theguardian--2020-02-24--Trump holds rally in India while Steyer qualifies for South Carolina debate - live updates

Something to watch for in London today : Julian Assange is set for his latest face off with the US government as his extradition hearing begins in the British courts .
Assange is wanted on 18 charges over the publication of US cables a decade ago , and faces up to 175 years in jail .
He is accused of working with former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak hundreds of thousands of classified documents .
My colleague Ben Quinn is covering the case , reporting that in the opening exchanges lawyers acting for the US government have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an excuse for breaking laws ” , claiming that by disseminating material in an unredacted form , Assange knowingly put human rights activists , dissidents , journalists and their families at risk of serious harm in states operated by oppressive regimes .
As anticipated , there is a large presence of protestors outside the hearing - some even , it is reported , having crossed over from France to join the protests .
Today is only the next step in a lengthy process though .
After opening arguments this week , the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when both sides will have an opportunity to lay out their evidence .
The judge is unlikely to rule until several months after that , and whichever way the court decides , an appeal against the verdict is almost inevitable .

25 Feb 2020 01.25 GMT Late evening summary That’s all from me for the night! Here is all of the news you need to know from the last few hours. Bloomberg’s campaign is upset that his offices are being vandalized with political graffiti across the US.
Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are nearly tied in Texas ahead of the important Super Tuesday vote, a new poll found.
Bloomberg’s campaign is facing criticism over its social media policies once again after sharing misleading tweets misrepresenting what Sanders has said about political leaders in the past.
MSNBC host Chris Matthews apologized to Bernie Sanders for comparing his Nevada win to a Nazi invasion.
Joe Biden has secured an important endorsement from South Carolina Democratic representative James Clyburn ahead of an upcoming vote there.
Updated at 01.34 GMT
25 Feb 2020 00.58 GMT Joe Biden is set to recieve a notable endorsement this week: South Carolina Democratic representative James Clyburn will reportedly endorse the former vice president for the Democratic nomination on Wednesday. The Hill on why this endorsement is important: The House majority whip and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Clyburn carries significant weight in the South Carolina primary. The state is seen as a major test for Democratic candidates as they seek the support of African American voters. After suffering major defeats in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, Biden is banking on a positive performance in the upcoming South Carolina vote to keep his campaign alive.
25 Feb 2020 00.39 GMT A Portland, Oregon, journalist shared her heartbreaking story of being failed by the for-profit healthcare system in the United States on Twitter over the weekend, in a passionate statement in support of Bernie Sanders for president. In 2010, I had good union health insurance. Obamacare was the law of the land. In November that yr my 1yo son was struck by a careless driver in a crosswalk. After two surgeries and a night in intensive care, he died. — Michelle DuBarry (@DuBarryPie) February 23, 2020 Her tweets explained what happened when her one-year-old son was struck by a careless driver and died after two surgeries, leaving her to navigate $175,000 in medical bills while grieving for her child. She noted that this happened “despite Obamacare and ‘good’ union insurance”. I believe change is coming. I am ready to fight for other families, for #MedicareForAll, and to elect @BernieSanders president. Sending solidarity and love to all who are suffering under this awful system. ❤👊 — Michelle DuBarry (@DuBarryPie) February 23, 2020 Sanders’s call for Medicare for All has become a central part of his campaign, as Americans struggle with rising healthcare and prescription costs.
Updated at 00.44 GMT
25 Feb 2020 00.29 GMT The MSNBC host Chris Matthews made a public apology to Bernie Sanders for comparing the Democratic presidential candidate’s win in the Nevada caucus to a Nazi invasion. “I’m sorry for comparing anything from that tragic era in which so many suffered, especially the Jewish people, to an electoral result in which you were the well-deserved winner”, Matthews said in a statement. never thought part of my job would be pleading with a national news network to stop likening the campaign of a jewish presidential candidate whose family was wiped out by the nazis to the third reich.
but here we are. https://t.co/2G1bqZ6bkI — mike casca (@cascamike) February 22, 2020 Matthews had faced increasing calls to resign from his hosting position over the statements about Sanders, who is Jewish and lost many family members in the Holocaust.
Updated at 00.45 GMT
