thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Stephen Colbert’s Bar Interview With Elizabeth Warren Is A Billionaire-Bashing Riot

Stephen Colbert returned to his home town of Charleston , South Carolina , to conduct a barroom interview with Sen. @ @ @ @ @ .
And things got pretty funny , pretty quickly in the segment that aired on @ @ @ @ @ “ The Late Show.
” The Democratic presidential candidate and the comedian mocked billionaires : @ @ @ @ @ : Check out the full interview here :

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Chris Hayes Nails Donald Trump's Selfish Concern About The Coronavirus

Chris Hayes on Wednesday night explained what he believes is President Donald Trump ’ s selfish motivation for tackling the coronavirus outbreak .
The host of MSNBC ’ s “ All In ” argued Trump doesn ’ t see the global spread of the COVID-19 virus — which federal health officials warned may now take hold across the U.S. ― as a problem that he has to solve .
Instead , Hayes said the spread of the virus is just something that Trump thinks he “ needs to manage ” to ensure his reelection in November .
“ It appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incapable of distinguishing between what the national interest is , and what his own personal interest is , ” said Hayes .
“ It ’ s literally what the guy got impeached over , ” he added , in reference to Trump ’ s impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress relating to the Ukraine scandal .
Hayes also poured cold water on Trump ’ s claim that the media was using its coverage of the virus to attack the president .
“ The media coverage itself has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Especially , when compared to the Ebola crisis back in 2014 , when Donald Trump and Fox were fanning the flames and driving everyone into a panic .
”

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Chris Hayes on Wednesday night explained what he believes is President Donald Trump’s selfish motivation for tackling the coronavirus outbreak.
The host of MSNBC’s “All In” argued Trump doesn’t see the global spread of the COVID-19 virus — which federal health officials warned may now take hold across the U.S. ― as a problem that he has to solve.
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Instead, Hayes said the spread of the virus is just something that Trump thinks he “needs to manage” to ensure his reelection in November.
“It appears to me often that he is literally incapable of distinguishing between what the national interest is, and what his own personal interest is,” said Hayes.
“It’s literally what the guy got impeached over,” he added, in reference to Trump’s impeachment on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress relating to the Ukraine scandal.
Hayes also poured cold water on Trump’s claim that the media was using its coverage of the virus to attack the president.
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“The media coverage itself has been fairly restrained,” Hayes noted. “Especially, when compared to the Ebola crisis back in 2014, when Donald Trump and Fox were fanning the flames and driving everyone into a panic.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Trump Ripped For Putting 'Science Denier' Mike Pence In Charge Of Coronavirus

Given that Pence famously , massively fucked up the response to an HIV outbreak , he shouldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus .
Like , what if we stopped picking the LEAST qualified people to handle @ @ @ @ @ even be like ?
https : //t.co/0T7qHSdA30

Mike Pence literally does not believe in science.
It is utterly irresponsible to put him in charge of US coronavirus response as the world sits on the cusp of a pandemic.
This decision could cost people their lives. Pence’s past decisions already have. https://t.co/NhMPOusOWm


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Coronavirus Exposes Worst Traits Of Trump Administration, Conservative Columnist Says

Conservative columnist Max Boot , in his latest opinion piece for The Washington Post , argued the coronavirus outbreak is exposing the worst traits of the Trump White House .
“ Diseases , far more than any human enemy , ruthlessly expose and exploit the weaknesses of their victims , ” wrote Boot , who quit the GOP following Donald Trump ’ s 2016 election victory and has been fiercely critical of him ever since .
“ Now the coronavirus outbreak is laying bare the pathologies of the Trump administration — which include compulsive lying , pandering to dictators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inveterate hostility toward experts and expertise , and ( in a related development ) sheer incompetence , ” Boot added .
Boot explained how Trump ’ s attempts at reversing former President Barack Obama ’ s legacy may harm the government ’ s ability to contain the spread of the coronavirus , suggesting the “ chaos president ” will try to find scapegoats but “ has no one but himself to blame for this chaotic response.
” “ He can ’ t figure out how to spell ‘ coronavirus , ’ much less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , in reference to Trump ’ s bungled spelling of the word on Twitter .
“ At a time like this , it would be a lot more reassuring to think that there were actual , you know , experts in charge of the government rather than ignorant ideologues chosen for their dedication to a supreme leader unconstrained by fact , logic or morality , ” he concluded .
“ Where ’ s the ‘ deep state ’ when you need it most ?
”

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Conservative columnist Max Boot, in his latest opinion piece for The Washington Post, argued the coronavirus outbreak is exposing the worst traits of the Trump White House.
“Diseases, far more than any human enemy, ruthlessly expose and exploit the weaknesses of their victims,” wrote Boot, who quit the GOP following Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory and has been fiercely critical of him ever since.
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“Now the coronavirus outbreak is laying bare the pathologies of the Trump administration — which include compulsive lying, pandering to dictators, ideological aversion to ‘globalism,’ inveterate hostility toward experts and expertise, and (in a related development) sheer incompetence,” Boot added.
Boot explained how Trump’s attempts at reversing former President Barack Obama’s legacy may harm the government’s ability to contain the spread of the coronavirus, suggesting the “chaos president” will try to find scapegoats but “has no one but himself to blame for this chaotic response.”
“He can’t figure out how to spell ‘coronavirus,’ much less how to fight it,” Boot added, in reference to Trump’s bungled spelling of the word on Twitter.
“At a time like this, it would be a lot more reassuring to think that there were actual, you know, experts in charge of the government rather than ignorant ideologues chosen for their dedication to a supreme leader unconstrained by fact, logic or morality,” he concluded. “Where’s the ‘deep state’ when you need it most?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Bloomberg's NYPD Cozied Up To A Middle East Human Rights Abuser

Few Americans see the United Arab Emirates as a shining example of human rights .
But as mayor of New York City , Mike Bloomberg allowed the New York Police Department to initiate and expand a law enforcement relationship with the repressive government there at a time when the UAE was known to be practicing aggressive policies that would be illegal in the United States .
Bloomberg is citing his experience as New York mayor to argue he is prepared to be commander in chief .
Presidents from both parties have largely treated the UAE as a trusted partner ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark .
Yet Bloomberg ’ s connection to a rare and little-understood link between that government and a thousands-strong local agency shows a perspective that worries advocates for civil liberties and democracy abroad .
The relationship he greenlighted gave a new level of legitimacy to a government that watchdogs consider one of the most authoritarian in the Middle East and risked inspiring police officers dealing with Americans to seek a troubling degree of power .
Bloomberg has sustained his relationship with the UAE in the years since , as well , praising it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his alma mater , Johns Hopkins University , and hosting a high-profile conference there last year .
That fits a pattern of comfort with autocrats , particularly those who justify hardline practices by talking about national security .
The Democratic presidential candidate has claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping is “ not a dictator ” despite Xi ’ s moves to centralize power , suggested U.S. criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin is hypocritical and praised Saudi Arabia following a global uproar over Saudi agents ’ murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly established a new role , deputy commissioner for intelligence , and filled it with a 35-year CIA veteran named David Cohen .
He set up an International Liaison Program that sent NYPD officers to foreign cities to work with law enforcement there , dodging a restriction in the city charter that stops officers from working in other jurisdictions by paying for the project with money from the New York City Police Foundation , a nonprofit backed by wealthy New Yorkers .
Because the program doesn ’ t rely on public funding , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shrouded from public view and a lot of concerns , especially given the size of department and its foreign activities , ” said Rachel Levinson-Waldman , a senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University .
“ The NYPD generally tries to operate without a lot of oversight.
” In 2008 , the police chief announced that Abu Dhabi , the UAE ’ s capital , would become the latest city to host an NYPD representative , at an Emirati agency protecting the country ’ s sensitive infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of their cooperation with the U.S. to American counterparts at a high-level dialogue the following year , a diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks shows .
Sanchez had already made an impact in New York that reflected the style of his autocratic counterparts .
He built the spying program that designated mosques as terror organizations and focused on Muslim communities based on their religious identity rather than evidence of wrongdoing , The Associated Press later revealed .
Starting in 2011 , the UAE ’ s law enforcement apparatus focused more intensely on tamping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spring-era protests against authoritarians across the region .
The country ’ s rulers saw supporters of political Islam , who demanded more accountable governments more influenced by religion , as their biggest threat because of their potential appeal to regular citizens , and called them not just political opponents but extremists .
The perception jibed with the NYPD ’ s philosophy at the time : treating any connection to the Muslim faith as a potential security risk .
The crackdown at home contrasted with a soft approach to friends abroad like the NYPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1 million to the secretive police foundation , according to a tax form published by The Intercept years later .
It remains unclear what the money went to .
Though the foundation gave the same amount of money that year to the department ’ s intelligence division to support the International Liaison Program , a foundation spokesperson told the outlet the gift went to upgrading equipment and facilities .
That November ― just before the end of his and Bloomberg ’ s tenure ― Kelly flew to the country to sign a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and training methods , his spokesman John McCarthy told the New York Daily News .
He noted that though most such agreements were finalized at police headquarters , Emirati officials specially requested that Kelly visit .
The close ties between local police and a repressive security apparatus makes Americans vulnerable and threatens the ideals the country says it stands for , Levinson-Waldman of the Brennan Center said .
NYPD officials could be introduced to UAE techniques around surveillance and then try to convince courts back home to allow them to deploy similar methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide intelligence on individuals the UAE sees as threats for behavior that would be permitted in the U.S. “ People are waking up to the fact that they are not the forces of stability ― they are creating instability , ” said el-Baghdadi , who obtained asylum in Norway and now runs a think tank called the Kawaakibi Foundation .
“ Their game has been to be the arsonist and the fireman at the same time .
”

