thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Will Bernie Sanders Really Be A Drag On Down-Ballot Democrats?

Democrats have some cause for concern .
For one , Donald Trump won 31 districts that are currently represented by Democrats in the House .
And the margin for many of the races that handed Democrats the House majority was less than a few percentage points .
Democrats won those races , in part , by appealing to “ country club Republicans , ” like the ones found in Orange County , California , and the Virginia suburbs .
Rep. Mike Levin ( D-Calif. ) won his seat in 2018 ; his district is rated R+1 by Cook Political Report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican than the nation as a whole in recent elections .
Levin told HuffPost that he was going to run his race and call for unity in the party .
“ Whoever is at the top of the ticket is going to be 1,000 % better than Trump , ” Levin said , noting that he plans to run on local issues .
In a packed Richmond , Virginia , arena on Thursday , 4,700 mostly young people showed up for a midday weekday Sanders rally just miles from the congressional district Spanberger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his campaign have already anticipated the questions they ’ ll be getting on electability .
Sanders ’ stump speech now includes the point that he has beaten Trump in 47 of 50 national head-to-head polls .
Two days later , Sanders held another rally of 3,500 people in Virginia Beach , freshman Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria ’ s district .
There are two theories for how Democrats can win in November .
One is that they have to moderate their positions to not alienate conservative-leaning voters tired of Trump .
The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working suburban population can rally around a progressive agenda like Sanders ’ .
The answer very well may be that it depends on the district .
“ You look back at what the Democratic Party did while Barack Obama was in office , you had people running to the mythical middle over and over and over again and we lose , ” said Virginia state Del .
Lee Carter , a democratic socialist who was elected in Manassas , Virginia — the slightly more Democratic region close to Spanberger ’ s district .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a halfway Republican and a whole Republican , they are going to pick the whole Republican.
” “ In politics , it ’ s always a harder climb when you have to explain to voters or persuade voters , ” Easter said of questions about Sanders ’ policies and political identification .
“ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were just saying you are not going to have to choose between a meal and a prescription.
” Iowa was at about the same level as the 2016 caucuses ( 170,000 ) , but significantly down from the 2008 caucuses ( 240,000 ) .
That ’ s not a great sign for Democrats .
But turnout in the Democratic New Hampshire primary was at its highest ever , vulnerable Rep. Chris Pappas ( D-N.H. ) pointed out to HuffPost .
( The New York Times noted that though turnout was higher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was similar to 2008 , due to the state ’ s growing voting-age population . )

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RICHMOND, Va., and WASHINGTON ― When the final votes are tallied on Super Tuesday this week, Democrats in Congress are hoping that, among the many questions that could be answered, one of them will be this: Would Bernie Sanders really be a drag for Democrats down the ballot during the general election?
Several of the 14 states voting on Super Tuesday — California, Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas — were key to Democrats flipping the House in 2018. Despite Vice President Joe Biden’s impressive win in South Carolina on Saturday, Sanders looks poised to win almost all of them. And the number of delegates Sanders picks up Tuesday could catapult the Vermont senator into an insurmountable lead in the Democratic primary.
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And that’s beginning to worry some of the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress.
Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), who himself represents a safely Democratic district, told The Hill this week that some lawmakers are “very worried that if Bernie becomes the nominee, that it’ll be a disaster for them in their own districts.” Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) told HuffPost on Friday that, if Sanders were the nominee, it would make it “much more difficult” for front-line Democrats.
“His being at the top of the ticket puts in jeopardy down-ballot races,” Brown said.
A former campaign aide to Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who ousted tea party Republican Dave Brat in 2018, put it in no uncertain words: “I think Bernie is going to crush us and we are going to get hosed.”
“It’s going to be ‘socialist, socialist, socialist,’” the former aide said, noting that winning Spanberger’s district took bringing in moderate, Trump-hating Republicans — voters that wouldn’t mind a Republican-held House being a “check” on someone like Sanders.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) was perhaps the most vocal in the past week. He told CNN on Friday that a lot of people are concerned Democrats could have someone atop the ticket who would cause “down-ballot carnage.”
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“Whoever is at the top of the ticket is going to be 1,000% better than Trump.” - Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.)
Democrats have some cause for concern. For one, Donald Trump won 31 districts that are currently represented by Democrats in the House. And the margin for many of the races that handed Democrats the House majority was less than a few percentage points. Democrats won those races, in part, by appealing to “country club Republicans,” like the ones found in Orange County, California, and the Virginia suburbs.
But if the Democratic presidential nominee is Sanders, are Democrats really doomed?
HuffPost found plenty of vulnerable Democrats who weren’t nearly as worried about Sanders as some of their colleagues are.
Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) won his seat in 2018; his district is rated R+1 by Cook Political Report, meaning it has leaned slightly more Republican than the nation as a whole in recent elections. Levin told HuffPost that he was going to run his race and call for unity in the party. “Whoever is at the top of the ticket is going to be 1,000% better than Trump,” Levin said, noting that he plans to run on local issues.
Another California Democrat, Rep. Gil Cisneros, who won his district by less than 8,000 votes, had a similar message. He said whoever the Democratic nominee is, Democrats in his district would support that person, and when we asked if he thought Sanders would be a drag on his reelection, he wouldn’t take the bait.
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“I need to focus on my race, getting my message out, that’s what’s going to help my race,” he said.
Even when we gave Democrats anonymity to talk about their concerns with Sanders atop the ticket, the panic didn’t seem to be so widespread. The most alarmed comment we received was from one Democrat who said Biden would make races “a little bit easier” and Sanders might make them “a little tougher.”
“Republicans are going to try to nationalize the race,” this member said, “and [Democratic] House members are going to try to localize.”
Vulnerable House Democrats will certainly try to localize their races and potentially ignore Sanders at the top of the ticket ― while also potentially benefiting from the increased Democratic turnout that Sanders could provide. But strategists also believe Sanders could make inroads with some of the crossover voters who helped Democrats take back the House in 2018.
“He will need to do more to reach out — particularly the suburban women who were the benchmark to our taking over the House in 2018,” said Guy Cecil, a former Hillary Clinton strategist and the chairman of Priorities USA, the largest Democratic Party super PAC.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses supporters during a campaign rally in the Batten Student Center on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Saturday. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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In a packed Richmond, Virginia, arena on Thursday, 4,700 mostly young people showed up for a midday weekday Sanders rally just miles from the congressional district Spanberger flipped two years ago. The senator and his campaign have already anticipated the questions they’ll be getting on electability. Sanders’ stump speech now includes the point that he has beaten Trump in 47 of 50 national head-to-head polls. Two days later, Sanders held another rally of 3,500 people in Virginia Beach, freshman Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria’s district.
“There was a poll in Virginia that showed him beating Trump by 9 points, more than any other candidate,” said Jeff Weaver, a senior adviser to Sanders’ campaign. “You can’t win Virginia by 9 points in a head-to-head with Donald Trump unless you are doing extremely well with suburban women.”
In the crowd, Mary Reed, a 37-year-old from Chesterfield, Virginia — a city split between Spanberger’s district and that of Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) — said she doesn’t buy into all this fretting around Sanders’ electability in her hometown.
“I’m pretty middle of the road as far as my beliefs — I have a lot of conservative beliefs — I’m a conceal carry permit holder,” Reed said. “I worked 14 years in a career making $15 an hour with a high-deductible insurance plan. I tore a ligament in my ankle and went $9,000 in debt but I only made $25,000 a year.”
“Do the math on that,” she continued, “it doesn’t work out. I just don’t think it’s fair for anyone to be in that situation.”
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Reed exemplifies the kind of voter Sanders argues makes up his base of support — one that can rally around ideas like “Medicare for All” regardless of partisan leanings.
There are two theories for how Democrats can win in November. One is that they have to moderate their positions to not alienate conservative-leaning voters tired of Trump. The other is that a young and increasingly diverse working suburban population can rally around a progressive agenda like Sanders’. The answer very well may be that it depends on the district.
“You look back at what the Democratic Party did while Barack Obama was in office, you had people running to the mythical middle over and over and over again and we lose,” said Virginia state Del. Lee Carter, a democratic socialist who was elected in Manassas, Virginia — the slightly more Democratic region close to Spanberger’s district. “If people have the choice between a halfway Republican and a whole Republican, they are going to pick the whole Republican.”
“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].” - Abbi Easter, Virginia Democratic Party’s 7th Congressional District chair
Abbi Easter, the Virginia Democratic Party’s 7th Congressional District chair, said she sees Spanberger having to localize to win if a more progressive candidate is at the top of the ticket.
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“In politics, it’s always a harder climb when you have to explain to voters or persuade voters,” Easter said of questions about Sanders’ policies and political identification. “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.”
But at least some Democrats see a reality where Sanders could help down-ticket Democrats.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) has endorsed Sanders and comes from a district that has recently performed 33 percentage points more Democratic than the national average, according to Cook Political Report. She said Sanders has shown an ability to increase turnout across the states. “What we know is that, when turnout increases, Democrats win,” Jayapal said.
Still, turnout has been a bit mixed in the early primary states. Though it should be noted that primary turnout is not an indicator of general election turnout, it is a gauge of enthusiasm.
Iowa was at about the same level as the 2016 caucuses (170,000), but significantly down from the 2008 caucuses (240,000). That’s not a great sign for Democrats. But turnout in the Democratic New Hampshire primary was at its highest ever, vulnerable Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) pointed out to HuffPost. (The New York Times noted that though turnout was higher, the percentage of eligible voters who participated was similar to 2008, due to the state’s growing voting-age population.)
“There’s tremendous enthusiasm in New Hampshire for change, and you saw that in the results of the Democratic primary,” Pappas said. When we asked what effect Sanders might have on his race, Pappas deflected by saying he was more focused on what he could do in Congress.
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South Carolina was also curious. It had a larger turnout than 2016, but still slightly below 2008. And, of course, Biden’s big win in the state makes it difficult to determine enthusiasm for Sanders.
But Super Tuesday will be the first real look at turnout across the nation. If voters come out in record numbers for Sanders, it could be a sign that Sanders might be able to drive new voters to the polls. If turnout is more like Iowa, it could be a sign that the reservations from some Democrats are warranted.
For Brown, the turnout question was particularly important in those vulnerable districts, like the ones that Democrats flipped in California and Virginia.
“The question, though, is the enthusiasm level among voters and how it energizes in these front-line, purple, red-to-blue districts,” the congressman said. “How it energizes Republicans to come out and vote against that member of Congress.”
“Bernie enjoys a lot of support from the younger voters who, you know, we love them dearly, but they consistently underparticipate in elections,” he added.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Pete Buttigieg Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

