thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Joe Biden Needs An Economic Platform

Joe Biden Needs An Economic Platform

If Joe Biden rolls on from a surprising Super Tuesday surge to secure the Democratic nomination , he ’ ll have Rep. James Clyburn to thank .
The popular South Carolina congressman withheld an endorsement for Biden until just before his home state voted on Saturday .
Biden , of course , handily won there , setting the stage for last night .
But Clyburn ’ s blessing also came with pointed criticism .
Biden , he said , was suffering from a lack of emotion .
During an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday night , Clyburn argued that Biden had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out policy.
” The trouble with Clyburn ’ s point is that Biden has not , in fact , laid out very much policy .
On economic policy , in particular , Biden not only doesn ’ t have the right ideas to take on a right-wing populist like President Donald Trump , but he doesn ’ t seem to have any ideas .
On his campaign website , Biden argues : “ This country wasn ’ t built by Wall Street bankers and CEOs and hedge fund managers .
It was built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a nice sentiment .
But Biden doesn ’ t have a Wall Street reform plan .
Even the short-lived campaign of lifelong bank backer Mike Bloomberg released a paper detailing how he ’ d decided to get tough on his old friends .
The same is true for trade policy .
Last year , Biden refused to say whether he supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership ― the trade deal he pitched as then-President Barack Obama ’ s vice president .
When the California Trade Justice Coalition asked candidates to fill out a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s primary , Biden didn ’ t even bother to respond , whereas Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and billionaire Tom Steyer all agreed to detail their positions on key trade matters .
Trade policy will be a big deal in 2020 .
It has been the central economic focus of Trump ’ s entire term in office , and he will be trumpeting a new bipartisan trade pact with Mexico supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi herself as proof that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick it to Mexico , however misleading this line may be .
It may well have been the decisive issue in the 2016 campaign .
Biden ’ s strategy thus far has been to hope it just goes away .
It won ’ t .
When Biden does make concrete commitments , they ’ re not terribly ambitious .
Like every other Democrat running for president , he has pledged to repeal the Trump tax cuts for the super rich and corporations .
He ’ s also said he wants to close the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vague pledge to increase taxes on stocks , bonds and real estate owned by the ultra-rich .
But Biden doesn ’ t get specific , while Warren and Sanders offer explicit , detailed tax rates , asset thresholds and revenue estimates for a much more aggressive wealth tax targeting the rich .
Biden ’ s initiatives might slow the acceleration of American inequality back to the rate seen during the Obama administration ― but they will not fundamentally address its causes .
The ostensibly progressive keystone of Biden ’ s platform is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This would make a difference for millions of workers .
But there ’ s a reason why just about every 2020 presidential hopeful across the ideological spectrum made the exact same commitment during their campaigns .
A $ 15 minimum wage just isn ’ t that big of a deal anymore .
Labor unions have now been waging the Fight for $ 15 for nearly eight years .
During that time , much of the purchasing value of that $ 15 an hour demand has been eaten away by the rising cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflation alone , $ 15 in 2012 is worth closer to $ 17 today .
But this figure obscures how much more expensive life has become in major cities .
In New York , for example , where the Fight for $ 15 first broke out , rental prices increased by a massive 33 % between 2009 and 2017 .
So while New York now has a $ 15 minimum wage law on the books , its value seems much less impressive when rents have been rising twice as fast as wages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ promise is on Social Security , in which he has pledged to boost the program ’ s minimum benefit payment to 125 % of the poverty line and increase benefits for recipients who have been receiving payments for at least 20 years .
A lot depends on the details of these plans , however , and Biden ’ s sudden pledge to expand Social Security is at odds with his consistent advocacy for Social Security cuts during his tenure in the Senate .
There ’ s more to Biden ’ s economic plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms ― small batches of funding to patch holes without any uniting vision or principle to hold it all together .
There ’ s $ 20 billion for rural broadband infrastructure , $ 40 billion a year in research and development funding for green energy , an extra $ 1.7 billion a year in grants for new infrastructure programs and $ 4 billion a year for “ transformational projects.
” Biden ’ s promise to spend $ 100 billion to “ modernize ” American schools sounds like a lot of money ― but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bucket compared to the more than $ 700 billion that the government ― federal , state and local ― already spends on education every year .
None of these initiatives are bad ideas .
They won ’ t hurt anybody or break anything .
But they won ’ t solve very much , either .
Taken together , they amount to a pledge not to think too hard about America ’ s economic problems — or do too much to solve them .
If you believe that the only economic problem facing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , Biden ’ s economic pitch makes a great deal of sense .
But Trump didn ’ t get elected out of nowhere .
His thunder on the campaign trail in 2016 against rapacious bankers and trade ripoffs resonated not only with Republicans , but with many Democratic voters .
If Biden wants to defeat that message in November , he ’ ll need to do better — or at least do something .

Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a Super Tuesday campaign event at Baldwin Hills Recreation Center on March 3 in Los Angeles. Mario Tama via Getty Images
If Joe Biden rolls on from a surprising Super Tuesday surge to secure the Democratic nomination, he’ll have Rep. James Clyburn to thank. The popular South Carolina congressman withheld an endorsement for Biden until just before his home state voted on Saturday. Biden, of course, handily won there, setting the stage for last night. But Clyburn’s blessing also came with pointed criticism. Biden, he said, was suffering from a lack of emotion. During an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday night, Clyburn argued that Biden had devoted too much time to “laying out policy.”
“People were not feeling it,” Clyburn said. “They were not feeling him. So I wanted his speechmaking to be more feeling.”
Advertisement
The trouble with Clyburn’s point is that Biden has not, in fact, laid out very much policy. On economic policy, in particular, Biden not only doesn’t have the right ideas to take on a right-wing populist like President Donald Trump, but he doesn’t seem to have any ideas.
On his campaign website, Biden argues: “This country wasn’t built by Wall Street bankers and CEOs and hedge fund managers. It was built by the American middle class.” It’s a nice sentiment. But Biden doesn’t have a Wall Street reform plan. Even the short-lived campaign of lifelong bank backer Mike Bloomberg released a paper detailing how he’d decided to get tough on his old friends.
The same is true for trade policy. Last year, Biden refused to say whether he supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership ― the trade deal he pitched as then-President Barack Obama’s vice president. When the California Trade Justice Coalition asked candidates to fill out a survey on trade policy ahead of the state’s primary, Biden didn’t even bother to respond, whereas Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and billionaire Tom Steyer all agreed to detail their positions on key trade matters.
Trade policy will be a big deal in 2020. It has been the central economic focus of Trump’s entire term in office, and he will be trumpeting a new bipartisan trade pact with Mexico supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi herself as proof that he made good on his campaign promises to stick it to Mexico, however misleading this line may be. It may well have been the decisive issue in the 2016 campaign. Biden’s strategy thus far has been to hope it just goes away. It won’t.
Advertisement
When Biden does make concrete commitments, they’re not terribly ambitious. Like every other Democrat running for president, he has pledged to repeal the Trump tax cuts for the super rich and corporations. He’s also said he wants to close the capital gains loophole for multimillionaires, making a vague pledge to increase taxes on stocks, bonds and real estate owned by the ultra-rich. But Biden doesn’t get specific, while Warren and Sanders offer explicit, detailed tax rates, asset thresholds and revenue estimates for a much more aggressive wealth tax targeting the rich. Biden’s initiatives might slow the acceleration of American inequality back to the rate seen during the Obama administration ― but they will not fundamentally address its causes.
The ostensibly progressive keystone of Biden’s platform is a nationwide $15 minimum wage. This would make a difference for millions of workers. But there’s a reason why just about every 2020 presidential hopeful across the ideological spectrum made the exact same commitment during their campaigns. A $15 minimum wage just isn’t that big of a deal anymore.
Labor unions have now been waging the Fight for $15 for nearly eight years. During that time, much of the purchasing value of that $15 an hour demand has been eaten away by the rising cost of living. Based on nationwide consumer price inflation alone, $15 in 2012 is worth closer to $17 today. But this figure obscures how much more expensive life has become in major cities. In New York, for example, where the Fight for $15 first broke out, rental prices increased by a massive 33% between 2009 and 2017. So while New York now has a $15 minimum wage law on the books, its value seems much less impressive when rents have been rising twice as fast as wages.
Biden’s other more obviously progressive promise is on Social Security, in which he has pledged to boost the program’s minimum benefit payment to 125% of the poverty line and increase benefits for recipients who have been receiving payments for at least 20 years. A lot depends on the details of these plans, however, and Biden’s sudden pledge to expand Social Security is at odds with his consistent advocacy for Social Security cuts during his tenure in the Senate.
There’s more to Biden’s economic plan, but most of it involves piecemeal reforms ― small batches of funding to patch holes without any uniting vision or principle to hold it all together. There’s $20 billion for rural broadband infrastructure, $40 billion a year in research and development funding for green energy, an extra $1.7 billion a year in grants for new infrastructure programs and $4 billion a year for “transformational projects.” Biden’s promise to spend $100 billion to “modernize” American schools sounds like a lot of money ― but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the more than $700 billion that the government ― federal, state and local ― already spends on education every year.
Advertisement
None of these initiatives are bad ideas. They won’t hurt anybody or break anything. But they won’t solve very much, either. Taken together, they amount to a pledge not to think too hard about America’s economic problems — or do too much to solve them.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Voting Problems, Long Lines Mar California Primary Voting

