thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Rep. Ilhan Omar Endorses Progressive Nabilah Islam In Georgia Congressional Primary

Nabilah for Congress Democrat Nabilah Islam , 30 , is running as a progressive in a crowded primary to succeed Republican Rep .
Rob Woodall in Georgia 's 7th Congressional District .
“ We need a movement that is powered by people , not corporate power , to create the change we want to see in Georgia and around the country — and Nabilah Islam is the leader to do that , ” Omar said in a statement .
The endorsement gives Islam , the 30-year-old daughter of working-class Bangladeshi immigrants and a former Democratic Party operative , another boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Democratic primary for Georgia ’ s 7th Congressional District .
If elected , Islam would be just the third Muslim woman in Congress , joining Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib , a Michigan Democrat .
Islam is one of six Democrats vying to succeed Rep .
Rob Woodall , a Republican elected in 2010 who is retiring at the end of this year .
Woodall won reelection by just over 400 votes in 2018 ― the smallest margin of any House Republican .
The racially diverse and immigrant-heavy seat in suburban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Democrats flipped to retake the House in 2018 ― and the sort they ’ ll need more of if they are to build on their majority .
Predictably , the party ’ s near-win in the district last cycle has prompted a rush of interested candidates , including returning contender Carolyn Bourdeaux , the Georgia State University public policy professor who nearly unseated Woodall in 2017 .
Thanks to her 2018 run , Bourdeaux enjoys access to an existing roster of donors connected to Democratic Party brass .
She leads the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.1 million as of the end of 2019 .
State Sen. Zahra Karinshak , an attorney , trails her with more than $ 500,000 , followed by Islam , who has brought in almost $ 400,000 .
Along with Khanna , Omar and Tlaib , Fort , kamau and the DSA have also endorsed Sanders .
Islam , by contrast , would not say whether she plans to endorse anyone in the presidential primary .
Islam ’ s progressive convictions , including a dedication to what she calls “ real immigration reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic hardship as the daughter of immigrants , she said .
She still has about $ 30,000 in student debt and remembers working low-wage jobs as a young adult to help her parents pay the bills .
Islam also lacks health insurance , which she finds “ cost prohibitive ” as she draws down her limited savings to run for Congress .
She made national news in January when she petitioned the Federal Election Commission to allow her to use campaign funds to purchase health coverage .
The gesture is a real effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a tool for illustrating the challenges facing working-class people of all backgrounds seeking public office ― and a reminder to her striving constituents that she shares their modest roots .
( Monica Klein , one of her campaign consultants , previously advised Long Island Democrat Liuba Grechen , a 2018 House candidate who petitioned the FEC to use campaign funds for child care . )
Islam would also be the first person of color to represent a district where immigrants make up one-quarter of the population and minorities make up about two-thirds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I never saw anyone who looked like me in office , ” she said .
“ Especially as Trump expands the Muslim ban , I think it ’ s very important that we show Americans there are proud progressive leaders of every faith fighting for them in Washington.
” There are precious few examples of progressive Democrats winning Republican-held House and Senate seats by running on an exclusively progressive platform aimed at expanding the electorate .
The most recent examples of success , such as the 2018 primary wins of Democratic Reps. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pressley ( Mass . )
, took place in solidly Democratic districts where the general election was not competitive .

Democrat Nabilah Islam, 30, is running as a progressive in a crowded primary to succeed Republican Rep. Rob Woodall in Georgia's 7th Congressional District. Nabilah for Congress
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) announced Tuesday that she is endorsing Nabilah Islam, a progressive political operative, in a competitive Democratic primary in suburban Atlanta.
Omar, a Somali American from Minneapolis who has become one of Congress’s most outspoken progressives since her election in 2018, cited Nabilah Islam’s commitment to passing “Medicare for All,” a Green New Deal and tuition-free college.
Advertisement
“We need a movement that is powered by people, not corporate power, to create the change we want to see in Georgia and around the country — and Nabilah Islam is the leader to do that,” Omar said in a statement.
The endorsement gives Islam, the 30-year-old daughter of working-class Bangladeshi immigrants and a former Democratic Party operative, another boost as she stakes out the left lane in the Democratic primary for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District. If elected, Islam would be just the third Muslim woman in Congress, joining Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat.
Omar’s endorsement “means a lot to me, and it means a lot to our campaign,” Islam told HuffPost. “Rep. Omar is a personal and political role model for me.”
“A strong woman of color running on a progressive platform showed someone like me that I too was electable,” she added.
Advertisement
Islam is one of six Democrats vying to succeed Rep. Rob Woodall, a Republican elected in 2010 who is retiring at the end of this year. Woodall won reelection by just over 400 votes in 2018 ― the smallest margin of any House Republican.
The racially diverse and immigrant-heavy seat in suburban Atlanta is exactly the kind of district that Democrats flipped to retake the House in 2018 ― and the sort they’ll need more of if they are to build on their majority. Predictably, the party’s near-win in the district last cycle has prompted a rush of interested candidates, including returning contender Carolyn Bourdeaux, the Georgia State University public policy professor who nearly unseated Woodall in 2017. Thanks to her 2018 run, Bourdeaux enjoys access to an existing roster of donors connected to Democratic Party brass. She leads the field in fundraising, raking in more than $1.1 million as of the end of 2019. State Sen. Zahra Karinshak, an attorney, trails her with more than $500,000, followed by Islam, who has brought in almost $400,000.
Though Islam lacks the fundraising edge, she has rapidly become the progressive consensus candidate, providing an advantage of a different kind in a crowded field.
Earlier this month, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a co-chair of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign, endorsed Islam. She already has the backing of the metro Atlanta chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America; South Fulton, Georgia, City Councilman khalid kamau; and former Georgia state Senate Whip Vincent Fort.
Advertisement
Along with Khanna, Omar and Tlaib, Fort, kamau and the DSA have also endorsed Sanders. Islam, by contrast, would not say whether she plans to endorse anyone in the presidential primary.
Islam’s progressive convictions, including a dedication to what she calls “real immigration reform,” stem from her experience with economic hardship as the daughter of immigrants, she said. She still has about $30,000 in student debt and remembers working low-wage jobs as a young adult to help her parents pay the bills.
Islam also lacks health insurance, which she finds “cost prohibitive” as she draws down her limited savings to run for Congress. She made national news in January when she petitioned the Federal Election Commission to allow her to use campaign funds to purchase health coverage.
The gesture is a real effort to obtain relief. But it doubles as a tool for illustrating the challenges facing working-class people of all backgrounds seeking public office ― and a reminder to her striving constituents that she shares their modest roots. (Monica Klein, one of her campaign consultants, previously advised Long Island Democrat Liuba Grechen, a 2018 House candidate who petitioned the FEC to use campaign funds for child care.)
Islam would also be the first person of color to represent a district where immigrants make up one-quarter of the population and minorities make up about two-thirds of all residents.
Advertisement
“Growing up, I never saw anyone who looked like me in office,” she said. “Especially as Trump expands the Muslim ban, I think it’s very important that we show Americans there are proud progressive leaders of every faith fighting for them in Washington.”
In seeking to flip Republican-held congressional seats, the national Democratic Party has stuck to a playbook of picking moderate candidates with deep fundraising networks.
Islam’s run is premised on the notion that the party-driven conventional wisdom about how to win a swing seat is, if not wrong, at least narrow-minded.
To hear Islam and other mostly young progressives tell it, a bold campaign led by a candidate expanding minority representation is capable of expanding the electorate by exciting infrequent voters.
“It takes a lot of groundwork. It takes a lot of organizing,” Islam said.
But, she insisted, “As long as you’re running a smart campaign and a smart strategy,” it is eminently possible for a progressive to win in a swing seat.
Advertisement
There are precious few examples of progressive Democrats winning Republican-held House and Senate seats by running on an exclusively progressive platform aimed at expanding the electorate. The most recent examples of success, such as the 2018 primary wins of Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), took place in solidly Democratic districts where the general election was not competitive.
But Islam is not afraid of flouting party conventions. She claims to have left her post as a Southern regional fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee because she felt that the party body “did not really empower people of color at the DNC.”
“We were left out of the overall strategy of how to reach voters of color,” she said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Bloomberg Spent His Entire Career Flattering Wall Street

