theguardian--2020-03-11--What do Joe Biden’s wins mean? Our panelists weigh in

Art Cullen : ‘ Voters think Biden is most electable ’ Democratic voters in exit polls agree with Bernie Sanders on the issues .
They favor universal healthcare .
They don ’ t trust billionaires and think the system is rigged against average people .
But they didn ’ t agree that the Vermont senator is their best bet to beat Donald Trump .
The establishment didn ’ t lock Bernie out .
Black voters across the south made the pragmatic decision that Joe Biden is the man to unseat the US president .
A broad coalition of voters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a college degree , took their cue from South Carolina and flocked around Biden .
It was a flood on Tuesday .
Florida and Georgia are ready to pile on the bandwagon .
Turnout is up across the nation , especially in Michigan , where Biden and not Sanders is the beneficiary .
Democrats are declaring they can not tolerate any more Trump .
They believe Biden can manage a panic .
The wave has laid Sanders asunder .
The hope for the republic is that Sanders supporters can quickly come to terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the presumptive nominee , Biden .
• None Art Cullen is editor of the Storm Lake Times in north-west Iowa , where he won the Pulitzer prize for editorial writing .
He is a Guardian US columnist and author of Storm Lake : Change , Resilience , and Hope , now out in paperback Tuesday ’ s decisive victories for Joe Biden show me a few things : debates don ’ t matter , media endorsements don ’ t matter , grassroots campaigns don ’ t matter , money doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter , scandal doesn ’ t matter , gaffes don ’ t matter and having the support of the Democratic Socialists of America ’ s Brooklyn branch and everyone under 30 doesn ’ t matter either .
So what matters to the majority of Democrats at this moment ?
Getting Donald Trump out of office , which is why , I suspect , primary voters went for what they see as the safe choice instead of the candidate promising free healthcare , free college , free puppies and pizza every Friday ( and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ?
Billionaires ! )
.
That , or young people were too busy making TikToks to show up .
What I ’ m curious about is what comes next : will the legions of young people who knocked on doors and memed their hearts out for Sanders become so disillusioned by the Democratic party that they sit out the general election , write in Bernie Sanders , lodge a protest vote for Trump or leave the party altogether ?
It ’ s possible , which means the Biden vote might not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None Katie Herzog is a writer for the Stranger Benjamin Dixon : ‘ Do I still belong in the Democratic party ?
’ It is a surreal feeling seeing the Democratic party establishment celebrate their victories in tonight ’ s primaries when that victory all but ensures Donald Trump another four years .
It ’ s a strange sensation seeing people in their righteous indignation and in their conviction align themselves with the wrong side of history .
No .
Because they rejected the hurting , the marginalized , and the left out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party is what it is because it fights for justice without ceasing .
The progressive wing has not always gotten it right , but the mistakes were never because we wanted to maintain power at the expense of the powerless .
If we ’ re honest with each other , we don ’ t want the same things .
We want Medicare for All .
You want to maintain a system that allows profiteers to exploit the sick and the dying for profits .
We want to cancel student debt ; you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next 30 years to pay off a six-figure education that only cost you four figures .
We just don ’ t want the same things .
We ’ ve outgrown each other .
We ’ ve come to terms with the reality that we probably should go our separate ways .
• None Benjamin Dixon is the host of the Benjamin Dixon show Malaika Jabali : ‘ Our party is more divided than ever ’ Democratic primary voters made it clearer today that they would stand behind the man who promised that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s elected president .
The party has compelled voters to choose the lesser of two evils for so long that basic goods – in the way of Sanders ’ proposals for Medicare for All and free college tuition for instance – seem like snake oil .
But the real ruse – drummed up incessantly by the Democratic party ’ s establishment –is that only a centrist can defeat a Republican in the general election .
With Sanders losing delegate-rich Michigan and probably the nomination , November will probably once again test this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be sufficient to excite Democrats into voting him out of office .
But with four months of debates featuring a stumbling Joe Biden , Ukraine and Hunter Biden being the new “ what about her emails ” , and focus on Biden ’ s actual policies , it is hard not to imagine this excitement waning for those on the margins in swing states who have yet to vote and who may not vote at all in the primaries .
November will also test the limits of the Democratic party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arguably deeper fissures in the party now than in 2016 , what began as a crack seems like a faultline between the party ’ s younger , progressive voters and older ones committed to turning things to “ normal ” .
The normal for millennials and Gen-Z , however , is crushing student loan debt , financial insecurity , and a weakened social safety net , whether Trump or Biden is in office .
Even if Biden temporarily pulls these groups together on a single day in November , the inability of party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country actually cares about will continue to divide the country .
Lloyd Green : ‘ The wind is in Biden ’ s back .
Trump has reason to worry ’ Once again , Joe Biden pummeled Bernie Sanders .
Suburban voters thundered and turnout went through the roof .
Donald Trump has reason to worry : Biden is a compelling foil to grumpy grandpa and the “ very stable genius ” .
Mississippi went for Biden by over 60 points .
In Missouri , Biden easily outpaced Hillary Clinton ’ s razor-thin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by double-digits .
Just four years earlier , Sanders had prevailed there .
At the end of the night , Biden may have gone six-for-six in Tuesday ’ s contests .
By the numbers , the Delaware Democrat ran ahead of Sanders in Obama-Trump counties .
In the current climate , voters preferred a candidate possessing an even-temper , an unforced smile and meaningful experience .
Make no mistake , Biden is no Hillary Clinton .
His favorability rating is a net positive , the electorate views him as honest .
Looking ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s back .
Next week , Florida and 219 of its delegates are on the line .
Polls show Biden surging in the Sunshine State .
There , African-Americans and seniors are energized for Biden while Cuban and Jewish Americans have soured on Sanders .
Heads Biden wins , tails Sanders loses .
Biden ’ s nomination sits on the cusp of inevitability .
He has reassembled the coalition that flipped the House of Representatives .
If it holds , come January 2021 the incumbent would be leaving office as a failed one-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attorney in New York .
He was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992 This is the beginning of the end for the campaign of Bernie Sanders .
Facing losses among the sort of rural and white voters without college degrees who were behind his successes in the 2016 primary , his path to the nomination has narrowed to the point that it is imperceptible .
Michigan , which he won in 2016 and lost this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group that Sanders still wins handily – young voters – do not vote in sufficient numbers to make up for his losses in the suburbs , in rural towns , and among white and black working-class voters .
Everyone ’ s attention should now turn to negotiating Sanders ’ exit from the race in the way best calculated to defeat Donald Trump .
Sanders has built a powerful and proud movement which will not just help Biden but also down-ballot progressive causes and candidates in November , if only it can be won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for president again and much of his legacy will be determined by the role he plays between now and November .
Biden needs to show that he takes this movement seriously , and Sanders should respond by endorsing Biden speedily and campaigning for him with energy .
It ’ s the best way to send Trump into retirement , and to keep the hopes of the progressive movement alive • None Andrew Gawthorpe is a historian of the United States at Leiden University

Art Cullen, Katie Herzog, Benjamin Dixon, Malaika Jabali . Lloyd Green and Andrew Gawthorpe

