile work environment for women working at Bloomberg L.P. , his software company , during the late 1980s and 1990s .
He declined to be interviewed for the Post ’ s story , but tweeted after its publication that he ’ s “ a champion for women.
” Conway on Sunday also questioned whether it would be beneficial to the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements .
Trump has trashed Black Lives Matter activists as “ trouble.
” He ’ s also been accused of sexual assault , including rape .
He has denied the allegations .
Wallace , beginning to chuckle , interrupted her : “ Kellyanne , all right , thank you very much .
I will pass your comments on to the presidential candidates .
I ’ m sure they ’ ll be happy to hear them.
” But Conway kept going , stating that voters have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevate somebody who has treated ... people of color and women ” poorly .
Though Trump has made headlines for degrading people of color and women , it appeared as though Conway was warning voters against supporting Bloomberg in this case .

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Kellyanne Conway, a top aide to President Donald Trump, unironically tore into Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg for allegedly making sexist comments years ago despite Trump’s own extensive history of sexism.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Conway told host Chris Wallace that Bloomberg’s past remarks, as reported by The Washington Post earlier this week, are “far worse” than Trump’s comments from the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape.
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On the tape, published just weeks before the 2016 election, Trump can be heard bragging on a hot mic that he grabs women “by the pussy” and kisses them without their consent.
Wallace asked Conway if Trump would be able to “make an issue” of the sexism allegations against Bloomberg should he win the Democratic nomination given his “own long history of sexist comments.”
Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women, has hurled numerous insults at women about their appearances, including describing some as “fat pigs” and “slobs.”
Conway, failing to directly answer the question, said Bloomberg’s alleged sexism “should be an issue here and now today.”
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“You don’t have to wait for an election to be offended,” she said.
“But is it fair game for President Trump when he’s made sexist comments, too?” Wallace pressed.
Conway appeared to shrug off her boss’ penchant for mocking and objectifying women.
“Oh, please,” she said. “First of all, I’ve been working by his side for four years. He’s the best boss I’ve ever had ―”
Wallace interrupted that many women might say the same thing about Bloomberg. He then asked whether Bloomberg’s alleged comments were “any worse” than the “Access Hollywood” tape.
“It’s far worse,” Conway said. “Oh my goodness, it’s far worse. And by the way that was fully litigated. That happened on Oct. 7. He won a month later.”
“The way Michael Bloomberg treated employees, female employees ... to have created that kind of culture, that unsafe workplace, to feel that you’re being harassed because of your gender,” she continued. “That is problematic.”
Kellyanne Conway responds to a new report that Michael Bloomberg has a record of sexism. The former NYC Mayor's candidacy is drawing criticism from President Trump. Will the President take issue with Bloomberg's past sexist comments in his 2020 campaign? #FNS #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/4UQs4l7oQk — FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) February 16, 2020
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The Post reported several allegations against Bloomberg that he made crude remarks and fostered a hostile work environment for women working at Bloomberg L.P., his software company, during the late 1980s and 1990s. He declined to be interviewed for the Post’s story, but tweeted after its publication that he’s “a champion for women.”
Conway’s outrage toward Bloomberg appeared hypocritical given the mountain of sexism and sexual misconduct allegations against Trump.
Conway on Sunday also questioned whether it would be beneficial to the Democratic Party to support Bloomberg in the age of the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movements. Trump has trashed Black Lives Matter activists as “trouble.” He’s also been accused of sexual assault, including rape. He has denied the allegations.
“You’re gong to go backwards because Michael Bloomberg will spend money and insult Donald Trump,” Conway said.
Wallace, beginning to chuckle, interrupted her: “Kellyanne, all right, thank you very much. I will pass your comments on to the presidential candidates. I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear them.”
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But Conway kept going, stating that voters have a big decision on whether to “elevate somebody who has treated ... people of color and women” poorly. Though Trump has made headlines for degrading people of color and women, it appeared as though Conway was warning voters against supporting Bloomberg in this case.
“That’s a big decision to make,” she said. “It’s serious consequences in 2020 when our country has such great progress.”
Wallace, letting out a few exasperated laughs, tried to cut her off again.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Bernie Sanders World Isn't Preparing For A Convention Fight Just Yet

The win , predictably , has handed him the most coveted ― if least quantifiable ― gift in politics : momentum .
Days after the victory , Sanders sped past former Vice President Joe Biden in an average of national polls .
The local Culinary Workers Union , one of the most powerful forces in Democratic politics in Nevada and a critic of Sanders ’ “ Medicare for All ” plan , announced Thursday that it is choosing not to endorse a candidate in Nevada ’ s Feb. 22 caucuses .
And on Friday , New York City Mayor Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to campaign for him in the Silver State .
But the narrowness of Sanders ’ win in the Granite State ― he bested former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg by a little more than a percentage point ― and the apparent failure of an overall increase in voter turnout to redound to his benefit , according to exit polls , spooked some Sanders partisans .
Some hard-core Sanders supporters went further , though , imagining a scenario in which the party could deny the Vermont senator the nomination if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July with a bare plurality of pledged delegates .
Reforms to the nominating process that Sanders pushed the Democratic National Committee to adopt prevent the elite group of elected officials and party insiders known as superdelegates from breaking with their state ’ s pledged delegates on the first round of voting .
But all bets are off on the second ballot , when superdelegates , who are almost uniformly opposed to Sanders , reassume their freedom to vote their conscience .
Kinnucan , whose lengthy Facebook commentaries have a following in socialist circles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders accelerated enough to win an outright majority , a pessimistic case where a centrist won a majority instead , and a middle ground he called “ both the likeliest and scariest ” in which Sanders arrives at the convention with a plurality , but his ideological enemies collectively have more delegates than he does .
“ The centrists legitimately think the party isn ’ t behind Bernie ’ s politics , the leftists legitimately feel like Bernie deserves the nomination , and whatever results from that ― probably a centrist getting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us in a situation where some idiot shill like Buttigieg is going up against Trump in a context where a good chunk of the base think he stole the primary , ” Kinnucan wrote .
Kinnucan ’ s fears are not baseless .
The statistics-heavy election analysis site FiveThirtyEight now ranks Sanders as the second most likely person to win the Democratic presidential nomination after “ no one ” ― the site ’ s shorthand for a situation where there is no winner of a majority of pledged delegates going into the convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is whether the party will rally behind Sanders once it nominates him .
He warned Democratic strategists and commentators against disparaging him in the way they did to George McGovern in 1972 , depriving him of the support he needed to compete against Richard Nixon .
Larry Cohen , a DNC member and former head of the Communication Workers of America labor union , expressed some concern .
He had been in discussions with supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
about finding a way for Sanders and Warren to forge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither one achieves an outright majority prior to the convention .
In that situation , he believes a compromise assuring Sanders the nomination on the first ballot , though not ideal , would still be possible .
He cited as a potential model the horse-trading between then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2008 that reportedly helped facilitate Clinton ’ s formal withdrawal from the presidential primary after Obama clinched enough national delegates to win .
