thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--A Mother Was Burned With Acid In Mexico. The U.S. Government Still Sent Her Back.

VallarieE via Getty Images A U.S. Border Patrol agent at the border wall between Juárez , Mexico , and Sunland Park , New Mexico .
In July , a Guatemalan woman and her 11-year-old daughter got into what they thought was a cab that would take them to the bridge that connects Ciudad Juárez , Mexico , and the United States .
They planned to seek asylum but instead , the driver took them to an isolated house where they were held captive for 18 days , HuffPost has learned .
Since then , Elizabeth and her daughter have gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask for safety .
The first two times , U.S. border officials sent them back to Mexico as part of a program created by the Trump administration known as Migrant Protection Protocols ( or MPP ) , which force immigrants to wait in Mexican border cities for their U.S. court hearings .
Now , Elizabeth and her daughter could finally be let through since the injunction states that no immigrant can be returned to Mexico as they await adjudication .
The Trump administration is likely to try and reverse the decision , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardline immigration policies .
But Elizabeth ’ s attorneys are hoping that before the Supreme Court acts , she and her daughter can get into the U.S. where they have relatives and can live safely .
She should have been exempted from MPP in the first place , because she was tortured , is facing a medical emergency and is hiding out from her kidnappers in Mexico , said Nicolas Palazzo , an immigration lawyer with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center who is involved in Elizabeth ’ s case .
“ There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as chemical acid attacks , which leaves scars on your body , can not be considered anything short of torture , ” he said .
“ This is really just completely undermining what asylum means.
” HuffPost reviewed images of the deep wounds covering her thighs and feet .
Elizabeth needs to see a specialized surgeon to treat her injury and have regular sessions with a psychologist , according to Dr. Barclay Stewart , a surgeon at the University of Washington ’ s regional burn center who evaluated her injuries .
Elizabeth spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juárez soon after the attack , but was released — even though she was unable to walk — due to overcrowding and her lack of health insurance .
The city does not have hospitals that specialize in treating chemical burns , according to her lawyer .
Nearly 60,000 immigrants have been sent to wait in Mexican border cities for their U.S. court hearings , often living in large camps with unsanitary conditions where crime is rife and infections can easily spread .
Immigration lawyers told HuffPost that while border agents are supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have serious medical issues or fear for their lives in Mexico , that people who fall into these categories are regularly denied entry into the U.S. For example , agents have previously sent back a 6-year-old child with down syndrome and a heart condition .
As a result , parents have resorted to sending their children across the border alone , since unaccompanied youths are not included in the MPP program .
“ There ’ s no rhyme or reason why people are being denied , ” said Palazzo , who added that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , even after they were raped or kidnapped and showed border agents WhatsApp messages of their captors demanding extortion money from family members .
In November , after Elizabeth ’ s wounds had healed enough for her to walk , she and her daughter finally presented themselves at the border to seek asylum .
Elizabeth said she told the border agent what had happened to her , and that she was screened in the U.S. and given a medical examination at a hospital in Tucson , Arizona .
But despite her chemical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mexico , she was sent back to Ciudad Juárez .
They again tried to enter the U.S. at the border on Jan. 31 , with the help of lawyers who presented border agents with photos of her injury and the surgeon ’ s note .
But an asylum officer told her she had to return to Mexico yet again .
Palazzo said both Elizabeth and her daughter are deeply traumatized and that every time they are turned away from the border , their mental states worsen .
If Elizabeth is sent back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be forced to hide out from her kidnappers in a shelter for up to a year until her final court date for her asylum case .
But her lawyers hope the ruling pausing MPP means she will be allowed to cross the border and that future immigrants will not be put in her situation .

A U.S. Border Patrol agent at the border wall between Juárez, Mexico, and Sunland Park, New Mexico. VallarieE via Getty Images
In July, a Guatemalan woman and her 11-year-old daughter got into what they thought was a cab that would take them to the bridge that connects Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and the United States. They planned to seek asylum but instead, the driver took them to an isolated house where they were held captive for 18 days, HuffPost has learned.
Elizabeth, who is being referred to with a pseudonym to protect her safety, told lawyers she was sexually assaulted and that her legs were burned with acid in front of her daughter.
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The girl closed her eyes and covered her ears at the sound of her mother screaming.
Since then, Elizabeth and her daughter have gone to the U.S. border three times to ask for safety. The first two times, U.S. border officials sent them back to Mexico as part of a program created by the Trump administration known as Migrant Protection Protocols (or MPP), which force immigrants to wait in Mexican border cities for their U.S. court hearings.
The third time was Friday ― just hours before a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the MPP policy on the grounds that it was violating international human rights law.
Now, Elizabeth and her daughter could finally be let through since the injunction states that no immigrant can be returned to Mexico as they await adjudication. The Trump administration is likely to try and reverse the decision, as it has for past rulings against its hardline immigration policies. But Elizabeth’s attorneys are hoping that before the Supreme Court acts, she and her daughter can get into the U.S. where they have relatives and can live safely.
Crossing the border could mean the difference between Elizabeth’s wounds healing and a future of chronic pain, severe scarring and psychological distress.
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She should have been exempted from MPP in the first place, because she was tortured, is facing a medical emergency and is hiding out from her kidnappers in Mexico, said Nicolas Palazzo, an immigration lawyer with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center who is involved in Elizabeth’s case.
“There’s no doubt that something as extreme as chemical acid attacks, which leaves scars on your body, cannot be considered anything short of torture,” he said. “This is really just completely undermining what asylum means.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
HuffPost reviewed images of the deep wounds covering her thighs and feet. Elizabeth needs to see a specialized surgeon to treat her injury and have regular sessions with a psychologist, according to Dr. Barclay Stewart, a surgeon at the University of Washington’s regional burn center who evaluated her injuries.
Elizabeth spent four days at a hospital in Ciudad Juárez soon after the attack, but was released — even though she was unable to walk — due to overcrowding and her lack of health insurance. The city does not have hospitals that specialize in treating chemical burns, according to her lawyer.
Nearly 60,000 immigrants have been sent to wait in Mexican border cities for their U.S. court hearings, often living in large camps with unsanitary conditions where crime is rife and infections can easily spread. Immigration lawyers told HuffPost that while border agents are supposed to exempt immigrants from the program if they have serious medical issues or fear for their lives in Mexico, that people who fall into these categories are regularly denied entry into the U.S. For example, agents have previously sent back a 6-year-old child with down syndrome and a heart condition. As a result, parents have resorted to sending their children across the border alone, since unaccompanied youths are not included in the MPP program.
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“There’s no rhyme or reason why people are being denied,” said Palazzo, who added that he’s seen immigrants returned to Mexico, even after they were raped or kidnapped and showed border agents WhatsApp messages of their captors demanding extortion money from family members.
““Many people in this program live in a constant state of fear,” Palazzo said. “We cannot expect people to live in a shelter without seeing the light of day.””
In November, after Elizabeth’s wounds had healed enough for her to walk, she and her daughter finally presented themselves at the border to seek asylum. Elizabeth said she told the border agent what had happened to her, and that she was screened in the U.S. and given a medical examination at a hospital in Tucson, Arizona. But despite her chemical burn, and her fear of returning to Mexico, she was sent back to Ciudad Juárez.
They again tried to enter the U.S. at the border on Jan. 31, with the help of lawyers who presented border agents with photos of her injury and the surgeon’s note. But an asylum officer told her she had to return to Mexico yet again. Palazzo said both Elizabeth and her daughter are deeply traumatized and that every time they are turned away from the border, their mental states worsen.
If Elizabeth is sent back to Mexico a third time, she could be forced to hide out from her kidnappers in a shelter for up to a year until her final court date for her asylum case. But her lawyers hope the ruling pausing MPP means she will be allowed to cross the border and that future immigrants will not be put in her situation.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-28--Jury Rules Man's Deadly Tirade On Portland Train Was Fueled By Racist, Religious Bigotry