Bill Pugliano via Getty Images Michael Bloomberg , not so long ago a Republican , makes his debut on the debate stage with other contenders for this year 's Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday evening in Las Vegas .
Bloomberg ’ s plan would reverse deregulatory maneuvers implemented by the Trump administration that have gutted the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law .
He ’ s also floating a tax on every Wall Street financial transaction ― a reform with the potential to raise tremendous revenue for the government while discouraging speculative excess in high finance .
Sens .
Bernie Sanders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , have also proposed a financial transaction tax as part of their platforms in the Democratic race .
Bloomberg ’ s plan is not a bad one , and the record-setting $ 338 million his campaign is spending to date on national TV ads alone will no doubt be used to sell it .
But his abrupt conversion to financial regulator obscures a long-standing truth : He has always been a product of Wall Street .
If he were to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become , for all intents and purposes , the political wing of the U.S. financial sector .
What Bloomberg really does is sell status .
Bloomberg LP runs a news site , but its real revenue flows from Bloomberg terminal subscriptions .
A Bloomberg terminal is a ridiculously complex computer interface with a weird , customized keyboard that tracks a ton of financial data in something very close to real time .
This market data is indeed valuable ― but it isn ’ t worth anything close to what Bloomberg charges for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far less .
Bloomberg LP doesn ’ t release pricing figures , but in 2013 Quartz reported that the terminals were going for $ 20,000 each , per year .
Today , there are about 325,000 Terminals on the market .
The price has almost surely gone up during the last seven years , but even at 2013 rates , it ’ s easy to see how Michael Bloomberg came to be worth more than $ 60 billion .
He can get away with overpricing his data because people who work on Wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their wealth .
Paying too much is one way of telling the world that you don ’ t need to worry about money .
And Bloomberg encourages this projection by providing a messaging service through the terminals that functions as a kind of social network for the 1 % .
Terminal users can communicate directly with other terminal users , establishing for all parties involved that they are all , indeed , very prestigious fellows .
This makes everyone feel important .
“ It all started back when there was a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone , ” Bloomberg said , according to The Associated Press .
“ Redlining , if you remember , was the term where banks took whole neighborhoods and said , ‘ People in these neighborhoods are poor , they ’ re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages , tell your salesmen don ’ t go into those areas.
’ ” Bloomberg added : “ And then Congress got involved ― local elected officials , as well ― and said , ‘ Oh that ’ s not fair , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ And once you started pushing in that direction , banks started making more and more loans where the credit of the person buying the house wasn ’ t as good as you would like.
” “ It was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis .
It was , plain and simple , Congress , who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp … .
They were the ones who pushed Fannie and Freddie to make a bunch of loans that were imprudent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones that pushed the banks to loan to everybody .
And now we want to go vilify the banks because it ’ s one target , it ’ s easy to blame them.
” Bloomberg ’ s story of the financial crisis― that it was created by poor people and Congress ― is at odds with the basic explanation agreed upon by serious scholars .
Banks packaged a lot of crummy loans into complex securities , then packaged those complex securities into more complex securities , then packaged those complex securities into more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars worth of speculative bets on all of it .
There were , of course , a lot of consumer protection violations and lousy loans involved in this scheme .
Conservative boogeymen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were responsible for about a fifth of the exotic mortgages issued during the housing bubble ― but that leaves 80 % for Wall Street .
And nobody made Wall Street decide to bet trillions and trillions of dollars on those loans .
That was Wall Street ’ s decision .
And they did it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it does : to make money .

Michael Bloomberg, not so long ago a Republican, makes his debut on the debate stage with other contenders for this year's Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday evening in Las Vegas. Bill Pugliano via Getty Images
Recently Republican billionaire Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday unveiled a financial reform platform obviously intended to put to bed concerns among Democrats that the former New York mayor’s long-standing advocacy for the financial elite would continue if he were to take the White House.
Bloomberg’s plan would reverse deregulatory maneuvers implemented by the Trump administration that have gutted the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. He’s also floating a tax on every Wall Street financial transaction ― a reform with the potential to raise tremendous revenue for the government while discouraging speculative excess in high finance. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, as well as former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, have also proposed a financial transaction tax as part of their platforms in the Democratic race.
Advertisement
Bloomberg’s plan is not a bad one, and the record-setting $338 million his campaign is spending to date on national TV ads alone will no doubt be used to sell it. But his abrupt conversion to financial regulator obscures a long-standing truth: He has always been a product of Wall Street. If he were to win the nomination, the Democratic Party would become, for all intents and purposes, the political wing of the U.S. financial sector.
This would be troubling enough on its own. But Bloomberg represents a particularly crass segment of the financial elite. He doesn’t make his money by making markets more efficient. He doesn’t help investors research transformational new ideas or target long-term value.
What Bloomberg really does is sell status. Bloomberg LP runs a news site, but its real revenue flows from Bloomberg terminal subscriptions. A Bloomberg terminal is a ridiculously complex computer interface with a weird, customized keyboard that tracks a ton of financial data in something very close to real time. This market data is indeed valuable ― but it isn’t worth anything close to what Bloomberg charges for it. Other companies offer similar material for far less.
Bloomberg LP doesn’t release pricing figures, but in 2013 Quartz reported that the terminals were going for $20,000 each, per year. Today, there are about 325,000 Terminals on the market. The price has almost surely gone up during the last seven years, but even at 2013 rates, it’s easy to see how Michael Bloomberg came to be worth more than $60 billion.
Advertisement
He can get away with overpricing his data because people who work on Wall Street will do almost anything to project their wealth. Paying too much is one way of telling the world that you don’t need to worry about money. And Bloomberg encourages this projection by providing a messaging service through the terminals that functions as a kind of social network for the 1%. Terminal users can communicate directly with other terminal users, establishing for all parties involved that they are all, indeed, very prestigious fellows. This makes everyone feel important.
The terminals, of course, have also been a breeding ground for fraud. During the Libor scandal ― in which traders at different banks worked together to manipulate the value of key interest rates ― malefactors used terminal chat rooms to coordinate their trades.
So Bloomberg makes his money flattering the egos of Wall Street professionals. If you have a Bloomberg terminal, you’re a real boy. If you don’t, you’re just another financial Pinocchio trying to make it in New York.
This basic fact helps explain why Bloomberg has publicly committed himself to flat-earth explanations for the 2008 financial crisis. In his worldview, Wall Street didn’t really have much to do with the Wall Street crash. The blame lies with fussy government meddlers and, of course, Black people.
“It was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis. It was, plain and simple, Congress, who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp.” - Michael Bloomberg, in 2011.
Advertisement
In 2008, Bloomberg told a panel at Georgetown University that the push to stop discriminatory “redlining” practices forced banks to make bad loans to poor Black people who couldn’t pay them back.
“It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone,” Bloomberg said, according to The Associated Press. “Redlining, if you remember, was the term where banks took whole neighborhoods and said, ‘People in these neighborhoods are poor, they’re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages, tell your salesmen don’t go into those areas.’”
Bloomberg added: “And then Congress got involved ― local elected officials, as well ― and said, ‘Oh that’s not fair, these people should be able to get credit.’ And once you started pushing in that direction, banks started making more and more loans where the credit of the person buying the house wasn’t as good as you would like.”
Speaking to Occupy Wall Street in 2011, during his mayoral tenure, Bloomberg told the protesters they had it all wrong:
“It was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis. It was, plain and simple, Congress, who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp …. They were the ones who pushed Fannie and Freddie to make a bunch of loans that were imprudent, if you will. They were the ones that pushed the banks to loan to everybody. And now we want to go vilify the banks because it’s one target, it’s easy to blame them.”
Advertisement
Bloomberg’s story of the financial crisis― that it was created by poor people and Congress ― is at odds with the basic explanation agreed upon by serious scholars. Banks packaged a lot of crummy loans into complex securities, then packaged those complex securities into more complex securities, then packaged those complex securities into more complex securities, and then made trillions of dollars worth of speculative bets on all of it.
There were, of course, a lot of consumer protection violations and lousy loans involved in this scheme. Conservative boogeymen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were responsible for about a fifth of the exotic mortgages issued during the housing bubble ― but that leaves 80% for Wall Street. And nobody made Wall Street decide to bet trillions and trillions of dollars on those loans. That was Wall Street’s decision. And they did it for the same reason Wall Street does everything it does: to make money.
Naturally, Bloomberg was a ferocious critic of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, calling it “dysfunctional” and “stupid,” while assailing the fines assessed against banks for misconduct during the crisis as “outrageous.”
As Bloomberg was leaving office as mayor in 2013, former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) went out of his way to trash him in an interview with Politico, saying Bloomberg cared more about his “rich friends” than he did about public policy.
“We never paid much attention to what he had to say, frankly, because I just saw him as kind of a shill for his industry,” Frank said. “This is a mayor of New York who’s a member of that industry, defending his industry from valid criticisms.”
Advertisement
This isn’t the kind of record you can wash away with a white paper. Wall Street is in Bloomberg’s bones.
In July 2015, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein stopped by Bloomberg Tower in midtown Manhattan to opine on the upcoming presidential election. Interviewed by Stephanie Ruhle, Blankfein was considered so august a guest that Bloomberg himself joined for the event. After a rather dull paean to the virtues of compromise, Blankfein turned and smiled at Bloomberg. “There’s a lot of focus on New York billionaires these days, but my favorite one is not running.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Trump's Pick In Minnesota Senate Race Has A History Of Racist Comments

