theguardian--2020-02-21--'She was a warrior': Warren supporters ebullient in Las Vegas after debate

As her supporters chanted , “ Persist , persist , persist , ” Elizabeth Warren did a little dance .
“ All I can say is we ’ re just getting started , ” said the Massachusetts senator , whose strong debate performance has re-energized her campaign and fired up supporters in Nevada before the state ’ s Democratic caucuses .
At a Las Vegas event on Thursday morning , supporters and campaign volunteers were eager to hear their candidate skewer Mike Bloomberg as she had done on stage the night before .
Bloomberg “ thought he could buy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What could go wrong ?
” “ Elizabeth Warren !
” someone shouted from the crowd .
Wednesday ’ s widely lauded performance had clearly given the candidate a boost .
By the following afternoon , Warren had raised more than $ 5m , according to her campaign .
After lagging behind in Iowa and New Hampshire and fading into the background during the previous debate , the candidate appeared newly energized in Las Vegas .
She enlisted the US representatives Joaquin Castro of Texas and Andy Levin of Michigan to help her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign ’ s North Vegas field office , before bounding over to the mic .
“ After the debate last night , are we ready to make a little change ?
” she asked .
“ How about some big change ?
” Her supporters were ebullient .
“ I ’ ve watched all the debates , ” said Consuelo Emerson , 57 .
“ Last night , she was a warrior.
” Emerson , a painter based in Las Vegas , showed up to the event with “ Warren ’ s twin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator signed before posing for a selfie with the duo .
“ I feel very confident , and also I know she ’ s going to be the best president , ” Emerson said .
Elsewhere in the state on Thursday morning , the US representative Deb Haaland , a Warren surrogate , fired up a crowd of volunteers preparing to canvass in Reno , where supporters were giddy discussing the senator ’ s “ epic ” performance in Vegas .
“ Last night !
Amazing , right ?
Amazing , amazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheers after she arrived .
“ It was the best debate I think I ’ ve ever seen in my life , and I ’ ve seen a lot of debates , ” the congresswoman told the Guardian before heading out to knock on doors .
She dismissed pundits who have been writing off Warren in recent weeks , noting that her third-place Iowa win was treated like a failure while Amy Klobuchar ’ s third-place victory was celebrated : “ She ’ s in this for the long game.
” Rebeca Wolfe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she felt “ re-energized ” about the campaign after the debate : “ She came out fighting , and we needed that … It seems like we ’ re back on track , and back where we should be .
That ’ s heartwarming.
” Her fellow Reno supporter Tom Flynn , 70 , added : “ I just can ’ t wait until she asks Trump about his NDAs.
” Although nearly 75,000 people have already made their choices , opting to vote early , several Warren supporters were confident the debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the caucuses on Saturday .
“ We worry , you know , that people voted based on what they ’ ve seen happen in Iowa and Nevada , ” said Gwenn Craig , 68 , at the Las Vegas event .
“ But I think it ’ s really early for people to count Elizabeth Warren out.
” Craig , who drove to Nevada from San Francisco with her partner , Esperanza Macias , to canvass for Warren , noted that Bernie Sanders so far appeared to have more support from young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But she added : “ I think they ’ re really underestimating how much support Elizabeth has along people of color – especially among African American women.
” Craig said that , in a Democratic field devoid of people of color , Warren had been best at “ speaking up ” about the issues most affecting black and Latino Americans .
When Warren addressed Bloomberg ’ s legacy of stop-and-frisk policy in New York , “ I thought , did she read what I posted about this ?
” Craig said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In Nevada , where the majority of the population identifies as a racial minority , Warren ’ s supporters said they hoped her progressive message would resonate louder than it did in the predominantly white early primary states .
Among the voters she ’ d convinced was Ishmael Lopez – who plans to participate in the caucuses for the first time after celebrating his eighteenth birthday on Friday .
“ I came here because I just wanted to see her in person , ” he said while standing in line to snap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve never actually seen a presidential candidate before.
” Lopez said he hoped to enroll in the University of Nevada , Reno , next year and get a degree in special education .
Warren , who had a brief career as a special needs teacher at an elementary school in New Jersey , “ is doing a lot for education ” , he said .
Her plans to cancel student debt and provide free college had already won him over , but her performance at the debate boosted his confidence in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the only one no one had anything on , ” he said .
“ After the other day – oh yeah , of course she ’ ll win .
”

Maanvi Singh in Las Vegas and Sam Levin in Reno

As her supporters chanted, “Persist, persist, persist,” Elizabeth Warren did a little dance. “All I can say is we’re just getting started,” said the Massachusetts senator, whose strong debate performance has re-energized her campaign and fired up supporters in Nevada before the state’s Democratic caucuses.
At a Las Vegas event on Thursday morning, supporters and campaign volunteers were eager to hear their candidate skewer Mike Bloomberg as she had done on stage the night before. Bloomberg “thought he could buy the presidency”, she said. “What could go wrong?”
“Elizabeth Warren!” someone shouted from the crowd.
Wednesday’s widely lauded performance had clearly given the candidate a boost. By the following afternoon, Warren had raised more than $5m, according to her campaign. After lagging behind in Iowa and New Hampshire and fading into the background during the previous debate, the candidate appeared newly energized in Las Vegas.
She enlisted the US representatives Joaquín Castro of Texas and Andy Levin of Michigan to help her warm up the crowd gathered at her campaign’s North Vegas field office, before bounding over to the mic. “After the debate last night, are we ready to make a little change?” she asked. “How about some big change?”
Her supporters were ebullient. “I’ve watched all the debates,” said Consuelo Emerson, 57. “Last night, she was a warrior.” Emerson, a painter based in Las Vegas, showed up to the event with “Warren’s twin” – a life-sized cardboard cutout that the senator signed before posing for a selfie with the duo. “I feel very confident, and also I know she’s going to be the best president,” Emerson said.
Lots of excitement at the Warren event in Las Vegas this morning. Supporter Consuelo Emerson brought “Warren’s twin” for the senator to sign. pic.twitter.com/6O1BHZiPRJ — Maanvi Singh (@maanvisings) February 20, 2020
Elsewhere in the state on Thursday morning, the US representative Deb Haaland, a Warren surrogate, fired up a crowd of volunteers preparing to canvass in Reno, where supporters were giddy discussing the senator’s “epic” performance in Vegas.
“Last night! Amazing, right? Amazing, amazing, amazing,” Haaland said to cheers after she arrived.
“It was the best debate I think I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of debates,” the congresswoman told the Guardian before heading out to knock on doors. She dismissed pundits who have been writing off Warren in recent weeks, noting that her third-place Iowa win was treated like a failure while Amy Klobuchar’s third-place victory was celebrated: “She’s in this for the long game.”
Rebeca Wolfe, a 34-year-old Reno supporter, said she felt “re-energized” about the campaign after the debate: “She came out fighting, and we needed that … It seems like we’re back on track, and back where we should be. That’s heartwarming.”
In Reno, @RepDebHaaland cheering on giddy Warren supporters preparing to canvass after last night’s debate. She told me: “It was the best debate I think I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of debates.” pic.twitter.com/uoA3EViaRk — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) February 20, 2020
Her fellow Reno supporter Tom Flynn, 70, added: “I just can’t wait until she asks Trump about his NDAs.”
Although nearly 75,000 people have already made their choices, opting to vote early, several Warren supporters were confident the debate would turn the tide in time for the caucuses on Saturday. “We worry, you know, that people voted based on what they’ve seen happen in Iowa and New Hampshire,” said Gwenn Craig, 68, at the Las Vegas event. “But I think it’s really early for people to count Elizabeth Warren out.”
Craig, who drove to Nevada from San Francisco with her partner, Esperanza Macias, to canvass for Warren, noted that Bernie Sanders so far appeared to have more support from young people and people of color in polls. But she added: “I think they’re really underestimating how much support Elizabeth has along people of color – especially among African American women.”
Craig said that, in a Democratic field devoid of people of color, Warren had been best at “speaking up” about the issues most affecting black and Latino Americans. When Warren addressed Bloomberg’s legacy of stop-and-frisk policy in New York, “I thought, did she read what I posted about this?” Craig said. “Because it so mirrored what I think.”
In Nevada, where the majority of the population identifies as a racial minority, Warren’s supporters said they hoped her progressive message would resonate louder than it did in the predominantly white early primary states.
More dispatches from the Warren rally: Sherry Strothers, 53, a retired vet said she was a Biden supporter but is now 100% for Warren. "I see myself as a barometer for most voters here," she said. "I know that I'm hard to convince. And she convinced me." pic.twitter.com/PtF33pVqbd — Maanvi Singh (@maanvisings) February 21, 2020
Among the voters she’d convinced was Ishmael Lopez – who plans to participate in the caucuses for the first time after celebrating his 18th birthday on Friday. “I came here because I just wanted to see her in person,” he said while standing in line to snap a selfie with Warren. “I’ve never actually seen a presidential candidate before.”
Lopez said he hoped to enroll in the University of Nevada, Reno, next year and get a degree in special education. Warren, who had a brief career as a special needs teacher at an elementary school in New Jersey, “is doing a lot for education”, he said.
Her plans to cancel student debt and provide free college had already won him over, but her performance at the debate boosted his confidence in her, he said. “She’s the only one no one had anything on,” he said. “After the other day – oh yeah, of course she’ll win.”


theguardian--2020-02-21--We can’t leave it to billionaires like Bezos and Bloomberg to solve the world’s problems | Simon Jen

We can’t leave it to billionaires like Bezos and Bloomberg to solve the world’s problems | Simon Jenkins

