thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-28--Steyer a thorn in Biden's side and threat to his comeback

SUMTER , South Carolina — South Carolina is key to Joe Biden ’ s hopes of bouncing back in the Democratic presidential race after devastating fourth- and fifth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire .
But his comeback story could be in jeopardy as low-tier candidate Tom Steyer chips away at his firewall .
With just one day before the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary , the RealClearPolitics of South Carolina primary polls finds Biden at 34.3 % , 12 points ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ s 22.3 % .
Steyer is in third place at 13.7 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead , but Steyer , though not a threat to win the state , is winning support from black voters in the state that Biden needs to declare a commanding victory and give him a momentum boost in the few days before 14 states and two other jurisdictions vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday contests .
“ I was thinking of Biden , ” said retired North Charleston resident Victoria Johnson .
“ But I think I ’ m going to go with Steyer.
” Steyer , a hedge fund billionaire turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina than any other candidate .
He has flooded airwaves with ads , spending more in the state than all the other candidates on the ballot combined and largely funded with his personal fortune .
Voters who like Steyer say that the ads are what got them interested .
But it is his perspective as a Washington outsider and incorporation of efforts to address racial inequality into a wide swath of policy issues that have won their support .
“ Climate justice is racial justice .
Economic justice — you ca n't look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , honestly , without recognizing that there 's a huge racial subtext to it .
And if you do n't deal with the racial subtext , you 're not going to deal with the policy issue , ” Steyer told a nearly all-black crowd of about 60 people at a campaign stop at a North Charleston bistro on Thursday before the attendees dug into plates of fried fish , beans , and rice .
He creating a commission on race and would support cash reparations for descendants of slaves if that commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race issues dominate his stump speech .
“ I like everything he do for the people .
He do the same thing we do for the people , with food and clothes , ” said retired North Charleston resident and Steyer supporter Kathene Winston .
She said that she first learned about him from a TV ad but would be happy with Biden as a nominee .
“ You have some people that think somebody who is rich , and whatever , ca n't relate to everyday people , but I like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their wealth to do good to give back to others , ” said Christine Washington of North Charleston , 43 , who owns a home health company .
Black voters made up 60 % of South Carolina ’ s Democratic primary electorate in 2016 and are key to Democratic hopes of winning the general election in November .
For that reason , the state is considered a testing ground for Democratic presidential candidates , and it often decisively picks the Democratic presidential nominee .
Hillary Clinton crushed Sanders by 47 points in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Clinton by 28.9 points in 2008 , and John Kerry won by 15 points in 2004 .
Steyer ’ s wooing of black voters poses an existential conundrum for Biden ’ s candidacy : If an out-of-nowhere billionaire can pull away voters from Biden in his South Carolina stronghold , how can he be the strongest candidate to take on President Trump ?
The billionaire businessman has the second-lowest name recognition of anyone , with Morning Consult that 27 % of Democratic primary voters nationally say that they have never heard of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly all Democratic voters .
The threat to Biden is so great that he went out of his way to take a jab at Steyer in Tuesday ’ s Democratic presidential debate .
“ He , in fact , bought a system that was a private prison system , ” Biden said of Steyer .
“ They hogtied young men in prison here in this state.
” Steyer countered that he later sold his share of that company and worked to end private prisons in California .
Biden ’ s hope is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden at the voting booth .
“ I listened to what he said , ” retired Sumter resident Richard White said of Steyer .
But he added that a nonpolitician in the White House is not necessarily a good thing , and he thinks that Biden is better suited for the job .
“ Steyer piqued my curiosity , but that ’ s about it , ” said Leo Frazier of Clarendon County , who is retired .

SUMTER, South Carolina — South Carolina is key to Joe Biden’s hopes of bouncing back in the Democratic presidential race after devastating fourth- and fifth-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. But his comeback story could be in jeopardy as low-tier candidate Tom Steyer chips away at his firewall.
With just one day before the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, the RealClearPolitics average of South Carolina primary polls finds Biden at 34.3%, 12 points ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’s 22.3%. Steyer is in third place at 13.7%.
The former vice president has a lead, but Steyer, though not a threat to win the state, is winning support from black voters in the state that Biden needs to declare a commanding victory and give him a momentum boost in the few days before 14 states and two other jurisdictions vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday contests.
“I was thinking of Biden,” said retired North Charleston resident Victoria Johnson. “But I think I’m going to go with Steyer.”
Steyer, a hedge fund billionaire turned liberal activist, has spent more days campaigning in South Carolina than any other candidate. He has flooded airwaves with ads, spending more in the state than all the other candidates on the ballot combined and largely funded with his personal fortune.
Voters who like Steyer say that the ads are what got them interested. But it is his perspective as a Washington outsider and incorporation of efforts to address racial inequality into a wide swath of policy issues that have won their support.
“Climate justice is racial justice. Economic justice — you can't look at a policy area in the United States, honestly, without recognizing that there's a huge racial subtext to it. And if you don't deal with the racial subtext, you're not going to deal with the policy issue,” Steyer told a nearly all-black crowd of about 60 people at a campaign stop at a North Charleston bistro on Thursday before the attendees dug into plates of fried fish, beans, and rice.
He supports creating a commission on race and would support cash reparations for descendants of slaves if that commission recommended it. Unlike other candidates, race issues dominate his stump speech.
“I like everything he do for the people. He do the same thing we do for the people, with food and clothes,” said retired North Charleston resident and Steyer supporter Kathene Winston. She said that she first learned about him from a TV ad but would be happy with Biden as a nominee.
“You have some people that think somebody who is rich, and whatever, can't relate to everyday people, but I like to see those who use their positions or their wealth to do good to give back to others,” said Christine Washington of North Charleston, 43, who owns a home health company.
Black voters made up 60% of South Carolina’s Democratic primary electorate in 2016 and are key to Democratic hopes of winning the general election in November. For that reason, the state is considered a testing ground for Democratic presidential candidates, and it often decisively picks the Democratic presidential nominee. Hillary Clinton crushed Sanders by 47 points in the 2016 South Carolina primary, Barack Obama beat Clinton by 28.9 points in 2008.
Steyer’s wooing of black voters poses an existential conundrum for Biden’s candidacy: If an out-of-nowhere billionaire can pull away voters from Biden in his South Carolina stronghold, how can he be the strongest candidate to take on President Trump?
The billionaire businessman has the second-lowest name recognition of anyone, with Morning Consult finding that 27% of Democratic primary voters nationally say that they have never heard of him, whereas Biden is known by nearly all Democratic voters.
The threat to Biden is so great that he went out of his way to take a jab at Steyer in Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate.
“He, in fact, bought a system that was a private prison system,” Biden said of Steyer. “They hogtied young men in prison here in this state.”
Steyer countered that he later sold his share of that company and worked to end private prisons in California.
Biden’s hope is that voters curious about Steyer will ultimately return to Biden at the voting booth.
“I listened to what he said,” retired Sumter resident Richard White said of Steyer. But he added that a nonpolitician in the White House is not necessarily a good thing, and he thinks that Biden is better suited for the job.
“Steyer piqued my curiosity, but that’s about it,” said Leo Frazier of Clarendon County, who is retired.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-28--Bernie Sanders sees coronavirus as chance to boost Medicare for All