The decision comes one day after Buttigieg finished in fourth place in the South Carolina primary with just over 8 % of the vote .
Exit polls showed only 3 % of Black voters , a key Democratic voting bloc , cast their ballots for the former mayor .
“ Today is a moment of truth , ” Buttigieg told a crowd of hometown supporters in South Bend on Sunday .
“ Our path has narrowed to a close … we have a responsibility to consider the effect of remaining in this race any further .
Our goal has always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump and to win the era for our values.
” Buttigieg ’ s campaign said he was leaving the race to better help the effort to unseat President Donald Trump , noting that Buttigieg didn ’ t want to further splinter the vote by proceeding with his campaign .
The then-mayor formally announced his presidential bid in April last year , when he was virtually unknown on the national stage , and steadily climbed to the top of a crowded Democratic field in the months that followed .
Despite nearly tying with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary , Buttigieg fell behind in the more diverse Nevada caucuses , finishing with 14.3 % of the vote compared to Sanders ’ 46.8 % .
“ With every passing day I am more and more convinced that the only way we can defeat Trumpism … is a new politics , ” he said .
“ We need an approach strong enough not only to win the White House but to hold the house , win the Senate and send Mitch McConnell into retirement.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining Democratic candidates , but said he would do “ everything in my power to make sure that we have a new Democratic president come January.
” Buttigieg , 38 , was the youngest candidate in the Democratic presidential primary race and the the first openly gay person to seek the party ’ s nomination .
His political platform served as a more moderate foil to Sanders ’ and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ’ s ( D-Mass . )
more progressive agenda .
Buttigieg quickly became a fundraising force , raising more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had spent most of that sum as the race entered an expensive , coast-to-coast phase .
Chasten Buttigieg cheered his husband ’ s groundbreaking campaign during the rally on Sunday , saying he told “ Pete to run because I knew there were other kids sitting out there in this country who needed to believe in themselves , too.
” “ This campaign was built on an idea of hope , an idea of inclusion , an idea of addition rather than subtraction , about bringing people together , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single person in this country to look to the White House and know that that institution stands for them.
” Buttigieg had expressed optimism for his bid earlier on Sunday , telling “ Meet the Press ” host Chuck Todd he believed “ pushing forward ” was the “ best thing we can do for the country and for the party.
” “ Every day I am getting up looking how we can do what is best for the party , that is why we got into this race in the first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belief that this different message and a different kind of messenger could rally people together , could forge new alliances , could help us reach out in the very places where we have the best message and yet found ourselves defeated by President Trump in 2016 and can not let that happen again .
”

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Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Sunday evening.
The decision comes one day after Buttigieg finished in fourth place in the South Carolina primary with just over 8% of the vote. Exit polls showed only 3% of Black voters, a key Democratic voting bloc, cast their ballots for the former mayor.
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“Today is a moment of truth,” Buttigieg told a crowd of hometown supporters in South Bend on Sunday. “Our path has narrowed to a close … we have a responsibility to consider the effect of remaining in this race any further. Our goal has always been to help unify Americans to defeat Donald Trump and to win the era for our values.”
Buttigieg’s campaign said he was leaving the race to better help the effort to unseat President Donald Trump, noting that Buttigieg didn’t want to further splinter the vote by proceeding with his campaign.
The then-mayor formally announced his presidential bid in April last year, when he was virtually unknown on the national stage, and steadily climbed to the top of a crowded Democratic field in the months that followed.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg announces his withdrawal from the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination during an event in South Bend, Indiana, U.S., March 1, 2020. USA Today Sports / Reuters
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Despite nearly tying with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to win the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, Buttigieg fell behind in the more diverse Nevada caucuses, finishing with 14.3% of the vote compared to Sanders’ 46.8%.
On Sunday, Buttigieg once again took aim at Trump’s tenure in the White House.
“With every passing day I am more and more convinced that the only way we can defeat Trumpism … is a new politics,” he said. “We need an approach strong enough not only to win the White House but to hold the house, win the Senate and send Mitch McConnell into retirement.”
He did not endorse any of the remaining Democratic candidates, but said he would do “everything in my power to make sure that we have a new Democratic president come January.”
Buttigieg, 38, was the youngest candidate in the Democratic presidential primary race and the the first openly gay person to seek the party’s nomination. His political platform served as a more moderate foil to Sanders’ and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) more progressive agenda.
Buttigieg quickly became a fundraising force, raising more than $81 million throughout his campaign, but he had spent most of that sum as the race entered an expensive, coast-to-coast phase.
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Chasten Buttigieg cheered his husband’s groundbreaking campaign during the rally on Sunday, saying he told “Pete to run because I knew there were other kids sitting out there in this country who needed to believe in themselves, too.”
“This campaign was built on an idea of hope, an idea of inclusion, an idea of addition rather than subtraction, about bringing people together,” he said. “It is time for every single person in this country to look to the White House and know that that institution stands for them.”
Buttigieg had expressed optimism for his bid earlier on Sunday, telling “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd he believed “pushing forward” was the “best thing we can do for the country and for the party.”
“Every day I am getting up looking how we can do what is best for the party, that is why we got into this race in the first place,” Buttigieg said. “A belief that this different message and a different kind of messenger could rally people together, could forge new alliances, could help us reach out in the very places where we have the best message and yet found ourselves defeated by President Trump in 2016 and cannot let that happen again.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Mercedes Colwin: Trump's Own Admission Makes His NYT Lawsuit 'Dead On Arrival'

Fox News legal analyst Mercedes Colwin said Sunday that the Trump campaign ’ s libel lawsuit against The New York Times was “ dead on arrival , ” and that President Donald Trump had , by his own admission , made it clear the article in question was an opinion piece .
On Fox News ’ “ Mediabuzz , ” host Howard Kurtz asked Colwin about the viability of the Trump campaign ’ s suit against the newspaper over a 2019 op-ed written by Max Frankel , former executive editor of the Times .
The lawsuit , filed last Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president by falsely asserting a “ quid pro quo ” between Trump ’ s 2016 election campaign and Russia .
“ This case is DOA ― dead on arrival , ” Colwin said .
“ When you have a libel case , especially against an op-ed editor , the very nature of an op-ed is that it ’ s opinion.
” “ There ’ s lots of well-settled law that says when you are expressing an opinion , you are devoid of making a defamatory statement , ” she added .
“ So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press conference ‘ Well , they got the opinion wrong , ’ by his own admission you ’ re talking and criticizing an opinion.
” When questioned about the lawsuit during a press briefing Wednesday , Trump said the article was more than an opinion piece .
“ If you read it , you ’ ll see .
It ’ s beyond an opinion .
That ’ s not an opinion .
That ’ s much more than an opinion , ” Trump said .
“ They did a bad thing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also asked why the Trump campaign would want to “ open themselves up to depositions , to discovery , on the Russia matter that ’ s now old news.
” Colwin said that it was highly unlikely the case would reach that stage , but in if it did , it was a “ significant risk.
” The Times plans to fight the suit , and a spokesperson for the paper said Wednesday that the Trump campaign had “ turned to the courts to try to punish an opinion writer for having an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts and First Amendment experts have also been critical of the complaint ’ s merits .

