thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Coronavirus Cases On Quarantined Cruise Ship Rise To 61

TOKYO ( Reuters ) - Dozens more people onboard a cruise ship quarantined in the port of Yokohama , Japan , tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins , only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air .
The Diamond Princess , owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp ( CCL.N ) , was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Monday after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus .
Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that 41 people on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , bringing the total of confirmed cases to 61 .
Twentyone of the new cases were Japanese .
Those infected were taken off the ship and moved to hospitals in Tokyo and neighbouring towns , the health ministry said .
Blue and white tarpaulin sheets were hung up to screen them from the view of other passengers .
Operator Princess Cruises ’ website describes the ship as “ your home away from home ” and it will remain so for most passengers at last until Feb. 19 .
The quarantine period could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japanese government official told a media briefing .
The 61 cases came from a sample of 273 people who had been tested because they had showed symptoms or been in close contact with those who did .
More tests will be done if any more passengers developed symptoms , Kato said .
Passengers were finding out about the new infections from the internet before they were announced on the ship , said the Hong Kong man , who declined to be identified .
Ashley Rhodes-Courter , an American whose parents are on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be able to help her parents get off it .
The cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored at Yokohama Port in Yokohama , south of Tokyo , Friday , Feb. 7 , 2020 .
Japan on Friday reported 41 new cases of a virus on the cruise ship that 's been quarantined .
About 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship .
( AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko ) The Japanese official said the government saw no risk of the virus being spread by the Diamond Princess ’ s ventilation system because transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread by droplets from coughs or sneezes that can stick to surfaces and infect other people .
But Paul Hunter , an expert in infectious disease at Britain ’ s University of East Anglia , said the potential for cruise ships spreading the epidemic across the world was now becoming a serious concern .
The governor of the U.S. island territory of Guam , in the Pacific Ocean , earlier on Friday rejected a U.S. State Department request to allow the Westerdam to dock there .
The new ship cases take the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 80 , according to Reuters calculations .
Health Minister Kato said Japan was not including those cases in its national count , which stands at 21 .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
TOKYO (Reuters) - Dozens more people onboard a cruise ship quarantined in the port of Yokohama, Japan, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins, only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air.
The Diamond Princess, owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp (CCL.N), was placed on a two-week quarantine on arriving at Yokohama on Monday after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with the virus.
Advertisement
Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told a news conference that 41 people on the liner had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 61. Twentyone of the new cases were Japanese.
Those infected were taken off the ship and moved to hospitals in Tokyo and neighbouring towns, the health ministry said. Blue and white tarpaulin sheets were hung up to screen them from the view of other passengers.
About 3,700 people are aboard the Diamond Princess, which usually has a crew of 1,100 and a passenger capacity of 2,670.
Operator Princess Cruises’ website describes the ship as “your home away from home” and it will remain so for most passengers at last until Feb. 19. The quarantine period could be extended if need be, a Japanese government official told a media briefing.
Advertisement
The 61 cases came from a sample of 273 people who had been tested because they had showed symptoms or been in close contact with those who did. More tests will be done if any more passengers developed symptoms, Kato said.
For the stranded passengers, who were promised “a treasure trove of exceptional delights” in the ship’s brochure, the new infections spelled only more gloom.
Staff distributed thermometers and passengers were told that mental health experts were available for telephone consultations around the clock.
“We have instructions to monitor our temperatures and report if we’re above 37.5,” one man, a 43-year-old Hong Kong resident on the ship with his family, told Reuters.
Normal human body temperature is generally accepted to be 37 Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit).
Passengers were finding out about the new infections from the internet before they were announced on the ship, said the Hong Kong man, who declined to be identified.
Advertisement
Ashley Rhodes-Courter, an American whose parents are on the ship, said she hoped U.S. officials would be able to help her parents get off it.
“They are all breathing circulated contaminated air so they could be getting everyone infected,” Rhodes-Courter said.
The cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored at Yokohama Port in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. Japan on Friday reported 41 new cases of a virus on the cruise ship that's been quarantined. About 3,700 people have been confined aboard the ship. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) ASSOCIATED PRESS
CRUISE SHIP CONCERN
The Japanese official said the government saw no risk of the virus being spread by the Diamond Princess’s ventilation system because transmission is not airborne. Rather it is spread by droplets from coughs or sneezes that can stick to surfaces and infect other people.
But Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious disease at Britain’s University of East Anglia, said the potential for cruise ships spreading the epidemic across the world was now becoming a serious concern.
Advertisement
“Cruise ships are environments where respiratory infections can spread very quickly,” he said.
They also carry the further risk of transmitting a viral infection to other countries as passengers embark and disembark.
“I would be surprised if we don’t see more problems with cruise ships in the coming weeks,” Hunter said.
Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba told reporters Japan had asked another cruise ship, the Westerdam, not to make a port call in the country.
The governor of the U.S. island territory of Guam, in the Pacific Ocean, earlier on Friday rejected a U.S. State Department request to allow the Westerdam to dock there.
The new ship cases take the total number of coronavirus infections in Japan to more than 80, according to Reuters calculations. Health Minister Kato said Japan was not including those cases in its national count, which stands at 21.
Advertisement
The outbreak, which has killed almost 640 people in mainland China and two elsewhere, has also stoked concern about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which begin on July 24.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--7 Democratic Candidates To Face Off In New Hampshire Debate