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) — A jury has ruled that Jeremy Christian callously disregarded the lives of the three men he stabbed on a Portland light rail train , was fueled by racist and religious bigotry , poses a future danger and can ’ t be rehabilitated .
The 12-person jury on Thursday also agreed with a prosecution argument that Christian showed no remorse for his victims , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
Defense attorneys had disagreed ― highlighting Christian ’ s statements that he felt bad about the death of one victim because the man ’ s children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Presumably , Christian was talking about Ricky Best , a father of four .
During court hearings Tuesday and Wednesday , prosecutors asked jurors six questions regarding whether he showed remorse and poses a future danger , among others , related to Christian and his crimes .
After deliberating for six hours , jurors answered all six questions yes by unanimous votes .
No sentencing date has been scheduled yet .
Multnomah County Circuit Judge Cheryl Albrecht could use the jury ’ s findings to help determine Christian ’ s sentence .
Jeremy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three men he stabbed on a Portland light rail train , jurors ruled Thursday .
Jurors found Christian guilty last week of 12 crimes , including first-degree murder for the deaths of Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Best , attempted first-degree murder for the serious injury of Micah Fletcher and hate crimes against two teenage girls , one who was wearing a hijab , on a crowded train as it pulled into the Hollywood Transit Center in northeast Portland on May 26 , 2017 .
Oregon ’ s new first-degree murder law , which took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with two sentencing options : Life in prison with a 30-year minimum and what ’ s known as “ true life , ” which is life in prison with no possibility of release .
Christian ’ s defense attorneys , however , are arguing that the new law , passed as Senate Bill 1013 last summer , is unconstitutional and as a result leaves the judge with only one option ― sentencing Christian to life with a 30-year minimum .
Defense lawyers and the prosecution plan to debate that during another hearing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A jury has ruled that Jeremy Christian callously disregarded the lives of the three men he stabbed on a Portland light rail train, was fueled by racist and religious bigotry, poses a future danger and can’t be rehabilitated.
The 12-person jury on Thursday also agreed with a prosecution argument that Christian showed no remorse for his victims, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Defense attorneys had disagreed ― highlighting Christian’s statements that he felt bad about the death of one victim because the man’s children would grow up without a father. Presumably, Christian was talking about Ricky Best, a father of four.
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During court hearings Tuesday and Wednesday, prosecutors asked jurors six questions regarding whether he showed remorse and poses a future danger, among others, related to Christian and his crimes. After deliberating for six hours, jurors answered all six questions yes by unanimous votes.
No sentencing date has been scheduled yet. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Cheryl Albrecht could use the jury’s findings to help determine Christian’s sentence.
Jeremy Christian callously disregarded the lives of the three men he stabbed on a Portland light rail train, jurors ruled Thursday. POOL New / Reuters
Jurors found Christian guilty last week of 12 crimes, including first-degree murder for the deaths of Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Best, attempted first-degree murder for the serious injury of Micah Fletcher and hate crimes against two teenage girls, one who was wearing a hijab, on a crowded train as it pulled into the Hollywood Transit Center in northeast Portland on May 26, 2017.
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Oregon’s new first-degree murder law, which took effect Sept. 29, empowers the judge with two sentencing options: Life in prison with a 30-year minimum and what’s known as “true life,” which is life in prison with no possibility of release.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-29--Joe Biden Takes A Swipe At Bernie Sanders In South Carolina Victory Speech

Former Vice President Joe Biden declared his overwhelming victory in the South Carolina primary with a forceful message for Democrats : that the party would lose “ big ” if Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) won the Democratic nomination .
“ The decisions Democrats make all across America in the next few days will determine what this party stand for , what we believe and what we will get done , ” said Biden , who was declared the winner of the South Carolina primary within a minute of the polls closing Saturday night .
“ We have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It was an energetic speech from Biden , who has been dinged on the campaign trail for an apparent inability to spur the same enthusiasm and movement-style politics as Sanders .
The senator won the popular vote in Iowa , the New Hampshire primary and had a blowout victory in the Nevada caucuses .
Biden didn ’ t name Sanders in his victory speech .
But it was clear he was talking about the senator , who has surpassed Biden in national polls .
Sanders is also poised to win big on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one-third of the delegates deciding the Democratic nomination will be up for grabs .
“ Democrats want to nominate someone who will build on Obamacare , not scrap it , take on the NRA and manufacturers , not protect them , stand up and give the poor a fighting chance and the middle class get restored , not raise their taxes and not keep the promises , ” Biden said , taking aim at Sanders ’ signature plan to move every American to a single government-run health insurance plan and the senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of protecting gun companies from lawsuits .
Biden ended his speech with one more poignant attack on Sanders ’ lifelong position as an Independent in Congress , and as a democratic socialist who has been critical of the Democratic Party .
For weeks , Biden has been making the case that his candidacy would be the most strategic for Democrats , particularly that he can help Democrats win down the ballot in competitive House and Senate races .
He has also argued that Sanders ’ democratic socialism is too big a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden from a rally in Virginia Beach on Saturday night , telling his supporters that “ you can ’ t win them all.
” His campaign said it was “ confident ” in its ability to meet the threshold to win some delegates in South Carolina , but already had set its sights on Super Tuesday .
Sanders spent the last week campaigning in California , Texas , Virginia , North Carolina and South Carolina .
Biden ’ s campaign ― which has been holding out hope that a big win in South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the momentum he needs to win in states across the country ― has said from the beginning that it ’ s important to restore the “ soul of the nation ” against Donald Trump ’ s administration .
On Saturday , Biden rephrased : His campaign also wants this election to be about the soul of the Democratic Party .

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“The decisions Democrats make all across America in the next few days will determine what this party stand for, what we believe and what we will get done,” said Biden, who was declared the winner of the South Carolina primary within a minute of the polls closing Saturday night. “We have the option of winning big or losing big.”
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It was an energetic speech from Biden, who has been dinged on the campaign trail for an apparent inability to spur the same enthusiasm and movement-style politics as Sanders. The senator won the popular vote in Iowa, the New Hampshire primary and had a blowout victory in the Nevada caucuses.
Biden didn’t name Sanders in his victory speech. But it was clear he was talking about the senator, who has surpassed Biden in national polls. Sanders is also poised to win big on Super Tuesday, when 14 states vote and one-third of the delegates deciding the Democratic nomination will be up for grabs.
“Democrats want to nominate someone who will build on Obamacare, not scrap it, take on the NRA and manufacturers, not protect them, stand up and give the poor a fighting chance and the middle class get restored, not raise their taxes and not keep the promises,” Biden said, taking aim at Sanders’ signature plan to move every American to a single government-run health insurance plan and the senator’s votes in the early 2000s in favor of protecting gun companies from lawsuits.
Biden ended his speech with one more poignant attack on Sanders’ lifelong position as an Independent in Congress, and as a democratic socialist who has been critical of the Democratic Party.
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“If the Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat, a lifelong Democrat, a proud Democrat, an Obama-Biden Democrat, then join us,” the former vice president said to roaring applause.
For weeks, Biden has been making the case that his candidacy would be the most strategic for Democrats, particularly that he can help Democrats win down the ballot in competitive House and Senate races. He has also argued that Sanders’ democratic socialism is too big a risk for the party.
Sanders congratulated Biden from a rally in Virginia Beach on Saturday night, telling his supporters that “you can’t win them all.” His campaign said it was “confident” in its ability to meet the threshold to win some delegates in South Carolina, but already had set its sights on Super Tuesday. Sanders spent the last week campaigning in California, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Biden’s campaign ― which has been holding out hope that a big win in South Carolina would give the former vice president the momentum he needs to win in states across the country ― has said from the beginning that it’s important to restore the “soul of the nation” against Donald Trump’s administration. On Saturday, Biden rephrased: His campaign also wants this election to be about the soul of the Democratic Party.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Michael Bloomberg Wants You To Know He's Very Rich

Most Democratic candidates go to great lengths to show that they ’ re just like you .
They point out that they ’ re not a millionaire .
They note how they dropped out of college .
They claim that they have a nickname that involves the words “ middle-class.
” Bloomberg being a very rich guy is a central selling point of his campaign , a marked contrast not only to the other candidates but plenty of past campaigns where candidates tried very hard not to seem too rich .
Even Tom Steyer , a fellow billionaire who ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to focus on his wealth .
( Steyer dropped his bid on Saturday . )
Bloomberg has spent more than $ 409 million of his own fortune on his presidential run .
That ’ s an unimaginable sum .
It ’ s more than Barack Obama spent on his entire 2008 race .
And it ’ s more than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spent , combined , on TV ads during the entire 2016 campaign .
He skipped competing in the first four voting states ; Super Tuesday will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is running on other issues , such as his time as mayor , his philanthropy on issues like gun violence prevention and his experience in the business world .
He ’ s presented himself as a moderate alternative , especially for people unsure if former Vice President Joe Biden can pull it through .
( Biden ’ s big win in South Carolina on Saturday makes that argument a bit tougher . )
“ The only person who can really beat Trump without the trash talking is Bloomdale [ sic ] because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Al Townsend , 59 , from North Charleston , S.C. , who was at a rally in the city this week for Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
He said it was important to him that Bloomberg had more money than Trump .
She said Bloomberg could move after his election to limit the influence of money in politics and overturn the Citizens United ruling , which gave corporations and unions the ability to spend unlimited sums of cash to support or defeat a candidate .
( Unlike most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg is yet to release a plan on combating the influence of money in politics . )
“ Anybody who has that much money and is willing to put it toward an effort , you ’ d be a fool not to be concerned about the messaging .
He ’ s definitely a power force , ” Michael McDonald , chairman of the Nevada Republican Party , recently told HuffPost .
The appeal for some Democrats isn ’ t just that Bloomberg can spend more than Trump to get out his message , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crazy to be up against a man who is richer than he is .
“ He will slap him .
He will humiliate him , ” said Etienne Delessert , a Connecticut voter who traveled up to New Hampshire in the run-up to the primary to check out the candidates there earlier this month .
“ Trump will pee in his pants.
” But there ’ s also something unsettling about the Democratic Party , which has made combatting the influence of money in politics a central theme , looking around for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is politics still only for the wealthy ?
“ I don ’ t think elections should be bought , ” said Brigitte Racine , a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in Sunnyvale , Calif. “ I think the money that he ’ s spending could go so much further if he took that same money he ’ s spending on ads and put it to some serious use for education , for infrastructure , for all these things that need help.
” “ A major concern of nominating someone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donors and support is that you can end up with a nominee who is leading a parade that no one else is marching in , ” he said .
“ Even if you set aside that concern , we fundamentally believe that billionaires shouldn ’ t be able to spend unlimited money in our elections whether it ’ s through super PACs or dropping over $ 500 million in two months on their own campaign .
”