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Fox News legal analyst Mercedes Colwin said Sunday that the Trump campaign’s libel lawsuit against The New York Times was “dead on arrival,” and that President Donald Trump had, by his own admission, made it clear the article in question was an opinion piece.
On Fox News’ “Mediabuzz,” host Howard Kurtz asked Colwin about the viability of the Trump campaign’s suit against the newspaper over a 2019 op-ed written by Max Frankel, former executive editor of the Times. The lawsuit, filed last Wednesday, alleged that the article defamed the president by falsely asserting a “quid pro quo” between Trump’s 2016 election campaign and Russia.
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“This case is DOA ― dead on arrival,” Colwin said. “When you have a libel case, especially against an op-ed editor, the very nature of an op-ed is that it’s opinion.”
“There’s lots of well-settled law that says when you are expressing an opinion, you are devoid of making a defamatory statement,” she added. “So even when the president said at that press conference ‘Well, they got the opinion wrong,’ by his own admission you’re talking and criticizing an opinion.”
When questioned about the lawsuit during a press briefing Wednesday, Trump said the article was more than an opinion piece.
“If you read it, you’ll see. It’s beyond an opinion. That’s not an opinion. That’s much more than an opinion,” Trump said. “They did a bad thing, and there will be more coming.”
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Kurtz also asked why the Trump campaign would want to “open themselves up to depositions, to discovery, on the Russia matter that’s now old news.” Colwin said that it was highly unlikely the case would reach that stage, but if it did, it was a “significant risk.”
The Times plans to fight the suit, and a spokesperson for the paper said Wednesday that the Trump campaign had “turned to the courts to try to punish an opinion writer for having an opinion they find unacceptable.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Pence Calls It 'Understandable' Don Jr. Accused Dems Of Hoping 'Millions' Die Of Coronavirus

Vice President Mike Pence told Jake Tapper on CNN Sunday it was “ understandable ” that Donald Trump Jr. accused Democrats of wanting “ millions of people ” to die of coronavirus to make the president look bad .
Tapper played a Fox News tape of Trump Jr. on Friday calling it a “ new level of sickness ” for the Democrats to hope for the death of Americans “ so that they can end Donald Trump ’ s streak of winning.
” Tapper asked Pence : “ Can we agree neither Democrats nor Republicans want Americans to get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does seem like very extreme rhetoric.
” The vice president could not agree .
As he called for Americans not to politicize the issue , he politicized it and slammed Democratic attacks about how the administration is dealing with coronavirus — without a concrete example .
“ This is no time for politics , ” Pence said .
“ Frankly , I think that was Don Jr. ’ s point — that there has been some very strong rhetoric directed at the president by some members of Congress.
” He said that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of things that have been hurled is understandable.
” Asked about the same comment earlier on NBC ’ s “ Meet The Press , ” Pence called it “ justified.
” The vice president also said that Trump has insisted on setting “ politics aside on this.
” The president characterized Americans ’ mounting fear of the spreading COVID-19 as the Democrats ’ “ new hoax ” at a campaign rally Friday in South Carolina .
He boasted that “ we ’ ve lost nobody ” to the disease .
The following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the nation in Washington state .
Check out Pence ’ s interview ( and Don Jr. ’ s slam against the Democrats ) in the video up top .

Vice President Mike Pence told Jake Tapper on CNN Sunday it was “understandable” that Donald Trump Jr. accused Democrats of wanting “millions of people” to die of coronavirus to make the president look bad.
Tapper played a Fox News tape of Trump Jr. on Friday calling it a “new level of sickness” for the Democrats to hope for the death of Americans “so that they can end Donald Trump’s streak of winning.”
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Tapper asked Pence: “Can we agree neither Democrats nor Republicans want Americans to get the coronavirus and die from it? That does seem like very extreme rhetoric.”
The vice president could not agree. As he called for Americans not to politicize the issue, he politicized it and slammed Democratic attacks about the administration’s handling of coronavirus — without a concrete example.
“This is no time for politics,” Pence said. “Frankly, I think that was Don Jr.’s point — that there has been some very strong rhetoric directed at the president by some members of Congress.”
He said Trump’s eldest son “responding to the kind of things that have been hurled is understandable.” Asked about the same Trump Jr. comment earlier on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Pence called it “justified.”
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The vice president also said the president has insisted on setting “politics aside on this.”
Trump characterized Americans’ mounting fear of the spreading COVID-19 as the Democrats’ “new hoax” at a campaign rally Friday in South Carolina. He boasted that “we’ve lost nobody” to the disease. Over the weekend, two coronavirus deaths were reported in Washington state.
Here’s Trump at his rally tonight in South Carolina dismissing worries about the coronavirus as the “new hoax” pic.twitter.com/Q58d7dI1cb — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 29, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Amy Klobuchar Cancels Minnesota Rally After Protesters Demand Justice In Myon Burrell Case

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) canceled a campaign rally Sunday evening in her home state of Minnesota after protesters demanded she drop out of the presidential race over her past handling of a case that put a Black teenager behind bars for life .
The Minnesota Democrat returned home in preparation for the Super Tuesday elections this week after she placed in a distant sixth in South Carolina ’ s primary on Saturday .
The senator has repeatedly said that she counts on Minnesota , one of over a dozen states to vote on Tuesday , to largely lean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s campaign was getting ready to begin the rally at the St. Louis Park High School gymnasium , dozens of protesters came in calling for her to exit the race over the murky case against Myon Burrell , a Black teen convicted in a 2002 killing and sentenced to life when Klobuchar was Hennepin County ’ s top prosecutor .
Protesters took the stage chanting , “ Klobuchar has got to go , ” “ Free Myon ” and “ Black Lives Matter ” while holding signs that read “ SHAME , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] son will be next ” and “ Conviction without evidence = corruption.
” Demonstrators included members of the NAACP ’ s Minneapolis chapter and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities .
“ The campaign offered a meeting with the Senator if they would leave the stage after being on stage for more than an hour , ” a campaign spokesperson told CBS News in a statement .
“ After initially agreeing , they backed out .
We are canceling the event.
” Klobuchar only recently began to answer on the campaign trail for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime ” top prosecutor in Minnesota .
During a January Democratic debate , she mentioned 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards who was killed in 2002 by a stray bullet while doing homework at home , and that it was Klobuchar ’ s office that put the girl ’ s killer behind bars for life .
The Associated Press investigated the 17-year-old case against Burrell and uncovered inconsistencies that raise questions about whether police manipulated the case against him .
The case relied heavily on Burrell ’ s teen rival , who the AP said gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because there were no other eyewitnesses , police then turned to incarcerated people ― some who have since recanted their statements because they allege police coached or coerced them .
Detectives never found a gun , fingerprints or DNA that could point to Burrell , and key evidence ― like a convenience store surveillance tape that Burrell says would have cleared him ― has gone missing or was never obtained , according to the AP .
Now 33 years old , Burrell maintains his innocence and has rejected all plea deals , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the killing while saying Burrell was not even there .
Klobuchar said at the time of the investigation ’ s publication that any new evidence should be immediately reviewed by the court .
The then-prosecutor ’ s policies reflected the “ tough on crime ” approach to criminal justice that was often applauded at the time .
But as the Democratic Party shifts to the left , the country ’ s views of justice has also shifted from a punitive position to a more restorative one .
“ Young people , young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rot away in prison , ” Leslie Redmond said .
“ This benefits no one .
However , it does benefit politicians that have used the criminal justice system to enhance their political careers , and enough is enough .
”