Art Cullen: ‘Voters think Biden is most electable’
Democratic voters in exit polls agree with Bernie Sanders on the issues. They favor universal healthcare. They don’t trust billionaires and think the system is rigged against average people. But they didn’t agree that the Vermont senator is their best bet to beat Donald Trump. The establishment didn’t lock Bernie out. Black voters across the south made the pragmatic decision that Joe Biden is the man to unseat the US president. A broad coalition of voters, from suburban women to white men without a college degree, took their cue from South Carolina and flocked around Biden. It was a flood on Tuesday. Florida and Georgia are ready to pile on the bandwagon.
Turnout is up across the nation, especially in Michigan, where Biden and not Sanders is the beneficiary. Democrats are declaring they cannot tolerate any more Trump. They believe Biden can manage a panic. The wave has laid Sanders asunder. The hope for the republic is that Sanders supporters can quickly come to terms with the urgency of throwing their support behind the presumptive nominee, Biden.
Art Cullen is editor of the Storm Lake Times in north-west Iowa, where he won the Pulitzer prize for editorial writing. He is a Guardian US columnist and author of Storm Lake: Change, Resilience, and Hope, now out in paperback
Katie Herzog: ‘Voters want a safe choice: they chose Biden’
Tuesday’s decisive victories for Joe Biden show me a few things: debates don’t matter, media endorsements don’t matter, grassroots campaigns don’t matter, money doesn’t matter, big promises don’t matter, scandal doesn’t matter, gaffes don’t matter and having the support of the Democratic Socialists of America’s Brooklyn branch and everyone under 30 doesn’t matter either.
So what matters to the majority of Democrats at this moment? Getting Donald Trump out of office, which is why, I suspect, primary voters went for what they see as the safe choice instead of the candidate promising free healthcare, free college, free puppies and pizza every Friday (and who’s going to pay for it? Billionaires!). That, or young people were too busy making TikToks to show up.
What I’m curious about is what comes next: will the legions of young people who knocked on doors and memed their hearts out for Sanders become so disillusioned by the Democratic party that they sit out the general election, write in Bernie Sanders, lodge a protest vote for Trump or leave the party altogether? It’s possible, which means the Biden vote might not be the safe vote after all.
Katie Herzog is a writer for the Stranger
Benjamin Dixon: ‘Do I still belong in the Democratic party?’
It is a surreal feeling seeing the Democratic party establishment celebrate their victories in tonight’s primaries when that victory all but ensures Donald Trump another four years. It’s a strange sensation seeing people in their righteous indignation and in their conviction align themselves with the wrong side of history.
“Why? Because they rejected Bernie Sanders?”
No. Because they rejected the hurting, the marginalized, and the left out. The progressive wing of the Democratic party is what it is because it fights for justice without ceasing. The progressive wing has not always gotten it right, but the mistakes were never because we wanted to maintain power at the expense of the powerless.
If we’re honest with each other, we don’t want the same things.
We want Medicare for All. You want to maintain a system that allows profiteers to exploit the sick and the dying for profits. We want to cancel student debt; you want to see your children work for the next 30 years to pay off a six-figure education that only cost you four figures.
We just don’t want the same things. We’ve outgrown each other. We’ve come to terms with the reality that we probably should go our separate ways.
Benjamin Dixon is the host of the Benjamin Dixon show
Malaika Jabali: ‘Our party is more divided than ever’
Democratic primary voters made it clearer today that they would stand behind the man who promised that “nothing would fundamentally change” if he’s elected president. The party has compelled voters to choose the lesser of two evils for so long that basic goods – in the way of Sanders’ proposals for Medicare for All and free college tuition for instance – seem like snake oil. But the real ruse – drummed up incessantly by the Democratic party’s establishment –is that only a centrist can defeat a Republican in the general election.
With Sanders losing delegate-rich Michigan and probably the nomination, November will probably once again test this unproven theory. Four years of Trump may be sufficient to excite Democrats into voting him out of office. But with four months of debates featuring a stumbling Joe Biden, Ukraine and Hunter Biden being the new “what about her emails”, and focus on Biden’s actual policies, it is hard not to imagine this excitement waning for those on the margins in swing states who have yet to vote and who may not vote at all in the primaries.
November will also test the limits of the Democratic party’s so-called “unity” candidate. With arguably deeper fissures in the party now than in 2016, what began as a crack seems like a faultline between the party’s younger, progressive voters and older ones committed to turning things to “normal”. The normal for millennials and Gen-Z, however, is crushing student loan debt, financial insecurity, and a weakened social safety net, whether Trump or Biden is in office. Even if Biden temporarily pulls these groups together on a single day in November, the inability of party leaders to express commitment to the policies the country actually cares about will continue to divide the country.
Malaika Jabali is a freelance writer, activist and attorney
Lloyd Green: ‘The wind is in Biden’s back. Trump has reason to worry’
Once again, Joe Biden pummeled Bernie Sanders. Suburban voters thundered and turnout went through the roof. Donald Trump has reason to worry: Biden is a compelling foil to grumpy grandpa and the “very stable genius”.
Mississippi went for Biden by over 60 points. In Missouri, Biden easily outpaced Hillary Clinton’s razor-thin 2016 margin. Biden also captured Michigan by double-digits. Just four years earlier, Sanders had prevailed there. At the end of the night, Biden may have gone six-for-six in Tuesday’s contests.
By the numbers, the Delaware Democrat ran ahead of Sanders in Obama-Trump counties. In the current climate, voters preferred a candidate possessing an even-temper, an unforced smile and meaningful experience.
Make no mistake, Biden is no Hillary Clinton. His favorability rating is a net positive, the electorate views him as honest. Looking ahead, the wind is at Biden’s back.
Next week, Florida and 219 of its delegates are on the line. Polls show Biden surging in the Sunshine State. There, African-Americans and seniors are energized for Biden while Cuban and Jewish Americans have soured on Sanders. Heads Biden wins, tails Sanders loses.
Biden’s nomination sits on the cusp of inevitability. He has reassembled the coalition that flipped the House of Representatives. If it holds, come January 2021 the incumbent would be leaving office as a failed one-term president.
Lloyd Green is an attorney in New York. He was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush’s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992
Andrew Gawthrope: ‘Sanders must endorse Biden’
This is the beginning of the end for the campaign of Bernie Sanders. Facing losses among the sort of rural and white voters without college degrees who were behind his successes in the 2016 primary, his path to the nomination has narrowed to the point that it is imperceptible. Michigan, which he won in 2016 and lost this year, embodies this shift. The one group that Sanders still wins handily – young voters – do not vote in sufficient numbers to make up for his losses in the suburbs, in rural towns, and among white and black working-class voters.
Everyone’s attention should now turn to negotiating Sanders’ exit from the race in the way best calculated to defeat Donald Trump. Sanders has built a powerful and proud movement which will not just help Biden but also down-ballot progressive causes and candidates in November, if only it can be won over. Sanders will probably never run for president again and much of his legacy will be determined by the role he plays between now and November. Biden needs to show that he takes this movement seriously, and Sanders should respond by endorsing Biden speedily and campaigning for him with energy. It’s the best way to send Trump into retirement, and to keep the hopes of the progressive movement alive


theguardian--2020-03-11--Why Bernie Sanders lost Michigan – and what it means for his campaign | Cas Mudde

With the Democratic primaries down to two real candidates , only one state really mattered on mini-Super Tuesday : Michigan .
Bernie Sanders has staked his electability on his alleged unique ability to win swing states like Michigan , the so-called “ rust belt ” states that had fallen to Donald Trump in 2016 .
In fact , some of the most questionable decisions of his 2020 campaign – doing a Fox News Town Hall and touting a controversial endorsement by Joe Rogan – were based on the rationale that Sanders alone could win back white working-class voters who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite trailing in the polls by 25 % , he had eked out a narrow but significant win over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primaries .
Sanders supporters hoped this would play out again on Tuesday night , but it was not to be .
His loss to Joe Biden might not shake the belief of Sanders and his supporters that he , and he alone , can defeat Trump in November , but it most likely does end his chance at winning the Democratic nomination .
This should not really have come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hype after the first three primaries , in wildly unrepresentative and largely irrelevant states , Sanders was winning by pluralities between one-quarter and one-third of the vote .
In several cases his support was only half that of 2016 , suggesting his surprise success last time was as much anti-Clinton protest as pro-Sanders support .
Even when the field started to thin , Sanders only won a majority in his home state of Vermont , and only barely so .
While Super Tuesday was brutal for the large size of the Biden wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling .
Despite massive campaigning efforts in terms of both money and personnel and very favorable poll numbers for weeks , Sanders won just 34 % of the vote in California .
Biden , who had barely campaigned in the Golden State , came second with 27 % , just seven points behind .
After the disappointment of Super Tuesday , Sanders ’ campaign had prioritized Michigan , pulling out of Mississippi , doubling his organizational staff in the Great Lake state , spending millions on increasingly negative ads against Biden , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Cornel West , and Michael Moore .
In sharp contrast , Biden visited Michigan just once , in a rally where Cory Booker and Kamala Harris endorsed him , but he did use part of his new cash to narrowly outspend Sanders .
This time Sanders was not saved by “ an unexpected surge of younger voters ” , or by his “ firewall ” of blue-collar voters .
While Sanders did poll ahead of Biden among the young and among white Americans without a college education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s advantage among older , moderate and suburban white voters as well as older African American voters .
And this is pretty much the story of the Democratic primaries , at least since Super Tuesday .
To put it sarcastically : young people tweet , old people vote .
According to analyses of exit polls in 12 key states by the Harvard pollster John Della Volpe , the youth vote ( under 30 ) only increased in a minority of the contests .
In sharp contrast , turnout among those over 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with some huge increases among the oldest cohort ( over 65 ) – including in ( potential ) swing states such as New Hampshire , North Carolina and Virginia .
So , where does that leave Sanders and the Democratic primary race ?
Until Super Tuesday Sanders ran largely as an Independent , a “ democratic socialist ” attacking “ the Republican establishment ” and “ the Democratic establishment ” with equal fervor .
While this satisfied his core base , which has seemed much larger than it actually was because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media , it did little for the broader Democratic electorate .
After Super Tuesday Sanders tried to “ reset ” his campaign , mostly by prioritizing the midwestern states , by reaching out more to African American voters , and by attacking Biden ’ s track record .
He also doubled down with attacks on “ the corporate media ” and “ the Democratic establishment ” .
The Michigan results show that this strategy has not worked either .
The argument that Sanders should get the nomination even if he wins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly irrelevant .
The claim that only Sanders can mobilize two key groups in November , independents and young voters – which has always lacked empirical evidence – is further weakened by the lower turnout of young voters in the primaries .
At this rate , not only will Sanders fail to win a plurality of delegates – Biden could win a majority outright .
As Sanders ’ chances at the presidency start to fade , perhaps the most important part of his campaign is about to start : convincing his staunchest supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” crowd , to come out to vote for Biden in November .
Because however big Biden ’ s victory will be in the Democratic primaries , he can not defeat Trump without the vast majority of Sanders ’ supporters .
• None Cas Mudde is a Guardian US columnist and the Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF professor in the school of public and international affairs at the University of Georgia