President Donald Trump ’ s pick to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate , the former GOP Rep. Jason Lewis , once used his radio show to proclaim “ White Lives Matter ” while pushing an argument about gun violence used by white supremacists , according to audio obtained and reviewed by HuffPost .
Lewis was elected to serve one term in Minnesota in 2016 before voters gave him the boot in the 2018 midterms .
Now , Trump wants him to help turn the blue state red in 2020 .
The former congressman ’ s history of controversial comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jason Lewis Show ” on a Minnesota radio station for several years and once alleged that Jewish Americans have a “ dual loyalty ” to America and Israel , although that will not stop the chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition , former Minnesota Sen .
Norm Coleman , from hosting a Lewis fundraiser alongside Donald Trump Jr. later this month .
“ We are still stuck in this narrative that the only crime that happens is white people killing Black people , ” Lewis said on the show , referring to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and discrimination .
Just two months previously , a young white supremacist opened fire on a Black church in South Carolina , killing nine people .
Lewis continued : “ Wouldn ’ t it be nice for a little truth and honesty in all of this ?
Wouldn ’ t it be nice if somebody could stand up and say , ‘ All Lives Matter ’ ?
Until they do , maybe it ’ s time somebody said , ‘ White Lives Matter.
’ ” Both “ All Lives Matter ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Black Lives Matter .
While the former serves to erase the social justice concerns of Black Lives Matter , the latter is categorized by Southern Poverty Law Center as a neo-Nazi hate group .
Lewis then incorrectly claimed that white people are disproportionately killed by Black people , an argument relying on false information that is commonly used by white supremacists , according to the Southern Poverty Law Center .
In November 2015 , Trump himself tweeted similarly misleading statistics about deadly crime between Black and white people .
Crime trends observed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to kill within their own race .
In the same show , Lewis went off on “ the real problem ” with race in America : People having children without getting married first .
“ The problem in the Black community is the gangsta culture .
The problem in the Black community , in all ethnic communities , and in poor white communities is out-of-wedlock birth rates , ” he said .
Other recordings obtained by HuffPost reveal how Lewis once compared Martin Luther King Jr. to Cliven Bundy , the white farmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government over cattle-grazing fees he accrued over decades and refused to pay .
In April 2015 , Lewis said he respected how King was “ willing to take the punishment ” for his civil disobedience .
But he also saw bizarre parallels between the civil rights icon and how Bundy held an armed standoff to make a point ― putting cattle-grazing fees on the same level as discrimination based on race .
In July 2015 , Lewis argued that rich people were paying too much in taxes compared to those at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another bizarre analogy , this time between tax brackets and enslavement , he said : “ We used to call this slavery when we did it by race .
Now we do it by economics , so I guess it ’ s OK. ” It ’ s one point Lewis has apparently been harping on for years .
In 2008 , while filling in as a host on the Rush Limbaugh show , Lewis said , “ during the times of slavery , we targeted Black folks .
Well , now I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks .
Either way , you ’ re taking something that doesn ’ t belong to you .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump’s pick to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, the former GOP Rep. Jason Lewis, once used his radio show to proclaim “White Lives Matter” while pushing an argument about gun violence used by white supremacists, according to audio obtained and reviewed by HuffPost.
Lewis was elected to serve one term in Minnesota in 2016 before voters gave him the boot in the 2018 midterms. Now, Trump wants him to help turn the blue state red in 2020.
Advertisement
The former congressman’s history of controversial comments is well-known ― he hosted “The Jason Lewis Show” on a Minnesota radio station for several years and once alleged that Jewish Americans have a “dual loyalty” to America and Israel, although that will not stop the chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition, former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, from hosting a Lewis fundraiser alongside Donald Trump Jr. later this month.
Lewis’ Aug. 29, 2015, musings on race have not yet been widely reported, however.
“We are still stuck in this narrative that the only crime that happens is white people killing Black people,” Lewis said on the show, referring to the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality and discrimination. Just two months previously, a young white supremacist opened fire on a Black church in South Carolina, killing nine people.
Lewis continued: “Wouldn’t it be nice for a little truth and honesty in all of this? Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody could stand up and say, ‘All Lives Matter’? Until they do, maybe it’s time somebody said, ‘White Lives Matter.’”
Both “All Lives Matter” and “White Lives Matter” emerged as responses to Black Lives Matter. While the former serves to erase the social justice concerns of Black Lives Matter, the latter is categorized by Southern Poverty Law Center as a neo-Nazi hate group.
Advertisement
Lewis’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lewis then incorrectly claimed that white people are disproportionately killed by Black people, an argument relying on false information that is commonly used by white supremacists, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. In November 2015, Trump himself tweeted similarly misleading statistics about deadly crime between Black and white people. Crime trends observed over decades indicate that people typically tend to kill within their own race.
President Donald Trump greets then-Rep. Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) at a campaign rally on Oct. 4, 2018. Hannah Foslien via Getty Images
In the same show, Lewis went off on “the real problem” with race in America: People having children without getting married first.
“The problem in the Black community is the gangsta culture. The problem in the Black community, in all ethnic communities, and in poor white communities is out-of-wedlock birth rates,” he said.
Other recordings obtained by HuffPost reveal how Lewis once compared Martin Luther King Jr. to Cliven Bundy, the white farmer who engaged in an armed standoff with the government over cattle-grazing fees he accrued over decades and refused to pay.
Advertisement
In April 2015, Lewis said he respected how King was “willing to take the punishment” for his civil disobedience. But he also saw bizarre parallels between the civil rights icon and how Bundy held an armed standoff to make a point ― putting cattle-grazing fees on the same level as discrimination based on race.
In July 2015, Lewis argued that rich people were paying too much in taxes compared to those at the bottom of the income scale. Making another bizarre analogy, this time between tax brackets and enslavement, he said: “We used to call this slavery when we did it by race. Now we do it by economics, so I guess it’s OK.”
It’s one point Lewis has apparently been harping on for years. In 2008, while filling in as a host on the Rush Limbaugh show, Lewis said, “during the times of slavery, we targeted Black folks. Well, now I guess it’s OK to target wealthy folks. Either way, you’re taking something that doesn’t belong to you.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Ex-Justice Department Official Hits Trump With A Reality Check: The Law Is Coming For You

“ What he is doing is lawless , it ’ s unprecedented , it breaks every rule in our constitutional @ @ @ @ @ will find a way to catch up with him .
He can pardon his Mar-a-Lago @ @ @ @ @ campaign contributors , and this or that .
But one way or another , our @ @ @ @ @ the press and the courts to bring him and his ilk to justice .
”

“What he is doing is lawless, it’s unprecedented, it breaks every rule in our constitutional democracy, and the law will find a way to catch up with him. He can pardon his Mar-a-Lago friends, and pardon his campaign contributors, and this or that. But one way or another, our system is robust enough between the press and the courts to bring him and his ilk to justice.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Rush Limbaugh: Trump Told Me Not To Apologize For Pete Buttigieg Remarks

He calls when I am moments away from commencing a medical procedure .
And I had to tell doctors , @ @ @ @ @ to give me a half-hour , the president ’ s calling.
” “ OK , @ @ @ @ @ half-hour.
” Then I told the White House , “ Look , I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ 10 minutes .
Can you have the president call me back in 35 ?
” @ @ @ @ @ , he called back , and he said “ Rush , I just got to @ @ @ @ @ apologize , don ’ t ever ― ” and I said , “ For what @ @

He calls when I am moments away from commencing a medical procedure. And I had to tell doctors, “You’ve got to give me a half-hour, the president’s calling.” “OK, we’ll wait a half-hour.”
Then I told the White House, “Look, I’ve got a medical procedure in 10 minutes. Can you have the president call me back in 35?” And they did. So, he called back, and he said “Rush, I just got to tell you something. Never apologize, don’t ever ―” and I said, “For what?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Michelle Obama Stuns With A Throwback Prom Pic To Encourage Voting