LOS ANGELES — As America grapples with its first case of coronavirus caught by someone who has n't traveled to China recently , Bernie Sanders believes his healthcare plan could be the cure .
Sanders 's Medicare for All proposal is the cornerstone of his second presidential run , with its pledge to eliminate private health insurance in favor of a government program .
According to the Vermont senator , every person residing in the country would be entitled to universal healthcare coverage with no copays or deductibles .
And with chances of the virus becoming a global pandemic growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been more prescient for his proposal .
`` If America ends up , with major supply chain disruptions like China has had , a related stock market decline ( already underway ) , and other adverse economic impacts , how voters , as taxpayers , weigh the costs versus benefits of 'Medicare for all ' proposals could easily change — and become less favorable to defenders of the status quo , '' said Sanders supporter Steve Early , a co-founder of `` Labor for Bernie . ''
Sanders , in a Thursday statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the country 's response to the virus .
`` We need a president who does not play politics with our health and national security .
Besides passing Medicare for All so everyone can see a doctor or get a vaccine for free , my administration will greatly expand funding for the Center for Disease Control and National Institute of Health , work with the international community , including with the World Health Organization , and invest in research and technology to make vaccines available quickly , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the comments , including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who said the lack of mandated paid sick leave means the infected could put colleagues at risk in office settings .
`` I ca n't tell you how many times the people who handle your food — who are already overworked and underpaid — show up sick to work because our country refuses to guarantee healthcare or paid sick leave .
We need # MedicareForAll , '' the New York Democrat tweeted Thursday .
[ LIST : Democrats saying what a terrible nominee Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incensed when Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the government would n't take steps to ensure a potential coronavirus vaccine was affordable for everyone .
`` We would want to ensure that we 'd work to make it affordable , '' Azar said during a congressional hearing Wednesday .
`` But we ca n't control that price because we need the private sector to invest .
Price controls wo n't get us there . ''
The coronavirus has killed nearly 3,000 people so far globally .
Over 80,000 confirmed cases have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
`` Under the Trump doctrine , if you are wealthy , you can buy a vaccine and not succumb to the sickness , '' Sanders said in a statement .
`` If you are poor or working class , you may have to get sick or even die .
That is an outrage .
That is unacceptable .
We need a vaccine that is available to all . ''
Support for Medicare for All remains relatively unpopular nationally .
A Fox News poll released Thursday found that only 42 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private insurance and moving to a completely government-run program .
A far greater number of respondents , 67 % , said they supported giving the public the option to buy into Medicare if they choose , similar to plans proposed by former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg .
Sanders 's plan is estimated to cost upward of $ 30 trillion over the next decade and would be funded through various tax hikes .
Its proponents say the plan is ultimately cheaper than the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ savings for both the government and the public .

LOS ANGELES — As America grapples with its first case of coronavirus caught by someone who hasn't traveled to China recently, Bernie Sanders believes his healthcare plan could be the cure.
Sanders's Medicare for All proposal is the cornerstone of his second presidential run, with its pledge to eliminate private health insurance in favor of a government program. According to the Vermont senator, every person residing in the country would be entitled to universal healthcare coverage with no copays or deductibles.
And with chances of the virus becoming a global pandemic growing, Sanders says the time has never been more prescient for his proposal.
"If America ends up, with major supply chain disruptions like China has had, a related stock market decline (already underway), and other adverse economic impacts, how voters, as taxpayers, weigh the costs versus benefits of 'Medicare for all' proposals could easily change — and become less favorable to defenders of the status quo," said Sanders supporter Steve Early, a co-founder of "Labor for Bernie."
Sanders, in a Thursday statement, blasted the Trump administration for appointing Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the country's response to the virus.
"We need a president who does not play politics with our health and national security. Besides passing Medicare for All so everyone can see a doctor or get a vaccine for free, my administration will greatly expand funding for the Center for Disease Control and National Institute of Health, work with the international community, including with the World Health Organization, and invest in research and technology to make vaccines available quickly," Sanders said.
Sanders supporters quickly echoed the comments, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said the lack of mandated paid sick leave means the infected could put colleagues at risk in office settings.
"I can't tell you how many times the people who handle your food — who are already overworked and underpaid — show up sick to work because our country refuses to guarantee healthcare or paid sick leave. We need #MedicareForAll," the New York Democrat tweeted Thursday.
[LIST: Democrats saying what a terrible nominee Bernie Sanders would be]
And Sanders backers grew incensed when Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the government wouldn't take steps to ensure a potential coronavirus vaccine was affordable for everyone.
"We would want to ensure that we'd work to make it affordable," Azar said during a congressional hearing Wednesday. "But we can't control that price because we need the private sector to invest. Price controls won't get us there."
The coronavirus has killed nearly 3,000 people so far globally. Over 80,000 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide, with 60 in the United States.
"Under the Trump doctrine, if you are wealthy, you can buy a vaccine and not succumb to the sickness," Sanders said in a statement. "If you are poor or working class, you may have to get sick or even die. That is an outrage. That is unacceptable. We need a vaccine that is available to all."
Support for Medicare for All remains relatively unpopular nationally. A Fox News poll released Thursday found that only 42% of voters favor getting rid of private insurance and moving to a completely government-run program. A far greater number of respondents, 67%, said they supported giving the public the option to buy into Medicare if they choose, similar to plans proposed by former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Sanders's plan is estimated to cost upward of $30 trillion over the next decade and would be funded through various tax hikes. Its proponents say the plan is ultimately cheaper than the current healthcare system and would result in long-term savings for both the government and the public.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-28--Trump tells black supporters his approval rating among African Americans 'should be at 100%'

President Trump told black supporters at a White House Black History Month event that his approval rating with the African American community should be higher .
`` I just want to congratulate the black community because what you ’ ve done in the progress you ’ ve made over the last three years , '' the president said at the Thursday night celebration .
`` The African American poverty rate has plummeted to the lowest level in the history of our country , '' Trump added .
`` These are good numbers .
I don ’ t know .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , I hate to tell you , right ? ''
The comment comes as the Trump campaign is aggressively courting black voters ahead of the 2020 election .
The campaign announced plans this month to open offices in African American communities in swing states .
`` We see the numbers coming up in the polls and the demand on the ground when we do these types of events , so it 's really important that we take this next step and really bring those voters into the party , '' Katrina Pierson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , said .
A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed Trump doubling his 8 % support from black Americans , depending on his 2020 opponent .

President Trump told black supporters at a White House Black History Month event that his approval rating with the African American community should be higher.
"I just want to congratulate the black community because what you’ve done in the progress you’ve made over the last three years," the president said at the Thursday night celebration.
"The African American poverty rate has plummeted to the lowest level in the history of our country," Trump added. "These are good numbers. I don’t know. I mean, I should be at 100%, I hate to tell you, right?"
The comment comes as the Trump campaign is aggressively courting black voters ahead of the 2020 election. The campaign announced plans this month to open offices in African American communities in swing states.
"We see the numbers coming up in the polls and the demand on the ground when we do these types of events, so it's really important that we take this next step and really bring those voters into the party," Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign, said.
A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed Trump doubling his 8% support from black Americans, depending on his 2020 opponent.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-28--'They are going to cheat': Trump campaign manager says Democrats will try to steal the election

President Trump 's campaign manager thinks that Democrats will fight dirty in the race to the White House this year .
“ They are going to cheat , ” Brad Parscale told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Maryland , on Friday .
`` Trust me , I saw what they did in 2016 , 2017 , 2018 , 2019 .
They are not going to wake up in 2020 and say , 'Let 's play fair now . '
'' Some Democratic voters are concerned that Trump will refuse to accept the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have an email list that is 50 million contacts deep by November , and 2 million trained volunteers — a massive jump from the 16,000 trained volunteers it had in 2016 .
Already , Parscale said , the campaign has recruited 500,000 , he added , `` and we do n't have anyone to run against yet . ''
The campaign is using the president 's vast network of supporters to build out a strategy it says will grow the electoral map for conservatives .
The campaign has turned the president 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a muscular fundraising tool .
And Trump officials and prominent supporters have been dispatched on bus tours through states the campaign needs to win , and other states that are `` nice-to-haves . ''
Parscale said the Trump campaign is ready `` to compete against any of them , '' referring to the surviving contenders for the Democratic nomination .
He pointed to efforts in Minnesota and New Mexico , states the campaign has said are in play for November .
`` There 's some , where the map could expand well past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` You can cheer to that . ''
The campaign spent $ 35,000 in New Mexico and Minnesota in 2016 and had just one staffer .
`` This time , we have tens of millions of dollars and more staff than the entire 2016 ground game .
We only lost Minnesota by a small amount .
If you look at what is happening , Latinos are coming in huge numbers , in huge waves , to the president , and now New Mexico is in play . ''