With the Democratic primaries down to two real candidates, only one state really mattered on mini-Super Tuesday: Michigan. Bernie Sanders has staked his electability on his alleged unique ability to win swing states like Michigan, the so-called “rust belt” states that had fallen to Donald Trump in 2016. In fact, some of the most questionable decisions of his 2020 campaign – doing a Fox News Town Hall and touting a controversial endorsement by Joe Rogan – were based on the rationale that Sanders alone could win back white working-class voters who had abandoned the Democratic party for Trump.
Despite trailing in the polls by 25%, he had eked out a narrow but significant win over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primaries. Sanders supporters hoped this would play out again on Tuesday night, but it was not to be. His loss to Joe Biden might not shake the belief of Sanders and his supporters that he, and he alone, can defeat Trump in November, but it most likely does end his chance at winning the Democratic nomination.
This should not really have come as a surprise. Despite all the hype after the first three primaries, in wildly unrepresentative and largely irrelevant states, Sanders was winning by pluralities between one-quarter and one-third of the vote. In several cases his support was only half that of 2016, suggesting his surprise success last time was as much anti-Clinton protest as pro-Sanders support. Even when the field started to thin, Sanders only won a majority in his home state of Vermont, and only barely so.
While Super Tuesday was brutal for the large size of the Biden wins, the modest Sanders wins were equally telling. Despite massive campaigning efforts in terms of both money and personnel and very favorable poll numbers for weeks, Sanders won just 34% of the vote in California. Biden, who had barely campaigned in the Golden State, came second with 27%, just seven points behind.
After the disappointment of Super Tuesday, Sanders’ campaign had prioritized Michigan, pulling out of Mississippi, doubling his organizational staff in the Great Lake state, spending millions on increasingly negative ads against Biden, and holding rallies with his most popular surrogates, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cornel West, and Michael Moore. In sharp contrast, Biden visited Michigan just once, in a rally where Cory Booker and Kamala Harris endorsed him, but he did use part of his new cash to narrowly outspend Sanders.
This time Sanders was not saved by “an unexpected surge of younger voters”, or by his “firewall” of blue-collar voters. While Sanders did poll ahead of Biden among the young and among white Americans without a college education, they were not enough to offset Biden’s advantage among older, moderate and suburban white voters as well as older African American voters.
And this is pretty much the story of the Democratic primaries, at least since Super Tuesday. To put it sarcastically: young people tweet, old people vote. According to analyses of exit polls in 12 key states by the Harvard pollster John Della Volpe, the youth vote (under 30) only increased in a minority of the contests. In sharp contrast, turnout among those over 30 has been up in virtually every state, with some huge increases among the oldest cohort (over 65) – including in (potential) swing states such as New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia.
So, where does that leave Sanders and the Democratic primary race? Until Super Tuesday Sanders ran largely as an Independent, a “democratic socialist” attacking “the Republican establishment” and “the Democratic establishment” with equal fervor. While this satisfied his core base, which has seemed much larger than it actually was because of its disproportionate activity, organization and size on social media, it did little for the broader Democratic electorate.
After Super Tuesday Sanders tried to “reset” his campaign, mostly by prioritizing the midwestern states, by reaching out more to African American voters, and by attacking Biden’s track record. He also doubled down with attacks on “the corporate media” and “the Democratic establishment”. The Michigan results show that this strategy has not worked either.
The argument that Sanders should get the nomination even if he wins only a plurality of delegates is becoming increasingly irrelevant. The claim that only Sanders can mobilize two key groups in November, independents and young voters – which has always lacked empirical evidence – is further weakened by the lower turnout of young voters in the primaries. At this rate, not only will Sanders fail to win a plurality of delegates – Biden could win a majority outright.
As Sanders’ chances at the presidency start to fade, perhaps the most important part of his campaign is about to start: convincing his staunchest supporters, the so-called “Bernie or Bust” crowd, to come out to vote for Biden in November. Because however big Biden’s victory will be in the Democratic primaries, he cannot defeat Trump without the vast majority of Sanders’ supporters.


theguardian--2020-03-11--Bernie Sanders stays in race and looks forward to debating Biden in Arizona – video

Bernie Sanders will stay in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination despite suffering a series of sweeping losses to @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday he looked forward to a debate with the former vice-president on Sunday .
Sanders @ @ @ @ @ Biden in the count of delegates needed to win the nomination , but he said @ @ @ @ @ overarching goal of defeating Donald Trump in November 's general election • Five key takeaways @ @ @ @ @ wins pave way to nomination

Bernie Sanders will stay in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination despite suffering a series of sweeping losses to Joe Biden, saying on Wednesday he looked forward to a debate with the former vice-president on Sunday. Sanders acknowledged he was falling behind Biden in the count of delegates needed to win the nomination, but he said he was committed to the overarching goal of defeating Donald Trump in November's general election


theguardian--2020-03-11--'We share a common goal': Joe Biden after winning key battleground states – video

Joe Biden won Michigan ’ s Democratic primary , seizing a key battleground state that helped propel Bernie Sanders ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
The former vice-president 's victory in Michigan , alongside wins in Missouri and Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ to Sanders , who is urgently seeking to jump-start his flagging campaign .
Speaking in @ @ @ @ @ and his supporters for their passion and made an appeal for party unity : 'We @ @ @ @ @ together we 'll defeat Donald Trump '

Joe Biden won Michigan’s Democratic primary, seizing a key battleground state that helped propel Bernie Sanders’ insurgent candidacy four years ago. The former vice-president's victory in Michigan, alongside wins in Missouri and Mississippi, dealt a serious blow to Sanders, who is urgently seeking to jump-start his flagging campaign. Speaking in Philadelphia, Biden thanked Sanders and his supporters for their passion and made an appeal for party unity: 'We share a common goal and together we'll defeat Donald Trump'


theguardian--2020-03-11--Joe Biden spars with Michigan autoworker over guns – video

Joe Biden , frontrunner for the US Democratic presidential nomination , got into a heated exchange with an autoworker at @ @ @ @ @ overwhether he was going to take away people 's guns .
‘ You 're full @ @ @ @ @ told the man , who accused him of ‘ actively trying to end the second @ @ @ @ @ came during a typical election-day voting photo shoot at Detroit 's first new auto assembly @ @ @ @ @ another episode of Biden 's propensity for going off-script and undercutting his campaign 's desired @

Joe Biden, frontrunner for the US Democratic presidential nomination, got into a heated exchange with an autoworker at a campaign stop when questioned overwhether he was going to take away people's guns. ‘You're full of shit,’ Biden told the man, who accused him of ‘actively trying to end the second amendment'. The exchange came during a typical election-day voting photo shoot at Detroit's first new auto assembly plant in decades, marking another episode of Biden's propensity for going off-script and undercutting his campaign's desired messaging


theguardian--2020-03-13--Bernie or Bust: the Sanders fans who will never vote for Biden