She went on to halt the roll call vote and call for Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daytime spectacle at the August 2008 convention that was designed to avoid intraparty acrimony .
Because establishment Democrats blame Sanders for Clinton ’ s loss in the 2016 election and he has maintained his independent status , he has been asked constantly to affirm his support for whomever the Democratic presidential nominee ends up being .
He would ironically have the opportunity to demand the same of his Democratic adversaries if he arrived at the convention with a plurality of convention delegates .
“ The argument that ’ s been thrown at him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― he would need to make that case plainly : that to maintain party unity , he ’ s the leader now , ” said Shant Mesrobian , a Democratic communications consultant who worked on the Obama 2008 campaign .
“ The way I would put it is that whoever is the delegate leader is the unity candidate of the Democratic Party .
And if you don ’ t see it that way , you ’ re asking to lose to Donald Trump again .
”

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) earned the distinction of front-runner in the Democratic presidential field on Tuesday night when he edged out his competition in New Hampshire, just over a week after a popular vote win in the Iowa caucuses.
The win, predictably, has handed him the most coveted ― if least quantifiable ― gift in politics: momentum. Days after the victory, Sanders sped past former Vice President Joe Biden in an average of national polls. The local Culinary Workers Union, one of the most powerful forces in Democratic politics in Nevada and a critic of Sanders’ “Medicare for All” plan, announced Thursday that it is choosing not to endorse a candidate in Nevada’s Feb. 22 caucuses. And on Friday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed Sanders, announcing plans to campaign for him in the Silver State.
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But the narrowness of Sanders’ win in the Granite State ― he bested former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg by a little more than a percentage point ― and the apparent failure of an overall increase in voter turnout to redound to his benefit, according to exit polls, spooked some Sanders partisans.
“Bernie campaign it’s time to talk to the rural and old parts of the coalition,” Michael Brooks, host of a popular left-wing podcast, tweeted as the primary results were coming in.
Some hard-core Sanders supporters went further, though, imagining a scenario in which the party could deny the Vermont senator the nomination if he arrived at the convention in Milwaukee this July with a bare plurality of pledged delegates. Reforms to the nominating process that Sanders pushed the Democratic National Committee to adopt prevent the elite group of elected officials and party insiders known as superdelegates from breaking with their state’s pledged delegates on the first round of voting. But all bets are off on the second ballot, when superdelegates, who are almost uniformly opposed to Sanders, reassume their freedom to vote their conscience.
Michael Kinnucan, a Brooklyn-based member of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has endorsed Sanders, laid out just such a doomsday outcome in a Facebook post on Tuesday night warning that the “results are frankly pretty discouraging for the left.”
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Tuesday. The narrowness of his win there has spooked some supporters. Salwan Georges/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Kinnucan, whose lengthy Facebook commentaries have a following in socialist circles, envisioned an optimistic scenario in which Sanders accelerated enough to win an outright majority, a pessimistic case where a centrist won a majority instead, and a middle ground he called “both the likeliest and scariest” in which Sanders arrives at the convention with a plurality, but his ideological enemies collectively have more delegates than he does.
“The centrists legitimately think the party isn’t behind Bernie’s politics, the leftists legitimately feel like Bernie deserves the nomination, and whatever results from that ― probably a centrist getting the nomination ― is brutally divisive and puts us in a situation where some idiot shill like Buttigieg is going up against Trump in a context where a good chunk of the base think he stole the primary,” Kinnucan wrote.
Kinnucan’s fears are not baseless. The statistics-heavy election analysis site FiveThirtyEight now ranks Sanders as the second most likely person to win the Democratic presidential nomination after “no one” ― the site’s shorthand for a situation where there is no winner of a majority of pledged delegates going into the convention.
The Sanders campaign did not respond to inquiries about whether it is planning for some kind of a contested nominating convention, and if so, what it has in mind.
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But several of Sanders’ top surrogates dismissed the worries of some grassroots supporters as premature, even as they provided different reasons for their confidence in Sanders’ path to the nomination.
Given the crowded nature of the field, multiple candidates were only ever going to be able to win pluralities of the contested Democratic primary vote, according to Jim Zogby, a Democratic National Committee member and executive director of the Arab American Institute.
“The votes aren’t there for anyone to be the decisive nominee,” he said.
The question, Zogby argued, is whether the party will rally behind Sanders once it nominates him. He warned Democratic strategists and commentators against disparaging him in the way they did to George McGovern in 1972, depriving him of the support he needed to compete against Richard Nixon.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a co-chair of Sanders’ campaign with ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Silicon Valley donors, was likewise not worried about entering the convention with less than 50% of pledged delegates.
“People are overthinking this,” Khanna said. “We will nominate the candidate who has the plurality lead.”
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Larry Cohen, a DNC member and former head of the Communication Workers of America labor union, expressed some concern. He had been in discussions with supporters of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) about finding a way for Sanders and Warren to forge a delegate-swapping deal in the event that neither one achieves an outright majority prior to the convention.
But with Warren faltering, he is now countenancing the more precarious situation where Sanders goes into the convention with a plurality and Warren has few delegates to offer against the moderate candidates.
In that situation, he believes a compromise assuring Sanders the nomination on the first ballot, though not ideal, would still be possible. He cited as a potential model the horse-trading between then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2008 that reportedly helped facilitate Clinton’s formal withdrawal from the presidential primary after Obama clinched enough national delegates to win. She went on to halt the roll call vote and call for Obama’s nomination by acclamation in a daytime spectacle at the August 2008 convention that was designed to avoid intraparty acrimony.
“The centrists have lots of things that they want to see,” Cohen said, likening it to the kind of give-and-take involved in assembling a governing coalition in parliamentary democracies. “Somebody gets this, somebody gets that, and together they have a majority.”
“The way I would put it is that whoever is the delegate leader is the unity candidate of the Democratic Party.” - Shant Mesrobian, Democratic communications consultant
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Before the deal-making begins, though, Sanders would be in the unusual position of having partisan shame at his disposal as a weapon to wield against wayward Democratic officials.
Because establishment Democrats blame Sanders for Clinton’s loss in the 2016 election and he has maintained his independent status, he has been asked constantly to affirm his support for whomever the Democratic presidential nominee ends up being. He would ironically have the opportunity to demand the same of his Democratic adversaries if he arrived at the convention with a plurality of convention delegates.
“The argument that’s been thrown at him for the last four or five years ― he would need to make that case plainly: that to maintain party unity, he’s the leader now,” said Shant Mesrobian, a Democratic communications consultant who worked on the Obama 2008 campaign. “The way I would put it is that whoever is the delegate leader is the unity candidate of the Democratic Party. And if you don’t see it that way, you’re asking to lose to Donald Trump again.”
But if Sanders’ many antagonists in the Democratic Party will heed that appeal eventually, his victories to this point have not been enough to get them to admit it.
When the Miami Herald asked three Democratic congresswomen from Florida this week if they’d support Sanders as the nominee, they refused to even entertain the premise of the question.
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“He’s not going to be the nominee,” Rep. Donna Shalala told the Herald.
In the meantime, Sanders’ allies believe they can expand his coalition beyond his racially diverse, but largely young, core of supporters in time to lock up a majority of delegates.