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) canceled a campaign rally Sunday evening in her home state of Minnesota after protesters demanded she drop out of the presidential race over her past handling of a case that put a Black teenager behind bars for life.
The Minnesota Democrat returned home in preparation for the Super Tuesday elections this week after she placed in a distant sixth in South Carolina’s primary on Saturday. The senator has repeatedly said that she counts on Minnesota, one of over a dozen states to vote on Tuesday, to lean in her favor.
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But while Klobuchar’s campaign was getting ready to begin the rally at the St. Louis Park High School gymnasium, dozens of protesters came in calling for her to exit the race over the murky case against Myon Burrell, a Black teen convicted in a 2002 killing and sentenced to life when Klobuchar was Hennepin County’s top prosecutor.
Protesters took the stage chanting, “Klobuchar has got to go,” “Free Myon” and “Black Lives Matter” while holding signs that read “SHAME,” “Who’s [sic] son will be next” and “Conviction without evidence = corruption.” Demonstrators included members of the NAACP’s Minneapolis chapter and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities.
Protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “Free Myon” have now occupied Senator Amy Klobuchar’s rally for well over an hour, taking over the stage and effectively shutting down the campaign event.
The rally in Klobuchar’s home state was slated to begin ten minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/B0iTyExXQ0 — Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) March 2, 2020
“The campaign offered a meeting with the Senator if they would leave the stage after being on stage for more than an hour,” a campaign spokesperson told CBS News in a statement. “After initially agreeing, they backed out. We are canceling the event.”
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Klobuchar only recently began to answer on the campaign trail for her time as a “tough on crime” top prosecutor in Minnesota. During a January Democratic debate, she mentioned 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards who was killed in 2002 by a stray bullet while doing homework at home, and that it was Klobuchar’s office that put the girl’s killer behind bars for life.
The Associated Press investigated the 17-year-old case against Burrell and uncovered inconsistencies that raise questions about whether police manipulated the case against him. The case relied heavily on Burrell’s teen rival, who the AP said gave conflicting accounts when identifying the shooter.
Because there were no other eyewitnesses, police then turned to incarcerated people ― some who have since recanted their statements because they allege police coached or coerced them. Detectives never found a gun, fingerprints or DNA that could point to Burrell, and key evidence ― like a convenience store surveillance tape that Burrell says would have cleared him ― has gone missing or was never obtained, according to the AP.
Now 33 years old, Burrell maintains his innocence and has rejected all plea deals, while his co-defendants have since admitted their part in the killing while saying Burrell was not even there.
Klobuchar said at the time of the investigation’s publication that any new evidence should be immediately reviewed by the court.
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Criminal justice reform advocates have criticized Klobuchar’s aggressive prosecution, which included pushing for harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, for helping fuel the mass incarceration of brown and Black people.
The then-prosecutor’s policies reflected the “tough on crime” approach to criminal justice that was often applauded at the time. But as the Democratic Party shifts to the left, the country’s views of justice has also shifted from a punitive position to a more restorative one.
The president of the NAACP’s Minneapolis chapter said after the AP’s investigation that Klobuchar should suspend her campaign.
“Young people, young adults, were given life sentences to rot away in prison,” Leslie Redmond said. “This benefits no one. However, it does benefit politicians that have used the criminal justice system to enhance their political careers, and enough is enough.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--He's 'Obsessed': Lisa Page Slams Trump After 'FBI Lovebirds' Skit At CPAC

Trump also had a lengthy meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday with the writers and stars ( including former @ @ @ @ @ Cain ) of “ FBI Lovebirds.
” “ He loves the play , ” Irish @ @ @ @ @ told a CPAC crowd , per Bloomberg News .
“ He said he wants to @ @ @ @ @

Trump also had a lengthy meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday with the writers and stars (including former TV “Superman” Dean Cain) of “FBI Lovebirds.”
“He loves the play,” Irish author and co-creator Ann McElhinney told a CPAC crowd, per Bloomberg News. “He said he wants to play a part.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--John Lewis Urges Public To Vote During 'Bloody Sunday' Anniversary In Selma

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) made a surprise appearance at Sunday ’ s commemorative “ Bloody Sunday ” march in Selma , Alabama , urging attendees to use their right to vote “ to redeem the soul of America.
” White Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis ’ head when he was 25 years old on what became known as Bloody Sunday , when Lewis and several hundred other voting rights activists faced state-sanctioned violence for peacefully marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery on March 7 , 1965 .
The commemorative gathering honored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the fight to ensure voting rights for Black Americans .
“ Fifty-five years ago , a few of God ’ s children attempted to march from Brown Chapel AME Church across this bridge , ” Lewis , 80 , said in a passionate speech on Sunday .
“ We were beaten , we were tear-gassed .
I thought I was going to die on this bridge .
But somehow and some way , God almighty helped me.
” “ I thought I was going to die on this bridge.
” Incredible moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bridge during # Selma55 bridge crossing .
Thank you @ repjohnlewis .
We will never stop working to honor you and all who risked their lives for the right to vote .
pic.twitter.com/v0V05D36uI — Vanita Gupta ( @ vanitaguptaCR ) March 1 , 2020 The Georgia congressman ’ s remarks came as the Democratic primary ramps up , with South Carolina voting on Saturday and 14 additional states voting in the upcoming Super Tuesday primaries this week .
Lewis used the moment of the primaries and the nature of the Selma march to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
“ We can not give up now .
We can not give in .
We must keep the faith , keep our eyes on the prize , ” he said .
“ We must go out and vote like we never , ever voted before.
” Lewis was first elected to Congress in 1986 to serve Georgia ’ s 5th district , which encompasses much of Atlanta .
He is often referred to as “ the conscience of Congress ” and is widely respected on both sides of the aisle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ good trouble , ” a reference to his repeated arrests during his time as a civil rights activist .
Lewis on Sunday brought up the necessity for those attending the march to make “ good trouble.
” “ Some people gave more than a little blood , some gave their very lives .
So to each and every one of you , especially you young people … go out there , ” he said .
“ Speak up , speak out .
Get in the way .
Get in good trouble , necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America.
” It was unclear in advance whether the congressman would be able to participate in the Sunday march , after he was diagnosed in December with stage 4 pancreatic cancer .
Lewis said he is undergoing treatment and that he intends to keep serving his district as he does .
“ I ’ m not gon na give up .
I ’ m not gon na give in .
I ’ m gon na continue to fight .
We need your prayers now more than ever before , ” Lewis said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote as a nonviolent instrument or tool to redeem the soul of America .
”

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Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) made a surprise appearance at Sunday’s commemorative “Bloody Sunday” march in Selma, Alabama, urging attendees to use their right to vote “to redeem the soul of America.”
White Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis’ head when he was 25 years old on what became known as Bloody Sunday, when Lewis and several hundred other voting rights activists faced state-sanctioned violence for peacefully marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965.
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The commemorative gathering honored the Selma protest and those who suffered in the fight to ensure voting rights for Black Americans.
“Fifty-five years ago, a few of God’s children attempted to march from Brown Chapel AME Church across this bridge,” Lewis, 80, said in a passionate speech on Sunday. “We were beaten, we were tear-gassed. I thought I was going to die on this bridge. But somehow and some way, God almighty helped me.”
“I thought I was going to die on this bridge.”
Incredible moment in the middle of the Edmund Pettus bridge during #Selma55 bridge crossing. Thank you @repjohnlewis. We will never stop working to honor you and all who risked their lives for the right to vote. pic.twitter.com/v0V05D36uI — Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) March 1, 2020
The Georgia congressman’s remarks came as the Democratic primary ramps up, with South Carolina voting on Saturday and 14 additional states voting in the upcoming Super Tuesday primaries this week. Lewis used the moment of the primaries and the nature of the Selma march to encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote.
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“We cannot give up now. We cannot give in. We must keep the faith, keep our eyes on the prize,” he said. “We must go out and vote like we never, ever voted before.”
Lewis was first elected to Congress in 1986 to serve Georgia’s 5th district, which encompasses much of Atlanta. He is often referred to as “the conscience of Congress” and is widely respected on both sides of the aisle. Lewis frequently talks about getting into “good trouble,” a reference to his repeated arrests during his time as a civil rights activist. Lewis on Sunday brought up the necessity for those attending the march to make “good trouble.”
“Some people gave more than a little blood, some gave their very lives. So to each and every one of you, especially you young people … go out there,” he said. “Speak up, speak out. Get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”
It was unclear in advance whether the congressman would be able to participate in the Sunday march, after he was diagnosed in December with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Lewis said he is undergoing treatment and that he intends to keep serving his district as he does.
“I’m not gonna give up. I’m not gonna give in. I’m gonna continue to fight. We need your prayers now more than ever before,” Lewis said on Sunday. “We must use the vote as a nonviolent instrument or tool to redeem the soul of America.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Alabama Churchgoers Turn Their Backs On Bloomberg During 'Bloody Sunday' Service

Democratic presidential contender Mike Bloomberg , who has faced sharp criticism for racist policies and views , received a frosty reception on Sunday at the historic Brown Chapel in Selma , Alabama .
Bloomberg was one of several politicians who attended the Sunday morning service at the church commemorating the 55th anniversary of “ Bloody Sunday ” — the tragic day in 1965 when civil rights marchers were brutally attacked by Alabama police .
During the former New York City mayor ’ s address to the congregation on Sunday , a small group of protesters stood up and turned their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the moment show a group of about 10 churchgoers standing silently in their pews , facing the back of the church .
Some had their arms folded tightly across their chests .
Brown Chapel , a historically black church , was an epicenter of the civil rights movement in Selma , serving as a headquarters and meeting place for activists .
The church was also the starting point for the three Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 ― the first of which was violently interrupted by the “ Bloody Sunday ” attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice , was among the churchgoers who protested Bloomberg ’ s presence at the church on Sunday .
He told The Guardian that he decided to turn his back on Bloomberg after realizing the presidential candidate was not planning on addressing the controversial stop-and-frisk policing strategy that he ’ d advocated for during his time as mayor .
“ I thought this would be the place where he could finally say once and for all , ‘ Let me own what I did , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haygood said of Bloomberg , who first apologized in November 2019 for supporting stop-and-frisk , a policy that disproportionately targeted minority communities .
Bloomberg ’ s political rival , former Vice President Joe Biden , also attended the Sunday service at Brown Chapel ― and received a much warmer welcome than the ex-mayor .
A Bloomberg aide told the network that “ Mike sat through the whole service from start to finish.
” Following the church service , several Democratic presidential candidates , including Bloomberg , Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fateful “ Bloody Sunday ” march .
“ All of us share the responsibility to honor Selma ’ s history , ” Bloomberg said during his address in the church .
“ All of us share a responsibility to exercise the sacred right to vote for which so many struggled and died .
”