Ekene Okonkwo studies political science , advocates for gun control and reproductive rights , and is voting in a presidential election for the first time this year .
But only if she can vote for Bernie Sanders .
The 19-year-old , who studies political science and lives in the Bronx , said the Vermont senator is the only candidate she trusts to deal with the issues she cares most about – on climate change , for instance , she called former vice-president Joe Biden ’ s plan “ unfeasible ” .
A vote for Biden , who is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would only give the party more reason to take her vote for granted , she said .
“ If we lose to Trump then hopefully within the next four years maybe an AOC or Rashida Tlaib would be able to run , ” Okonkwo said , referring to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and another progressive politician who has gained popularity in the last two years .
“ Maybe there would be a better chance to save the planet.
” Okonkwo is not alone in her unequivocal and uncompromising support for Sanders .
She is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes uniting under hashtags like # BernieorBust or # NeverBiden who say they will not vote for Biden if he wins the nomination .
While it ’ s nearly impossible to know how large the group is , hundreds of people have shared this sentiment , including progressive political candidates .
It may be impossible to quantify their number , but not their influence .
Those Democrats who will not yield to a moderate and vote for Biden if he wins the nomination are the same group who are sometimes blamed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when disappointed Sanders fans sat out the general election .
And the past few weeks have been hard to swallow for Sanders fans .
After a strong early showing in Iowa , Nevada and New Hampshire his star faded on Super Tuesday .
Supporters were left disappointed again this week when he lost to Biden in Michigan , where he edged out Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
This poor performance is partly due to an unexpectedly weak youth vote – despite Sanders ’ vaunted ability to mobilise younger Americans .
As the Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Democratic candidates rush to endorse Biden , the # BernieorBust fans are grappling with a repeat of 2016 .
It ’ s hard to tell how their decision could affect the election , but in 2016 , a similar group of people who boycotted Hillary Clinton on election day contributed to her loss in swing states like Florida , where more than 200,000 people voted for independent candidates such as Gary Johnson or Jill Stein .
“ If you distrust something , you are more likely to opt out of it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow at the Brookings Institution .
And Sanders supporters don ’ t trust the Democratic party .
“ They think its political sabotage , and not allowing Bernie to have a fair shot .
So what do people do ?
They opt out.
” Martha Baez , a 54-year-old who works in finance , is one of those voters .
She is registered as an independent and voted for Jill Stein in 2016 .
“ There was failure in getting me out to the polls with the ‘ lesser of two evils ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argument that whatever Clinton ’ s perceived flaws , she was better than Trump .
This year , Baez is planning to vote for Sanders in the New York primary , and will not vote for Biden if he is the nominee in November .
But she said her real issue was not with the specific candidate , but losing trust in the Democratic party .
“ I don ’ t think that I should put aside my values and vote out of fear , ” she said .
“ The DNC needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real leaders that represent the people not its donors.
” The impact on the supreme court or other policies , she said , was not her responsibility .
“ Why is that my problem ?
” she said .
“ Shouldn ’ t it have been considered before selecting the ‘ chosen one ’ ?
Will they try and flip the script and make it my issue or fault ?
” Jessica Wright , an avid Sanders supporter in east Texas , tweeted that she was # BernieorBust after his Super Tuesday defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was angry that other Democratic candidates had dropped out just before the big primary day to endorse Joe Biden , and wanted the “ so-called Democratic establishment ” to know they were letting down people like her .
Wright , 37 , works at a hospital and said she and her husband live paycheck to paycheck .
She said Sanders ’ policies would be the best for her family , including family members married to immigrants struggling to gain citizenship status in the US .
But given that a Trump election could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointees and other harmful policies , she is still considering voting for Biden , or at the very least , voting down ballot in other , non-presidential races on election day .
“ For me not voting would be to send a message : what you ’ ve done is not OK , ” Wright said .
“ I wish there was a way to vote for [ Biden ] and still send that message.
” Stephen Ansolabehere , a Harvard government professor who studies political campaigns , said there is a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , even if it ’ s not a big enough group to swing the result .
But he said what determines whether or not Sanders supporters will show up for Biden depends on how the latter treats them in the coming months .
“ When you lose [ your candidate ] it ’ s like a death in the family , ” he said .
“ That ’ s the bitterness of the emotions .
Biden knows that bitterness so he could be empathetic and bring those people back to the fold.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1988 Democratic primary , when frontrunner Michael Dukakis reached a compromise with his opponent Jesse Jackson by changing party rules to tie the delegate vote more closely to the popular vote , giving Jackson a partial victory .
Ansolabehere also pointed out that Sanders ’ progressive movement relies heavily on young people going to the polls .
But even if they are politically engaged , this subset of voters consistently deals with more hurdles to register to vote because of restrictive voting policies around address changes and identification .
In New Hampshire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many young voters have a driver ’ s license to vote .
“ It ’ s hard to organize a campaign around younger generations , ” Ansolabehere said .
“ You only have 50 % chance of being registered when you ’ re 18 years old.
” And that could have played a role during Super Tuesday , when youth turnout ( ages 18 to 29 ) was only an estimated 14 % in Virginia , and 5 % in Tennessee , according to a Tufts University exit poll .
Ray also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well ” and probably affected turnout for Sanders .
But he said that the group that is more likely to determine the election is the 11 % of white voters , mostly suburban and often women , who switched from Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump in the last election .
For Sanders ’ supporters , these obstacles only drive home the frustration around an election system that they say works against their candidate .
Habiba Choudhary , a Sanders supporter who was canvassing in Michigan , saw the long polling station lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dearborn and perceived this as a way to rig the election in favor of Biden .
The New York-based 28-year-old , who identifies with the # BernieorBust movement , said the senator ’ s message resonated with her family , Bangladeshi immigrants who share a one-bedroom apartment in Queens .
Sanders seemed to be the only candidate whose policies could ease the plight of her father , a taxi driver dealing with healthcare issues , and her sister , who is straining to pay back student loans .
“ Enough is enough – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re sick and tired of it , ” she said .
“ [ Sanders ] gave me and other people that voice.
” Nevertheless , Choudhary said , she would follow Sanders ’ lead when it came to voting in November .
In 2016 , the senator accepted defeat after the primary , and went on to endorse Hillary Clinton in the presidential election .
“ I know Bernie is super consistent , ” she said .
“ His supporters are gon na come out for Biden .
”