MANCHESTER , N.H. ( AP ) — The Democratic Party ’ s seven strongest presidential contenders are preparing for what could be the fiercest debate stage clash of the 2020 primary season as candidates look to survive the gauntlet of contests that lie ahead .
The field has been shaken and reshaped by chaotic Iowa caucuses earlier this week , and Friday ’ s debate in New Hampshire — coming four days before the state ’ s primary — offers new opportunity and risk for the shrinking pool of White House hopefuls .
Two candidates , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enter the night as the top targets , having emerged from Iowa essentially tied for the lead .
Those trailing after the first contest — including former Vice President Joe Biden , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar — have an urgent need to demonstrate strength .
The rapidly evolving dynamic means that the candidates have a very real incentive to mix it up with their Democratic rivals in the 8 p.m. debate hosted by ABC .
They may not get another chance .
“ This is the time when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can compare and contrast , but also show they ’ re in it to win it , ” said Democratic strategist Lily Adams , who worked on California Sen. Kamala Harris ’ unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign .
“ Expect it to get more feisty.
” Indeed , it was a debate at this same stage in New Hampshire four years ago on the Republican side that then-New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie devastated Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ’ s presidential ambitions with a well-timed take-down .
Rubio never recovered , making it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his party ’ s presidential nominee .
The stakes are particularly high this week for Biden , who has played front-runner in virtually every one of the previous seven debates but left Iowa in distant fourth place .
While reporting irregularities have blunted the impact of the Iowa contest , Biden ’ s weakness rattled supporters who encouraged him to take an aggressive tack Friday night .
“ People want to see the fire , they want to see fight and they want to see the differences , ” he said .
Lest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden adopted a decidedly more aggressive tone with his rivals in the days leading up to Friday ’ s debate , having largely avoided direct attacks against other Democrats for much of the last year .
But Wednesday in New Hampshire , the former vice president went after Sanders and Buttigieg by name and questioned their ability to beat Trump .
Biden also conceded the obvious — that his Iowa finish was underwhelming at best .
He called it a “ gut punch ” before embracing the underdog role : “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my life I ’ ve been knocked down.
” The seven-person field also highlights the evolution of the Democrats ’ 2020 nomination fight , which began with more than two dozen candidates and has been effectively whittled down to a handful of top-tier contenders .
Two African Americans and the only Latino candidate were forced from the race even before voting began .
The only black contender still in the running , former Massachusetts Gov .
Deval Patrick , did not meet the polling or fundraising thresholds to qualify for Friday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since a progressive feud erupted on national television between Sanders and Warren .
The Massachusetts senator refused to shake her New England neighbor ’ s hand and accused him of calling her a liar moments after the Jan. 14 meeting in Iowa .
The pointed exchange threatened to cause a permanent fissure in the Democratic Party ’ s far-left flank .
Warren has embraced her gender as a political strength in the weeks since , highlighting the successes of female candidates in the Trump era and her own record of defeating a male @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
She even points to her sprawling campaign organization to prove her dedication to party unity , noting that aides from rival candidates no longer in the race have chosen to work for her .
While Warren and Sanders as presidential candidates have sworn off wealthy donors , Buttigieg and the rest of the field have continued to hold private finance events with big donors , some with connections to Wall Street .
In fact , Buttigieg took the unusual step of leaving New Hampshire this week to hold three fundraisers with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The Democratic Party’s seven strongest presidential contenders are preparing for what could be the fiercest debate stage clash of the 2020 primary season as candidates look to survive the gauntlet of contests that lie ahead.
The field has been shaken and reshaped by chaotic Iowa caucuses earlier this week, and Friday’s debate in New Hampshire — coming four days before the state’s primary — offers new opportunity and risk for the shrinking pool of White House hopefuls.
Advertisement
Two candidates, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Midwestern mayor Pete Buttigieg, enter the night as the top targets, having emerged from Iowa essentially tied for the lead. Those trailing after the first contest — including former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar — have an urgent need to demonstrate strength.
Billionaire activist Tom Steyer and New York entrepreneur Andrew Yang, meanwhile, are fighting to prove they belong in the conversation.
The rapidly evolving dynamic means that the candidates have a very real incentive to mix it up with their Democratic rivals in the 8 p.m. debate hosted by ABC. They may not get another chance.
“This is the time when voters are eager for candidates to show they can compare and contrast, but also show they’re in it to win it,” said Democratic strategist Lily Adams, who worked on California Sen. Kamala Harris’ unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign. “Expect it to get more feisty.”
Advertisement
Indeed, it was a debate at this same stage in New Hampshire four years ago on the Republican side that then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie devastated Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s presidential ambitions with a well-timed take-down. Rubio never recovered, making it easier for Donald Trump to emerge as his party’s presidential nominee.
The stakes are particularly high this week for Biden, who has played front-runner in virtually every one of the previous seven debates but left Iowa in distant fourth place. While reporting irregularities have blunted the impact of the Iowa contest, Biden’s weakness rattled supporters who encouraged him to take an aggressive tack Friday night.
One of Biden’s more prominent New Hampshire backers, Democratic operative Jim Demers, said this is the time to fight.
“People want to see the fire, they want to see fight and they want to see the differences,” he said.
Lest there be any doubt about his intentions, Biden adopted a decidedly more aggressive tone with his rivals in the days leading up to Friday’s debate, having largely avoided direct attacks against other Democrats for much of the last year. But Wednesday in New Hampshire, the former vice president went after Sanders and Buttigieg by name and questioned their ability to beat Trump.
On Sanders, Biden seized on the Vermont senator’s status as a self-described democratic socialist. And on Buttigieg, he knocked the 38-year-old former mayor’s inexperience.
Advertisement
Biden also conceded the obvious — that his Iowa finish was underwhelming at best. He called it a “gut punch” before embracing the underdog role: “This isn’t the first time in my life I’ve been knocked down.”
The seven-person field also highlights the evolution of the Democrats’ 2020 nomination fight, which began with more than two dozen candidates and has been effectively whittled down to a handful of top-tier contenders.
There are clear dividing lines based on ideology, age and gender. But just one of the candidates on stage, Yang, is an ethnic minority.
Two African Americans and the only Latino candidate were forced from the race even before voting began. The only black contender still in the running, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, did not meet the polling or fundraising thresholds to qualify for Friday’s event.
Beyond Biden’s struggles, there are several subplots to watch.
The debate is the first since a progressive feud erupted on national television between Sanders and Warren. The Massachusetts senator refused to shake her New England neighbor’s hand and accused him of calling her a liar moments after the Jan. 14 meeting in Iowa.
Advertisement
The pointed exchange threatened to cause a permanent fissure in the Democratic Party’s far-left flank. Warren has embraced her gender as a political strength in the weeks since, highlighting the successes of female candidates in the Trump era and her own record of defeating a male Republican to earn a seat in the Senate.
That said, she stressed unity at campaign stops in recent days: “We’ve got to pull together as a party. We cannot repeat 2016,” she said.
She even points to her sprawling campaign organization to prove her dedication to party unity, noting that aides from rival candidates no longer in the race have chosen to work for her.
“I have an open campaign,” Warren said during a rally Wednesday at a community college in Nashua. “An inclusive campaign, a campaign that invites people in.”
Yet Warren has been willing to attack before. Aside from the post-debate skirmish with Sanders, she seized on Buttigieg’s fundraising practices in past meetings.
Advertisement
While Warren and Sanders as presidential candidates have sworn off wealthy donors, Buttigieg and the rest of the field have continued to hold private finance events with big donors, some with connections to Wall Street. In fact, Buttigieg took the unusual step of leaving New Hampshire this week to hold three fundraisers with wealthy donors in the New York area.
Buttigieg should expect to be under attack Friday night, said Joel Benenson, a debate adviser to Buttigieg last year and a prominent Democratic pollster.
“He’s got to be prepared for incoming from the people behind him, who are going to be punching up and trying to take votes away,” Benenson said.
“He’s got to be prepared to counterpunch, as well, and push back strenuously, but drive his message even when he’s responding,” he added. “If they draw sharp contrasts, he has to, as well.”
Associated Press writers Will Weissert in Manchester, N.H., and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Navy Head Ousted By Trump To Endorse Bloomberg For President

Richard Spencer , the former Navy secretary whom the Trump administration forced out over a high-profile case involving a Navy SEAL , will endorse Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg for president .
Spencer — a lifelong Republican — will appear beside President Donald Trump ’ s political rival Bloomberg at an event Friday in Norfolk , Virginia , according to NBC News .
It ’ s a high-profile rebuke of his former boss , and one that the Bloomberg campaign hopes will send a message that the former mayor of New York can attract Republican voters who are dissatisfied with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Secretary Mark Esper asked Spencer to resign in November 2019 over the handling of the controversial case of Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher , a Navy SEAL who was accused of several war crimes and convicted on one count .
Spencer publicly disagreed with President Donald Trump ’ s interference in the case , after the case had caught the attention of conservative media and Trump weighed in on Twitter .
After his ouster , Spencer went on to torch Trump in an op-ed in the Washington Post .
He said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military , to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices.
” Bloomberg hopes to reach military and veteran families with his Virginia appearance , and a statement released by the campaign Friday emphasized that .
“ Mike will honor the service and ensure the equal treatment of all women and men in uniform .
He also will respect the advice of military advisers , ” Spencer said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Richard Spencer, the former Navy secretary whom the Trump administration forced out over a high-profile case involving a Navy SEAL, will endorse Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg for president.
Spencer — a lifelong Republican — will appear beside President Donald Trump’s political rival Bloomberg at an event Friday in Norfolk, Virginia, according to NBC News.
Advertisement
It’s a high-profile rebuke of his former boss, and one that the Bloomberg campaign hopes will send a message that the former mayor of New York can attract Republican voters who are dissatisfied with Trump, The New York Times reported.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper asked Spencer to resign in November 2019 over the handling of the controversial case of Chief Petty Officer Eddie Gallagher, a Navy SEAL who was accused of several war crimes and convicted on one count. Spencer publicly disagreed with President Donald Trump’s interference in the case, after the case had caught the attention of conservative media and Trump weighed in on Twitter.
After his ouster, Spencer went on to torch Trump in an op-ed in the Washington Post. He said the case was a reminder that “the president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices.”
Bloomberg hopes to reach military and veteran families with his Virginia appearance, and a statement released by the campaign Friday emphasized that.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Vulnerable GOP Senator Scorched By Local Newspaper: ‘Coloradans Deserve Better’

The newspaper said Gardner , who voted to acquit President Donald Trump on impeachment charges over the Ukraine scandal , “ either thinks it ’ s OK for a president to pressure a foreign government to investigate a U.S. citizen for personal and political gain or he ’ s too afraid to criticize this president for doing just that.
” “ We ’ re not sure which is worse , ” it added of the lawmaker , whom pundits have described as one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the Senate and who faces re-election later this year .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a little courage , search his soul and answer the question that this impeachment was really about.
” “ Gardner once said he would stand up to his own party .
Turns out he won ’ t even be critical of the actions of a member of his own party .
He must believe what Trump did was fine .
Why won ’ t he just say that ?
” asked the board .
“ Coloradans deserve a senator who will be straightforward and honest with them , ” it concluded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ track record of bipartisanship .
Coloradans deserve a senator who will call out things that are wrong and work to correct them .
Coloradans deserve better than Cory Gardner .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Denver Post editorial board announced Thursday that “Coloradans deserve better” in a scathing column criticizing the state’s GOP Sen. Cory Gardner.
The newspaper said Gardner, who voted to acquit President Donald Trump on impeachment charges over the Ukraine scandal, “either thinks it’s OK for a president to pressure a foreign government to investigate a U.S. citizen for personal and political gain or he’s too afraid to criticize this president for doing just that.”
Advertisement
“We’re not sure which is worse,” it added of the lawmaker, whom pundits have described as one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the Senate and who faces re-election later this year.
GOP Sen. Cory Gardner faces re-election later this year. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The board called on Gardner to “work up a little courage, search his soul and answer the question that this impeachment was really about.”
“Gardner once said he would stand up to his own party. Turns out he won’t even be critical of the actions of a member of his own party. He must believe what Trump did was fine. Why won’t he just say that?” asked the board.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Elizabeth Warren Wants To Unite The Party, But Some Of The Voters She Needs Aren’t Democrats