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Few Americans see the United Arab Emirates as a shining example of human rights. But as mayor of New York City, Mike Bloomberg allowed the New York Police Department to initiate and expand a law enforcement relationship with the repressive government there at a time when the UAE was known to be practicing aggressive policies that would be illegal in the United States.
“They’re doing stuff there that makes stop and frisk look like child’s play,” said Ben Freeman, who tracks foreign influence in the U.S. at the Center for International Policy.
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Beginning in 2008, the partnership placed NYPD officers in the UAE and approved intelligence-sharing between the police force and a regime known for persecuting political opponents. The UAE donated $1 million toward the collaboration and ultimately hired the architect of Bloomberg’s widely criticized Muslim surveillance program.
Bloomberg is citing his experience as New York mayor to argue he is prepared to be commander in chief. Presidents from both parties have largely treated the UAE as a trusted partner ― experience handling the country is no black mark. Yet Bloomberg’s connection to a rare and little-understood link between that government and a thousands-strong local agency shows a perspective that worries advocates for civil liberties and democracy abroad. The relationship he greenlighted gave a new level of legitimacy to a government that watchdogs consider one of the most authoritarian in the Middle East and risked inspiring police officers dealing with Americans to seek a troubling degree of power.
Bloomberg has sustained his relationship with the UAE in the years since, as well, praising it for donating tens of millions of dollars to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, and hosting a high-profile conference there last year. That fits a pattern of comfort with autocrats, particularly those who justify hardline practices by talking about national security. The Democratic presidential candidate has claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping is “not a dictator” despite Xi’s moves to centralize power, suggested U.S. criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin is hypocritical and praised Saudi Arabia following a global uproar over Saudi agents’ murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Bloomberg did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did the NYPD.
The NYPD Sees A Friend In The UAE
Elected shortly after the attacks of 9/11, Bloomberg allowed his hand-picked police commissioner, Ray Kelly, to focus on terrorism in an unprecedented way.
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Kelly established a new role, deputy commissioner for intelligence, and filled it with a 35-year CIA veteran named David Cohen. He set up an International Liaison Program that sent NYPD officers to foreign cities to work with law enforcement there, dodging a restriction in the city charter that stops officers from working in other jurisdictions by paying for the project with money from the New York City Police Foundation, a nonprofit backed by wealthy New Yorkers.
Because the program doesn’t rely on public funding, “there is a lot that’s shrouded from public view and a lot of concerns, especially given the size of department and its foreign activities,” said Rachel Levinson-Waldman, a senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. “The NYPD generally tries to operate without a lot of oversight.”
In 2008, the police chief announced that Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s capital, would become the latest city to host an NYPD representative, at an Emirati agency protecting the country’s sensitive infrastructure. UAE representatives cited the relationship as evidence of their cooperation with the U.S. to American counterparts at a high-level dialogue the following year, a diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks shows.
Larry Sanchez, a CIA official sent to support the NYPD who formally joined the department as Cohen’s deputy in 2004, was a top intermediary with high-ranking Emiratis. He “won them over by his commitment to them,” a former law enforcement source told Foreign Policy.
Sanchez had already made an impact in New York that reflected the style of his autocratic counterparts. He built the spying program that designated mosques as terror organizations and focused on Muslim communities based on their religious identity rather than evidence of wrongdoing, The Associated Press later revealed.
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Once his activities began drawing scrutiny, as Muslims spoke out about their treatment by the NYPD and federal officials worried that the department’s intelligence collaboration represented a CIA overreach, Sanchez left the department in late 2010. Just months later, he began crafting a new spy network ― this time for the UAE, the Foreign Policy investigation revealed.
Then-New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg speaks alongside then-New York Police Department Commissioner Ray Kelly on Aug. 19, 2013, in New York City. Andrew Burton via Getty Images
Starting in 2011, the UAE’s law enforcement apparatus focused more intensely on tamping down dissent in response to the Arab Spring-era protests against authoritarians across the region. The country’s rulers saw supporters of political Islam, who demanded more accountable governments more influenced by religion, as their biggest threat because of their potential appeal to regular citizens, and called them not just political opponents but extremists. The perception jibed with the NYPD’s philosophy at the time: treating any connection to the Muslim faith as a potential security risk.
Emirati security forces arrested dozens of activists, government critics and foreign nationals in 2011 and 2012. Some said they experienced torture that included beatings and being hung from a wall.
The crackdown at home contrasted with a soft approach to friends abroad like the NYPD: In 2012, the UAE gave $1 million to the secretive police foundation, according to a tax form published by The Intercept years later. It remains unclear what the money went to. Though the foundation gave the same amount of money that year to the department’s intelligence division to support the International Liaison Program, a foundation spokesperson told the outlet the gift went to upgrading equipment and facilities.
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The foundation did not respond to a HuffPost request for comment.
In the summer of 2013, UAE detainees sent rights groups statements saying authorities subjected them to systematic abuse, specifically extended solitary confinement, exposure to extreme temperatures, sleep deprivation, interrogations while blindfolded and threats of electrocution.
That November ― just before the end of his and Bloomberg’s tenure ― Kelly flew to the country to sign a new deal enabling the exchange of ideas and training methods, his spokesman John McCarthy told the New York Daily News. He noted that though most such agreements were finalized at police headquarters, Emirati officials specially requested that Kelly visit.
Experts See A Risky Partnership
The close ties between local police and a repressive security apparatus makes Americans vulnerable and threatens the ideals the country says it stands for, Levinson-Waldman of the Brennan Center said. NYPD officials could be introduced to UAE techniques around surveillance and then try to convince courts back home to allow them to deploy similar methods, she said, or feel pressured to provide intelligence on individuals the UAE sees as threats for behavior that would be permitted in the U.S.
Embracing the UAE as it clamped down on popular movements across the Muslim-majority world is morally fraught too, said Iyad el-Baghdadi, a pro-democracy activist who was detained and then deported by Emirati authorities in 2014.
Its mass arrests represented “a complete decapitation of any native movement that can actually push for political reform” and it has been a crucial supporter for aspiring dictators beyond its borders, in contexts like Egypt and Libya, he said, exacerbating public resentment that could drive people to extremism.
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“People are waking up to the fact that they are not the forces of stability ― they are creating instability,” said el-Baghdadi, who obtained asylum in Norway and now runs a think tank called the Kawaakibi Foundation. “Their game has been to be the arsonist and the fireman at the same time.”
Still, the NYPD’s partnership with the UAE has grown. Sanchez remained in place in the UAE as of 2017, and that year, the country’s embassy announced it was donating an additional $2 million to the police foundation ― this time explicitly saying it was for the International Liaison Program. In 2018, NYPD cars featured stickers proclaiming, “The Year of Zayed,” a reference to the UAE’s founding father.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Senate Democrats Want Watchdog To Investigate Political Interference At DOJ

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee want the Justice Department ’ s internal watchdog to investigate “ an apparent pattern of political interference ” at the DOJ after four career prosecutors withdrew from the Roger Stone case because Attorney General William Barr overruled their sentencing recommendation .
In a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Thursday , Democrats on the Judiciary Committee pointed to the handling of the Stone case ; Barr ’ s appointment of an outside prosecutor to look at the case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn ; and a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interference in the prosecutorial process .
The letter points to President Donald Trump ’ s extensive record of pushing the Justice Department to take actions to protect allies like Stone and target his rivals , which they said “ suggest political interference in the Justice Department ’ s work.
” “ The public record provides a number of reasons to believe that President Trump or other White House officials are seeking to influence the Justice Department ’ s handling of certain investigations , civil lawsuits , and criminal prosecutions , ” the senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Calif. ) , wrote .
“ Our concern is that politically motivated enforcement of federal law could become standard practice .
This would permanently damage the integrity and independence of the Justice Department.
” A jury in November convicted Stone , a former Trump campaign adviser , on seven charges stemming from the Robert Mueller investigation .
The prosecution team initially suggested Stone serve seven to nine years , but their recommendation was later overruled by Barr .
A judge ultimately sentenced Stone to 40 months behind bars .
A spokeswoman for Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The inspector general ’ s office also declined to comment .