President Trump's campaign manager thinks that Democrats will fight dirty in the race to the White House this year.
“They are going to cheat,” Brad Parscale told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Friday. "Trust me, I saw what they did in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. They are not going to wake up in 2020 and say, 'Let's play fair now.'"
Some Democratic voters are concerned that Trump will refuse to accept the results of the election.
The campaign expects to have an email list that is 50 million contacts deep by November, and 2 million trained volunteers — a massive jump from the 16,000 trained volunteers it had in 2016. Already, Parscale said, the campaign has recruited 500,000, he added, "and we don't have anyone to run against yet."
The campaign is using the president's vast network of supporters to build out a strategy it says will grow the electoral map for conservatives. The campaign has turned the president's Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, into a muscular fundraising tool. And Trump officials and prominent supporters have been dispatched on bus tours through states the campaign needs to win, and other states that are "nice-to-haves."
Parscale said the Trump campaign is ready "to compete against any of them," referring to the surviving contenders for the Democratic nomination. He pointed to efforts in Minnesota and New Mexico, states the campaign has said are in play for November. "There's some, where the map could expand well past the 30 states we won last time," he said. "You can cheer to that."
The campaign spent $35,000 in New Mexico and Minnesota in 2016 and had just one staffer. "This time, we have tens of millions of dollars and more staff than the entire 2016 ground game. We only lost Minnesota by a small amount. If you look at what is happening, Latinos are coming in huge numbers, in huge waves, to the president, and now New Mexico is in play."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-28--Biden makes up last-minute ground in Virginia: Poll

One day before South Carolina , Joe Biden is being buoyed by two pieces of good news from Super Tuesday state Virginia : an influential endorsement and stronger polling numbers .
In a poll released Friday by the Wason Center , Biden , 77 , leads the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential primary field in Virginia with 22 % of the vote , ahead of Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg , with 17 % and 13 % support , respectively .
The center , housed at Christopher Newport University , also found Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren were attracting 8 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has 5 % .
Tom Steyer is registering 1 % support .
Virginia is one of 14 states and entities that will weigh in on the 2020 Democratic race for the White House on March 3 .
Although it does n't offer candidates the sheer number of delegates available in California and Texas , it still provides them with the opportunity to pick up some of its 99 pledged delegates and the bragging rights attached to any evidence they can appeal to voters in an important general election battleground .
If polls are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win in Saturday 's South Carolina primary , his first victory of the cycle 's early nominating contests .
But Delaware 's 36-year senator also has to perform well on Super Tuesday to keep any hope of becoming his party 's next standard-bearer alive , particularly as Bloomberg , the former New York City mayor and Biden 's rival for the center-left lane , officially enters the race .
Friday 's poll coincides with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine , the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee , announcing his endorsement of Biden , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research put Sanders , the socialist Vermont senator , in front of the pack .
Sanders , the 2020 Democratic front-runner , averages 25 % of the vote in Virginia to Bloomberg 's 19.5 % and Biden 's 18.5 % , according to RealClearPolitics data .
The Wason Center poll was conducted among 561 likely Democratic voters via cellphones and landlines between Feb. 3 and Feb. 24 .
Its findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points .

One day before South Carolina, Joe Biden is being buoyed by two pieces of good news from Super Tuesday state Virginia: an influential endorsement and stronger polling numbers.
In a poll released Friday by the Wason Center, Biden, 77, leads the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential primary field in Virginia with 22% of the vote, ahead of Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg, with 17% and 13% support, respectively.
The center, housed at Christopher Newport University, also found Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren were attracting 8% of the vote, while Amy Klobuchar has 5%. Tom Steyer is registering 1% support.
Virginia is one of 14 states and entities that will weigh in on the 2020 Democratic race for the White House on March 3. Although it doesn't offer candidates the sheer number of delegates available in California and Texas, it still provides them with the opportunity to pick up some of its 99 pledged delegates and the bragging rights attached to any evidence they can appeal to voters in an important general election battleground.
If polls are accurate, Biden is tracking toward a win in Saturday's South Carolina primary, his first victory of the cycle's early nominating contests. But Delaware's 36-year senator also has to perform well on Super Tuesday to keep any hope of becoming his party's next standard-bearer alive, particularly as Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and Biden's rival for the center-left lane, officially enters the race.
Friday's poll coincides with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee, announcing his endorsement of Biden, a show of confidence after earlier public opinion research put Sanders, the socialist Vermont senator, in front of the pack.
Sanders, the 2020 Democratic front-runner, averages 25% of the vote in Virginia to Bloomberg's 19.5% and Biden's 18.5%, according to RealClearPolitics data.
The Wason Center poll was conducted among 561 likely Democratic voters via cellphones and landlines between Feb. 3 and Feb. 24. Its findings have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-01--Pence tells the public it’s 'not necessary' to buy face masks amid coronavirus outbreak

Vice President Mike Pence said that people in the United States shouldn ’ t be rushing out to purchase face masks as the coronavirus continues to spread .
Speaking with CNN ’ s State of the Union on Sunday , Pence addressed concerns about the lack of testing kits in the U.S. and said that 15,000 of the kits have gone out in the last 48 hours .
He also said the government entered into a contract with a company to produce 30 million face masks per month in order to bolster the stockpile of about 43 million masks currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your viewers though , it is not necessary for Americans to go out and buy masks , ” Pence said .
The vice president , who has been put in charge of leading the U.S. response to the outbreak , said that getting masks to the healthcare providers is the foremost matter regarding the distribution .
“ We want to make sure — and the president has made this clear to me — we want to make sure that people that are treating people that have contracted the coronavirus have the protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves , and we ’ re working very energetically to accomplish that.
” Globally , there have been more than 86,000 cases and 2,979 deaths , most of which are in mainland China .
Fears of a worldwide pandemic have sent stocks plummeting .
In the U.S. , there have been 71 cases of the illness , otherwise known as the COVID-19 virus .
The U.S. saw its first death from the illness on Saturday when a person in Washington state succumbed to the infection .

Vice President Mike Pence said that people in the United States shouldn’t be rushing out to purchase face masks as the coronavirus continues to spread.
Speaking with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Pence addressed concerns about the lack of testing kits in the U.S. and said that 15,000 of the kits have gone out in the last 48 hours. He also said the government entered into a contract with a company to produce 30 million face masks per month in order to bolster the stockpile of about 43 million masks currently available.
“I want to say to your viewers though, it is not necessary for Americans to go out and buy masks,” Pence said.
The vice president, who has been put in charge of leading the U.S. response to the outbreak, said that getting masks to the healthcare providers is the foremost matter regarding the distribution.
“We want to make sure — and the president has made this clear to me — we want to make sure that people that are treating people that have contracted the coronavirus have the protective gear, the masks, and the gloves, and we’re working very energetically to accomplish that.”
Globally, there have been more than 86,000 cases and 2,979 deaths, most of which are in mainland China. Fears of a worldwide pandemic have sent stocks plummeting. In the U.S., there have been 71 cases of the illness, otherwise known as the COVID-19 virus. The U.S. saw its first death from the illness on Saturday when a person in Washington state succumbed to the infection.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-01--'It isn’t hurting me': Biden insists he can 'earn' Democratic nomination without Obama endorsement

Joe Biden said he doesn ’ t need former President Barack Obama ’ s endorsement to become the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee and that he will `` earn this on my own . ''
Speaking Sunday on ABC ’ s This Week , Biden said he doesn ’ t think the lack of an endorsement from Obama is damaging his prospects of winning the race , adding that he doesn ’ t think the former president needs to jump in now to try to save his campaign after Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders became the front-runner .
“ No , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t think it ’ s time .
He and I have talked about this in the very beginning .
I have to earn this on my own , ” Biden said about his former boss 's silence .
The former vice president trailed Sanders in most of the recent primary states , but he won a resounding victory in South Carolina on Saturday , which could breathe new life into his campaign .
Obama has withheld from endorsing any Democrats during the primaries despite the possibility of such an endorsement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next president .
“ The first thing everybody said when I announced — the opposition , the Democratic opposition — said , ‘ Well Biden feels entitled because he 's vice president , ’ ” Biden said .
“ Imagine had the president endorsed me ; it would have been , ‘ Well Biden 's entitled because he thinks — he ’ s entitled because the president endorsed him.
’ ” He added , “ The president and I are close friends , and I have no doubt when I win this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full bore for me .
”