So who do you want for president , this “ arrogant billionaire ” or the other one ?
You don ’ t have to be rich to win US elections , but it helps .
Michael Bloomberg ’ s assault on the Democratic party may be an extreme case of wealth attempting to buy power , but , as he implied on Wednesday , if it takes a person of extreme wealth to be rid of Donald Trump , so be it .
At least Bloomberg is running for election .
Consider the other now fashionable route to global leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save not just America but “ the Earth ” , with $ 10bn of his personal fortune .
He followed Bill Gates , who is devoting billions to cure global disease , and Mark Zuckerberg , who in 2015 pledged to put 99 % of his winnings into “ advancing human potential and reducing inequality ” .
A cynical response might note the odium now attaching to the top 1 % of wealthiest people .
Greed may once have been good .
Apple under Steve Jobs gave almost nothing to charity , arguing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do with their dividends .
These gilded ones thought of themselves as “ anywheres ” in a fragmenting world .
They inhabited an artificial land of tax havens , offshore offices and flags of convenience .
Presidents danced to their wills .
They bought monopoly protection from entire legislatures .
They chanted with the notorious New York tycoon Leona Helmsley : “ Only the little people pay taxes.
” But as the profits piled ever higher , they began to stink .
After you have spent all you can on yourself and your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path to your door .
You can not just shrug and hire another accountant .
Besides , over the horizon come the thundering hooves of radical economists such as Thomas Piketty and Robert Reich , rallying politicians to the cause of the other 99 % .
No one is happy with ever fewer people owning ever more than the rest .
Gradually the 1 % realised that they were beneficiaries of a giant ripoff .
So we now have a small group of people seeking absolution for their sins .
As they take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their wagons .
You want a cure for malaria , a fix for homelessness , an owner for the Washington Post or a saviour for the planet ?
Just say the word and “ my man will see to it ” .
But there is a bargain to be struck .
Don ’ t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs : let ’ s hear no more about regulations ; forget taxes – they ’ re what governments waste .
This is the political economy of the middle ages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its bishops who were the magnates , claiming sovereignty over states and rulers .
To the church went rents , tithes , bribes and fees .
From the church came patronage and welfare .
It provided jobs , hospitals , schools , hospices , alms and absolutions .
It controlled monarchs and principalities .
Who needed a state when a munificent church was to hand ?
This delegation of social order to one group in society degenerated into conflict .
It saw its final nemesis in the thirty years ’ war , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 20th century .
A similar reliance on private charity to meet public welfare was replicated during the industrial revolution , from Robert Owen and Titus Salt to the Carnegies and Rockefellers .
It too led to antithesis – to socialism and corporate statism .
The plea of the one percenters has a superficial plausibility .
If global corporations can handle budgets bigger than half the states in the United Nations , what is the problem ?
Surely charity is good , whatever its source .
If the source is indeed fiscal theft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
Government treasuries should be able to tolerate a few pluralistic distributors of a nation ’ s surplus wealth .
If conventional politics can not cure diseases , reduce global heating or save newspapers , why not let capitalism try – tax deductible of course .
All history is a pendulum .
We are now seeing the 20th century ’ s social democratic consensus running out of steam .
Populists and authoritarians are in the ascendant .
Liberalism , as traditionally understood , is in retreat .
Conservativism too must re-examine itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not in glorifying the extreme capitalism of the digital age , however atoned by charity .
The status of such charity on this inflated scale is undefined .
It is offering , in effect , to relieve governments of their responsibilities of welfare , protection and care , both at home and abroad .
Yet charities are notoriously wasteful and inefficient , relying on their perceived goodness to avoid supervision .
They are as wildcat as the capitalist enterprises now so eager to sponsor them .
Yet they are to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I find uncomfortable the idea of a hoard of surplus cash – secured by dodging taxation , regulation and monopoly control – becoming the private exchequer of a tiny group of very rich to distribute at whim .
This is not a matter of politics , but of constitutional propriety .
In a democracy , the distribution of spare resources should be for elected governments .
At least , in some respects , Bloomberg is honouring this principle : he is seeking election ( if he can navigate troublesome Democratic debates and primaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Taxes should be raised from all for the good of all , to be allocated through democratic consent .
That is how decent societies operate , not by vaguely thinking about what feels good from the comfort of a Californian beach or a yacht moored in Monaco .

So who do you want for president, this “arrogant billionaire” or the other one? You don’t have to be rich to win US elections, but it helps. Michael Bloomberg’s assault on the Democratic party may be an extreme case of wealth attempting to buy power, but, as he implied on Wednesday, if it takes a person of extreme wealth to be rid of Donald Trump, so be it.
At least Bloomberg is running for election. Consider the other now fashionable route to global leadership. Jeff Bezos this week offered to save not just America but “the Earth”, with $10bn of his personal fortune. He followed Bill Gates, who is devoting billions to cure global disease, and Mark Zuckerberg, who in 2015 pledged to put 99% of his winnings into “advancing human potential and reducing inequality”.
We have a small group of people seeking absolution for their sins. As they take to the hills, they throw gold from their wagons
A cynical response might note the odium now attaching to the top 1% of wealthiest people. Greed may once have been good. Apple under Steve Jobs gave almost nothing to charity, arguing that charity was what his shareholders could do with their dividends. These gilded ones thought of themselves as “anywheres” in a fragmenting world. They inhabited an artificial land of tax havens, offshore offices and flags of convenience. Presidents danced to their wills. They bought monopoly protection from entire legislatures. They chanted with the notorious New York tycoon Leona Helmsley: “Only the little people pay taxes.”
But as the profits piled ever higher, they began to stink. After you have spent all you can on yourself and your loved ones, humanity beats a moral path to your door. You cannot just shrug and hire another accountant. Besides, over the horizon come the thundering hooves of radical economists such as Thomas Piketty and Robert Reich, rallying politicians to the cause of the other 99%. No one is happy with ever fewer people owning ever more than the rest. Gradually the 1% realised that they were beneficiaries of a giant ripoff.
So we now have a small group of people seeking absolution for their sins. As they take to the hills, they throw gold from their wagons. You want a cure for malaria, a fix for homelessness, an owner for the Washington Post or a saviour for the planet? Just say the word and “my man will see to it”. But there is a bargain to be struck. Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden eggs: let’s hear no more about regulations; forget taxes – they’re what governments waste.
This is the political economy of the middle ages. Then it was the Roman Catholic church and its bishops who were the magnates, claiming sovereignty over states and rulers. To the church went rents, tithes, bribes and fees. From the church came patronage and welfare. It provided jobs, hospitals, schools, hospices, alms and absolutions. It controlled monarchs and principalities. Who needed a state when a munificent church was to hand?
‘In a democracy, the distribution of spare resources should be for elected governments. At least, in some respects, Bloomberg is honouring this principle.’ Bloomberg at the Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas. Photograph: Brian Cahn/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
This delegation of social order to one group in society degenerated into conflict. It saw its final nemesis in the thirty years’ war, the most horrific contest Europe experienced before the 20th century. A similar reliance on private charity to meet public welfare was replicated during the industrial revolution, from Robert Owen and Titus Salt to the Carnegies and Rockefellers. It too led to antithesis – to socialism and corporate statism.
The plea of the one percenters has a superficial plausibility. If global corporations can handle budgets bigger than half the states in the United Nations, what is the problem? Surely charity is good, whatever its source. If the source is indeed fiscal theft, at least it is shortcutting the state. Government treasuries should be able to tolerate a few pluralistic distributors of a nation’s surplus wealth. If conventional politics cannot cure diseases, reduce global heating or save newspapers, why not let capitalism try – tax deductible of course.
All history is a pendulum. We are now seeing the 20th century’s social democratic consensus running out of steam. Populists and authoritarians are in the ascendant. Liberalism, as traditionally understood, is in retreat. Conservativism too must re-examine itself through emphasising the local and the communal, not in glorifying the extreme capitalism of the digital age, however atoned by charity.
The status of such charity on this inflated scale is undefined. It is offering, in effect, to relieve governments of their responsibilities of welfare, protection and care, both at home and abroad. Yet charities are notoriously wasteful and inefficient, relying on their perceived goodness to avoid supervision. They are as wildcat as the capitalist enterprises now so eager to sponsor them. Yet they are to be the recipient of billions.
That is why I find uncomfortable the idea of a hoard of surplus cash – secured by dodging taxation, regulation and monopoly control – becoming the private exchequer of a tiny group of very rich to distribute at whim. This is not a matter of politics, but of constitutional propriety. In a democracy, the distribution of spare resources should be for elected governments. At least, in some respects, Bloomberg is honouring this principle: he is seeking election (if he can navigate troublesome Democratic debates and primaries), rather than absolution for expropriation.
Taxes should be raised from all for the good of all, to be allocated through democratic consent. That is how decent societies operate, not by vaguely thinking about what feels good from the comfort of a Californian beach or a yacht moored in Monaco.


theguardian--2020-02-21--Bernie Sanders denounces Russia's reported efforts to aid his campaign – live