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Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee want the Justice Department’s internal watchdog to investigate “an apparent pattern of political interference” at the DOJ after four career prosecutors withdrew from the Roger Stone case because Attorney General William Barr overruled their sentencing recommendation.
In a letter to Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Thursday, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee pointed to the handling of the Stone case; Barr’s appointment of an outside prosecutor to look at the case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn; and a number of other cases as examples of potential political interference in the prosecutorial process.
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The letter points to President Donald Trump’s extensive record of pushing the Justice Department to take actions to protect allies like Stone and target his rivals, which they said “suggest political interference in the Justice Department’s work.”
“The public record provides a number of reasons to believe that President Trump or other White House officials are seeking to influence the Justice Department’s handling of certain investigations, civil lawsuits, and criminal prosecutions,” the senators, led by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), wrote. “Our concern is that politically motivated enforcement of federal law could become standard practice. This would permanently damage the integrity and independence of the Justice Department.”
A jury in November convicted Stone, a former Trump campaign adviser, on seven charges stemming from the Robert Mueller investigation. The prosecution team initially suggested Stone serve seven to nine years, but their recommendation was later overruled by Barr. A judge ultimately sentenced Stone to 40 months behind bars.
A spokeswoman for Barr declined to comment on the letter. The inspector general’s office also declined to comment.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--'Fire Up A Bowl, Numb Out!': Tucker Carlson Joins Right-Wing Reefer Madness

Tucker Carlson on Wednesday night attempted to dismiss Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ s ( I-Vt. ) vow to legalize marijuana if he is elected president .
And the Fox News host may have accidentally created a new meme of himself in the process .
During the Democratic debate in South Carolina this week , Sanders slammed the “ horrific ” war on drugs for sending too many people ― disproportionately minorities ― to prison for low-level offenses .
“ Ohhhhh , the war on drugs , ” Carlson said .
“ Bernie Sanders talks about that in every speech he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sad , underemployed middle-class obviously needs to smoke a ton more weed .
That ’ s Bernie ’ s solution to the malaise .
Fire up a bowl , numb out , maybe you won ’ t notice .
Naturally , the line was already clipped and shared : Carlson ’ s comments came a day after Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-Fla. ) claimed the Democratic platform involved “ reefer for everyone ” ― a mock campaign promise his critics seemed to relish .
The Fox News host also blasted Sanders for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sale of legal marijuana so the fledgling industry wasn ’ t dominated by big corporate interests .
But Carlson claimed Sanders just wants “ more black kids to sell drugs.
” See the full segment below :

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Tucker Carlson on Wednesday night attempted to dismiss Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) vow to legalize marijuana if he is elected president. And the Fox News host may have accidentally created a new meme of himself in the process.
During the Democratic debate in South Carolina this week, Sanders slammed the “horrific” war on drugs for sending too many people ― disproportionately minorities ― to prison for low-level offenses.
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“Ohhhhh, the war on drugs,” Carlson said. “Bernie Sanders talks about that in every speech he gives.”
Carlson added:
A declining country with a sad, underemployed middle-class obviously needs to smoke a ton more weed. That’s Bernie’s solution to the malaise. Fire up a bowl, numb out, maybe you won’t notice.
Naturally, the line was already clipped and shared:
Carlson’s comments came a day after Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) claimed the Democratic platform involved “reefer for everyone” ― a mock campaign promise his critics seemed to relish.
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The Fox News host also blasted Sanders for his plan to help minority-owned businesses break into the sale of legal marijuana so the fledgling industry wasn’t dominated by big corporate interests. But Carlson claimed Sanders just wants “more black kids to sell drugs.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-26--Trump Reinvents Pandemic Response Wheel After Scrapping Team Obama Left Him

“ Because of all I ’ ve done , the risk to the American people remains very low , ” he said in a Wednesday evening White House news conference about the coronavirus crisis he has spent weeks downplaying .
“ We ’ ve had tremendous success beyond what people would have thought.
” He also put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the government ’ s coronavirus response , while denying Pence would serve as “ czar ” – a title he had mocked when Obama had used in his response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with zero experience in the medical area and zero experience in infectious disease control .
A TOTAL JOKE !
” he wrote two weeks later .
( Wednesday , Trump defended his choice of Pence , who is also not a doctor or scientist , because he had been a governor . )
Rush Limbaugh , the right-wing radio host Trump honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this month , claimed in 2014 that Obama administration officials “ have this attitude , ‘ Well , if they have it in Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it , because they ’ re in Africa because of us and because of slavery.
’ ” Ronald Klain , a veteran of both the Bill Clinton and Obama White Houses , was that Ebola “ czar , ” tasked with coordinating the responses from the various executive branch agencies dealing with the outbreak .
Both Klain and Obama ultimately won praise for their handling of the crisis , and Obama later institutionalized the structure Klain had established , creating , for example , a senior position on the National Security Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who worked on the Ebola team at the United States Agency for International Development , said that the lack of a streamlined process had been a hindrance as they dealt with that outbreak .
“ It was very fragmented , and it became a handicap , ” he said .
A senior administration official , speaking on condition of anonymity , said that while the NSC position had been eliminated , its duties had been absorbed into other positions on the council .
“ Similar responsibilities still exist at the National Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the official said , adding that the council “ is staffed by officials with extensive experience and expertise including in virology , infectious disease epidemiology , global health security , public health , and emergency response.
” He said the Trump administration ’ s response to the current crisis has seemed fixated on the notion that the virus could be kept from ever making it to this country , rather than coming up with a plan to deal with it once it does .
At Wednesday ’ s press conference , Trump took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unusually calm advice that Americans should treat the virus like the seasonal flu by washing their hands and staying home if they felt ill .
He did , however , at times veer off into campaign mode , claiming he would beat any of his potential Democratic opponents , blaming some of the recent 2,000-point stock market decline on Tuesday ’ s Democratic debate , and insulting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) .
“ I think Speaker Pelosi is incompetent , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement that the president does not know what he is talking about on the coronavirus issue .
“ She ’ s trying to create a panic .
And there ’ s no reason to panic.
” Trump has , in recent days , claimed the new coronavirus is “ very much under control , ” that it “ will go away in April ” with the warmer weather , and that , in any event , his administration was doing “ a great job ” of handling it .
At times , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ’ effect on the stock market than on human beings .
“ Stock Market starting to look very good to me !
” he wrote on Twitter on Monday , while he was in India and as the market was halfway through a deep , two-day slide .
“ Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC ( Comcast ) & @ CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible , including panicking markets , if possible .
Likewise their incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” he wrote .