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Most Democratic candidates go to great lengths to show that they’re just like you. They point out that they’re not a millionaire. They note how they dropped out of college. They claim that they have a nickname that involves the words “middle-class.”
Not Michael Bloomberg.
“If you want somebody who has the resources to beat Trump, that’s me,” Bloomberg said at a rally in Houston Thursday.
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Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and owner of media company Bloomberg LP, is worth about $64 billion. And he’s reminding voters of his immense wealth all the time.
“You’ve all heard the slogan, ‘Mike will get it done.’ And if you haven’t, I’ve wasted an awful lot of money here,” Bloomberg joked at a recent rally in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I can’t speak for all billionaires,” Bloomberg added at the Democratic debate in Las Vegas this month. “All I know is I’ve been very lucky, made a lot of money, and I’m giving it all away to make this country better.”
Bloomberg being a very rich guy is a central selling point of his campaign, a marked contrast not only to the other candidates but plenty of past campaigns where candidates tried very hard not to seem too rich. Even Tom Steyer, a fellow billionaire who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, preferred not to focus on his wealth. (Steyer dropped his bid on Saturday.)
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A new poll from the research group NORC at the University of Chicago and the Associated Press found that the word voters overwhelmingly associate with Bloomberg is “rich.”
How poll respondents described 2020 candidates in one (or a few more) words. https://t.co/I53LZ1dSR1 pic.twitter.com/GbcahfoHCl — Philip Bump (@pbump) February 28, 2020
A new HuffPost/YouGov poll similarly found that the vast majority of voters know that Bloomberg is the wealthiest candidate in the Democratic race.
Bloomberg has spent more than $409 million of his own fortune on his presidential run. That’s an unimaginable sum. It’s more than Barack Obama spent on his entire 2008 race. And it’s more than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spent, combined, on TV ads during the entire 2016 campaign. He skipped competing in the first four voting states; Super Tuesday will be the first test of his appeal.
Bloomberg is running on other issues, such as his time as mayor, his philanthropy on issues like gun violence prevention and his experience in the business world. He’s presented himself as a moderate alternative, especially for people unsure if former Vice President Joe Biden can pull it through. (Biden’s big win in South Carolina on Saturday makes that argument a bit tougher.)
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But undergirding this message is that he is successful and can get things done ― and what better demonstration of success than the fact that he made billions of dollars.
His message is getting through. And for many people, it’s appealing.
“The only person who can really beat Trump without the trash talking is Bloomdale [sic] because he’s got the money,” said Al Townsend, 59, from North Charleston, S.C., who was at a rally in the city this week for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). He said it was important to him that Bloomberg had more money than Trump.
Roopa Gir, a nonprofit executive who attended Bloomberg’s event in Houston this week, suggested the New Yorker’s wealth was unquestionably a benefit, noting Trump had held a fundraiser earlier this month where tickets ran into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“Nobody in the Democratic Party can beat that,” she said. “Unfortunately, you need that to win.”
She said Bloomberg could move after his election to limit the influence of money in politics and overturn the Citizens United ruling, which gave corporations and unions the ability to spend unlimited sums of cash to support or defeat a candidate. (Unlike most of the other candidates in the 2020 field, Bloomberg is yet to release a plan on combating the influence of money in politics.)
“A major concern of nominating someone who isn’t focused on cultivating grassroots donors and support is that you can end up with a nominee who is leading a parade that no one else is marching in.” - Patrick Burgwinkle, End Citizens United
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The general election will be expensive. Trump already has $200 million in the bank for his reelection. That’s a big chunk of money in any normal political campaign universe, but it’s nothing compared to Bloomberg’s personal fortune.
Some Republicans will admit that yes, they actually are nervous about Bloomberg’s money.
“Anybody who has that much money and is willing to put it toward an effort, you’d be a fool not to be concerned about the messaging. He’s definitely a power force,” Michael McDonald, chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, recently told HuffPost.
The appeal for some Democrats isn’t just that Bloomberg can spend more than Trump to get out his message, but that it will drive the president crazy to be up against a man who is richer than he is.
“He will slap him. He will humiliate him,” said Etienne Delessert, a Connecticut voter who traveled up to New Hampshire in the run-up to the primary to check out the candidates there earlier this month. “Trump will pee in his pants.”
But there’s also something unsettling about the Democratic Party, which has made combatting the influence of money in politics a central theme, looking around for its own billionaire to run against Trump. Is politics still only for the wealthy?
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“There’s no doubt that money buys you votes. And for those who have been following politics, that’s kind of a repulsive thought,” said Duane Ludwig, 47, a supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in Falls Church, Va.
“I don’t think elections should be bought,” said Brigitte Racine, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in Sunnyvale, Calif. “I think the money that he’s spending could go so much further if he took that same money he’s spending on ads and put it to some serious use for education, for infrastructure, for all these things that need help.”
Patrick Burgwinkle, communications director for the campaign finance reform group End Citizens United, also argues that having a nominee who doesn’t have grassroots support could be problematic for the party.
“A major concern of nominating someone who isn’t focused on cultivating grassroots donors and support is that you can end up with a nominee who is leading a parade that no one else is marching in,” he said. “Even if you set aside that concern, we fundamentally believe that billionaires shouldn’t be able to spend unlimited money in our elections whether it’s through super PACs or dropping over $500 million in two months on their own campaign.”
The poll by HuffPost/YouGov found that Democrats remain broadly supportive of reducing inequality and generally skeptical of the rich, although a plurality say it doesn’t matter to them whether or not a candidate is wealthy.
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Bloomberg has promised that that money will be there, even if he’s not the nominee. He said he’s committed to keeping on his staff and staying active in the election to support whoever the Democratic Party picks.
Sanders’ campaign, however, recently said that it would not accept Bloomberg’s money if the Vermont senator becomes the Democratic nominee, and Bloomberg in turn said he therefore may not help out in that case.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-29--Billionaire Tom Steyer Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

Steyer exited the race shortly after former Vice President Joe Biden secured a crucial win in the South Carolina primary , and days before Super Tuesday .
MSNBC and CNN were first to report on Steyer ’ s plans .
“ I got into this race because I thought that people weren ’ t adequately addressing racial injustice in this country , and it ’ s true .
I thought that we were at risk as a country in terms of climate ... and that ’ s true .
And we live in a country that ’ s deeply unjust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true , ” he said in a speech Saturday night .
“ I was in this race to talk about things that I care the most about.
” Steyer , a 62-year-old philanthropist who has funneled millions of dollars into a campaign to impeach President Donald Trump , said any Democrat would be better than the current administration .
Steyer launched his candidacy in July after initially saying he would not run .
He joined an already crowded field of more than 20 Democratic candidates , vowing to take on a “ rigged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the climate crisis , fight income inequality and powerful corporations , and expose Trump as “ a fraud and a failure.
” “ Really what we ’ re doing is trying to make democracy work by pushing power down to the people , ” he said in a video announcing his campaign .
“ If this is a banana republic with a few very , very rich people and everybody else is living in misery , that ’ s a failure.
” Tom Steyer waits to speak at the Iowa State Fair in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since dropped out of the presidential race .
Steyer , who is worth an estimated $ 1.6 billion , faced accusations that he purchased his way onto the debate stage .
Despite spending more than $ 325,000 per day on advertising in the first six weeks of his campaign ― the New York native said early on that he would divvy out an astonishing $ 100 million , if necessary ― he came up short of qualifying for the Sept. 12 debate in Houston .
Undeterred , Steyer went on to qualify for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , he swung back at the idea that it was his money that landed him a spot in that month ’ s debate , telling CNN he ’ s a “ grassroots person.
” “ I think that the thing that has put me on this stage — and it is the same for every single person who ’ s running for president — is message , ” Steyer said .
“ I have a very simple message , which is , the government is broken .
It ’ s been bought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcomed the addition of another strong voice for climate action , whereas others were bewildered by his decision to compete against Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , who centered his campaign on tackling the climate crisis , as HuffPost ’ s Alex Kaufman reported .
On the campaign trail , Steyer repeatedly claimed he was the only candidate willing to say climate change is their No .
1 priority .
In November , he vowed to use presidential emergency powers to address the crisis ― a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HuffPost could open dangerous doors and ultimately hinder long-term action .