For Khanna, that means emphasizing that Sanders’ version of democratic socialism is, by his own admission, simply an extension of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s beloved New Deal. Khanna tried out the line in an interview with MSNBC anchor and Sanders skeptic Chris Matthews on Monday, calling Sanders “an FDR Democrat.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Mike Bloomberg's 'Wizard Of Oz' Campaign Hid His Record Behind The Curtain

Michael Bloomberg ’ s rise in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primary campaign is fueled by an unprecedented torrent of cash that has enabled the financial-media tycoon to hide behind a $ 360 million advertising curtain .
This “ Wizard of Oz ” campaign has allowed Bloomberg to leapfrog the other candidates all while evading scrutiny , since his omnipresence on the airwaves and online has drowned out almost everything else about him .
Bloomberg skipped Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina while the other candidates faced direct scrutiny from voters and the press there for months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuses to raise small donor cash to qualify ― something billionaire Tom Steyer has shown can be done quickly if you ’ re that rich .
And he can bypass the media by turning his cash cannon to blanket the airwaves .
The $ 360-plus million Bloomberg has spent so far on his primary campaign is already more than any presidential candidate has ever spent on a primary campaign .
It is equal to the total raised by the six remaining non-billionaire candidates for the Democratic Party nomination through the end of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of his $ 62 billion net worth and it would come close to equaling the total cost of all federal elections held in 2016 .
There is zero precedent for this level of spending in any political campaign in American history .
Like the Wizard imagined in L. Frank Baum ’ s 1900 fairy tale , Bloomberg takes on various guises to please each targeted audience .
The Wizard appeared as a giant head to Dorothy , a beautiful woman to the Scarecrow , a hideous beast to the Tin Man or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lion .
Bloomberg comes to our screens as he wants us to see him : He ’ s Barack Obama ’ s best friend ; a dog lover who is , in turn , loved by dogs ; or a self-deprecating Instagram meme-lord .
It ’ s the best corporate public relations campaign money can buy .
This week , he finally came under significant press scrutiny , and received a deluge of negative coverage .
But it could be buried by the slew of ads he ’ s able to buy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have benefited from his largesse .
It is causing great consternation among the other , non-billionaire campaigns and their supporters that Bloomberg has been able to bypass public scrutiny and because the unprecedented sums he is spending are undemocratic and antithetical to the spirit of the policies endorsed by the Democratic Party .
“ I ’ d be fine with him being on the debate stage because I think that instead of just putting your money out there , he ’ s actually got to be on the stage , and be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that voters can evaluate him in that way , ” Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) said on MSNBC Jan. 28 .
“ [ We shouldn ’ t be ] accepting the notion that the democratic experiment is over and so we need the benevolent rich guy rather than the malevolent not-as-rich-as-he-says guy , ” Jeff Hauser , executive director of the Revolving Door Project and personally a supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren ’ s ( D-Mass . )
campaign , said .
“ We ’ re not there yet ; the democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past , rich candidates using their own funds to finance campaigns for political office only spent a tiny fraction of their considerable wealth .
But in the decade since the Great Recession , the fortunes of billionaires have exploded while the rest of the nation has stagnated .
Bloomberg ’ s net worth has increased by $ 44 billion since 2010 .
But Bloomberg has already spent more than double what Pritzker did .
Bloomberg could spend the same amount of money that Hillary Clinton spent combined with the Democratic National Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.4 billion ― and it would only total 1 % of his net worth .
And that could just be for his primary campaign .
It is instead Bloomberg who is doing the buying .
His past , present and potential future political and charitable giving is also distorting the race .
He has deployed his billions over the years to gain allies , silence critics and paralyze everyone else .
No one wants to anger the billionaire who could keep their campaign , nonprofit or cause afloat .
In the 2018 midterm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 donor to Democratic Party super PACs with $ 95 million in donations .
Independence USA PAC , his personal super PAC , backed four members of Congress who have since endorsed his presidential campaign .
He also contributed nearly $ 2 million to the EMILY ’ s List super PAC , named Women Vote !
, in 2018 .
Bloomberg was the keynote speaker at the annual event for EMILY ’ s List in 2018 .
As New York City mayor , Bloomberg routinely used his fortune to silence critics and buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , social service groups , cultural nonprofits and other causes .
When he pushed the New York City Council to change the law so he could run for a third term , he pressured groups that had received his largesse to provide supportive testimony .
They did .
Dozens of mayors across the country have endorsed Bloomberg ’ s presidential campaign .
His philanthropy provides significant support to cities and their mayors through its American Cities Initiative .
He has funded arts and cultural programs in cities across the country .
The mayors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including San Francisco and Washington , D.C. , now back his campaign .
( One recipient of his funds , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , is running against him in the primary . )

Michael Bloomberg’s rise in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primary campaign is fueled by an unprecedented torrent of cash that has enabled the financial-media tycoon to hide behind a $360 million advertising curtain. This “Wizard of Oz” campaign has allowed Bloomberg to leapfrog the other candidates all while evading scrutiny, since his omnipresence on the airwaves and online has drowned out almost everything else about him.
Bloomberg skipped Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina while the other candidates faced direct scrutiny from voters and the press there for months. He avoided the debates because he refuses to raise small donor cash to qualify ― something billionaire Tom Steyer has shown can be done quickly if you’re that rich. And he can bypass the media by turning his cash cannon to blanket the airwaves.
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The $360-plus million Bloomberg has spent so far on his primary campaign is already more than any presidential candidate has ever spent on a primary campaign. It is equal to the total raised by the six remaining non-billionaire candidates for the Democratic Party nomination through the end of 2019. He could theoretically spend just 10% of his $62 billion net worth and it would come close to equaling the total cost of all federal elections held in 2016. There is zero precedent for this level of spending in any political campaign in American history.
Like the Wizard imagined in L. Frank Baum’s 1900 fairy tale, Bloomberg takes on various guises to please each targeted audience. The Wizard appeared as a giant head to Dorothy, a beautiful woman to the Scarecrow, a hideous beast to the Tin Man or a ball of fire to the Cowardly Lion. Bloomberg comes to our screens as he wants us to see him: He’s Barack Obama’s best friend; a dog lover who is, in turn, loved by dogs; or a self-deprecating Instagram meme-lord. It’s the best corporate public relations campaign money can buy. This week, he finally came under significant press scrutiny, and received a deluge of negative coverage. But it could be buried by the slew of ads he’s able to buy and endorsements he’s won from politicians who have benefited from his largesse.
“All of this money is putting up a wall in between people and learning who Bloomberg is,” Zephyr Teachout, a Fordham Law School professor and supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), said.
Staffers and volunteers work in Democratic Presidential Candidate Mike Bloomberg’s campaign headquarters in Manhattan. Bloomberg is paying his staff far more than they can earn on any other campaign. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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And it could buy him the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. He has surged to third place in national polls on the back of his unprecedented advertising explosion with minimal scrutiny. His spending has already bent the Democratic National Committee to change its qualification rules for debates.