Michelle Obama ’ s getting more use out of her prom dress .
The former first lady posted a throwback to her 1982 prom night on Tuesday , sharing a snap of her younger self wearing a pink satin polka-dotted gown and seated beside her then-boyfriend David .
Obama ’ s post kicks off the Prom Challenge initiative , which encourages schools to create new and inspiring ways to register students to vote .
The challenge was established by MTV ’ s +1thevote campaign and When We All Vote , a group Obama co-chairs that aims to increase election participation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Obama encouraged students and teachers to join the challenge by submitting innovative ways their schools are encouraging voter registration .
The 20 high schools with the most creative initiatives will win up to $ 5,000 toward their proms .
The former first lady also invited others to spread the word and share their own prom throwbacks .
Celebrities including Kerry Washington and Tracee Ellis Ross have already voiced their support .
18 yr old me in ‘ 90 ready for prom in this @ armani dress , bangles & shoes .
Prom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting was life changing. If you 're a student or teacher , join @ WhenWeAllVote & @ MTV ’ s # PromChallenge & u could win a free prom for your school !
 https : //t.co/DalCN0ha9K pic.twitter.com/YoOAYDBFJO — Tracee Ellis Ross ( @ TraceeEllisRoss ) February 18 , 2020 It ’ s not Thursday but I ’ m throwin ’ it back…to prom !
Well , one of em .
I went to a few🤣😂 # PromChallenge ( I 👀 you @ MichelleObama ! )
@ WhenWeAllVote & @ MTV are registering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help YOU throw an unforgettable prom .
Sign up👉🏾 https : //t.co/BCA9MRa1TL !
pic.twitter.com/yXviAjFpBr — kerry washington ( @ kerrywashington ) February 18 , 2020 Prom is unforgettable but so is voting in your first election .
Join  @ WhenWeAllVote and  @ MTV to help classmates get registered to vote and they might help you throw your school an unforgettable prom .
Sign up your school for the  # PromChallenge at https : //t.co/lRzMfVWmIx pic.twitter.com/m4TvnQYffw — Jayson Tatum ( @ jaytatum0 ) February 18 , 2020 .
@ WhenWeAllVote and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find the most creative ways to help register voters at your school .
Interested ?
You can receive up to $ 5,000 for an epic prom 🕺🏽🎉 Show me what you got and sign up for the # PromChallenge : https : //t.co/TznYrKzlXq pic.twitter.com/UvjpzQ2srj — Jidenna ( @ Jidenna ) February 18 , 2020 1986 Prom with David Miercort in Dallas !
# PromChallenge   @ WhenWeAllVote and @ MTV want to hear from teachers and students to know how your school is registering people to vote , and one school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/jAl4P3N3a2  # 80sthrowback # 80sprom pic.twitter.com/vpvjH0atIz — Lisa Loeb ( @ LisaLoeb ) February 18 , 2020 Did I rock a Gummi Bear Corsage for my prom ?
You ’ re damn right I did .
Join the # PromChallenge with @ WhenWeAllVote and @ MTV and tell us what your school is doing to register students to vote .
You could get a free prom for your school !
Learn more : https : //t.co/zjee3AAH79 pic.twitter.com/yYtieMyiCh — Paul Scheer ( @ paulscheer ) February 18 , 2020 Tom Hanks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All Vote , tweeted in support of the campaign — but disappointingly , has not yet shared his own prom throwback .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Michelle Obama’s getting more use out of her prom dress.
The former first lady posted a throwback to her 1982 prom night on Tuesday, sharing a snap of her younger self wearing a pink satin polka-dotted gown and seated beside her then-boyfriend David.
Obama’s post kicks off the Prom Challenge initiative, which encourages schools to create new and inspiring ways to register students to vote.
Advertisement
The challenge was established by MTV’s +1thevote campaign and When We All Vote, a group Obama co-chairs that aims to increase election participation for people of diverse ages and races.
Obama encouraged students and teachers to join the challenge by submitting innovative ways their schools are encouraging voter registration. The 20 high schools with the most creative initiatives will win up to $5,000 toward their proms.
The former first lady also invited others to spread the word and share their own prom throwbacks. Celebrities including Kerry Washington and Tracee Ellis Ross have already voiced their support.
Advertisement
18 yr old me in ‘90 ready for prom in this @armani dress, bangles & shoes. Prom was fun, but my 1st time voting was life changing. If you're a student or teacher, join @WhenWeAllVote & @MTV’s #PromChallenge & u could win a free prom for your school!
https://t.co/DalCN0ha9K pic.twitter.com/YoOAYDBFJO — Tracee Ellis Ross (@TraceeEllisRoss) February 18, 2020
It’s not Thursday but I’m throwin’ it back…to prom! Well, one of em. I went to a few🤣😂 #PromChallenge (I 👀 you @MichelleObama!)@WhenWeAllVote & @MTV are registering students to vote and they might just help YOU throw an unforgettable prom. Sign up👉🏾 https://t.co/BCA9MRa1TL! pic.twitter.com/yXviAjFpBr — kerry washington (@kerrywashington) February 18, 2020
Prom is unforgettable but so is voting in your first election.
Join @WhenWeAllVote and @MTV to help classmates get registered to vote and they might help you throw your school an unforgettable prom.
Sign up your school for the #PromChallenge at https://t.co/lRzMfVWmIx pic.twitter.com/m4TvnQYffw — Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) February 18, 2020
.@WhenWeAllVote and @MTV are challenging students and teachers to find the most creative ways to help register voters at your school.
Interested? You can receive up to $5,000 for an epic prom 🕺🏽🎉
Show me what you got and sign up for the #PromChallenge: https://t.co/TznYrKzlXq pic.twitter.com/UvjpzQ2srj — Jidenna (@Jidenna) February 18, 2020
Advertisement
1986 Prom with David Miercort in Dallas! #PromChallenge
@WhenWeAllVote and @MTV want to hear from teachers and students to know how your school is registering people to vote, and one school will win a free prom! https://t.co/jAl4P3N3a2
#80sthrowback #80sprom pic.twitter.com/vpvjH0atIz — Lisa Loeb (@LisaLoeb) February 18, 2020
Did I rock a Gummi Bear Corsage for my prom? You’re damn right I did.
Join the #PromChallenge with @WhenWeAllVote and @MTV and tell us what your school is doing to register students to vote. You could get a free prom for your school! Learn more: https://t.co/zjee3AAH79 pic.twitter.com/yYtieMyiCh — Paul Scheer (@paulscheer) February 18, 2020
Tom Hanks, another of the co-chairs of When We All Vote, tweeted in support of the campaign — but disappointingly, has not yet shared his own prom throwback.
You in High School? Want to Vote in Novemeber? Register! Check out how! Hanx #WhenWeAllVote #PromChallenge — Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) February 18, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Bernie Sanders Breaks With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez On 'Medicare For All' Strategy

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) , one of Bernie Sanders ’ s most vocal and visible allies in his presidential campaign , said last week that Democrats may have to “ compromise deeply ” on the Vermont senator ’ s signature “ Medicare for All ” plan to get the legislation passed .
Sanders , however , pushed back Tuesday , insisting his policy proposal is “ already a compromise.
” Ocasio-Cortez , who endorsed Sanders in October , is a fervent proponent of Medicare for All , but in an interview with HuffPost ’ s Matt Fuller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political process as well .
“ A president can ’ t wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want , ” she said , adding that “ the worst-case scenario ” if Sanders is elected president is that Democrats “ compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option.
” Under Sanders ’ s Medicare for All plan , all Americans would eventually get health insurance through the government ’ s Medicare program .
A public option , on the other hand , would offer some Americans the opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a follow-up tweet , Ocasio-Cortez said , “ I think there ’ s a legitimate [ conversation between ] starting with what you want & starting w/ compromise.
” But she added that she believes a “ public option is worse ” than Medicare for All , “ so we should fight for ” Medicare for All first .
“ I love Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
She has done more in her first year in Congress to transform politics , to get young people involved , than any freshman member of Congress that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential contender told moderator Anderson Cooper .
“ But my view is that Medicare for All , the bill that we wrote , is in a sense already a compromise , ” he said .
Notable : Asked by Anderson Cooper in a CNN town hall about @ AOC 's recent comments to HuffPo on health-care - she said a `` worst-case scenario '' would be compromising for a public option -- @ BernieSanders says his Medicare for all plan is `` already a compromise . ''
— Sean Sullivan ( @ WaPoSean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his proposal includes a four-year transition period that would gradually lower the age for Medicare eligibility from 65 to 35 .
“ And then we cover everybody , ” Sanders said .
“ What this means [ is ] … no more premiums , no more co-payments , no more deductibles , no more out-of-pocket expenses ― and we ’ re going to fund it publicly .
For the average American , it will be a significant , significant reduction in his or her health care costs.
” Later at his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential rival Pete Buttigieg took aim at Medicare for All .
“ This is where I part ways with my friend Sen. Sanders , ” said Buttigieg , who supports a public option health insurance plan .
“ He believes that we should require everybody to adopt that plan , whether they want to or not.
” But , he continued , “ there ’ s a lot of folks here in the state of Nevada ... who negotiated for good private plans ... .
Who are we to tell them they have @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), one of Bernie Sanders’s most vocal and visible allies in his presidential campaign, said last week that Democrats may have to “compromise deeply” on the Vermont senator’s signature “Medicare for All” plan to get the legislation passed. Sanders, however, pushed back Tuesday, insisting his policy proposal is “already a compromise.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed Sanders in October, is a fervent proponent of Medicare for All, but in an interview with HuffPost’s Matt Fuller, she said she was realistic about the political process as well.
Advertisement
“A president can’t wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want,” she said, adding that “the worst-case scenario” if Sanders is elected president is that Democrats “compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option.”
“Is that a nightmare? I don’t think so,” she added.
Under Sanders’s Medicare for All plan, all Americans would eventually get health insurance through the government’s Medicare program. A public option, on the other hand, would offer some Americans the opportunity to buy into government-run insurance plans.
In a follow-up tweet, Ocasio-Cortez said, “I think there’s a legitimate [conversation between] starting with what you want & starting w/ compromise.” But she added that she believes a “public option is worse” than Medicare for All, “so we should fight for” Medicare for All first.
Sanders was asked about Ocasio-Cortez’s comments at a CNN town hall in Las Vegas on Tuesday night.
“I love Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She has done more in her first year in Congress to transform politics, to get young people involved, than any freshman member of Congress that I can remember,” the Democratic presidential contender told moderator Anderson Cooper.
Advertisement
“But my view is that Medicare for All, the bill that we wrote, is in a sense already a compromise,” he said.
Notable: Asked by Anderson Cooper in a CNN town hall about @AOC's recent comments to HuffPo on health-care - she said a "worst-case scenario" would be compromising for a public option -- @BernieSanders says his Medicare for all plan is "already a compromise." — Sean Sullivan (@WaPoSean) February 19, 2020
Sanders added that his proposal includes a four-year transition period that would gradually lower the age for Medicare eligibility from 65 to 35.
“And then we cover everybody,” Sanders said. “What this means [is] … no more premiums, no more co-payments, no more deductibles, no more out-of-pocket expenses ― and we’re going to fund it publicly. For the average American, it will be a significant, significant reduction in his or her health care costs.”
Later at his own CNN town hall, Sanders’s presidential rival Pete Buttigieg took aim at Medicare for All.
Advertisement
“This is where I part ways with my friend Sen. Sanders,” said Buttigieg, who supports a public option health insurance plan. “He believes that we should require everybody to adopt that plan, whether they want to or not.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Pete Buttigieg Says He's Ready To Debate Donald Trump On ‘Family Values’