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Tom Steyer, the billionaire hedge fund manager and environmentalist, on Saturday dropped his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
Steyer exited the race shortly after former Vice President Joe Biden secured a crucial win in the South Carolina primary, and days before Super Tuesday. MSNBC and CNN were first to report on Steyer’s plans.
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Steyer told his supporters that he was suspending his campaign because he couldn’t see a “path to winning.”
“I got into this race because I thought that people weren’t adequately addressing racial injustice in this country, and it’s true. I thought that we were at risk as a country in terms of climate ... and that’s true. And we live in a country that’s deeply unjust economically ... and that’s really true,” he said in a speech Saturday night. “I was in this race to talk about things that I care the most about.”
Steyer, a 62-year-old philanthropist who has funneled millions of dollars into a campaign to impeach President Donald Trump, said any Democrat would be better than the current administration.
“Every Democrat is a million times better than Trump,” he said. “Lindsey Graham’s a disaster. He’s a disaster for the people here.”
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“Really what we’re doing is trying to make democracy work by pushing power down to the people,” he said in a video announcing his campaign. “If this is a banana republic with a few very, very rich people and everybody else is living in misery, that’s a failure.”
Tom Steyer waits to speak at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines in August. He has since dropped out of the presidential race. Brian Snyder/Reuters
Steyer, who is worth an estimated $1.6 billion, faced accusations that he purchased his way onto the debate stage. Despite spending more than $325,000 per day on advertising in the first six weeks of his campaign ― the New York native said early on that he would divvy out an astonishing $100 million, if necessary ― he came up short of qualifying for the Sept. 12 debate in Houston.
Undeterred, Steyer went on to qualify for the next four straight debates. In January, he swung back at the idea that it was his money that landed him a spot in that month’s debate, telling CNN he’s a “grassroots person.”
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“I think that the thing that has put me on this stage — and it is the same for every single person who’s running for president — is message,” Steyer said. “I have a very simple message, which is, the government is broken. It’s been bought by corporations.”
By then Steyer had already spent $106 million on advertising, Politico reported.
Some environmentalists and activists welcomed the addition of another strong voice for climate action, whereas others were bewildered by his decision to compete against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who centered his campaign on tackling the climate crisis, as HuffPost’s Alex Kaufman reported.
On the campaign trail, Steyer repeatedly claimed he was the only candidate willing to say climate change is their No. 1 priority. In November, he vowed to use presidential emergency powers to address the crisis ― a move that legal and political experts told HuffPost could open dangerous doors and ultimately hinder long-term action.
Steyer founded environmental advocacy group NextGen America in 2013 and spent years fighting to block construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. He and his wife have pledged to give half of their fortune to charity and philanthropy.
Carla H. Russo contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Joe Biden's Presidential Bid Gets Big Boost In South Carolina

The decisive win gives Biden a burst of momentum in the Democratic race to challenge Republican President Donald Trump , which broadens quickly with Super Tuesday primaries in 14 states in three days that will award one-third of the available national delegates .
He immediately took aim at Sanders , an independent senator from Vermont and self-described democratic socialist whose surging campaign and calls for a political revolution have rattled a Democratic establishment worried he is too far left to beat Trump in November .
“ Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat , ” Biden told cheering supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a jab at Sanders .
“ Win big or lose , that ’ s the choice .
Most Americans don ’ t want the promise of a revolution .
They want more than promises they want results.
” Biden beat Sanders among a wide range of demographic and ideological groups , including those who said they were “ very liberal , ” according to Edison Research exit polls .
The polls showed Biden , vice president under former President Barack Obama , with 61 % of African-American support to Sanders ’ 17 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory , Biden was endorsed by Terry McAuliffe , a former governor of Virginia and ex-chair of the Democratic National Committee , and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott , an influential African-American lawmaker from Virginia – a possible sign the Democratic establishment was starting to coalesce around his candidacy .
Biden must now hope a flurry of media attention and his name recognition will help him in Super Tuesday states , where Sanders ’ prolific fundraising has helped him build bigger organizations and broadcast far more advertisements .
Sanders leads opinion polls in delegate-rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already been cast .
Biden and all of the other Democratic contenders also will face competition for the first time on Super Tuesday from billionaire former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who has blanketed the country with half a billion dollars in advertising .
Bloomberg skipped the first four state primaries .
Biden ’ s dominance in South Carolina raised questions about the continued viability of most of the other contenders .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar all were well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chances to mount a comeback .
With 99 % of the precincts reporting , Biden had 49 % of the vote and Sanders was a distant second with 20 % , according to official state results .
Billionaire activist Tom Steyer had 11 % and all of the other contenders were well behind with single digits .
Biden desperately needed a win after poor showings in the first two nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire and a second-place finish in Nevada .
He had viewed South Carolina , where his popularity among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black voters proved decisive , as his firewall against disaster .
The resounding margin could slow the momentum of Sanders , who had grown stronger with each contest , finishing in a virtual tie for first in Iowa with Buttigieg , before notching wins in New Hampshire and Nevada .
“ You can not win them all , ” Sanders told supporters in Virginia Beach , Virginia .
“ This will not be the only defeat .
There are a lot of states in this country and nobody wins them all.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience on the U.S. political stage , was powered in South Carolina by support from a broad range of voters , including men and women , black and white , middle-aged and old , those with and without college degrees , independent , liberal and conservative , exit polls showed .
Biden was projected to win at least 32 of the 54 pledged delegates in South Carolina and Sanders 11 , with more to be allocated .
No other candidate was projected to have won any delegates in the state .
Heading into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Buttigieg 26 and Biden 15 .

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (Reuters) ― An outpouring of black voter support propelled Joe Biden to a convincing victory in South Carolina’s Democratic primary on Saturday, resurrecting his faltering White House bid and giving the former vice president a chance to claim he is the moderate alternative to front-runner Bernie Sanders.
The decisive win gives Biden a burst of momentum in the Democratic race to challenge Republican President Donald Trump, which broadens quickly with Super Tuesday primaries in 14 states in three days that will award one-third of the available national delegates.
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It was the first presidential primary win ever for Biden, who is making his third run at the White House.
He immediately took aim at Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont and self-described democratic socialist whose surging campaign and calls for a political revolution have rattled a Democratic establishment worried he is too far left to beat Trump in November.
“Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat,” Biden told cheering supporters in Columbia, South Carolina, in a jab at Sanders. “Win big or lose, that’s the choice. Most Americans don’t want the promise of a revolution. They want more than promises they want results.”
"Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat, a lifelong Democrat, a proud Democrat," the former vice president said. https://t.co/sYZdxGfDg2 — HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) March 1, 2020
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Biden beat Sanders among a wide range of demographic and ideological groups, including those who said they were “very liberal,” according to Edison Research exit polls. The polls showed Biden, vice president under former President Barack Obama, with 61% of African-American support to Sanders’ 17%.
In the wake of his decisive victory, Biden was endorsed by Terry McAuliffe, a former governor of Virginia and ex-chair of the Democratic National Committee, and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott, an influential African-American lawmaker from Virginia – a possible sign the Democratic establishment was starting to coalesce around his candidacy.
Biden must now hope a flurry of media attention and his name recognition will help him in Super Tuesday states, where Sanders’ prolific fundraising has helped him build bigger organizations and broadcast far more advertisements. Sanders leads opinion polls in delegate-rich California, where 3 million early votes have already been cast.
Biden and all of the other Democratic contenders also will face competition for the first time on Super Tuesday from billionaire former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has blanketed the country with half a billion dollars in advertising. Bloomberg skipped the first four state primaries.
But at least five states ― Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Virginia ― have big blocs of African-American voters that could help Biden make a comeback.
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Biden’s dominance in South Carolina raised questions about the continued viability of most of the other contenders. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar all were well behind in the state and have dwindling chances to mount a comeback.
With 99% of the precincts reporting, Biden had 49% of the vote and Sanders was a distant second with 20%, according to official state results. Billionaire activist Tom Steyer had 11% and all of the other contenders were well behind with single digits.
Edison Research estimated 530,000 votes were cast in the Democratic primary, well ahead of the 371,000 cast in 2016 and about the same number as 2008.
STEYER DROPS OUT
As the vote count rolled in on Saturday night, Steyer, who had spent heavily in South Carolina to court African-American voters, ended his presidential bid as it emerged he was coming in a distant third.
Biden desperately needed a win after poor showings in the first two nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire and a second-place finish in Nevada. He had viewed South Carolina, where his popularity among the state’s big bloc of black voters proved decisive, as his firewall against disaster.
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The resounding margin could slow the momentum of Sanders, who had grown stronger with each contest, finishing in a virtual tie for first in Iowa with Buttigieg, before notching wins in New Hampshire and Nevada.
“You cannot win them all,” Sanders told supporters in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “This will not be the only defeat. There are a lot of states in this country and nobody wins them all.”
Biden, a mainstream Democrat with decades of experience on the U.S. political stage, was powered in South Carolina by support from a broad range of voters, including men and women, black and white, middle-aged and old, those with and without college degrees, independent, liberal and conservative, exit polls showed.
The data showed Biden beating Sanders, who has touted his ability to bring out new voters, among those who were voting in a Democratic primary for the first time.
Exit polls found about six of 10 of South Carolina voters said influential black congressman James Clyburn’s endorsement of Biden on Wednesday was a factor in their decision. Clyburn introduced Biden at his victory rally.
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“My buddy Jim Clyburn, you brought me back!” Biden told the No. 3 House Democrat before addressing supporters.
Biden was projected to win at least 32 of the 54 pledged delegates in South Carolina and Sanders 11, with more to be allocated. No other candidate was projected to have won any delegates in the state. Heading into the primary, Sanders had 54 delegates, Buttigieg 26 and Biden 15.
A candidate needs at least 1,991 delegates to win the nomination outright at the party’s convention in July.
Exit polls showed about half of voters wanted a candidate who would return to Obama’s policies, a key argument of Biden. Nearly eight of 10 voters in South Carolina said they had a favorable view of Biden, compared with five of 10 who saw rival Sanders favorably.
The polls also showed Buttigieg and Klobuchar, who had done relatively well in predominantly white Iowa and New Hampshire, had low single-digit support among black voters, raising questions about their path forward as the race moves into more diverse states in March.
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Warren, who finished fifth with 7%, congratulated Biden on his victory at a rally in Houston but made clear that she would go on fighting for delegates.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--The Most Important Day Of The Democratic Primary Is Almost Here