But as Warren stumbles out of a third-place finish in Iowa and seeks the game-changing result in New Hampshire that she failed to get in the Midwest , her pitch has a problem : Many of the voters she needs to win over aren ’ t Democrats at all .
Public polling here has shown Warren running strong with registered Democrats but performing poorly with the independents who plan to cast ballots in the Democratic race and often play a crucial role in Granite State politics .
But ideology can ’ t explain all of Warren ’ s struggles with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her left , actually does better with independents than with registered Democrats in the Monmouth survey .
That ’ s partially because Sanders , who has long refused to officially join the Democratic Party , is seen as a less partisan figure .
Warren , who rocketed to liberal fame in part because of her willingness to take on other Democrats , has downplayed her past criticisms in an attempt to become a consensus , unifying figure .
“ We Need To Pull This Party Together ” “ We now have a campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a lot of Elizabeth Warren originals , ” she told a crowd Wednesday in Nashua , “ but it ’ s also got a lot of [ Sen. Kamala Harris ] folks in it .
It ’ s got a lot of [ former Housing Secretary Julián Castro ] folks in it .
It ’ s got a lot of [ former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke ] folks in it .
It ’ s got a lot of [ Sen. Cory Booker ] folks in it , because they all had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about our country.
” “ She Was There To Hold Me Accountable As A Democrat ” “ She wanted to know what I was going to do to hold Wall Street accountable as people were losing their mortgages , she wanted to know how we are going to keep people in their homes , ” Castro said .
“ She was there to hold me accountable , from a friendly administration , because it wasn ’ t the party or the position that mattered most to her , it was the people that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Where Warren Goes From Here But as the field remains fractured ― not a single candidate dropped out after Monday night ’ s caucuses in Iowa ― and the entrance of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg starting on Super Tuesday is set to throw the race into further chaos , some Warren allies have begun suggesting the candidate who consistently emphasizes her ability to unify the party could do just that from a contested Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July .
“ A brokered convention has previously been more of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality , but I think it ’ s an extremely live possibility in 2020 , ” said Jeff Hauser , a Democratic strategist who supports Warren .
“ In the context of a president who scares a party so much , and with the memory of 2016 divisions so sharp , I think the candidate who is disliked by the fewest members of the party is going to make a compelling choice .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
NASHUA, N.H. ― Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was wrapping up a town hall here in New Hampshire’s second-largest city when a voter asked how she planned to defeat Donald Trump and win the 2020 presidential election.
“The way I’m going to win is I’m going to unite our party, because we have to have a united party,” Warren said Tuesday, one week before the second contest of the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries. “We can’t have a repeat of 2016.”
Advertisement
It’s a point the Warren campaign has been hammering over the past month, downplaying her history of challenging other Democrats and arguing she’s uniquely qualified to bridge the party’s ideological, age, gender and racial divides. Some allies have gone further and argued it positions her well for a potential contested convention.
But as Warren stumbles out of a third-place finish in Iowa and seeks the game-changing result in New Hampshire that she failed to get in the Midwest, her pitch has a problem: Many of the voters she needs to win over aren’t Democrats at all. Public polling here has shown Warren running strong with registered Democrats but performing poorly with the independents who plan to cast ballots in the Democratic race and often play a crucial role in Granite State politics.
A Monmouth University poll of likely New Hampshire primary voters released Thursday illustrates her problem. Warren earns 13% of the vote overall, good for fourth place, behind Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’s 24%, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s 20% and former Vice President Joe Biden’s 17%. But Warren earns the support of 21% of registered Democrats, trailing only Sanders. Her standing is hurt because just 5% of independents plan to back her. (Other polls in New Hampshire, including ones by Marist College, WBUR and Suffolk University, find similar gaps.)
Patrick Murray, the Monmouth pollster who conducted the survey, noted the lack of a competitive Republican primary and said it meant more moderate and even some conservative voters would cast ballots on the Democratic side, causing problems for a progressive like Warren, who supports a wealth tax, mass student debt forgiveness and the decriminalization of border crossings.
Advertisement
“Warren’s support is coming from traditionally liberal Democratic women,” Murray said. “When you only have one primary, you’re going to get more independent voters who are further from the ideological extreme of the party. In this case, you’re getting more voters from the center, or either more towards the right.”
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren at a campaign event Thursday in Derry, N.H. Matt Rourke/ASSOCIATED PRESS
But ideology can’t explain all of Warren’s struggles with independents. Sanders, who is to her left, actually does better with independents than with registered Democrats in the Monmouth survey. That’s partially because Sanders, who has long refused to officially join the Democratic Party, is seen as a less partisan figure. Warren, who rocketed to liberal fame in part because of her willingness to take on other Democrats, has downplayed her past criticisms in an attempt to become a consensus, unifying figure.
“They’re very much antiestablishment,” Murray said of the independent voters who are backing Sanders. “If she had done that, she might’ve been able to dig into some of Bernie’s independents.”
The Warren campaign declined to comment on the record for this story.
“We Need To Pull This Party Together”
Since the start of January, Warren has sought to capitalize on escalating intra-party tensions caused by Sanders’s rise in the polls by offering herself as a way to satiate both of the party’s ideological wings while remaining acceptable to Black and Latino voters. (This is intended to separate her from Buttigieg, who has also positioned himself as the middle ground but struggles with voters of color.)
Advertisement
Her allies routinely cite polling showing a wide swath of Democratic voters are still considering backing her and that she is the nominee who would disappoint the smallest portion of Democrat voters.
At the Nashua event, unifying the party seemed to be her major message. Aides handed out “Unite the party” signs to attendees, and Warren took time to note she had won support from elected officials and organizers who had previously backed candidates who have dropped out of the contest.
“We now have a campaign that, sure, it’s got a lot of Elizabeth Warren originals,” she told a crowd Wednesday in Nashua, “but it’s also got a lot of [Sen. Kamala Harris] folks in it. It’s got a lot of [former Housing Secretary Julián Castro] folks in it. It’s got a lot of [former Rep. Beto O’Rourke] folks in it. It’s got a lot of [Sen. Cory Booker] folks in it, because they all had good ideas, and they all care about our country.”
The Warren campaign is driving the point home with television ads featuring people who supported Hillary Clinton, Sanders and Trump in 2016 and are now backing Warren. (The campaign aired a similar spot in Iowa.)
Advertisement
At events in Nashua and in Derry on Thursday, it seemed to be working. “I was honestly leaning toward Bernie, but today clinched it for Warren,” said Tara Picciano, a registered Democrat and stay-at-home mom from nearby Wyndham. “I want the fighter. I want somebody who’s going to unite the party.”
Asked if she worried that Sanders couldn’t bring the party together, Picciano was diplomatic: “What I worry about is the soundbite of bully-ism,” she said. “I feel like, unfortunately, that’s where Bernie is right now.”
But not everyone was sold or even agreed that party unity was a major problem.
Lorrie Belinsky, a retired school administrator and independent, said she was still considering Warren, Buttigieg and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). “I don’t know. That’s one thing I maybe worry about. I’m not sure at this point,” she said when asked if Warren could unite anti-Trump forces.
And state Rep. Erika Connors, who said she was “pretty sure” she planned to endorse Warren after vacillating between her and Buttigieg, downplayed party unity as an issue.
“I don’t really see the party as divided as people are making it out to be. I think people are either going to vote for Donald Trump, or they’re going to vote for the alternative, whoever it is,” she said.
Advertisement
“She Was There To Hold Me Accountable As A Democrat”
A day earlier, Castro ― the only defeated rival of Warren’s to directly endorse her so far ― was in downtown Nashua for a meet-and-greet at Warren’s office here.
During a brief speech to the gathered supporters, Castro discussed the first time he met Warren. As a member of a Senate committee with oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Warren invited Castro to lunch in the Senate dining room. What Castro thought would be a casual get-to-know-you visit quickly turned serious and wonky.
“She wanted to know what I was going to do to hold Wall Street accountable as people were losing their mortgages, she wanted to know how we are going to keep people in their homes,” Castro said. “She was there to hold me accountable, from a friendly administration, because it wasn’t the party or the position that mattered most to her, it was the people that she was supposed to be there representing.”
Castro’s anecdote stood out. Though it fits into a larger pattern of Warren holding the feet of her fellow Democrats to the fire, it broke against the Warren campaign’s tendency to downplay that pattern.
During her rise to political fame during the Great Recession, Warren was a vociferous critic of how the Obama administration’s Treasury Department responded to the financial and housing crises. In the Senate, she continued to aggravate her Democratic colleagues by lambasting them for their support of laws progressives pointed to as giveaways to the banking and pharmaceutical industries.
Advertisement
Warren has always balanced her criticisms of other Democrats with a team player attitude, hosting fundraisers for Senate candidates and using her robust email list to help other Democrats raise money. But throughout the 2020 campaign, Warren has often declined to engage in critiques of other Democrats, and her campaign has positioned her as the pragmatic progressive in contrast to Sanders’s willingness to declare war on the establishment.
She has repeatedly declined to repeat her recession-era critiques of the Obama administration and has largely refrained from relitigating the fight that brought her into politics: her battles with Biden over his push for bankruptcy legislation she said would sell out consumers. In general, with the exception of her now-famous “wine cave” attack on Buttigieg, Warren has avoided going on the attack against the other candidates.
Warren’s campaign is now airing an ad in both New Hampshire and South Carolina featuring her work during the recession, but it doesn’t show her sharply questioning Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner or Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White, two Obama officials Warren regularly scorned. It shows President Barack Obama lavishing praise on her.
Castro, in an interview after his speech, punted when asked if Warren needed to place more emphasis on her past intra-party clashes: “I’ll leave the political analysis to the campaign.”
Advertisement
The event also had a distinctly left-wing feel that could contribute to the skepticism some independents feel toward Warren: As Jordan Thompson, a former Harris organizer who later endorsed Castro and was now backing Warren, talked about how “any movement for big structural change must be diverse and intersectional,” other young people snapped their figures in approval.
In an interview after the event, Thompson praised Warren: “She understands intersectionality. For too long, marginalized people have been placed on the back burner.” But he also said he was under “no illusion” about how much demand voters in New Hampshire, the third-whitest state in the union, might have for racial justice.
“I would give some of those voters a little bit more credit,” he said. “But maybe that’s just me being optimistic.”
Where Warren Goes From Here
Warren arrived in the Granite State in a steady position after a third-place finish in Iowa, receiving neither the boost granted to Sanders and Buttigieg nor the preemptive postmortems delivered to Biden. Polling in New Hampshire generally places her fourth, but she remains in third in national polling and in position to pick up a significant share of delegates on Super Tuesday on March 3.
“We’re in the top three in Iowa, and now we’ve landed in New Hampshire, and now we’re out there fighting for everyone in New Hampshire, and then after that we have 55 more states and territories,” Warren said during a short meeting with reporters Tuesday, indicating that there’s little chance she would alter her campaign’s long-game-focused, organizing-heavy strategy.
Advertisement
But it’s unclear how the Warren team plans to jumpstart her campaign into actually winning the nomination, particularly as Sanders continues to raise gargantuan sums ― his campaign announced Thursday morning he raised more than $25 million in January ― and seemingly consolidates his hold on the left-leaning voters they once battled over.
If Warren can’t get a boost in New Hampshire, she’ll need to look to Nevada for a boost. But there are signs of trouble there: She’s cut more than $300,000 from her television ad buys in the state, Advertising Analytics reported. And on Thursday, Politico reported that six women of color left Warren’s Nevada staff in recent months, frustrated by a campaign culture they felt didn’t value their input. At the Derry event, Warren issued an apology.
“I believe these women, completely and without reservation. And I apologize that they have had a bad experience on this campaign,” she told reporters. “I take personal responsibility for this. And I’m working with my team to address these concerns.”
But as the field remains fractured ― not a single candidate dropped out after Monday night’s caucuses in Iowa ― and the entrance of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg starting on Super Tuesday is set to throw the race into further chaos, some Warren allies have begun suggesting the candidate who consistently emphasizes her ability to unify the party could do just that from a contested Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July.
“A brokered convention has previously been more of a plot device than an active political reality, but I think it’s an extremely live possibility in 2020,” said Jeff Hauser, a Democratic strategist who supports Warren. “In the context of a president who scares a party so much, and with the memory of 2016 divisions so sharp, I think the candidate who is disliked by the fewest members of the party is going to make a compelling choice.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Idaho Democrat Paulette Jordan Is Running For Senate