Here ’ s a dispatch from our west coast political reporter Maanvi Singh from Nevada , where she ’ s on the ground keeping an eye on the lead up to tomorrow ’ s caucus : Another group that 2020 hopefuls are hoping to win over are senior citizens .
Several campaigns have stopped by the MLK senior center in North Las Vegas .
Jill Biden didn ’ t make it to a monthly birthday celebration there today , choosing not to cross a Carpenters Union picket line protesting working conditions at a nearby construction site , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transport anyone interested to a Biden rally in the evening .
On Thursday , Joaquin Castro dropped by the center .
And Tom Steyer visited last week .
At the Friday event — where attendees were happy to eat and dance with or without Biden — Marshall Collins , 90 , said he ’ d already voted early .
“ I voted for Biden , ” he said -- though he ’ s happy to vote for any Democrats .
“ I hope things come together in the election .
There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ second choice is Steyer , he said .
“ All I care ” — regardless of who the candidate is — “ is if he does what he says he ’ s going to do , ” Collins said .
David Outland , 60 , was another Biden supporter .
“ I like sleepy Joe , ” he chuckled .
“ He probably had more experience than anyone else.
” Outland said he wishes the candidates would reach out more to older Nevadans .
“ Boots on the ground , like we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ d like to know more about the other candidates , he said .
“ Right now it ’ s too confusing.
” The former Vice President is the only one he ’ s familiar with .
Yvette , 62 , who said didn ’ t want to use her full name because she didn ’ t want Trump supporters to come after her on Facebook , said she ’ s going to vote for any Democrat .
“ I just don ’ t want to lose my benefits because Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Or to have our kids locked up .
”

Mario Koran in San Francisco (now), Joan E Greve in Washington and Paul Owen (earlier)

22 Feb 2020 01.14 GMT Evening Summary That does it for me here on the west coast as we close out the blog after a busy afternoon. Let’s take a quick look back at some of the day’s biggest news items: News of the day goes to the revelation that both Trump and Sen. Sanders have been the apparent beneficiaries of Russian interference. But while Trump has continued to minimize and downplay whatever impact Russian trolls may have played in the 2016 election as well as the campaign for re-election in 2020, Sanders has made clear he’s no friend of Vladimir Putin. “He is an autocratic thug,” Sanders said of the Russian leader. Check out my colleagues Joan’s latest story to read more. Days after Sen. Elizabeth Warren eviscerated Mike Bloomberg onstage at the democratic debate, she again blasted the former NYC mayor for releasing only three accusers from non-disclosure agreements that hav until now bound them to silence. Warren called Bloomberg to issue a blanket release of all accusers if he’s serious about transparency. And as Trump capped a 4-day visit to the western US, he took the opportunity to mock his foes at a mid-day rally. That included more taking more shots at the Oscars and mocking former VP Joe Biden for a lifelong speech impediment that has been widely reported on.
22 Feb 2020 00.29 GMT Kari Paul Democrats in Nevada have once again changed plans for how votes will be tracked in the caucuses, the day before voters cast their ballots. Voters sign in on tablet computers at an early voting location in the Chinatown Plaza, in Las Vegas. Photograph: John Locher/AP After announcing results would be relayed online via Google form last week, Democrats have seemingly reversed course and decided instead to instruct precinct leaders to call and text votes in to a dedicated hotline, the New York Times reported on Friday. The change was announced through a memo sent by Alana Mounce, the state party’s executive director, to the presidential campaigns. “The hotline report will be the primary source of the precinct caucus results reported on Caucus Day,” Ms. Mounce wrote. The email made no mention of the Google document forms initially slated to be used for the caucuses. Nevada Democrats initially planned to use the app used in the Iowa caucuses but abandoned those plans after the first state’s caucus went terribly wrong due to technological issues. Nevada, like Iowa, adopted new rules from the Democratic National Committee this year requiring states to report three sets of numbers from the caucuses: the initial vote number, the number of votes a candidate receives after “realignment” – when voters choose new candidates if their top choice fails to receive enough support – and the number of state delegates ultimately awarded to candidates. In order to report these numbers, volunteers are expected to use a caucus “tool” on iPads distributed by the Democratic party to precinct chairs. This is meant to help avoid some of the technical difficulties experienced in Iowa by chairs unable to download the app. Nevada Democrats were reportedly consulting with Google on best practices for using the document forms, but Google did not confirm. Nevada Democrats did not respond to request for comment regarding the change.
22 Feb 2020 00.21 GMT Cash-strapped democratic candidates are relying more and more on super PACs, which can raise unlimited money. That’s one takeaway from a new report from Politico, which says it got its first look this week at how the start of the presidential primaries are shaping the money chase. Other takeaways include: The Democratic Party’s biggest donors are getting in on the action. “Priorities USA, the main Democratic super PAC preparing to back the party’s nominee against Trump, took in $5 million from hedge fund magnate Donald Sussman in January — more than double the biggest check Sussman cut in 2019. The super PAC also raised $2 million from financier and philanthropist George Soros’ Democracy PAC, which didn’t give to any big Democratic PACs in 2019. And it raised $1 million from real estate broker George Marcus, who only donated big money to downballot causes in 2019,” Politico reports. Big differences in cash will lead to big differences in airtime. Sanders, Bloomberg and financier Tom Steyer have all dropped big money on TV ads and bought more than $2m of upcoming airtime. Bloomberg has earmarked $10m for ads in coming days. Joe Biden and ex-South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, meanwhile, don’t have any television airtime currently reserved in Super-Tuesday states. Klobuchar’s third-place finish in New Hampshire primary was preceded by January fundraising bump She took in $5.5m in January — close to Buttigieg’s $6.6 million but well shy of Biden’s $8.9 m. Trump’s cash dwarfs the rest of the field’s. Except Bloomberg’s. Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have netted $452 million since January 2019. Bloomberg, meanwhile, has said he may spend $1 billion to defeat Trump this year. The former NYC mayor has nearly outspending every other candidate after spending $409 million through January, according to Politico.
Updated at 00.26 GMT
21 Feb 2020 23.50 GMT Warren responds to Bloomberg's position on NDA's Mike Bloomberg said Friday that three women who made complaints against him and until now have been covered by non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, can be released from the agreements and speak openly about their experiences. CNN has publicly identified a woman behind one of those NDAs, reporting: “A senior Bloomberg adviser tells CNN that the woman behind one of the three NDAs is Sekiko Garrison, who accused Bloomberg in the 1990s of repeatedly saying crass things in the workplace. Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser has said that Bloomberg “did not make any of the statements alleged in the Sekiko Garrison case.” But Elizabeth Warren, who took Bloomberg to the woodshed on live TV during this week’s debate, quickly called out the former New York mayor, saying that the situation calls for a blanket release of all accusers. Warren responds to Bloomberg release of three women from their NDAs pic.twitter.com/up1g1mCaR3 — Annie Linskey (@AnnieLinskey) February 21, 2020
21 Feb 2020 23.26 GMT Maanvi Singh Here’s a dispatch from our west coast political reporter Maanvi Singh from Nevada, where she’s on the ground keeping an eye on the lead up to tomorrow’s caucus: Another group that 2020 hopefuls are hoping to win over are senior citizens. Several campaigns have stopped by the MLK senior center in North Las Vegas. Jill Biden didn’t make it to a monthly birthday celebration there today, choosing not to cross a Carpenters Union picket line protesting working conditions at a nearby construction site, according to the Biden campaign. The campaign offered to transport anyone interested to a Biden rally in the evening.
On Thursday, Joaquin Castro dropped by the center. And Tom Steyer visited last week.
At the Friday event — where attendees were happy to eat and dance with or without Biden — Marshall Collins, 90, said he’d already voted early. “I voted for Biden,” he said -- though he’s happy to vote for any Democrats. “I hope things come together in the election. There’s too many Democrats right now.”
Collins’ second choice is Steyer, he said. “All I care” — regardless of who the candidate is — “is if he does what he says he’s going to do,” Collins said. David Outland, 60, was another Biden supporter. “I like sleepy Joe,” he chuckled. “He probably had more experience than anyone else.”
Outland said he wishes the candidates would reach out more to older Nevadans. “Boots on the ground, like we used to do,” he said.
He’d like to know more about the other candidates, he said. “Right now it’s too confusing.” The former Vice President is the only one he’s familiar with.
Yvette, 62, who said didn’t want to use her full name because she didn’t want Trump supporters to come after her on Facebook, said she’s going to vote for any Democrat.
“I just don’t want to lose my benefits because Trump got pissed,” she said. “Or to have our kids locked up.”
21 Feb 2020 23.15 GMT As we blog, pundits on CNN discuss the interesting dynamic between Sanders and Trump that today’s news on Russian interference sets up. While Sanders has both acknowledged and condemned Russian interference across the board, Donald Trump and his supporters have continued to dismiss and downplay the role Russian actors may have played in getting him elected. The New York Times reported today that US intelligence officials warned House lawmakers last week that Russia was interfering in the 2020 campaign in an effort to re-elect Trump. The day after the Feb. 13 briefing to lawmakers, the president berated Joseph Maguire, the outgoing acting director of national intelligence, for allowing it to take place, people familiar with the exchange said. Mr. Trump was particularly irritated that Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the leader of the impeachment proceedings, was at the briefing. During the briefing to the House Intelligence Committee, Mr. Trump’s allies challenged the conclusions, arguing that he had been tough on Russia and that he had strengthened European security... Mr. Trump has long accused the intelligence community’s assessment of Russia’s 2016 interference as the work of a “deep state” conspiracy intent on undermining the validity of his election. Intelligence officials feel burned by their experience after the last election, when their work became a subject of intense political debate and is now a focus of a Justice Department investigation. Pundits note that it will be interesting to see how Trump responds as he’s potentially pulled between two conflicting impulses: To throw mud at Sanders and his position as a frontrunner versus the desire to protect the legitimacy of his presidency.
21 Feb 2020 22.59 GMT Today’s surprise Russian-interference news aside, Sanders’ campaign marches on in their efforts to reach out to Latino voters in often overlooked corners of California. Sanders emerged early on as a front-runner in California, a position his campaign has attributed to a massive ground game across the Golden State. Young Latino voters in particular have embraced the Vermont senator for his history of supporting unions and taking to the streets in protest. Reuters has more on the efforts in California: A record 32 million Latinos are projected to be eligible to vote in the general election, exceeding the number of black eligible voters for the first time, according to the Pew Research Center. About 62% of Latino registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 34% affiliate with or lean to the Republican Party, the organization says... Across California, and in neighboring Nevada and Texas, the Sanders campaign has also put on soccer matches and house parties, some billed as “Tamales for Tío Bernie,” an affectionate Spanish-language term for “Uncle Bernie.” The campaign wants to be deeply embedded in Latino communities, said Bianca Recto, communications director for the campaign in Nevada. She said at least half of the 200 paid staff on the ground ahead of the caucuses are people of color, many of them locals. “It’s Bernie’s message that resonates to the economic hardships of people and not treating constituencies as if they’re a monolith, as if they’re a one-issue voter,” Recto said.
21 Feb 2020 22.42 GMT As news trickles out that the Russian government is currently working to aid Sen. Sanders through online disinformation tactics, the Vermont Senator has suggested that a recent dust-up over purported Sanders supporters and culinary workers in Nevada can be traced to Russian bots. Sanders said in a statement:“In 2016, Russia used Internet propaganda to sow division in our country, and my understanding is that they are doing it again in 2020. Some of the ugly stuff on the Internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters.” After the culinary union distributed flyers that was critical of Sanders’ health care plan and broadly supportive of Warren’s, members of the union-members said they received threatening messages from who they believed to be Sanders supporters, or so-called Bernie Bros. So far no evidence has been reported that ties Russian interference to the controversy.
21 Feb 2020 22.24 GMT Reports: Sanders knew about Russian interference a month ago US officials told Bernie Sanders that the Russian government is working to help him secure the Democratic nomination, the Washington Post reported Friday. And new reports are emerging that Sanders knew a month ago about the interference. Asked why the news is only coming out now, Sanders pointed to the Nevada caucuses and suggested media was to blame. Unlike Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed the role Russia may have played in the last election, Sanders has acknowledged the meddling, but has worked to distance himself from Russia and Putin. “I don’t care, frankly, who Putin wants to be president,” Sanders said in a statement to The Washington Post. “My message to Putin is clear: Stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do. Here’s the video: pic.twitter.com/JpOljo2PIE — Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) February 21, 2020
Updated at 22.45 GMT