Joe Biden said he doesn’t need former President Barack Obama’s endorsement to become the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee and that he will "earn this on my own."
Speaking Sunday on ABC’s This Week, Biden said he doesn’t think the lack of an endorsement from Obama is damaging his prospects of winning the race, adding that he doesn’t think the former president needs to jump in now to try to save his campaign after Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders became the front-runner.
“No, it isn’t hurting me, and I don’t think it’s time. He and I have talked about this in the very beginning. I have to earn this on my own,” Biden said about his former boss's silence.
NEW: @GStephanopoulos: Is the fact that Barack Obama hasn’t endorsed you hurting you, and is it time?
Joe Biden: “No, it isn’t hurting me and I don’t think it’s time. He and I talked about this from the very beginning. I have to earn this on my own.” https://t.co/23kgGkwFyy pic.twitter.com/AUrPQx70ow — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 1, 2020
The former vice president trailed Sanders in most of the recent primary states, but he won a resounding victory in South Carolina on Saturday, which could breathe new life into his campaign. Obama has withheld from endorsing any Democrats during the primaries despite the possibility of such an endorsement revitalizing Biden’s efforts to be the next president.
“The first thing everybody said when I announced — the opposition, the Democratic opposition — said, ‘Well Biden feels entitled because he's vice president,’” Biden said. “Imagine had the president endorsed me; it would have been, ‘Well Biden's entitled because he thinks — he’s entitled because the president endorsed him.’”
He added, “The president and I are close friends, and I have no doubt when I win this nomination that he will be out there full bore for me.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-01--'It will come back': Pence says economy expected to rebound after decline from coronavirus fears

Vice President Mike Pence does not believe the coronavirus has spelled the end of recent economic growth .
Pence spoke Sunday on NBC ’ s Meet the Press , just days after the stock market in the United States saw its biggest decline in years , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting and reaching its largest , single-day point drop .
“ The fundamentals of this economy are strong , ” Pence said .
“ We just saw some new numbers come out in housing and consumer confidence and business optimism .
Unemployment 's at a 50-year low .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fundamentals in this economy are strong . ''
He added , “ This economy will — and particularly the stock market that , that saw some downturns this week — it will come back .
But our focus is going to remain on the health and well-being of the American people.
” Pence was put in charge of efforts to coordinate a response to the coronavirus in the U.S. , which has seen 71 cases of the illness , most of which stemmed from a localized outbreak on a cruise ship .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the illness worldwide , with at least 2,979 deaths .

Vice President Mike Pence does not believe the coronavirus has spelled the end of recent economic growth.
Pence spoke Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, just days after the stock market in the United States saw its biggest decline in years, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting and reaching its largest, single-day point drop.
“The fundamentals of this economy are strong,” Pence said. “We just saw some new numbers come out in housing and consumer confidence and business optimism. Unemployment's at a 50-year low. More Americans working than ever before. The fundamentals in this economy are strong."
He added, “This economy will — and particularly the stock market that, that saw some downturns this week — it will come back. But our focus is going to remain on the health and well-being of the American people.”
Pence was put in charge of efforts to coordinate a response to the coronavirus in the U.S., which has seen 71 cases of the illness, most of which stemmed from a localized outbreak on a cruise ship. There have been almost 87,000 cases of the illness worldwide, with at least 2,979 deaths.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--Devin Nunes: US should’ve sent 'every drone in our military' to find Trump-Russia dirt

A leading Republican joked that the United States should have sent “ every drone in our military ” after Russia “ dirt ” tipster Joseph Mifsud if he really was as important to the launch of the Trump-Russia investigation as the FBI said he was .
California Rep. Devin Nunes made the comments about the Maltese professor during an interview with conservative podcaster Dan Bongino at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday afternoon .
Nunes said that “ Mifsud supposedly starts this thing , ” and yet the FBI let him leave the country after questioning him in D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. and has disappeared from public view .
“ It wouldn ’ t be hard to track him down , ” Nunes said .
“ And , if it ’ s the end of democracy , as Democrats and the fake news have said , then , hell , they should ’ ve sent every drone in our military after Mifsud.
” Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos met Australian diplomat Alexander Downer at London 's Kensington Wine Rooms in May 2016 .
At this meeting , Papadopoulos said Mifsud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Hillary Clinton , Trump 's Democratic rival in the 2016 election .
Two months later , when WikiLeaks published stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee , Downer informed the U.S. about what Papadopoulos had told him .
This prompted the FBI to open its Trump-Russia counterintelligence investigation , dubbed Crossfire Hurricane , on July 31 , 2016 .
The investigation was later wrapped into special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation , which concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in a “ sweeping and systematic fashion ” but did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign and Russia .
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in 2017 to making false statements to federal agents about his conversations with Mifsud .
Nunes claims , though , that newly released FBI interview notes show the Mueller prosecutors misled the court about Papadopoulos ’ s cooperation in providing information on Mifsud .
The California Republican said he ’ s sending a criminal referral to the Justice Department over this .
“ They use that , supposedly , as the predicate to open up the investigation not into Papadopoulos , not into Mifsud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then they populate it with everyone from the Trump campaign who they wanted to investigate , and that information was clearly coming from the dossier.
” DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded in December that the FBI ’ s Trump-Russia investigation was flawed .
The watchdog criticized the DOJ and the FBI for 17 “ significant errors and omissions ” related to the surveillance of Carter Page and its reliance on British ex-spy Christopher Steele ’ s salacious and unverified dossier .
Horowitz did not find evidence that political bias influenced the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Papadopoulos , Michael Flynn , and Paul Manafort in the summer of 2016 , and Horowitz said its launch was adequately predicated .
Attorney General William Barr disagreed , and U.S. Attorney John Durham is looking into the Trump-Russia investigation ’ s origins .
Barr and Durham both are looking for answers about Mifsud .
“ Wouldn ’ t you have tried to find Mifsud before [ July 31 , 2016 ] ?
” Nunes asked on Friday .
“ He ’ s a foreigner .
You don ’ t have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have 17 intelligence agencies that we spend billions on in this country .
You ’ d think we would ’ ve tried to find the Maltese dude , right ?
That ’ s where you would start.
” Former FBI Director James Comey called Mifsud a “ Russian agent ” last year , something unsupported by Mueller 's report .
The special counsel repeatedly mentioned Mifsud in his 448-page report and did say Mifsud has `` connections to Russia '' and noted that he `` traveled to Moscow in April 2016 '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' while he was there before telling Papadopoulos about the Clinton `` dirt . ''
Nunes has said Mifsud has connections to Western intelligence and that Horowitz didn ’ t unearth evidence that he was an FBI asset .
“ If Mifsud is somewhere between Comey ’ s claim that he is a Russian agent and Mueller ’ s definition that he has connections to Russians … if he ’ s somewhere in that spectrum , don ’ t you think they ’ d really be looking for this person ?
” Nunes @ @ @ @

A leading Republican joked that the United States should have sent “every drone in our military” after Russia “dirt” tipster Joseph Mifsud if he really was as important to the launch of the Trump-Russia investigation as the FBI said he was.
California Rep. Devin Nunes made the comments about the Maltese professor during an interview with conservative podcaster Dan Bongino at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday afternoon.
Nunes said that “Mifsud supposedly starts this thing,” and yet the FBI let him leave the country after questioning him in D.C. in February 2017. He never returned to the U.S. and has disappeared from public view.
“It wouldn’t be hard to track him down,” Nunes said. “And, if it’s the end of democracy, as Democrats and the fake news have said, then, hell, they should’ve sent every drone in our military after Mifsud.”
Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos met Australian diplomat Alexander Downer at London's Kensington Wine Rooms in May 2016. At this meeting, Papadopoulos said Mifsud told him the Russians had damaging information on Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival in the 2016 election. Two months later, when WikiLeaks published stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee, Downer informed the U.S. about what Papadopoulos had told him. This prompted the FBI to open its Trump-Russia counterintelligence investigation, dubbed Crossfire Hurricane, on July 31, 2016.
The investigation was later wrapped into special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in a “sweeping and systematic fashion” but did not establish any criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in 2017 to making false statements to federal agents about his conversations with Mifsud. Nunes claims, though, that newly released FBI interview notes show the Mueller prosecutors misled the court about Papadopoulos’s cooperation in providing information on Mifsud. The California Republican said he’s sending a criminal referral to the Justice Department over this.
“They use that, supposedly, as the predicate to open up the investigation not into Papadopoulos, not into Mifsud, but into the entire Trump campaign, and then they populate it with everyone from the Trump campaign who they wanted to investigate, and that information was clearly coming from the dossier.”
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded in December that the FBI’s Trump-Russia investigation was flawed. The watchdog criticized the DOJ and the FBI for 17 “significant errors and omissions” related to the surveillance of Carter Page and its reliance on British ex-spy Christopher Steele’s salacious and unverified dossier.
Horowitz did not find evidence that political bias influenced the decisions to open the investigations into Page, Papadopoulos, Michael Flynn, and Paul Manafort in the summer of 2016, and Horowitz said its launch was adequately predicated. Attorney General William Barr disagreed, and U.S. Attorney John Durham is looking into the Trump-Russia investigation’s origins. Barr and Durham both are looking for answers about Mifsud.
“Wouldn’t you have tried to find Mifsud before [July 31, 2016]?” Nunes asked on Friday. “He’s a foreigner. You don’t have to go to a FISA court. We have 17 intelligence agencies that we spend billions on in this country. You’d think we would’ve tried to find the Maltese dude, right? That’s where you would start.”
Former FBI Director James Comey called Mifsud a “Russian agent” last year, something unsupported by Mueller's report. The special counsel repeatedly mentioned Mifsud in his 448-page report and did say Mifsud has "connections to Russia" and noted that he "traveled to Moscow in April 2016" and "met with high-level Russian government officials" while he was there before telling Papadopoulos about the Clinton "dirt." Nunes has said Mifsud has connections to Western intelligence and that Horowitz didn’t unearth evidence that he was an FBI asset.
“If Mifsud is somewhere between Comey’s claim that he is a Russian agent and Mueller’s definition that he has connections to Russians … if he’s somewhere in that spectrum, don’t you think they’d really be looking for this person?” Nunes asked on Friday.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--US waves the white flag of surrender to the Taliban and al Qaeda