Sen. Bernie Sanders , who won the California primary , filed a complaint in federal court late Tuesday , asking the county ’ s vote centers to stay open an extra two hours , arguing that voters were denied their constitutional right .
The county registrar denied the request .
He said there was no evidence of malicious activity but did not explain what caused the failure .
The state website also experienced intermittent outages due to higher-than-normal traffic , but Mahood said technicians were able to add server capacity .
“ I think what we also learned is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of refinement , ” he said , referring to the new system of 979 vote centers where any county voter could go .
“ I think we perhaps overestimated how many of those voters would take advantage of the early voting period.
” He said workers had problems checking in voters because they could not properly scan names , which led to long lines .
The county ’ s new touch-screen voting devices , meant to boost accessibility , operated slowly at times because so many voters were trying to use them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokesman for Logan .
More devices were added at some polling places and there were no indications of security breaches , he said .
California ’ s primary was moved up from June to March to make the state ’ s results more relevant .
The earlier date also coincided with a number of changes aimed at expanding voter turnout , including the new multi-purpose vote centers instead of polling places in 15 counties .
That led to delays at some college campuses .
At the University of Southern California students said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters who needed to register for the first time or get a provisional ballot because they live outside Los Angeles County .
“ After that , you could go straight to any of the machines , ” he said .
“ It goes quickly once the human part ’ s done.
” Richard Gonzalez , 20 , of Tracy in San Joaquin County , said poll workers began handing out pink provisional ballot forms while he was in line , speeding up the process once he got inside .
The state certified Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite serious technical and security defects identified in testing , including the ability for attackers to bypass seals , locks and sensors and boot from a USB port , which could allow election data to be modified .
Testers also found the machines were susceptible to paper jams at five times the acceptable rate .
Election integrity activists had warned that the system was bound to experience serious failures and should never have been certified .
The conditional certification was contingent on several defects being remedied — after Tuesday ’ s primary .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Technical issues plagued polling sites throughout California as people turned out in droves, taxing a system meant to make voting easier with new technology, same-day registration and centralized vote centers in some counties.
In the nation’s most populous county, Los Angeles, predictions of problems with a $300 million election system proved prescient, with malfunctions causing frustration and confusion.
Advertisement
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who won the California primary, filed a complaint in federal court late Tuesday, asking the county’s vote centers to stay open an extra two hours, arguing that voters were denied their constitutional right. The county registrar denied the request.
Separately, election workers in 15 counties, including Fresno, Napa and Sacramento, were unable to connect to the statewide voter registration database, said Sam Mahood, spokesman for the secretary of state’s office.
He said there was no evidence of malicious activity but did not explain what caused the failure. The state website also experienced intermittent outages due to higher-than-normal traffic, but Mahood said technicians were able to add server capacity.
In Los Angeles, with 5.4 million registered voters, the Sanders complaint reported a wait exceeding four hours in one location and check-in stations and voting machines that were not working.
Advertisement
County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan apologized for the problems, saying it had been “a challenging day.”
“I think what we also learned is that some of that model needs quite a bit of refinement,” he said, referring to the new system of 979 vote centers where any county voter could go. “I think we perhaps overestimated how many of those voters would take advantage of the early voting period.”
He said workers had problems checking in voters because they could not properly scan names, which led to long lines. The county’s new touch-screen voting devices, meant to boost accessibility, operated slowly at times because so many voters were trying to use them at once, said Mike Sanchez, a spokesman for Logan. More devices were added at some polling places and there were no indications of security breaches, he said.
California is among 14 states that held presidential primary contests on Super Tuesday, and voters in the most populous state also weighed in on congressional races, legislative seats and a statewide school bond.
California’s primary was moved up from June to March to make the state’s results more relevant. The earlier date also coincided with a number of changes aimed at expanding voter turnout, including the new multi-purpose vote centers instead of polling places in 15 counties.
Advertisement
Also new this year, Californians were able to register to vote through 8 p.m. Tuesday at any location where ballots were accepted.
A woman walks her dog past a long line of voters waiting to cast their ballot in the presidential primary at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank, California on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020. ROBYN BECK via Getty Images
That led to delays at some college campuses. At the University of Southern California students said many of the delays were due to voters who needed to register for the first time or get a provisional ballot because they live outside Los Angeles County.
Jimmy Huber, 22, of Whittier, who waited about 90 minutes to vote, said there weren’t enough workers checking in voters.
“After that, you could go straight to any of the machines,” he said. “It goes quickly once the human part’s done.”
Advertisement
Richard Gonzalez, 20, of Tracy in San Joaquin County, said poll workers began handing out pink provisional ballot forms while he was in line, speeding up the process once he got inside.
The state certified Los Angeles County’s new elections system despite serious technical and security defects identified in testing, including the ability for attackers to bypass seals, locks and sensors and boot from a USB port, which could allow election data to be modified. Testers also found the machines were susceptible to paper jams at five times the acceptable rate.
Election integrity activists had warned that the system was bound to experience serious failures and should never have been certified. The conditional certification was contingent on several defects being remedied — after Tuesday’s primary.
In Beverly Hills, city spokesman Keith Sterling estimated people some waited two hours or more. The city of 35,000 sued the county, calling the new voting system interface severely flawed.
“There’s a lot of frustration, (and) people walk away. I don’t know if they’ll come back. I hope they do,” Beverly Hills City Council member Julian Gold said.
Advertisement
The issues with the secretary of state’s office slowed operations at Contra Costa County near San Francisco into the evening, adding an extra five to 10 minutes to each transaction, said Scott Konopasek, assistant registrar of voters.
“Nobody’s leaving,” he said. “It’s more of an annoyance and an inconvenience for everybody.”
—-


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Congress Approves $8.3 Billion Bill To Combat Coronavirus

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Capitol Hill negotiators have reached agreement on an $ 8.3 billion measure to battle the coronavirus outbreak that ’ s spreading and threatening a major shock to the economy and disruptions to everyday life in the U.S .
The House will vote on the deal later Wednesday and Senate leaders are pressing for a vote in that chamber by the end of the week .
The agreement was announced by spokespersons for the house and Senate Appropriations panels who negotiated the legislation .
The legislation came together in little more than a week , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It triples the $ 2.5 billion plan unveiled by President Donald Trump just last week .
Trump , however , is sure to sign the measure , which has the blessing of top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California .
“ This moment calls for collaboration and unity , ” McConnell said .
“ It ’ s time to give our public health experts and healthcare professionals the surge resources they need at this challenging time.
” The agreement came together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dropped a demand , opposed by the drug industry , to guarantee that any vaccines and drug treatments developed with government-backed research — but manufactured by drug companies — be offered at “ affordable ” prices .
Instead , the agreement provides $ 300 million for the government to purchase such drugs at “ fair and reasonable ” prices to distribute them to those who need it — which is the standard applied in earlier crises like the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak .
The bipartisan legislation includes : $ 350 million to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot spots ” like Washington state ; $ 500 million to buy drugs , masks , and other medical supplies for states , local governments and hospitals ; $ 1 billion to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred in battling the outbreak ; and $ 300 million for the Centers for Disease Control ’ s rapid response fund .
More than $ 800 million would fund research into a vaccine , improved tests , and drugs to treat infected people .
Another $ 1.3 billion would be used to help fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the outbreak in the U.S. appears increasingly likely to affect workers who are instructed to stay home , immigrants who may fear seeking treatment because they are in the U.S. illegally , and the potential rapid spread among homeless people .
Widespread school closures are possible as well .
Vice President Mike Pence , who is coordinating the administration ’ s response , is returning to Capitol Wednesday afternoon to separately brief House Democrats and Republicans .
Also Wednesday , top congressional leaders are meeting to discuss what additional steps may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol complex — for lawmakers and staff , as well as the annual influx of visitors this spring .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Capitol Hill negotiators have reached agreement on an $8.3 billion measure to battle the coronavirus outbreak that’s spreading and threatening a major shock to the economy and disruptions to everyday life in the U.S.
The House will vote on the deal later Wednesday and Senate leaders are pressing for a vote in that chamber by the end of the week. The agreement was announced by spokespersons for the house and Senate Appropriations panels who negotiated the legislation.
Advertisement
The legislation came together in little more than a week, a rarity in a deeply polarized Washington. It triples the $2.5 billion plan unveiled by President Donald Trump just last week.
Trump, however, is sure to sign the measure, which has the blessing of top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and top House Republican Kevin McCarthy of California.
“This moment calls for collaboration and unity,” McConnell said. “It’s time to give our public health experts and healthcare professionals the surge resources they need at this challenging time.”
The agreement came together after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., dropped a demand, opposed by the drug industry, to guarantee that any vaccines and drug treatments developed with government-backed research — but manufactured by drug companies — be offered at “affordable” prices.
Advertisement
Instead, the agreement provides $300 million for the government to purchase such drugs at “fair and reasonable” prices to distribute them to those who need it — which is the standard applied in earlier crises like the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak.
The bipartisan legislation includes: $350 million to aggressively go after the virus in “hot spots” like Washington state; $500 million to buy drugs, masks, and other medical supplies for states, local governments and hospitals; $1 billion to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred in battling the outbreak; and $300 million for the Centers for Disease Control’s rapid response fund.
More than $800 million would fund research into a vaccine, improved tests, and drugs to treat infected people. Another $1.3 billion would be used to help fight the virus overseas.
The agreement comes as the outbreak in the U.S. appears increasingly likely to affect workers who are instructed to stay home, immigrants who may fear seeking treatment because they are in the U.S. illegally, and the potential rapid spread among homeless people. Widespread school closures are possible as well.
Vice President Mike Pence, who is coordinating the administration’s response, is returning to Capitol Wednesday afternoon to separately brief House Democrats and Republicans.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Bernie Sanders Wasn't Prepared For Joe Biden's Rush Of Endorsements