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Democratic presidential contender Mike Bloomberg, who has faced sharp criticism for his history of racist policies and views, received a frosty reception on Sunday at the historic Brown Chapel in Selma, Alabama.
Bloomberg was one of several politicians who attended the Sunday morning service at the church commemorating the 55th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” — the tragic day in 1965 when civil rights marchers were brutally attacked by Alabama police.
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During the former New York mayor’s address to the congregation on Sunday, a small group of protesters stood up and turned their backs to him.
Photos and videos of the moment show a group of about 10 churchgoers standing silently in their pews, facing the back of the church. Some had their arms folded tightly across their chests.
A group of churchgoers turned their backs in protest as Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg spoke about racial inequality during a service at the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama https://t.co/hmi7slRJSa pic.twitter.com/aqegJllPac — Reuters (@Reuters) March 1, 2020
A group stands and faces the back of the room as presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at Brown Chapel in Selma, Ala. during the Selma to Montgomery march celebration. https://t.co/zYVKjDfSmK pic.twitter.com/Zb27WqxouV — Jake Crandall (@jakevcrandall) March 1, 2020
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Brown Chapel, a historically Black church, was an epicenter of the civil rights movement in Selma, serving as a headquarters and meeting place for activists. The church was also the starting point for the three Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 ― the first of which was violently interrupted by the “Bloody Sunday” attacks.
Ryan Haygood, president and chief executive of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, was among the churchgoers who protested Bloomberg’s presence at the church on Sunday.
He told The Guardian that he decided to turn his back on Bloomberg after realizing the presidential candidate was not planning on addressing the controversial stop-and-frisk policing strategy that he’d advocated during his time as mayor.
“I thought this would be the place where he could finally say once and for all, ‘Let me own what I did, let me atone for it,’” Haygood said of Bloomberg, who first apologized in November 2019 for supporting stop and frisk, a policy that disproportionately targeted minority communities.
“He didn’t even touch it which is more disrespectful,” Haygood added.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
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Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
Bloomberg’s political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, also attended the Sunday service at Brown Chapel ― and received a much warmer welcome.
Churchgoers greeted Biden with cheers and applause, CNN reported.
A Bloomberg aide told the network that “Mike sat through the whole service from start to finish.”
“Takes courage to show up,” the aide added.
Following the church service, several Democratic presidential candidates, including Bloomberg, Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, took part in a reenactment of the fateful “Bloody Sunday” march.
“All of us share the responsibility to honor Selma’s history,” Bloomberg said during his address in the church. “All of us share a responsibility to exercise the sacred right to vote for which so many struggled and died.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar Endorse Joe Biden In 2020 Presidential Race: Reports

Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , fresh off ending his bid for the White House , is expected to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race , CNN and Reuters reported Monday .
The timing is auspicious for Biden .
Tuesday is the most important day of the Democratic primary race , with 14 states holding nominating contests to pick who should face off against the expected GOP nominee , President Donald Trump , in November .
Without Buttigieg and Klobuchar on the ballot Tuesday , Biden will have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from moderate voters who aren ’ t on board with the more progressive agendas of candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass. )
.
Buttigieg suspended his campaign on Sunday , having finished in fourth place in the South Carolina primaries after failing to secure any notable support among Black voters .
Biden fared far better in the state , securing key support among the influential voting bloc and surging to first place .
He had previously faced underwhelming results in Iowa , New Hampshire and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of truth , ” Buttigieg said when announcing the end of his candidacy Sunday night .
“ We have a responsibility to consider the effect of remaining in this race any further .
Our goal has always been to help unify Americans to defeat Donald Trump and to win the era for our values.
” The former mayor pledged to support his fellow candidates at the time , saying he planned to do “ everything in my power to make sure that we have a new Democratic president come January.
” “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued service , ” Biden wrote of Buttigieg on Twitter .
“ This is just the beginning of his time on the national stage.
” Biden picked up endorsements from several other high-profile Democrats on Monday , including Rep. Jennifer Wexton ( Va. ) , former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ( Nev. ) , former Sen. Barbara Boxer ( Calif. ) and former U.S .
Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice .
“ There is no one kinder , more empathetic and caring than [ Biden ] , ” Rice tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America with the same deep compassion and decency.
” I 'm proud to endorse @ JoeBiden for President .
Here he is comforting me on 1/4/17 just after my mother passed away .
There is no one kinder , more empathetic and caring than @ joebiden .
He will lead America with the same deep compassion and decency .
pic.twitter.com/4IBscj75VN — Susan Rice ( @ AmbassadorRice ) March 2 , 2020 The former vice president has emerged emboldened from his landslide victory in South Carolina , attempting to paint Sanders in particular as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party .
“ This is no great secret to anybody : You can ’ t run as an independent socialist ― now a democratic socialist ― and ... expect to do very well in the states we have to win , ” Biden said on “ Fox News Sunday , ” although he said he would support Sanders if he wins the nomination .
“ I believe that if I ’ m on the top of the ticket , we ’ ll win back the Senate and we ’ ll keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t looking for revolution , they ’ re looking for results.
” Sanders , meanwhile , remains a political and financial powerhouse .
His campaign said Sunday that it raised some $ 46.5 million in February , by far the greatest amount of any Democratic candidate .