Eighteen years , five months , two weeks , and four days after the Sept. 11 attacks , the United States waved the white flag of surrender to the Taliban and al Qaeda .
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. Austin Miller , great Americans , no doubt secured the best deal they could after Secretaries Mike Pompeo and Mark Esper pulled the plug on what was unironically christened Operation Enduring Freedom .
President Trump ’ s partisans will polish this best they can , to help his reelection .
But this war now likely ends like Vietnam did : enemy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a CIA officer slugging a liaison partner trying to board the last helicopter out .
Withdrawal conditions will be interpreted with a view toward getting out fast .
The Taliban did not even follow through on its promised weeklong ceasefire , quickly rebranded as a “ .
” The Taliban will break its agreements , al Qaeda will return , literally with a vengeance , and terror attacks will be launched to kill people in the U.S. Those who say we can manage this threat from the air forget how that worked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from barstools that we can “ carpet bomb ” the enemy forget we have not done that since 1945 .
The military experience of those who say we can simply parachute in a handful of special forces may be limited to watching Rambo .
If the Taliban and al Qaeda could be easily eliminated from over the horizon , they would have been .
Instead , an irreducible minimum of infantry , trainer/advisers , and combat service/support enablers are needed to facilitate even limited strikes at discrete targets .
These troops will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory has a thousand fathers , while defeat is an orphan .
But with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight , let ’ s establish some paternity here .
Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan should have vetted Afghan allies more carefully after the 1979 Soviet invasion .
President George H.W .
Bush should have kept a closer eye on Afghanistan after the Red Army retreated in 1989 .
President Bill Clinton , distracted by his infidelity and impeachment , missed opportunities for decapitation strikes against al Qaeda even after it attacked U.S. forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arabia , car-bombed the World Trade Center , destroyed U.S. embassies in Africa , nearly sank U.S. warships , and almost blew up Los Angeles International Airport .
President George W. Bush paid insufficient attention to Afghanistan before Sept. 11 .
After Sept. 11 , Bush skillfully rallied the country and world against al Qaeda and the Taliban .
But he failed to ask the people for shared sacrifices , calling for consumer spending rather than reinstituting the draft .
This therefore became a conflict of repeated tours for America ’ s warrior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory by her citizens .
Meanwhile , Bush ’ s counterterrorism policies indubitably prevented further major attacks at home during the remainder of his presidency , a cure with a side effect of keeping Afghanistan out of sight and mind for the public .
Within a month , Bush had CIA and military personnel inside Afghanistan .
Two months later , the Taliban fell while al Qaeda took tremendous combat losses .
Fog-of-war failures in coordination between conventional and special operations forces , CIA paramilitaries , and local warlords let enemy leaders escaped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2001 .
This was when things went sideways .
Rather than ruthlessly pursue Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar on the ground into the Northwest Frontier Provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Areas , killing them and destroying their organizations , Bush had our military pursue nation-building and then counterinsurgency in Afghanistan , while the CIA ( sometimes aided special operators on the ground , as in Abbottabad in 2011 ) hunted al Qaeda and Taliban in Pakistan via covert action .
Nation-building was misguided .
As Rudyard Kipling wrote , “ East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and never the twain shall meet.
” Afghanistan , one of the poorest , least literate , most backward countries in the world , would never become Switzerland in the Hindu Kush .
To paraphrase Full Metal Jacket , inside every Afghan , there was not an American trying to get out .
U.S. leaders at all levels failed to grasp the nettle and decisively address with Afghan counterparts the problems of corruption and narcotics that kept the Kabul government from achieving legitimacy and competence , much less popularity .
The counterinsurgency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resourced , especially once Bush invaded Iraq without expanding the “ rifle strength ” of our Army and Marines .
In 2009-2010 , Gens .
Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus convinced President Barack Obama to support a surge in forces in Afghanistan .
But with an eye on reelection , Obama announced in advance a time limit to the operation , vitiating any good it might do .
Taliban sanctuaries , especially the near-inviolable one around Quetta , ensured that the enemy , aided by Pakistan ’ s treacherous Inter-Services Intelligence , could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border at little risk to themselves .
Al Qaeda-inspired “ green-on-blue ” insider attacks on our forces and intelligence officers , downplayed by politically correct U.S. officials , undermined relationships designed to build friendly Afghans ’ capacities .
America lost in Afghanistan , as well as .
Allies such as the British Commonwealth lost and a proportionally large number of wounded .
Afghan losses are classified yet vastly higher .
These patriots , again in Kipling ’ s words , went to their God-like soldiers .
Their sacrifices prevented any attack as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for over 18 years .
By 2020 , domestic political support for our Afghan campaign is gone , more from boredom than exhaustion , as comparatively few American families sent sons or daughters to fight there .
Support can not now be rallied by Trump , even though a modest-sized U.S. force could keep the Taliban from seizing power and reempowering al Qaeda with manageable ( although individually heartbreaking ) casualties .
We will regret this weekend ’ s bad agreement when , on some future , gloriously bright morning , murderous enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the east .
Kevin Carroll was senior counselor to the secretary of Homeland Security and the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee , law clerk to a U.S. district judge , and served as a CIA and Army officer ( including two tours in Afghanistan in 2003 and 2010 ) .
He is a contributor to the Washington Examiner ’ s Beltway Confidential blog .