24 Feb 2020 23.42 GMT Donald Trump’s staffers have to hide ice cream from the president so he doesn’t eat too much - who among us cannot relate? In a story by the New York Times, Trump’s doctor Ronny Jackson followed up on previous public statements that he was attempting to help the president lose 10 to 15 pounds by bringing an exercise machine into the White House. He said those plans never came to fruition. In the past, Trump has said that he believes exercise is a waste of energy. From past reports: “Other than golf, he considers exercise misguided, arguing that a person, like a battery, is born with a finite amount of energy.” Instead Jackson said staffers are focusing on Trump’s diet, secretly hiding cauliflower in the president’s mashed potatoes and making ice cream less accessible.
24 Feb 2020 23.34 GMT Joe Biden made a public statement on Monday in support of Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe Bryant. The tweet was sent out on the day of the late basketball legend’s public memorial service, which attracted 20,000 mourners. Biden has frequently spoken about his own personal tragedies and how he has handled them. In 1972 his wife and one-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident, and his first son, Beau, died of cancer during Biden’s vice presidency. “There will come a day, I promise you, when the memory of Kobe and Gianna will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye”, Biden said.
Updated at 23.52 GMT
24 Feb 2020 22.50 GMT Bloomberg campaign in hot water once again over misinformation on Twitter Mike Bloomberg is again facing criticism for sharing misleading and offensive tweets. The campaign team for the Democratic candidate posted a real video of rival Bernie Sanders defending the Castro administration of Cuba. It then attempted to start an online campaign with the hashtag #BernieOnDespots, imagining what the Vermont senator would say about other regimes. Backlash over the tweets have called into question just how effective Bloomberg’s massive spending spree on advertising has been. The candidate has burnt $500m in advertising since he launched his campaign and previously said he was willing to spend up to $1bn on his run for president. Some users pointed out on Twitter it was difficult to discern that the latest hashtag was a joke and not real quotes Sanders said about the leaders, including “Vladimir Putin is willing to poison anyone who disagrees with him, but have you seen how that guy looks without a shirt!! Mmm delish!” Some have called the Putin tweet homophobic. Bloomberg so far has been:
✅ Racist
✅ Sexist
✅ Transphobic
and now...
✅ Homophobic
The fact that a Democrat would endorse this man... yikes. #utpol https://t.co/Wma43Ne72w — Daniel Beckstrand for Congress UT-04 (@Beckstrand2020) February 24, 2020 Ultimately the team clarified with a tweet that “all of these are satire” with the exception of the original video shared. Bloomberg was criticized earlier this month for a video he tweeted that was misleadingly edited. Twitter said under its new policy against misleading content, in the future it would be flagged as a doctored clip, but those features will not go into effect until 5 March. Twitter did not respond for request for comment on whether the #BernieOnDespots tweets also violated its policies on misinformation.
Updated at 23.19 GMT
24 Feb 2020 22.36 GMT A new survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston found Biden and Bernie Sanders are neck and neck among voters in Texas, a key state for the race to the Democratic nomination. Bernie Sanders is polling at 22.1% there while Joe Biden is 22.5% in the lone star state. Elizabeth Warren is in third place at 18.3%. The most important issue for voters there, according to the survey, are that the candidate can win the election against Trump. There differences in support between genders among all candidates except for Sanders: men were more likely to support Biden and women were more likely to support Warren while men and women were equally likely to support Sanders, the poll found. Texas will vote in its primary election on 3 March.
Updated at 23.20 GMT
24 Feb 2020 22.21 GMT A number of campaign offices of Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg have been vandalized, his team tweeted on Monday. “Corporate Pig”
Our office in Ann Arbor, MI
America deserves better. pic.twitter.com/kIFallDDHs — Team Bloomberg (@Mike2020) February 24, 2020 In Chicago, Michigan, Ohio, and Utah offices of Bloomberg have been defaced with graffiti criticizing his history of racially-charged policing policies and his extraordinary wealth. His campaign team said the incidents are indicative of people who use “hateful rhetoric and intimidation to influence this election” and who are “driving our country further and further apart”. “Eat the Rich”
Our office in Flint, MI
America deserves better. pic.twitter.com/ar5jKPmIJs — Team Bloomberg (@Mike2020) February 24, 2020 The tweets have sparked a variety of responses, some defending the graffiti and criticizing the former New York City mayor for the policies highlighted by the vandalism.
Updated at 22.21 GMT
24 Feb 2020 21.52 GMT Hello readers, Kari Paul here to keep you posted on the latest for the next few hours. Stay tuned for updates.