theguardian--2020-02-21--Bernie Sanders briefed by US officials that Russia is trying to aid his campaign

US officials have told Bernie Sanders that Russia is trying to help his campaign , prompting the frontrunner in the Democratic race to strongly condemn any interference .
Republican Donald Trump and US lawmakers have also been informed about the Russian assistance to Sanders , said a report in the Washington Post , which cited unnamed people familiar with the matter and first broke the news .
It was not clear what form the Russian assistance had taken , the paper added .
Facebook said it had seen no evidence of Russian support for Sanders on its platform .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts by Moscow to interfere with the 2020 election on his behalf .
“ Unlike Donald Trump , I do not consider Vladimir Putin a good friend .
He is an autocratic thug who is attempting to destroy democracy and crush dissent in Russia , ” Sanders said of the Russian president .
“ Let ’ s be clear , the Russians want to undermine American democracy by dividing us up and , unlike the current president , I stand firmly against their efforts , and any other foreign power that wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested some of the online vitriol frequently blamed on his supporters may be coming from Russia .
“ Some of the ugly stuff on the internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters , ” Sanders said .
The news follows similar warnings from the intelligence community that Russia has also sought to boost Trump ’ s re-election campaign .
On Friday Trump sought to play down those developments and revive old grievances in claiming that Democrats are determined to undermine the legitimacy of his presidency .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ misinformation campaign ” in hopes of politically damaging him .
Intelligence officials told lawmakers in a classified briefing last week that Russia is meddling in the election with the hope of getting Trump re-elected , according to officials familiar with the briefing .
The fresh intelligence warnings about Russian interference came in what has been a tumultuous stretch for the intelligence community .
A day after the 13 February briefing to the House intelligence committee , Trump berated the acting director of national intelligence , Joseph Maguire , in a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Trump abruptly announced that Maguire would be replaced by Richard Grenell , a Trump loyalist who also will hold the job in an acting capacity .

US officials have told Bernie Sanders that Russia is trying to help his campaign, prompting the frontrunner in the Democratic race to strongly condemn any interference.
Republican Donald Trump and US lawmakers have also been informed about the Russian assistance to Sanders, said a report in the Washington Post, which cited unnamed people familiar with the matter and first broke the news.
It was not clear what form the Russian assistance had taken, the paper added.
Facebook said it had seen no evidence of Russian support for Sanders on its platform.
However, the Vermont senator denounced the reported efforts by Moscow to interfere with the 2020 election on his behalf.
“Unlike Donald Trump, I do not consider Vladimir Putin a good friend. He is an autocratic thug who is attempting to destroy democracy and crush dissent in Russia,” Sanders said of the Russian president.
“Let’s be clear, the Russians want to undermine American democracy by dividing us up and, unlike the current president, I stand firmly against their efforts, and any other foreign power that wants to interfere in our election.”
Sanders also suggested some of the online vitriol frequently blamed on his supporters may be coming from Russia. “Some of the ugly stuff on the internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters,” Sanders said.
The news follows similar warnings from the intelligence community that Russia has also sought to boost Trump’s re-election campaign. On Friday Trump sought to play down those developments and revive old grievances in claiming that Democrats are determined to undermine the legitimacy of his presidency.
Trump claimed on Twitter that Democrats were pushing a “misinformation campaign” in hopes of politically damaging him.
Intelligence officials told lawmakers in a classified briefing last week that Russia is meddling in the election with the hope of getting Trump re-elected, according to officials familiar with the briefing.
The fresh intelligence warnings about Russian interference came in what has been a tumultuous stretch for the intelligence community.
A day after the 13 February briefing to the House intelligence committee, Trump berated the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, in a meeting at the White House. Then this week, Trump abruptly announced that Maguire would be replaced by Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist who also will hold the job in an acting capacity.


theguardian--2020-02-21--Why Elizabeth Warren won this week in US politics – and a Florida man lost

It ’ s been another wild week in American politics , with a Democratic debate shaking up the field again and Donald Trump tangling with the justice system in multiple dramatic ways .
But who ’ s up and who ’ s down as Nevada gets ready to vote in the primary race on Saturday ?
It feels like each Democratic candidate is being given a chance to shine , and this week it was Elizabeth Warren ’ s .
Shedding her usual professorial demeanor , the leftwing Massachusetts senator tore into billionaire businessman Mike Bloomberg as he struggled to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ d like to talk about who we ’ re running against : a billionaire who calls women ‘ fat broads ’ and ‘ horse-faced lesbians ’ , ” Warren said at the beginning of Wednesday night ’ s debate in Las Vegas .
“ And no , I ’ m not talking about Donald Trump , I ’ m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.
” Warren saw her best day of fundraising yet following the debate , and will be hoping to see the same kind of boost rival Amy Klobuchar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong debate performance in New Hampshire .
The Massachusetts liberal is neck and neck with Pete Buttigieg for third place in Nevada on Saturday – if she can overtake Joe Biden and reach second she may give her campaign a new jolt of energy .
The leftwing Vermont senator is now firmly in pole position , with a 14-point lead going into Nevada and an 11-point lead over the rest of the Democratic field nationally .
Will the Democratic establishment now unite behind a centrist who could block Bernie Sanders ’ progress ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their act together fast .
If Sanders wins , will Democratic elites fall in behind a man who has never joined their party and whom many see as a cuckoo in the nest ?
Maybe they ’ ll be forced to – polling shows Democratic voters aren ’ t worried about Sanders in the way the party ’ s bigwigs seem to be .
Could this unapologetic socialist beat Trump ?
That ’ s the great unknown .
But as Sanders is fond of pointing out , he consistently polls ahead of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanders backer congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested this week he could end up compromising on his sweeping healthcare proposals – perhaps baby steps towards an eventual rapprochement between Sanders and the party hierarchy .
Well , he didn ’ t get nine years in jail … but Trump ’ s longtime friend and aide will not have been delighted with his 40-month sentence for lying to Congress , tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election .
Roger Stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence , and Trump – who was criticised by his own attorney general for interfering with the case – said on Thursday he wanted to see that process “ played out ” before getting involved formally .
“ I would love to see Roger exonerated , ” Trump said , leaving open the possibility of a pardon if his friend is not .
Trump showed again this week how willing he is to use that power , issuing several pardons and commutations to people found guilty of public corruption – and perhaps paving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one for Stone .
Political junkies were openly slavering at the prospect of the former New York mayor joining the Democratic field on the debate stage for the first time this week – something only possible because the party changed its rules on qualification .
Yet it came after the unearthing of controversy after controversy about Mike Bloomberg – from his alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as a boss , to anti-trans , anti-black and anti-Latino remarks and continued ill feeling about the discriminatory impact of his policing policy .
His fellow Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate , with Warren leading the charge .
In response he was stiff , high-handed and somewhat testy .
“ None of them accuse me of doing anything other than maybe they didn ’ t like a joke I told , ” he said about staff who had signed non-disclosure agreements – which sounded perhaps less exculpatory than he imagined .
Sanders even managed to point out that Bloomberg , like him , had had heart problems .
“ We both have two stents !
” the socialist senator exclaimed memorably .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it is , the New York Times including the wedding of Trump ’ s controversial immigration adviser to Mike Pence ’ s press secretary in its soft-focus high-society nuptials column was never going to pass without comment .
The two “ both work in the Trump White House ” , the article noted benignly , although a link to a piece about “ The White Nationalist Websites Cited by Stephen Miller ” did sort of give the game away .
As liberal Twitter expressed its outrage , comedian Samantha Bee set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the couple ’ s honour – which was then contributed to by Stephen Miller ’ s uncle , a frequent critic of his nephew .
Miller has been the driving force behind Trump administration policies such as the Muslim ban and family separation at the border , and is thought to be the speechwriter behind some of Trump ’ s most alarming nativist addresses .
The worst week : a man who has a life-size emotional support cutout of Trump The US transportation department has proposed a crackdown on some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking with them on planes , including peacocks , ducks , pigs and iguanas .
But no one said anything about life-size cutouts of Donald Trump , until Nelson Gibson of Florida took his with him to a doctor ’ s appointment .
“ They told me it was too much and it wasn ’ t a rally , ” he lamented to TV station WPBF , after having happily got away with bringing a picture of Trump and a small cutout of himself with the president to previous appointments .