Most political scientists believe that campaign spending on presidential elections, including the primaries, has negligible effects as most high-performing campaigns raise large sums and the money has smaller and smaller returns as more is spent. But Bloomberg’s campaign is spending so much money that it could break this paradigm.
It is causing great consternation among the other, non-billionaire campaigns and their supporters that Bloomberg has been able to bypass public scrutiny and because the unprecedented sums he is spending are undemocratic and antithetical to the spirit of the policies endorsed by the Democratic Party.
“All of this money is putting up a wall in between people and learning who Bloomberg is.” - Zephyr Teachout, Fordham Law School professor
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“I’d be fine with him being on the debate stage because I think that instead of just putting your money out there, he’s actually got to be on the stage, and be able to go back and forth so that voters can evaluate him in that way,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said on MSNBC Jan. 28.
“He could simply buy the election with hundreds of millions of dollars of ads,” Sanders said on Feb. 10. “That is wrong. That is the basic, fundamental problem of American society is that billionaires have extraordinary wealth and power over the economic and political life of this country.”
Bloomberg’s campaign represents a new threat to American democracy. If the extremely wealthy choose to spend what they truly are able to spend to obtain political office ― as Bloomberg is doing ― it will pose a significant challenge to the conduct of competitive elections.
“[We shouldn’t be] accepting the notion that the democratic experiment is over and so we need the benevolent rich guy rather than the malevolent not-as-rich-as-he-says guy,” Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project and personally a supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) campaign, said. “We’re not there yet; the democratic experiment is not over yet.”
In the past, rich candidates using their own funds to finance campaigns for political office only spent a tiny fraction of their considerable wealth. But in the decade since the Great Recession, the fortunes of billionaires have exploded while the rest of the nation has stagnated. Bloomberg’s net worth has increased by $44 billion since 2010.
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The plutocrats of our Second Gilded Age have since spent ever-increasing sums for their own elections. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat and heir to the Hyatt fortune, set the record in 2018 by spending $171 million. His opponent, Bruce Rauner, also a billionaire, spent just $57 million of his own money.
But Bloomberg has already spent more than double what Pritzker did. Bloomberg could spend the same amount of money that Hillary Clinton spent combined with the Democratic National Committee for the entire 2016 election ― $1.4 billion ― and it would only total 1% of his net worth. And that could just be for his primary campaign.
Bloomberg has vociferously defended his self-funded campaign by arguing that he doesn’t accept campaign contributions because he doesn’t want to be bought.
“[T]hose other people expect something from them,” he said about campaign donors to his primary rivals. “Nobody gives you money if they don’t expect something.”
Democratic presidential candidate, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg receives an endorsement from District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser. Bloomberg has donated millions to D.C. public schools. Mark Wilson via Getty Images
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It is instead Bloomberg who is doing the buying. His past, present and potential future political and charitable giving is also distorting the race. He has deployed his billions over the years to gain allies, silence critics and paralyze everyone else. No one wants to anger the billionaire who could keep their campaign, nonprofit or cause afloat.
In the 2018 midterm elections, Bloomberg was the No. 1 donor to Democratic Party super PACs with $95 million in donations. Independence USA PAC, his personal super PAC, backed four members of Congress who have since endorsed his presidential campaign. He also contributed nearly $2 million to the EMILY’s List super PAC, named Women Vote!, in 2018. Bloomberg was the keynote speaker at the annual event for EMILY’s List in 2018.
As New York City mayor, Bloomberg routinely used his fortune to silence critics and buy support with charitable donations to Black churches, social service groups, cultural nonprofits and other causes. When he pushed the New York City Council to change the law so he could run for a third term, he pressured groups that had received his largesse to provide supportive testimony. They did.
Dozens of mayors across the country have endorsed Bloomberg’s presidential campaign. His philanthropy provides significant support to cities and their mayors through its American Cities Initiative. He has funded arts and cultural programs in cities across the country. The mayors of those some of those cities, including San Francisco and Washington, D.C., now back his campaign. (One recipient of his funds, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, is running against him in the primary.)
“Democracy is about decentralized power and people having power to make choices about policy and the rules that govern them,” Teachout said. “Bloomberg’s campaign is about radically centralized power using money in every way possible to build a wall of power shielding him.”
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Like the Wizard of Oz, Bloomberg remains behind the curtain casting his image across the land. But the “the Great and Terrible” Wizard was eventually outmatched and revealed by a democratic coalition of commoners, the “Small and Meek” Dorothy, the rural Scarecrow, the industrial Tin-Man and the secretly brave Lion.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-16--Amy Klobuchar Says She's Raised 'Over $12 Million' Since New Hampshire Debate

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) said she has raised $ 12 million in the days since the last Democratic debate in New Hampshire on Feb. 8 .
During a “ Face The Nation ” interview on Sunday , Klobuchar announced her fundraising haul in response to a question about her ability to attract a broader base of voters than she has so far managed .
“ Finally , I ’ ve gotten the resources I need , ” Klobuchar said , adding that she plans to use the money to reach out to more diverse voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire primary , but her meager support among Black and Latino voters has led many to question whether her campaign can compete in more diverse states , including upcoming races in Nevada and South Carolina .
A Quinnipiac poll released Monday showed Klobuchar registering zero percent of the Black vote nationally .
Klobuchar said a recent endorsement from the Las Vegas Sun , a Nevada newspaper , and strong attendance at recent campaign events suggest she will perform well in the Nevada caucuses on Feb. 22 .
NEW : @ AmyKlobuchar says she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in over a week since the New Hampshire debate .
The senator finished in third-place in the state 's Democratic primary .
https : //t.co/whFcRC80oz pic.twitter.com/igJg7VobE9 — Face The Nation ( @ FaceTheNation ) February 16 , 2020

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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said she has raised $12 million in the days since the last Democratic debate in New Hampshire on Feb. 8.
During a “Face The Nation” interview on Sunday, Klobuchar announced her fundraising haul in response to a question about her ability to attract a broader base of voters than she has so far managed.
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“Finally, I’ve gotten the resources I need,” Klobuchar said, adding that she plans to use the money to reach out to more diverse voters.
Klobuchar placed third in the New Hampshire primary, but her meager support among Black and Latino voters has led many to question whether her campaign can compete in more diverse states, including upcoming races in Nevada and South Carolina.
A Quinnipiac poll released Monday showed Klobuchar registering zero percent of the Black vote nationally.
Klobuchar said a recent endorsement from the Las Vegas Sun, a Nevada newspaper, and strong attendance at recent campaign events suggest she will perform well in the Nevada caucuses on Feb. 22.
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Watch a clip from Klobuchar’s interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-15--Trump Compares Himself To A King, Angry Critics Go French Revolution

ASSOCIATED PRESS The man who would be king .
President Donald Trump compared himself to a king Saturday with a quote by American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson warning : “ When you strike at a king , you must kill him.
” Trump picked the quote in a tweet from a piece in The New York Times early this month warning that the angry , vengeful president would be dangerously unleashed once Senate Republicans acquitted him in the impeachment trial .