Bloomberg , the multibillionaire who has not been on the ballot in any of the early states , will face actual voters for the first time on Super Tuesday .
His campaign has spent more than $ 500 million on advertising , and virtually all of that cash has been targeted at voters in these states .
Polling has him on the edge of viability almost everywhere , and his campaign has suggested he could triumph in Oklahoma , Arkansas and North Carolina .
The biggest question in California is how many other candidates break the 15 % barrier statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will be the only other candidate to do so ― that ’ s the picture public polling paints ― but Bloomberg and Biden are also on the verge of breaking through , and whether the delegates are split two ways or three ways could end up being crucial to her hopes .
Persist PAC is spending millions in the expensive Los Angeles and San Francisco markets to help her both statewide and in the Orange County suburbs , which contain oodles of the college-educated white liberals who make up her base .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t Tell Them That : Texas ( 228 ) This is where Biden ’ s advantage with Black voters ― and specifically older Black voters and those who live in rural areas ― will matter the most .
Black people make up at least 15 % of the population in each of these states , and the racial polarization of Southern politics means they will likely make up at least a third of the electorate in each state .
But Alabama is likely to have an electorate that matches South Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s electorate was Black .
In 2016 exit polling , 54 % of Democratic primary voters were Black .

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Super Tuesday isn’t one election. It’s not even 16 elections, although voters in 14 states, an overseas territory and Democrats who live outside the United States will all cast ballots. It’s actually more than 150 elections: Full states, congressional and state Senate districts, all places where the candidates are racing to get at least the 15% of the vote needed to win delegates. More than 1,500 delegates are up for grabs, nearly 10 times as many as the voters handed out in the four early states.
The sheer number of candidates remaining in the race ― Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar are all at least registering a pulse in national polling ― meaning most candidates won’t be eligible to receive delegates in most places, and each campaign will need to intensely study how to best allocate their resources to maximize their delegate hauls.
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“A field this large is unlike anything we’ve seen recently,” said Addisu Demissie, a Democratic operative who managed New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s presidential campaign. “It quickly becomes a massive puzzle that’s very difficult to solve.”
Every last percentage point matters: If one candidate manages to get 30% of the vote in a district or state, while all of his opponents remain under 15%, he will pick up every delegate available. But if that candidate stays at 30%, and four other candidates manage to break the 15% barrier, the candidate could receive just a third of the available delegates.
That could result in a boon for the candidate with the largest and most loyal group of supporters so far: Sanders, the progressive icon who leads the field in both delegates and national polling and is looking to indisputably establish himself as the favorite for the nomination.
“Bernie will have viability everywhere,” Demissie said. “There will be very few places where he doesn’t hit 15%, and there will be places where he’s the only person to do so.”
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders arrives to speak during a campaign rally in Springfield, Virginia, on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
While Sanders is expected to perform well everywhere, he could dominate in states in the West with significant Latino populations. Sanders’ bond with young people and Mexican Americans helped him run up the score in Nevada, and a similar formula could lead to strong results in California, Colorado and Texas. He’s also hoping to mount successful incursions into the home states of opposing candidates.
Biden, meanwhile, will hope to continue his success with Black voters in the South following a surprisingly dominant performance in South Carolina’s primary on Saturday night. While former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s dominance with Southern Black voters was key to her defeat of Sanders in 2016, polling suggests Biden’s advantage over the Vermonter is not expected to be as strong this time around, and his cash-strapped campaign has spent less than $1 million advertising in Super Tuesday states.
Still, his high name identification, ties to Black leaders and communities, and relationship with former President Barack Obama, along with a potential comeback narrative after South Carolina, should put him in a strong position to win in Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee and other states of the former Confederacy. A strong performance could cement him as Sanders’ primary establishment rival, and lead to calls for other moderate candidates to exit the race.
(A caveat: All of the public polling referenced in this piece was completed well before Biden’s victory on Saturday, and doesn’t reflect any media momentum or bounce the former vice president gained.)
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Bloomberg, the multibillionaire who has not been on the ballot in any of the early states, will face actual voters for the first time on Super Tuesday. His campaign has spent more than $500 million on advertising, and virtually all of that cash has been targeted at voters in these states. Polling has him on the edge of viability almost everywhere, and his campaign has suggested he could triumph in Oklahoma, Arkansas and North Carolina.
Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at the North Carolina Democratic Party's Blue NC Celebration on Saturday in Charlotte. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Warren campaign feels good about its chances in the states with the largest numbers of delegates ― California and Texas ― and about winning delegates in her home states of Oklahoma and Massachusetts, though small shifts could make or break her chances. She’s also receiving one of the most unexpected boosts of the primary, with a well-funded super PAC airing more than $9 million worth of ads in key states to boost a progressive candidate who has long railed against such groups.
Buttigieg and Klobuchar, two moderate candidates who have struggled with voters of color so far in the campaign, look likely to be locked out of the biggest delegate hauls, but will hope their strength with college-educated voters can net them delegates in Colorado, Virginia and Klobuchar’s home state of Minnesota. Buttigieg’s campaign, which managed to snag key additional delegates in Iowa by campaigning in rural areas, hopes its smart targeting can help Buttigieg punch above his relatively low poll numbers in some states.
The combined electorate on Tuesday will be far more racially diverse than Iowa and New Hampshire, but not as diverse as Nevada or South Carolina. About 62% of voters will be white, according to projections from one presidential campaign, while 16% will be Black and 15% will be Latino. About 45% of the votes will come from urban areas, a much higher percentage than in any early state. And roughly half the electorate will be college-educated.
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Here’s a state-by-state breakdown:
The Biggest Prize: California (415 delegates)
California alone awards roughly three times as many delegates as the four early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina combined. A full picture of who wins the state’s significant delegate haul ― and the delegate haul from each of its 52 congressional districts ― is likely to take days, if not weeks, to determine because of how long the state usually takes to count every last ballot.
Polling shows Sanders with a clear lead in the Golden State, performing strongly with Latinos, white liberals and Asian American voters. (California is 55% Hispanic and Asian American, according to census data.) That coalition should make him competitive virtually everywhere in the state, including Los Angeles, the Central Valley and the Bay Area, and will likely have him win more than 30% of the statewide vote.
The biggest question in California is how many other candidates break the 15% barrier statewide. Warren’s campaign is hopeful she will be the only other candidate to do so ― that’s the picture public polling paints ― but Bloomberg and Biden are also on the verge of breaking through, and whether the delegates are split two ways or three ways could end up being crucial to her hopes. Persist PAC is spending millions in the expensive Los Angeles and San Francisco markets to help her both statewide and in the Orange County suburbs, which contain oodles of the college-educated white liberals who make up her base.
But those voters have also keen on Klobuchar and Buttigieg in other states, and their campaigns will hope they can win at least some California delegates by performing well there.
One barrier for Biden, who plans on hitting all four Sunday morning political talk shows to try to generate momentum after his South Carolina romp: More than 1.5 million voters have already cast their ballots here.
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The Second Biggest Prize, But Don’t Tell Them That: Texas (228)
The Lone Star State allocates delegates among its 31 heavily gerrymandered state Senate districts. Public polling has Sanders, Biden and Bloomberg all clearing the 15% threshold, with Warren on the edge of doing so. If all four candidates do well, it could limit the delegate gains for whoever ends up winning statewide.
Texas’ demographics would seem to favor Sanders. In 2016, exit polls showed a third of the electorate was Latino. But while Sanders ran up the score with Latinos in Nevada, operatives warned Texas’ Latino population is more diverse, and that a strong performance with Latinos in urban areas might not mean strong performance in rural areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Clinton dominated with Latino voters in the state in 2016, but Sanders’ coalition is significantly different four years later.
Texas, like South Carolina, is also a place that could see an influx of Republicans-turned-Democrats voting in the suburbs of Houston and Dallas, places where Democrats won local offices and House seats in 2018. While just 26% of the electorate was made up of white college graduates in 2016, according to exit polls, that number could be much higher in 2020. If so, it has the potential to benefit both Warren and Bloomberg, and potentially give Klobuchar and Buttigieg a chance to claim delegates.
The South: Alabama (52), Arkansas (31), North Carolina (110), Tennessee (64)
This is where Biden’s advantage with Black voters ― and specifically older Black voters and those who live in rural areas ― will matter the most. Black people make up at least 15% of the population in each of these states, and the racial polarization of Southern politics means they will likely make up at least a third of the electorate in each state. But Alabama is likely to have an electorate that matches South Carolina, where a near-majority of the state’s electorate was Black. In 2016 exit polling, 54% of Democratic primary voters were Black.
Sanders was badly beaten in these states in 2016, with Clinton receiving at least twice as many votes in every state except North Carolina, where she won by nearly 14 percentage points. Sanders received just 19% of the vote in Alabama, 30% in Arkansas, and 32% in Tennessee. While the math is significantly different because of the larger field, Sanders’ campaign is confident his standing in the South has improved enough to prevent Biden from beating him by similar margins.
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Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden smiles at supporters during a campaign event at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
And Sanders may receive help from an unexpected source on that front: Bloomberg’s unprecedented advertising blitz and message ― he’s run extensive ads featuring President Barack Obama praising him ― have clearly reached Black voters in these states, potentially limiting Biden’s advantages. Polling has been limited in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee, but polls of North Carolina show the former New York City mayor’s extensive operations in the state have him likely to break the 15% mark there.
The other campaigns will be hunting for specific delegate opportunities: Warren made a stop in Little Rock on Saturday, and Persist PAC is airing digital ads supporting her and targeted at Black voters in all four states. Klobuchar has made multiple stops in Tennessee.
The Newly Blue: Colorado (67), Virginia (99)
Both of these onetime swing states have become more Democratic in recent years as white college-educated voters have turned against Republicans. In both states, however, those voters share control of the Democratic Party with people of color.
In Virginia, there is a balance between white voters and federal workers in Northern Virginia and Black voters in cities like Newport News, Virginia Beach and Richmond. Biden should do well with Black voters, who made up 26% of the primary electorate in 2016, though Bloomberg could eat into his advantage here as in the rest of the South.
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The white voters are concentrated in three congressional districts surrounding Washington, D.C., that include some of the wealthiest suburbs in the country. Warren, Klobuchar and Buttigieg will all hope to do well here, and all three have thrown well-attended rallies in Northern Virginia in recent weeks. But the Sanders campaign sees an advantage in the region’s immigrant populations, and is hoping their strength with Muslim and Asian American voters can lead to surprise victories.
Sanders performed exceedingly well in Colorado’s caucus in 2016, winning 59% of the vote. But like most other caucus states, Colorado switched to a primary for 2020. Public polling shows him with a healthy lead this time around, performing strongly among both the state’s white voters and Latinos, who make up one-fifth of the state’s population. Warren is also expected to break the 15% mark here, and Buttigieg is on the verge of doing so. (Many ballots have already been returned in Colorado, a vote-by-mail state.)
The Home Turf: Maine (24), Massachusetts (91), Minnesota (75), Oklahoma (37), Vermont (16)
There are five states where one candidate or another can claim home-field advantage. Sanders represents Vermont, Warren is from Massachusetts and was born in Oklahoma, and the two can claim joint custody of Maine, another New England state. Klobuchar represents Minnesota.
Sanders is openly targeting both Massachusetts and Minnesota. He’s held two rallies in the Bay State, including a 10,000-person event in Boston on Saturday. On Monday night, he’s headed to the Twin Cities for a rally with the band Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. Polling indicates both states could see tight contests, and while narrow wins would provide him with little delegate benefit, they would be significant embarrassments for the two female senators.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar campaigns Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A loss would directly undercut Klobuchar, whose campaign message is centered on her popularity throughout her home state and who is running low on campaign funds. Persist PAC is airing ads in the Boston media market ― a step the Warren campaign avoided in both her reelection bid in 2018 and during the New Hampshire primary, and Warren rolled out a list of more than a hundred elected officials who endorsed her.
Sanders, who has had more than two decades to woo the fewer than 700,000 voters who live in Vermont, is expected to romp in his home state. But the Buttigieg campaign said in a conference call that it was investing in Vermont, hoping to steal a few of the state’s delegates.
The Surprisingly Liberal: Utah (29)
Utah’s massive Mormon population makes it one of the most reliably Republican and socially conservative states in the country, notwithstanding its distaste for Donald Trump. But its Democratic primary electorate can be staunchly liberal: Sanders won nearly 80% of the vote there in 2016.
That victory came in a caucus. But like Colorado, Utah has since switched to a primary, which should reward candidates with less dedicated supporter bases than Sanders’. The limited polling in the state does suggest he should still be able to walk away with a win here, though Bloomberg has blanketed the state with ads.
The Wild Cards: American Samoa (6), Democrats Abroad (13)
No one has polled in either of these low-delegate contests, and neither awards enough votes for any of the candidates to invest much time in either place, though Warren did participate in a livestream town hall with some voters in London earlier this month. American Samoa’s caucus format could benefit Sanders, though Clinton won there in 2016. The Democrats Abroad primary has tended to back liberal and reformist candidates, so Sanders and Warren may turn in strong performances.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-01--Bernie Sanders Campaign Says It Raised $46.5 Million In February

The presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) said Sunday that it had raised $ 46.5 million in February , making it Sanders ’ most lucrative month of the campaign and almost certainly the biggest monthly haul of any presidential candidate this election cycle .
The sum came from 2.2 million contributions , including donations from 350,000 first-time donors to the campaign .
The average donation was $ 21 and the most common profession of donors was once again “ teacher , ” according to the campaign .
Campaign manager Faiz Shakir noted in a statement that over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from voters in the 14 states , a U.S. territory and Democrats abroad that vote on Super Tuesday , March 3 .
Following a big loss to former Vice President Joe Biden in South Carolina on Saturday , the campaign is using the massive haul to project strength well beyond the Super Tuesday states .
Sanders is purchasing televisions ads in states with March 10 contests such as Idaho , Michigan , Mississippi , Missouri and Washington , as well as Arizona , Florida , Illinois and Ohio , which head to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign says it is already on the air in 12 of the Super Tuesday states . )
Biden , who has struggled with fundraising , said Sunday morning that his campaign raised about $ 18 million last month , with $ 5 million of it pouring in over the past 24 hours .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, who has had disappointing showings in the first handful of presidential primary contests , raised $ 29 million last month , her campaign announced Sunday .
Thanks to a popular vote win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire and Nevada , Sanders remains the narrow leader in the Democratic primary field in terms of national delegates , holding a modest edge over Biden .
The continued strength of Sanders ’ fundraising showcases an advantage that his rivals lack .
His 2020 campaign has now raised $ 167 million from 8.7 million contributions ; 99.9 % of its donors can give again because they have yet to hit their legal maximum .
The total number of individual contributions received has now surpassed those of his 2016 presidential bid , his staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders trailed only fellow Democratic presidential hopefuls Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer in fundraising .
Both billionaires , Bloomberg and Steyer have spent millions of dollars of their own money to fund their campaigns .
Steyer , a venture capitalist , dropped out of the race on Saturday after coming in third in the South Carolina primary .
And in a sign that Sanders partisans are not easily discouraged , the most lucrative day of the month for the campaign was Saturday ― the day of Sanders ’ South Carolina loss ― when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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The presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday that it had raised $46.5 million in February, making it Sanders’ most lucrative month of the campaign and almost certainly the biggest monthly haul of any presidential candidate this election cycle.
The sum came from 2.2 million contributions, including donations from 350,000 first-time donors to the campaign. The average donation was $21 and the most common profession of donors was once again “teacher,” according to the campaign.
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Campaign manager Faiz Shakir noted in a statement that over 1.4 million of the February donations came from voters in the 14 states, a U.S. territory and Democrats abroad that vote on Super Tuesday, March 3.
“The senator’s multigenerational, multiracial working class coalition keeps fueling his campaign for transformational change a few bucks at a time,” Shakir said.
Following a big loss to former Vice President Joe Biden in South Carolina on Saturday, the campaign is using the massive haul to project strength well beyond the Super Tuesday states. Sanders is purchasing televisions ads in states with March 10 contests such as Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri and Washington, as well as Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, which head to the polls on March 17. (The campaign says it is already on the air in 12 of the Super Tuesday states.)
Biden, who has struggled with fundraising, said Sunday morning that his campaign raised about $18 million last month, with $5 million of it pouring in over the past 24 hours.
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“I think things are picking up but we’ll see,” Biden told “Fox News Sunday.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has had disappointing showings in the first handful of presidential primary contests, raised $29 million last month, her campaign announced Sunday.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks at a rally in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Saturday. After a big loss in South Carolina, Sanders is leveraging his money in future contests. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Thanks to a popular vote win in Iowa and outright victories in New Hampshire and Nevada, Sanders remains the narrow leader in the Democratic primary field in terms of national delegates, holding a modest edge over Biden.
The continued strength of Sanders’ fundraising showcases an advantage that his rivals lack. His 2020 campaign has now raised $167 million from 8.7 million contributions; 99.9% of its donors can give again because they have yet to hit their legal maximum. The total number of individual contributions received has now surpassed those of his 2016 presidential bid, his staff said.
As of Feb. 20, Sanders trailed only fellow Democratic presidential hopefuls Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer in fundraising. Both billionaires, Bloomberg and Steyer have spent millions of dollars of their own money to fund their campaigns. Steyer, a venture capitalist, dropped out of the race on Saturday after coming in third in the South Carolina primary.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-29--Joe Biden Scores Dominant Win In South Carolina Democratic Primary