“ I ’ m running because I know I can win , ” Jordan said late Thursday .
“ Idaho is ready for new leadership .
Idaho needs new leadership.
” Jordan , a progressive Democrat in deep-red Idaho , will formally announce her campaign later Friday .
She is running for the seat currently held by Republican Sen. Jim Risch , who is up for reelection in November .
It ’ s a long-shot bid for Jordan .
She ’ ll take on at least three other Democrats in the May primary , and , if she wins that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November .
He ’ s rich as hell .
He ’ s a two-term senator who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee .
And the 76-year-old is a socially conservative white man like all of Idaho ’ s other leaders .
Jordan , 40 , couldn ’ t be more different : a populist Native American woman who supports legalizing marijuana and has been a forceful advocate for LGBTQ and women ’ s reproductive rights .
But she ’ s already chalked up some wins in Idaho politics .
Jordan was a two-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost the governor ’ s race in 2018 , she trounced in the primary when she went up against multimillionaire A.J .
Balukoff , who had the party establishment behind him .
She wasn ’ t shy about ripping her state party leaders then for being biased ― “ people just aren ’ t used to thinking that a woman of color , or a woman period , can win ” ― and this time around , she ’ s got Republicans and Democrats working on her campaign .
Asked how she thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s vulnerable because he ’ s out of touch with Idahoans on priority issues like affordable health care , a good education and protecting public lands .
Greed in Washington , she said , is tearing people apart .
“ A lot of folks have been pushed down in this country and stripped of their dignity .
People are struggling to make ends meet , ” she said .
“ We need to bring people up and allow them to access prosperity .
Whether you ’ re independent or Republican or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country that cares about each other again.
” “ The man has been sleeping at the wheel since he got elected ― literally and figuratively , ” Jordan said , referring to Risch being caught sleeping on the Senate floor during President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial earlier this month .
“ He has disserved the public .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON ― Former Idaho Democratic gubernatorial nominee Paulette Jordan is running for Senate, she told HuffPost in an exclusive interview.
“I’m running because I know I can win,” Jordan said late Thursday. “Idaho is ready for new leadership. Idaho needs new leadership.”
Advertisement
Jordan, a progressive Democrat in deep-red Idaho, will formally announce her campaign later Friday. She is running for the seat currently held by Republican Sen. Jim Risch, who is up for reelection in November.
It’s a long-shot bid for Jordan. She’ll take on at least three other Democrats in the May primary, and, if she wins that, Risch will be a formidable opponent in November. He’s rich as hell. He’s a two-term senator who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee. And the 76-year-old is a socially conservative white man like all of Idaho’s other leaders. Jordan, 40, couldn’t be more different: a populist Native American woman who supports legalizing marijuana and has been a forceful advocate for LGBTQ and women’s reproductive rights.
But she’s already chalked up some wins in Idaho politics. Jordan was a two-term state legislator, and, though she lost the governor’s race in 2018, she trounced in the primary when she went up against multimillionaire A.J. Balukoff, who had the party establishment behind him. She wasn’t shy about ripping her state party leaders then for being biased ― “people just aren’t used to thinking that a woman of color, or a woman period, can win” ― and this time around, she’s got Republicans and Democrats working on her campaign.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paulette Jordan addresses supporters at a 2018 election night party in Boise, Idaho. Diane Loos/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
Asked how she thinks she can unseat Risch, Jordan said he’s vulnerable because he’s out of touch with Idahoans on priority issues like affordable health care, a good education and protecting public lands. Greed in Washington, she said, is tearing people apart.
“A lot of folks have been pushed down in this country and stripped of their dignity. People are struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “We need to bring people up and allow them to access prosperity. Whether you’re independent or Republican or Democrat, we need to be a country that cares about each other again.”
Risch is “wholly” a part of the problem, too, she added.
“The man has been sleeping at the wheel since he got elected ― literally and figuratively,” Jordan said, referring to Risch being caught sleeping on the Senate floor during President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial earlier this month. “He has disserved the public.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Joe Walsh Ends Bid To Challenge Trump For White House

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) — Joe Walsh , a conservative former U.S. congressman-turned-radio show host , has ended a long-shot bid to challenge President Donald Trump for the Republican Party ’ s presidential nomination .
He also said he would support a Democrat in November ’ s election .
“ I can ’ t stop him ( Trump ) in a Republican primary , but I can sure do my level best to try to stop him ... by bringing people together , ” Walsh told CNN in an interview on Friday .
“ Any Democrat would be better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said later .
Walsh was elected to a congressional seat in Illinois in 2010 as part of the right-wing Tea Party movement , a confrontational populist splinter group of the Republican Party .
He lost his seat two years later to Democrat Tammy Duckworth and became a Chicago-area radio talk show host .
While less than half the country approves of Trump ’ s performance as president , he retains high support within the Republican party .
Former South Carolina lawmaker Mark Sanford ended his bid for the party ’ s nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld , has failed to gain traction in polls .
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Joe Walsh, a conservative former U.S. congressman-turned-radio show host, has ended a long-shot bid to challenge President Donald Trump for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.
He also said he would support a Democrat in November’s election.
“I can’t stop him (Trump) in a Republican primary, but I can sure do my level best to try to stop him ...by bringing people together,” Walsh told CNN in an interview on Friday.
Advertisement
“Any Democrat would be better than Trump in the White House,” he said later.
Walsh was elected to a congressional seat in Illinois in 2010 as part of the right-wing Tea Party movement, a confrontational populist splinter group of the Republican Party. He lost his seat two years later to Democrat Tammy Duckworth and became a Chicago-area radio talk show host.
While less than half the country approves of Trump’s performance as president, he retains high support within the Republican party.
Former South Carolina lawmaker Mark Sanford ended his bid for the party’s nomination in November. Another Republican challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, has failed to gain traction in polls.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Virginia Is First Southern U.S. State To Pass LGBTQ Anti-Discrimination Protections