24 Feb 2020 21.30 GMT Evening summary That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Kari Paul, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Mike Bloomberg has officially spent more than $500m in his efforts to win the Democratic presidential nomination. His first real test will come next week on Super Tuesday, but his widely panned debate performance in Nevada could hurt his chances.
has officially spent more than $500m in his efforts to win the Democratic presidential nomination. His first real test will come next week on Super Tuesday, but his widely panned debate performance in Nevada could hurt his chances. Joe Biden’s campaign criticized Bernie Sanders for the frontrunner’s flattering comments about Fidel Castro, which intensified concerns of the effect a Sanders nomination would have on down-ballot Democrats.
campaign criticized for the frontrunner’s flattering comments about which intensified concerns of the effect a Sanders nomination would have on down-ballot Trump addressed 100,000 people at a rally in India, where he praised the prime minister, Narendra Modi .
addressed 100,000 people at a rally in India, where he praised the prime minister, . Harvey Weinstein , the film producer who was accused of repeated sexual misconduct, was convicted on two charges, marking a key victory for the #MeToo movement.
, the film producer who was accused of repeated sexual misconduct, was convicted on two charges, marking a key victory for the #MeToo movement. Global markets dropped as fears spread about the coronavirus, which has already claimed 2,600 lives. Kari will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 23.21 GMT
24 Feb 2020 21.15 GMT The US stock market has closed down by more than 1,000 points as fears intensify of a spreading coronavirus. The Washington Post reports: The Dow Jones industrial average sank by more than 1,000 points or 3.5 percent, as Wall Street interpreted disease clusters in South Korea, Italy and Iran as a sign that the disease has outraced confinement efforts in China.
Factories around the world are grappling with parts shortages as their Chinese suppliers struggle to resume normal operations. As global economic engines sputter, the Federal Reserve and other central banks are facing calls for emergency help. The Trump administration is expected to ask Congress for funding to help combat the virus, but experts fear they will not request enough money to adequately address the health threat.
24 Feb 2020 20.48 GMT A new South Carolina poll out today shows Joe Biden leading by double digits, a result that is a bit at odds with other surveys from the state. According to PublicPolicyPolling, Biden stands at 36% in South Carolina compared to Bernie Sanders’ 21%. Tom Steyer, who has been in third place in other polls, was tied for fourth place at 7%. If Biden were to win South Carolina by double digits, it would allow him to claim he is the dominate moderate candidate in the race, potentially putting more pressure on candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar to withdraw. But there is reason to be skeptical of those PPP numbers, considering the RealClearPolitics polling average of the state shows Biden up by just 5 points.
24 Feb 2020 20.24 GMT Biden criticizes Sanders over Castro comments Joe Biden’s campaign has released a statement criticizing Bernie Sanders for his flattering comments about Fidel Castro. “Make no mistake: Bernie Sanders’ comments on Fidel Castro are a part of a larger pattern throughout his life to embrace autocratic leaders and governments across the globe,” said Biden campaign adviser Cristóbal Alex. “We already have one president who praises dictators and their mob-like tendencies; we don’t need another one.” Democrats in Florida, a state with a large Cuban-American population, have similarly released statements criticizing Sanders for praising Castro’s literacy program. Democratic officials in the state fear Sanders’ potential nomination could have negative down-ballot consequences in Florida, and Biden, who has sought to portray Sanders as unelectable, is clearly trying to capitalize on those concerns.
24 Feb 2020 20.16 GMT Set your alarms: Trump will hold a press conference in New Delhi at 6:30 am ET tomorrow. Tomorrow: Trump holds some sort of a press conference at 6:30 a.m. EST. pic.twitter.com/XguxDwo3Ol — Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) February 24, 2020 The president has developed a habit of holding long, freewheeling press conferences at the end of his international trips, so the appearance could generate a number of headlines.
24 Feb 2020 20.01 GMT Florida Democrats are trying to distance themselves from some flattering comments Bernie Sanders made about Fidel Castro during his 60 Minutes interview. Now the statewide party pic.twitter.com/5F6lsrjnr3 — Matt Dixon (@Mdixon55) February 24, 2020 Given Florida’s large Cuban-American population, some Democrats in the state have expressed fears that a Sanders nomination would have negative down-ballot consequences in November. Sanders’ comments about Castro intensified those concerns. “We’re very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it’s unfair to simply say everything is bad,” the self-describe democratic socialist said. “You know? When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
Updated at 20.07 GMT