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WASHINGTON — Six years after ridiculing predecessor Barack Obama’s handling of a major health crisis and two years after dismantling the pandemic response team Obama left behind, President Donald Trump is now reinventing the infectious disease wheel.
“Because of all I’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low,” he said in a Wednesday evening White House news conference about the coronavirus crisis he has spent weeks downplaying. “We’ve had tremendous success beyond what people would have thought.”
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He also put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the government’s coronavirus response, while denying Pence would serve as “czar” – a title he had mocked when Obama had used in his response to the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
“Mike is not a czar. He’s vice president,” Trump said.
President Donald Trump, with members of the president's coronavirus task force, holds a paper about countries best prepared to deal with a pandemic during a news conference on Feb. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
In 2014, Trump relentlessly attacked Obama’s handling of the Ebola epidemic in Africa, savaging him in nearly 100 Twitter posts over a three-month period.
“The United States must immediately institute strong travel restrictions or Ebola will be all over the United States-a plague like no other!” Trump wrote on Sept. 30, 2014.
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“Obama just appointed an Ebola Czar with zero experience in the medical area and zero experience in infectious disease control. A TOTAL JOKE!” he wrote two weeks later. (Wednesday, Trump defended his choice of Pence, who is also not a doctor or scientist, because he had been a governor.)
Rush Limbaugh, the right-wing radio host Trump honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this month, claimed in 2014 that Obama administration officials “have this attitude, ‘Well, if they have it in Africa, by God, we deserve to get it, because they’re in Africa because of us and because of slavery.’”
Ronald Klain, a veteran of both the Bill Clinton and Obama White Houses, was that Ebola “czar,” tasked with coordinating the responses from the various executive branch agencies dealing with the outbreak. Both Klain and Obama ultimately won praise for their handling of the crisis, and Obama later institutionalized the structure Klain had established, creating, for example, a senior position on the National Security Council to respond to pandemics.
Jeremy Konyndyk, who worked on the Ebola team at the United States Agency for International Development, said that the lack of a streamlined process had been a hindrance as they dealt with that outbreak. “It was very fragmented, and it became a handicap,” he said.
Trump, however, eliminated the pandemic response team, including the top-level NSC member, just as he has reversed Obama policies throughout the government.
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A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the NSC position had been eliminated, its duties had been absorbed into other positions on the council. “Similar responsibilities still exist at the National Security Council but under different titles,” the official said, adding that the council “is staffed by officials with extensive experience and expertise including in virology, infectious disease epidemiology, global health security, public health, and emergency response.”
Konyndyk, though, said that elimination of the NSC position reporting directly to the national security adviser makes a rapid response on global health issues more difficult.
He said the Trump administration’s response to the current crisis has seemed fixated on the notion that the virus could be kept from ever making it to this country, rather than coming up with a plan to deal with it once it does.
“The ball has been dropped,” Konyndyk said. “They’ve lost a month where they could have been doing that.”
At Wednesday’s press conference, Trump took questions for some 45 minutes, giving unusually calm advice that Americans should treat the virus like the seasonal flu by washing their hands and staying home if they felt ill. He did, however, at times veer off into campaign mode, claiming he would beat any of his potential Democratic opponents, blaming some of the recent 2,000-point stock market decline on Tuesday’s Democratic debate, and insulting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
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“I think Speaker Pelosi is incompetent,” Trump said, responding to her earlier statement that the president does not know what he is talking about on the coronavirus issue. “She’s trying to create a panic. And there’s no reason to panic.”
The briefing was nevertheless a dramatic shift from how Trump and his White House had been characterizing the virus since it became a global health threat two months ago.
Trump has, in recent days, claimed the new coronavirus is “very much under control,” that it “will go away in April” with the warmer weather, and that, in any event, his administration was doing “a great job” of handling it.
At times, he has seemed far more concerned about the virus’ effect on the stock market than on human beings. “Stock Market starting to look very good to me!” he wrote on Twitter on Monday, while he was in India and as the market was halfway through a deep, two-day slide.
Wednesday morning, just returned from his India trip, Trump accused the news media of intentionally overhyping the danger of the virus in order to hurt the stock market and, therefore, his reelection chances.
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“Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC (Comcast) & @CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible. Likewise their incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk, no action. USA in great shape!” he wrote.
Trump’s nothing-to-worry-about message has been at odds with statements and congressional testimony from his own administration, including members of the coronavirus “task force” he named at the end of January and led by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
Azar told lawmakers on Tuesday that more U.S. coronavirus cases are likely, as had the Centers for Disease Control’s Nancy Messionnier.
“I don’t think it’s inevitable,” Trump said Wednesday night. “Whatever happens, we’re totally prepared.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--Idaho Moves Closer To Ban On Transgender Women In Athletics

BOISE , Idaho ( AP ) — Idaho moved closer Wednesday to banning transgender women from competing in women ’ s sports despite warnings that such a law is unconstitutional and uncertainties about how the NCAA might react .
A measure that overwhelmingly passed in the Republican-led state House of Representatives would apply to all sports teams sponsored by public schools , colleges and universities .
A girls ’ or women ’ s team would not be open to a student who was born male , even if they identify as female .
It now goes to the GOP-dominated Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spokeswoman said he had no comment on whether he would sign it into law .
A similar bill is advancing in the Arizona Legislature , and Idaho Republican Rep. Barbara Ehardt , the bill ’ s sponsor , said said other states were considering following suit .
Backers say the law is needed because athletes who are born male have physical advantages over females .
They say that allowing transgender women can limit female athletic , economic and self-growth opportunities provided through sports .
The legislation ’ s “ intent is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports , and to provide those opportunities that we have had for almost the last 50 years , ” Ehardt said .
Ehardt said her legislation would only apply to Idaho student-athletes , allowing transgender females from other states to compete in Idaho .
Opponents say it discriminates against transgender girls and women , and will subject female athletes to invasive tests so they can participate in sports .
Democratic Rep. Muffy Davis , a seven-time medalist in Paralympic Games , said it could limit female participation because of the tests .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting women ’ s sports that I am , ” she said .
“ This restrictive bill is not the answer to protecting women ’ s sports.
” The NCAA , which governs major college athletics , in 2016 disqualified North Carolina from hosting championship events after lawmakers there passed a “ bathroom bill ” considered anti-transgender .
Lawmakers later repealed the law , and the NCAA lifted its ban .
The NCAA has a policy allowing transgender athletes to compete .
It was not clear what action the NCAA might take in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law .
Boise State University ’ s football team , known for its blue-turf field , is frequently ranked in the top 25 in the nation .
Some lawmakers appeared unconcerned with ramifications of a new law .
“ We are the Legislature of the state of Idaho , and we have every right to make an effort to define policy , ” said Republican Rep. Gary Marshall .
“ I don ’ t think that this body should be intimidated or threatened by things that are not necessarily clear or true .
@

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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho moved closer Wednesday to banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports despite warnings that such a law is unconstitutional and uncertainties about how the NCAA might react.
A measure that overwhelmingly passed in the Republican-led state House of Representatives would apply to all sports teams sponsored by public schools, colleges and universities. A girls’ or women’s team would not be open to a student who was born male, even if they identify as female.
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It now goes to the GOP-dominated Senate. Republican Gov. Brad Little’s spokeswoman said he had no comment on whether he would sign it into law.
A similar bill is advancing in the Arizona Legislature, and Idaho Republican Rep. Barbara Ehardt, the bill’s sponsor, said said other states were considering following suit.
Backers say the law is needed because athletes who are born male have physical advantages over females. They say that allowing transgender women can limit female athletic, economic and self-growth opportunities provided through sports.
The legislation’s “intent is to continue to protect girls and women in sports, and to provide those opportunities that we have had for almost the last 50 years,” Ehardt said.
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Ehardt said her legislation would only apply to Idaho student-athletes, allowing transgender females from other states to compete in Idaho.
Opponents say it discriminates against transgender girls and women, and will subject female athletes to invasive tests so they can participate in sports.
Democratic Rep. Muffy Davis, a seven-time medalist in Paralympic Games, said it could limit female participation because of the tests. “There is no one more passionate about protecting women’s sports that I am,” she said. “This restrictive bill is not the answer to protecting women’s sports.”
The NCAA, which governs major college athletics, in 2016 disqualified North Carolina from hosting championship events after lawmakers there passed a “bathroom bill” considered anti-transgender. Lawmakers later repealed the law, and the NCAA lifted its ban. The NCAA has a policy allowing transgender athletes to compete.
It was not clear what action the NCAA might take in response if the legislation is signed into law. Boise State University’s football team, known for its blue-turf field, is frequently ranked in the top 25 in the nation. Some lawmakers appeared unconcerned with ramifications of a new law.
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“We are the Legislature of the state of Idaho, and we have every right to make an effort to define policy,” said Republican Rep. Gary Marshall. “I don’t think that this body should be intimidated or threatened by things that are not necessarily clear or true.”
The Idaho attorney general’s office said the legislation could be unconstitutional and difficult to defend.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-27--California Patient Contracted Coronavirus From No Known Origin, CDC Says

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first case of coronavirus in a person with no international travel history or known contact with an infected person in what officials have warned could be a significant sign that the virus may soon spread more broadly in America .
The agency said Wednesday that a person in Northern California tested positive for the coronavirus , but the CDC was unsure how it was contracted .
Such infections are known as “ community spread , ” which means , in public health terms , that people become infected without knowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ At this time , the patient ’ s exposure is unknown , ” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday .
“ It ’ s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19 , which would be the first time this has happened in the United States .
… It ’ s also possible , however , that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.
” The agency noted the case was discovered after the patient went to the doctor , praising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working in the public health system .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s ( D ) office said the person was being treated in Sacramento County .
The number of cases in the U.S. now stands at 60 , including 45 Americans repatriated from China and from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan .
There are more than 81,000 global cases of the virus in 38 countries , and nearly 3,000 people have died .
The report came moments after President Donald Trump held a press conference on the novel coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk to the American public remained “ low.
” The assertion came despite CDC officials saying a day earlier that it was only a matter of time before the virus began to spread domestically .
“ Ultimately , we expect we will see community spread in this country , ” Dr. Nancy Messonnier , a director of the CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said Tuesday .
“ It ’ s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore , but rather more a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how many people in this country will have severe illness.
” Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday to lead the country ’ s response to the virus , praising his own administration ’ s actions so far to help contain its spread .
But health officials have been far more cautious and said despite claims by the president and others that a vaccine was around the corner , it would be at least a year before the public could rely on such developments .
“ The trajectory of what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and months ahead is very uncertain , ” Dr. Anne Schuchat , principal deputy director of the CDC , said Wednesday .
“ We do expect to have more cases , and now is a good time to prepare.
” San Francisco declared a local emergency on Tuesday , saying that by doing so it could boost preparedness and raise the public ’ s awareness about the disease despite there being no cases in the city .
“ Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents , the global picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to step up preparedness , ” Mayor London Breed said in a statement .