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) — Virginia lawmakers passed comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation Thursday that advocates said makes the state the first in the South to enact such protections for LGBTQ people .
The measures advanced on bipartisan votes , 59-35 in the House and 30-9 in the Senate as newly empowered Democrats continued to advance bills that Republicans blocked for years .
Each chamber still must take up the other ’ s measure in procedural votes before the legislation can be sent to the governor , who supports it , for final approval .
“ It ’ s important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Virginia .
It is time to drive it out , ” bill sponsor Sen. Adam Ebbin , who is openly gay , said at a press conference ahead of the votes .
The legislation prohibits discrimination in housing , public or private employment , public spaces and credit transactions on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity .
It also lays out causes of action that would allow individuals or , in certain circumstances the attorney general , to sue over alleged discrimination .
“ It ’ s past time we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law .
This bill will make us stronger and more inclusive of all ― I ’ m proud to support it , ” Gov .
Ralph Northam , a Democrat , said in a statement .
The legislation drew criticism from religious advocacy organizations that said it went too far and would effectively punish people who oppose gay marriage for faith-based reasons .
“ Make no mistake , this bill is intended to dismantle religious freedom and to force the government to make everyone conform to its version of marriage and sexuality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a speech opposing the measure .
LaRock said the bill would punish religious people who decline work at gay weddings and would force employers and employees to use a transgender person ’ s preferred pronoun , an assertion that drew applause from some in the room .
“ Passing a comprehensive nondiscrimination law isn ’ t just the right thing to do – it ’ s crucial to the state economy , ” those companies and more than two dozen others wrote in a letter to legislative leaders .
“ Because many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and work in communities with nondiscrimination protections , such a law will give Virginia ’ s employers tangible advantages in recruitment and retention.
” The measure would make Virginia the first state in the South to enact nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people , said Alphonso David , president of Human Rights Campaign , a national LGBTQ rights organization .
Democrats retook control of the General Assembly in November for the first time in a generation and have begun enacting sweeping policy changes .
Lawmakers noted that similar measures have been introduced in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what was then a Republican-controlled body .
GOP Sen. Jill Vogel said she thought provisions of the bill addressed concerns about religious liberty and that she was proud to vote for it .
“ I can assure you that if we embrace equality and protect everybody equally under the law we will be a better community , ” she said on the floor .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia lawmakers passed comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation Thursday that advocates said makes the state the first in the South to enact such protections for LGBTQ people.
The measures advanced on bipartisan votes, 59-35 in the House and 30-9 in the Senate as newly empowered Democrats continued to advance bills that Republicans blocked for years. Each chamber still must take up the other’s measure in procedural votes before the legislation can be sent to the governor, who supports it, for final approval.
Advertisement
While opponents have raised concerns about impacts on religious freedom, advocates praised the passage of what they called urgently needed landmark human rights legislation.
“It’s important to know that discrimination is still happening in Virginia. It is time to drive it out,” bill sponsor Sen. Adam Ebbin, who is openly gay, said at a press conference ahead of the votes.
The legislation prohibits discrimination in housing, public or private employment, public spaces and credit transactions on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. It also lays out causes of action that would allow individuals or, in certain circumstances the attorney general, to sue over alleged discrimination.
“It’s past time we protected LGBTQ Virginians from discrimination under the law. This bill will make us stronger and more inclusive of all ― I’m proud to support it,” Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said in a statement.
Advertisement
The legislation drew criticism from religious advocacy organizations that said it went too far and would effectively punish people who oppose gay marriage for faith-based reasons.
“Make no mistake, this bill is intended to dismantle religious freedom and to force the government to make everyone conform to its version of marriage and sexuality,” Republican Del. David LaRock said in a speech opposing the measure.
LaRock said the bill would punish religious people who decline work at gay weddings and would force employers and employees to use a transgender person’s preferred pronoun, an assertion that drew applause from some in the room.
Some of Virginia’s largest employers, including Capital One, Dominion Energy and Verizon, backed the legislation.
“Passing a comprehensive nondiscrimination law isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s crucial to the state economy,” those companies and more than two dozen others wrote in a letter to legislative leaders. “Because many LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ workers prefer to live and work in communities with nondiscrimination protections, such a law will give Virginia’s employers tangible advantages in recruitment and retention.”
Advertisement
The legislation also extends protections on the basis of other characteristics, including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age and status as a veteran.
The measure would make Virginia the first state in the South to enact nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, said Alphonso David, president of Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ rights organization.
Democrats retook control of the General Assembly in November for the first time in a generation and have begun enacting sweeping policy changes. Lawmakers noted that similar measures have been introduced in recent years but didn’t survive in what was then a Republican-controlled body.
GOP Sen. Jill Vogel said she thought provisions of the bill addressed concerns about religious liberty and that she was proud to vote for it.
“I can assure you that if we embrace equality and protect everybody equally under the law we will be a better community,” she said on the floor.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-09--DNC Chair Tom Perez Says He Has No Plans To Resign After Iowa Caucuses Debacle

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez on Sunday said he has no intention of resigning , despite several Democratic lawmakers calling on him to do so in the wake of last week ’ s Iowa caucuses fiasco .
Perez told CNN ’ s “ State of the Union ” that he ’ s “ mad as hell ” about the multiple operational breakdowns during this year ’ s Democratic caucuses in Iowa .
And though he takes some responsibility for the mess , he said he hasn ’ t considered stepping down over it .
“ Some Democrats are calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jake Tapper , listing Reps. Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota as examples .
“ Have you considered resigning ?
” “ Absolutely not , ” Perez replied .
“ My job when I came in was to rebuild our infrastructure , to win elections , and when you do that , sometimes you got ta make tough decisions ... We have been winning .
This is what it ’ s about.
” DNC Chairman Tom Perez says he has `` absolutely not '' considered resigning amid criticism : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was to rebuild our infrastructure , to win elections ... We have been winning '' # CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/Sl2eE4HCkt — State of the Union ( @ CNNSotu ) February 9 , 2020 Perez on Thursday called on the Iowa Democratic Party to recanvass the caucus results after a third-party app used by caucus managers failed to properly submit data , causing major delays in tabulating the results .
He told CNN on Sunday that there will be a “ conversation ” about whether Iowa should keep its status as the first state to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycle following this year ’ s chaos .
Whoever nabs the most state delegate equivalents in the race is declared the winner by The Associated Press .
But Sanders and Buttigieg are separated by a fraction of a percentage point on that metric with 99 % of precincts reporting , making it too close to call for the AP right now .
Sanders , during an earlier interview Sunday on “ State of the Union , ” slammed the “ extraordinary ” incompetence exhibited by Democratic Party officials during the Iowa caucuses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party , whether the Iowa Democratic Party or the DNC , was trying to hurt you ?
” Tapper asked Sanders .
“ I have no idea , ” Sanders said .
“ We ’ re going to monitor the situation closely , but that ’ s not my impression at this point.
” “ There are a lot of people in the Democratic establishment who are not , to say the least , enthusiastic about Bernie Sanders , ” he continued .
“ But I ’ m not casting any ... political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just extraordinary .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez on Sunday said he has no intention of resigning, despite several Democratic lawmakers calling on him to do so in the wake of last week’s Iowa caucuses fiasco.
Perez told CNN’s “State of the Union” that he’s “mad as hell” about the multiple operational breakdowns during this year’s Democratic caucuses in Iowa. And though he takes some responsibility for the mess, he said he hasn’t considered stepping down over it.
Advertisement
“Some Democrats are calling for your resignation,” said host Jake Tapper, listing Reps. Marcia Fudge of Ohio and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota as examples. “Have you considered resigning?”
“Absolutely not,” Perez replied. “My job when I came in was to rebuild our infrastructure, to win elections, and when you do that, sometimes you gotta make tough decisions... We have been winning. This is what it’s about.”
DNC Chairman Tom Perez says he has "absolutely not" considered resigning amid criticism: "My job, when I came in, was to rebuild our infrastructure, to win elections... We have been winning" #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/Sl2eE4HCkt — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) February 9, 2020
Perez on Thursday called on the Iowa Democratic Party to recanvass the caucus results after a third-party app used by caucus managers failed to properly submit data, causing major delays in tabulating the results.
Advertisement
He told CNN on Sunday that there will be a “conversation” about whether Iowa should keep its status as the first state to hold a presidential primary contest each election cycle following this year’s chaos.
“It’s very necessary,” Perez said.
.@jaketapper: “Is Iowa about to lose their first-in-the-nation caucus status?”
DNC Chair Tom Perez: “Well, that's the conversation that will absolutely happen after this election cycle” https://t.co/KHdSVpS1Eh #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/xgaGtZlce7 — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) February 9, 2020
As of Sunday, results from the Feb. 3 Democratic caucuses showed former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) virtually tied.
Whoever nabs the most state delegate equivalents in the race is declared the winner by The Associated Press. But Sanders and Buttigieg are separated by a fraction of a percentage point on that metric with 99% of precincts reporting, making it too close to call for the AP right now.
Sanders, during an earlier interview Sunday on “State of the Union,” slammed the “extraordinary” incompetence exhibited by Democratic Party officials during the Iowa caucuses.
Advertisement
“Do you think that the Democratic Party, whether the Iowa Democratic Party or the DNC, was trying to hurt you?” Tapper asked Sanders.
“I have no idea,” Sanders said. “We’re going to monitor the situation closely, but that’s not my impression at this point.”
“There are a lot of people in the Democratic establishment who are not, to say the least, enthusiastic about Bernie Sanders,” he continued. “But I’m not casting any ... political aspersions. The incompetence there in Iowa was just extraordinary.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-09--New Hampshire Poses A Last Chance For Some Struggling 2020 Democrats