theguardian--2020-02-24--Can Mike Bloomberg buy his way to the White House?

The road to the White House is paved with dollars and coins .
But in 2020 , Mike Bloomberg is hoping to seal off that road from the competition with the steepest wall of cash ever spent by one person on an election in US history .
One of the richest people in the world , the media mogul and former New York mayor entered the race late , and with heaps of money , in an attempt to upend the normal campaign model and unseat Donald Trump .
He has vowed to spend up to $ 1bn of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested he could double that .
His fortune has launched a campaign dripping in cash : showering hundreds of millions on adverts , hiring thousands of staffers with astonishing perks and creating a web of political patronage that has won him key endorsements .
His money has now propelled him into the top tier of the Democratic race , leapfrogging rivals who have been trudging along on the traditional campaign trail for more than a year .
Bloomberg was assailed by Democratic challengers on the debate stage Wednesday night , but the question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched in the US really buy the White House ?
Sarah Bryner , research director at the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics , said while wealth has always been a tool in elections , money is doing an outsized amount of work for Bloomberg .
“ He ’ s sort of changing the boundaries for what is possible , ” she said .
In the first quarter of his campaign , Bloomberg spent $ 188m .
When he entered the Democratic race in November , the then frontrunner , Joe Biden , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Latest figures released last week show Bloomberg has now spent $ 460m so far .
The bulk of that almost half a billion dollars is going to advertising .
His ads blanket television markets and social media in a barrage of messaging .
But the flood is carefully targeted too : he has spent $ 124m on ads in the 14 states that hold primaries on 3 March , known as Super Tuesday , when the most voters have an opportunity to show who they want to represent their party in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so goes the Bloomberg campaign .
Bloomberg took the unprecedented step of buying a $ 10m , 60-second ad to run during the Super Bowl – the president announced he was doing the same hours later .
But it is not just ads .
His vast wealth has created a campaign able to spend lavishly on itself , in stark contract to the usual bare-bolts style of most presidential efforts .
Bloomberg is subsidizing some campaign staff ’ s rent , workers have been issued the latest iPhones and MacBooks and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential voters are given free feasts of steak sandwiches , smoked salmon and honeyed brie .
The campaign has even hired hundreds of people in California to post positive things about Bloomberg on their social media accounts and to text their friends about him , according to the Wall Street Journal .
Spending the most money doesn ’ t guarantee a win , but Ciara Torres-Spelliscy , author of Political Brands , said for a politician , getting their name in front of people is invaluable .
“ The candidate who is willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who wins , ” said Torres-Spelliscy .
Recent polls indicate the spending is certainly helping .
Bloomberg entered the race in November 2019 with 3 % support .
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Tuesday showed support for Bloomberg jumped to 14 % , putting him behind only Bernie Sanders and Biden .
He is leading in some states , such as Florida and Oklahoma .
That said , the short , mostly anecdotal data set about how wealthy candidates fare in presidential elections is not in Bloomberg ’ s favor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the candidates who spent the most money lost .
Other mega-wealthy people who tried to buy their way to the presidency , such as Ross Perot and Steve Forbes , failed .
“ A phenomenon that can happen is the rich person may be a party of one , ” said Torres-Spelliscy , a law professor at Stetson University .
“ They have a lot of money to spend on their own campaign , but if they can ’ t connect with voters , they tend to fail.
” But of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the White House does have one notable recent success : Donald Trump .
As Bloomberg learned on the debate stage , even one of the wealthiest people in the world can ’ t always get what he wants .
The former New York mayor was the main target of the other five Democratic candidates and he looked flustered as they volleyed brutal criticisms about his policies and past comments .
“ Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another , ” the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg of his past insults to women and gay people .
Unlike most self-funded candidates , Bloomberg has a political history .