It’s been another wild week in American politics, with a Democratic debate shaking up the field again and Donald Trump tangling with the justice system in multiple dramatic ways. But who’s up and who’s down as Nevada gets ready to vote in the primary race on Saturday?
The best week: Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren: signs a cardboard cutout of herself. Photograph: John Locher/AP
It feels like each Democratic candidate is being given a chance to shine, and this week it was Elizabeth Warren’s. Shedding her usual professorial demeanor, the leftwing Massachusetts senator tore into billionaire businessman Mike Bloomberg as he struggled to shake off numerous scandals this week. “I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women ‘fat broads’ and ‘horse-faced lesbians’,” Warren said at the beginning of Wednesday night’s debate in Las Vegas. “And no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump, I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.” Warren saw her best day of fundraising yet following the debate, and will be hoping to see the same kind of boost rival Amy Klobuchar got at the ballot box following her strong debate performance in New Hampshire. The Massachusetts liberal is neck and neck with Pete Buttigieg for third place in Nevada on Saturday – if she can overtake Joe Biden and reach second she may give her campaign a new jolt of energy.
A good week: Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders: frontrunner. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
The leftwing Vermont senator is now firmly in pole position, with a 14-point lead going into Nevada and an 11-point lead over the rest of the Democratic field nationally. Will the Democratic establishment now unite behind a centrist who could block Bernie Sanders’ progress? If so, they need to get their act together fast. If Sanders wins, will Democratic elites fall in behind a man who has never joined their party and whom many see as a cuckoo in the nest? Maybe they’ll be forced to – polling shows Democratic voters aren’t worried about Sanders in the way the party’s bigwigs seem to be. Could this unapologetic socialist beat Trump? That’s the great unknown. But as Sanders is fond of pointing out, he consistently polls ahead of the president nationally and in some swing states. Sanders backer congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested this week he could end up compromising on his sweeping healthcare proposals – perhaps baby steps towards an eventual rapprochement between Sanders and the party hierarchy.
Not a great week: Roger Stone
Roger Stone: jail time. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
Well, he didn’t get nine years in jail … but Trump’s longtime friend and aide will not have been delighted with his 40-month sentence for lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 presidential election. Roger Stone remains free while he appeals against the sentence, and Trump – who was criticised by his own attorney general for interfering with the case – said on Thursday he wanted to see that process “played out” before getting involved formally. “I would love to see Roger exonerated,” Trump said, leaving open the possibility of a pardon if his friend is not. Trump showed again this week how willing he is to use that power, issuing several pardons and commutations to people found guilty of public corruption – and perhaps paving the way for an eventual more controversial one for Stone.
A bad week: Mike Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg: two stents. Photograph: Matt Baron/Rex/Shutterstock
Political junkies were openly slavering at the prospect of the former New York mayor joining the Democratic field on the debate stage for the first time this week – something only possible because the party changed its rules on qualification. Yet it came after the unearthing of controversy after controversy about Mike Bloomberg – from his alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as a boss, to anti-trans, anti-black and anti-Latino remarks and continued ill feeling about the discriminatory impact of his policing policy. His fellow Democrats hit him again and again during the debate, with Warren leading the charge. In response he was stiff, high-handed and somewhat testy. “None of them accuse me of doing anything other than maybe they didn’t like a joke I told,” he said about staff who had signed non-disclosure agreements – which sounded perhaps less exculpatory than he imagined. Sanders even managed to point out that Bloomberg, like him, had had heart problems. “We both have two stents!” the socialist senator exclaimed memorably.
A could-be-better week: Stephen Miller and his wife
Stephen Miller and Katie Waldman: both work in the White House. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP
The level of partisanship in the US being what it is, the New York Times including the wedding of Trump’s controversial immigration adviser to Mike Pence’s press secretary in its soft-focus high-society nuptials column was never going to pass without comment. The two “both work in the Trump White House”, the article noted benignly, although a link to a piece about “The White Nationalist Websites Cited by Stephen Miller” did sort of give the game away. As liberal Twitter expressed its outrage, comedian Samantha Bee set up a registry sending gifts to immigration charities in the couple’s honour – which was then contributed to by Stephen Miller’s uncle, a frequent critic of his nephew. Miller has been the driving force behind Trump administration policies such as the Muslim ban and family separation at the border, and is thought to be the speechwriter behind some of Trump’s most alarming nativist addresses.
The worst week: a man who has a life-size emotional support cutout of Trump
A cardboard cutout of Donald Trump in Kansas: not the item in question. Photograph: John Hanna/AP
The US transportation department has proposed a crackdown on some of the more outlandish emotional-support animals people have been taking with them on planes, including peacocks, ducks, pigs and iguanas. But no one said anything about life-size cutouts of Donald Trump, until Nelson Gibson of Florida took his with him to a doctor’s appointment. “They told me it was too much and it wasn’t a rally,” he lamented to TV station WPBF, after having happily got away with bringing a picture of Trump and a small cutout of himself with the president to previous appointments.


theguardian--2020-02-21--Bloomberg campaign spends $460m in first quarter ahead of Super Tuesday

Billionaire presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has now spent $ 460m on his campaign in just three months .
According to Federal Election Commission ( FEC ) filings released on Thursday , the money is being sourced from his own pockets .
The former New York City mayor and media mogul has claimed his campaign will stay entirely self-funded , drawing criticism from opponents who accuse him of seeking to buy the election .
Bloomberg faced mounting attacks in his first qualifying appearance at the Democratic debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday .
“ Democrats take a huge risk if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren , opening the debate .
By February , the campaign had more than $ 55m in cash on hand , more than some of his opponents raised all of last year .
Warren continued to criticize his big spending after the debate .
“ After his performance tonight , I have no doubt he is about to drop , tonight , another $ 100m in this campaign to try to erase America ’ s memory of what happened on that debate stage , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than $ 460m spent since Bloomberg first announced his bid for president in November .
Much of the total stems from early advertising and staffing , totaling $ 264m in January alone .
He now faces an uphill battle to win the Democratic nomination for president .
Ahead of Saturday ’ s primary in Nevada , Bloomberg is not on the ballot , adding to absences in Iowa , New Hampshire and South Carolina .
Still , Bloomberg is polling at 16.1 % nationally , passing the former vice-president Joe Biden for second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has staked his hopes on 3 March and Super Tuesday , when a slew of big states all vote on the same day and where their massive media markets give well-resourced ad-based campaigns a potentially huge advantage .

Billionaire presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg has now spent $460m on his campaign in just three months. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings released on Thursday, the money is being sourced from his own pockets.
The former New York City mayor and media mogul has claimed his campaign will stay entirely self-funded, drawing criticism from opponents who accuse him of seeking to buy the election.
Bloomberg faced mounting attacks in his first qualifying appearance at the Democratic debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
“Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another,” said the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, opening the debate. By February, the campaign had more than $55m in cash on hand, more than some of his opponents raised all of last year.
Warren continued to criticize his big spending after the debate.
“After his performance tonight, I have no doubt he is about to drop, tonight, another $100m in this campaign to try to erase America’s memory of what happened on that debate stage,” she said.
The FEC filings detail more than $460m spent since Bloomberg first announced his bid for president in November. Much of the total stems from early advertising and staffing, totaling $264m in January alone.
He now faces an uphill battle to win the Democratic nomination for president. Ahead of Saturday’s primary in Nevada, Bloomberg is not on the ballot, adding to absences in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
Still, Bloomberg is polling at 16.1% nationally, passing the former vice-president Joe Biden for second place behind the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders. He has staked his hopes on 3 March and Super Tuesday, when a slew of big states all vote on the same day and where their massive media markets give well-resourced ad-based campaigns a potentially huge advantage.
Forbes estimates Bloomberg’s wealth totals nearly $64bn.


theguardian--2020-02-21--$45m, 1.6bn views and ‘Crazy Donald’: How Bloomberg bought your Facebook feed