Yang didn ’ t mention his poor showing in Iowa , his back-of-the-pack polling in New Hampshire or the fact his campaign recently laid off an undisclosed number of people .
Instead , he recalled a conversation he had in Washington in which he was told that he needed to “ create a wave in other parts of the country and bring that wave crashing down on our heads in D.C. ” Yang is among a handful of candidates who are polling in the single digits as New Hampshire ’ s primary nears .
He joins Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , billionaire activist Tom Steyer and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard near the bottom of most surveys .
For most of them , a poor showing on Tuesday could force them to rethink their campaigns .
Rather than dwelling on potential disappointment , these candidates are soldiering on with scores of town halls , house parties as well as breakfasts and dinners with supporters .
It ’ s all in service to the idea that New Hampshire voters might surprise the pundits .
Speaking on the sidelines of a University of New Hampshire event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had spent more time in New Hampshire than any other candidate and was hoping to finish third or fourth .
He was in the midst of a tour that included 50 town halls and a rally Saturday in Manchester with Democratic operative James Carville .
“ There is the opportunity in New Hampshire , especially after such a muddled result in Iowa , to sort of start the race anew.
” Bennet told reporters .
“ It ’ s very important , very important to do well in New Hampshire .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Almost all the people I met are still undecided and I think what that means is that people aren ’ t satisfied with the rest of the field , ” Patrick said .
“ I ’ m not surprised by that .
When they hear someone who has actually delivered on an agenda that others are just talking about or that they have plans for , when they hear what it takes to deliver those progressive outcomes , we are winning support.
” Asked what he was doing to stay competitive in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Steyer didn ’ t mention New Hampshire in his answer , instead focusing on his support in other states where he ’ s doing better .
“ I don ’ t know what that poll is , but I know in South Carolina , Nevada , that I ’ m doing really well , ” he said .
“ I ’ m going to put together the kind of diverse coalition it ’ s going to take both to win this nomination , to represent this country and to beat Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her time to campaigning in New Hampshire , but was unable to say recently exactly how many staffers she has in the state .
Her unconventional approach has the feel of an insurgent as the top tier largely skipped New Hampshire last month .
She was planning scores of town halls over the weekend but was a no-show at the UNH event Thursday .
Back in Plymouth , Yang was finishing up a speech to about 60 people in which he detailed his life story and described a world where corporations have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs and life expectancy in the United States was declining due to drug overdoses and suicides .
Standing in the back of the room , Jerry and Judy Beck , a retired couple from Holderness who support Yang , admitted he was unlikely to win Tuesday .
But they couldn ’ t image voting for anyone else .
“ If you are trying to vote for a winner , just stay home , ” he said .
“ If you act like that , your vote is meaningless .
You need to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , we will get the best person .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
PLYMOUTH, N.H. (AP) — Bounding onto a stage at a conference center in New Hampshire, tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang beamed a smile to a cheering crowd and launched into his pitch for votes heading into of Tuesday’s first-in-the nation primary.
Yang didn’t mention his poor showing in Iowa, his back-of-the-pack polling in New Hampshire or the fact his campaign recently laid off an undisclosed number of people. Instead, he recalled a conversation he had in Washington in which he was told that he needed to “create a wave in other parts of the country and bring that wave crashing down on our heads in D.C.”
Advertisement
“I said challenge accepted,” Yang said of his decision to run for president. “Here we are Plymouth and you are that wave.”
Yang is among a handful of candidates who are polling in the single digits as New Hampshire’s primary nears. He joins Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, billionaire activist Tom Steyer and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard near the bottom of most surveys. For most of them, a poor showing on Tuesday could force them to rethink their campaigns.
Only Yang and Steyer qualified for Friday’s presidential debate.
Democratic presidential candidate businessman Andrew Yang speaks at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rather than dwelling on potential disappointment, these candidates are soldiering on with scores of town halls, house parties as well as breakfasts and dinners with supporters. It’s all in service to the idea that New Hampshire voters might surprise the pundits.
Advertisement
Speaking on the sidelines of a University of New Hampshire event on college costs, Bennet claimed that he had spent more time in New Hampshire than any other candidate and was hoping to finish third or fourth. He was in the midst of a tour that included 50 town halls and a rally Saturday in Manchester with Democratic operative James Carville.
He also picked up an endorsement from Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, the first member of Congress to endorse Bennet in his campaign for president.
“There is the opportunity in New Hampshire, especially after such a muddled result in Iowa, to sort of start the race anew.” Bennet told reporters. “It’s very important, very important to do well in New Hampshire. It’s vital for me.”
Patrick, who entered the race late, said a six-day, 1,000 mile bus tour demonstrated there were plenty of undecided voters up for grabs. He reached a wider audience with a CNN town hall Thursday night, where he acknowledged he needed “to beat expectations here.”
“Almost all the people I met are still undecided and I think what that means is that people aren’t satisfied with the rest of the field,” Patrick said. “I’m not surprised by that. When they hear someone who has actually delivered on an agenda that others are just talking about or that they have plans for, when they hear what it takes to deliver those progressive outcomes, we are winning support.”
Advertisement
For Steyer, getting his message out meant braving snow and freezing rain to greet UPS workers arriving to a Manchester warehouse Thursday. He was asked how long he would remain in the race.
“I’m going stay in the race, because I think I’m going to win,” he said.
Asked what he was doing to stay competitive in New Hampshire when he barely registers in polls, Steyer didn’t mention New Hampshire in his answer, instead focusing on his support in other states where he’s doing better.
“I don’t know what that poll is, but I know in South Carolina, Nevada, that I’m doing really well,” he said. “I’m going to put together the kind of diverse coalition it’s going to take both to win this nomination, to represent this country and to beat Donald Trump in November.”
Gabbard has devoted much of her time to campaigning in New Hampshire, but was unable to say recently exactly how many staffers she has in the state.
Her unconventional approach has the feel of an insurgent as the top tier largely skipped New Hampshire last month. She was planning scores of town halls over the weekend but was a no-show at the UNH event Thursday.
Advertisement
“I don’t know the punditry of all of this,” Gabbard said when asked about expectations. “I’m really just focused on continuing that outreach that we’ve been doing.”
Back in Plymouth, Yang was finishing up a speech to about 60 people in which he detailed his life story and described a world where corporations have all the power, robots were taking jobs and life expectancy in the United States was declining due to drug overdoses and suicides.
Standing in the back of the room, Jerry and Judy Beck, a retired couple from Holderness who support Yang, admitted he was unlikely to win Tuesday. But they couldn’t image voting for anyone else.
“I don’t think I’m wasting my vote,” Judy Beck, who initially supported New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker before picking Yang. “If enough people don’t think they are wasting their vote, we’re good.”
Jerry Beck said he was voting for Yang because he was “the best man for the job.”
“If you are trying to vote for a winner, just stay home,” he said. “If you act like that, your vote is meaningless. You need to vote your conscience. If enough people do that, we will get the best person.”
Advertisement
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Joe Biden Frustrates Supporters With Debate Comment Writing Off New Hampshire

“ The Vice President ’ s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete ’ s perspective as a mayor and veteran , ” Buttigieg spokesman Chris Meagher responded in a statement .
Biden and his team have said that Iowa and New Hampshire just aren ’ t their states .
For one thing , they ’ re overwhelmingly white , and Biden does well with African-American voters .
They argue that Biden will do better in both Nevada and South Carolina , which are the third and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are considerably more racially diverse .
They also say that candidates like Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
have an advantage in New Hampshire because they live nearby .
“ I think he [ Biden ] is going to do well , ” said former New Hampshire Gov .
John Lynch ( D ) , a Biden backer .
“ I think it ’ s always a challenge competing against elected officials from neighboring states.
” “ We ’ re surrounded by two states whose two senators are running , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a precinct captain for Biden in Keene , New Hampshire .
“ Joe himself admitted he expects not to win in New Hampshire .
South Carolina is going to be a big big win for him .
And southern states on Super Tuesday .
”

“The Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete’s perspective as a mayor and veteran,” Buttigieg spokesman Chris Meagher responded in a statement.
Biden and his team have said that Iowa and New Hampshire just aren’t their states. For one thing, they’re overwhelmingly white, and Biden does well with African-American voters. They argue that Biden will do better in both Nevada and South Carolina, which are the third and fourth states in the primary calendar and are considerably more racially diverse.
They also say that candidates like Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have an advantage in New Hampshire because they live nearby.
“I think he [Biden] is going to do well,” said former New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D), a Biden backer. “I think it’s always a challenge competing against elected officials from neighboring states.”
“We’re surrounded by two states whose two senators are running,” added Gene Faltus, 67, a precinct captain for Biden in Keene, New Hampshire. “Joe himself admitted he expects not to win in New Hampshire. South Carolina is going to be a big big win for him. And southern states on Super Tuesday.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Trump Retweets Unflattering Photo, Says His 'Hair Looks Good'