The strategy was validated early with a blowout victory in the Nevada caucuses , powered by Latinos of all ages , the demographic group that his campaign had been boasting would be his secret weapon .
If Sanders could also energize a larger base of working-class Americans behind him , it likely would be enough for him in a fragmented Democratic field of strong contenders .
For the weeks leading into Super Tuesday , the biggest night in the Democratic race , with a third of all the national pledged delegates were up for grabs , Sanders looked like he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
Sanders found himself explaining past comments about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro .
His TV ads hitting Biden and linking Sanders with former President Barack Obama came the day after the losses on Super Tuesday , not before .
And Sanders said he was “ disappointed ” with the youth turnout .
“ The fact that they pulled the stunt that they did the day before the election — how many more rabbits can ( Biden ) pull out of the hat ?
” Tulchin said of the endorsement surge for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a whole new race as of today between Bernie and Biden .
It ’ s a dramatically different race .
It ’ s a refresh and a restart .
You start fresh.
” In an interview on CBS News ’ “ 60 Minutes ” that aired the day after his victory in Nevada , Sanders stood by his past remarks giving measured praise for the improvements Castro made to the island nation ’ s health care and education systems , even as he vehemently condemned the authoritarian style of government .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a televised CNN town hall in Charleston , South Carolina .
Elected Democrats across Florida , home to the country ’ s largest community of Cuban-Americans , condemned Sanders .
Even a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee got in on it with an implicit swipe at Sanders ’ remarks .
“ In politics , it ’ s always a harder climb when you have to explain to voters or persuade voters , ” Abbi Easter , a Virginia Democratic Party leader said of Sanders ’ abilities to expand his base in more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you have to tell voters , ‘ No no no , let me explain , ’ then you are down a rabbit hole .
The danger here is the amount of time explaining the word [ socialist ] .
We would be in a much stronger place if we were just saying you are not going to have to choose between a meal and a prescription.
” Those around Sanders knew winning 25 % of the field over and over again would rack up delegates across the country , as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing worse than that .
That was how Trump did it ( though , it should be noted that the Republicans make it a lot easier to win delegates than Democrats do with their winner-take-all approach to states ) .
The week before Super Tuesday that strategy was in full force .
Sanders had dominated Nevada .
South Carolina was never going to be his state to win , but of the 14 states that were voting three days after South Carolina , Sanders appeared to be in good shape .
California was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Virginia , and North Carolina , enough people were feeling of the Bern that Sanders could rise in a fragmented field .
It was a massive improvement for Sanders in those states , which overwhelmingly went for Hillary Clinton in 2016 , and showed Sanders ’ ability to organize Latino and younger voters .
“ They misread the dynamics of this election , ” said Mark Longabaugh a Democratic strategist who advised Sanders ’ 2016 campaign but parted ways with it going into his 2020 run , citing creative differences .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t understand that in 2016 , we had a binary race .
If voters didn ’ t go for Clinton , they were going to go for Sanders .
It ’ s very obvious that a lot of our vote in 2016 were people who didn ’ t want Clinton and they weren ’ t necessarily left-wing ideologues ― part of his revolution .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has spent the last year campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination the only way Bernie Sanders knows how to campaign. He’s run as an unabashedly progressive, issues-driven candidate, determined to make democratic socialism palatable. He’s headlined massive rock-concert-like rallies and promised that record numbers of young voters would turn out to the polls.
The strategy was validated early with a blowout victory in the Nevada caucuses, powered by Latinos of all ages, the demographic group that his campaign had been boasting would be his secret weapon. If Sanders could also energize a larger base of working-class Americans behind him, it likely would be enough for him in a fragmented Democratic field of strong contenders.
Advertisement
Then it fell short.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, speaking to supporters in his home state of Vermont Tuesday night, sought to put the best face on some disappointing results for him in the day's Democratic presidential primaries. ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Super Tuesday, Sanders didn’t end up running in a packed field. The day before the election, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Indiana’s Pete Buttigieg dropped out and threw their weight behind Joe Biden. Former presidential candidate and Texas darling Beto O’Rourke endorsed the former vice president too, as did influential leaders like Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, who has sway with Black voters in his state, and former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
“That was an unprecedented event — that candidates drop out before Super Tuesday,” Ben Tulchin, a pollster working with Sanders said. The campaign expected the consolidating to come after Super Tuesday, not before, he said.
Sanders essentially ended up in a head-to-head match-up against Biden, who outperformed the polls and claimed victory in states that Sanders was expected to win, like Minnesota, Maine and Texas. Southern Black voters ― particularly the older ones, who reliably vote ― picked Biden, not Sanders. Undecided voters overwhelmingly broke for Biden in the final days before the primaries in 14 states, according to the exit polls.
Advertisement
“I think that Bernie’s vote ... is what we would have predicted,” Larry Cohen, who chairs the board of Our Revolution, the political action organization backing Sanders candidacy. “What changed? The Biden vote surged.”
For the weeks leading into Super Tuesday, the biggest night in the Democratic race, with a third of all the national pledged delegates were up for grabs, Sanders looked like he needed to win 25% of the vote. Sanders found himself explaining past comments about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. His TV ads hitting Biden and linking Sanders with former President Barack Obama came the day after the losses on Super Tuesday, not before. And Sanders said he was “disappointed” with the youth turnout.
“The commercials that came out today, those commercials should have been out since Jan. 1 in South Carolina and with more Black faces,” Marcus Ferrell, who ran Sanders outreach to Black voters in 2016 and remains a supporter of his candidacy, said on Wednesday of the ads hitting Biden on his past positions on Social Security.
Sanders on Wednesday held a press conference making it clear that he now sees the race as a two-person battle between him and Biden. That will change the campaign’s early calculations.
“The fact that they pulled the stunt that they did the day before the election — how many more rabbits can (Biden) pull out of the hat?” Tulchin said of the endorsement surge for the former vice president. “It’s a whole new race as of today between Bernie and Biden. It’s a dramatically different race. It’s a refresh and a restart. You start fresh.”
Advertisement
“How many more rabbits can [Biden] pull out of the hat? It’s a whole new race as of today between Bernie and Biden. It’s a dramatically different race. It’s a refresh and a restart. You start fresh.” - Ben Tulchin, Sanders's pollster
Sanders spent the week going into Super Tuesday speaking to his base
In an interview on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that aired the day after his victory in Nevada, Sanders stood by his past remarks giving measured praise for the improvements Castro made to the island nation’s health care and education systems, even as he vehemently condemned the authoritarian style of government. He would double down on the stance in a televised CNN town hall in Charleston, South Carolina. Elected Democrats across Florida, home to the country’s largest community of Cuban-Americans, condemned Sanders. Even a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee got in on it with an implicit swipe at Sanders’ remarks.
Whether Sanders’ stance inflicted tangible damage on him, they underscored the dynamic of the week between his triumphant Nevada win and the disappointing South Carolina results ― near-constant attacks alleging that his left-wing views would be toxic in a general election, both for him and for down-ballot Democrats.
“Getting caught up in debates about Fidel Castro is never a good idea,” said Irene Lin, a Sanders supporter and alumna of the 2012 Obama campaign, who is now running the New Hampshire gubernatorial bid by Democrat Andru Volinsky.
Overall, Lin argued that Sanders needed to do more to put mainstream liberals and moderates at ease with his candidacy and the prospect of his electability in a match-up with President Donald Trump, regardless of how promising national polls had shown he would fare as of now.
Advertisement
It did not help matters, she suggested, that outspoken ― and sometimes highly controversial ― leftists make up a disproportionate share of Sanders’ team of surrogates. Even as she singled out Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who is fond of framing Sanders’ policies as an extension of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, as an exceptionally gifted surrogate, Lin panned intellectuals like Naomi Klein and left-wing Hollywood star John Cusack.
“Every time I hear Ro, I wish we have more of those folks instead of John Cusack ranting about [left-wing academics Howard] Zinn and [Noam] Chomsky,” she said.
Khanna prefers to reiterate his pitch that Sanders, who as an independent caucuses with Senate Democrats, is someone committed to completing the Democratic Party’s historic vision, rather than a foe of the party as such. It’s a technique that diverges from the more radical encomiums of other campaign allies. At a rally in Tacoma, Washington, in mid-February, Seattle Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, a socialist, explicitly framed Sanders’ bid as the vanguard of a “powerful socialist movement.”
“We have to frame progressive policies as pro-entrepreneurship, pro-American competitiveness, and pro-economic growth,” said Khanna, a campaign co-chair. “Democrats overwhelmingly want Bernie’s policies. The challenge for the progressive movement and our campaign is to position them as forward-looking and fulfilling FDR’s New Deal promise.”
Rallies for Sanders continue to be marked by enthusiasm. But Super Tuesday's results have intensified questions about his ability to expand his base. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
But even after Nevada temporarily made him the frontrunner in the Democratic race, Sanders himself never quite gave up his mantle as an anti-establishment renegade. He continued to rouse supporters with his insistence that the campaign’s success was frightening the “establishment.” Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign was racking up influential party endorsements.
“At some point, you’ve got to be co-opting and welcoming of the establishment,” Lin said.
Signs have already emerged that Biden’s campaign is reaching out to progressives. His team invited Sean McElwee, who runs the progressive think tank Data For Progress, to its headquarters to talk climate policy on Wednesday.
Whether Sanders makes such efforts to broaden his support has long been a concern among Democratic officials working in the political trenches, especially in swing states and districts.
“In politics, it’s always a harder climb when you have to explain to voters or persuade voters,” Abbi Easter, a Virginia Democratic Party leader said of Sanders’ abilities to expand his base in more conservative districts going into Super Tuesday. “When you have to tell voters, ‘No no no, let me explain,’ then you are down a rabbit hole. The danger here is the amount of time explaining the word [socialist]. We would be in a much stronger place if we were just saying you are not going to have to choose between a meal and a prescription.”
At his Wednesday press conference, Sanders previewed how he would draw his contrasts with Biden. Many of the hits were familiar: on trade, on the Iraq war, on health care, on a bill that made it tougher to seek bankruptcy relief and on Biden’s past comments on Social Security. His team believes these issues will resonate in the states ahead.
Advertisement
Sanders strategy was based on a split field ― which no longer exists
When Sanders got into the race last year, those around him saw the crowded field as an asset.
“He’s got a loyal following, he’s got a high floor, he doesn’t need much more to get to a win number in a crowded field,” a Democratic pollster affiliated with the campaign said in March of 2019, when Sanders had just jumped in.
Those around Sanders knew winning 25% of the field over and over again would rack up delegates across the country, as long as everyone else in the race was doing worse than that. That was how Trump did it (though, it should be noted that the Republicans make it a lot easier to win delegates than Democrats do with their winner-take-all approach to states).
The week before Super Tuesday that strategy was in full force. Sanders had dominated Nevada. South Carolina was never going to be his state to win, but of the 14 states that were voting three days after South Carolina, Sanders appeared to be in good shape. California was feeling the Bern. And in Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina, enough people were feeling of the Bern that Sanders could rise in a fragmented field. It was a massive improvement for Sanders in those states, which overwhelmingly went for Hillary Clinton in 2016, and showed Sanders’ ability to organize Latino and younger voters.
At a rally in Richmond, Virginia, five days before Super Tuesday, Sanders went through his policies. He listed his enemies, from the pharmaceutical industry to the fossil fuel industry. He energized the room of thousands of mostly young, white voters by railing against the Democratic establishment. He added a small, and quickly eclipsed jab at Biden for voting for the Iraq war and trade deals. And he very quickly made the case for his electability: He’s been beating Trump in the vast majority of head-to-head national polls.
On Tuesday, Biden won Virginia in a landslide, consolidating the support of the moderate wing of the party and late-deciding voters looking for someone other than Sanders. That pattern was repeated to lesser extents in several other states.
Advertisement
Sanders’ campaign didn’t have a plan for that, yet.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-05--Trump Claims Thousands Could Still Go To Work With Coronavirus And Get Better