Ekene Okonkwo studies political science, advocates for gun control and reproductive rights, and is voting in a presidential election for the first time this year. But only if she can vote for Bernie Sanders.
The 19-year-old, who studies political science and lives in the Bronx, said the Vermont senator is the only candidate she trusts to deal with the issues she cares most about – on climate change, for instance, she called former vice-president Joe Biden’s plan “unfeasible”. A vote for Biden, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee in November, would only give the party more reason to take her vote for granted, she said.
“If we lose to Trump then hopefully within the next four years maybe an AOC or Rashida Tlaib would be able to run,” Okonkwo said, referring to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and another progressive politician who has gained popularity in the last two years. “Maybe there would be a better chance to save the planet.”
Okonkwo is not alone in her unequivocal and uncompromising support for Sanders. She is part of a loosely connected but vocal group, sometimes uniting under hashtags like #BernieorBust or #NeverBiden who say they will not vote for Biden if he wins the nomination. While it’s nearly impossible to know how large the group is, hundreds of people have shared this sentiment, including progressive political candidates.
It may be impossible to quantify their number, but not their influence. Those Democrats who will not yield to a moderate and vote for Biden if he wins the nomination are the same group who are sometimes blamed for Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 when disappointed Sanders fans sat out the general election.
Bernie Sanders supporters at a campaign rally in Richmond, Virginia, on 27 February. Photograph: Zach Gibson/Getty Images
And the past few weeks have been hard to swallow for Sanders fans. After a strong early showing in Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire his star faded on Super Tuesday. Supporters were left disappointed again this week when he lost to Biden in Michigan, where he edged out Hillary Clinton in 2016. This poor performance is partly due to an unexpectedly weak youth vote – despite Sanders’ vaunted ability to mobilise younger Americans.
As the Sanders campaign reckons with the fallout, and former Democratic candidates rush to endorse Biden, the #BernieorBust fans are grappling with a repeat of 2016. It’s hard to tell how their decision could affect the election, but in 2016, a similar group of people who boycotted Hillary Clinton on election day contributed to her loss in swing states like Florida, where more than 200,000 people voted for candidates from outside the two major parties, such as Gary Johnson or Jill Stein.
“If you distrust something, you are more likely to opt out of it,” said Rashawn Ray, a governance fellow at the Brookings Institution. And Sanders supporters don’t trust the Democratic party. “They think its political sabotage, and not allowing Bernie to have a fair shot. So what do people do? They opt out.”
Martha Baez, a 54-year-old who works in finance, is one of those voters. She is registered as an independent and voted for Jill Stein in 2016. “There was failure in getting me out to the polls with the ‘lesser of two evils’ theory”, she said of the argument that whatever Clinton’s perceived flaws, she was better than Trump.
This year, Baez is planning to vote for Sanders in the New York primary, and will not vote for Biden if he is the nominee in November. But she said her real issue was not with the specific candidate, but losing trust in the Democratic party. “I don’t think that I should put aside my values and vote out of fear,” she said. “The DNC needs an overhaul, it lacks values, real leaders that represent the people not its donors.”
The impact on the supreme court or other policies, she said, was not her responsibility.
“Why is that my problem?” she said. “Shouldn’t it have been considered before selecting the ‘chosen one’? Will they try and flip the script and make it my issue or fault?”
Jessica Wright, an avid Sanders supporter in east Texas, tweeted that she was #BernieorBust after his Super Tuesday defeat in her state. She said she was angry that other Democratic candidates had dropped out just before the big primary day to endorse Joe Biden, and wanted the “so-called Democratic establishment” to know they were letting down people like her.
Wright, 37, works at a hospital and said she and her husband live paycheck to paycheck. She said Sanders’ policies would be the best for her family, including family members married to immigrants struggling to gain citizenship status in the US. But given that a Trump election could be worse, and herald new conservative court appointees and other harmful policies, she is still considering voting for Biden, or at the very least, voting down ballot in other, non-presidential races on election day.
“For me not voting would be to send a message: what you’ve done is not OK,” Wright said. “I wish there was a way to vote for [Biden] and still send that message.”
Stephen Ansolabehere, a Harvard government professor who studies political campaigns, said there is a similar “sour grapes” group during every election, even if it’s not a big enough group to swing the result. But he said what determines whether or not Sanders supporters will show up for Biden depends on how the latter treats them in the coming months.
“When you lose [your candidate] it’s like a death in the family,” he said. “That’s the bitterness of the emotions. Biden knows that bitterness so he could be empathetic and bring those people back to the fold.” He gave the example of the 1988 Democratic primary, when frontrunner Michael Dukakis reached a compromise with his opponent Jesse Jackson by changing party rules to tie the delegate vote more closely to the popular vote, giving Jackson a partial victory.
Ansolabehere also pointed out that Sanders’ progressive movement relies heavily on young people going to the polls. But even if they are politically engaged, this subset of voters consistently deals with more hurdles to register to vote because of restrictive voting policies around address changes and identification. In New Hampshire, for example, a Republican-backed law requires that many young voters have a driver’s license to vote.
“It’s hard to organize a campaign around younger generations,” Ansolabehere said. “You only have 50% chance of being registered when you’re 18 years old.” And that could have played a role during Super Tuesday, when youth turnout (ages 18 to 29) was only an estimated 14% in Virginia, and 5% in Tennessee, according to a Tufts University exit poll.
Ray also said “voter suppression is alive and well” and probably affected turnout for Sanders. But he said that the group that is more likely to determine the election is the 11% of white voters, mostly suburban and often women, who switched from Barack Obama in 2012 to Trump in the last election.
For Sanders’ supporters, these obstacles only drive home the frustration around an election system that they say works against their candidate.
03:19 Joe Biden: six key policies from his 2020 presidential campaign – video report
Habiba Choudhary, a Sanders supporter who was canvassing in Michigan, saw the long polling station lines firsthand on Tuesday in Sanders-friendly communities like Dearborn and perceived this as a way to rig the election in favor of Biden. The New York-based 28-year-old, who identifies with the #BernieorBust movement, said the senator’s message resonated with her family, Bangladeshi immigrants who share a one-bedroom apartment in Queens.
Sanders seemed to be the only candidate whose policies could ease the plight of her father, a taxi driver dealing with healthcare issues, and her sister, who is straining to pay back student loans. “Enough is enough – we tried the neoliberalism and we’re sick and tired of it,” she said. “[Sanders] gave me and other people that voice.”
Nevertheless, Choudhary said, she would follow Sanders’ lead when it came to voting in November. In 2016, the senator accepted defeat after the primary, and went on to endorse Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.
“I know Bernie is super consistent,” she said. “His supporters are gonna come out for Biden.”


theguardian--2020-03-13--Trump used to flirt with anti-vaxxers. Now he is demanding a coronavirus vaccine | H Holden Thorpe

“ Do me a favor , speed it up , speed it up.
” This is what Donald Trump told the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference , recounting what he said to pharmaceutical executives about the progress toward a vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 ( Sars-CoV-2 ) , the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( Covid-19 ) .
Anthony Fauci , the longtime leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has been telling the president repeatedly that developing the vaccine will take at least a year and a half – the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump thought that simply repeating his request would change the outcome .
China has rightfully taken criticism for squelching attempts by scientists to report information during the outbreak .
Now , the United States government is doing similar things .
Informing Fauci and other government scientists that they must clear all public comments with Mike Pence , the vice-president , is unacceptable .
This is not a time for someone who denies evolution , the climate crisis and the dangers of smoking to shape the public message .
Thank goodness Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , and their colleagues across federal agencies are willing to soldier on and are gradually getting the message out .
While scientists are trying to share facts about the epidemic , the administration either blocks those facts or restates them with contradictions .
Transmission rates and death rates are not measurements that can be changed with will and an extroverted presentation .
The administration has repeatedly said – as it did last week – that virus spread in the United States is contained , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community spread is occurring in Washington state and beyond .
That kind of distortion and denial is dangerous and almost certainly contributed to the federal government ’ s sluggish response .
After three years of debating whether the words of this administration matter , the words are now clearly a matter of life and death .
And although the steps required to produce a vaccine could possibly be made more efficient , many of them depend on biological and chemical processes that are essential .
So the president might just as well have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hurry up that warp drive.
” I don ’ t expect politicians to know Maxwell ’ s equations for electromagnetism or the Diels-Alder chemical reaction ( although I can dream ) .
But you can ’ t insult science when you don ’ t like it and then suddenly insist on something that science can ’ t give on demand .
For the past four years , Trump ’ s budgets have made deep cuts to science , including cuts to funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disregard for science of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and the stalled naming of a director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy – all to support political goals – the nation has had nearly four years of harming and ignoring science .
Now , the president suddenly needs science .
But the centuries spent elucidating fundamental principles that govern the natural world – evolution , gravity , quantum mechanics – involved laying the groundwork for knowing what we can and can not do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , apply inductive reasoning and subject findings to scrutiny by peers have been proven over the years to give rise to robust knowledge .
These processes are being applied to the Covid-19 crisis through international collaboration at breakneck , unprecedented speed ; Science published two new papers earlier this month on Sars-CoV-2 , and more are on the way .
But the same concepts that are used to describe nature are used to create new tools .
So , asking for a vaccine and distorting the science at the same time are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a fundamental scientific basis .
It has to be manufacturable .
It has to be safe .
This could take a year and a half – or much longer .
Pharmaceutical executives have every incentive to get there quickly – they will be selling the vaccine after all – but thankfully , they also know that you can ’ t break the laws of nature to get there .
Maybe we should be happy .
Earlier in his administration , the president declared his skepticism of vaccines and tried to launch an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loves vaccines .
But do us a favor , Mr President .
If you want something , start treating science and its principles with respect .
• None H Holden Thorp is the editor in chief of Science • None Do Us a Favor by H Holden Thorp , in SCIENCE 367 : 1169 ( 13 March 2020 ) , was republished with permission from AAAS

“Do me a favor, speed it up, speed it up.” This is what Donald Trump told the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference, recounting what he said to pharmaceutical executives about the progress toward a vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Anthony Fauci, the longtime leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been telling the president repeatedly that developing the vaccine will take at least a year and a half – the same message conveyed by pharmaceutical executives. Apparently, Trump thought that simply repeating his request would change the outcome.
China has rightfully taken criticism for squelching attempts by scientists to report information during the outbreak. Now, the United States government is doing similar things. Informing Fauci and other government scientists that they must clear all public comments with Mike Pence, the vice-president, is unacceptable. This is not a time for someone who denies evolution, the climate crisis and the dangers of smoking to shape the public message. Thank goodness Fauci, Francis Collins, the director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), and their colleagues across federal agencies are willing to soldier on and are gradually getting the message out.
While scientists are trying to share facts about the epidemic, the administration either blocks those facts or restates them with contradictions. Transmission rates and death rates are not measurements that can be changed with will and an extroverted presentation. The administration has repeatedly said – as it did last week – that virus spread in the United States is contained, when it is clear from genomic evidence that community spread is occurring in Washington state and beyond. That kind of distortion and denial is dangerous and almost certainly contributed to the federal government’s sluggish response. After three years of debating whether the words of this administration matter, the words are now clearly a matter of life and death.
And although the steps required to produce a vaccine could possibly be made more efficient, many of them depend on biological and chemical processes that are essential. So the president might just as well have said, “Do me a favor, hurry up that warp drive.”
I don’t expect politicians to know Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetism or the Diels-Alder chemical reaction (although I can dream). But you can’t insult science when you don’t like it and then suddenly insist on something that science can’t give on demand. For the past four years, Trump’s budgets have made deep cuts to science, including cuts to funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NIH. With this administration’s disregard for science of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the stalled naming of a director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy – all to support political goals – the nation has had nearly four years of harming and ignoring science.
Now, the president suddenly needs science. But the centuries spent elucidating fundamental principles that govern the natural world – evolution, gravity, quantum mechanics – involved laying the groundwork for knowing what we can and cannot do. The ways that scientists accumulate and analyze evidence, apply inductive reasoning and subject findings to scrutiny by peers have been proven over the years to give rise to robust knowledge. These processes are being applied to the Covid-19 crisis through international collaboration at breakneck, unprecedented speed; Science published two new papers earlier this month on Sars-CoV-2, and more are on the way. But the same concepts that are used to describe nature are used to create new tools. So, asking for a vaccine and distorting the science at the same time are shockingly dissonant.
A vaccine has to have a fundamental scientific basis. It has to be manufacturable. It has to be safe. This could take a year and a half – or much longer. Pharmaceutical executives have every incentive to get there quickly – they will be selling the vaccine after all – but thankfully, they also know that you can’t break the laws of nature to get there.
Maybe we should be happy. Earlier in his administration, the president declared his skepticism of vaccines and tried to launch an anti-vaccine taskforce. Now he suddenly loves vaccines.
But do us a favor, Mr President. If you want something, start treating science and its principles with respect.