“ Ralph Waldo Emerson seemed to foresee the lesson of the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ King , Emerson famously said , “ you must kill him.
’ Mr. Trump ’ s foes struck at him but did not take him down .
A triumphant Mr.Trump emerges from the ... .. — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 15 , 2020 ... ..biggest test of his presidency emboldened , ready to claim exoneration , and take his case of grievance , persecution and resentment to the campaign trail.
” Peter Baker @ nytimes The Greatest Witch Hunt In American History !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re no king ” almost instantly trended on Twitter .
( A version of that rejoinder included “ Fool , you ain ’ t no king.
” ) Several people pointed out to the president that the Times article was scathingly negative about him and an unusual one for him to promote .
The king quote was part of a number of wild tweets from the president before he headed out for another weekend of golf — at his course in West Palm Beach .
( In a particularly sophomoric communication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accidentally recorded bathroom sounds of a Texas mayor .
The tweet came from an anti-Trump account . )
But it was the king quote in a nation that threw off a king that really got critics going .
Walter Shaub , former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics , responded flatly : “ You ’ re not king.
” Trump biographer Tim O ’ Brien , now a senior campaign adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg , noted that Trump finally said the “ quiet thing out loud : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To attorney George Conway , the anti-Trump spouse of White House counsel Kellyanne Conway , the tweet confirmed what he has claimed all along : that the president is an out-of-control narcissist .
Former federal prosecutor and Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade was chilled by the tweet , calling it possibly Trump ’ s “ most sinister.
” This may be the most sinister tweet Trump has ever posted .
He is comparing himself with a king and threatening to use his powers for revenge on those who questioned his abuse of power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tweets make it hard for him to do his job .
Any response Mr. AG ?
https : //t.co/SKEHnbGLOs — Barb McQuade ( @ BarbMcQuade ) February 15 , 2020 Christine Pelosi , daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) tweeted that far from being a king , Trump is nothing more than an “ impeached4life man who wants to draw everyone else into his hate and fury.
” For every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness .
- Ralph Waldo Emerson He is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # impeached4life man who wants to draw everyone else into his hate and fury .
# Resist .
Find your joy .
Organize for change and # VoteHimOut !
# SaturdayThoughts — Christine Pelosi ( @ sfpelosi ) February 15 , 2020 So there it is , pronouncing himself the King , and misusing an Emerson quote ( about Plato ) .
As if he knew who Ralph Waldo Emerson was , not to mention Plato .
— Michelangelo Signorile ( @ MSignorile ) February 15 , 2020

The man who would be king. ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump compared himself to a king Saturday with a quote by American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson warning: “When you strike at a king, you must kill him.”
Trump actually wrote “the king.”
Critics went wild.
Trump picked the quote in a tweet from a piece in The New York Times early this month warning that the angry, vengeful president would be dangerously unleashed once Senate Republicans acquitted him in the impeachment trial.
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For extra measure after the Emerson quote, Trump added: “The Greatest Witch Hunt in American history!”
“Ralph Waldo Emerson seemed to foresee the lesson of the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Trump. ‘When you strike at the King, Emerson famously said, “you must kill him.’ Mr. Trump’s foes struck at him but did not take him down. A triumphant Mr.Trump emerges from the..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2020
.....biggest test of his presidency emboldened, ready to claim exoneration, and take his case of grievance, persecution and resentment to the campaign trail.” Peter Baker @nytimes The Greatest Witch Hunt In American History! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2020
“You’re no king” almost instantly trended on Twitter. (A version of that rejoinder included “Fool, you ain’t no king.”) Several people pointed out to the president that the Times article was scathingly negative about him and an unusual one for him to promote.
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The king quote was part of a number of wild tweets from the president before he headed out for another weekend of golf — at his course in West Palm Beach. (In a particularly sophomoric communication, Trump retweeted a five-year-old videotape of the accidentally recorded bathroom sounds of a Texas mayor. The tweet came from an anti-Trump account.)
But it was the king quote in a nation that threw off a king that really got critics going. Walter Shaub, former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, responded flatly: “You’re not king.” Trump biographer Tim O’Brien, now a senior campaign adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, noted that Trump finally said the “quiet thing out loud: ‘I am a King.’”
When you say the quiet thing out loud:
“I am a King.” https://t.co/QbqoEftnS4 — Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) February 15, 2020
To attorney George Conway, the anti-Trump spouse of White House counsel Kellyanne Conway, the tweet confirmed what he has claimed all along: that the president is an out-of-control narcissist.
So in essence: He’s admitting that he’s running on a platform of unrestrained narcissism. https://t.co/igvXAxjJ7P — George Conway (@gtconway3d) February 15, 2020
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Former federal prosecutor and Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade was chilled by the tweet, calling it possibly Trump’s “most sinister.”
This may be the most sinister tweet Trump has ever posted. He is comparing himself with a king and threatening to use his powers for revenge on those who questioned his abuse of power. This after AG Barr said Trump’s tweets make it hard for him to do his job. Any response Mr. AG? https://t.co/SKEHnbGLOs — Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) February 15, 2020
Christine Pelosi, daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tweeted that far from being a king, Trump is nothing more than an “impeached4life man who wants to draw everyone else into his hate and fury.”
For every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
He is not a king / he is an angry #impeached4life man who wants to draw everyone else into his hate and fury. #Resist. Find your joy. Organize for change and #VoteHimOut!#SaturdayThoughts — Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) February 15, 2020
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10 days post-impeachment & he thinks he’s the king. https://t.co/nNY3PfAmWz — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) February 15, 2020
So there it is, pronouncing himself the King, and misusing an Emerson quote (about Plato).
As if he knew who Ralph Waldo Emerson was, not to mention Plato. — Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) February 15, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-15--For First Time, Biden Calls Deportations Under Obama 'Big Mistake'

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) — Going further than he ever has in expressing regret over Obama administration immigration policy , presidential candidate Joe Biden called it a “ big mistake ” to have deported hundreds of thousands of people without criminal records .
“ We took far too long to get it right , ” Biden said in a wide-ranging , sometimes contentious interview with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos .
The former vice president later added : “ I think it was a big mistake .
Took too long to get it right.
” In written statements included as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overhaul , the campaign already had acknowledged “ pain ” surrounding deportations that occurred when he served as President Barack Obama ’ s vice president .
But the candidate himself had not so clearly stated his personal regrets .
The 20-minute interview was posted to Ramos ’ Facebook page , and Biden aides said portions would be broadcast in coming days on Univision as Biden and his Democratic presidential rivals campaigned in Nevada ahead of the Feb. 22 caucuses , the third nominating contest and the first with a significant Latino population .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden told Ramos , dismissing “ the idea we can ’ t accommodate more people in the interest of the United States.
” He called “ legal as well as undocumented immigrants ” key contributors to the U.S. economy and society .
Ramos and Biden had a testy exchange during Democrats ’ September primary debate when the high-profile Latino journalist noted Obama ’ s deportation record and asked Biden , “ Why should Latinos trust you ?
” Just as he did in September , Biden rejected any suggestion that Obama ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s .