President Donald Trump suggested during an interview on Fox News Wednesday that many people with mild coronavirus symptoms could still go to work and get better .
This goes against advice from medical professionals around the world who say that infected individuals should remain in isolation .
“ A lot of people will have this and it ’ s very mild .
They ’ ll get better very rapidly .
They don ’ t even see a doctor , they don ’ t even call a doctor .
You never hear about those people , ” Trump told Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t put them down in the category of the overall population in terms of this corona flu and/or virus .
So you just can ’ t do that .
So , if you know , we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by , you know , sitting around and even going to work .
Some of them go to work , but they get better.
” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidance states that people with COVID-19 who do not need hospitalization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excluding seeking medical care .
A growing number of organizations , including Twitter , Amazon and Microsoft , have asked employees to work from home in a bid to limit the spread of the disease .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) , as well as dozens of governments and health organizations around the world , have also asked infected people to isolate themselves .
While most people who contract the illness have mild symptoms , 1 in 5 people with COVID-19 infection will need hospital care , WHO stated on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-existing medical conditions are more susceptible to contracting the SARS-CoV-2 infection ( the virus that causes COVID-19 ) , and may suffer a severe or fatal case .
It is therefore important for those infected to take extra precautions not to transmit the disease to others .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump suggested during an interview on Fox News Wednesday that many people with mild coronavirus symptoms could still go to work and get better. This goes against advice from medical professionals around the world who say that infected individuals should remain in isolation.
“A lot of people will have this and it’s very mild. They’ll get better very rapidly. They don’t even see a doctor, they don’t even call a doctor. You never hear about those people,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “So you can’t put them down in the category of the overall population in terms of this corona flu and or virus. So you just can’t do that. So, if you know, we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work. Some of them go to work, but they get better.”
Advertisement
In this clip, Trump:
1. Denies WHO's coronavirus death rate based on “hunch"
2. Calls coronavirus "corona flu"
3. Suggests it's fine for people w/ Covid-19 to go to work
4. Compares coronavirus to "the regular flu," indicating he doesn't get the difference pic.twitter.com/uC9c03zX31 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2020
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance states that people with COVID-19 who do not need hospitalization should restrict all activities outside the home excluding seeking medical care.
“Do not go to work, school or public areas. Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing or taxis,” the CDC advises.
Trump on Thursday responded to reports about his comments by lashing out on Twitter:
I NEVER said people that are feeling sick should go to work. This is just more Fake News and disinformation put out by the Democrats, in particular MSDNC. Comcast covers the CoronaVirus situation horribly, only looking to do harm to the incredible & successful effort being made! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2020
Advertisement
A growing number of businesses, including Twitter, Amazon and Microsoft, have asked employees to work from home in a bid to limit the spread of the disease. The World Health Organization, as well as dozens of governments and health organizations around the world, have also asked infected people to isolate themselves.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Texas Officials Have Already Rigged The 2020 Election. Super Tuesday Is Proof.