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first case of coronavirus in a person with no international travel history or known contact with an infected person in what officials have warned could be a significant sign that the virus may soon spread more broadly in America.
The agency said Wednesday that a person in Northern California tested positive for the coronavirus, but the CDC was unsure how it was contracted. Such infections are known as “community spread,” which means, in public health terms, that people become infected without knowing how or where they caught a virus.
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“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown,” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States. … It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”
The agency noted the case was discovered after the patient went to the doctor, praising what it called “astute clinicians” working in the public health system. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) office said the person was being treated in Sacramento County.
The number of cases in the U.S. now stands at 60, including 45 Americans repatriated from China and from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan. There are more than 81,000 global cases of the virus in 38 countries, and nearly 3,000 people have died.
The report came moments after President Donald Trump held a press conference on the novel coronavirus, called COVID-19, in which he said the risk to the American public remained “low.” The assertion came despite CDC officials saying a day earlier that it was only a matter of time before the virus began to spread domestically.
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“Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said Tuesday. “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness.”
Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday to lead the country’s response to the virus, praising his own administration’s actions so far to help contain its spread. But health officials have been far more cautious and said despite claims by the president and others that a vaccine was around the corner, it would be at least a year before the public could rely on such developments.
“The trajectory of what we’re looking at over the weeks and months ahead is very uncertain,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, said Wednesday. “We do expect to have more cases, and now is a good time to prepare.”
San Francisco declared a local emergency on Tuesday, saying that by doing so it could boost preparedness and raise the public’s awareness about the disease despite there being no cases in the city.
“Although there are still zero confirmed cases in San Francisco residents, the global picture is changing rapidly, and we need to step up preparedness,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-26--Trump Suggests More Lawsuits Against Media For Expressing 'Wrong' Opinions

President Donald Trump doubled down on his campaign ’ s decision to sue The New York Times for libel over an opinion piece Wednesday , claiming that the writer ’ s opinion was “ totally wrong ” and that there will be more lawsuits coming .
At a news briefing Wednesday night , Brian Karem , Playboy magazine ’ s White House correspondent and a CNN analyst , brought up the libel suit against the Times over a 2019 opinion article by Max Frankel , former executive editor of the Times .
Karem asked the president : “ Is it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if people have an opinion contrary to yours that they should be sued ?
” “ Well , when they get the opinion totally wrong , as The New York Times did , and , frankly , they ’ ve got a lot wrong over the last number of years , ” Trump said .
“ So we ’ ll see how that , let that work its way through the courts.
” “ If you read it , you ’ ll see .
It ’ s beyond an opinion .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s much more than an opinion , ” the president said .
“ They did a bad thing , and there will be more coming.
” My question : You sued the NY Times over an opinion piece .
Are you saying if you have a contrary opinion you can sue them ?
@ realDonaldTrump says more suits could be coming .
pic.twitter.com/zyF9ElzvuF — Brian J. Karem ( @ BrianKarem ) February 27 , 2020 The lawsuit , filed Wednesday , alleges that a 2019 opinion piece intentionally defames the president by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” between Trump ’ s 2016 election campaign and Russia .
The Times said Wednesday that it would fight the suit .
A spokesperson for the Times , Eileen Murphy , said in a statement that the Trump campaign had “ turned to the courts to try to punish an opinion writer for having an opinion they find unacceptable.
” Legal experts have been critical of the lawsuit ’ s viability .
Ted Boutrous , an attorney with a history of representing media organizations in legal disputes with the White House , tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on disclosed facts about issues of great public concern relating to the President.
” Yet another egregious example of Trump abusing the judicial process to chill freedom of speech and of the press .
This column is opinion based on disclosed facts about issues of great public concern relating to the President .
The First Amendment unequivocally bars this lawsuit .
https : //t.co/IzQr4jlwTk — Ted Boutrous ( @ BoutrousTed ) February 26 , 2020 And in response to a question from @ BrianKarem about his bogus Times lawsuit during the press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump threatens that more bogus libel suits to come .
— Ted Boutrous ( @ BoutrousTed ) February 27 , 2020

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President Donald Trump doubled down on his campaign’s decision to sue The New York Times for libel over an opinion piece Wednesday, claiming that the writer’s opinion was “totally wrong” and that there will be more lawsuits coming.
At a news briefing Wednesday night, Brian Karem, Playboy magazine’s White House correspondent and a CNN analyst, brought up the libel suit against the Times over a 2019 opinion article by Max Frankel, former executive editor of the Times. Karem asked the president: “Is it your opinion or is it your contention that if people have an opinion contrary to yours that they should be sued?”
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“Well, when they get the opinion totally wrong, as The New York Times did, and, frankly, they’ve got a lot wrong over the last number of years,” Trump said. “So we’ll see how that, let that work its way through the courts.”
“If you read it, you’ll see. It’s beyond an opinion. That’s not an opinion. That’s much more than an opinion,” the president said. “They did a bad thing, and there will be more coming.”
Trump threatens more lawsuits against media outlets that express opinions he doesn’t like pic.twitter.com/7aq53B1CzH — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 27, 2020
My question: You sued the NY Times over an opinion piece. Are you saying if you have a contrary opinion you can sue them? @realDonaldTrump says more suits could be coming. pic.twitter.com/zyF9ElzvuF — Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) February 27, 2020
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The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges that a 2019 opinion piece intentionally defames the president by falsely asserting a “quid pro quo” between Trump’s 2016 election campaign and Russia.
The Times said Wednesday that it would fight the suit. A spokesperson for the Times, Eileen Murphy, said in a statement that the Trump campaign had “turned to the courts to try to punish an opinion writer for having an opinion they find unacceptable.”
Legal experts have been critical of the lawsuit’s viability. Ted Boutrous, an attorney with a history of representing media organizations in legal disputes with the White House, tweeted that the column was “opinion based on disclosed facts about issues of great public concern relating to the President.”
“The First Amendment unequivocally bars this lawsuit,” Boutrous said.
Yet another egregious example of Trump abusing the judicial process to chill freedom of speech and of the press. This column is opinion based on disclosed facts about issues of great public concern relating to the President. The First Amendment unequivocally bars this lawsuit. https://t.co/IzQr4jlwTk — Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) February 26, 2020
And in response to a question from @BrianKarem about his bogus Times lawsuit during the press conference in the White House briefing room, Trump threatens that more bogus libel suits to come. — Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) February 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-26--Trump Taps Pence To Lead Coronavirus Response As CDC Warns Of Looming Spread

President Donald Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence to lead the country ’ s response to the coronavirus and told Americans that the risk of infection remained low , despite warnings from public health officials that it is only a matter of time before the disease spreads in the United States .
“ The number one priority from our standpoint is the health and safety of the American people , ” Trump said during a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday .
“ Because of all we ’ ve done , the risk to the American people remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very , very ready for this , for anything , whether it ’ s going to be a breakout of larger proportions or whether it ’ s not , ” he continued .
The briefing came as the coronavirus , also known as COVID-19 , continues to spread around the globe .
The number of worldwide cases has topped 81,000 , and nearly 3,000 people have died .
The number of new cases outside China , where the virus originated , surpassed the number inside the country for the first time on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have reported infections .
Trump said Wednesday that a vaccine was being developed “ rapidly , ” but health officials cautioned that it will likely not be available for at least year .
“ This is the fastest that we have ever gone , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said during the briefing .
“ We can ’ t rely on a vaccine over the next several months to a year.
” Members of the Trump administration have been claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , despite warnings from public health officials that it is only a matter of time before it begins to spread domestically .
“ Ultimately , we expect we will see community spread in this country , ” Dr. Nancy Messonnier , a director with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , told reporters on Tuesday .
“ It ’ s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore , but rather more a question of exactly when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this country will have severe illness.
” Just after the press conference began , the CDC said it had been informed of the first case of coronavirus in a person in California who didn ’ t recently return from international travel or have contact with a confirmed case , The Washington Post reported .
Pence , who does not have medical experience but helped handle Indiana ’ s response to the first MERS case in the U.S. and coordinated health officials ’ response when he was the state ’ s governor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all members of the White House ’ s coronavirus task force to help contain its spread in the country .
He praised Trump ’ s efforts to combat any domestic spread so far .
The vice president has also been criticized for his handling of health crises in the past .
As governor in 2014 , he was in charge during Indiana ’ s worst HIV outbreak in state history and refused to implement clean needle exchanges until the virus had already spread widely in one Indiana county .
Democrats have lambasted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , pointing to White House efforts to slash the budgets for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health .
The president ’ s budget proposal earlier this year — which came before the coronavirus response kicked into high gear — included $ 3 billion in cuts to global health programs , including a 53 % reduction in funding for the WHO .
Trump accused the media of doing “ everything possible ” to make the virus look as “ bad as possible ” in a tweet on Wednesday , saying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” When asked during the press briefing about reports that the spread of the coronavirus in America were inevitable , Trump pushed back and said there was a “ chance ” things could grow more dire .