Mike Bloomberg ’ s unorthodox presidential campaign has many asking if a billionaire can buy the presidency .
He can certainly buy Americans ’ Facebook feeds , a Guardian analysis shows .
In the first six weeks of 2020 , more than 1.6bn of the 2.4bn presidential campaign ads shown to US Facebook users were from the Bloomberg campaign .
Since launching his campaign in mid-November , the former mayor of New York City has spent nearly $ 45m on Facebook ads – more than all his opponents combined .
And Bloomberg ’ s spending doesn ’ t just dwarf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s giant re-election effort on Facebook looks paltry in comparison .
The Trump campaign ’ s Facebook operation has been notable for running a huge volume of advertisements , launching tens of thousands of ads seen by just a handful of people and testing hundreds of minor variations of different messages .
In recent weeks , the Bloomberg campaign has begun running three times as many ads as Trump .
To understand how and why Bloomberg is spending so much money on Facebook , the Guardian built a database of the 142,937 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 15 November 2019 , when he first started running campaign ads , and 18 February .
The data comes from Facebook ’ s political ad archive application programming interface , or API .
What emerges is a portrait of a campaign operating at an unprecedented scale that at times stoops to Trumpian tactics – and has such large reserves of cash it can afford to spend extravagantly .
The result is both scattershot and overwhelming , suggesting that when a campaign never has to make any difficult choices , the choices it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the more perplexing moves : Bloomberg has spent more money showing ads about wildfires to voters in Ohio than voters in California .
Facebook ads are just one aspect of Bloomberg ’ s unusual campaign .
( He ’ s sitting out the first four primary states , for example . )
The billionaire has spent more than $ 250m on television ads and more than $ 40m on Google and YouTube ads .
His campaign is also pioneering new modes of digital campaigning that are not captured by the transparency tools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the 2016 election .
He enlisted the digital marketing firm behind the ill-fated Fyre Festival to run a campaign paying Instagram influencers to post Bloomberg memes to their social media followers , the New York Times reported .
He is also paying part-time “ deputy digital organizers ” to lobby their personal contacts via text message on his behalf , according to the Wall Street Journal .
On Thursday , his campaign shared a video on Instagram and Twitter that used edited footage to create a false narrative of what happened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bloomberg ’ s official Facebook ads – both the messages they convey and the way in which they are targeted – provide valuable insight into the campaign of a candidate who has barely been tested in unscripted settings , appearing in just one debate so far and dodging difficult interviews with the press .
The Bloomberg campaign did not respond to a request to comment on the record .
At first glance , Bloomberg ’ s Facebook strategy tracks with his overall approach to the campaign : skip the first four primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Super Tuesday .
The campaign ’ s extraordinary spending largely aligns with a strategy of targeting delegate-rich states whose primaries fall on Super Tuesday or later .
He has spent the most overall on California , Texas and Florida – three of the four states with the largest number of delegates – followed by Illinois and North Carolina .
On a per-delegate basis , the campaign is spending the most in Texas , North Carolina , Arkansas , Virginia and Tennessee .
Much of Bloomberg ’ s messaging focuses on Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Next are some of the issues of most concern to Democratic voters .
Healthcare represents a significant portion of the campaign , as does Bloomberg ’ s signature issue : guns .
Other major topics include the environment and the climate crisis , immigration , education and infrastructure .
There are ads with messages targeted specifically to women , African Americans and Latinos , though the campaign spent less on the African American and Latino ads than on ads about wildfires .
( This analysis only refers to those ads that are explicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not mean that Bloomberg was not attempting to reach those voters with other messages . )
The campaign ’ s spending on ads with messaging about women or reproductive health is substantial .
Overall , the campaign ’ s ads have been shown to significantly more women than men .
But other aspects of the Facebook campaign raise questions about Bloomberg ’ s strategy , and whether it goes beyond throwing money at voters ’ Facebook Timelines to see what sticks .
In mid-January , as news of the Australian brushfires filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the climate crisis , the Bloomberg presidential campaign debuted a new Facebook ad targeting California voters .
“ Wildfire prevention needs to be part of our climate plan , ” read the caption above a photograph of a wooded mountain in flames .
“ Mike will get it done.
” Targeting California voters with a message about wildfires is the kind of savvy political move that one might expect from a campaign that is competently run – and sparing no expense .
Democratic voters overwhelmingly support government action on climate change , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the west coast , according to recent polling by the Pew Research Center .
And yet , in subsequent weeks , the Bloomberg campaign began targeting wildfire ads at voters in states where wildfires are not a threat – and where polling shows other climate-related issues are of much greater interest to voters .
The Bloomberg campaign has thus far spent more money on wildfire ads targeting voters in Texas ( more than $ 60,000 ) , Ohio and Illinois ( more than $ 45,000 each ) than California ( more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 567,700 his campaign has spent in total on wildfire ads , just 15 % has gone to voters in Pacific and mountain states where wildfires tend to occur .
The wildfire ads are emblematic of the at-times distorted logic of Bloomberg ’ s campaign spending .
To an average campaign , half a million dollars is a significant amount of money that would require , for example , 27,000 donations from Bernie Sanders supporters ( whose donations average $ 18.53 ) or multiple trips to a wine cave .
Amy Klobuchar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all Facebook advertising since Bloomberg entered the race in November .
But to Bloomberg , the amount is insignificant .
The half-million-dollar expenditure to a man with a fortune estimated at $ 65.2bn is comparable to the average American ( median household net worth of $ 97,300 ) spending 85 cents .
Some of the campaign ’ s state targeting is also puzzling .
It has spent at least $ 125,000 targeting voters in Vermont , Sanders ’ home state .
This isn ’ t a case of Vermont voters seeing ads intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spending comes from ads that received 95 % or more of their impressions in Vermont , suggesting intentional targeting .
On a per-capita basis , the Bloomberg campaign has spent more money reaching Vermont voters than voters in any other state .
Unlike his opponents , Bloomberg is not using Facebook ads to fundraise , so he is not running the kind of urgent appeals and contests that Trump and other candidates employ .
Some of his ads do still resemble Trump-style clickbait , however , such as a number of advertisements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Mike saves animals ” , reads the message on one set of ads that closely mirror Facebook ads run by the Trump campaign .
“ You be the one to tell this sea turtle that her species has no future , ” reads the caption on a video ad starring a heart-wrenching baby sea turtle .
And then there ’ s the invective .
Trump is by far the most common topic of Bloomberg ’ s ads , and a frequent message is that the president is unfit for the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the very behaviors that define Trump ’ s communication style , calling him “ dangerous ” , “ unhinged ” , “ unfit ” , “ embarrassing ” , “ a sell out ” , “ a con man ” , a “ madman ” , “ a bully ” and “ crazy ” .
In some ads , the campaign adopts Trump ’ s habit of giving opponents demeaning nicknames , referring to him as “ crazy Donald ” .
Many ads refer to Trump ’ s use of Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ make you just want to get away ?
” one reads .
“ Mike Bloomberg will put an end to the dysfunction and bring calm , steady leadership.
” Perhaps the campaign is relying on the fact that most Facebook users do not use Twitter .
If they did , they might have noticed that over the last several days , Bloomberg has himself been engaged in a decidedly puerile Twitter fight , with Trump .