Texas Democrats chose to award a plurality of their convention delegates to former Vice President Joe Biden .
But people were forced to wait hours to vote on Tuesday in part because for several years , the state has systematically closed polling places in communities with large and growing Black and Latino populations .
And that casts doubt on whether Democrats actually have a chance to turn the state blue in 2020 , regardless of whom they nominate .
A 2019 report from the Leadership Conference Education Fund ( LCEF ) , a civil rights organization , found that Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black and Latino communities after the Supreme Court overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act in 2013 .
The law had previously required a number of states with histories of racist voting practices , like Texas , to seek federal approval before making changes to their election rules .
According to the LCEF report , Harris County closed 52 polling places from 2012 to 2018 , more than all but three other counties nationwide did in the same period .
On Super Tuesday , some Harris County residents said they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to vote , according to the Texas Tribune .
CNN reported that the last voter at Texas Southern University , a college in the county , waited almost seven hours to cast a ballot .
An analysis by The Guardian found that Texas officials have been methodical about closing the most sites in communities with the largest-growing Black and Latino populations .
The publication found that the 50 Texas counties that gained the most Black and Latino residents from 2012 to 2018 eliminated 542 polling sites over that span , while the 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latino residents during that time eliminated only 34 sites .
“ People have died to fight for the sanctity of the vote , ” spokesperson Abhi Rahman told HuffPost .
“ Republicans ’ only way to retain power is to basically curb the vote , and we ’ re fighting back against all of those attempts , ” he added .
Harris County elected a Democrat to run its elections in 2018 .
Diane Trautman replaced Republican clerk Stan Stanart , who was notorious in Texas for his handling of the county ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats were trying to corrupt them .
Trautman ’ s office did not respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment , but on Wednesday the clerk effectively acknowledged Tuesday ’ s problems .
One day removed from Super Tuesday , it is impossible to know the full impact of those long lines .
The lines may have dissuaded some people from voting in Tuesday ’ s primary , but they may also have discouraged potential Democratic voters from participating in future elections , including the contest in November .
And that decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t necessarily prove a lack of civic responsibility .
If a voter made sacrifices to vote on Tuesday ( say , they altered their work schedule or paid a babysitter ) , they may be unable to make a similar commitment later this year .
Voter suppression works by instilling such an acute sense of dread in those trying to vote ― about the hours and resources and effort it will take ― that they don ’ t or even can ’ t make the attempt .
We have no idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grueling long lines on Tuesday , cast their ballot , and now may choose ( or feel forced ) to sit out future elections .
Finding a solution to this kind of voter disenfranchisement will be just as important to Democrats ’ hopes of turning Texas blue and winning in 2020 ― if not more important ― than the candidate Democrats select to lead the ticket .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
On Super Tuesday, long lines at a number of Texas polling stations cast a pall over the Democratic primary, sowing confusion and anger on an otherwise clarifying day for the party.
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential primary in Houston on March 3, 2020. MARK FELIX via Getty Images
Advertisement
Texas Democrats chose to award a plurality of their convention delegates to former Vice President Joe Biden. But people were forced to wait hours to vote on Tuesday in part because for several years, the state has systematically closed polling places in communities with large and growing Black and Latino populations. And that casts doubt on whether Democrats actually have a chance to turn the state blue in 2020, regardless of whom they nominate.
Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke endorses Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden at Gilley's in Dallas on March 2, 2020. Elizabeth Frantz / Reuters
Many of the polling sites with long waits on Tuesday were in Harris County, which includes Houston, the state’s largest city. Harris County is 40% Latino and 19% Black.
A 2019 report from the Leadership Conference Education Fund (LCEF), a civil rights organization, found that Texas election officials rapidly eliminated polling places in Black and Latino communities after the Supreme Court overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act in 2013. The law had previously required a number of states with histories of racist voting practices, like Texas, to seek federal approval before making changes to their election rules. According to the LCEF report, Harris County closed 52 polling places from 2012 to 2018, more than all but three other counties nationwide did in the same period.
Advertisement
On Super Tuesday, some Harris County residents said they had to wait in line for several hours to vote, according to the Texas Tribune. CNN reported that the last voter at Texas Southern University, a college in the county, waited almost seven hours to cast a ballot.
The last voter at Texas Southern University has walked out of the voting booth. It took Hervis Rogers nearly 7 hours to vote tonight. #supertuesday2020 pic.twitter.com/kEQ0HgPZHg — ed lavandera (@edlavaCNN) March 4, 2020
An analysis by The Guardian found that Texas officials have been methodical about closing the most sites in communities with the largest-growing Black and Latino populations. The publication found that the 50 Texas counties that gained the most Black and Latino residents from 2012 to 2018 eliminated 542 polling sites over that span, while the 50 counties that gained the fewest Black and Latino residents during that time eliminated only 34 sites.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Texas Democratic Party said these closures are part of voter suppression efforts by state Republicans.
“People have died to fight for the sanctity of the vote,” spokesperson Abhi Rahman told HuffPost. “Republicans’ only way to retain power is to basically curb the vote, and we’re fighting back against all of those attempts,” he added.
Advertisement
Voters wait in line to cast their ballot in the Democratic primary at a Houston polling place on Super Tuesday. Callaghan O'Hare / Reuters
Harris County elected a Democrat to run its elections in 2018. Diane Trautman replaced Republican clerk Stan Stanart, who was notorious in Texas for his handling of the county’s elections and his unfounded claims that Democrats were trying to corrupt them. Trautman’s office did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment, but on Wednesday the clerk effectively acknowledged Tuesday’s problems.
“There is no such thing as a perfect election,” Trautman tweeted, “but I am committed to always improving the voting process and increasing access to the polls.”
One day removed from Super Tuesday, it is impossible to know the full impact of those long lines. The lines may have dissuaded some people from voting in Tuesday’s primary, but they may also have discouraged potential Democratic voters from participating in future elections, including the contest in November. And that decision ― unfortunate as it would be ― wouldn’t necessarily prove a lack of civic responsibility. If a voter made sacrifices to vote on Tuesday (say, they altered their work schedule or paid a babysitter), they may be unable to make a similar commitment later this year.
Voter suppression works by instilling such an acute sense of dread in those trying to vote ― about the hours and resources and effort it will take ― that they don’t or even can’t make the attempt. We have no idea how many people in Texas endured the grueling long lines on Tuesday, cast their ballot, and now may choose (or feel forced) to sit out future elections.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Cruise Ship Held Off California Coast As Passengers Await Coronavirus Tests

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that a cruise ship was being held off the coast near San Francisco after passengers and crew members fell ill and that those on board would be tested for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
A 71-year-old man who died Wednesday of coronavirus — the first confirmed COVID-19 death in the state of California — had been a passenger on the same Grand Princess cruise ship for a trip to Mexico in mid-February , confirmed operating company Princess Cruises , which is owned by Carnival .
The governor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health partners to contact about 2,500 passengers , not counting crew members , who were on the previous trip with the man who died .
About half of those passengers live in California .
The ship , which then set sail to Hawaii in late February with thousands aboard , returned to San Francisco on Wednesday and was being held off the coast , as “ a number of passengers and crew members have developed symptoms , ” the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kits to the ship and will be sending those back to a lab to determine if those with symptoms have COVID-19 .
Passengers who were on the previous Mexico voyage and remained on the ship for this Hawaii trip were told by the cruise company to remain in their rooms , according to CDC guidance .
Newsom said some people aboard “ have been isolated ” from the rest of the people and the crew , adding that he didn ’ t have further details at the moment but the ship has medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one other case , in Sonoma County , of a passenger from the cruise to Mexico who is now in “ very difficult condition , ” the governor said .
Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to the coronavirus outbreak in the state , including the cruise ship incident , in order to make more resources available to address the virus ’ s spread .
The proclamation allows the state to bring in out-of-state health workers , among other efforts .
As of Wednesday , there were 53 people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 of whom were flown back to the U.S. from regions with severe outbreaks .
Three cases have still-unknown sources , according to the state Department of Public Health .
California ’ s emergency proclamation also allows officials to further protect people from price gouging , Newsom said , noting there are already cases across the state .
“ Small hand sanitizers going for as much as $ 17 , some online for even more — that ’ s unconscionable , ” Newsom said .
“ We need to go after those.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across 49 jurisdictions for potential exposure to the virus , largely those who arrived on commercial flights from airports in regions that have high numbers of cases .
The state has more than 5,900 tests available and can “ draw down more federal support ” as needed , the governor added .
Another Carnival cruise ship , the Diamond Princess , was the site of a COVID-19 outbreak off the coast of Japan last month .
Hundreds of passengers had to be quarantined for weeks .
The Grand Princess ship off San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,150 crew members .
Before returning to San Francisco , the ship made stops at four islands in Hawaii in late February .
Bruce Anderson , Hawaii ’ s department of health director , said in a news conference Wednesday that at this time there was no health threat to anyone in Hawaii .
Angell suggested some basic precautions to reduce people ’ s risk : Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze , wash your hands thoroughly and frequently , and , if you don ’ t feel well , stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own symptoms , she said , they should call their health provider or county health officials before going to a hospital or doctor ’ s office .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that a cruise ship was being held off the coast near San Francisco after passengers and crew members fell ill and that those on board would be tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
A 71-year-old man who died Wednesday of coronavirus — the first confirmed COVID-19 death in the state of California — had been a passenger on the same Grand Princess cruise ship for a trip to Mexico in mid-February, confirmed operating company Princess Cruises, which is owned by Carnival.
Advertisement
The governor said in a news conference that the state was working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health partners to contact about 2,500 passengers, not counting crew members, who were on the previous trip with the man who died. About half of those passengers live in California.
The ship, which then set sail to Hawaii in late February with thousands aboard, returned to San Francisco on Wednesday and was being held off the coast, as “a number of passengers and crew members have developed symptoms,” the governor said. The government is flying test kits to the ship and will be sending those back to a lab to determine if those with symptoms have COVID-19.
Passengers who were on the previous Mexico voyage and remained on the ship for this Hawaii trip were told by the cruise company to remain in their rooms, according to CDC guidance. Newsom said some people aboard “have been isolated” from the rest of the people and the crew, adding that he didn’t have further details at the moment but the ship has medical support onboard.
There is at least one other case, in Sonoma County, of a passenger from the cruise to Mexico who is now in “very difficult condition,” the governor said.
Advertisement
Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to the coronavirus outbreak in the state, including the cruise ship incident, in order to make more resources available to address the virus’s spread. The proclamation allows the state to bring in out-of-state health workers, among other efforts.
As of Wednesday, there were 53 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California, 24 of whom were flown back to the U.S. from regions with severe outbreaks. Three cases have still-unknown sources, according to the state Department of Public Health.
LIVE: Governor @GavinNewsom and State Health Officials hold a #COVID19 briefing in Sacramento. https://t.co/epnqSKL40h — Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) March 5, 2020
California’s emergency proclamation also allows officials to further protect people from price gouging, Newsom said, noting there are already cases across the state. “Small hand sanitizers going for as much as $17, some online for even more — that’s unconscionable,” Newsom said. “We need to go after those.”
California officials are monitoring about 9,400 people across 49 jurisdictions for potential exposure to the virus, largely those who arrived on commercial flights from airports in regions that have high numbers of cases. The state has more than 5,900 tests available and can “draw down more federal support” as needed, the governor added.
Advertisement
Another Carnival cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, was the site of a COVID-19 outbreak off the coast of Japan last month. Hundreds of passengers had to be quarantined for weeks.
The Grand Princess ship off San Francisco can carry up to 2,600 passengers and 1,150 crew members. Before returning to San Francisco, the ship made stops at four islands in Hawaii in late February. Bruce Anderson, Hawaii’s department of health director, said in a news conference Wednesday that at this time there was no health threat to anyone in Hawaii.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, noted Wednesday that most people who contract the coronavirus have only mild symptoms, adding that the state anticipates more cases will emerge.
Dr. Sonia Angell, the state’s public health director, insisted that the health risk to the general public in California remains low, though she noted it’s a rapidly evolving situation.
Angell suggested some basic precautions to reduce people’s risk: Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, and, if you don’t feel well, stay home. If anyone is concerned about their own symptoms, she said, they should call their health provider or county health officials before going to a hospital or doctor’s office.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Amid A Global Crisis, Trump Keeps Lying And Misleading About Pretty Much Everything