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President Donald Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence to lead the country’s response to the coronavirus and told Americans that the risk of infection remained low, despite warnings from public health officials that it is only a matter of time before the disease spreads in the United States.
“The number one priority from our standpoint is the health and safety of the American people,” Trump said during a press briefing at the White House on Wednesday. “Because of all we’ve done, the risk to the American people remains very low.”
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“We’re very, very ready for this, for anything, whether it’s going to be a breakout of larger proportions or whether it’s not,” he continued.
The briefing came as the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, continues to spread around the globe. The number of worldwide cases has topped 81,000, and nearly 3,000 people have died. The number of new cases outside China, where the virus originated, surpassed the number inside the country for the first time on Tuesday. The World Health Organization said 38 countries have reported infections.
Trump said Wednesday that a vaccine was being developed “rapidly,” but health officials cautioned that it will likely not be available for at least year.
“This is the fastest that we have ever gone,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during the briefing. “We can’t rely on a vaccine over the next several months to a year.”
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Members of the Trump administration have been claiming the coronavirus is “contained” in the United States, despite warnings from public health officials that it is only a matter of time before it begins to spread domestically.
“Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a director with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness.”
Community spread, in public health terms, means people become infected with a virus without knowing how or where they caught it.
Just after the press conference began, the CDC said it had been informed of the first case of coronavirus in a person in California who didn’t recently return from international travel or have contact with a confirmed case, The Washington Post reported.
Pence, who does not have medical experience but helped handle Indiana’s response to the first MERS case in the U.S. and coordinated health officials’ response when he was the state’s governor in 2014, said he would work with all members of the White House’s coronavirus task force to help contain its spread in the country. He praised Trump’s efforts to combat any domestic spread so far.
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“President Trump’s made clear that there’s no higher priority than the safety, security health and well being of the American people,” Pence said.
The vice president has also been criticized for his handling of health crises in the past. As governor in 2014, he was in charge during Indiana’s worst HIV outbreak in state history and refused to implement clean needle exchanges until the virus had already spread widely in one Indiana county.
Democrats have lambasted the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus, pointing to White House efforts to slash the budgets for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. The president’s budget proposal earlier this year — which came before the coronavirus response kicked into high gear — included $3 billion in cuts to global health programs, including a 53% reduction in funding for the WHO.
Trump accused the media of doing “everything possible” to make the virus look as “bad as possible” in a tweet on Wednesday, saying the country was in “great shape!”
When asked during the press briefing about reports that the spread of the coronavirus in America were inevitable, Trump pushed back and said there was a “chance” things could grow more dire.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--Mick Mulvaney Claims The Media Is Covering Coronavirus Only To 'Bring Down' Trump

“ The reason you ’ re seeing so much attention to it today is that they think this is going to be what brings down the president .
That ’ s what this is all about , ” Mulvaney said Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference , an annual gathering of right-wing activists that has become a rallying point for Trump ’ s base .
“ I got a note today from a reporter saying , ‘ What are you going to do today to calm the markets ?
’ I ’ m like , really ?
What I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tell people to turn their televisions off for 24 hours.
” Major media outlets have been covering the new coronavirus , known as COVID-19 , since January , when a widespread outbreak began in Wuhan , China , before spreading globally .
Mulvaney , defending the Trump administration ’ s response to the outbreak , falsely claimed the media did not cover the White House ’ s “ extraordinary steps four or five weeks ago ” to declare a public health emergency , restrict travel to and from China , and quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why didn ’ t you hear about it ?
What was still going on four or five weeks ago ?
Impeachment , and that ’ s all the press wanted to talk about , ” he said , claiming “ the press was covering their hoax of the day because they thought it would bring down the president.
” This week , as financial markets have nosedived , Trump has tried to downplay the seriousness of the public health risks , directly contradicting experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brags when financial markets go up , has been bashing Democrats and what he calls the “ fake news ” media as coronavirus fears drive investors into near-panic .
On Friday , Mulvaney sought to downplay the risks and emphasize the seriousness of the outbreak at the same time .
“ This is not Ebola , OK ?
It ’ s not SARS .
It ’ s not MERS , ” he said , referring to other major outbreaks in recent years .
“ Is that serious ?
” he continued , referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s absolutely is , there ’ s no question about it .
But it ’ s not a death sentence .
It ’ s not the same as the Ebola crisis.
” But he raised the possibility that the outbreak would shut schools and mass transit , and then tried to reassure Americans that Trump ’ s administration has everything under control .
“ Are you gon na see some schools shut down ?
Probably .
May you see impacts on public transportation ?
Sure , ” he said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and his administration ’ s well-documented history of lying , misleading and rejecting scientific expertise have not inspired confidence .
The White House has attempted to slash budgets for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health , and has proposed massive cuts to global health programs .

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Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney claimed the media is covering the coronavirus outbreak only because it’s “all about” damaging President Donald Trump.
“The reason you’re seeing so much attention to it today is that they think this is going to be what brings down the president. That’s what this is all about,” Mulvaney said Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of right-wing activists that has become a rallying point for Trump’s base. “I got a note today from a reporter saying, ‘What are you going to do today to calm the markets?’ I’m like, really? What I might do today to calm the markets is tell people to turn their televisions off for 24 hours.”
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Major media outlets have been covering the new coronavirus, known as COVID-19, since January, when a widespread outbreak began in Wuhan, China, before spreading globally.
Mulvaney, defending the Trump administration’s response to the outbreak, falsely claimed the media did not cover the White House’s “extraordinary steps four or five weeks ago” to declare a public health emergency, restrict travel to and from China, and quarantine people who recently returned from there.
“Why didn’t you hear about it? What was still going on four or five weeks ago? Impeachment, and that’s all the press wanted to talk about,” he said, claiming “the press was covering their hoax of the day because they thought it would bring down the president.”
This week, as financial markets have nosedived, Trump has tried to downplay the seriousness of the public health risks, directly contradicting experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The president, who often personally brags when financial markets go up, has been bashing Democrats and what he calls the “fake news” media as coronavirus fears drive investors into near-panic.
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On Friday, Mulvaney sought to downplay the risks and emphasize the seriousness of the outbreak at the same time.
“This is not Ebola, OK? It’s not SARS. It’s not MERS,” he said, referring to other major outbreaks in recent years.
“Is that serious?” he continued, referring to deaths from coronavirus. “It’s absolutely is, there’s no question about it. But it’s not a death sentence. It’s not the same as the Ebola crisis.”
But he raised the possibility that the outbreak would shut schools and mass transit, and then tried to reassure Americans that Trump’s administration has everything under control.
“Are you gonna see some schools shut down? Probably. May you see impacts on public transportation? Sure,” he said. “But we know how to handle this.”
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Trump and his administration’s well-documented history of lying, misleading and rejecting scientific expertise have not inspired confidence. The White House has attempted to slash budgets for the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, and has proposed massive cuts to global health programs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--Devastating Court Ruling Allows White House To Block Testimony From Former Counsel Don McGahn

The majority opinion is clear to state that its decision only applies to certain interbranch disputes and not subpoenas issued @ @ @ @ @ or entities .
” [ W ] e may adjudicate cases concerning congressional subpoenas if @ @ @ @ @ private parties , as in Mazars , ” the opinion reads , noting a key @ @ @ @ @ Court where a congressional committee has subpoenaed Trump ’ s personal financial records from his @ @ @ @ @ also does not overrule any future attempt by Congress to pass a law enabling it @ @ @ @ @ executive branch to the federal judiciary .
The court acknowledged there are several past instances @ @ @ @ @ settle disputes between Congress and the White House , including a favorable decision House Republicans @ @ @ @ @ Furious case against former Attorney General Eric Holder .
But the court said “ the @ @ @ @ @ is dubious .
”

The majority opinion is clear to state that its decision only applies to certain interbranch disputes and not subpoenas issued by Congress to private individuals or entities. ”[W]e may adjudicate cases concerning congressional subpoenas if they implicate the rights of private parties, as in Mazars,” the opinion reads, noting a key case currently before the Supreme Court where a congressional committee has subpoenaed Trump’s personal financial records from his accounting firm. The opinion also does not overrule any future attempt by Congress to pass a law enabling it to bring disputes with the executive branch to the federal judiciary.
The court acknowledged there are several past instances of Congress using courts to settle disputes between Congress and the White House, including a favorable decision House Republicans got in the Fast and Furious case against former Attorney General Eric Holder. But the court said “the legal basis for that practice is dubious.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--Hilton Hotel To Host Neo-Confederate Group Conference On Last Day Of Black History Month