Mike Bloomberg’s unorthodox presidential campaign has many asking if a billionaire can buy the presidency. He can certainly buy Americans’ Facebook feeds, a Guardian analysis shows.
In the first six weeks of 2020, more than 1.6bn of the 2.4bn presidential campaign ads shown to US Facebook users were from the Bloomberg campaign. Since launching his campaign in mid-November, the former mayor of New York City has spent nearly $45m on Facebook ads – more than all his opponents combined.
And Bloomberg’s spending doesn’t just dwarf that of other Democrats; Donald Trump’s giant re-election effort on Facebook looks paltry in comparison.
The Trump campaign’s Facebook operation has been notable for running a huge volume of advertisements, launching tens of thousands of ads seen by just a handful of people and testing hundreds of minor variations of different messages. In recent weeks, the Bloomberg campaign has begun running three times as many ads as Trump.
To understand how and why Bloomberg is spending so much money on Facebook, the Guardian built a database of the 142,937 Facebook ads launched by the Bloomberg campaign between 15 November 2019, when he first started running campaign ads, and 18 February. The data comes from Facebook’s political ad archive application programming interface, or API. What emerges is a portrait of a campaign operating at an unprecedented scale that at times stoops to Trumpian tactics – and has such large reserves of cash it can afford to spend extravagantly.
The result is both scattershot and overwhelming, suggesting that when a campaign never has to make any difficult choices, the choices it does make can defy common sense. Among the more perplexing moves: Bloomberg has spent more money showing ads about wildfires to voters in Ohio than voters in California.
Facebook ads are just one aspect of Bloomberg’s unusual campaign. (He’s sitting out the first four primary states, for example.) The billionaire has spent more than $250m on television ads and more than $40m on Google and YouTube ads. His campaign is also pioneering new modes of digital campaigning that are not captured by the transparency tools put in place by Facebook and Google following the 2016 election.
He enlisted the digital marketing firm behind the ill-fated Fyre Festival to run a campaign paying Instagram influencers to post Bloomberg memes to their social media followers, the New York Times reported. He is also paying part-time “deputy digital organizers” to lobby their personal contacts via text message on his behalf, according to the Wall Street Journal. On Thursday, his campaign shared a video on Instagram and Twitter that used edited footage to create a false narrative of what happened in Wednesday’s debate.
Taken together, Bloomberg’s official Facebook ads – both the messages they convey and the way in which they are targeted – provide valuable insight into the campaign of a candidate who has barely been tested in unscripted settings, appearing in just one debate so far and dodging difficult interviews with the press.
The Bloomberg campaign did not respond to a request to comment on the record.
Money, money, money, money
At first glance, Bloomberg’s Facebook strategy tracks with his overall approach to the campaign: skip the first four primary states while pouring vast amounts of money into Super Tuesday.
The campaign’s extraordinary spending largely aligns with a strategy of targeting delegate-rich states whose primaries fall on Super Tuesday or later. He has spent the most overall on California, Texas and Florida – three of the four states with the largest number of delegates – followed by Illinois and North Carolina. On a per-delegate basis, the campaign is spending the most in Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia and Tennessee.
(Facebook provides data for ad spending and impressions – the number of times a user was shown an ad – as a range. For this article, we used the lower number, meaning that our data on dollars spent or impressions received represents the minimum amount.)
Much of Bloomberg’s messaging focuses on Donald Trump and the impact of his presidency. Next are some of the issues of most concern to Democratic voters. Healthcare represents a significant portion of the campaign, as does Bloomberg’s signature issue: guns.
Other major topics include the environment and the climate crisis, immigration, education and infrastructure. There are ads with messages targeted specifically to women, African Americans and Latinos, though the campaign spent less on the African American and Latino ads than on ads about wildfires. (This analysis only refers to those ads that are explicitly referencing African Americans or Latinos, and does not mean that Bloomberg was not attempting to reach those voters with other messages.)
The campaign’s spending on ads with messaging about women or reproductive health is substantial. Overall, the campaign’s ads have been shown to significantly more women than men.
But other aspects of the Facebook campaign raise questions about Bloomberg’s strategy, and whether it goes beyond throwing money at voters’ Facebook Timelines to see what sticks.
Where’s the smoke?
In mid-January, as news of the Australian brushfires filled social media feeds with devastating images of the climate crisis, the Bloomberg presidential campaign debuted a new Facebook ad targeting California voters.
“Wildfire prevention needs to be part of our climate plan,” read the caption above a photograph of a wooded mountain in flames. “Mike will get it done.”
Targeting California voters with a message about wildfires is the kind of savvy political move that one might expect from a campaign that is competently run – and sparing no expense. Democratic voters overwhelmingly support government action on climate change, and wildfires are of particular concern to Americans on the west coast, according to recent polling by the Pew Research Center.
And yet, in subsequent weeks, the Bloomberg campaign began targeting wildfire ads at voters in states where wildfires are not a threat – and where polling shows other climate-related issues are of much greater interest to voters. The Bloomberg campaign has thus far spent more money on wildfire ads targeting voters in Texas (more than $60,000), Ohio and Illinois (more than $45,000 each) than California (more than $44,000). Of the $567,700 his campaign has spent in total on wildfire ads, just 15% has gone to voters in Pacific and mountain states where wildfires tend to occur.
The wildfire ads are emblematic of the at-times distorted logic of Bloomberg’s campaign spending. To an average campaign, half a million dollars is a significant amount of money that would require, for example, 27,000 donations from Bernie Sanders supporters (whose donations average $18.53) or multiple trips to a wine cave. Amy Klobuchar’s campaign has spent just $544,000 on all Facebook advertising since Bloomberg entered the race in November.
But to Bloomberg, the amount is insignificant. The half-million-dollar expenditure to a man with a fortune estimated at $65.2bn is comparable to the average American (median household net worth of $97,300) spending 85 cents.
Some of the campaign’s state targeting is also puzzling. It has spent at least $125,000 targeting voters in Vermont, Sanders’ home state. This isn’t a case of Vermont voters seeing ads intended for a national audience; most of the spending comes from ads that received 95% or more of their impressions in Vermont, suggesting intentional targeting. On a per-capita basis, the Bloomberg campaign has spent more money reaching Vermont voters than voters in any other state.
Unlike his opponents, Bloomberg is not using Facebook ads to fundraise, so he is not running the kind of urgent appeals and contests that Trump and other candidates employ. Some of his ads do still resemble Trump-style clickbait, however, such as a number of advertisements that feature heart-tugging images of imperiled animals.
“Mike saves animals”, reads the message on one set of ads that closely mirror Facebook ads run by the Trump campaign. “You be the one to tell this sea turtle that her species has no future,” reads the caption on a video ad starring a heart-wrenching baby sea turtle.
‘Crazy Donald’
And then there’s the invective. Trump is by far the most common topic of Bloomberg’s ads, and a frequent message is that the president is unfit for the presidency. But the ads often mimic some of the very behaviors that define Trump’s communication style, calling him “dangerous”, “unhinged”, “unfit”, “embarrassing”, “a sell out”, “a con man”, a “madman”, “a bully” and “crazy”.
In some ads, the campaign adopts Trump’s habit of giving opponents demeaning nicknames, referring to him as “crazy Donald”.
Many ads refer to Trump’s use of Twitter. “Do President Trump’s tweets make you just want to get away?” one reads. “Mike Bloomberg will put an end to the dysfunction and bring calm, steady leadership.”
Perhaps the campaign is relying on the fact that most Facebook users do not use Twitter. If they did, they might have noticed that over the last several days, Bloomberg has himself been engaged in a decidedly puerile Twitter fight, with Trump.
Michael Barton and Joseph Smith contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-02-21--Trump dismisses reports of Russian interference in 2020 election as 'disinformation'  – video

Donald Trump has dismissed reports of Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election to his benefit as 'disinformation ' at @ @ @ @ @ the day before the democrats are due to hold the Nevada caucuses Trump had previously @ @ @ @ @ community ’ s conclusion that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election to help him @ @ @

Donald Trump has dismissed reports of Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election to his benefit as 'disinformation' at a rally in Las Vegas the day before the democrats are due to hold the Nevada caucuses.
Trump had previously cast doubt on the intelligence community’s conclusion that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election to help him beat Hillary Clinton


theguardian--2020-02-22--Nevada caucuses: Democrats prepare to vote in most diverse 2020 state yet

Nevada residents will be casting their votes in the “ first-in-the-west ” primary contest that will play a key role in choosing the Democratic candidate to take on Donald Trump .
Saturday ’ s caucuses could be a make-or-break moment for several Democratic contenders and mark the first voting in a state with a diverse electorate that more closely resembles the demographics of the US and the Democratic party .
Nevada is nearly 30 % Latino and 10 % black and has a rapidly growing Asian American population .
Polls have shown the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders with a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iowa and New Hampshire .
The first two states , which are 90 % white , also delivered strong results for the former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Pete Buttigieg , but polling has shown the more moderate candidate struggling with black and Latino voters .
The Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar , the other midwestern candidate vying for moderates , has also polled poorly with voters of color and has recently faced tough questions about her record as a prosecutor .
The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren had disappointing results in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate night in Las Vegas this week has re-energized her campaign .
Joe Biden ’ s poll numbers have continued to drop since his weak performance in the previous two contests , and another disappointing finish could jeopardize his bid for the presidency .
The billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg , who had an embarrassing first debate performance this week , is not on the ballot in Nevada due to his late entrance into the race .
Unlike private votes in traditional primaries , the caucuses have voters gather in groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them an opportunity to switch to a second choice if their first pick doesn ’ t gather enough support to be considered “ viable ” in that precinct .
It ’ s also the first time the state has offered early voting opportunities , and nearly 75,000 residents have already cast their ballots .
A majority were first-time caucus-goers , according to Democratic party officials .
Nevada Democrats have been scrambling to avoid the technology failures that caused chaos in the Iowa caucuses , due to mishaps involving an app .
Nevada officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ software to relay the votes , but a day before the election said they would instead rely on a more traditional phone hotline .
The last-minute changes have raised concerns that the counting could be slow or messy , and the party has said it can not commit to releasing same-day results after the caucuses , which begin at noon local time .
The campaigns have been devoting significant resources to Nevada in recent weeks , recognizing the importance of the race here , which is the second-to-last before 14 states vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been hosting rallies and canvassing events across Las Vegas and Reno in the final stretch , and many made appearances to support a union picket outside a resort on the Strip on the morning of the debate .
“ Nevada determines how things are going to go in the rest of the country , ” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline , secretary treasurer for the Culinary Union , the state ’ s most powerful labor group , which represents Las Vegas casino workers .
Immigrant communities were motivated to back a candidate who could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his deportations , she added : “ People are suffering .
They are scared to be separated from their kids.
” Attending an immigration forum this week in Vegas , José Echevarria , a 48-year-old from El Salvador , said he wanted to know what the Democrats would do to keep families together .
“ I feel like a bargaining chip because most candidates , they use us to get votes and when they get into office , they forget about us , ” said Echevarria , who has temporary protected status , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duke Williams , a 29-year-old University of Nevada , Reno , student who was raised in the city , said he considered voting early but thought the lines were too long .
He planned to return on Saturday , but hadn ’ t yet decided who to support : “ I grew up on a side of town where opportunities and benefits aren ’ t really provided .
I want my vote to be felt in this race .
”