At a time when many Americans are turning toward the White House for accurate information about the virus , Trump has responded to the new responsibility in a familiar manner : praising himself , promising easy success and , when needed , blaming others .
And mixed into it all are his now familiar lies on a range of issues , including who is paying tariffs he has imposed on Chinese imports , the significance of the updated trade agreement with Canada and Mexico , the status of his wall along the southern border , and which president approved the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accurate statements about the virus seem suspect .
“ When you ’ ve lost your credibility , you also lose the benefit of the doubt , ” said David Jolly , a former Republican congressman .
“ Half the nation simply doesn ’ t believe the president .
The other may only be convinced he ’ s lying if they suffer personal disruption or financial losses.
” But from the outset of the crisis , Trump has largely claimed that he personally has done a great job managing it , that the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual flu , and that Democrats and the news media are conspiring to scare people , thereby tanking the economy and his reelection chances .
Last week , at a campaign rally in South Carolina , Trump went as far as to portray their descriptions of the coronavirus as a “ hoax , ” similar to special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into his campaign and the House ’ s proceedings leading to his impeachment for trying to cheat in the coming election .
“ This is their new hoax , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the relatively small number of Americans who are being treated for the disease with the number who die of the flu each year .
“ Think of it , you hear 35,000 and 40,000 people , and we have lost nobody , and you wonder the press is in hysteria mode.
” ( Since that time , 11 Americans have died from COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus . )
At the same time , Trump has repeatedly ― and inaccurately ― suggested that at his direction , a vaccine is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re rapidly developing a vaccine , ” he said during his first news conference on the topic last week .
That claim appears to have infected his political appointees in their own statements .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar , for example , told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that a possible vaccine had just been greenlighted for clinical trials , causing Trump to burst in : “ Which is a record.
” It was left to Anthony Fauci , the longtime head of the infectious diseases program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to point out that that was only the start of a long road of tests .
“ The whole process is going to take a year , a year and a half at least , ” he said .
The head of the coronavirus task force , Vice President Mike Pence , meanwhile has made it a point to praise Trump at every public setting ― “ From the moment that this country learned of the spread of the coronavirus , President Donald Trump took decisive action , ” Pence said Saturday ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then emulated , as well .
And on Wednesday , Trump even blamed Obama for a delay in having coronavirus testing kits readily available , even though it was under his watch that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention botched the process of creating one and then refused to accept one invented in Germany .
“ This will go down in history as a prime example of kakistocracy and corruption .
Key agencies like CDC captured by a president only interested in the impact of a health crisis on the stock market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norman Ornstein , a scholar at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute .
“ A president without credibility at a time when it is most needed .
Disgraceful and reckless beyond measure.
” Trump has recommend deep cuts in the CDC ’ s and NIH ’ s budgets since taking office , although Congress , both under sole GOP control and under divided control for the past year , has refused to go along with them .
However , Trump did dismantle a pandemic response team Obama had created following the 2014 Ebola outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had railed against Obama for his handling of that epidemic , but he in the end won praise for both preventing its spread to the United States as well as helping its victims in West Africa .
“ Even conservatives can agree that within a limited government , managing a health crisis is a federal responsibility , ” said Rick Tyler , a top aide to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ’ s 2016 run for the Republican presidential nomination .
“ Requisite to an effective response to this pandemic is trusting the information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has squandered that trust .
Still , Americans can still protect themselves and their families by educating themselves about COVID-19 from the CDC , NIH and other credible sources .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON ― The threat of a coronavirus pandemic has not slowed down President Donald Trump’s habit of lying to and misleading Americans on any number of topics ― including that same coronavirus threat.
At a time when many Americans are turning toward the White House for accurate information about the virus, Trump has responded to the new responsibility in a familiar manner: praising himself, promising easy success and, when needed, blaming others.
Advertisement
And mixed into it all are his now familiar lies on a range of issues, including who is paying tariffs he has imposed on Chinese imports, the significance of the updated trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, the status of his wall along the southern border, and which president approved the Veterans Choice Act ― making even his accurate statements about the virus seem suspect.
“When you’ve lost your credibility, you also lose the benefit of the doubt,” said David Jolly, a former Republican congressman. “Half the nation simply doesn’t believe the president. The other may only be convinced he’s lying if they suffer personal disruption or financial losses.”
Ned Price, a former CIA analyst and National Security Council spokesman in President Barack Obama’s White House, said Americans need to ignore Trump, for their own health and safety.
“Tune out the president and listen to the public health experts,” Price said. “Even President Obama, who certainly didn’t have the credibility deficit Trump does, reiterated a single message during the Ebola outbreak: expertise and science will guide the response.”
Advertisement
The White House would not respond to HuffPost queries about Trump’s handling of the outbreak.
President Donald Trump listens to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a briefing on the coronavirus at the National Institutes of Health on March 3 in Bethesda, Maryland. ASSOCIATED PRESS
But from the outset of the crisis, Trump has largely claimed that he personally has done a great job managing it, that the disease is not that dangerous compared to the annual flu, and that Democrats and the news media are conspiring to scare people, thereby tanking the economy and his reelection chances.
Last week, at a campaign rally in South Carolina, Trump went as far as to portray their descriptions of the coronavirus as a “hoax,” similar to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into his campaign and the House’s proceedings leading to his impeachment for trying to cheat in the coming election.
“This is their new hoax,” he said, and then again compared the relatively small number of Americans who are being treated for the disease with the number who die of the flu each year. “Think of it, you hear 35,000 and 40,000 people, and we have lost nobody, and you wonder the press is in hysteria mode.” (Since that time, 11 Americans have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.)
At the same time, Trump has repeatedly ― and inaccurately ― suggested that at his direction, a vaccine is right around the corner. “We’re rapidly developing a vaccine,” he said during his first news conference on the topic last week.
Advertisement
That claim appears to have infected his political appointees in their own statements. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, for example, told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that a possible vaccine had just been greenlighted for clinical trials, causing Trump to burst in: “Which is a record.”
It was left to Anthony Fauci, the longtime head of the infectious diseases program at the National Institutes of Health, to point out that that was only the start of a long road of tests. “The whole process is going to take a year, a year and a half at least,” he said.
“This will go down in history as a prime example of kakistocracy and corruption.” - Norman Ornstein, scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
The head of the coronavirus task force, Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile has made it a point to praise Trump at every public setting ― “From the moment that this country learned of the spread of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump took decisive action,” Pence said Saturday ― a nod that others in the group then emulated, as well.
And on Wednesday, Trump even blamed Obama for a delay in having coronavirus testing kits readily available, even though it was under his watch that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention botched the process of creating one and then refused to accept one invented in Germany.
Advertisement
“This will go down in history as a prime example of kakistocracy and corruption. Key agencies like CDC captured by a president only interested in the impact of a health crisis on the stock market and his own numbers,” said Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. “A president without credibility at a time when it is most needed. Disgraceful and reckless beyond measure.”
Trump has recommend deep cuts in the CDC’s and NIH’s budgets since taking office, although Congress, both under sole GOP control and under divided control for the past year, has refused to go along with them. However, Trump did dismantle a pandemic response team Obama had created following the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Africa.
Trump and other Republicans had railed against Obama for his handling of that epidemic, but he in the end won praise for both preventing its spread to the United States as well as helping its victims in West Africa.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-05--Sanders Deflects To 'People Of Color' When Pushed On Lack Of Black Support