Eighteen years, five months, two weeks, and four days after the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States waved the white flag of surrender to the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. Austin Miller, great Americans, no doubt secured the best deal they could after Secretaries Mike Pompeo and Mark Esper pulled the plug on what was unironically christened Operation Enduring Freedom. President Trump’s partisans will polish this turd of an agreement best they can, to help his reelection. But this war now likely ends like Vietnam did: enemy tanks crashing through our embassy gate and a CIA officer slugging a liaison partner trying to board the last helicopter out.
Withdrawal conditions will be interpreted with a view toward getting out fast. The Taliban did not even follow through on its promised weeklong ceasefire, quickly rebranded as a “ reduction in violence .” The Taliban will break its agreements, al Qaeda will return, literally with a vengeance, and terror attacks will be launched to kill people in the U.S.
Those who say we can manage this threat from the air forget how that worked out between 1996-2001, while those who say from barstools that we can “carpet bomb” the enemy forget we have not done that since 1945. The military experience of those who say we can simply parachute in a handful of special forces may be limited to watching Rambo.
If the Taliban and al Qaeda could be easily eliminated from over the horizon, they would have been. Instead, an irreducible minimum of infantry, trainer/advisers, and combat service/support enablers are needed to facilitate even limited strikes at discrete targets. These troops will be gone.
President John F. Kennedy said victory has a thousand fathers, while defeat is an orphan. But with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, let’s establish some paternity here.
Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan should have vetted Afghan allies more carefully after the 1979 Soviet invasion. President George H.W. Bush should have kept a closer eye on Afghanistan after the Red Army retreated in 1989. President Bill Clinton, distracted by his infidelity and impeachment, missed opportunities for decapitation strikes against al Qaeda even after it attacked U.S. forces in Yemen, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia, car-bombed the World Trade Center, destroyed U.S. embassies in Africa, nearly sank U.S. warships, and almost blew up Los Angeles International Airport. President George W. Bush paid insufficient attention to Afghanistan before Sept. 11.
After Sept. 11, Bush skillfully rallied the country and world against al Qaeda and the Taliban. But he failed to ask the people for shared sacrifices, calling for consumer spending rather than reinstituting the draft. This therefore became a conflict of repeated tours for America’s warrior classes, not an all-out push for victory by her citizens. Meanwhile, Bush’s counterterrorism policies indubitably prevented further major attacks at home during the remainder of his presidency, a cure with a side effect of keeping Afghanistan out of sight and mind for the public.
Within a month, Bush had CIA and military personnel inside Afghanistan. Two months later, the Taliban fell while al Qaeda took tremendous combat losses. Fog-of-war failures in coordination between conventional and special operations forces, CIA paramilitaries, and local warlords let enemy leaders escaped across the Durand Line into Pakistan in December 2001.
This was when things went sideways.
Rather than ruthlessly pursue Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar on the ground into the Northwest Frontier Provinces and Federally Administered Tribal Areas, killing them and destroying their organizations, Bush had our military pursue nation-building and then counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, while the CIA hunted al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Nation-building was misguided. As Rudyard Kipling wrote, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.” Afghanistan, one of the poorest, least literate, most backward countries in the world, would never become Switzerland in the Hindu Kush. To paraphrase Full Metal Jacket, inside every Afghan, there was not an American trying to get out. U.S. leaders at all levels failed to grasp the nettle and decisively address with Afghan counterparts the problems of corruption and narcotics that kept the Kabul government from achieving legitimacy and competence, much less popularity.
The counterinsurgency needed as the Taliban revived was not resourced, especially once Bush invaded Iraq without expanding the “rifle strength” of our Army and Marines. In 2009-2010, Gens. Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus convinced President Barack Obama to support a surge in forces in Afghanistan. But with an eye on reelection, Obama announced in advance a time limit to the operation, vitiating any good it might do.
Taliban sanctuaries, especially the near-inviolable one around Quetta, ensured that the enemy, aided by Pakistan’s treacherous Inter-Services Intelligence, could bleed U.S. forces and sneak south across the border at little risk to themselves. Al Qaeda-inspired “green-on-blue” insider attacks on our forces and intelligence officers, downplayed by politically correct U.S. officials, undermined relationships designed to build friendly Afghans’ capacities.
America lost 2,352 dead and 20,148 wounded in Afghanistan, as well as dozens of intelligence officers . Allies such as the British Commonwealth lost 1,221 more dead and a proportionally large number of wounded. Afghan losses are classified yet vastly higher. These patriots, again in Kipling’s words, went to their God-like soldiers. Their sacrifices prevented any attack as bad as Sept. 11 coming from Afghanistan for over 18 years.
By 2020, domestic political support for our Afghan campaign is gone, more from boredom than exhaustion, as comparatively few American families sent sons or daughters to fight there. Support cannot now be rallied by Trump, even though a modest-sized U.S. force could keep the Taliban from seizing power and reempowering al Qaeda with manageable (although individually heartbreaking) casualties.
We will regret this weekend’s bad agreement when, on some future, gloriously bright morning, murderous enemies once again approach an American city from out of the east.
Kevin Carroll was senior counselor to the secretary of Homeland Security and the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, law clerk to a U.S. district judge, and served as a CIA and Army officer (including two tours in Afghanistan in 2003 and 2010). He is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--'Who?': Trump mocks teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg during CPAC speech

President Trump joked that he did n't know about teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg before she was named Time magazine ’ s ‘ Person of the Year.
’ “ This year , I lost to Greta , ” Trump told the enthusiastic crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor , Maryland , on Saturday .
“ I said , ‘ Who ?
” “ I ’ m not going to get involved in that because , last time , I got in a little trouble , ” the president added , prompting a laugh from the crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and commenting about the 17-year-old Thunberg , who rose to prominence following a speech she gave at the United Nations warning about the devastation of climate change .
“ She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future .
So nice to see !
” the president sarcastically tweeted about Thunberg in September .
In response to Trump 's digs , Thunberg is known to change her Twitter bio to reflect the criticism .
During his speech Saturday , Trump said it “ doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thunberg because he ’ s “ won it enough.
” Trump ’ s speech at CPAC was the third time he ’ s made an appearance since being elected president .
He promised the crowd he would be attending again next year .
“ Look forward to being with all of my friends and supporters @ CPAC on Saturday , February 29th !
# KAG2020 , ” Trump tweeted earlier this week .

President Trump joked that he didn't know about teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg before she was named Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year.’
“This year, I lost to Greta,” Trump told the enthusiastic crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Saturday. “I said, ‘Who?”
President @realDonaldTrump talks about Time's Person of the Year.
"This year I lost to Greta... I said 'who?'" pic.twitter.com/pR1pdHKtdg — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 29, 2020
“I’m not going to get involved in that because, last time, I got in a little trouble,” the president added, prompting a laugh from the crowd.
Trump has been criticized for tweeting and commenting about the 17-year-old Thunberg, who rose to prominence following a speech she gave at the United Nations warning about the devastation of climate change.
“She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!” the president sarcastically tweeted about Thunberg in September. In response to Trump's digs, Thunberg is known to change her Twitter bio to reflect the criticism.
She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see! https://t.co/1tQG6QcVKO — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2019
During his speech Saturday, Trump said it “doesn’t matter” he lost the award to Thunberg because he’s “won it enough.”
Trump’s speech at CPAC was the third time he’s made an appearance since being elected president. He promised the crowd he would be attending again next year.
“Look forward to being with all of my friends and supporters @CPAC on Saturday, February 29th! #KAG2020,” Trump tweeted earlier this week.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--CDC 'erroneously' identified first coronavirus patient to die in US as female

A top health official cleared up a mystery that began after the first coronavirus patient to die in the United @ @ @ @ @ Redfield , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , confirmed the @ @ @ @ @ was a man , counter to prior descriptions of the person being a woman .
@ @ @ @ @ patient as a female in a briefing earlier today with the President and Vice President @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
Earlier at a White House news conference , President Trump paid tribute to @ @ @ @ @ in her 50s who was `` a medically high-risk patient . ''
Vice President Mike @ @ @ @ @ the administration 's response to the COVID-19 outbreak , also referred to the patient as @ @ @ @ @ and King County officials later insisted the patient was a man .

A top health official cleared up a mystery that began after the first coronavirus patient to die in the United States was announced.
Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed the person who died in Washington was a man, counter to prior descriptions of the person being a woman.
"CDC erroneously identified the patient as a female in a briefing earlier today with the President and Vice President," Redford tweeted Saturday afternoon.
CDC erroneously identified the patient as a female in a briefing earlier today with the President and Vice President. — Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) February 29, 2020
Earlier at a White House news conference, President Trump paid tribute to a "wonderful woman" in her 50s who was "a medically high-risk patient." Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, also referred to the patient as a woman.
Washington state and King County officials later insisted the patient was a man.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--Fauci denies being 'muzzled' over coronavirus

A top U.S. health official disputed claims that the Trump administration blocked him from speaking out about the new coronavirus .
Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , categorically denied on Saturday about being `` muzzled '' by any administration , dating back to the presidency of Ronald Reagan .
`` Let me clarify .
I have never been muzzled — ever , '' Fauci told reporters gathered at the White House for President Trump 's news conference meant to provide an update on COVID-19 .
Instead , he claimed there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to go on some shows , and when the vice president took over , we said , 'Let 's regroup and figure out how we 're going to be communicating . '
So I had to just stand down on a couple of shows and resubmit for clearance .
And when I resubmitted for clearance , I got cleared , '' he said .
The New York Times reported that , on Thursday , Fauci met with Vice President Mike Pence , who was appointed the day before to lead the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus as being `` very serious , '' which contradicted what Trump said about the threat of the illness being less urgent .
According to the report , Fauci told associates that the White House instructed him not to say anything else without clearance .
Trump initially responded to a reporter 's question about Fauci and called it a `` very dishonest question . ''
The news conference took place after Washington state announced the first death of a coronavirus patient on American soil .