He was New York ’ s mayor from 2002 to 2013 , after convincing the city council to allow him a third term in office .
The other former mayor in the Democratic primary , South Bend , Indiana ’ s Pete Buttigieg , ran a city of just 101,000 people .
This experience of being the mayor of one of the world ’ s biggest cities should be a boon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a pressure point because of the controversial policies he upheld .
Days before Bloomberg announced his run for president , he for the first time apologized for stop-and-frisk , a policing practice he expanded as mayor which disproportionately affected black people .
He has not apologized for mass surveillance of Muslims by the New York police department under his mayorship .
A lawsuit alleges he made sexist comments to female employees at Bloomberg , the media empire responsible for his $ 64.2bn fortune .
But it ’ s unclear whether those issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed to 30-second Bloomberg advertisements and the support he gets from prominent figures in their communities .
Money has bought more than ads and a slick , well-fed staff , however .
Bloomberg , a former Republican who supported George W Bush , has received dozens of endorsements from Democratic mayors and prominent supporters of liberal causes such as gun rights and the environment – causes he has poured money into as a philanthropist .
Bloomberg has spent at least $ 10bn on charitable and political pursuits , according to the New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidacy , his annual contribution number jumped to to $ 3.3bn – more than he had spent in the previous five years combined .
Since leaving the mayor ’ s office , Bloomberg has become the Democratic party ’ s most important political donor .
He spent more than $ 100m to help Democrats win the House in the midterms and of the 21 newly elected lawmakers he backed , 15 were women .
With all that spending , Bryner said : “ He has more credibility as a liberal candidate than he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come through Bloomberg Philanthropies , the charitable arm of his company .
The $ 350m he has spent through the group to support nearly 196 cities with grants and other types of funding has seemed to boost his reputation among US mayors , more than 100 of whom have endorsed his bid for president .
Three California mayors who announced they were backing Bloomberg in January , as his ads dominated the airwaves there , went through Bloomberg ’ s Harvard City Leadership Initiative , a training program for city mayors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city ’ s first black female mayor and his campaign ’ s chair of African Americans .
Breed repeatedly had to defend Bloomberg ’ s stop-and-frisk policy and when asked about it , told NPR : “ I think that unfortunately it occurred , and there isn ’ t a politician alive that hasn ’ t made a mistake , and their policy sometimes has led to a situation like this that has negatively impacted the African American community.
” Some have suggested this money has had a chilling effect , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his backing .
Advocates for homeless people and teachers in New York told HuffPost how Bloomberg ’ s web of patronage could create a culture that limited criticism of the mayor ’ s work .
He has also donated money to Republicans .
In 2012 , he gave $ 1m to the state senate Republicans ’ general fund , following earlier donations to state senators who helped make same-sex marriage legal in the state .
The closest model for Bloomberg ’ s campaign is the billionaire who already occupies the Oval Office : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential candidate to do well in modern history .
But Trump relied heavily on wealthy donors and still spent less than his competitor , Hillary Clinton .
He has yet to spend a dollar on his re-election campaign as donations pour in .
Bloomberg ’ s campaign is Trump on steroids ; it makes the effort to re-elect the president look tiny by comparison .
But that might not matter .
A lesson of Trump ’ s run in 2016 was that money might not be the be-all and end-all of a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Clinton , but it didn ’ t seem to matter , ” said Bryner .
“ And I think people are still struggling to reconcile : did he buy the election ?
If so , wouldn ’ t you have expected him to lose since he didn ’ t have as much money as his opponent.
” A key issue with trying to buy the presidency is that if a candidate isn ’ t relying on small donors , it is more difficult to establish their actual popularity among the electorate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , the parties would usually be leaning toward candidates who demonstrated how well-liked they are through many donations .
But half a billion dollars goes a long way in a US election .
Torres-Spelliscy said : “ He definitely has the wealth to put up an enormous fight – whether it is in the Democratic party or he makes it to the general .
”