Pete Buttigieg , a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination , said Tuesday he ’ s ready to debate President Donald Trump and his allies about family values if they continue to attack his marriage .
Speaking at a town hall event in Nevada , Buttigieg was asked about a series of homophobic remarks made last week by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh , who claimed on his program the country wasn ’ t “ ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage.
” Moderator Erin Burnett noted Limbaugh appeared to defend the remark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had urged him not to apologize .
“ I mean , I ’ m sorry , but one thing about my marriage is , it ’ s never involved me having to send hush money to a porn star after cheating on my spouse with him or her , ” Buttigieg said during the event in Las Vegas just before the next Democratic debate .
“ So , they want to debate family values ?
Let ’ s debate family values .
I ’ m ready.
” .
@ PeteButtigieg : `` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Donald Trump lecturing anybody on family values ... One thing about my marriage is , it 's never involved me to send hush money to a porn star '' # cnntownhall pic.twitter.com/T0xZ67m1bA — State of the Union ( @ CNNSotu ) February 19 , 2020 Buttigieg has had strong results in the two states that have voted in the nomination process so far , Iowa and New Hampshire , and has been traveling with his husband , Chasten , throughout the campaign .
Limbaugh made the comments during his program last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband kissing while on the campaign trail together , alluding without evidence that it had upset unnamed Democratic “ grand pooh-bahs.
” They ’ re sitting there and they ’ re looking at Mayor Pete — a 37-year-old gay guy , mayor of South Bend , loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage — and they ’ re saying , ‘ OK .
How ’ s this gon na look , a 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man , Donald Trump ?
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shrugged off the radio host ’ s remarks at the time , saying he wasn ’ t going to “ take lectures on family values ” from the likes of Limbaugh .
″I ’ m proud of my marriage , ” Buttigieg said on Fox News .
“ We should have a politics of belonging that welcomes everybody .
...
I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.
” Limbaugh has said Trump called him to say that he should “ never apologize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday isn ’ t new for Buttigieg .
Throughout his campaign , he ’ s lambasted the Trump administration as the “ porn star presidency , ” pointing to hush money payments involving women who ’ ve claimed they had affairs with Trump before his presidential campaign .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Pete Buttigieg, a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, said Tuesday he’s ready to debate President Donald Trump and his allies about family values if they continue to attack his marriage.
Speaking at a town hall event in Nevada, Buttigieg was asked about a series of homophobic remarks made last week by conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who claimed on his program the country wasn’t “ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage.” Moderator Erin Burnett noted Limbaugh appeared to defend the remark earlier that day, claiming the president had urged him not to apologize.
Advertisement
“I mean, I’m sorry, but one thing about my marriage is, it’s never involved me having to send hush money to a porn star after cheating on my spouse with him or her,” Buttigieg said during the event in Las Vegas just before the next Democratic debate. “So, they want to debate family values? Let’s debate family values. I’m ready.”
The retort brought wild applause from the crowd.
.@PeteButtigieg: "The idea of the likes of Rush Limbaugh or Donald Trump lecturing anybody on family values... One thing about my marriage is, it's never involved me to send hush money to a porn star" #cnntownhall pic.twitter.com/T0xZ67m1bA — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) February 19, 2020
Buttigieg has had strong results in the two states that have voted in the nomination process so far, Iowa and New Hampshire, and has been traveling with his husband, Chasten, throughout the campaign.
Limbaugh made the comments during his program last week, regularly talking about Buttigieg and his husband kissing while on the campaign trail together, alluding without evidence that it had upset unnamed Democratic “grand pooh-bahs.”
Advertisement
They’re sitting there and they’re looking at Mayor Pete — a 37-year-old gay guy, mayor of South Bend, loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage — and they’re saying, ‘OK. How’s this gonna look, a 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man, Donald Trump? What’s gonna happen there?’
(Buttigieg is 38.)
Buttigieg shrugged off the radio host’s remarks at the time, saying he wasn’t going to “take lectures on family values” from the likes of Limbaugh.
″I’m proud of my marriage,” Buttigieg said on Fox News. “We should have a politics of belonging that welcomes everybody. ... I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.”
Limbaugh has said Trump called him to say that he should “never apologize” for his remarks.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-18--Bloomberg The Candidate Will Sell Bloomberg The Company If Elected, Campaign Says

Tim O ’ Brien , one of the former New York mayor ’ s advisers , said on CNN that Bloomberg would offload the company that made him a multibillionaire , contrasting the plan with the actions of President Donald Trump , who has continued to benefit from his own swath of business holdings throughout his administration .
“ There will be no confusion about any of his financial holdings , blurring the line between public service and personal profiteering , ” O ’ Brien told host Christiane Amanpour .
He later added that Bloomberg “ will be 180 degrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these issues because Donald Trump is a walking financial conflict of interest.
” His Democratic campaign detailed how such a sale would happen , noting Bloomberg would place his company into a blind trust that would then handle the sale .
The Associated Press reported any proceeds from the sale would go to the candidate ’ s charitable arm , Bloomberg Philanthropies , and the company would not be sold to a foreign buyer or private equity fund .
The Wall Street Journal noted it could sell for as much as $ 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the company , which he founded in 1981 .
O ’ Brien said that should Bloomberg be elected in November , he would also release his tax returns , reestablishing “ a tradition that ’ s gone back to every president dating to Gerald Ford ” until Trump broke the protocol .
Bloomberg has used the massive wealth he built through Bloomberg LP to self-fund his campaign thus far .
His campaign has purchased about $ 400 million in advertising over the last three months , which has helped propel Bloomberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next Democratic debate this week , which will be his first appearance on stage after many other candidates have already been through , and lost , that gantlet .
His vast wealth is almost guaranteed to come up when he faces off against his fellow candidates in Las Vegas .
It ’ s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate .
But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Elizabeth Warren ( @ ewarren ) February 18 , 2020 Bloomberg ’ s stature , particularly his ownership of a gargantuan media company , has prompted questions about how news organizations he owns would cover his bid for the White House .
The company announced that its 2,700 journalists would not undertake any in-depth investigations of Bloomberg or any of his Democratic challengers .
“ We will write about virtually all aspects of this presidential contest in much the same way as we have done so far , ” John Micklethwait , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief , said in a memo to staff after Bloomberg entered the race .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Mike Bloomberg will sell his massive media and data company, Bloomberg LP, if he’s elected president, his campaign said on Tuesday.
Tim O’Brien, one of the former New York mayor’s advisers, said on CNN that Bloomberg would offload the company that made him a multibillionaire, contrasting the plan with the actions of President Donald Trump, who has continued to benefit from his own swath of business holdings throughout his administration.
Advertisement
“There will be no confusion about any of his financial holdings, blurring the line between public service and personal profiteering,” O’Brien told host Christiane Amanpour. He later added that Bloomberg “will be 180 degrees away from where Donald Trump is on these issues because Donald Trump is a walking financial conflict of interest.”
His Democratic campaign detailed how such a sale would happen, noting Bloomberg would place his company into a blind trust that would then handle the sale. The Associated Press reported any proceeds from the sale would go to the candidate’s charitable arm, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the company would not be sold to a foreign buyer or private equity fund.
The Wall Street Journal noted it could sell for as much as $60 billion, adding Bloomberg owns about 90% of the company, which he founded in 1981.
O’Brien said that should Bloomberg be elected in November, he would also release his tax returns, reestablishing “a tradition that’s gone back to every president dating to Gerald Ford” until Trump broke the protocol.
Advertisement
Bloomberg has used the massive wealth he built through Bloomberg LP to self-fund his campaign thus far. His campaign has purchased about $400 million in advertising over the last three months, which has helped propel Bloomberg in the polls.
He qualified for the next Democratic debate this week, which will be his first appearance on stage after many other candidates have already been through, and lost, that gantlet. His vast wealth is almost guaranteed to come up when he faces off against his fellow candidates in Las Vegas.
It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate. But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire. https://t.co/H02radEZcv — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020
Bloomberg’s stature, particularly his ownership of a gargantuan media company, has prompted questions about how news organizations he owns would cover his bid for the White House. The company announced that its 2,700 journalists would not undertake any in-depth investigations of Bloomberg or any of his Democratic challengers.
“We will write about virtually all aspects of this presidential contest in much the same way as we have done so far,” John Micklethwait, the news arm’s editor in chief, said in a memo to staff after Bloomberg entered the race.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Jeffrey Toobin Exposes ‘The Real Lesson’ Of Donald Trump’s Pardons