theguardian--2020-03-13--She's a legend in the fight against HIV. Now Dr Deborah Birx is taking on Covid-19

Of the three people leading the US response to coronavirus only one , Dr Deborah Birx , has previously been on the frontline against a mysterious virus which scientists couldn ’ t stop .
It was the 1980s and Birx was fresh out of medical school .
The virus was HIV .
At the medical center where Birx worked as a US army physician , healthy young men were dying in droves from an illness no one could name .
“ When you ’ re trained in medicine and it ’ s the 80s and you ’ ve got all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnose everything , ” Birx said in a Sep 2019 interview with the George W Bush Presidential Center , “ when you not only couldn ’ t make a diagnosis , you didn ’ t know what the problem was , and you didn ’ t know how to treat it , it was devastating.
” But instead of being cowed , Birx twisted her heartbreak and confusion into research and treatment .
In doing so , she embarked on a career dedicated to stopping HIV and Aids .
Having gone head-to-head with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for saving millions of lives , Birx has become something of a legend in the global health community .
Now her task is to stop the spread of Covid-19 .
“ When it is a matter of making tough decisions , she will do it , ” said Dr Carlos del Rio , a professor in the global health department at Emory University who has known Birx for more than 20 years .
“ And that , to me , is what we need right now.
” Birx will also need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , where she has been placed as one of three people leading the US coronavirus response .
The vice-president , Mike Pence , is overseeing a taskforce led by the health secretary , Alex Azar , but has said Birx is his “ right arm ” .
It is an unusual arrangement but Birx , one of the few political appointees of Barack Obama to survive into the Trump years , has made clear she can operate in such an environment .
In 2014 , Obama appointed her ambassador-at-large and global Aids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the the largest effort by any country to stop a single disease , the President ’ s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief , or Pepfar .
According to the state department , more than 17 million lives have been saved .
At Birx ’ s swearing-in , the secretary of state , John Kerry , shared how her foresight and intelligence about the disease may have saved her own life in 1983 , when Aids was still a mystery .
Birx was giving birth to her first daughter and had lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The doctor ordered a transfusion but Birx had read a report about the mystery disease and the risks of such a process .
“ Do not let them give me blood , ” she screamed , before passing out from pain .
Her husband followed her orders , stopping a transfusion the hospital later revealed would have been contaminated with HIV .
“ It made her think hard not just about the perils of this new disease , but about her responsibility to fight it , ” Kerry said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the sacrifices of infected soldiers helped define her commitment to fighting the disease .
“ They died with such courage and such willingness to try different things , realizing it may not help them , but it would help the person behind them , ” she said .
“ I just never saw that level of altruism , amidst just death and despair , from the patients themselves.
” She spent the next two decades helping to lead an influential HIV vaccine trial and providing important contributions to understanding the disease in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to colonel .
She was lured out of the military after George W Bush started Pepfar in 2003 .
The program began when drugs to manage HIV/Aids and prevent its transmission were available in the US but not in Africa , where millions were dying .
Birx joined two years later , overseeing programs led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) .
Her work has taken her around the globe to study and learn and to ensure US money funding such programs is used effectively .
Del Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Pepfar , said Birx had confronted global health leaders misusing US funds .
“ She doesn ’ t say , ‘ We ’ ll give you another opportunity , ’ ” he said .
“ She stands up to a minister of health and says : ‘ I ’ m sorry but we ’ re not doing that.
’ ” At one point , the World Health Organization called for people to stop using a HIV/Aids medicine .
Scientists at Pepfar thought it was the wrong call .
Birx listened to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the end of the day , she was right , ” Del Rio said .
“ This is the right decision .
She listened to the data , she looked at the data and she said , ‘ Let ’ s proceed.
’ She is a bold leader .
I have a lot of respect for her .
”

Of the three people leading the US response to coronavirus only one, Dr Deborah Birx, has previously been on the frontline against a mysterious virus which scientists couldn’t stop.
It was the 1980s and Birx was fresh out of medical school. The virus was HIV.
At the medical center where Birx worked as a US army physician, healthy young men were dying in droves from an illness no one could name.
“When you’re trained in medicine and it’s the 80s and you’ve got all this hi-tech stuff and this ability to diagnose everything,” Birx said in a Sep 2019 interview with the George W Bush Presidential Center, “when you not only couldn’t make a diagnosis, you didn’t know what the problem was, and you didn’t know how to treat it, it was devastating.”
But instead of being cowed, Birx twisted her heartbreak and confusion into research and treatment. In doing so, she embarked on a career dedicated to stopping HIV and Aids.
Having gone head-to-head with global health leaders while overseeing a program responsible for saving millions of lives, Birx has become something of a legend in the global health community.
Now her task is to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“When it is a matter of making tough decisions, she will do it,” said Dr Carlos del Rio, a professor in the global health department at Emory University who has known Birx for more than 20 years. “And that, to me, is what we need right now.”
Birx will also need to manage her role in a tumultuous White House, where she has been placed as one of three people leading the US coronavirus response.
The vice-president, Mike Pence, is overseeing a taskforce led by the health secretary, Alex Azar, but has said Birx is his “right arm”. It is an unusual arrangement but Birx, one of the few political appointees of Barack Obama to survive into the Trump years, has made clear she can operate in such an environment.
In 2014, Obama appointed her ambassador-at-large and global Aids coordinator. The latter role gave her control of the the largest effort by any country to stop a single disease, the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, or Pepfar. According to the state department, more than 17 million lives have been saved.
At Birx’s swearing-in, the secretary of state, John Kerry, shared how her foresight and intelligence about the disease may have saved her own life in 1983, when Aids was still a mystery.
Birx was giving birth to her first daughter and had lost a significant amount of blood, Kerry said. The doctor ordered a transfusion but Birx had read a report about the mystery disease and the risks of such a process.
“Do not let them give me blood,” she screamed, before passing out from pain.
Her husband followed her orders, stopping a transfusion the hospital later revealed would have been contaminated with HIV.
“It made her think hard not just about the perils of this new disease, but about her responsibility to fight it,” Kerry said.
In a September 2019 interview, Birx explained how the sacrifices of infected soldiers helped define her commitment to fighting the disease.
“They died with such courage and such willingness to try different things, realizing it may not help them, but it would help the person behind them,” she said. “I just never saw that level of altruism, amidst just death and despair, from the patients themselves.”
She spent the next two decades helping to lead an influential HIV vaccine trial and providing important contributions to understanding the disease in the military, where she was promoted to colonel. She was lured out of the military after George W Bush started Pepfar in 2003.
The program began when drugs to manage HIV/Aids and prevent its transmission were available in the US but not in Africa, where millions were dying. Birx joined two years later, overseeing programs led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Her work has taken her around the globe to study and learn and to ensure US money funding such programs is used effectively. Del Rio, who chairs the scientific advisory board for Pepfar, said Birx had confronted global health leaders misusing US funds.
“She doesn’t say, ‘We’ll give you another opportunity,’” he said. “She stands up to a minister of health and says: ‘I’m sorry but we’re not doing that.’”
At one point, the World Health Organization called for people to stop using a HIV/Aids medicine. Scientists at Pepfar thought it was the wrong call. Birx listened to them, then ignored the WHO.
“At the end of the day, she was right,” Del Rio said. “This is the right decision. She listened to the data, she looked at the data and she said, ‘Let’s proceed.’ She is a bold leader. I have a lot of respect for her.”


theguardian--2020-03-13--Donald Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus pandemic

Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday to combat the coronavirus pandemic , freeing up $ 50bn in federal funding and promising a screening website and drive-by tests .
The president was seeking to restore confidence after angering and worrying many with confusing and dismissive public remarks about the outbreak , which in the US has spread to 46 states with at least 1,920 cases and 41 deaths .
At a press conference in the White House rose garden , Trump announced : “ To unleash the full power of the federal government for this effort today I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very big words.
” The action will open access to more than $ 50bn , he said , urging states to set up emergency operation centers and hospitals to initiate emergency plans .
Trump has faced particular criticism over a nationwide shortage of testing kits which has been compared unfavourably with South Korea and other countries .
On Friday he paraded a series of major US companies entering into a public-private partnership in order to fix the shortfall .
Trump said his team expected “ half a million additional tests will be available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.4m tests next week and 5m in a month .
Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus.
” He could not resist adding : “ Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this .
Again , we don ’ t want everybody taking this test .
It ’ s totally unnecessary .
This will pass.
” Trump chose not to adopt a German-made test approved by the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) but when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blame for the US now having to play catch-up .
“ I don ’ t take responsibility at all , ” he said , “ because we were given a set of circumstances and we were given rules , regulations and specifications from a different time.
” He added : “ What we ’ ve done is redesign it very quickly with the help of the people around me … We ’ ll have the ability to do millions over a quick period of time.
” Trump also announced that he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by government agencies until further notice and was buying big quantities of crude oil for storage in the US strategic reserve .
“ It ’ s a good time to fill it up , ” he said .
The vice-president , Mike Pence ; Dr Anthony Fauci ; the health secretary , Alex Azar ; and other members of the coronavirus taskforce stood behind Trump .
He introduced corporate leaders who will be working with them .
Dr Deborah Birx , one of the leaders of response efforts , held up a chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fill out a screening questionnaire to work out of they need a test .
There will be “ drive-through ” testing centres in car parks at CVS , Target , Walmart and Walgreens stores .
Democrats welcomed the declaration .
Chuck Schumer , minority leader in the Senate , said : “ I ’ m pleased the president heeded our calls to invoke the Stafford Act to extend vital financial assistance to help keep communities safe from the coronavirus outbreak.
” But he added : “ As other steps are considered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or indulge his autocratic tendencies for purposes not truly related to this public health crisis.
” As coronavirus legislation negotiations continued on Capitol Hill , Trump said : “ We don ’ t think the Democrats are giving enough.
” Trump said he was invoking the law known as the 1988 Stafford Act , which gives the White House and the federal government special powers to assist state and local governments during “ natural catastrophes ” .
Only the president can declare a major disaster , under the law .
Trump has invoked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency , approving major disaster declarations to address flooding in the midwest and wildfires in California , among other events .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency , or Fema , is commonly associated with natural disaster response but it can also address pandemics .
Trump was asked if he would take a coronavirus test after being photographed with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro ’ s press secretary , who has tested positive for the virus , at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last weekend .
“ No , ” he said at first .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ But pressed on whether he was thereby putting other people at risk , the president reversed position and said he might take a test after all .

David Smith in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York

Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday to combat the coronavirus pandemic, freeing up $50bn in federal funding and promising a screening website and drive-by tests.
The president was seeking to restore confidence after angering and worrying many with confusing and dismissive public remarks about the outbreak, which in the US has spread to 46 states with at least 1,920 cases and 41 deaths.
At a press conference in the White House rose garden, Trump announced: “To unleash the full power of the federal government for this effort today I am officially declaring a national emergency – two very big words.”
The action will open access to more than $50bn, he said, urging states to set up emergency operation centers and hospitals to initiate emergency plans.
Trump has faced particular criticism over a nationwide shortage of testing kits which has been compared unfavourably with South Korea and other countries. On Friday he paraded a series of major US companies entering into a public-private partnership in order to fix the shortfall.
Trump said his team expected “half a million additional tests will be available early next week which will bring probably 1.4m tests next week and 5m in a month. Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus.”
He could not resist adding: “Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this. Again, we don’t want everybody taking this test. It’s totally unnecessary. This will pass.”
Trump chose not to adopt a German-made test approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) but when questioned by reporters he refused to take the blame for the US now having to play catch-up.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” he said, “because we were given a set of circumstances and we were given rules, regulations and specifications from a different time.”
He added: “What we’ve done is redesign it very quickly with the help of the people around me … We’ll have the ability to do millions over a quick period of time.”
The US military said later on Friday that it would halt all domestic travel, with some exceptions, for service members, defense department civilians and their families amid the fast-spreading coronavirus.
The memo, signed by defense deputy secretary David Norquist, said the policy would go into effect on Monday through 11 May.
It added that exceptions could be granted for mission essential travel, travel necessary for humanitarian reasons, and travel warranted due to extreme hardship.
01:57 Trump's changing reactions to coronavirus: from calm to closing borders – video report
Trump also announced that he would waive interest on all student loans held by government agencies until further notice and was buying big quantities of crude oil for storage in the US strategic reserve.
“It’s a good time to fill it up,” he said.
The vice-president, Mike Pence; Dr Anthony Fauci; the health secretary, Alex Azar; and other members of the coronavirus taskforce stood behind Trump. He introduced corporate leaders who will be working with them.
Dr Deborah Birx, one of the leaders of response efforts, held up a chart showing a website that will allow people to fill out a screening questionnaire to work out of they need a test. There will be “drive-through” testing centres in car parks at CVS, Target, Walmart and Walgreens stores.
Democrats welcomed the declaration. Chuck Schumer, minority leader in the Senate, said: “I’m pleased the president heeded our calls to invoke the Stafford Act to extend vital financial assistance to help keep communities safe from the coronavirus outbreak.”
But he added: “As other steps are considered, the president must not overstep his authority or indulge his autocratic tendencies for purposes not truly related to this public health crisis.”
As coronavirus legislation negotiations continued on Capitol Hill, Trump said: “We don’t think the Democrats are giving enough.”
Early on Saturday, the House overwhelmingly passed a coronavirus aid package that would provide free testing and paid sick leave, in a bid to limit the economic damage from a pandemic that has shuttered schools, sports arenas and offices.
By a bipartisan vote of 363 to 40, the Democratic-controlled House passed the multi-billion dollar effort that would expand safety-net programs to help those who could be thrown out of work in the weeks to come.
The 110-page bill is the product of extensive negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Mnuchin had pressed for tax cuts, while Pelosi had pushed to expand safety-net spending. It does not include the $1 trillion payroll tax cut that Trump had called for.
Pelosi and Trump have a frosty relationship, and the two did not speak directly. “There was no need for that,” Pelosi said at a news conference on Friday evening.
01:01 Coronavirus: Trump slams reporter for 'nasty question' over pandemic response team – video
Trump said he was invoking the law known as the 1988 Stafford Act, which gives the White House and the federal government special powers to assist state and local governments during “natural catastrophes”. Only the president can declare a major disaster, under the law.
Trump has invoked the Stafford Act many times during his presidency, approving major disaster declarations to address flooding in the midwest and wildfires in California, among other events. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or Fema, is commonly associated with natural disaster response but it can also address pandemics.
Trump was asked if he would take a coronavirus test after being photographed with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s press secretary, who has tested positive for the virus, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last weekend.
“No,” he said at first. “We have no symptoms whatsoever.”
But pressed on whether he was thereby putting other people at risk, the president reversed position and said he might take a test after all.
“Most likely, yes.”
Associated Press contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-03-13--Why Joe Biden won another week in US politics – and Republicans lost