When Ramos queried Biden this time on 3 million deportations , including an estimated 1.7 million people who had no criminal record , Biden initially pushed back by asserting that previous administrations had “ deported twice as many people , ” a claim he could not support with federal data .
Pressed again , Biden relented .
“ It was painful , ” Biden said .
“ It took too long .
But we began to get it right with the DACA program , ” he continued , referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted legal status to immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children .
Biden stuck to his defense that the Obama administration did not “ put kids in cages , ” as Trump has done .
Ramos showed Biden a photo of an unaccompanied minor who was apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border and detained during Obama ’ s second term .
Biden argued that handling a wave of minors who came alone was different than the Trump administration ’ s decision to separate families at the border .
Biden said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were quickly moved out of detention facilities .
Biden mustered a similar retort when Ramos reminded him that , as a senator , Biden supported appropriations for physical border barriers .
Biden insisted he supported construction of facilities at “ legal points of entry , ” where he said most drugs and terrorist activity enters .
“ Making sure we modernize crossings , ” Biden argued , is different than “ a wall that ( Trump ) wants from sea to shining sea.
” Biden ’ s immigration priorities include ending family separations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s travel limits on citizens from certain Muslim-majority countries and providing a citizenship path for about 11 million people in the U.S. illegally , including immediately shielding from deportation the immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children .
The former vice president also has pledged to enforce existing asylum law by reversing the Trump administration ’ s moves that have made claiming asylum extremely difficult , while ending the national emergency that Trump has declared to divert Pentagon appropriations to the construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s wall and asylum limits , Biden calls for increasing the annual cap on refugees from 18,000 to 125,000 .
And he emphasized a proposal to spend $ 4 billion in four years aimed at stabilizing Central American governments and economies .
The idea , Biden explained in Nevada , is to address the root causes of mass migration and relieve pressure at the U.S. border , where the scene of migrant detention facilities has drawn international attention .

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Going further than he ever has in expressing regret over Obama administration immigration policy, presidential candidate Joe Biden called it a “big mistake” to have deported hundreds of thousands of people without criminal records.
“We took far too long to get it right,” Biden said in a wide-ranging, sometimes contentious interview with Univision anchor Jorge Ramos. The former vice president later added: “I think it was a big mistake. Took too long to get it right.”
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In written statements included as part of Biden’s proposed immigration overhaul, the campaign already had acknowledged “pain” surrounding deportations that occurred when he served as President Barack Obama’s vice president. But the candidate himself had not so clearly stated his personal regrets.
The 20-minute interview was posted to Ramos’ Facebook page, and Biden aides said portions would be broadcast in coming days on Univision as Biden and his Democratic presidential rivals campaigned in Nevada ahead of the Feb. 22 caucuses, the third nominating contest and the first with a significant Latino population.
Biden emphasized to Ramos his proposals to expand legal immigration, bolster the asylum process and end construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The project has been President Donald Trump’s hallmark anti-immigration effort.
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“This is a big country,” Biden told Ramos, dismissing “the idea we can’t accommodate more people in the interest of the United States.” He called “legal as well as undocumented immigrants” key contributors to the U.S. economy and society.
“We stand up and act like it’s a burden,” he said. “It is not a burden. It’s a gift.”
Ramos and Biden had a testy exchange during Democrats’ September primary debate when the high-profile Latino journalist noted Obama’s deportation record and asked Biden, “Why should Latinos trust you?” Just as he did in September, Biden rejected any suggestion that Obama’s record on immigration is commensurate to Trump’s.
When Ramos queried Biden this time on 3 million deportations, including an estimated 1.7 million people who had no criminal record, Biden initially pushed back by asserting that previous administrations had “deported twice as many people,” a claim he could not support with federal data. Pressed again, Biden relented.
“It was painful,” Biden said. “It took too long. But we began to get it right with the DACA program,” he continued, referring to Obama’s executive order that granted legal status to immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children.
Biden stuck to his defense that the Obama administration did not “put kids in cages,” as Trump has done. Ramos showed Biden a photo of an unaccompanied minor who was apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border and detained during Obama’s second term. Biden argued that handling a wave of minors who came alone was different than the Trump administration’s decision to separate families at the border. Biden said any children held under the Obama administration were quickly moved out of detention facilities.
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The Obama administration, Biden noted, increased development aid to Central American countries to encourage migrants to stay by improving their conditions at home. Trump abandoned that approach.
“You know you’re not telling the truth here about the comparison of the two things,” a visibly frustrated Biden told Ramos.
Biden mustered a similar retort when Ramos reminded him that, as a senator, Biden supported appropriations for physical border barriers. Biden insisted he supported construction of facilities at “legal points of entry,” where he said most drugs and terrorist activity enters. “Making sure we modernize crossings,” Biden argued, is different than “a wall that (Trump) wants from sea to shining sea.”
Biden’s immigration priorities include ending family separations at the border, rolling back Trump’s travel limits on citizens from certain Muslim-majority countries and providing a citizenship path for about 11 million people in the U.S. illegally, including immediately shielding from deportation the immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.
The former vice president also has pledged to enforce existing asylum law by reversing the Trump administration’s moves that have made claiming asylum extremely difficult, while ending the national emergency that Trump has declared to divert Pentagon appropriations to the construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-15--Michael Bloomberg Allegedly Told New Mom To Find 'Some Black' For A Nanny

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has long been trailed by accusations of promoting a frat house culture in the workplace , but documents in a 1998 lawsuit reported by The Washington Post contain particularly ugly remarks attributed to the Manhattan billionaire .
Around July 1993 at the financial data company he founded , Bloomberg allegedly browbeat a saleswoman in front of other employees .
He ’ d just heard that the woman was having trouble finding a nanny , according to the lawsuit .
“ It ’ s a fucking baby !
All it does is eat and shit !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between you and anyone else !
All you need is some Black , who doesn ’ t even have to speak English , to rescue it from a burning building !
” Bloomberg allegedly shouted .
The woman , who is not named , “ cried at hearing her employer say such things to her , in so public a manner , ” the lawsuit stated .
As he runs for the Democratic nomination , Bloomberg ’ s track record on sensitive topics has come under heavy fire .
In addition to allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ namesake company , he is accused of fostering racist attitudes and racist policies as New York City mayor ― a post he held for a dozen years .
Because he is self-funding his campaign , Bloomberg has been able to outspend his Democratic rivals by a shocking amount and raise his national profile in recent weeks .
During a campaign stop in Texas last week , Bloomberg launched a “ Mike for Black America ” initiative and apologized for previously defending the “ stop and frisk ” policing under his watch as mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was declared unconstitutional in 2013 because it unfairly targeted people of color .
Sekiko Sakai Garrison , once a top sales representative at Bloomberg ’ s company , filed the 1998 lawsuit against Bloomberg following her abrupt termination .
She alleged that she and other female employees were “ continually subjected to a hostile work environment of persistent sexual harassment ” from the billionaire and the men who worked for him .
She accused Bloomberg of berating more than one female employee who was pregnant .
Most disturbingly , Garrison alleged that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 11 , 1995 , by saying , “ Kill it !