The road to the White House is paved with dollars and coins. But in 2020, Mike Bloomberg is hoping to seal off that road from the competition with the steepest wall of cash ever spent by one person on an election in US history.
One of the richest people in the world, the media mogul and former New York mayor entered the race late, and with heaps of money, in an attempt to upend the normal campaign model and unseat Donald Trump. He has vowed to spend up to $1bn of his own wealth, though some reports have suggested he could double that.
His fortune has launched a campaign dripping in cash: showering hundreds of millions on adverts, hiring thousands of staffers with astonishing perks and creating a web of political patronage that has won him key endorsements. His money has now propelled him into the top tier of the Democratic race, leapfrogging rivals who have been trudging along on the traditional campaign trail for more than a year.
Bloomberg was assailed by Democratic challengers on the debate stage Wednesday night, but the question remains: can the richest campaign ever launched in the US really buy the White House?
Sarah Bryner, research director at the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, said while wealth has always been a tool in elections, money is doing an outsized amount of work for Bloomberg. “He’s sort of changing the boundaries for what is possible,” she said.
In the first quarter of his campaign, Bloomberg spent $188m. When he entered the Democratic race in November, the then frontrunner, Joe Biden, had raised $59m in all of 2019. Latest figures released last week show Bloomberg has now spent $460m so far.
The bulk of that almost half a billion dollars is going to advertising. His ads blanket television markets and social media in a barrage of messaging. But the flood is carefully targeted too: he has spent $124m on ads in the 14 states that hold primaries on 3 March, known as Super Tuesday, when the most voters have an opportunity to show who they want to represent their party in the presidential election.
Wherever American eyeballs go, so goes the Bloomberg campaign. Bloomberg took the unprecedented step of buying a $10m, 60-second ad to run during the Super Bowl – the president announced he was doing the same hours later.
But it is not just ads. His vast wealth has created a campaign able to spend lavishly on itself, in stark contrast to the usual bare-bolts style of most presidential efforts.
Staffers and volunteers work in Mike Bloomberg’s campaign headquarters in New York City. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Bloomberg is subsidizing some campaign staff’s rent, workers have been issued the latest iPhones and MacBooks and their wages are high. At events, potential voters are given free feasts of steak sandwiches, smoked salmon and honeyed brie. The campaign has even hired hundreds of people in California to post positive things about Bloomberg on their social media accounts and to text their friends about him, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Spending the most money doesn’t guarantee a win, but Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, author of Political Brands, said for a politician, getting their name in front of people is invaluable. “The candidate who is willing to merchandise themselves is usually the candidate who wins,” said Torres-Spelliscy.
Recent polls indicate the spending is certainly helping. Bloomberg entered the race in November 2019 with 3% support. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Tuesday showed support for Bloomberg jumped to 14%, putting him behind only Bernie Sanders and Biden. He is leading in some states, such as Florida and Oklahoma.
That said, the short, mostly anecdotal data set about how wealthy candidates fare in presidential elections is not in Bloomberg’s favor.
They have a lot of money to spend on their own campaign, but if they can’t connect with voters, they tend to fail Ciara Torres-Spelliscy
In the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, the candidates who spent the most money lost. Other mega-wealthy people who tried to buy their way to the presidency, such as Ross Perot and Steve Forbes, failed.
“A phenomenon that can happen is the rich person may be a party of one,” said Torres-Spelliscy, a law professor at Stetson University. “They have a lot of money to spend on their own campaign, but if they can’t connect with voters, they tend to fail.”
But of course, the history of rich people running for the White House does have one notable recent success: Donald Trump.
Cracks in the cash wall
As Bloomberg learned on the debate stage, even one of the wealthiest people in the world can’t always get what he wants. The former New York mayor was the main target of the other five Democratic candidates and he looked flustered as they volleyed brutal criticisms about his policies and past comments.
“Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another,” the Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren said in her opening remarks, reminding Bloomberg of his past insults to women and gay people.
Unlike most self-funded candidates, Bloomberg has a political history. He was New York’s mayor from 2002 to 2013, after convincing the city council to allow him a third term in office. The other former mayor in the Democratic primary, South Bend, Indiana’s Pete Buttigieg, ran a city of just 101,000 people.