CNN ’ s chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin suggested “ the real lesson ” of President Donald Trump ’ s clemency blitz on Tuesday was “ a story of creeping authoritarianism.
” “ Authoritarianism is usually associated with a punitive spirit — a leader who prosecutes and incarcerates his enemies .
But there is another side to this leadership style , ” Toobin wrote in a comment piece for The New Yorker , where he is also a staff writer .
“ Authoritarians also dispense largesse , but they do it by their own whims , rather than pursuant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toobin continued .
“ The point of authoritarianism is to concentrate power in the ruler , so the world knows that all actions , good and bad , harsh and generous , come from a single source.
” Toobin noted how the people that Trump granted clemency to — including former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich and former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik — all had “ some personal connection ” to him .
Therefore , Toobin wrote , it was “ exclusively an exercise of Trump ’ s own power.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In this era of mass incarceration , many people deserve pardons and commutations , but this is not the way to go about it .
All Trump has done is to prove that he can reward his friends and his friends ’ friends .
The chilling corollary is that he knows he can punish his enemies , too .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CNN’s chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin suggested “the real lesson” of President Donald Trump’s clemency blitz on Tuesday was “a story of creeping authoritarianism.”
“Authoritarianism is usually associated with a punitive spirit — a leader who prosecutes and incarcerates his enemies. But there is another side to this leadership style,” Toobin wrote in a comment piece for The New Yorker, where he is also a staff writer.
Advertisement
“Authoritarians also dispense largesse, but they do it by their own whims, rather than pursuant to any system or legal rule,” Toobin continued. “The point of authoritarianism is to concentrate power in the ruler, so the world knows that all actions, good and bad, harsh and generous, come from a single source.”
Toobin noted how the people that Trump granted clemency to — including former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik — all had “some personal connection” to him.
Therefore, Toobin wrote, it was “exclusively an exercise of Trump’s own power.”
He concluded with an ominous warning:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Sen. Kelly Loeffler Appears In 'Hunting' Video But Doesn't Actually Have A Hunting License

A Republican lawmaker is being called out for posting a clip that makes it appear as if she may be hunting .
In reality , Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) doesn ’ t even have a hunting license , according to records obtained by the progressive group American Bridge , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported .
The clip posted to Instagram last week showed her and another person in hunting gear , carrying rifles into the countryside .
It did not say she was hunting or a hunter , but rather touted her as a pro-Second Amendment conservative : Zach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told the AJC that Loeffler was “ trying to portray herself as a hunter when the record shows she ’ s never even had a hunting license.
” Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the seat after Sen. Johnny Isakson ( R-Ga. ) retired .
President Donald Trump had urged Kemp to appoint Rep. Doug Collins ( R-Ga. ) instead .
Now , Collins is taking on Loeffler for the seat , which will be up for grabs in November .
Current law does not allow for a primary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with one or more potential Democratic challengers ― could all appear in the ballot .
However , a bill potentially setting up a May primary is under consideration in the state .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A Republican lawmaker is being called out for posting a video clip that makes it appear as if she may be hunting.
In reality, Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) doesn’t even have a hunting license, according to records obtained by the progressive group American Bridge, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Advertisement
The clip posted to Instagram last week showed Loeffler and another person in hunting gear, carrying shotguns into the countryside. It did not say she was hunting or a hunter, but rather touted her as a pro-Second Amendment conservative:
Zach Hudson, a spokesperson for American Bridge, told the news organization that Loeffler was “trying to portray herself as a hunter when the record shows she’s never even had a hunting license.”
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the seat after Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) retired. President Donald Trump had urged Kemp to appoint Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) instead.
Advertisement
Loeffler took office last month.
Now, Collins is taking on Loeffler for the seat, which will be up for grabs in November. Current law does not allow for a primary in this instance and both candidates ― along with one or more potential Democratic challengers ― could all appear in the ballot. However, a bill potentially setting up a May primary is under consideration in the state.
Collins also released a video criticizing Loeffler’s expensive pants.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Ex-GOP Lawmaker: Republicans Are Letting Donald Trump Drive Country ‘To Financial Ruin’

Former Rep. Mark Sanford ( R-S.C. ) on Tuesday rebuked Republican lawmakers for looking “ the other way ” as the U.S. federal budget deficit continues to soar under President Donald Trump .
Sanford — in an opinion column for The New York Times titled “ Why Do My Fellow Republicans Make Excuses For Trump ’ s Deficit ?
” — accused the president of “ driving the country to financial ruin ” after the Congressional Budget Office warned the deficit would this year top $ 1 trillion .
Trump ’ s own party “ is letting it happen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House from 2013 to 2019 following an eight-year period as governor of South Carolina .
He launched a GOP primary challenge against Trump for the 2020 presidential election , but withdrew from the race in November .
In the op-ed , Sanford criticized Trump ’ s “ abandonment of fiscal responsibility ” and called out the silence of conservatives who he claimed would have howled in protest if former President Barack Obama had allowed the deficit to spiral in the same way .
“ Too many fellow conservatives , and the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore this mounting crisis out of fealty to President Trump , ” he added .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) on Tuesday rebuked Republican lawmakers for looking “the other way” as the U.S. federal budget deficit continues to soar under President Donald Trump.
Sanford — in an opinion column for The New York Times titled “Why Do My Fellow Republicans Make Excuses For Trump’s Deficit?” — accused the president of “driving the country to financial ruin” after the Congressional Budget Office warned the deficit would this year top $1 trillion.
Advertisement
Trump’s own party “is letting it happen,” wrote Sanford, who served in the House from 2013 to 2019 following an eight-year period as governor of South Carolina.
He launched a GOP primary challenge against Trump for the 2020 presidential election, but withdrew from the race in November.
In the op-ed, Sanford criticized Trump’s “abandonment of fiscal responsibility” and called out the silence of conservatives who he claimed would have howled in protest if former President Barack Obama had allowed the deficit to spiral in the same way.
“Too many fellow conservatives, and the Republican Party at large, have chosen to ignore this mounting crisis out of fealty to President Trump,” he added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Mike Bloomberg Gets A Rude Awakening In Las Vegas Debate

The result wasn ’ t pretty .
The media and financial services mogul got pummeled in the presidential debate over his record of allegedly sexist comments and behavior , his racist policing practices , his failure to release his tax returns , his support for Republicans , and his efforts to buy his way into the Democratic primary .
Moderator Hallie Jackson initiated the biggest fireworks of the night when she asked Bloomberg to explain his comments defending allegations from former female employees who say he created a hostile work environment .
Bloomberg , she noted , reportedly defended some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That ’ s the way I grew up , ” and allegedly told one former female employee , “ I would do you in a second.
” “ I am very proud of the fact that about two weeks ago , we were voted the best place to work ― the second-best place in America , ” he said .
“ If that doesn ’ t say something about our employees and how happy they are , I don ’ t know what does.
” “ We are not going to beat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who knows how many nondisclosure agreements and the drip , drip , drip of stories of women saying they have been harassed and discriminated against , ” Warren said .
Buttigieg pleaded with the public not to winnow down the field to two candidates whom he said were uniquely polarizing and not rooted in the Democratic Party .
Sanders remains an independent who caucuses with Democrats , and Bloomberg was a Republican before becoming an independent and then a Democrat in 2018 .
The debate , which was by far the most contentious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair share of other skirmishes .
Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar exchanged blows over their respective qualifications for higher office , as well as some of Klobuchar ’ s controversial votes .
And , of course , the field of candidates slugged it out over “ Medicare for All ” for the umpteenth time , with the moderates pointing to Warren ’ s and Sanders ’ support for single-payer health care as bad policy and politics .
But the overwhelming theme of the night was who would be most electable against Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their relentless attacks on Bloomberg and his less-than-stellar responses , Bloomberg ’ s rivals united to make the case that it was not him .
After the debate , Howard Wolfson , an adviser to Bloomberg ’ s campaign , argued to reporters that Bloomberg should be graded on a curve since it was his first presidential debate .
“ I think it ’ s fair to say he got better as the night went on , ” he said “ You know you are a winner when you are drawing attacks from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kevin Sheekey said in a statement .
“ Everyone came to destroy Mike tonight .
It didn ’ t happen .
Everyone wanted him to lose his cool .
He didn ’ t do it .
He was the grownup in the room.
” “ I welcome them making whatever contrast they ’ d like , ” Shakir said .
“ His contrast that he wants to draw with us is much like the contrast Donald Trump wants to draw : ‘ I ’ m a billionaire .
I can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of my friends are all billionaires .
I ’ m out of touch with the working class of America .
’ ”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
LAS VEGAS ― Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg emerged from behind the protective shield of a $300 million-plus advertising blitz on Wednesday night, stepping into the limelight of a nationally televised debate alongside five rivals spoiling for a fight.
The result wasn’t pretty. The media and financial services mogul got pummeled in the presidential debate over his record of allegedly sexist comments and behavior, his racist policing practices, his failure to release his tax returns, his support for Republicans, and his efforts to buy his way into the Democratic primary.
Advertisement
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led the charge, delivering a haymaker in her opening remarks.
“I’d like to talk about who we’re running against, a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians. And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg,” Warren said, prompting audible gasps from the audience at the Paris Theater.
Bloomberg’s alleged treatment of women went on to become the richest source of material for his adversaries.
Moderator Hallie Jackson initiated the biggest fireworks of the night when she asked Bloomberg to explain his comments defending allegations from former female employees who say he created a hostile work environment. Bloomberg, she noted, reportedly defended some of his sexist comments by saying, “That’s the way I grew up,” and allegedly told one former female employee, “I would do you in a second.”
Bloomberg was visibly flustered, asking for his full minute and a quarter to respond. But he did not address the specific claims, instead falling back on figures demonstrating the success of women in his corporate empire.
Advertisement
“I am very proud of the fact that about two weeks ago, we were voted the best place to work ― the second-best place in America,” he said. “If that doesn’t say something about our employees and how happy they are, I don’t know what does.”
Jackson turned to Warren, noting that the senator had been especially critical of Bloomberg.
“I hope you heard what his defense was: ‘I’ve been nice to some women,’” she said, prompting loud applause and cheers from the crowd.
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg was on the defensive for much of the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday night. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Warren went on to ask Bloomberg whether he would commit to releasing former female employees from the nondisclosure agreements he had required them to sign.
Bloomberg did not, but struggled to give a reason. “That’s up to them,” he said. (It’s not.)
“We are not going to beat Donald Trump with a man who has who knows how many nondisclosure agreements and the drip, drip, drip of stories of women saying they have been harassed and discriminated against,” Warren said.
Advertisement
Former Vice President Joe Biden joined Warren in calling on Bloomberg to release the women from their NDAs.
“Let’s get something straight here,” Biden said. “It’s easy: All the mayor has to do is say, ‘You are released from the nondisclosure agreements.’”
When it came to Bloomberg’s tax returns, which the candidate has yet to release, his explanations were similarly sheepish. “It just takes us a long time,” he said, eliciting gasps from the audience. “I can’t go to TurboTax.”
Bloomberg promised to release the tax returns as soon as they are ready, saying they would be made public in the coming weeks.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) made sure to remind the audience that Bloomberg supported then-President George W. Bush’s reelection, as well as Republican control of the Senate, in 2004.
Advertisement
Later, when Sanders asked to explain why he opposes the mere existence of billionaires, the senator pointed to Bloomberg. The former mayor is reported to be worth an estimated $60 billion.
“Mike Bloomberg owns more wealth than the bottom 125 million Americans,” Sanders said. “That’s wrong. That’s immoral.”
Bloomberg, who opposes the wealth tax that Sanders and Warren hope to levy but insists he does want to see the rich contribute more, defended his earnings.
“Yes,” he replied enthusiastically when asked whether he deserved his wealth. “I worked very hard for it. And I’m giving it away.”
For former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Bloomberg occupied a place previously reserved for Biden: He was the foil for Buttigieg’s image as the happy medium between the party’s left and right ideological poles.
Advertisement
Buttigieg pleaded with the public not to winnow down the field to two candidates whom he said were uniquely polarizing and not rooted in the Democratic Party. Sanders remains an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and Bloomberg was a Republican before becoming an independent and then a Democrat in 2018.
“We shouldn’t have to choose between one candidate who wants to burn this party down and another candidate who wants to buy this party out,” Buttigieg said.
The debate, which was by far the most contentious meeting of the primary, contained its fair share of other skirmishes. Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar exchanged blows over their respective qualifications for higher office, as well as some of Klobuchar’s controversial votes. And, of course, the field of candidates slugged it out over “Medicare for All” for the umpteenth time, with the moderates pointing to Warren’s and Sanders’ support for single-payer health care as bad policy and politics.
But the overwhelming theme of the night was who would be most electable against Trump. And whatever their differences, with their relentless attacks on Bloomberg and his less-than-stellar responses, Bloomberg’s rivals united to make the case that it was not him.
After the debate, Howard Wolfson, an adviser to Bloomberg’s campaign, argued to reporters that Bloomberg should be graded on a curve since it was his first presidential debate. “I think it’s fair to say he got better as the night went on,” he said
Advertisement
Bloomberg’s campaign also sought to spin his performance as a sign of the impact his candidacy has had.
“You know you are a winner when you are drawing attacks from all the candidates,” campaign manager Kevin Sheekey said in a statement. “Everyone came to destroy Mike tonight. It didn’t happen. Everyone wanted him to lose his cool. He didn’t do it. He was the grownup in the room.”
And even as Warren drew the most blood from Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor’s campaign continues to want to turn the primary into a head-to-head matchup between Bloomberg and Sanders.
Bloomberg’s campaign argued in a memo reported about on Wednesday that Bloomberg was the candidate best equipped to defeat Sanders and that other candidates needed to drop out in order to stop Sanders.
Sheekey reiterated the campaign’s hopes of framing the primary as a head-to-head contest again after the debate.
Advertisement
“Tonight, Mike Bloomberg presented himself as the leading alternative to Bernie Sanders,” he said. “Everyone came to get under Mike’s skin, but instead Mike got under Bernie’s.”
Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir welcomed a brawl with Bloomberg.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-20--Bill O'Reilly Delivers The Worst Possible Take On The Democratic Debate