A top U.S. health official disputed claims that the Trump administration blocked him from speaking out about the new coronavirus.
Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, categorically denied on Saturday about being "muzzled" by any administration, dating back to the presidency of Ronald Reagan.
"Let me clarify. I have never been muzzled — ever," Fauci told reporters gathered at the White House for President Trump's news conference meant to provide an update on COVID-19.
Instead, he claimed there was a misunderstanding.
"We were set up to go on some shows, and when the vice president took over, we said, 'Let's regroup and figure out how we're going to be communicating.' So I had to just stand down on a couple of shows and resubmit for clearance. And when I resubmitted for clearance, I got cleared," he said.
The New York Times reported that, on Thursday, Fauci met with Vice President Mike Pence, who was appointed the day before to lead the administration's coronavirus response effort, and described the virus as being "very serious," which contradicted what Trump said about the threat of the illness being less urgent. According to the report, Fauci told associates that the White House instructed him not to say anything else without clearance.
Trump initially responded to a reporter's question about Fauci and called it a "very dishonest question."
The news conference took place after Washington state announced the first death of a coronavirus patient on American soil.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--Trump says he will 'personally' meet Taliban leaders in near future

President Trump said he plans to meet with leaders of the Taliban in `` the not too distant future . ''
At a hastily scheduled news conference on Saturday , meant to provide an update on the coronavirus outbreak , Trump began his remarks by talking about the progress made toward achieving peace in Afghanistan .
`` I want to also thank and congratulate Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper , '' Trump told reporters at the White House .
`` And I 'll be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not too distant future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much hoping that they will be doing what they say they are going to be doing .
They will be killing terrorists .
They will be killing some very bad people .
They will keep that fight going , '' the president said .
Asked where the meeting with the Taliban could take place , Trump said , “ We ’ ll look at that , '' and indicated possibilities including Camp David or overseas .
The president canceled peace talks at Camp David , located in Maryland , last fall after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taliban officials signed a historic agreement Saturday that sets the table for a reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and unprecedented negotiations between the militant group and the central government .
The ceremony took place following the successful conclusion of a seven-day “ reduction in violence ” deal .
The essence of the agreement involves a renunciation of terrorism by the Taliban , which sheltered Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda in the lead-up to the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , and the start of peace talks in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We want to bring our people back home , '' Trump said about what would be a fulfillment of a key promise during the 2016 campaign .
`` We 're very largely a law enforcement group , and that 's not what our soldiers are all about , '' the president said , echoing his opposition to `` endless war . ''
`` I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show that we 're not all wasting time .
If bad things happen , we 'll go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's former national security adviser , John Bolton , criticized the deal .
`` Signing this agreement with Taliban is an unacceptable risk to America 's civilian population .
This is an Obama-style deal .
Legitimizing Taliban sends the wrong signal to ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists , and to America 's enemies generally , '' Bolton tweeted on Saturday .

President Trump said he plans to meet with leaders of the Taliban in "the not too distant future."
At a hastily scheduled news conference on Saturday, meant to provide an update on the coronavirus outbreak, Trump began his remarks by talking about the progress made toward achieving peace in Afghanistan.
"I want to also thank and congratulate Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper," Trump told reporters at the White House. "And I'll be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not too distant future."
"We will be very much hoping that they will be doing what they say they are going to be doing. They will be killing terrorists. They will be killing some very bad people. They will keep that fight going," the president said.
Asked where the meeting with the Taliban could take place, Trump said, “We’ll look at that," and indicated possibilities including Camp David or overseas. The president canceled peace talks at Camp David, located in Maryland, last fall after a deadly bombing in Kabul.
American and Taliban officials signed a historic agreement Saturday that sets the table for a reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and unprecedented negotiations between the militant group and the central government. The ceremony took place following the successful conclusion of a seven-day “reduction in violence” deal. The essence of the agreement involves a renunciation of terrorism by the Taliban, which sheltered Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda in the lead-up to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the start of peace talks in exchange for a gradual American withdrawal from the country.
"We want to bring our people back home," Trump said about what would be a fulfillment of a key promise during the 2016 campaign.
"We're very largely a law enforcement group, and that's not what our soldiers are all about," the president said, echoing his opposition to "endless war." "I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show that we're not all wasting time. If bad things happen, we'll go back," he added later.
Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, criticized the deal.
"Signing this agreement with Taliban is an unacceptable risk to America's civilian population. This is an Obama-style deal. Legitimizing Taliban sends the wrong signal to ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists, and to America's enemies generally," Bolton tweeted on Saturday.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--White House tells people to avoid parts of Italy and South Korea affected by coronavirus and tighten

White House tells people to avoid parts of Italy and South Korea affected by coronavirus and tightens Iran travel ban

The White House stepped up travel restrictions , banning all travel from Iran and the entry of any foreign nationals who visited the country in the past 14 days , as it introduced measures to restrict the spread of the coronavirus .
Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday fresh warnings on travel to specific regions of Italy and South Korea , even as President Trump urged the public not to panic .
In the White House briefing room , Trump also announced he would meet the heads of the world 's biggest pharmaceutical companies on Monday to discuss progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering closing the southern border with Mexico .
`` We have received a lot of power on the southern border from the courts , but we are looking at that very strongly , '' he said .
He spoke minutes after officials in Washington state announced the first death on American soil of a coronavirus patient .
Trump paid tribute to a `` wonderful woman '' in her 50s who was `` a medically high-risk patient , '' but he assured people there was no need to panic .
`` But healthy individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later acknowledged that it had `` erroneously identified the patient as a female '' at the briefing .
Pence , who is in charge of the administration 's response to the virus , met health officials in the situation room on Saturday morning .
Since the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak , which has been traced to Wuhan , China , the administration said it has taken an aggressive approach to confront the spread of this disease .
`` We moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stating that his early travel ban on China slowed the spread of the virus to the United States .
It marked the president 's second visit to the briefing room in four days as he tries to demonstrate a firm hand at the center of the response to COVID-19 .
Aides have been spooked by precipitous market plunges at a time when they want a booming economy at the heart of their reelection push .
A day earlier , he angered public health experts by accusing his opponents of politicizing the outbreak and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warnings as if they were a hoax .
“ They tried the impeachment hoax ... this is their new hoax , '' he said at a rally in North Charleston , South Carolina .
It followed comments by his acting chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney , that opponents in the media were hoping the virus would bring down Trump .
Meanwhile , the crisis is growing around the world .
Deaths in Iran from the virus reached 43 , the highest outside China , while the number of infected people rose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And in Italy , the number of deaths rose to 29 with 1,128 cases in total .
Around the world , more than 85,000 people have contracted the virus .

The White House stepped up travel restrictions, banning all travel from Iran and the entry of any foreign nationals who visited the country in the past 14 days, as it introduced measures to restrict the spread of the coronavirus.
Vice President Mike Pence announced on Saturday fresh warnings on travel to specific regions of Italy and South Korea, even as President Trump urged the public not to panic.
In the White House briefing room, Trump also announced he would meet the heads of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies on Monday to discuss progress on a vaccine and said he was considering closing the southern border with Mexico.
"We have received a lot of power on the southern border from the courts, but we are looking at that very strongly," he said.
He spoke minutes after officials in Washington state announced the first death on American soil of a coronavirus patient.
Trump paid tribute to a "wonderful woman" in her 50s who was "a medically high-risk patient," but he assured people there was no need to panic.
"But healthy individuals should be able to fully recover," he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later acknowledged that it had "erroneously identified the patient as a female" at the briefing.
Pence, who is in charge of the administration's response to the virus, met health officials in the situation room on Saturday morning.
Since the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has been traced to Wuhan, China, the administration said it has taken an aggressive approach to confront the spread of this disease. "We moved very early," said Trump, stating that his early travel ban on China slowed the spread of the virus to the United States.
It marked the president's second visit to the briefing room in four days as he tries to demonstrate a firm hand at the center of the response to COVID-19. Aides have been spooked by precipitous market plunges at a time when they want a booming economy at the heart of their reelection push.
A day earlier, he angered public health experts by accusing his opponents of politicizing the outbreak and told his supporters to treat the coronavirus warnings as if they were a hoax.
“They tried the impeachment hoax ... this is their new hoax," he said at a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina.
It followed comments by his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, that opponents in the media were hoping the virus would bring down Trump.
Meanwhile, the crisis is growing around the world.
Deaths in Iran from the virus reached 43, the highest outside China, while the number of infected people rose to 593, according to a health official. And in Italy, the number of deaths rose to 29 with 1,128 cases in total.
Around the world, more than 85,000 people have contracted the virus.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--WATCH: Trump delivers remarks after first coronavirus death in US confirmed

President Trump delivers an update on the response to COVID-19 at the White House on Saturday .
The event , @ @ @ @ @ ET , was announced about an hour in advance and was preceded by Washington state @ @ @ @ @ the United States linked to the new coronavirus .