President Donald Trump retweeted an unflattering photo of himself Saturday , complaining that the post was intended to “ demean ” him — but insisted his “ hair looks good.
” He shared a black-and-white version of an image that was trending on Twitter under the hashtag “ Orange Face.
” The original color photo appears to show a bright orange makeup or tan or spray-tan line around Trump ’ s face as the wind blows his hair back upon his return to the White House from North Carolina on Friday .
Trump insisted the image had been “ photoshopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and called it “ more fake news.
” But , he wrote , “ the hair ” looked good .
More Fake News .
This was photoshopped , obviously , but the wind was strong and the hair looks good ?
Anything to demean !
https : //t.co/t8ptYMCYHf — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 8 , 2020 The image was originally posted by William Moon on the unverified Twitter account “ White House Photos.
” Moon is an apparent Trump fan based on his social media presence , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though it ’ s not clear where he publishes .
He is not associated with the White House or with the White House News Photographers Association , but does post photos from open press events , according to Vox .
In a tweet , Moon said the image was “ never photoshopped , ” but said the color was adjusted using “ the Apple smartphone ’ s photo app.
” Moon later told BuzzFeed that the “ sunset was reflected on the president ’ s face and hair.
” The black-and-white version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been altered to further emphasize the contrasting tones on Trump ’ s face .
Moon ’ s original photo , however , is similar to photos taken by The Associated Press ( below ) and Getty Images , which also clearly show a line around the president ’ s face .
But the color in those photos is more subdued , and Trump ’ s hair appears whiter .
Trump has faced scrutiny for “ the hair ” in the past , especially in the wind , like here when he mounted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip in 2017 .
The criticism seems to have struck a nerve , leading him to focus on his windswept hair in Moon ’ s photo .
I almost never mock someone ’ s looks , even if I think they ’ re a horrible human being , but I will say this : if you have the most powerful job in the world and virtually unlimited resources but can ’ t take five seconds to google how to use a beauty blender , you deserve the mockery .
https : //t.co/fUTVJO8QPW — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 , 2020 People are saying the whole # OrangeFace thing is immature and petty , but there 's more to it .
This image is indicative of a person who does n't have his mental faculties all squared up .
He 's obsessed with his public image yet he manages to look like the next Joker .
pic.twitter.com/QmOIyTHDUW — Devin Duke ( @ sirDukeDevin ) February 8 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump retweeted an unflattering photo of himself Saturday, complaining that the post was intended to “demean” him — but insisted his “hair looks good.”
He shared a black-and-white version of an image that was trending on Twitter under the hashtag “Orange Face.” The original color photo appears to show a bright orange makeup or tan or spray-tan line around Trump’s face as the wind blows his hair back upon his return to the White House from North Carolina on Friday.
Advertisement
@realDonaldTrump returns to the White House from Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by William Moon at the South Lawn of the White House on February 7, 2020 pic.twitter.com/n1a1Z93LrJ — White House Photos (@photowhitehouse) February 7, 2020
Trump insisted the image had been “photoshopped, obviously” to demean him, and called it “more fake news.” But, he wrote, “the hair” looked good.
More Fake News. This was photoshopped, obviously, but the wind was strong and the hair looks good? Anything to demean! https://t.co/t8ptYMCYHf — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2020
The image was originally posted by William Moon on the unverified Twitter account “White House Photos.” Moon is an apparent Trump fan based on his social media presence, and he describes himself as a White House correspondent, though it’s not clear where he publishes. He is not associated with the White House or with the White House News Photographers Association, but does post photos from open press events, according to Vox.
Advertisement
In a tweet, Moon said the image was “never photoshopped,” but said the color was adjusted using “the Apple smartphone’s photo app.” Moon later told BuzzFeed that the “sunset was reflected on the president’s face and hair.” The black-and-white version that Trump posted does appear to have been altered to further emphasize the contrasting tones on Trump’s face.
Moon’s original photo, however, is similar to photos taken by The Associated Press (below) and Getty Images, which also clearly show a line around the president’s face. But the color in those photos is more subdued, and Trump’s hair appears whiter.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Another post from Moon also isn’t quite so orange.
@realDonaldTrump returns to the White House from Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by William Moon at the South Lawn of the White House on February 7, 2020 pic.twitter.com/5671bdB1Yv — White House Photos (@photowhitehouse) February 7, 2020
Trump has faced scrutiny for “the hair” in the past, especially in the wind, like here when he mounted the steps of Air Force One for a trip in 2017. The criticism seems to have struck a nerve, leading him to focus on his windswept hair in Moon’s photo.
Advertisement
Unsurprisingly, Moon’s tweet launched a flood of memes and comments.
Trump has always had trouble with foundations. #OrangeFace https://t.co/PW8ficHmJ7 — Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) February 8, 2020
I almost never mock someone’s looks, even if I think they’re a horrible human being, but I will say this: if you have the most powerful job in the world and virtually unlimited resources but can’t take five seconds to google how to use a beauty blender, you deserve the mockery. https://t.co/fUTVJO8QPW — Charlotte Clymer🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) February 8, 2020
People are saying the whole #OrangeFace thing is immature and petty, but there's more to it.
This image is indicative of a person who doesn't have his mental faculties all squared up.
He's obsessed with his public image yet he manages to look like the next Joker. pic.twitter.com/QmOIyTHDUW — Devin Duke (@sirDukeDevin) February 8, 2020
Advertisement
Trouble at the border pic.twitter.com/APt43god8c — Conan O’Bryan Yang (@bryanyang) February 8, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Trump's Trade War Will Cost Average Family $1,277 This Year, Budget Office Reveals

President Donald Trump ’ s ongoing trade wars are expected to cost the average American family $ 1,277 this year , according to a study by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office .
The figure is based on the negative impact of tariffs on economic growth , as well as higher prices to consumers as American manufacturers and retailers are forced to pay tariffs on imports .
Trump has boasted that trade wars are “ easy to win , ” and has repeatedly falsely insisted that China is paying tariffs directly into the U.S. Treasury .
In fact , American companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump , and typically pass on those costs to consumers .
In addition , U.S. industries are hurt by retaliatory tariffs enacted by other nations when American companies try to sell their products abroad .
The CBO also warns in its report that uncertainty about the future and trading relationships can cause companies to delay or drop investments in their operations , further dampening American economic growth .
“ Tariffs are expected to reduce the level of real GDP by roughly 0.5 percent and raise consumer prices by 0.5 percent in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result , tariffs are also projected to reduce average real household income by $ 1,277 ( in 2019 dollars ) in 2020.
” The extra costs would effectively wipe out savings from Trump ’ s tax cut enacted in 2017 for the average taxpayer , estimated by JP Morgan as $ 1,300 a year .
The U.S. and China signed a Phase One deal in their trade war in January , but many of the tariffs are expected to remain in place until a final agreement is reached .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade wars are expected to cost the average American family $1,277 this year, according to a study by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
The figure is based on the negative impact of tariffs on economic growth, as well as higher prices to consumers as American manufacturers and retailers are forced to pay tariffs on imports.
Advertisement
Trump has boasted that trade wars are “easy to win,” and has repeatedly falsely insisted that China is paying tariffs directly into the U.S. Treasury. In fact, American companies importing goods or supplies pay tariffs enacted by Trump, and typically pass on those costs to consumers. In addition, U.S. industries are hurt by retaliatory tariffs enacted by other nations when American companies try to sell their products abroad.
The CBO also warns in its report that uncertainty about the future and trading relationships can cause companies to delay or drop investments in their operations, further dampening American economic growth.
“Tariffs are expected to reduce the level of real GDP by roughly 0.5 percent and raise consumer prices by 0.5 percent in 2020,” the report says. “As a result, tariffs are also projected to reduce average real household income by $1,277 (in 2019 dollars) in 2020.”
The extra costs would effectively wipe out savings from Trump’s tax cut enacted in 2017 for the average taxpayer, estimated by JP Morgan as $1,300 a year.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Joe Biden Ad Ruthlessly Mocks Pete Buttigieg's Experience As A Small-City Mayor