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) avoided reflecting on his general lack of support among Black voters by touting his performance with “ people of color ” in an interview the day after he received few Black votes in 14 states ’ primaries .
The progressive Democratic presidential candidate sat down with MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow to talk about his campaign in his first interview since Super Tuesday .
All but three states went to moderate front-runner Joe Biden , whose strong support from Black voters helped turn his campaign around .
“ What is going wrong with your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the South and competing for Black voters ?
” Maddow asked Sanders .
“ Well , let me just give you the other side of the story , is that in California , if my memory is correct , we received 39 % of the votes of people of color , which were Latinos , Asian Americans and African Americans , ” said Sanders , who ’ s projected to win the delegate-rich state .
“ If I ’ m not mistaken ― I haven ’ t studied these results ― we probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American vote , probably in all of those states.
” “ But you in California are being well outpaced by Joe Biden among Black voters , ” Maddow said , stressing the specific demographic she wanted to talk about .
Sanders replied once again with a deflection , saying that his campaign is “ winning among people of color in a very significant degree ” before Maddow cut him off to say she wanted to talk about Black voters .
“ Let ’ s talk about Black voters , though , specifically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you know it was a problem in 2016 , lackluster , ” she said .
“ And it hasn ’ t gotten better.
” “ We are doing very well with people of color , ” he said .
“ We are going to do better with the African American community.
” While the term “ people of color , ” or POC , has recently grown in popularity to identify nonwhite people and the struggles they deal with , it can also often erase issues that Black people specifically or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with “ Black people ” can be viewed as needing to group nonwhite people together on an issue that directly affects Black people so that others will have more empathy or take it more seriously .
When Maddow pressed him during their interview to specifically talk about Black voters , Sanders shifted his angle to the former vice president ’ s relationship with Barack Obama , the nation ’ s first Black president .
“ Look , we ’ re running a campaign against somebody who has touted his relationship with Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is enormously popular in this country in general and in the African American community , ” the senator said .
“ Running against Hillary Clinton , Bill Clinton was enormously popular .
I don ’ t think if you look at some of the national polls ― in fact , there have been some polls recently ― that we were running ahead of Biden in the African American community .
So it ’ s not that I ’ m not popular .
Biden is now running with his ties to Obama , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the commercial to Sanders , asking if he believed Obama was part of the Democratic establishment he ’ s trying to take down .
The senator again avoided answering directly , saying he ’ s not close with the former president but that he has “ a lot of respect for him .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) avoided reflecting on his general lack of support among Black voters by touting his performance with “people of color” in an interview the day after he received few Black votes in 14 states’ primaries.
The progressive Democratic presidential candidate sat down with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow to talk about his campaign in his first interview since Super Tuesday. All but three states went to moderate front-runner Joe Biden, whose strong support from Black voters helped turn his campaign around.
Advertisement
“What is going wrong with your campaign when it comes to competing in the South and competing for Black voters?” Maddow asked Sanders.
“Well, let me just give you the other side of the story, is that in California, if my memory is correct, we received 39% of the votes of people of color, which were Latinos, Asian Americans and African Americans,” said Sanders, who’s projected to win the delegate-rich state. “If I’m not mistaken ― I haven’t studied these results ― we probably won the young people, young people African American vote, probably in all of those states.”
“But you in California are being well outpaced by Joe Biden among Black voters,” Maddow said, stressing the specific demographic she wanted to talk about.
Sanders replied once again with a deflection, saying that his campaign is “winning among people of color in a very significant degree” before Maddow cut him off to say she wanted to talk about Black voters.
Advertisement
“Let’s talk about Black voters, though, specifically because it has been a persistent problem, you know it was a problem in 2016, lackluster,” she said. “And it hasn’t gotten better.”
Maddow to Sanders:
M: Whats good with Black Voters?
S: I’m good with people of color
😐@maddow @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/LNp5wWnnwL — Knowledge.....🧐 (@TheChangeUSeek) March 5, 2020
Earlier Wednesday, Sanders acknowledged during a news conference that Biden had significant success with Black voters on Tuesday.
“We are doing very well with people of color,” he said. “We are going to do better with the African American community.”
While the term “people of color,” or POC, has recently grown in popularity to identify nonwhite people and the struggles they deal with, it can also often erase issues that Black people specifically or more directly deal with. Equating “POC” with “Black people” can be viewed as needing to group nonwhite people together on an issue that directly affects Black people so that others will have more empathy or take it more seriously.
Advertisement
When Maddow pressed him during their interview to specifically talk about Black voters, Sanders shifted his angle to the former vice president’s relationship with Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president.
“Look, we’re running a campaign against somebody who has touted his relationship with Barack Obama for eight years. Barack Obama is enormously popular in this country in general and in the African American community,” the senator said. “Running against Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton was enormously popular. I don’t think if you look at some of the national polls ― in fact, there have been some polls recently ― that we were running ahead of Biden in the African American community. So it’s not that I’m not popular. Biden is now running with his ties to Obama, and that’s working.”
Sanders just released a new campaign ad featuring Obama. The ad includes audio and video clips of the former president saying kind things about Sanders.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Roberts Condemns Schumer For Saying Justices Will Pay ‘Price' For Abortion Rulings

Chief Justice John Roberts castigated Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) on Wednesday after the lawmaker harshly criticized two of the Supreme Court ’ s conservative members as they consider how to rule on a restrictive abortion law from Louisiana .
The rare rebuke came just hours after Schumer appeared at a rally outside the court hosted by the Center for Reproductive Rights , during which he pledged that Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — both appointed by President Donald Trump — would “ pay the price ” if they voted to uphold the restrictive law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory , but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate , they are dangerous , ” Roberts said in a statement .
“ All Members of the Court will continue to do their job , without fear or favor , from whatever quarter.
” The Louisiana case is the Supreme Court ’ s first major abortion rights case since both Kavanaugh and Gorsuch were appointed by Trump .
The state passed a law in 2014 that mandates doctors at abortion clinics have admitting privileges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion rights advocates say creates an undue burden that could force two of the state ’ s three clinics to close .
Both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are deeply conservative and have supported abortion restrictions in the past .
The case could come down to the opinions of Roberts and Kavanaugh , who both asked questions at oral argument about similarities to a Texas law that the court struck down in 2016 .
# MyRightMyDecision SCOTUS just heard the 1st big case on a woman 's right to make her own health care decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 1 of 100s of draconian , anti-choice restrictions states tried to pass We ’ re here to send a message : Not on our watch !
pic.twitter.com/cdjCfe32wi — Chuck Schumer ( @ SenSchumer ) March 4 , 2020 “ I want to tell you , Gorsuch ; I want to tell you , Kavanaugh : You have released the whirlwind , and you will pay the price , ” Schumer said .
“ You won ’ t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.
” Schumer ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were meant to incite any violence , saying they were “ a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court , and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision.
” “ If a Republican did this , he or she would be arrested , or impeached , ” the president wrote .
“ Serious action MUST be taken NOW !
” Others noted , however , that Roberts did not come to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump targeted Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month , saying the pair should “ recuse themselves ” from cases involving him or his administration .
“ For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing ’ s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said , while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsburg last week , shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes , ” said Justin Goodman , a spokesman for Schumer .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Chief Justice John Roberts castigated Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday after the lawmaker harshly criticized two of the Supreme Court’s conservative members as they consider how to rule on a restrictive abortion law from Louisiana.
The rare rebuke came just hours after Schumer appeared at a rally outside the court hosted by the Center for Reproductive Rights, during which he pledged that Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — both appointed by President Donald Trump — would “pay the price” if they voted to uphold the restrictive law.
Advertisement
That sentiment was too much for Roberts, who rarely makes public comments on political matters or ongoing cases.
“Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous,” Roberts said in a statement. “All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter.”
The Louisiana case is the Supreme Court’s first major abortion rights case since both Kavanaugh and Gorsuch were appointed by Trump. The state passed a law in 2014 that mandates doctors at abortion clinics have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, a requirement that abortion rights advocates say creates an undue burden that could force two of the state’s three clinics to close.
Both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are deeply conservative and have supported abortion restrictions in the past. The case could come down to the opinions of Roberts and Kavanaugh, who both asked questions at oral argument about similarities to a Texas law that the court struck down in 2016.
Advertisement
#MyRightMyDecision
SCOTUS just heard the 1st big case on a woman's right to make her own health care decisions since Justices Kavanaugh & Gorsuch
It looks at 1 of 100s of draconian, anti-choice restrictions states tried to pass
We’re here to send a message: Not on our watch! pic.twitter.com/cdjCfe32wi — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 4, 2020
On Wednesday afternoon, Schumer accused Republicans of “waging a war on women” before he issued his warning:
“I want to tell you, Gorsuch; I want to tell you, Kavanaugh: You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price,” Schumer said. “You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.”
Schumer’s office rejected assertions that the comments were meant to incite any violence, saying they were “a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision.”
But conservative lawmakers were angered nonetheless, including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who called Schumer “unhinged.” Trump weighed in himself later Wednesday, calling Schumer’s remarks a “direct & dangerous” threat to the Supreme Court.
Advertisement
“If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached,” the president wrote. “Serious action MUST be taken NOW!”
Others noted, however, that Roberts did not come to the defense of his liberal colleagues after Trump targeted Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month, saying the pair should “recuse themselves” from cases involving him or his administration.
Schumer’s office pointed out that difference later on Wednesday.
“For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsburg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes,” said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-04--Sanders Refocusing Campaign After Disappointing Super Tuesday