The former vice-president cemented his lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic race with another string of primary victories on Tuesday – most significantly in Michigan , where the leftwing senator had sensationally beaten Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Biden currently holds a lead of 881 delegates to Sanders ’ 725 and the race moves next week to four states the Vermont socialist lost to Clinton last time : Arizona , Florida , Illinois and Ohio .
If Biden wins the swing state of Florida , especially , it could be a knockout blow to Sanders in the race for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image , Biden made a calm , statesmanlike speech on Super Tuesday election night praising Sanders and his supporters for their “ tireless passion ” and calling on them to help him defeat Donald Trump together .
And he took the same measured tone on Thursday when he made a statement about the escalating coronavirus emergency – attempting to draw a contrast with the chaotic handling of the epidemic so far by the man he hopes to replace .
Biden ’ s main challenger for the Democratic nomination was not ready to quit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
Although he was silent on election night itself , the next day Sanders made a forceful speech looking ahead to his debate with Biden on Sunday in Phoenix and insisting his campaign was “ strongly winning ” the contest of ideas .
But the speech had a strange tone – it was almost as if Sanders was now preparing to move into a new role of holding Biden ’ s feet to the fire and making sure the left of the party is not crowded out by the moderate ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what are you going to do to end the absurdity of the United States of America being the only major country on earth where healthcare is not a human right ?
” Sanders asked .
“ Are you really going to veto a Medicare for All bill , if it is passed in Congress ?
” In 2016 , his decision to stay in the race all the way to the bitter end – only endorsing Clinton in July of that year – was perceived by many of his supporters as helping push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example on healthcare .
He may be trying something similar now .
He made his own sober speech on the coronavirus .
The president lurched this week from transparently playing down the threat of the coronavirus – it wasn ’ t long ago he was promising the number of cases “ within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero ” – to full-on nativist crisis mode , closing the gates to most Europeans , with the exceptions , bizarrely , of the Brits and Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US so far , this seemed to be a case of slamming the door to what he called the “ foreign virus ” well after the horse had bolted .
And by falling back on the kind of ultra-nationalist authoritarian gestures that delight his base , Trump is risking the one thing most analysts agree would decimate his chances of victory in November : an economic crash .
Wall Street plunged in the wake of his statement – which characteristically was littered with alarming factual errors that he and his administration had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump taking charge in an emergency , few seemed reassured .
Things were pretty bad for continental Europeans , suddenly barred from travelling to the US and abruptly blamed for the coronavirus by Trump .
But surely the biggest losers of the week were Republicans – whose unswerving loyalty to their president may actually now be risking their health .
A Reuters/Ipsos poll not only found Democrats to be about twice as likely as Republicans to say the coronavirus poses an “ imminent threat to the United States ” but also that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking steps to be prepared , including washing their hands more often or limiting their travel plans ” .
As if to illustrate this gulf , while Biden and Sanders cancelled rallies because of coronavirus fears this week , Trump pushed ahead with scheduling a new one in Milwaukee for 19 March .
“ While public health experts caution us against large gatherings , the commander-in-chief schedules a rally , ” tweeted David Axelrod , former chief strategist for Barack Obama .
“ What message does that send ?
” As the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rally was postponed .

Good week: Joe Biden
The former vice-president cemented his lead over Bernie Sanders in the Democratic race with another string of primary victories on Tuesday – most significantly in Michigan, where the leftwing senator had sensationally beaten Hillary Clinton in 2016. Biden currently holds a lead of 881 delegates to Sanders’ 725 and the race moves next week to four states the Vermont socialist lost to Clinton last time: Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. If Biden wins the swing state of Florida, especially, it could be a knockout blow to Sanders in the race for the nomination. Belying his usual gaffe-prone image, Biden made a calm, statesmanlike speech on Super Tuesday election night praising Sanders and his supporters for their “tireless passion” and calling on them to help him defeat Donald Trump together. And he took the same measured tone on Thursday when he made a statement about the escalating coronavirus emergency – attempting to draw a contrast with the chaotic handling of the epidemic so far by the man he hopes to replace.
Bad week: Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders: not ready to quit. Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP
Biden’s main challenger for the Democratic nomination was not ready to quit after his disappointing run of primary results on Tuesday. Although he was silent on election night itself, the next day Sanders made a forceful speech looking ahead to his debate with Biden on Sunday in Phoenix and insisting his campaign was “strongly winning” the contest of ideas. But the speech had a strange tone – it was almost as if Sanders was now preparing to move into a new role of holding Biden’s feet to the fire and making sure the left of the party is not crowded out by the moderate’s likely victory. “Joe, what are you going to do to end the absurdity of the United States of America being the only major country on earth where healthcare is not a human right?” Sanders asked. “Are you really going to veto a Medicare for All bill, if it is passed in Congress?” In 2016, his decision to stay in the race all the way to the bitter end – only endorsing Clinton in July of that year – was perceived by many of his supporters as helping push Clinton’s platform to the left, for example on healthcare. He may be trying something similar now. He made his own sober speech on the coronavirus.
Worse week: Donald Trump
01:57 Trump's changing reactions to coronavirus: from calm to closing borders – video report
The president lurched this week from transparently playing down the threat of the coronavirus – it wasn’t long ago he was promising the number of cases “within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero” – to full-on nativist crisis mode, closing the gates to most Europeans, with the exceptions, bizarrely, of the Brits and Irish. With over 1,600 cases in the US so far, this seemed to be a case of slamming the door to what he called the “foreign virus” well after the horse had bolted. And by falling back on the kind of ultra-nationalist authoritarian gestures that delight his base, Trump is risking the one thing most analysts agree would decimate his chances of victory in November: an economic crash. Wall Street plunged in the wake of his statement – which characteristically was littered with alarming factual errors that he and his administration had to rush to correct. If this was Trump taking charge in an emergency, few seemed reassured.
Worst week: Republicans
Brad Parscale, Trump’s throws Make America Great Again hats to the audience before a rally in Michigan last year. Photograph: Paul Sancya/AP
Things were pretty bad for continental Europeans, suddenly barred from travelling to the US and abruptly blamed for the coronavirus by Trump. But surely the biggest losers of the week were Republicans – whose unswerving loyalty to their president may actually now be risking their health. A Reuters/Ipsos poll not only found Democrats to be about twice as likely as Republicans to say the coronavirus poses an “imminent threat to the United States” but also that “more Democrats than Republicans say they are taking steps to be prepared, including washing their hands more often or limiting their travel plans”. As if to illustrate this gulf, while Biden and Sanders cancelled rallies because of coronavirus fears this week, Trump pushed ahead with scheduling a new one in Milwaukee for 19 March. “While public health experts caution us against large gatherings, the commander-in-chief schedules a rally,” tweeted David Axelrod, former chief strategist for Barack Obama. “What message does that send?” As the coronavirus pandemic intensified further day by day, the rally was postponed.


theguardian--2020-03-13--Trump used to flirt with anti-vaxxers. Now he is demanding a coronavirus vaccine | H Holden Thorp

“ Do me a favor , speed it up , speed it up.
” This is what Donald Trump told the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference , recounting what he said to pharmaceutical executives about the progress toward a vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 ( Sars-CoV-2 ) , the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( Covid-19 ) .
Anthony Fauci , the longtime leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has been telling the president repeatedly that developing the vaccine will take at least a year and a half – the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump thought that simply repeating his request would change the outcome .
China has rightfully taken criticism for squelching attempts by scientists to report information during the outbreak .
Now , the United States government is doing similar things .
Informing Fauci and other government scientists that they must clear all public comments with Mike Pence , the vice-president , is unacceptable .
This is not a time for someone who denies evolution , the climate crisis and the dangers of smoking to shape the public message .
Thank goodness Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , and their colleagues across federal agencies are willing to soldier on and are gradually getting the message out .
While scientists are trying to share facts about the epidemic , the administration either blocks those facts or restates them with contradictions .
Transmission rates and death rates are not measurements that can be changed with will and an extroverted presentation .
The administration has repeatedly said – as it did last week – that virus spread in the United States is contained , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community spread is occurring in Washington state and beyond .
That kind of distortion and denial is dangerous and almost certainly contributed to the federal government ’ s sluggish response .
After three years of debating whether the words of this administration matter , the words are now clearly a matter of life and death .
And although the steps required to produce a vaccine could possibly be made more efficient , many of them depend on biological and chemical processes that are essential .
So the president might just as well have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hurry up that warp drive.
” I don ’ t expect politicians to know Maxwell ’ s equations for electromagnetism or the Diels-Alder chemical reaction ( although I can dream ) .
But you can ’ t insult science when you don ’ t like it and then suddenly insist on something that science can ’ t give on demand .
For the past four years , Trump ’ s budgets have made deep cuts to science , including cuts to funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disregard for science of the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and the stalled naming of a director for the Office of Science and Technology Policy – all to support political goals – the nation has had nearly four years of harming and ignoring science .
Now , the president suddenly needs science .
But the centuries spent elucidating fundamental principles that govern the natural world – evolution , gravity , quantum mechanics – involved laying the groundwork for knowing what we can and can not do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence , apply inductive reasoning and subject findings to scrutiny by peers have been proven over the years to give rise to robust knowledge .
These processes are being applied to the Covid-19 crisis through international collaboration at breakneck , unprecedented speed ; Science published two new papers earlier this month on Sars-CoV-2 , and more are on the way .
But the same concepts that are used to describe nature are used to create new tools .
So , asking for a vaccine and distorting the science at the same time are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a fundamental scientific basis .
It has to be manufacturable .
It has to be safe .
This could take a year and a half – or much longer .
Pharmaceutical executives have every incentive to get there quickly – they will be selling the vaccine after all – but thankfully , they also know that you can ’ t break the laws of nature to get there .
Maybe we should be happy .
Earlier in his administration , the president declared his skepticism of vaccines and tried to launch an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines .
But do us a favor , Mr President .
If you want something , start treating science and its principles with respect .
• None H Holden Thorp is the editor in chief of Science • None Do Us a Favor by H Holden Thorp , in SCIENCE 367 : 1169 ( 13 March 2020 ) , was republished with permission from AAAS