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Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, fresh off ending his bid for the White House, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race on Monday.
The same day, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) announced she’s dropping out of the Democratic presidential contest and endorsed Biden for the party’s nomination. And completing a barrage of support for the onetime veep, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D), who ended his own bid for the White House last year, announced Monday that he’s throwing his weight behind Biden.
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During a Biden campaign rally in Dallas, Buttigieg said he decided to support the former vice president’s campaign because it focused on “unity” and called a future Biden presidency one of “dignity” in the White House.
“I’m looking for a leader. I’m looking for a president who will bring us together,” Buttigieg said.
Biden, in turn, said he was deeply touched by the former mayor’s endorsement, comparing him to his son Beau Biden, who died in 2015.
“I look over at Pete during the debates, and I think, you know, that’s a Beau, because he has such enormous character,” Biden told supporters, calling the compliment the “highest” he could give. “Such intellectual capacity and such a commitment to other people. And folks, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that he would step up and endorse me.”
Joe Biden, thanking Pete Buttigieg for his endorsement tonight in Dallas, TX, says he reminds him of his late son, Beau Biden: “I know that may not mean much to most people, but to me it's the highest compliment I can give any man or woman." pic.twitter.com/377nrMZTsn — DJ Judd (@DJJudd) March 3, 2020
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Klobuchar spoke at the rally before Biden took the stage, saying that she could not “think of a better way to end my campaign than joining his.”
“If you feel tired of the noise and the nonsense in our politics, and if you are tired of the extremes, you have a home with me. And I think you have a home with Joe Biden,” the Minnesota senator said. “It’s time for Americans to join hands instead of pointing fingers.”
Biden said he was “honored” to receive Klobuchar’s endorsement, joking that “Amy won all the debates.”
Klobuchar: “I believe we can do this together. And that is why today I am ending my campaign and endorsing Joe Biden for president” https://t.co/wQHTIvvUj9 pic.twitter.com/jt9ldfMiNF — CBS News (@CBSNews) March 3, 2020
Before ending the rally, Biden introduced O’Rourke to the stage, commending the former congressman from El Paso for his grassroots Senate campaign in 2018 that “electrified this state and nation” and led to an overwhelming number of seats in Texas getting flipped from red to blue.
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“Tomorrow, March 3, 2020, I will be casting my ballot for Joe Biden,” O’Rourke told a roaring Dallas crowd. “We need somebody who can beat Donald Trump. The man in the White House today poses an existential threat to this country, to our democracy, to free and fair elections, and we need someone who can beat him.”
O’Rourke, who made combating gun violence central to his presidential campaign after a white supremacist killed nearly two dozen people in his largely Latino hometown last year, spoke Monday of the need for a candidate who will tackle the issue head-on.
“Whether it was Sutherland Springs, or Santa Fe High School, or El Paso, Texas, at that Walmart this last August, or Midland-Odessa in the same year ― we understand the devastating toll of gun violence in America and in this state,” O’Rourke said.
“And we need someone who’s going to make sure that whether it is a mass shooting in a Walmart or in our schools, or the shootings that far too often take those in our communities of color ― one or two at a time, don’t even make the headlines or the front page or the news, we don’t even know their names ― you’re going to stand up for each and every one of us, and [against] gun violence in America with universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders and an end to the selling of weapons of war in our communities.”
NEW: Beto O'Rourke joins Joe Biden onstage at Dallas rally. Biden hails him as a man "who electrified this state and nation...who demonstrated enormous compassion and courage in he wake of the shooting in El Paso. A man with unlimited future." https://t.co/JEMJiQn1ln pic.twitter.com/gEj3PcwT9y — ABC News (@ABC) March 3, 2020
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The timing of the endorsements is auspicious. Tuesday is the most important day of the Democratic primary race, with 14 states — including Texas — holding nominating contests to pick who should face off against the expected GOP nominee, President Donald Trump, in November.
Without Buttigieg and Klobuchar on the ballot Tuesday, Biden will have a better chance of picking up additional support from moderate voters who aren’t on board with the more progressive agendas of candidates like Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
Buttigieg suspended his campaign on Sunday, having finished in fourth place in the South Carolina primaries after failing to secure any notable support among Black voters. Biden fared far better in the state, securing key support among the influential voting bloc and surging to first place. He had previously faced underwhelming results in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
“Today is a moment of truth,” Buttigieg said when announcing the end of his candidacy Sunday night. “We have a responsibility to consider the effect of remaining in this race any further. Our goal has always been to help unify Americans to defeat Donald Trump and to win the era for our values.”
The former mayor pledged to support his fellow candidates at the time, saying he planned to do “everything in my power to make sure that we have a new Democratic president come January.”
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Biden cheered Buttigieg’s historic campaign after he ended his bid, saying it was based on “courage, compassion, and honesty.”
“We will be a better country for his continued service,” Biden wrote of Buttigieg on Twitter. “This is just the beginning of his time on the national stage.”
Biden picked up endorsements from several other high-profile Democrats on Monday, including Rep. Jennifer Wexton (Va.), former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), former Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.
“There is no one kinder, more empathetic and caring than [Biden],” Rice tweeted Monday afternoon. “He will lead America with the same deep compassion and decency.”
I'm proud to endorse @JoeBiden for President.
Here he is comforting me on 1/4/17 just after my mother passed away. There is no one kinder, more empathetic and caring than @joebiden. He will lead America with the same deep compassion and decency. pic.twitter.com/4IBscj75VN — Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) March 2, 2020
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The former vice president has emerged emboldened from his landslide victory in South Carolina, attempting to paint Sanders in particular as controversial and too great a risk for the party.
“This is no great secret to anybody: You can’t run as an independent socialist ― now a democratic socialist ― and ... expect to do very well in the states we have to win,” Biden said on “Fox News Sunday,” although he said he would support Sanders if he wins the nomination. “I believe that if I’m on the top of the ticket, we’ll win back the Senate and we’ll keep the House. Look, the people aren’t looking for revolution, they’re looking for results.”
Sanders, meanwhile, remains a political and financial powerhouse. His campaign said Sunday that it raised some $46.5 million in February, by far the greatest amount of any Democratic candidate.
“Let me be very clear, it is no surprise they do not want me to become president because our administration will transform this country to create an economy and a government that works for all of the people, not just the 1%,” Sanders told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday in response to the consolidation of the moderate vote for Biden.
“It will not be the same old same old,” he continued. “But the other reason I am running is to defeat Donald Trump. And the fact of the matter is if we want to defeat Donald Trump, we’re going to need a campaign that has energy and excitement that can speak to working people, young people, people who have given up on the political establishment.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Amy Klobuchar Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

Klobuchar is set to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden at an event in Dallas on Monday night , The Associated Press reports .
Her decision comes after a poor showing in the South Carolina primary .
She picked up just 3 % of the vote , flailing in comparison to her fellow moderate Biden , who walked away with 48 % .
Though the Minnesota senator ’ s campaign picked up steam in the leadup to the first primaries and caucuses , Klobuchar ’ s late-stage momentum wasn ’ t enough to eclipse her most formidable opponents in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer in dropping out just ahead of Super Tuesday .
More than 1,500 delegates will be up for grabs as Democrats across 14 states and one overseas territory head to the polls .
Klobuchar ran as a moderate , betting that focusing on issues that could attract bipartisan support ― combating drug and alcohol addiction , preserving voting rights , antitrust enforcement ― would earn her votes .
She touched on those ideas in June when she became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive plan for her first 100 days in office .
Her more moderate proposals on climate change and health care stood in contrast to the bold , progressive ones from Sens .
Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) Klobuchar , one of six female candidates to seek the 2020 Democratic nomination , made some headlines for calling out sexism in politics .
Days ahead of the Nov. 20 Democratic debate , she argued that Buttigieg would not have qualified for the debate if he were a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington .
Klobuchar picked up a key endorsement from The New York Times editorial board on Jan. 19 , when the publication broke from the tradition of endorsing just one candidate to show support for her and Warren .
Throughout their campaigns , both candidates have found themselves defending their electability ― a concern their male counterparts have rarely been saddled with .
Klobuchar often pointed to herself as the best evidence that such talk was unwarranted .
“ When you look at what I have done , I have won every race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said during the January debate .
But despite being immensely popular in Minnesota , Klobuchar ’ s efforts to pitch herself as “ the senator next door , ” as she titled her 2015 book , didn ’ t always stick the landing .
Cracks in her friendly Midwestern persona emerged in the early days of her campaign when multiple former staffers told HuffPost that Klobuchar had a long history of mistreating her staff .

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) dropped her presidential bid Monday, an aide told HuffPost.
Klobuchar is set to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden at an event in Dallas on Monday night, The Associated Press reports.
Her decision comes after a poor showing in the South Carolina primary. She picked up just 3% of the vote, flailing in comparison to her fellow moderate Biden, who walked away with 48%.
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Though the Minnesota senator’s campaign picked up steam in the leadup to the first primaries and caucuses, Klobuchar’s late-stage momentum wasn’t enough to eclipse her most formidable opponents in the crowded Democratic field.
She joins former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer in dropping out just ahead of Super Tuesday. More than 1,500 delegates will be up for grabs as Democrats across 14 states and one overseas territory head to the polls.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) speaks at the California Democratic Party 2019 Fall Endorsing Convention. CHRIS CARLSON via Getty Images
Klobuchar ran as a moderate, betting that focusing on issues that could attract bipartisan support ― combating drug and alcohol addiction, preserving voting rights, antitrust enforcement ― would earn her votes. She touched on those ideas in June when she became the first 2020 contender to lay out a comprehensive plan for her first 100 days in office.
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Her more moderate proposals on climate change and health care stood in contrast to the bold, progressive ones from Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Klobuchar, one of six female candidates to seek the 2020 Democratic nomination, made some headlines for calling out sexism in politics. Days ahead of the Nov. 20 Democratic debate, she argued that Buttigieg would not have qualified for the debate if he were a woman, given his lack of experience in Washington.
Klobuchar picked up a key endorsement from The New York Times editorial board on Jan. 19, when the publication broke from the tradition of endorsing just one candidate to show support for her and Warren.
Throughout their campaigns, both candidates have found themselves defending their electability ― a concern their male counterparts have rarely been saddled with. Klobuchar often pointed to herself as the best evidence that such talk was unwarranted.
“When you look at what I have done, I have won every race, every place, every time,” she said during the January debate.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Some Californians Regret Voting Early