Audience members watch Mike Bloomberg and Bernie Sanders speak on a monitor during the Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images
This experience of being the mayor of one of the world’s biggest cities should be a boon, but it has also proved to be a pressure point because of the controversial policies he upheld.
Days before Bloomberg announced his run for president, he for the first time apologized for stop-and-frisk, a policing practice he expanded as mayor which disproportionately affected black people. He has not apologized for mass surveillance of Muslims by the New York police department under his mayorship. A lawsuit alleges he made sexist comments to female employees at Bloomberg, the media empire responsible for his $64.2bn fortune.
But it’s unclear whether those issues will actually filter to voters more often exposed to 30-second Bloomberg advertisements and the support he gets from prominent figures in their communities.
A web of patronage
Money has bought more than ads and a slick, well-fed staff, however. Bloomberg, a former Republican who supported George W Bush, has received dozens of endorsements from Democratic mayors and prominent supporters of liberal causes such as gun rights and the environment – causes he has poured money into as a philanthropist.
Bloomberg has spent at least $10bn on charitable and political pursuits, according to the New York Times. The year he announced his candidacy, his annual contribution number jumped to to $3.3bn – more than he had spent in the previous five years combined.
He has more credibility as a liberal candidate than he would otherwise Sarah Bryner
Since leaving the mayor’s office, Bloomberg has become the Democratic party’s most important political donor. He spent more than $100m to help Democrats win the House in the midterms and of the 21 newly elected lawmakers he backed, 15 were women.
With all that spending, Bryner said: “He has more credibility as a liberal candidate than he would otherwise.”
Much of that money has come through Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable arm of his company. The $350m he has spent through the group to support nearly 196 cities with grants and other types of funding has seemed to boost his reputation among US mayors, more than 100 of whom have endorsed his bid for president.
Three California mayors who announced they were backing Bloomberg in January, as his ads dominated the airwaves there, went through Bloomberg’s Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a training program for city mayors.
This includes San Francisco mayor London Breed, the city’s first black female mayor and his campaign’s chair of African Americans. Breed repeatedly had to defend Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk policy and when asked about it, told NPR: “I think that unfortunately it occurred, and there isn’t a politician alive that hasn’t made a mistake, and their policy sometimes has led to a situation like this that has negatively impacted the African American community.”
Some have suggested this money has had a chilling effect, by silencing those who have benefited from his backing.
Advocates for homeless people and teachers in New York told HuffPost how Bloomberg’s web of patronage could create a culture that limited criticism of the mayor’s work.
He has also donated money to Republicans. In 2012, he gave $1m to the state senate Republicans’ general fund, following earlier donations to state senators who helped make same-sex marriage legal in the state.
The other billionaire
The closest model for Bloomberg’s campaign is the billionaire who already occupies the Oval Office: Trump.
Trump is the only self-funded presidential candidate to do well in modern history.
But Trump relied heavily on wealthy donors and still spent less than his competitor, Hillary Clinton. He has yet to spend a dollar on his re-election campaign as donations pour in. Bloomberg’s campaign is Trump on steroids; it makes the effort to re-elect the president look tiny by comparison.
Donald Trump speaks to Mike Bloomberg during a 9/11 memorial service in New York City on 11 September 2016. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
But that might not matter. A lesson of Trump’s run in 2016 was that money might not be the be-all and end-all of a political race.
“Trump was significantly outraised by Clinton, but it didn’t seem to matter,” said Bryner. “And I think people are still struggling to reconcile: did he buy the election? If so, wouldn’t you have expected him to lose since he didn’t have as much money as his opponent.”
A key issue with trying to buy the presidency is that if a candidate isn’t relying on small donors, it is more difficult to establish their actual popularity among the electorate. That’s why in normal election years, the parties would usually be leaning toward candidates who demonstrated how well-liked they are through many donations.
But half a billion dollars goes a long way in a US election. Torres-Spelliscy said: “He definitely has the wealth to put up an enormous fight – whether it is in the Democratic party or he makes it to the general.”