COLUMBIA , S.C. ― The Palmetto State came through big for former Vice President Joe Biden , and it couldn ’ t have come at a more critical time for his presidential ambitions .
With his campaign struggling to raise funds and Super Tuesday looming next week , Biden badly needed a win to reverse the narrative that he was on the ropes .
He finally got it on Saturday .
It was the 77-year-old ’ s first primary victory after three separate presidential runs over three decades ― and he owed it in large part due to Black voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered Democrats in South Carolina .
“ All of those of you who have been knocked down , counted out , left behind , this is your campaign , ” a fist-pumping Biden said in a fiery victory speech in Columbia .
“ Just days ago , the press and the pundits had declared this candidacy dead .
Now thanks to all of you ... we ’ ve just won and we won big because of you.
” But if Saturday ’ s victory provided the new narrative ― “ the Biden bounceback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking after disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire , what remains less clear is how much of a boost it will give the former vice president , especially in nominating contests taking place on March 3 .
Polling averages show Biden struggling badly in California , for example , where his cash-strapped campaign simply hasn ’ t had the resources to effectively compete .
One recent poll actually had him under the 15 % threshold needed to win any delegates at all , meaning he could get shut out of its huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown him behind Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , the front-runner in the race , in Texas .
If he does well on Super Tuesday , Sanders could take a huge step toward building an insurmountable delegate lead .
The senator kept most of his focus on those contests this week , holding huge rallies in Massachusetts and Virginia .
Although he placed a distant second in South Carolina , he picked up a few delegates in the state , denying Biden a clean sweep .
It ’ s looking increasingly likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden and Sanders , a self-described democratic socialist who is an Independent .
“ If Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat , a life-long Democrat , a proud Democrat , an Obama-Biden Democrat , join us !
” Biden said to applause on Saturday night .
“ We have the option of winning big or losing big .
That ’ s the choice.
” Biden ’ s strength among Black voters could be the silver lining for his campaign , however , suggesting his path to the nomination lies in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown him performing better in Alabama , Arkansas and North Carolina , which also vote on Super Tuesday .
The former vice president made a campaign stop in Raleigh on Saturday , where he told a large crowd that the Tar Heel State could prove pivotal to his chances of facing President Donald Trump in November .
“ The full comeback starts in South Carolina , ” Biden said at the event .
“ If North Carolina stands with us on Tuesday , there will be no stopping us from becoming the nominee @ @

COLUMBIA, S.C. ― The Palmetto State came through big for former Vice President Joe Biden, and it couldn’t have come at a more critical time for his presidential ambitions.
With his campaign struggling to raise funds and Super Tuesday looming next week, Biden badly needed a win to reverse the narrative that he was on the ropes. He finally got it on Saturday.
It was the 77-year-old’s first primary victory after three separate presidential runs over three decades ― and he owed it in large part due to Black voters, who make up roughly two-thirds of registered Democrats in South Carolina.
“All of those of you who have been knocked down, counted out, left behind, this is your campaign,” a fist-pumping Biden said in a fiery victory speech in Columbia. “Just days ago, the press and the pundits had declared this candidacy dead. Now thanks to all of you ... we’ve just won and we won big because of you.”
But if Saturday’s victory provided the new narrative ― “the Biden bounceback” ― that his campaign has been seeking after disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, what remains less clear is how much of a boost it will give the former vice president, especially in nominating contests taking place on March 3.
Polling averages show Biden struggling badly in California, for example, where his cash-strapped campaign simply hasn’t had the resources to effectively compete. One recent poll actually had him under the 15% threshold needed to win any delegates at all, meaning he could get shut out of its huge delegate haul entirely. Polls have also shown him behind Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the front-runner in the race, in Texas.
If he does well on Super Tuesday, Sanders could take a huge step toward building an insurmountable delegate lead. The senator kept most of his focus on those contests this week, holding huge rallies in Massachusetts and Virginia. Although he placed a distant second in South Carolina, he picked up a few delegates in the state, denying Biden a clean sweep.
It’s looking increasingly likely that the nomination fight may come down to Biden and Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who is an Independent.
“If Democrats want a nominee who is a Democrat, a life-long Democrat, a proud Democrat, an Obama-Biden Democrat, join us!” Biden said to applause on Saturday night. “We have the option of winning big or losing big. That’s the choice.”
Biden’s strength among Black voters could be the silver lining for his campaign, however, suggesting his path to the nomination lies in states across the South. Polls have shown him performing better in Alabama, Arkansas and North Carolina, which also vote on Super Tuesday. The former vice president made a campaign stop in Raleigh on Saturday, where he told a large crowd that the Tar Heel State could prove pivotal to his chances of facing President Donald Trump in November.
“The full comeback starts in South Carolina,” Biden said at the event. “If North Carolina stands with us on Tuesday, there will be no stopping us from becoming the nominee.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-29--AIPAC Faces A Moment Of Truth With The Democratic Party