Some Californians Regret Voting Early

After Joe Biden ’ s blowout win in the South Carolina primary and the weekend decisions of Pete Buttigieg and Tom Steyer to drop out of the 2020 race , some California voters who already cast ballots can ’ t help but feel a bit of remorse over their pick for Democratic presidential nominee .
Early voting for the California presidential primary election began Feb. 3 , a month before the state officially holds its election on Super Tuesday .
In general , the early voting process aims to make the primary more convenient , increasing turnout and diversifying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks ago ― prior to the weekend ’ s shakeup ― are wishing they had held on to their ballot in order to have more influence over the 2020 race .
I “ voted two weeks ago for Pete and wish I waited later to vote for Biden , ” Los Angeles resident Justin Satzman , who works in entertainment marketing , told HuffPost in an email .
“ I ’ m terrified that no one but Bernie reaches viability statewide and my home state provides him with a delegate lead that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which holds its primary on March 10 , allow early voters to “ spoil ” their ballots and obtain a new one .
But not California , which has greater influence over the nominating process this cycle .
The state scheduled its 2016 primary in June , which minimized early voter regret but weakened the most populous U.S. state ’ s influence on selecting the nominee .
James Barba , another voter from California , said he hasn ’ t wavered in his support for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , whose fortunes seem to have shifted after a pair of unsteady debate performances , and now feels differently about him .
“ He made a confession to the whole family today at a birthday gathering because he was ashamed and wished he could have his ballot back , ” Barba said in an email on Sunday .
“ He would vote for Biden today.
” The former vice president is hoping that his dominant victory in South Carolina translates into additional support across the 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont leading in most polls of California , Biden needs to outperform with voters who haven ’ t yet voted to qualify for the 15 % threshold required to win any delegates in the state .
One analysis showed that about 40 % of California voters have already cast their ballots , however .
Biden has some reason to be optimistic .
The percentage of ballots already cast at this stage is much lower than in recent California elections , according to Politico , meaning there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still boost his campaign .
Some indicated on Twitter they would turn his way : I waited to see how Biden would do in SC .
If it was a long night and he likely was going to either lose/tie in SC , I knew he ’ d be doomed .
Sat on the mail ballot until late last night , turned it in same day .
Biden got my vote .
— kj king-lopez ( @ jksolver ) March 1 , 2020 “ I ’ m a big Bernie fan so I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is doing great in the polls here in California .
I think he is going to have a really big night this upcoming Tuesday , ” added Ryan Maguire .
With 494 delegates up for grabs ( more than 10 % of the total ) , California could have a huge impact on the race .
But the state , infamous for slow vote counting , may not know the results for weeks .
That would mean top-placing candidates could miss out on election night momentum .
If he does well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge step toward building an insurmountable delegate lead .
He kept most of his focus on those contests last week , holding huge rallies drawing thousands in San Jose and Los Angeles on Sunday .

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After Joe Biden’s blowout win in the South Carolina primary and the weekend decisions of Pete Buttigieg and Tom Steyer to drop out of the 2020 race, some California voters who already cast ballots can’t help but feel a bit of remorse over their pick for Democratic presidential nominee.
Early voting for the California presidential primary election began Feb. 3, a month before the state officially holds its election on Super Tuesday. In general, the early voting process aims to make the primary more convenient, increasing turnout and diversifying the electorate.
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But some Californians who voted weeks ago ― prior to the weekend’s shakeup ― are wishing they had held on to their ballot in order to have more influence over the 2020 race.
I “voted two weeks ago for Pete and wish I waited later to vote for Biden,” Los Angeles resident Justin Satzman, who works in entertainment marketing, told HuffPost in an email. “I’m terrified that no one but Bernie reaches viability statewide and my home state provides him with a delegate lead that’s insurmountable.”
“It’s my fault for voting early during a close primary,” Satzman added.
Some states like Michigan, which holds its primary on March 10, allow early voters to “spoil” their ballots and obtain a new one. But not California, which has greater influence over the nominating process this cycle. The state scheduled its 2016 primary in June, which minimized early voter regret but weakened the most populous U.S. state’s influence on selecting the nominee.
James Barba, another voter from California, said he hasn’t wavered in his support for Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. But he said a close family member voted for former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose fortunes seem to have shifted after a pair of unsteady debate performances, and now feels differently about him.
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“He made a confession to the whole family today at a birthday gathering because he was ashamed and wished he could have his ballot back,” Barba said in an email on Sunday. “He would vote for Biden today.”
The former vice president is hoping that his dominant victory in South Carolina translates into additional support across the 14 states that will vote on Super Tuesday. With Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont leading in most polls of California, Biden needs to outperform with voters who haven’t yet voted to qualify for the 15% threshold required to win any delegates in the state. One analysis showed that about 40% of California voters have already cast their ballots, however.
Biden has some reason to be optimistic. The percentage of ballots already cast at this stage is much lower than in recent California elections, according to Politico, meaning there is a bigger pool of voters who could still boost his campaign. Some indicated on Twitter they would turn his way:
I waited to see how Biden would do in SC. If it was a long night and he likely was going to either lose/tie in SC, I knew he’d be doomed. Sat on the mail ballot until late last night, turned it in same day. Biden got my vote. — kj king-lopez (@jksolver) March 1, 2020
“Reliable” is my middle name. I waited to vote in CA until after SC results were in & aftereffects developed. Had planned to vote for @SenWarren or @amyklobuchar. Now will vote for @JoeBiden. — Katherine Pratt (@prattkatie) March 1, 2020
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Other California early voters said they felt confident about their choices, despite the last-minute shakeup.
“Mailed in my ballot for Warren a couple weeks ago. No regrets,” Steve Meng, a chemistry teacher, said.
“I’m a big Bernie fan so I was very happy to vote for him. He is doing great in the polls here in California. I think he is going to have a really big night this upcoming Tuesday,” added Ryan Maguire.
With 494 delegates up for grabs (more than 10% of the total), California could have a huge impact on the race. But the state, infamous for slow vote counting, may not know the results for weeks. That would mean top-placing candidates could miss out on election night momentum.
If he does well on Super Tuesday, Sanders could take a huge step toward building an insurmountable delegate lead. He kept most of his focus on those contests last week, holding huge rallies drawing thousands in San Jose and Los Angeles on Sunday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Los Angeles County DA's Husband Points Gun At Black Lives Matter Protester

Abdullah and about 30 additional activists gathered near Lacey ’ s house around 5:40 a.m. on Monday , the day before the LA district attorney primary .
Black Lives Matter activists have been requesting a meeting with Lacey for more than two years to discuss her office ’ s failure to prosecute police officers who kill civilians .
More than 500 people have died at the hands of law enforcement during Lacey ’ s time as district attorney , but her office has prosecuted only one case .
On Monday morning , the activists set up chairs on the sidewalk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two other people went to the front door and rang the doorbell to request that the district attorney meet with them outside her house , ahead of Tuesday ’ s election .
Abdullah , who has met Lacey before , noticed that the house was equipped with a Ring camera , allowing people inside the house to see who was at the door .
Abdullah thought she heard a gun being cocked inside the home , but hoped she was being paranoid , she told HuffPost .
Then David Lacey , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door , pointed a gun at Abdullah ’ s chest and told her to leave .
When Abdullah asks him to tell Jackie Lacey that she is there , he responds that he is calling the police before slamming the door shut .
The activists remained outside Lacey ’ s home for another two hours .
They took turns speaking and chanted , “ Jackie Lacey must go , Jackie Lacey will go.
” During that time police officers showed up , cleared a path for the district attorney to leave and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lacey ’ s husband may have violated laws against making a criminal threat and assault with a firearm , Kate Chatfield , the Justice Collaborative ’ s senior adviser for legislation and policy , said in an email .
Both offenses count as “ serious felonies ” or “ strikes ” under California ’ s three-strikes law , Chatfield said .
“ As with any incident , LAPD will first investigate and if appropriate bring to an independent prosecutor ’ s office for review .
The California Attorney General ’ s Office will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shiara Dávila-Morales , chief of media relations for the district attorney ’ s office , told HuffPost in an email .
During a press conference on Monday , Jackie Lacey accused activists of trying to “ embarrass ” and “ intimidate ” her .
She spent several minutes criticizing protesters for confronting her in public spaces , at fundraisers and during endorsement interviews .
She said she has received death threats .
“ I am grateful , however , for this challenge because I had no idea how strong I was until I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lacey said .
“ And sometimes it takes challenges like this for you to realize what you are made of — who you are as a human being , ” she continued .
Near the end of her remarks , Lacey said that her husband told her he was “ profoundly sorry ” and that “ he meant no one any harm ” — despite telling Abdullah he was going to shoot her .
“ I too am sorry if anybody was harmed , ” Lacey said .
Lacey , a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , faces two progressive challengers in Tuesday ’ s primary : George Gascón , who oversaw major reforms during his time as district attorney in San Francisco , and Rachel Rossi , a former public defender who also worked on criminal justice reform legislation in Congress .
“ I will never run from the community , ” Rossi tweeted on Monday in response to the video of Lacey ’ s husband .
“ And I never thought I ’ d have to say it , but I will also never threaten to shoot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of leadership is this ?
” During Gascón ’ s time in San Francisco , he also faced protests over his office ’ s failure to prosecute police officers who shot civilians .
In 2018 , he filed a restraining order against a frequent protester who wrote # JailKillerCops in chalk on the side of Gascón ’ s house .
But unlike Lacey , Gascón has been an outspoken critic of current laws governing the use of deadly force by police and has pushed for reform .
He is endorsed by the @ @ @ @