” “ Kill it !
Great !
Number 16 !
” he allegedly said after she asked him to repeat himself .
Garrison took the comments to mean that her boss was upset by the number of women at the company having babies and that he wanted her to have an abortion .
The “ kill it ” allegation ― and the billionaire ’ s general habit of using crude language toward women ― came to light in the early 2000s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City mayor .
It ’ s one of a long list of sexist remarks contained in the Washington Post report published Saturday , which includes a PDF copy of a booklet of Bloombergian life advice presented to him at his birthday party in 1990 .
“ The Wit and Wisdom of Michael Bloomberg ” was intended as a gag gift , compiled by people who worked for him .
It included lines such as : “ If women wanted to be appreciated for their brains , they ’ d go to the library @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Mike has come to see that some of what he has said is disrespectful and wrong , ” a spokesman said in a statement to The New York Times in November .
“ He believes his words have not always aligned with his values and the way he has led his life .
”

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Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has long been trailed by accusations of promoting a frat house culture in the workplace, but documents in a 1998 lawsuit reported by The Washington Post contain particularly ugly remarks attributed to the Manhattan billionaire.
Around July 1993 at the financial data company he founded, Bloomberg allegedly browbeat a saleswoman in front of other employees. He’d just heard that the woman was having trouble finding a nanny, according to the lawsuit.
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“It’s a fucking baby! All it does is eat and shit! It doesn’t know the difference between you and anyone else! All you need is some Black, who doesn’t even have to speak English, to rescue it from a burning building!” Bloomberg allegedly shouted.
The woman, who is not named, “cried at hearing her employer say such things to her, in so public a manner,” the lawsuit stated.
A spokesman for Bloomberg denied that the presidential candidate ever made any of the statements alleged in the suit.
As he runs for the Democratic nomination, Bloomberg’s track record on sensitive topics has come under heavy fire. In addition to allowing a sexist culture to thrive at his namesake company, he is accused of fostering racist attitudes and racist policies as New York City mayor ― a post he held for a dozen years. Because he is self-funding his campaign, Bloomberg has been able to outspend his Democratic rivals by a shocking amount and raise his national profile in recent weeks.
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During a campaign stop in Texas last week, Bloomberg launched a “Mike for Black America” initiative and apologized for previously defending the “stop and frisk” policing under his watch as mayor. New York City’s practice was declared unconstitutional in 2013 because it unfairly targeted people of color.
Michael Bloomberg is joined on stage by supporters for his campaign's launch of "Mike for Black America" on Feb. 13, 2020, in Texas. David J. Phillip/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sekiko Sakai Garrison, once a top sales representative at Bloomberg’s company, filed the 1998 lawsuit against Bloomberg following her abrupt termination. She alleged that she and other female employees were “continually subjected to a hostile work environment of persistent sexual harassment” from the billionaire and the men who worked for him.
She accused Bloomberg of berating more than one female employee who was pregnant. Most disturbingly, Garrison alleged that he responded to news of her pregnancy on April 11, 1995, by saying, “Kill it!”
“Kill it! Great! Number 16!” he allegedly said after she asked him to repeat himself. Garrison took the comments to mean that her boss was upset by the number of women at the company having babies and that he wanted her to have an abortion.
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The “kill it” allegation ― and the billionaire’s general habit of using crude language toward women ― came to light in the early 2000s when Bloomberg first ran for New York City mayor.
It’s one of a long list of sexist remarks contained in the Washington Post report published Saturday, which includes a PDF copy of a booklet of Bloombergian life advice presented to him at his birthday party in 1990. “The Wit and Wisdom of Michael Bloomberg” was intended as a gag gift, compiled by people who worked for him. It included lines such as: “If women wanted to be appreciated for their brains, they’d go to the library instead of to Bloomingdale’s.”
Bloomberg has since offered a half-apology for his conduct.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-15--Nevada Could Be A Key Test Of Sanders' Outreach To Latino Voters

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) — When the Bernie Sanders for President campaign set up shop in Las Vegas last July , its first move was to open an office in the city ’ s east side , the heart of the Latino community .
Staffers decorated the stark space with brightly colored paper banners known as “ papel picado ” and threw an office opening party with a mariachi band and appearance from Sanders himself .
A self-declared socialist from Vermont , Sanders is sometimes pigeon-holed as the hero to white college students and lefty boomers .
But his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially Latinos in places like east Las Vegas , will be the secret to his success .
Four years ago , Sanders ’ failure to muster enough support from minority voters was partly to blame for his losing the Democratic nomination .
This time around , he has transformed his outreach to Hispanic voters , hiring high-level Latino advisers , beefing up Spanish-speaking canvassing and digging deep into Latino neighborhoods to find voters open to his populist message .
There are signs that Sanders ’ work has begun to pay off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the roughly 1,000 votes at caucus locations in majority Latino areas , according to a study by professors at the University of California-Los Angeles .
While reliable polling on Latinos is scarce , a Fox News survey of Nevada Democrats in early January found Sanders had stronger support among Latinos than among whites in the state , tying Biden for the lead among the group .
But the first real test of the strategy is Nevada ’ s caucus on Feb. 22 , the third contest on the presidential nominating calendar and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters .
Following quickly are California and Texas , states that are 40 % Hispanic and represent nearly half the delegates up for grabs on so-called Super Tuesday on March 3 .
Arizona and Florida vote two weeks later .
Strength among Latino voters could serve as a solid foundation of support that helps Sanders rack up delegates deep into the nomination process .
Leslye Olivas and her fiance , Miguel Jaramillo , stood holding signs reading “ Families Belong Together ” at a Sanders rally Saturday in a high school gym as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to warm up the crowd .
Olivas , 25 , who works as an office administrator at a casino , said her support of Sanders comes from “ his consistency and he ’ s persisted .
He has a lot of track record of wanting to help minorities and help everyone.
” The affection has been somewhat surprising for some Latinos activists who were frustrated with Sanders after he helped kill a 2007 immigration bill , warning it would drive down wages .
But for many Latinos , like other voters , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run , when he championed immigrant rights and promised an economic revolution .
It wasn ’ t enough for Sanders to win Nevada in 2016 .
In its post-defeat autopsy , Sanders ’ campaign found it had won the votes of Latinos in almost every state it competed , albeit sometimes narrowly , said Chuck Rocha , a senior Sanders strategist .
It decided to build on that foundation .
In his 2020 announcement speech , he stressed his impoverished parents ’ immigrant roots to draw a connection with Latino voters only a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience .
The campaign recruited high-profile surrogates like New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez — who held a Spanish-language town hall in Nevada late last year — and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz .
It marshaled Latino supporters from around the country to send text messages in Spanish to Latinos in Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina , the four early states .
The campaign hired Latinos in high positions across every department , Rocha said .
It spent millions of dollars on bilingual communications .
Those ads landed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latinos might listen to , but also the weekly Spanish-language newspapers and Univision current affairs shows their parents or grandparents read and watch .
It all cultivated the image of Sanders as part of the family — a “ tio ” or uncle — as the popular campaign shirt read .