Mark Makela via Getty Images Activists holding Confederate flags gather at the Gettysburg National Military Park on July 1 , 2017 , in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania .
The U.S. park service issued protest permits for three groups , including Sons of Confederate Veterans , on the 154th anniversary of the battle .
“ Although our hotels are places that welcome all , we do not adopt or endorse the views of the individuals or groups that we serve , ” a spokesperson for the hotel ’ s franchisor , Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. , told HuffPost in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all its forms.
” After protesters on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus tore down the Confederate statue known as “ Silent Sam ” in 2018 , the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a lawsuit seeking to take possession of it .
This past November , the group came to an agreement with the UNC Board of Governors : Sons of Confederate Veterans would not only get the statue , but would also receive $ 2.4 million in taxpayer money to maintain and preserve it .
“ The fact that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms and have a field conference and no one blinks an eye about it — like , I think we have to question why that is , ” said Jackson , who lives in Raleigh .
Although the Southern Poverty Law Center does not list the Sons of Confederate Veterans as a hate group , the SPLC does describe it as having “ strong neo-Confederate principles ” that it uses to valorize the “ darker parts of our history.
” Why aren ’ t we having the conversation of what it means to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Amanda Jackson , media culture and economic justice director at Color of Change “ It is not lost on me that the Sons of Confederate Veterans had to have their conference during Black History Month , ” Jackson said .
“ And I think that that is the underlying notion that needs to be confronted around why this is so wrong .
”

Activists holding Confederate flags gather at the Gettysburg National Military Park on July 1, 2017, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The U.S. park service issued protest permits for three groups, including Sons of Confederate Veterans, on the 154th anniversary of the battle. Mark Makela via Getty Images
Despite concerns from racial justice activists, a North Carolina branch of the Hilton Hotel chain will host a gathering for a group devoted to valorizing the Confederacy — which fought the Civil War explicitly to keep Black Americans enslaved — on the last day of Black History Month.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans will hold its annual Stephen D. Lee Conference — named after a Confederate general — on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, Raleigh-Durham Airport/Brier Creek.
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Late last month, Brandi Collins-Dexter, senior campaign director for the nation’s largest racial justice digital organization, Color of Change, wrote a letter to the hotel asking that it “not enable hate by rejecting [the Sons of Confederate Veterans’] presence at your hotel.”
“They, much like neo-Nazis, recognize Confederate iconography as a shorthand expression of white supremacy and the deadly ways it intersects with this country’s toxic legacies of racism,” Collins-Dexter wrote in the letter, a copy of which was shared with HuffPost.
“Allowing this hate-filled organization space at your hotel validates its existence and intentions,” Collins-Dexter continued. “Furthermore, with known connections to the KKK, having this convening at Brier Creek Embassy Suites jeopardizes the safety and comfort of other hotel guests.”
Color of Change said the hotel never responded to the letter. The hotel also did not respond to multiple requests for comment from HuffPost.
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“Although our hotels are places that welcome all, we do not adopt or endorse the views of the individuals or groups that we serve,” a spokesperson for the hotel’s franchisor, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., told HuffPost in a statement. “We reject discrimination and white supremacy in all its forms.”
“As Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh Durham Airport Brier Creek is an independently owned and operated hotel,” the statement continued, “we are reaching out to understand ownership’s position on this matter.”
The Sons of Confederate Veterans convening in Raleigh comes amid both a yearslong surge in white nationalist activity across the country and bitter fights over public Confederate monuments across the South.
After protesters on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus tore down the Confederate statue known as “Silent Sam” in 2018, the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a lawsuit seeking to take possession of it. This past November, the group came to an agreement with the UNC Board of Governors: Sons of Confederate Veterans would not only get the statue, but would also receive $2.4 million in taxpayer money to maintain and preserve it.
After outcry from students and local activists, however, a judge earlier this month scrapped that settlement and dismissed the lawsuit altogether.
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Police and protesters surround the toppled statue of a Confederate soldier known as Silent Sam on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus after a local demonstration for its removal on Aug. 20, 2018. Jonathan Drake / Reuters
Amanda Jackson, the media culture and economic justice director at Color of Change, told HuffPost that this weekend’s conference is yet another example of America’s relationship with white supremacy.
“The fact that a hate group can book a block of rooms and have a field conference and no one blinks an eye about it — like, I think we have to question why that is,” said Jackson, who lives in Raleigh.
The hotel, she added, is normalizing an “entity that is very much hell-bent on eroding the presence of Black people.”
The Sons of Confederate Veterans has long argued that it is neither a hate group nor a white supremacist organization, claiming that it simply aims to honor its members’ heritage and ancestry.
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Although the Southern Poverty Law Center does not list the Sons of Confederate Veterans as a hate group, the SPLC does describe it as having “strong neo-Confederate principles” that it uses to valorize the “darker parts of our history.”
The SPLC also contends that “their effort to gloss over the legacy of slavery in the South ... strengthens the appeal of Lost Cause mythology,” which in turn encourages the ongoing existence of violent hate groups.
Sons of Confederate Veterans has a long and well-established history of associating directly with white supremacist organizations. At a gathering in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 2017, Sons of Confederate Veterans members rallied alongside members of the Ku Klux Klan.
One of the featured speakers at this weekend’s conference will be Marshall DeRosa, a professor with ties to the League of the South, another white supremacist organization.
“Why aren’t we having the conversation of what it means to be on the side of the Confederacy?” - Amanda Jackson, media culture and economic justice director at Color of Change
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“It is not lost on me that the Sons of Confederate Veterans had to have their conference during Black History Month,” Jackson said. “And I think that that is the underlying notion that needs to be confronted around why this is so wrong.”
“Why aren’t we having the conversation of what it means to be on the side of the Confederacy?” she added, arguing that the Southern Army was a white supremacist organization itself.
To normalize Confederate groups and Confederate iconography, she said, is an “attempt to render Black people invisible.”
Jackson said she will be among protesters outside the hotel in Raleigh on Saturday. That protest is being organized in part by a group called Smash Raleigh Racism.
“The Sons of Confederate Veterans are a white supremacist organization with ties to the KKK, League of the South, and other violent, fascist groups,” Smash Raleigh Racism said Tuesday in a statement posted on its Facebook page. “The state of North Carolina refuses to remove the racist confederate monuments from the state capitol building, making racist groups like the SCV feel welcome in North Carolina.”
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“Our community, which opposes racism and bigotry, wishes to make sure they know that their hate is not welcome in our state,” the group said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--America's Broken Social Safety Net Can't Withstand The Coronavirus

The United States is one of the few countries in the world without a nationwide paid sick leave policy .
In addition , millions of Americans don ’ t have health insurance , or have insurance policies designed to keep them away from the doctor ’ s office , with high copayments and deductibles .
Combined , both issues highlight how the coronavirus , or COVID-19 , outbreak could test the United States ’ uniquely weak social safety net .
This isn ’ t a “ coronavirus ” problem .
It ’ s important to note that although the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week about the possibility of an outbreak of this disease , so far there have been very few reported cases inside the U.S .
However , fears over an outbreak have put the spotlight on the public health system — for some Democrats , coronavirus basically makes the case for long sought-after policies like universal health care and paid sick and family leave .
Flu rates are higher without sick leave .
What about coronavirus ?
Aside from not wanting to miss out on pay , workers who call in sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tasked with finding someone else to take their shift , he said .
“ If you take any time for yourself .
If you ’ re late , going to the doctor , you are hurting someone else you are relying on and counting on.
” Ericka Farrell , a mother of three in Maryland , lost her temp job in the early 2000s because she had to take so much time off to care for her young son who had just started daycare and cycled through chicken pox , ringworm and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got it , ” she said .
are uninsured .
Many more have terrible insurance .