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LOS ANGELES — The husband of Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey pointed a gun at Black Lives Matter LA co-founder Melina Abdullah when she and other activists showed up at Lacey’s house early Monday morning to request a community meeting.
Abdullah and about 30 additional activists gathered near Lacey’s house around 5:40 a.m. on Monday, the day before the LA district attorney primary. Black Lives Matter activists have been requesting a meeting with Lacey for more than two years to discuss her office’s failure to prosecute police officers who kill civilians. More than 500 people have died at the hands of law enforcement during Lacey’s time as district attorney, but her office has prosecuted only one case.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey is facing two progressive challengers in Tuesday's primary race. Mel Melcon via Getty Images
On Monday morning, the activists set up chairs on the sidewalk outside Lacey’s home. Abdullah and two other people went to the front door and rang the doorbell to request that the district attorney meet with them outside her house, ahead of Tuesday’s election. Abdullah, who has met Lacey before, noticed that the house was equipped with a Ring camera, allowing people inside the house to see who was at the door. Abdullah thought she heard a gun being cocked inside the home, but hoped she was being paranoid, she told HuffPost. Then David Lacey, the district attorney’s husband, opened the door, pointed a gun at Abdullah’s chest and told her to leave.
Abdullah posted a 45-second video on Twitter documenting the event, including what she identified as her exchange with David Lacey.
I’m front of DA Jackie Lacey’s house for that community meeting she promised with the @BLMLA crew. Rang her bell to invite her.
Her husband pulled a gun, cocked it, pointed it at my chest and said “I’ll shoot you. I don’t care who you are.” @WP4BL @RealJusticePAC @shaunking pic.twitter.com/WtazUWSJIC — Melina Abdullah (@DocMellyMel) March 2, 2020
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The video starts with Lacey’s husband pointing the gun forward, with his finger apparently on the trigger. “Get off,” he says.
“Good morning,” Abdullah answers off-camera.
“Get off of my porch,” David Lacey says.
“Are you going to shoot me?” Abdullah asks.
“I’m going to shoot you. Get off of my porch,” he responds.
When Abdullah asks him to tell Jackie Lacey that she is there, he responds that he is calling the police before slamming the door shut.
“Wow,” Abdullah says after the door closes. “He pulled a gun and pointed it at my chest.”
The activists remained outside Lacey’s home for another two hours. They took turns speaking and chanted, “Jackie Lacey must go, Jackie Lacey will go.” During that time police officers showed up, cleared a path for the district attorney to leave and escorted her out, Abdullah said.
Lacey’s husband may have violated laws against making a criminal threat and assault with a firearm, Kate Chatfield, the Justice Collaborative’s senior adviser for legislation and policy, said in an email. Both offenses count as “serious felonies” or “strikes” under California’s three-strikes law, Chatfield said.
Asked if she plans to file a police report documenting the incident, Abdullah said that Jackie Lacey “protects the police and the police protect her.”
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“As with any incident, LAPD will first investigate and if appropriate bring to an independent prosecutor’s office for review. The California Attorney General’s Office will assist LAPD in this matter,” Shiara Dávila-Morales, chief of media relations for the district attorney’s office, told HuffPost in an email.
During a press conference on Monday, Jackie Lacey accused activists of trying to “embarrass” and “intimidate” her. She spent several minutes criticizing protesters for confronting her in public spaces, at fundraisers and during endorsement interviews. She said she has received death threats.
“I am grateful, however, for this challenge because I had no idea how strong I was until I got ready to come down here,” Lacey said. “And sometimes it takes challenges like this for you to realize what you are made of — who you are as a human being,” she continued.
Near the end of her remarks, Lacey said that her husband told her he was “profoundly sorry” and that “he meant no one any harm” — despite telling Abdullah he was going to shoot her. “I too am sorry if anybody was harmed,” Lacey said.
Lacey, a Democrat who ran for reelection unopposed in 2012, faces two progressive challengers in Tuesday’s primary: George Gascón, who oversaw major reforms during his time as district attorney in San Francisco, and Rachel Rossi, a former public defender who also worked on criminal justice reform legislation in Congress.
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“I will never run from the community,” Rossi tweeted on Monday in response to the video of Lacey’s husband. “And I never thought I’d have to say it, but I will also never threaten to shoot community members protesting for change. What kind of leadership is this?”
During Gascón’s time in San Francisco, he also faced protests over his office’s failure to prosecute police officers who shot civilians. In 2018, he filed a restraining order against a frequent protester who wrote #JailKillerCops in chalk on the side of Gascón’s house. But unlike Lacey, Gascón has been an outspoken critic of current laws governing the use of deadly force by police and has pushed for reform. He is endorsed by the LA County Democrats.
Black Lives Matter doesn’t endorse candidates but Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of the movement who is from LA, has endorsed both Rossi and Gascón. Abdullah earlier told HuffPost that she prefers Rossi but appreciates that Gascón has reached out to Black Lives Matter to discuss policy.
The two candidates who receive the most votes in Tuesday’s primary will proceed to the general election in November.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-02--Harry Reid Endorses Joe Biden For Democratic Nominee

“ President Donald Trump has done unspeakable damage to our country , our institutions and the rule of law .
Democrats need a candidate who can assemble the largest , most diverse coalition possible to defeat Trump and lead our country following the trauma of Trump ’ s presidency , ” Reid said in a statement .
“ That candidate is Joe Biden.
” Reid and Biden worked closely in Washington , first during a more than two-decade overlap in the Senate and then during the Obama administration , when Biden was vice president and Reid was Senate majority leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsements up until now , but his announcement comes amid growing public support from establishment Democrats for Biden .
“ Joe Biden ’ s strength of character and deep experience stand in the starkest contrast to Trump ’ s amorality , corruption and utter incompetence , ” Reid said , calling Biden “ a much-needed stabilizing force following Trump ’ s disastrous term , offering a positive and progressive alternative to Trump ’ s dark vision of racism , xenophobia and policies built on cruelty and exclusion.
” Reid said in his statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and admiration for the remaining candidates , ” calling them “ among the brightest leaders in our party.
” “ Our party was fortunate to have a tremendous field of talented candidates this year , many of whom are my close friends , ” the former senator said .
His endorsement comes immediately after Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) announced she was dropping her 2020 presidential bid and is reportedly set to endorse Biden at an event in Dallas on Monday night .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before , leaving Biden as the most prominent moderate in the race ahead of Super Tuesday .
Reid ’ s home state , which has high Latinx and union populations and was the third early-voting state , overwhelmingly went to Sanders .
South Carolina , which has many Black voters , overwhelmingly went to Biden in its primary on Saturday .
“ I ’ ll forever have respect and love for Senator Reid .
But I ’ m old enough to remember when he thought Biden ’ s ideas were worth of being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
He linked to a HuffPost article from 2013 about Reid tossing into his fireplace a list of concessions from then-President Barack Obama ’ s administration during fiscal cliff negotiations .

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Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Monday endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary.
“President Donald Trump has done unspeakable damage to our country, our institutions and the rule of law. Democrats need a candidate who can assemble the largest, most diverse coalition possible to defeat Trump and lead our country following the trauma of Trump’s presidency,” Reid said in a statement. “That candidate is Joe Biden.”
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Reid and Biden worked closely in Washington, first during a more than two-decade overlap in the Senate and then during the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president and Reid was Senate majority leader.
Reid had stayed neutral in his endorsements up until now, but his announcement comes amid growing public support from establishment Democrats for Biden.
“Joe Biden’s strength of character and deep experience stand in the starkest contrast to Trump’s amorality, corruption and utter incompetence,” Reid said, calling Biden “a much-needed stabilizing force following Trump’s disastrous term, offering a positive and progressive alternative to Trump’s dark vision of racism, xenophobia and policies built on cruelty and exclusion.”
Reid said in his statement that he has the “deepest respect and admiration for the remaining candidates,” calling them “among the brightest leaders in our party.”
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“Our party was fortunate to have a tremendous field of talented candidates this year, many of whom are my close friends,” the former senator said.
His endorsement comes immediately after Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) announced she was dropping her 2020 presidential bid and is reportedly set to endorse Biden at an event in Dallas on Monday night. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the race the day before, leaving Biden as the most prominent moderate in the race ahead of Super Tuesday.
Reid’s home state, which has high Latinx and union populations and was the third early-voting state, overwhelmingly went to Sanders. South Carolina, which has many Black voters, overwhelmingly went to Biden in its primary on Saturday.
Sanders’ campaign manger, Faiz Shakir, called Reid’s decision to endorse Biden “disappointing.”
Disappointing. I'll forever have respect and love for Senator Reid. But I'm old enough to remember when he thought Biden's ideas were worthy of being put in a fireplace. https://t.co/eQ4pGjYxiB https://t.co/iWI40OVRim — Faiz (@fshakir) March 2, 2020
“I’ll forever have respect and love for Senator Reid. But I’m old enough to remember when he thought Biden’s ideas were worth of being put in a fireplace,” Shakir tweeted. He linked to a HuffPost article from 2013 about Reid tossing into his fireplace a list of concessions from then-President Barack Obama’s administration during fiscal cliff negotiations.