Sanders targeted Biden ’ s record on trade , Social Security and fundraising just hours after billionaire Mike Bloomberg suspended his campaign and Elizabeth Warren confirmed she was privately reassessing her future in the race .
The dramatic shifts signaled that the Democrats ’ once-crowded nomination fight had effectively come down to a two-man race for the right to face President Donald Trump in November .
Sanders declared himself “ neck and neck ” with Biden as he faced reporters in his home state , Vermont , one of just four states he captured on the most consequential day of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary season .
Biden won 10 states , assembling victories that transcended geography , race and class .
Sanders confirmed that he spoke to his progressive ally earlier in the day , though it was unclear whether she would endorse him — or anyone else — should she leave the race .
Warren didn ’ t win a single state on Super Tuesday and finished in third place in her home state of Massachusetts .
A resurgent Biden , meanwhile , was poised to finish Super Tuesday with more delegates than Sanders — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hoped he would finish the night more than 100 delegates ahead of his next closest competitor .
He ’ ll likely finish dozens of delegates behind once all the votes are counted .
Biden ’ s allies sought to quickly capitalize on his success and take on Sanders .
Biden campaign co-chairman , Rep. Cedric Richmond , blasted Sanders for suggesting that the Democratic establishment was colluding against him .
Richmond said Biden is earning his votes .
“ I just did not know that African Americans in the South were considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana Democrat said , noting that Biden ’ s overwhelming support among black voters gave him wide delegate gains in Alabama , North Carolina and Virginia , among other states .
Despite the aggressive ad buy , there was new evidence of internal frustration with Sanders ’ strategy , which some believe has not been tough enough in courting high-profile endorsements or attacking Biden .
Sanders prefers to focus his criticism on the former vice president ’ s record on key issues , declining to lean into more divisive attacks that will almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election match-up against Trump .
For example , there has been internal discussion about highlighting Biden ’ s role in the 1991 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas , according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss strategy .
As the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman , Biden allowed an all-male Senate panel to grill Anita Hill , who had accused Thomas of sexual harassment .
“ Is Bernie too gentle on the Democratic Party ?
I think he ’ s a gentleman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Bernie ’ s a statesman , and he ’ s up against sharks .
He needs to call people out for who they are.
” “ I was thinking Bernie would do way better , ” she said , adding that the campaign needs a more effective strategy to connect with African Americans .
“ I would like to see a reassessment of how the campaign is run.
” Biden ’ s strong finish punctuated a dramatic turnaround in the span of just three days when he leveraged a blowout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victories in 10 states that cemented his status as the standard-bearer for the Democrats ’ establishment wing .
The former vice president showed strength in the Northeast with victories in Massachusetts and Maine .
He won delegate-rich Texas in the Southwest , Minnesota in the upper Midwest and finished on top across the South in Virginia , Alabama , North Carolina , Tennessee and Arkansas — in addition to Oklahoma .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — His front-runner status slipping, Bernie Sanders refocused his Democratic presidential campaign on surging rival Joe Biden on Wednesday as the Vermont senator’s allies grappled with the fallout from a Super Tuesday stumble that raised internal concerns about the direction of his White House bid.
Sanders targeted Biden’s record on trade, Social Security and fundraising just hours after billionaire Mike Bloomberg suspended his campaign and Elizabeth Warren confirmed she was privately reassessing her future in the race. The dramatic shifts signaled that the Democrats’ once-crowded nomination fight had effectively come down to a two-man race for the right to face President Donald Trump in November.
Advertisement
Sanders declared himself “neck and neck” with Biden as he faced reporters in his home state, Vermont, one of just four states he captured on the most consequential day of voting in the party’s 2020 primary season. Biden won 10 states, assembling victories that transcended geography, race and class.
“What this campaign, I think, is increasingly about is, Which side are you on?” Sanders said.
The progressive candidate lobbed familiar attacks against the former vice president’s record but ignored supporters’ calls to be more aggressive and insisted his campaign would avoid any “Trump-type effort” that included personal criticism.
“I like Joe. I think he’s a decent human being,” Sanders said. “Joe and I have a very different vision for the future of this country.”
Biden told reporters he would unify the country and, without naming Sanders, knocked the senator’s frequent contention that he is beholden to an elite party establishment.
Advertisement
“The establishment are all those hard-working people” who voted on Tuesday, Biden told reporters in West Hollywood, California.
Elected officials and leading donors rallied around Biden after his Super Tuesday romp. Top Democrats have long been skeptical of the 77-year-old lifelong politician’s political strength but raced to unite behind him to blunt Sanders’ rise.
After suspending his campaign, Bloomberg became the fourth failed Democratic presidential contender this week to endorse Biden. Like the growing chorus of Democratic officials, Bloomberg called Biden the best chance to defeat Trump in the general election.
Warren’s future was uncertain.
Sanders confirmed that he spoke to his progressive ally earlier in the day, though it was unclear whether she would endorse him — or anyone else — should she leave the race. Warren didn’t win a single state on Super Tuesday and finished in third place in her home state of Massachusetts.
A resurgent Biden, meanwhile, was poised to finish Super Tuesday with more delegates than Sanders — a stunning shift. Sanders’ team had hoped he would finish the night more than 100 delegates ahead of his next closest competitor. He’ll likely finish dozens of delegates behind once all the votes are counted.
Advertisement
Biden’s allies sought to quickly capitalize on his success and take on Sanders. Biden campaign co-chairman, Rep. Cedric Richmond, blasted Sanders for suggesting that the Democratic establishment was colluding against him. Richmond said Biden is earning his votes.
“I just did not know that African Americans in the South were considered part of the establishment,” the Louisiana Democrat said, noting that Biden’s overwhelming support among black voters gave him wide delegate gains in Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia, among other states.
The Sanders campaign announced it would begin airing three new campaign ads across states holding the next series of primary contests on March 10 and March 17: Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Washington state.
One new ad features archived footage of former President Barack Obama praising Sanders. It’s a not-so-subtle attempt by the Vermont senator to undercut Biden’s frequently spotlighting his closeness to Obama.
Despite the aggressive ad buy, there was new evidence of internal frustration with Sanders’ strategy, which some believe has not been tough enough in courting high-profile endorsements or attacking Biden.
Advertisement
Sanders prefers to focus his criticism on the former vice president’s record on key issues, declining to lean into more divisive attacks that will almost certainly come up in a prospective general election match-up against Trump.
For example, there has been internal discussion about highlighting Biden’s role in the 1991 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss strategy. As the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Biden allowed an all-male Senate panel to grill Anita Hill, who had accused Thomas of sexual harassment.
Sanders has largely avoided the subject.
Roseann DeMoro, a key Sanders ally and a former president of National Nurses United, said Biden’s strong showing on Super Tuesday “caught people off guard.” Sanders’ struggle, she said, was likely tied to his “gentle” approach.
“Is Bernie too gentle on the Democratic Party? I think he’s a gentleman, and they are not,” DeMoro said. “Bernie’s a statesman, and he’s up against sharks. He needs to call people out for who they are.”
Moumita Ahmed, co-founder of the independent group Millennials for Bernie, was also disappointed in Tuesday’s outcome.
Advertisement
“I was thinking Bernie would do way better,” she said, adding that the campaign needs a more effective strategy to connect with African Americans. “I would like to see a reassessment of how the campaign is run.”
From his social media platform, Trump worked to fan the flames of growing frustration within Sanders’ camp. The president amplified his long-running argument that the Democratic Party would move to stop Sanders from winning the nomination.
“The Democrat establishment came together and crushed Bernie Sanders, AGAIN!” Trump tweeted. He also called Warren “selfish” for staying in the race because it “hurts Bernie badly.”
Biden’s strong finish punctuated a dramatic turnaround in the span of just three days when he leveraged a blowout victory in South Carolina to score sweeping victories in 10 states that cemented his status as the standard-bearer for the Democrats’ establishment wing.
The former vice president showed strength in the Northeast with victories in Massachusetts and Maine. He won delegate-rich Texas in the Southwest, Minnesota in the upper Midwest and finished on top across the South in Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas — in addition to Oklahoma.
Advertisement
Sanders scored the night’s biggest delegate-prize in California but won just three other states: his home state of Vermont, as well as Utah and Colorado.
Biden racked up his victories despite being dramatically outspent and out-staffed. His moderate rival Bloomberg, for example, poured more than $12 million into television advertising in Virginia, while Biden spent less than $200,000.
With votes still being counted across the country, The Associated Press has allocated 566 delegates to Biden, 501 to Sanders and 61 to Warren. The numbers are expected to shift as new states report their numbers and as some candidates hover around the 15% vote threshold they must hit to earn delegates.
The ultimate nominee must claim 1,991 delegates, which is a majority of the 3,979 pledged delegates available this primary season.
___
Barrow reported from Los Angeles.
___
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-05--New York Daily News Gives Mike Bloomberg A Savage Souvenir Of His Failed Campaign

The New York Daily News used its Thursday front page to mock billionaire media mogul Michael Bloomberg over the amount of money he spent on his failed presidential campaign .
The tabloid newspaper depicted the former New York mayor as wearing a holiday destination-style souvenir top emblazoned with the words : “ I spent $ 500M & all I got was this lousy T-Shirt.
” Bloomberg blew a reported half a billion dollars on the race to secure the Democratic nomination , before dropping out Wednesday and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden .
Bloom and Bust Bloomberg pulls plug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on epic flop https : //t.co/WIyZIZPoFV See our full thread on Bloomberg , and the Dems post-Super Tuesdayhttps : //t.co/1JXXIT0rWy pic.twitter.com/Ovz89DGmnB — New York Daily News ( @ NYDailyNews ) March 5 , 2020 Bloomberg failed to win any primary elections , only securing victory in the American Samoa Democratic caucus on what was an otherwise poor showing on Super Tuesday .
“ Three months ago , I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump , ” Bloomberg said via a statement announcing the termination of his campaign .
“ Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same reason : to defeat Donald Trump ― because it is clear to me that staying in would make achieving that goal more difficult , ” he added .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The New York Daily News used its Thursday front page to mock billionaire media mogul Michael Bloomberg over the amount of money he spent on his failed presidential campaign.
The tabloid newspaper depicted the former New York mayor as wearing a holiday destination-style souvenir top emblazoned with the words: “I spent $500M & all I got was this lousy T-Shirt.”
Advertisement
Bloomberg blew a reported half-billion dollars on his Democratic campaign before dropping out Wednesday and endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden.
Bloom and Bust
Bloomberg pulls plug on prez race after spending $500M on epic flop https://t.co/WIyZIZPoFV
See our full thread on Bloomberg, and the Dems post-Super Tuesdayhttps://t.co/1JXXIT0rWy pic.twitter.com/Ovz89DGmnB — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) March 5, 2020
Bloomberg only won the American Samoa Democratic caucus on Super Tuesday in what was an otherwise poor showing.
“Three months ago, I entered the race for President to defeat Donald Trump,” Bloomberg said via a statement announcing the termination of his campaign.
Advertisement