Disgraced former Fox News host Bill O ’ Reilly tried his hand at live-tweeting Wednesday night ’ s Democratic debate .
But one of his hot takes seemed to be more a damning statement about his own past sexual misconduct than anything else .
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg was criticized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
for allegations of sexual harassment at his company and the nondisclosure agreements used to keep the complainants from speaking out .
O ’ Reilly has his own history with such agreements , having paid at least $ 45 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former Fox News analyst , after facing sexual harassment allegations — a scandal that eventually cost him his job on Fox News .
Warren pounding Bloomberg about non disclosure agreements signed by women .
All companies have those .
Bloomberg looks weak .
— Bill O'Reilly ( @ BillOReilly ) February 20 , 2020 O ’ Reilly ’ s other tweets included less-than-insightful messages about Warren ’ s supposed “ desperation , ” former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s “ babbling ” and Sen. Bernie Sander ’ s ( I-Vt. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his personal history , it was O ’ Reilly ’ s comments about NDAs that lit up Twitter : 32 million dollars says no one wants to hear from you on this — Molly Jong-Fast ( @ MollyJongFast ) February 20 , 2020 Very exited to see how this tweet turns out for you — Rafi Schwartz ( @ TheJewishDream ) February 20 , 2020 Do you have any idea what YOU look like ?
https : //t.co/tqy9ZPKMN6 — Philippe Reines ( @ PhilippeReines ) February 20 , 2020 Thanks , Bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert on women signing non-disclosure agreements , it is certainly you .
— Dave Hogg ( @ stareagle ) February 20 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Disgraced former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly tried his hand at live-tweeting Wednesday night’s Democratic debate.
But one of his hot takes seemed to be more a damning statement about his own past sexual misconduct than anything else.
Advertisement
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg was criticized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) for allegations of sexual harassment at his company and the nondisclosure agreements used to keep the complainants from speaking out.
O’Reilly has his own history with such agreements, having paid at least $45 million in settlements, including $32 million to a former Fox News analyst, after facing sexual harassment allegations — a scandal that eventually cost him his job on Fox News.
Yet he tweeted:
Warren pounding Bloomberg about non disclosure agreements signed by women. All companies have those. Bloomberg looks weak. — Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) February 20, 2020
O’Reilly’s other tweets included less-than-insightful messages about Warren’s supposed “desperation,” former Vice President Joe Biden’s “babbling” and Sen. Bernie Sander’s (I-Vt.) “bulging” eyes.
Advertisement
But given his personal history, it was O’Reilly’s comments about NDAs that lit up Twitter:
$32m worth of expertise you got there — Sarah Rose (@thesarahrose) February 20, 2020
You really couldn't just stay quiet could you? — Wagatwe Wanjuki 🇰🇪 🇧🇸 (@wagatwe) February 20, 2020
the $32M Sexual Harassment Settlement Payer has logged on — Brittany Van Horne (@_brittanyv) February 20, 2020
32 million dollars says no one wants to hear from you on this — Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) February 20, 2020
Very exited to see how this tweet turns out for you — Rafi Schwartz (@TheJewishDream) February 20, 2020
Advertisement
pic.twitter.com/NyIqcRNRKC — large sarah the size of a small sarah (@SarahNEmerson) February 20, 2020
You would know! — Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) February 20, 2020
You would definitely know, Buzz — Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) February 20, 2020
Do you have any idea what YOU look like?https://t.co/tqy9ZPKMN6 — Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) February 20, 2020
Maybe you sit this one out, champ. — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) February 20, 2020
Advertisement
Thanks, Bill. If there is anyone who is an expert on women signing non-disclosure agreements, it is certainly you. — Dave Hogg (@stareagle) February 20, 2020
Way to read the room, Bill. — Maury Brown (@BizballMaury) February 20, 2020
Bet you 32 million you shouldn’t be weighing in on this, bubs. — Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) February 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-19--Elizabeth Warren Did Not Come To Play