President Trump delivers an update on the response to COVID-19 at the White House on Saturday.
The event, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, was announced about an hour in advance and was preceded by Washington state confirming the first death in the United States linked to the new coronavirus.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-02-29--'Big Story': Trump celebrates GOP capture of Kentucky House seat long held by Democrats

The Republican Party in Kentucky flipped a state House seat in a special election this week , earning praise from @ @ @ @ @ in District 99 showed Republican Richard White defeating Democrat Bill Redwine on Tuesday by around @ @ @ @ @ reported .
The seat had previously been held by Democrats for more than three decades @ @ @ @ @ Adkins , who took a post in Gov .
Matt Beshear 's Cabinet .
GOP @ @ @ @ @ celebrated a win in the local Kentucky election .
`` It ’ s a district @ @ @ @ @ , where Democrats outnumber Republicans by double digits , and one the Democrat governor carried @ @ @ @ @ said .
'Big Win - Except in the Fake News , which won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
The Democrats held onto another stronghold in District 67 , according to unofficial @ @

The Republican Party in Kentucky flipped a state House seat in a special election this week, earning praise from President Trump.
Preliminary results in District 99 showed Republican Richard White defeating Democrat Bill Redwine on Tuesday by around 1,000 votes, the Courier-Journal reported.
The seat had previously been held by Democrats for more than three decades, the latest being Rocky Adkins, who took a post in Gov. Matt Beshear's Cabinet.
GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Trump celebrated a win in the local Kentucky election.
"It’s a district Democrats held for 33 YEARS, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by double digits, and one the Democrat governor carried in 2019," McDaniel said.
BIG WIN in Kentucky House District 99.
It’s a district Democrats held for 33 YEARS, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by double digits, and one the Democrat governor carried in 2019.
But tonight, Republicans flipped the seat! — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) February 26, 2020
Trump called it a "big story."
'Big Win - Except in the Fake News, which won’t cover it!' Trump tweeted.
Big Story, Big Win - Except in the Fake News, which won’t cover it! https://t.co/reWPi2hc4v — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2020
The Democrats held onto another stronghold in District 67, according to unofficial results.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-03-01--Let's end animal testing in 2020

Let's end animal testing in 2020

Tens of millions of animals are used annually in the United States to test drugs , cosmetics , and other household items .
Dozens of species are used in experiments , with the majority of them having been bred for the purpose .
Tens of thousands of dogs and cats will be used for such experiments today alone .
The majority of these animals are killed at the end of the experiments if they live to the completion of the study .
It does n't have to be this way .
The Beagle Freedom Bill requires that taxpayer-funded animal testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research purposes must put them up for adoption at the end of their experiments .
The bill is named after beagles because they are the breed most often used in research since they are unlikely to bite when being harmed .
This common-sense legislation has passed and been signed into law in California , Washington , New York , Oregon , Connecticut , Minnesota , Illinois , Nevada , Maryland , Delaware , and Rhode Island .
It has now been introduced at the federal level as the Humane Retirement Act by Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York .
There is no justifiable reason to prevent this important legislation from becoming federal law .
In September 2019 , the Environmental Protection Agency issued a memorandum calling for the agency to make the reduction of animal testing a priority .
EPA ’ s memorandum calls for the agency to reduce funding of mammal studies by 30 % by 2025 and to eliminate all mammal study funding by 2035 .
Both the Beagle Freedom Bill and the EPA ’ s memorandum are great steps toward reducing and ending animal testing .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , toothpaste , lipstick , and other cosmetics on animals as ingredients that are known to be safe can be used .
The Food and Drug Administration does not require the use of animals in cosmetic testing .
Researchers attempting to combat human diseases genetically manipulate mice , but human and mouse genes obviously behave differently .
Ninety percent of drugs that test safe and effective in animals later fail in human clinical trials .
Studies using human cells and computer models are more compassionate , and these methods are also proving to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous other recent wins for animals at the national level .
In December 2018 , President Trump signed the “ Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act ” into law .
Prior to that , it had still been legal in 44 states to eat cats and dogs .
The law prohibits the sale and transportation of animals for the `` purpose of slaughter for human consumption.
” The law is also part of an effort to encourage the end of the dog and cat meat trade in China , South Korea , Vietnam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the practice is still fairly common .
In November 2019 , Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act , which criminalizes certain acts of animal cruelty under federal law .
And in December 2019 , Trump signed into law an omnibus funding package with multiple wins for animals .
The law requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to resume the online posting of all inspection reports and enforcement records under the Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act in their entirety .
The law also provides a $ 40 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renews the prohibition against the USDA using funds to license Class B random source dealers who are known for trafficking in dogs and cats obtained through theft for animal testing .
This law also has language that directs the National Institutes of Health to report to Congress on alternatives to reduce and replace primates in biomedical research , and it dedicates funds to combat the transnational threat of wildlife poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking .
Animal advocates have had a lot to celebrate in the last few years .
But if we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will have accomplished a great deal more .
Ryan Moore is a writer , songwriter , and social media strategist .
Ryan has adopted a cat and three rabbits who were victims of animal testing and a dog rescued from a puppy mill that was shut down .
He is @ RyanMoore .

Tens of millions of animals are used annually in the United States to test drugs, cosmetics, and other household items. Dozens of species are used in experiments, with the majority of them having been bred for the purpose.
Tens of thousands of dogs and cats will be used for such experiments today alone. The majority of these animals are killed at the end of the experiments if they live to the completion of the study.
It doesn't have to be this way. The Beagle Freedom Bill requires that taxpayer-funded animal testing laboratories that use dogs and cats for research purposes must put them up for adoption at the end of their experiments. The bill is named after beagles because they are the breed most often used in research since they are unlikely to bite when being harmed.
This common-sense legislation has passed and been signed into law in California, Washington, New York, Oregon, Connecticut, Minnesota, Illinois, Nevada, Maryland, Delaware, and Rhode Island. It has now been introduced at the federal level as the Humane Retirement Act by Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from New York. There is no justifiable reason to prevent this important legislation from becoming federal law.
In September 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a memorandum calling for the agency to make the reduction of animal testing a priority. EPA’s memorandum calls for the agency to reduce funding of mammal studies by 30% by 2025 and to eliminate all mammal study funding by 2035.
Both the Beagle Freedom Bill and the EPA’s memorandum are great steps toward reducing and ending animal testing. There is absolutely no reason to test shampoo, toothpaste, lipstick, and other cosmetics on animals as ingredients that are known to be safe can be used. The Food and Drug Administration does not require the use of animals in cosmetic testing.
Researchers attempting to combat human diseases genetically manipulate mice, but human and mouse genes obviously behave differently. Ninety percent of drugs that test safe and effective in animals later fail in human clinical trials. Studies using human cells and computer models are more compassionate, and these methods are also proving to be more effective.
There have been numerous other recent wins for animals at the national level.
In December 2018, President Trump signed the “Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act” into law. Prior to that, it had still been legal in 44 states to eat cats and dogs. The law prohibits the sale and transportation of animals for the "purpose of slaughter for human consumption.” The law is also part of an effort to encourage the end of the dog and cat meat trade in China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Nagaland state in India, where the practice is still fairly common.
In November 2019, Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, which criminalizes certain acts of animal cruelty under federal law.
And in December 2019, Trump signed into law an omnibus funding package with multiple wins for animals. The law requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to resume the online posting of all inspection reports and enforcement records under the Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act in their entirety. The law also provides a $40 million increase for alternatives to animal research and renews the prohibition against the USDA using funds to license Class B random source dealers who are known for trafficking in dogs and cats obtained through theft for animal testing.
This law also has language that directs the National Institutes of Health to report to Congress on alternatives to reduce and replace primates in biomedical research, and it dedicates funds to combat the transnational threat of wildlife poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking.
Animal advocates have had a lot to celebrate in the last few years. But if we can put an end to animal testing, we will have accomplished a great deal more.
Ryan Moore is a writer, songwriter, and social media strategist. Ryan has adopted a cat and three rabbits who were victims of animal testing and a dog rescued from a puppy mill that was shut down. He is @RyanMoore.