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One of the best things you can do to fend off the coronavirus is to stay home when you’re sick.
Problem is, millions of working Americans don’t get paid sick days. A stunning 70% of low-wage workers and one of three workers in the private sector have no access to paid sick time. All told, more than 30 million Americans don’t get paid sick days. Many work in industries where they have regular contact with the public.
The United States is one of the few countries in the world without a nationwide paid sick leave policy. In addition, millions of Americans don’t have health insurance, or have insurance policies designed to keep them away from the doctor’s office, with high copayments and deductibles. Combined, both issues highlight how the coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak could test the United States’ uniquely weak social safety net.
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“Right now we’re looking at a situation where we have a lack of policies that most other countries take for granted that protect their public health,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of MomsRising, a nonprofit that advocates for paid leave.
This isn’t a “coronavirus” problem. It’s important to note that although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Americans earlier this week about the possibility of an outbreak of this disease, so far there have been very few reported cases inside the U.S. However, fears over an outbreak have put the spotlight on the public health system — for some Democrats, coronavirus basically makes the case for long sought-after policies like universal health care and paid sick and family leave.
“We have long had a slow, silent national emergency when it comes to any virus, flu or coronavirus,” Rowe-Finkbeiner said. “It’s irresponsible not to have everyone have access to paid sick days this year or any year.”
Workers wearing protective gears spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. Japan's schools prepared to close for almost a month and entertainers, topped by K-pop superstars BTS, canceled events as a virus epidemic extended its spread through Asia into Europe and on Friday, into sub-Saharan Africa. Ahn Young-joon/AP
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Flu rates are higher without sick leave. What about coronavirus?
In the U.S., just 10 states, 20 cities and three counties have some kind of paid sick leave policy, compared to the rest of the world, where more than 145 countries offer this basic benefit. Research shows that people who live in those places are less likely to get sick.
Lack of paid sick leave is certainly a “risk factor” in terms of the spread of coronavirus, said Nicolas Ziebarth, an associate professor in health economics at Cornell University.
For a paper he published in 2019 in the Journal of Public Economics, Ziebarth looked at Google data on flu rates, and compared cities that have a paid sick leave policy to those that don’t. He found that flu rates are 5% lower in places with paid sick leave.
Now he thinks that number might even be low. For an upcoming paper, Ziebarth used more precise CDC data and has found that rates are actually 11% lower in states with paid sick leave.
It’s hard to overstate what it means to not have access to paid sick leave when you’re already just barely getting by. Sick people who can’t afford to lose a day’s work end up going to work. Workers medicate with over-the-counter drugs. They get their co-workers sick.
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“It’s not even a ‘choice,’” said Andrew Gnome, who worked in a fast-casual pizza restaurant for nine years, missing only two days of work. “It doesn’t even enter your mind you have a choice.”
Aside from not wanting to miss out on pay, workers who call in sick to these kinds of jobs are typically tasked with finding someone else to take their shift, he said. “If you take any time for yourself. If you’re late, going to the doctor, you are hurting someone else you are relying on and counting on.”
And few workers are going to the doctor.
“Nobody in the restaurant industry goes to the doctor when they’re sick,” Gnome, who now works at a job with benefits in Colorado, posted on Twitter Thursday. “I have watched people PRIDE themselves on working through illness and injury.”
A large monitor displaying a map of Asia and a tally of total coronavirus cases, deaths, and recovered, is visible behind Vice President Mike Pence, center, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, left, as they tour the Secretary's Operations Center following a coronavirus task force meeting at the Department of Health and Human Services Feb. 27 in Washington. Andrew Harnik/AP
Working from home isn’t an option.
With the coronavirus threat bearing down, many companies are telling employees to work from home. But for low-wage hourly workers, this just isn’t an option. Many work in industries with a lot of contact with the community ― people who serve food, care for children or clean offices and homes.
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Ziebarth said he’s hopeful that employers will recognize the risks of having workers come in sick and actually encourage workers to stay home. “That would just be reasonable,” he said.
It’s not just sick leave. The U.S. lacks any kind of comprehensive paid family leave policy, which would enable workers to take time off to care for a close family member’s health issues.
Ericka Farrell, a mother of three in Maryland, lost her temp job in the early 2000s because she had to take so much time off to care for her young son who had just started daycare and cycled through chicken pox, ringworm and more. “You name it, he got it,” she said.
She doesn’t regret staying home. “I had to take care of him to prevent more kids from getting sick,” Farrell, who is part of MomsRising, now advocates for paid leave herself.
Millions are uninsured. Many more have terrible insurance.
Even if you can take time off when you’re sick, you might not be able to afford a trip to the doctor.
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Slightly more than 10% of Americans, or about 30 million people, don’t have health insurance ― typically because either their employer doesn’t offer any, or if they do, it’s too expensive.
Uninsured Americans are far less likely to go to the doctor. Since many cases of coronavirus are fairly mild, it’s not hard to see how an infected person could self-medicate through an illness while infecting others.
Even Americans with insurance face obstacles to getting care, because it’s still so costly thanks to high copayments.
One woman on Twitter told HuffPost she pays $160 every time she sees her primary care physician.
And then there are the deductibles, i.e., the amount of money you have to spend out-of-pocket before your insurer starts footing the bill. This can mean thousands of dollars. Deductibles have been going up for decades.
And since it’s the beginning of the year, most people haven’t come near clearing those deductibles.
“If we as a society are going to face a spreading infectious disease, the worst time of the year is the beginning of the year,” said John Graves, an associate professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
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President Donald Trump, with members of the president's coronavirus task force, speaks during a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Washington. Evan Vucci/AP
Graves said the U.S. health care system is simply not designed to deal with a potential pandemic. First of all, the U.S. relies on employment-based insurance system. If an outbreak leads to an economic downturn and people are thrown out of work, they’re also going to lose health care coverage.
Second, health insurance is specifically designed to encourage people not to see the doctor through so-called “cost-sharing.” The reason copyaments and deductibles exist is to discourage people from visiting the doctor or going to the hospital for every “cough and sniffle,” Graves said.
But in the case of coronavirus, every cough and sniffle matters, he said.
Compounding the issue: In 2018, the Trump administration made it easier for people to buy insurance plans with less generous coverage. These plans also don’t always cover expenses stemming from preexisting conditions.
The idea was to provide a cheaper alternative for people buying plans on their own and frustrated with the cost of plans available through the Affordable Care Act. But these new plans, which many experts consider junk policies, can have even higher out-of-pocket costs.
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Something like that appears to have happened recently to Osmel Martinez Azcue, whose story appeared in the Miami Herald.
Last month, Azcue returned home to Miami after a work trip to China. He felt like he was getting the flu. Aware of the threat that could pose, he went to a local hospital to be tested.
Turns out he just had the flu. For simply getting the flu test, he got a hospital bill for $3,270. The hospital told the Herald more bills could be on the way.
Azcue apparently had health insurance through one of the new limited Trump plans.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--Mike Bloomberg Says He'll Keep Running 'Right To The Bitter End'

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg said Thursday he will “ absolutely ” stay in the 2020 race “ right to the bitter end , as long as I have a chance.
” “ Why would I spend all this money and all this time out of my life , and wear and tear , you know — which I love , incidentally .
It reminds me of my three campaigns in New York for mayor , which I did like , ” the billionaire former mayor said on MSNBC .
“ The difference here is I ’ ve got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , I used to drive from event to event .
But yeah , sure , I love it .
I am going to stay right to the bitter end , as long as I have a chance.
” Bloomberg said he would drop out if front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) wins a majority of delegates before this summer ’ s Democratic National Convention .
But he vowed to remain “ in it to win it ” if Sanders only reaps a plurality of delegates .
“ I ’ m running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind with one lap to go , ” Bloomberg said .
“ What , am I going to quit ?
No , you run harder.
” Bloomberg has not been on the ballot in early voting states and will face his first primaries on Super Tuesday next week .
He turned in widely panned performances at the two most recent Democratic presidential debates , with his extreme wealth , mixed record as New York mayor and history of sexism at his media company coming under scrutiny .
The billionaire has spent an astronomical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least $ 409 million on television ads alone , as of last week .
That ’ s more than both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spent in their 2016 primary and general election campaigns combined .
Bloomberg has only been in the Democratic race for four months .

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Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg said Thursday he will “absolutely” stay in the 2020 race “right to the bitter end, as long as I have a chance.”
“Why would I spend all this money and all this time out of my life, and wear and tear, you know — which I love, incidentally. It reminds me of my three campaigns in New York for mayor, which I did like,” the billionaire former mayor said on MSNBC. “The difference here is I’ve got to fly from event to event, where there, I used to drive from event to event. But yeah, sure, I love it. I am going to stay right to the bitter end, as long as I have a chance.”
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Bloomberg said he would drop out if front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wins a majority of delegates before this summer’s Democratic National Convention. But he vowed to remain “in it to win it” if Sanders only reaps a plurality of delegates.
“I’m running a race, and I’m behind with one lap to go,” Bloomberg said. “What, am I going to quit? No, you run harder.”
Bloomberg has not been on the ballot in early voting states and will face his first primaries on Super Tuesday next week. He turned in widely panned performances at the two most recent Democratic presidential debates, with his extreme wealth, mixed record as New York mayor and history of sexism at his media company coming under scrutiny.
The billionaire has spent an astronomical amount of money on his campaign: at least $409 million on television ads alone, as of last week. That’s more than both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spent in their 2016 primary and general election campaigns combined.
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