KEENE , N.H. ― The gloves are really starting to come off just three days away from the critical New Hampshire Democratic primary .
The roughly minute-and-a-half spot is part of an ongoing effort by Biden to contrast his record as Barack Obama ’ s vice president with that of the 38-year-old Buttigieg , who has been surging in the polls in the Granite State .
“ Both Vice President Biden and former Mayor Pete have helped shape our economy .
Joe Biden helped save the auto industry , which revitalized the economy of the Midwest .
And led the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act , saving our economy from a depression , ” the narrator says in the ad .
“ Pete Buttigieg revitalized the sidewalks of downtown South Bend by laying out decorative brick.
” The blistering attack reflects the Biden campaign ’ s unease with Buttigieg ’ s position in the race .
The former mayor finished in a virtual tie for first in the Iowa caucuses with Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , exceeding predictions , while Biden finished in a disappointing fourth place .
Biden ’ s campaign has downplayed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more diverse states like Nevada and South Carolina , where the former vice president has more appeal , but there ’ s no doubt that another disappointing finish will threaten his path to the nomination .
Buttigieg ’ s campaign responded to the Biden ad on Saturday by saying that “ Washington politics trivializes what goes on in communities like South Bend.
” “ The Vice President ’ s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete ’ s perspective as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman Chris Meagher said in a statement .
The back-and-forth between the two candidates has heated up in the past few days .
At Friday night ’ s Democratic debate in Manchester , Biden took issue with Buttigieg ’ s criticism of the old system in Washington , accusing him of calling the Obama administration a failure at a rally in New Hampshire : “ Is he really saying the Obama-Biden administration was a failure ?
Pete , just say it out loud.
” Biden isn ’ t the only one taking aim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) also unloaded on him at Friday ’ s debate , saying , “ We have a newcomer in the White House , and look what that got us.
” But Buttigieg largely ignored the attacks during a packed town hall meeting in Keene on Saturday , which his campaign said numbered nearly 1,000 people , citing the local fire department .
Buttigieg was introduced by actor Michael J .
Fox , who compared him to Obama , and the candidate stuck to his stump speech about bringing people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Undecided voters who showed up to hear Buttigieg ’ s pitch said they didn ’ t mind that he had less government experience than the others running for president .
“ I love his youth .
I love his enthusiasm .
I love ― honestly ― his lack of experience because I think he will defer to the right people to help him guide this country , ” said Susie Szydlo , 61 , who works as a nurse in Dublin .
“ How about all the experience Trump had ?
None @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Phillips said .
“ It would be nice if [ Buttigieg ] had broader political experience , that ’ s true .
I just think he ’ s smart enough and measured enough that he could handle it .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
KEENE, N.H. ― The gloves are really starting to come off just three days away from the critical New Hampshire Democratic primary.
On Saturday, Joe Biden’s campaign released a digital ad mocking Pete Buttigieg over his prior experience running South Bend, Indiana, a city with a population of just over 100,000 residents.
Advertisement
The roughly minute-and-a-half spot is part of an ongoing effort by Biden to contrast his record as Barack Obama’s vice president with that of the 38-year-old Buttigieg, who has been surging in the polls in the Granite State.
“Both Vice President Biden and former Mayor Pete have helped shape our economy. Joe Biden helped save the auto industry, which revitalized the economy of the Midwest. And led the passage and the implementation of the Recover Act, saving our economy from a depression,” the narrator says in the ad. “Pete Buttigieg revitalized the sidewalks of downtown South Bend by laying out decorative brick.”
The blistering attack reflects the Biden campaign’s unease with Buttigieg’s position in the race. The former mayor finished in a virtual tie for first in the Iowa caucuses with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), exceeding predictions, while Biden finished in a disappointing fourth place.
Advertisement
Biden’s campaign has downplayed the importance of New Hampshire in favor of more diverse states like Nevada and South Carolina, where the former vice president has more appeal, but there’s no doubt that another disappointing finish will threaten his path to the nomination.
Buttigieg’s campaign responded to the Biden ad on Saturday by saying that “Washington politics trivializes what goes on in communities like South Bend.”
“The Vice President’s decision to run this ad speaks more to where he currently stands in this race than it does about Pete’s perspective as a mayor and veteran,” Buttigieg spokesman Chris Meagher said in a statement.
Biden campaign digital director Rob Flaherty rubbed salt in the wound: “This video now has more views than the population of South Bend,” he tweeted.
The back-and-forth between the two candidates has heated up in the past few days. At Friday night’s Democratic debate in Manchester, Biden took issue with Buttigieg’s criticism of the old system in Washington, accusing him of calling the Obama administration a failure at a rally in New Hampshire: “Is he really saying the Obama-Biden administration was a failure? Pete, just say it out loud.”
Advertisement
Biden isn’t the only one taking aim at Buttigieg over his experience. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) also unloaded on him at Friday’s debate, saying, “We have a newcomer in the White House, and look what that got us.”
But Buttigieg largely ignored the attacks during a packed town hall meeting in Keene on Saturday, which his campaign said numbered nearly 1,000 people, citing the local fire department. Buttigieg was introduced by actor Michael J. Fox, who compared him to Obama, and the candidate stuck to his stump speech about bringing people together to take on President Donald Trump.
Undecided voters who showed up to hear Buttigieg’s pitch said they didn’t mind that he had less government experience than the others running for president.
“I love his youth. I love his enthusiasm. I love ― honestly ― his lack of experience because I think he will defer to the right people to help him guide this country,” said Susie Szydlo, 61, who works as a nurse in Dublin.
Larry Phillips, a retired psychologist from Keene, noted that Obama was also criticized for his relative inexperience when he ran for president in 2008.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Wolf Who Traveled Thousands Of Miles In Search For Mate Or New Pack Found Dead

OR-54 , as she was known to scientists and in the media , was 3-4 years old and wore a radio tracking collar that biologists had given her in 2017 .
The designation referred to her being the 54th gray wolf collared in Oregon .
OR-54 when she was 1 1/2 years old , in a photo from the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service .
Her cause of death was unclear , but the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it was “ investigating the circumstances.
” In December 2018 , a male gray wolf in northeastern California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wolves are endangered under both federal and California state law , and the department noted that killing one is a “ potential crime ” that ’ s “ subject to serious penalties.
” In January 2018 , she left her pack in Oregon , known as the Rogue Pack .
Experts believed she was “ dispersing , ” a wolf behavior meaning that the animal is “ exploring new ground in search of a mate or another pack , ” California DFW wrote at the time .
Her wanderings took her throughout northeastern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the state ’ s counties , and back over the border to Oregon twice .
Wildlife officials noted in late 2019 that she had covered at least 8,712 miles since leaving her former pack , though in their statement on her death , adjusted that estimate to 7,646 miles .
The exact number of miles she had covered by her death is unknown , since her radio collar stopped working in December 2019 .
OR-54 ’ s extensive travels made her particularly interesting to conservationists and the general public .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also an object of tension with California ranchers , and was suspected to have been involved in at least five different attacks on livestock .
Ranchers and farmers eradicated wolves in California in the 1920s due to the threat they presented to livestock .
The wild animals have been making an incremental recovery in the state since 2011 , when an Oregon wolf known as OR-7 ― also believed to be OR-54 ’ s father ― first crossed into the state .
The only know current wild wolf pack in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have descended from OR-7 .
He ultimately returned to Oregon and formed the Rogue Pack , into which OR-54 was born .
“ This is a tragic development for the early stages of wolf recovery in California , ” wolf advocate Amaroq Weiss said in a statement .
“ Like her dad , the famous wolf OR-7 who came to California years ago , OR-54 was a beacon of hope who showed that wolves can return and flourish here .
Her death is devastating , no matter the cause .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A female gray wolf famous for her long-ranging solo journey around Oregon and Northern California was found dead on Wednesday in California’s Shasta County.
OR-54, as she was known to scientists and in the media, was 3-4 years old and wore a radio tracking collar that biologists had given her in 2017. The designation referred to her being the 54th gray wolf collared in Oregon.
Advertisement
OR-54 when she was 1 1/2 years old, in a photo from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. USFWS via Center for Biological Diversity
Her cause of death was unclear, but the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it was “investigating the circumstances.” In December 2018, a male gray wolf in northeastern California was found shot to death. Gray wolves are endangered under both federal and California state law, and the department noted that killing one is a “potential crime” that’s “subject to serious penalties.”
In January 2018, she left her pack in Oregon, known as the Rogue Pack. Experts believed she was “dispersing,” a wolf behavior meaning that the animal is “exploring new ground in search of a mate or another pack,” California DFW wrote at the time.
Her wanderings took her throughout northeastern California, with time spent in nine of the state’s counties, and back over the border to Oregon twice. Wildlife officials noted in late 2019 that she had covered at least 8,712 miles since leaving her former pack, though in their statement on her death, adjusted that estimate to 7,646 miles. The exact number of miles she had covered by her death is unknown, since her radio collar stopped working in December 2019.
Advertisement
OR-54’s extensive travels made her particularly interesting to conservationists and the general public. However, as The Sacramento Bee notes, she was also an object of tension with California ranchers, and was suspected to have been involved in at least five different attacks on livestock.
Ranchers and farmers eradicated wolves in California in the 1920s due to the threat they presented to livestock. The wild animals have been making an incremental recovery in the state since 2011, when an Oregon wolf known as OR-7 ― also believed to be OR-54’s father ― first crossed into the state. The only know current wild wolf pack in California, the Lassen Pack, is believed to have descended from OR-7. He ultimately returned to Oregon and formed the Rogue Pack, into which OR-54 was born.
The Center for Biological Diversity called OR-54’s death a blow to California’s gray wolf comeback.