Sam Levin in Reno and Maanvi Singh in Las Vegas

The Vermont senator Bernie Sanders won the caucuses in Nevada, solidifying his frontrunner status in the race for the Democratic nomination.
“We’ve brought together a multigenerational, multiracial coalition that is not only going to win Nevada, it’s going to sweep this country,” Sanders told supporters in San Antonio, Texas, after the Associated Press and several US networks projected his win.
With almost half of precincts officially reported, Sanders held a large lead on Saturday night. At this stage of results, the former vice-president Joe Biden appeared to be in second place, with the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Elizabeth Warren trailing behind.
The Nevada caucuses come at a critical moment in the Democratic primary, a week before the South Carolina race and just before Super Tuesday, in March, when 14 states will vote. In a state that is nearly 30% Latino, 10% black and has a rapidly growing Asian American community, the Nevada results were a compelling sign of Sanders’ strength in diverse states that more closely reflect the demographics of the Democratic party.
Bernie Sanders' rivals applaud his Nevada caucus win – video
The victory for the self-proclaimed democratic socialist follows strong results in Iowa and New Hampshire this month and his momentum comes as the support of more centrist Democratic voters remains divided among his rivals. With none of those moderate Democrats indicating they will drop out anytime soon, Sanders has a solid lead in the race to win the nomination and take on Trump.
Across Nevada, Sanders supporters celebrated on Saturday as it became clear early on that the senator was getting significant support at the caucuses. Unlike traditional private votes, the caucuses have voters gather in groups based on their top-choice candidate, allowing them to switch to a second choice if their first pick doesn’t garner enough support to get a delegate.
“Bernie Sanders means hope to me,” said Donny Brooks, a 19-year-old student caucusing at the University of Nevada, Reno. “Bernie represents a push against the status quo. A win for Bernie is like an actual win for the public.”
Nevada is the third contest in the Democratic primary race. The first two primary states, Iowa and New Hampshire, which are 90% white, also delivered strong results for Buttigieg. But the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, appeared to have been unable to capture strong support among Nevada’s diverse electorate.
Buttigieg, who took the stage in Vegas before his standing in the Nevada results was clear, directly targeted Sanders in his speech, criticizing the “inflexible, ideological revolution” of the Vermont senator and urging Democrats not to “rush to nominate” him.
Joe Biden shoots selfies with voters at Cheyenne high school in North Las Vegas. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Nevada’s “first-in-the-west” caucuses were also a major test for the campaign of the former vice-president Biden, who was a frontrunner in polls last year but performed poorly in the first two state contests. Biden gave a triumphant speech in Vegas before the results were finalized, and his campaign manager said he appeared to be in second place. “The press is ready to declare people dead quickly. We’re alive. We’re coming back,” Biden said to cheers. “We’re going to win in South Carolina, and then Super Tuesday.”
The Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, another midwestern candidate vying for moderates, had earned an unexpected third-place win in New Hampshire, but also polled poorly with voters of color. With 43% of precincts reporting, Klobuchar appeared to be near the bottom in Nevada.
Warren was pushing for a surge in Nevada after her widely celebrated performance at the debate days earlier in Las Vegas. The Massachusetts senator announced on Saturday she had raised $14m in the last 10 days, double the amount her campaign had set out as a goal ahead of the caucuses. She came in fourth in Nevada, making a path to the nomination increasingly difficult.
At a Saturday night rally in Seattle, Warren congratulated Sanders and thanked Nevada voters “for keeping me in the fight”. She emphasized her recent fundraising surge, adding, “We have a lot of states to go, and right now I can feel the momentum.”
The former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg was not on the ballot in Nevada due to his late entrance into the race, and the billionaire’s campaign has faced intense scrutiny this week after a particularly embarrassing first debate performance in Vegas.
After days of perma-blue skies, it was raining in Las Vegas on Saturday, with volunteers bracing against the conditions to welcome voters to their sites. On the Las Vegas Strip, hotel and casino workers streamed into the Bellagio, one of seven casino-resorts there that served as caucus sites.
Angelica Romero, 54, gained citizenship last year and said it was a privilege to cast her vote for the first time. Romero, who works as a guest room attendant on the Strip, was caucusing for Sanders. “The morals of Bernie are the same as those of my family and myself,” she said, mentioning his Medicare for All plan and his proposal for free college education.
Essie Richard. Photograph: Sam Levin/The Guardian
At Sparks high school in northern Nevada, a group of Sanders supporters were the first to arrive hours before the caucus, encouraging voters to back the Vermont senator as they lined up.
Essie Richard, a 73-year-old resident, was not swayed.
“I’m Biden all the way. He was vice-president for eight years. He has the experience,” said Richard, adding that protecting social security and Medicare was the most important issue to her: “I’m barely surviving.”
Naomi Zamarripa, an 18-year-old high school senior, also arrived early to caucus in Sparks and said she was excited to cast her first vote for Sanders: “I love his commitment. He’s been around for so long. He keeps fighting and stays true to his beliefs.”
Naomi Zamarripa. Photograph: Sam Levin/The Guardian
Linda Hunt, a 68-year-old Sparks voter who showed up to caucus with “Nevada for Bernie” signs, said it was hard not to be moved by Sanders’ message: “To be truthful, I love his passion, how he feels about the way we are supposed to be going in this world.” She said she was also terrified of four more years of Trump: “This guy in the White House will be the end of life as we know it.”
This was the first year Nevada offered early voting opportunities, and nearly 75,000 residents had cast their votes before Saturday. A majority were first-time caucus-goers, according to Democratic party officials.
“Nevada determines how things are going to go in the rest of the country,” said Geoconda Argüello-Kline, the secretary treasurer for the Culinary Union, the state’s most powerful labor group, which represents Las Vegas casino workers.
Nevada Democrats had been scrambling for weeks to avoid the technology failures that caused chaos in the Iowa caucuses, due to mishaps involving an app. Results on Saturday trickled in slowly, as Nevada officials tabulated the results.
Elizabeth Warren greets supporters during a visit to a caucus site at Coronado high school in Henderson. Photograph: David Becker/Getty Images
Cat Dow, 29-year-old Reno voter, said she was excited that this was an election with two candidates she actually liked – Sanders and Warren. “Elizabeth’s debate really shook me. I love her, she kicked ass, everything she said was so salient and so relevant and she was so tough.” But Dow, who works in computer technology, said she was sticking with Sanders, adding: “I want the national embarrassment out of office more than anything else.”
Just minutes before the process started, Sam Difulvio, a 19-year-old Reno student, said she was still torn between the two progressive candidates: “I’m trying to hone in on their character and see who I like as a person. I want to hear what normal people have to say about the candidates.”
At one precinct at the university, Sanders won overwhelming support, leaving a small handful of Buttigieg and Warren supporters unable to win a delegate. Carissa Bradley, a 23-year-old Warren fan in the group, said she hoped Nevada would move away from the caucus system in the future: “It’s super archaic. It’s not conducive to introverts or people who aren’t politically active. And it creates issues for people who work on the weekends or can’t take all this time off.”
Bradley said she was ready to back any nominee: “It doesn’t matter who becomes the candidate – as long as we all vote blue.”


theguardian--2020-02-22--Barack Obama isn't running in 2020 – so why is he in all the campaign ads?

As Democrats vote in Nevada ’ s caucuses on Saturday , they do so having been inundated with an ad from Senator Elizabeth Warren ’ s campaign featuring Barack Obama praising her .
Days later in South Carolina , when Democrats go to vote , they will have been bombarded by four different Democratic presidential campaigns with ads suggesting Obama favors each campaign ’ s candidate the most .
But the former president has not endorsed any candidate in the primary and is not expected to anytime soon .
No candidate has directly asked for Obama ’ s endorsement either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring the popular former Democratic president praising their candidates is a sign of how influential the specter of Obama remains in this primary .
It is also an indicator of the value of appearing to carry the Obama mantle .
The ads have been tailored to each candidate ’ s ideal identity to voters .
Warren ’ s ad , for instance , features Obama calling her one of the “ fiercest advocates for the middle class ” who is also “ tough ” .
A Mike Bloomberg ad describes how the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together on gun control issues – a signature Bloomberg issue – with the president calling him a “ leader ” .
The ad has received blowback from former Obama staffers , though , and the relationship between Bloomberg and Obama is complicated .
In South Carolina , a Joe Biden campaign ad features clips of Obama , as a narrator describes the president ushering in Obamacare into law and then switches to saying Biden will never let Obamacare be repealed .
There too , the intention is clear : tie the candidate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used Biden ’ s time as vice-president to Obama to bash his rival candidate Pete Buttigieg , former mayor of South Bend , Indiana .
Another Biden campaign ad just splices together clips of Obama praising his former vice-president .
The billionaire Tom Steyer , another Democratic presidential candidate , has aired an ad in South Carolina that works harder to connect him to Obama .
Steyer is a comparative newcomer to national political campaigns and his ties to Obama are more shallow than those of , say , Biden or Warren .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the popular Obama campaign rally phrase “ fired up , ready to go !
” saying : “ My God , Tom ’ s fired up and [ Donald ] Trump got to go .
”

As Democrats vote in Nevada’s caucuses on Saturday, they do so having been inundated with an ad from Senator Elizabeth Warren’s campaign featuring Barack Obama praising her.
Days later in South Carolina, when Democrats go to vote, they will have been bombarded by four different Democratic presidential campaigns with ads suggesting Obama favors each campaign’s candidate the most.
But the former president has not endorsed any candidate in the primary and is not expected to anytime soon. No candidate has directly asked for Obama’s endorsement either.
Still, the trend of campaigns featuring the popular former Democratic president praising their candidates is a sign of how influential the specter of Obama remains in this primary. It is also an indicator of the value of appearing to carry the Obama mantle.
The ads have been tailored to each candidate’s ideal identity to voters. Warren’s ad, for instance, features Obama calling her one of the “fiercest advocates for the middle class” who is also “tough”.
People told me the CFPB could never happen, but it did. I was proud to fight alongside President @BarackObama for middle-class families. I know how to fight—and I know how to win. pic.twitter.com/zYppPvgwtL — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 5, 2020
A Mike Bloomberg ad describes how the former president and former New York mayor worked together on gun control issues – a signature Bloomberg issue – with the president calling him a “leader”.
The ad has received blowback from former Obama staffers, though, and the relationship between Bloomberg and Obama is complicated.
In South Carolina, a Joe Biden campaign ad features clips of Obama, as a narrator describes the president ushering in Obamacare into law and then switches to saying Biden will never let Obamacare be repealed. There too, the intention is clear: tie the candidate to Obama.
The Biden campaign has also used Biden’s time as vice-president to Obama to bash his rival candidate Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
Another Biden campaign ad just splices together clips of Obama praising his former vice-president.
The billionaire Tom Steyer, another Democratic presidential candidate, has aired an ad in South Carolina that works harder to connect him to Obama. Steyer is a comparative newcomer to national political campaigns and his ties to Obama are more shallow than those of, say, Biden or Warren. So the ad features the woman behind the popular Obama campaign rally phrase “fired up, ready to go!” saying: “My God, Tom’s fired up and [Donald] Trump got to go.”