Latinos do not vote as a solid bloc .
Families in the Southwest who have lived in the country for centuries often vote differently from recent arrivals in the Midwest or Cuban immigrants in Florida and New Jersey whose experience with socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a candidate who describes himself , as Sanders does , as a socialist .
“ They ’ re still more moderate and make the Democratic electorate more moderate than in some other states , ” said Gilberto Hinojosa , chairman of the Texas Democratic Party , who noted that many Latinos in his state would not identify as progressives , much less socialists .
But Sanders ’ competition for these voters is intensifying quickly .
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg recently began his own effort , “ Ganamos con Mike , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bloomberg has used his personal fortune to air Spanish-language spots from Puerto Rico to California .
Meanwhile , Biden has racked up endorsements from several Latino members of congress .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , coming off a virtual first-place tie with Sanders in Iowa and a strong second-place finish in New Hampshire , has ramped up his outreach to all voters uncomfortable with Sanders ’ liberal positions , including his “ Medicare for All ” proposal , and is running Spanish-language ads in Nevada , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — When the Bernie Sanders for President campaign set up shop in Las Vegas last July, its first move was to open an office in the city’s east side, the heart of the Latino community. Staffers decorated the stark space with brightly colored paper banners known as “papel picado” and threw an office opening party with a mariachi band and appearance from Sanders himself.
Three times a day canvassers spill out of its doors to walk the streets, knocking on doors, calling out at neighbors in Spanish and talking up Sanders — or as he is known to some Latino supporters, “Tio Bernie.”
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A self-declared socialist from Vermont, Sanders is sometimes pigeon-holed as the hero to white college students and lefty boomers. But his campaign believes his outreach to diverse voters, especially Latinos in places like east Las Vegas, will be the secret to his success.
Four years ago, Sanders’ failure to muster enough support from minority voters was partly to blame for his losing the Democratic nomination. This time around, he has transformed his outreach to Hispanic voters, hiring high-level Latino advisers, beefing up Spanish-speaking canvassing and digging deep into Latino neighborhoods to find voters open to his populist message.
There are signs that Sanders’ work has begun to pay off. In Iowa, Sanders won two-thirds of the roughly 1,000 votes at caucus locations in majority Latino areas, according to a study by professors at the University of California-Los Angeles. While reliable polling on Latinos is scarce, a Fox News survey of Nevada Democrats in early January found Sanders had stronger support among Latinos than among whites in the state, tying Biden for the lead among the group.
But the first real test of the strategy is Nevada’s caucus on Feb. 22, the third contest on the presidential nominating calendar and the first with a sizable population of Latino voters. Following quickly are California and Texas, states that are 40% Hispanic and represent nearly half the delegates up for grabs on so-called Super Tuesday on March 3. Arizona and Florida vote two weeks later. Strength among Latino voters could serve as a solid foundation of support that helps Sanders rack up delegates deep into the nomination process.
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Leslye Olivas and her fiance, Miguel Jaramillo, stood holding signs reading “Families Belong Together” at a Sanders rally Saturday in a high school gym as a quartet of guitarists played mariachi music to warm up the crowd. Olivas, 25, who works as an office administrator at a casino, said her support of Sanders comes from “his consistency and he’s persisted. He has a lot of track record of wanting to help minorities and help everyone.”
The affection has been somewhat surprising for some Latinos activists who were frustrated with Sanders after he helped kill a 2007 immigration bill, warning it would drive down wages. But for many Latinos, like other voters, their knowledge of Sanders starts with the 2016 run, when he championed immigrant rights and promised an economic revolution.
“I just feel he’s very fair, what he’s running for and how he’s running,” said Eloisa Sandoval, a college student in Las Vegas who recently welcomed Sanders canvassers to her yard and signed a card pledging to caucus for him. She said Sanders’ proposal for free college “would be fantastic.”
Sanders’ emphasis on good jobs, single-payer health care and free college comes up constantly with voters, said Susana Cervantes, his Nevada field director.
“Almost every parent’s dream, especially immigrants, is for their children to access higher education. It represents social mobility, social economic mobility and it’s a part of the American dream,” she said.
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It wasn’t enough for Sanders to win Nevada in 2016. In its post-defeat autopsy, Sanders’ campaign found it had won the votes of Latinos in almost every state it competed, albeit sometimes narrowly, said Chuck Rocha, a senior Sanders strategist. It decided to build on that foundation.
In his 2020 announcement speech, he stressed his impoverished parents’ immigrant roots to draw a connection with Latino voters only a generation or two away from the immigrant experience. The campaign recruited high-profile surrogates like New York Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez — who held a Spanish-language town hall in Nevada late last year — and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz. It marshaled Latino supporters from around the country to send text messages in Spanish to Latinos in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, the four early states.
The campaign hired Latinos in high positions across every department, Rocha said. It spent millions of dollars on bilingual communications. Those ads landed on the Latin pop Pandora channels that young Latinos might listen to, but also the weekly Spanish-language newspapers and Univision current affairs shows their parents or grandparents read and watch. It all cultivated the image of Sanders as part of the family — a “tio” or uncle — as the popular campaign shirt read.
Other campaigns have taken notice. Rep. Tony Cardenas of California has endorsed Joe Biden and predicts Latinos will rally around a proven leader like the former vice president. But he said Sanders’ outreach has been noticeable.
“He’s going to do better with the Latino community than he did four years ago,” Cardenas said.
Latinos do not vote as a solid bloc. Families in the Southwest who have lived in the country for centuries often vote differently from recent arrivals in the Midwest or Cuban immigrants in Florida and New Jersey whose experience with socialist leaders abroad can make them especially suspicious of a candidate who describes himself, as Sanders does, as a socialist.
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In 2018, Latinos comprised about 11% of the Democratic electorate. About two-thirds of Latino voters backed Democratic candidates in the midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of voters in that election.
And though Sanders’ team believes its candidate has forged a bond with Latinos, polls show they tend to be more centrist than non-Hispanic Democrats.
“They’re still more moderate and make the Democratic electorate more moderate than in some other states,” said Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, who noted that many Latinos in his state would not identify as progressives, much less socialists.
But Sanders’ competition for these voters is intensifying quickly. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg recently began his own effort, “Ganamos con Mike,” or “We Win with Mike.” Bloomberg has used his personal fortune to air Spanish-language spots from Puerto Rico to California. Meanwhile, Biden has racked up endorsements from several Latino members of congress. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, coming off a virtual first-place tie with Sanders in Iowa and a strong second-place finish in New Hampshire, has ramped up his outreach to all voters uncomfortable with Sanders’ liberal positions, including his “Medicare for All” proposal, and is running Spanish-language ads in Nevada, as is billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer.
But for some voters, including Jose Silva, a 20-year-old student who works with an environmental nonprofit in Las Vegas, Sanders has already closed the deal.
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Silva immigrated from Mexico and became a citizen last year. After turning out for Sanders’ rally with Ocasio-Cortez in December, he celebrated what he said felt like a truly diverse campaign.
“These ideals that he has aren’t just for old white people. They’re for all colors,” Silva said.
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