Elizabeth Warren Did Not Come To Play

Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
held former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg accountable for his past comments at the outset of Wednesday night ’ s Democratic debate , the first in which Bloomberg participated with the other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates .
“ I ’ d like to talk about who we ’ re running against : a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians , ” Warren said .
“ And no , I ’ m not talking about Donald Trump .
I ’ m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.
” Sixty-four women have accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of sexual harassment and sex discrimination .
The businessman ’ s former staffers have alleged he told a pregnant employee to “ Kill it !
” and suggested other women at his company would offer sex to co-workers and clients .
“ Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns , of harassing women and of supporting racist policies like redlining and stop and frisk , ” Warren said , referring to housing and policing practices that harmed nonwhite communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support whoever the Democratic nominee is , but understand this : Democrats take a huge risk if we substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.
” Bloomberg also addressed a moderator question about his alleged misogyny by saying he had worked with women closely as mayor and in the private sector .
“ I hope you heard what his response was : I ’ ve been nice to some women , ” Warren shot back .
She went on to condemn Bloomberg ’ s practice of holding staff to nondisclosure agreements , which keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has also relied on such agreements over the course of his career .
Warren asked Bloomberg how many NDAs he had in place , and he did not answer .
She also asked him if he would pledge on national TV to release women from their agreements .
The senator ’ s push against a rival rising in the polls comes at a time when her own campaign has received dwindling attention ― and could provide the perception of momentum that her team has been seeking .
The other candidates who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer than Bloomberg noted the incongruity of one of the country ’ s richest men and a figure associated with racist policies running to represent a Democratic Party that relies on voters of color and talks about building a more just , equitable society .
“ I don ’ t think we look at Donald Trump and say we need someone richer in the White House , ” Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) said .
“ He figured out it was a bad idea after we sent in monitors and said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Even then , he continued the policy.
” Bloomberg ’ s administration ended stop and frisk ― which activists blamed for trauma , particularly among young people , and increased distrust of the New York City Police Department ― after a federal judge ruled in 2013 that it was discriminatory .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) held former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg accountable for his past comments at the outset of Wednesday night’s Democratic debate, the first in which Bloomberg participated with the other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.
“I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse-faced lesbians,” Warren said. “And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.”
Advertisement
Sixty-four women have accused Bloomberg and his company, Bloomberg LP, of sexual harassment and sex discrimination. The businessman’s former staffers have alleged he told a pregnant employee to “Kill it!” and suggested other women at his company would offer sex to co-workers and clients.
“Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns, of harassing women and of supporting racist policies like redlining and stop and frisk,” Warren said, referring to housing and policing practices that harmed nonwhite communities. “Look, I’ll support whoever the Democratic nominee is, but understand this: Democrats take a huge risk if we substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.”
Bloomberg also addressed a moderator question about his alleged misogyny by saying he had worked with women closely as mayor and in the private sector.
“I hope you heard what his response was: I’ve been nice to some women,” Warren shot back. She went on to condemn Bloomberg’s practice of holding staff to nondisclosure agreements, which keeps them from speaking publicly about abuse. Trump has also relied on such agreements over the course of his career.
Advertisement
Warren asked Bloomberg how many NDAs he had in place, and he did not answer. She also asked him if he would pledge on national TV to release women from their agreements.
“They signed those agreements and we’ll live with it,” Bloomberg replied.
The senator’s push against a rival rising in the polls comes at a time when her own campaign has received dwindling attention ― and could provide the perception of momentum that her team has been seeking.
The other candidates who have, like Warren, been running for longer than Bloomberg noted the incongruity of one of the country’s richest men and a figure associated with racist policies running to represent a Democratic Party that relies on voters of color and talks about building a more just, equitable society.
“I don’t think we look at Donald Trump and say we need someone richer in the White House,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk policing policy targeted Black and Latinx people in “an outrageous way.”
Advertisement
Former Vice President Joe Biden also criticized Bloomberg for resisting an Obama administration effort to rein in stop and frisk.
“He figured out it was a bad idea after we sent in monitors and said it must stop,” Biden said. “Even then, he continued the policy.”
Bloomberg’s administration ended stop and frisk ― which activists blamed for trauma, particularly among young people, and increased distrust of the New York City Police Department ― after a federal judge ruled in 2013 that it was discriminatory.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-20--Amy Klobuchar Really Can't Stand Pete Buttigieg

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) faced a battle with five rivals for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination at Wednesday night ’ s primary debate in Las Vegas ― but she proved that she ’ s at war with one : Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana .
“ I wish everyone was as perfect as you , Pete , ” Klobuchar said as Buttigieg extended an attack on her approach to immigrants by breaking into Spanish .
“ Are you trying to say that I ’ m dumb or are you mocking me here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that exchange , when Buttigieg noted she couldn ’ t name Mexico ’ s president in an interview .
“ I am the one , not you , that has won statewide in congressional district after congressional district , ” she noted .
Klobuchar and Buttigieg are both Midwesterners who are selling themselves as more down to earth than their competitors and as politically moderate , calling sweeping changes like a rapid shift to “ Medicare for All ” unrealistic .
Their campaigns and political analysts believe that means they are competing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters ― and that after Buttigieg did well in the first two contests , in Iowa and New Hampshire , and Klobuchar scored a surprising success in New Hampshire by taking third place , one will have to rally the other ’ s supporters to effectively challenge front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and other rivals .
But Klobuchar ’ s determination to portray Buttigieg as artificial , incompetent and pretentious was still striking .
She attacked him more than she did anyone else on stage , an NBC analysis found .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders . )
“ You have not been in the arena doing that work , ” the three-term senator said in response to pressure from Buttigieg over her record on immigration .
“ You ’ ve memorized a bunch of talking points.
” In a November debate , she said a woman would not make it to a presidential debate stage with Buttigieg ’ s degree of experience , as a 37-year-old mayor of a small city .
“ Maybe we ’ re held to a different standard , ” Klobuchar said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Buttigieg had lost elections to be Indiana ’ s state treasurer and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee .
And at a debate earlier this month , Klobuchar called him “ a cool newcomer ” and said , “ I ’ m not a political newcomer with no record.… I have a record of fighting for people.
” That round , she made sure the national audience watching the debate heard about Buttigieg ’ s campaign trail statement that , rather than watching the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and watch cartoons .
He criticized the senator for blanking on Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ’ s name during a Telemundo interview released Feb 14 .
( Buttigieg did recall his name when asked the question in the same format . )
“ You ’ re staking your candidacy on your Washington experience , ” Buttigieg said .
“ You ’ re on the committee that oversees border security , you ’ re on the committee that does trade ... and were not able to speak to literally the first thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our south.
” He also pushed back against her claim that he wasn ’ t seriously engaged in political reform as she was working on issues such as immigration in the Senate .
“ I ’ m used to senators telling mayors that senators are more important than mayors , but this is the arena , too .
You don ’ t have to be in Washington to matter , ” the presidential candidate said .
Klobuchar didn ’ t let any of those slights go , coming back each time with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressed Buttigieg as “ Pete ” ― abandoning candidates ’ usual practice of addressing each other by the political title they have most recently held .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) faced a battle with five rivals for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination at Wednesday night’s primary debate in Las Vegas ― but she proved that she’s at war with one: Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
“I wish everyone was as perfect as you, Pete,” Klobuchar said as Buttigieg extended an attack on her approach to immigrants by breaking into Spanish.
Advertisement
“Are you trying to say that I’m dumb or are you mocking me here, Pete?” she asked earlier in that exchange, when Buttigieg noted she couldn’t name Mexico’s president in an interview. “I am the one, not you, that has won statewide in congressional district after congressional district,” she noted.
Klobuchar and Buttigieg are both Midwesterners who are selling themselves as more down to earth than their competitors and as politically moderate, calling sweeping changes like a rapid shift to “Medicare for All” unrealistic. Their campaigns and political analysts believe that means they are competing for the same pool of Democratic primary voters ― and that after Buttigieg did well in the first two contests, in Iowa and New Hampshire, and Klobuchar scored a surprising success in New Hampshire by taking third place, one will have to rally the other’s supporters to effectively challenge front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other rivals.
But Klobuchar’s determination to portray Buttigieg as artificial, incompetent and pretentious was still striking. She attacked him more than she did anyone else on stage, an NBC analysis found. (Buttigieg’s prime target was Sanders.)
“You have not been in the arena doing that work,” the three-term senator said in response to pressure from Buttigieg over her record on immigration. “You’ve memorized a bunch of talking points.”
Advertisement
Klobuchar has been visibly frustrated with Buttigieg’s candidacy for months for reasons that appear to extend beyond a political competition.
In a November debate, she said a woman would not make it to a presidential debate stage with Buttigieg’s degree of experience, as a 37-year-old mayor of a small city. “Maybe we’re held to a different standard,” Klobuchar said.
At a December rematch, she noted that Buttigieg had lost elections to be Indiana’s state treasurer and the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. And at a debate earlier this month, Klobuchar called him “a cool newcomer” and said, “I’m not a political newcomer with no record. … I have a record of fighting for people.”
That round, she made sure the national audience watching the debate heard about Buttigieg’s campaign trail statement that, rather than watching the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, he would like to switch the channel and watch cartoons.
Buttigieg has stoked the fight with attacks of his own. He repeatedly sought to highlight Klobuchar’s weaknesses during Wednesday night’s match-up.
Advertisement
He criticized the senator for blanking on Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s name during a Telemundo interview released Feb. 14. (Buttigieg did recall his name when asked the question in the same format.)
“You’re staking your candidacy on your Washington experience,” Buttigieg said. “You’re on the committee that oversees border security, you’re on the committee that does trade ... and were not able to speak to literally the first thing about the politics of the country to our south.”
“I said that I made an error. People sometimes forget names,” Klobuchar responded.
He also pushed back against her claim that he wasn’t seriously engaged in political reform as she was working on issues such as immigration in the Senate.
“I’m used to senators telling mayors that senators are more important than mayors, but this is the arena, too. You don’t have to be in Washington to matter,” the presidential candidate said.
And Buttigieg called out Klobuchar’s support for controversial judges appointed by Trump, as well as the president’s pick to head the Customs and Border Protection agency.
Advertisement
Klobuchar didn’t let any of those slights go, coming back each time with a defense and often a zinger that notably addressed Buttigieg as “Pete” ― abandoning candidates’ usual practice of addressing each other by the political title they have most recently held.
The clash thrilled Twitter observers. But it proved troublesome for the moderators trying to manage a two-hour debate intended to cover a broad range of issues and more prominent candidates.
“Hello!” Lester Holt of “NBC Nightly News” burst out as he tried to end one of their exchanges. “Hello! Hello! Hello!”