One by one , major candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination have announced they will miss one of the biggest events on the national political calendar : the annual Washington conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee , or AIPAC .
Sen Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg shared their plans over the past week , following the example that Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
set two weeks earlier .
It ’ s a striking development : A minority of Democratic candidates ― Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden ― will address the confab , which has traditionally hosted major candidates from both parties in election years before thousands of politically engaged AIPAC members .
And it ’ s the latest evidence of a shift with big implications for the Democratic Party , the American Jewish community ― in which AIPAC has long held a dominant role that appears to be shrinking ― and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine .
The activist groups asking candidates to # SkipAIPAC , which include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Working Families Party , rooted their pitch in progressive values .
They argue a potential leader of the Democratic Party can not appear alongside figures known for bigoted statements , like a pastor who said former President Barack Obama was not a Christian or Serbian President Aleksander Vučić , who has threatened a massacre of Muslims .
They also painted AIPAC as a threat to Middle East peace , saying it enables Israel ’ s expansion into territory that would be the basis of a future Palestinian state , arguing AIPAC makes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the communities there , and highlighting its opposition to the Iran nuclear deal .
Ahead of the three-day conference , those advocates can claim a win .
But it ’ s one that is about more than their months of public pressure .
AIPAC has built tremendous influence in American politics because of its members ’ donations to and relationships with both major parties .
It ’ s balanced prioritizing pro-Israel stances over any other aspect of a politician ’ s agenda ― telling Republicans it will treat them as “ friendly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vital political voice for more than 7 million American Jews , most of whom reliably vote Democratic .
“ It is not new that AIPAC is giving a stage to voices that are far to the right of U.S. policy or of the mainstream U.S. Jewish community , ” said Lara Friedman , the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace .
The conference has repeatedly hosted Pastor John Hagee , who has said Hitler was fulfilling God ’ s will by pushing Jews to move to Israel and called Hurricane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally , Friedman pointed out .
Hagee founded an influential pro-Israel network called Christians United for Israel .
The group has also consistently been skeptical of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and U.S. pressure on Israel , despite its stated commitment to countries for both peoples .
It ’ s forcefully challenged politicians on the issue , including former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former Presidents George H.W .
Bush and Obama .
It wasn ’ t a huge leap , then , to welcome President Donald Trump ’ s hardline plan , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Israel celebrated .
Nor was it unprecedented for the group to target political figures it viewed as threats , as it has for years .
So far in 2020 , it has produced ads saying Reps. Betty McCollum ( D-Minn. ) , Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) and Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) threaten Jews and Israel ― prompting McCollum to call AIPAC a “ hate group ” ― and helped an affiliated group attack Sanders .
On Saturday , it released a clip heavily featuring criticism of Sanders on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s possible to be pro-Israel without following AIPAC ’ s lead .
In 2007 , former Bill Clinton aide Jeremy Ben-Ami founded J Street , which also reaches out to American Jews and lobbies Congress but tightly ties its support of Israel to advocating a two-state solution , which it calls crucial for the country ’ s survival as Jewish and democratic .
The group has grown powerful , particularly among Democrats , and provided a platform for policymakers to talk about new ways to encourage peace and rein in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic steps like new conditions on aid to Israel but becoming the group through which those ideas are introduced and seriously debated , as they were last year by top 2020 candidates .
Skeptics of AIPAC and the Israeli government policies it defends have continued to demonstrate that they won ’ t shrink in the face of claims that they ’ re insufficiently loyal to an ally , or the charge — now championed by Trump — that they are anti-Semitic .
( Dealing with that particular accusation remains complicated . )
Advocates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also connected concerns about Israel and Palestine to the broader liberal agenda ― rejecting what Friedman described as AIPAC ’ s position , exemplified by Trump ’ s 2016 appearance at its conference amid the open racism of his campaign , that it “ redefined pro-Israel to mean setting aside every other thing that you value in the world.
” That ’ s the thinking behind noting and publicizing the track records of AIPAC attendees .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s courting of authoritarians abroad who demonize minorities ( from Hungary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Narenda Modi to Trump ) helps campaigners make their point that true support of Israel , the Jewish people and progressive values requires change ― particularly given how the far-right , Islamophobic thinking of those leaders and their flirtations with “ globalist ” conspiracy theories has boosted international anti-Semitism .
For Netanyahu , who is bound to serve Israelis , not Jews elsewhere in the world , giving cover to such movements may seem like a savvy political play ; to others , including many American Jews , it represents danger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all something to take for granted that also the more moderate candidates don ’ t see it as necessary to attend AIPAC , and it might actually be politically strategic for them [ not to ] given the coalitions they ’ re hoping to attract , ” said Morriah Kaplan , a spokesperson for IfNotNow , a group popular among younger leftist American Jews .
Their next test might be one with broader impact : Change within the American Jewish community and how American politicians relate to it is clearly coming , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. policies linked to human rights abuses and long-term risks in Israel and Palestine isn ’ t yet taking place .
“ As there is a growing recognition that the status quo is untenable , that unconditional support for Israel is harmful for Palestinians and it ’ s harmful for Israelis , it creates more room for political leaders to take bolder stances in their foreign policy , ” she said .
“ Part of the calculus is … we get to be a credible Jewish voice and be able to break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all Jews , that they are the Jewish stamp of approval .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Major candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination have announced they will miss one of the biggest events on the national political calendar: the annual Washington conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shared his plan last week, following the example that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) set two weeks earlier.
“I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend,” said Sanders, the front-runner in the race.
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It’s a striking development: Only one Democratic candidate ― former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg ― will attend the confab, which has traditionally hosted major candidates from both parties in election years before thousands of politically engaged AIPAC members. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg will address the convention through pre-recorded videos. And it’s the latest evidence of a shift with big implications for the Democratic Party, the American Jewish community ― in which AIPAC has long held a dominant role that appears to be shrinking ― and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine.
The activist groups asking candidates to #SkipAIPAC, which include MoveOn, IfNotNow, Indivisible and the Working Families Party, rooted their pitch in progressive values. They argue a potential leader of the Democratic Party cannot appear alongside figures known for bigoted statements, like a pastor who said former President Barack Obama was not a Christian or Serbian President Aleksander Vučić, who has threatened a massacre of Muslims. They also painted AIPAC as a threat to Middle East peace, saying it enables Israel’s expansion into territory that would be the basis of a future Palestinian state, arguing AIPAC makes it harder to criticize often-brutal Israeli military control over the communities there, and highlighting its opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.
Ahead of the three-day conference, those advocates can claim a win. But it’s one that is about more than their months of public pressure. AIPAC has built tremendous influence in American politics because of its members’ donations to and relationships with both major parties. It’s balanced prioritizing pro-Israel stances over any other aspect of a politician’s agenda ― telling Republicans it will treat them as “friendly incumbents” ― while presenting itself as a vital political voice for more than 7 million American Jews, most of whom reliably vote Democratic.
With AIPAC’s bipartisan credentials now in jeopardy, its leadership may well be slightly confused. They have been clear for decades about who they are.
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“It is not new that AIPAC is giving a stage to voices that are far to the right of U.S. policy or of the mainstream U.S. Jewish community,” said Lara Friedman, the president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace. The conference has repeatedly hosted Pastor John Hagee, who has said Hitler was fulfilling God’s will by pushing Jews to move to Israel and called Hurricane Katrina a punishment for a gay pride rally, Friedman pointed out. Hagee founded an influential pro-Israel network called Christians United for Israel.
The group has also consistently been skeptical of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and U.S. pressure on Israel, despite its stated commitment to countries for both peoples. It’s forcefully challenged politicians on the issue, including former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Obama. It wasn’t a huge leap, then, to welcome President Donald Trump’s hardline plan, which Palestinians view as unacceptable but right-wing forces in Israel celebrated.
“AIPAC has behaved for the entire life of the peace process in a manner that suggests that the current policies of the Israeli government and the Trump administration are in no way problematic for its worldview,” Friedman said.
Nor was it unprecedented for the group to target political figures it viewed as threats, as it has for years. So far in 2020, it has produced ads saying Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) threaten Jews and Israel ― prompting McCollum to call AIPAC a “hate group” ― and helped an affiliated group attack Sanders. On Saturday, it released a clip heavily featuring criticism of Sanders on Twitter.
What has changed is the world outside AIPAC.
Politicians and activists have worked to show that it’s possible to be pro-Israel without following AIPAC’s lead. In 2007, former Bill Clinton aide Jeremy Ben-Ami founded J Street, which also reaches out to American Jews and lobbies Congress but tightly ties its support of Israel to advocating a two-state solution, which it calls crucial for the country’s survival as Jewish and democratic. The group has grown powerful, particularly among Democrats, and provided a platform for policymakers to talk about new ways to encourage peace and rein in aggressive Israeli behavior ― not outright endorsing dramatic steps like new conditions on aid to Israel but becoming the group through which those ideas are introduced and seriously debated, as they were last year by top 2020 candidates.
Advertisement
Skeptics of AIPAC and the Israeli government policies it defends have continued to demonstrate that they won’t shrink in the face of claims that they’re insufficiently loyal to an ally, or the charge — now championed by Trump — that they are anti-Semitic. (Dealing with that particular accusation remains complicated.)
Advocates, particularly younger American Jews, have also connected concerns about Israel and Palestine to the broader liberal agenda ― rejecting what Friedman described as AIPAC’s position, exemplified by Trump’s 2016 appearance at its conference amid the open racism of his campaign, that it “redefined pro-Israel to mean setting aside every other thing that you value in the world.”
That’s the thinking behind noting and publicizing the track records of AIPAC attendees. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s courting of authoritarians abroad who demonize minorities (from Hungary’s Viktor Orban and India’s Narenda Modi to Trump) helps campaigners make their point that true support of Israel, the Jewish people and progressive values requires change ― particularly given how the far-right, Islamophobic thinking of those leaders and their flirtations with “globalist” conspiracy theories has boosted international anti-Semitism. For Netanyahu, who is bound to serve Israelis, not Jews elsewhere in the world, giving cover to such movements may seem like a savvy political play; to others, including many American Jews, it represents danger.
AIPAC’s critics are energized.
“It feels significant and not at all something to take for granted that also the more moderate candidates don’t see it as necessary to attend AIPAC, and it might actually be politically strategic for them [not to] given the coalitions they’re hoping to attract,” said Morriah Kaplan, a spokesperson for IfNotNow, a group popular among younger leftist American Jews. Buttigieg and Klobuchar got attention and headlines after their campaigns said they would not attend; AIPAC released news of their videos days later.
Their next test might be one with broader impact: Change within the American Jewish community and how American politicians relate to it is clearly coming, but a big national conversation about the details of U.S. policies linked to human rights abuses and long-term risks in Israel and Palestine isn’t yet taking place.
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For Kaplan, the former enables the latter.
“As there is a growing recognition that the status quo is untenable, that unconditional support for Israel is harmful for Palestinians and it’s harmful for Israelis, it creates more room for political leaders to take bolder stances in their foreign policy,” she said. “Part of the calculus is … we get to be a credible Jewish voice and be able to break the facade that [AIPAC speaks] for all Jews, that they are the Jewish stamp of approval.”
AIPAC and multiple Democratic lawmakers listed as speakers at its conference did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
UPDATE: March 1 — This story has been updated to reflect AIPAC’s announcement that Buttigieg will share a video, like Biden and Klobuchar. IfNotNow slammed the move.
“We are disappointed by Amy Klobuchar’s and Pete Buttigieg’s decisions to cave to AIPAC’s pressure, but also unsurprised, given that their campaigns have been distinguished by a stated desire to be seen as progressive alongside a demonstrated refusal to stand up to the corrupt establishment,” the group’s co-founder Dani Moscovitch said in a statement.
“The last-minute nature of the announcements — and the lowering of AIPAC’s own standards to accept pre-recorded videos from the candidates — gives a glimpse into AIPAC’s frantic scramble to save face. ... Since AIPAC’s last conference, more and more Democrats — including Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren — have publicly challenged their shining achievement: the blank check American taxpayers give to the Israeli government to fund its brutal occupation of the Palestinian people. We are proud to be part of the growing movement encouraging more and more morally courageous leaders to stop funding the occupation.”