theguardian--2020-02-24--The Raccoons of the Resistance* on the inevitable Bernie Sanders presidency | First Dog on the Moon

This article is more than 3 years old
The Raccoons of the Resistance* on the inevitable Bernie Sanders presidency
This article is more than 3 years old


theguardian--2020-02-24--Bloomberg campaign again criticized for social media tactics – live

Mike Bloomberg is again facing criticism for sharing misleading and offensive tweets .
The campaign team for the Democratic candidate posted a real video of rival Bernie Sanders defending the Castro administration of Cuba .
It then attempted to start an online campaign with the hashtag # BernieOnDespots , imagining what the Vermont senator would say about other regimes .
Backlash over the tweets have called into question just how effective Bloomberg ’ s massive spending spree on advertising has been .
The candidate has burnt $ 500m in advertising since he launched his campaign and previously said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his run for president .
Some users pointed out on Twitter it was difficult to discern that the latest hashtag was a joke and not real quotes Sanders said about the leaders , including “ Vladimir Putin is willing to poison anyone who disagrees with him , but have you seen how that guy looks without a shirt !
!
Mmm delish !
” Some have called the Putin tweet homophobic .
Ultimately the team clarified with a tweet that “ all of these are satire ” with the exception of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month for a video he tweeted that was misleadingly edited .
Twitter said under its new policy against misleading content , in the future it would be flagged as a doctored clip , but those features will not go into effect until 5 March .
Twitter did not respond for request for comment on whether the # BernieOnDespots tweets also violated its policies on misinformation .

Kari Paul in San Francisco (now) and Joan E Greve and Martin Belam (earlier)


theguardian--2020-02-24--Oil and gas industry rewards US lawmakers who oppose environmental protections – study

The oil and gas industry substantially rewards US legislators with campaign donations when they oppose environmental protections , according to a new analysis of congressional votes and political contributions .
Oil and gas companies spent $ 84m on congressional campaigns in 2018 .
Researchers found a correlation between an increase in anti-environment votes and an increase in contributions .
They documented how lawmakers ’ scores from the League of Conservation Voters ( LCV ) dipped and then were followed by campaign funding from the industry .
On average , a 10 % decrease in the LCV score in an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,700 in campaign money from the corporations the following cycle .
The peer-reviewed study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
The authors also sought to determine whether campaign donations from industry might prompt legislators to vote against environment rules that oil and gas companies saw as a burden .
But they concluded there was little or no relationship between campaign contributions in one election cycle and LCV scores in the following period .
“ Legislators proved that they ’ re willing to vote against the environment consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said co-author Matthew Goldberg , a postdoctoral associate with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication .
“ I suppose this is more of an advantage for oil and gas companies because they need to ensure that people are going to vote in their interest .
Goldberg said the findings should encourage people to “ get the right people in office , because they ’ re not as susceptible to money changing their votes ” .
The study analyzed data from 1990 to 2018 .
In 1990 , 63 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Goldberg noted .
In 2018 , 88 % of the industry ’ s campaign donations were to the conservative party .

The oil and gas industry substantially rewards US legislators with campaign donations when they oppose environmental protections, according to a new analysis of congressional votes and political contributions.
Oil and gas companies spent $84m on congressional campaigns in 2018. Researchers found a correlation between an increase in anti-environment votes and an increase in contributions. They documented how lawmakers’ scores from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) dipped and then were followed by campaign funding from the industry.
On average, a 10% decrease in the LCV score in an election cycle was associated with an additional $1,700 in campaign money from the corporations the following cycle.
The peer-reviewed study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The authors also sought to determine whether campaign donations from industry might prompt legislators to vote against environment rules that oil and gas companies saw as a burden. But they concluded there was little or no relationship between campaign contributions in one election cycle and LCV scores in the following period.
“Legislators proved that they’re willing to vote against the environment consistently and then they’re rewarded later,” said co-author Matthew Goldberg, a postdoctoral associate with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. “I suppose this is more of an advantage for oil and gas companies because they need to ensure that people are going to vote in their interest.
Goldberg said the findings should encourage people to “get the right people in office, because they’re not as susceptible to money changing their votes”.
The study analyzed data from 1990 to 2018. In 1990, 63% of oil and gas money went to Republicans, Goldberg noted. In 2018, 88% of the industry’s campaign donations were to the conservative party.


theguardian--2020-02-24--Democratic party grapples with rising likelihood of Sanders as the nominee

In the aftermath of Bernie Sanders ’ victory in Nevada and as the South Carolina primary looms , the Democratic party establishment continues to grapple with the increasing likelihood that the Vermont senator , a self-proclaimed socialist , will be its nominee for president .
Sanders ’ latest victory showcased his popularity among a more representative chunk of the Democratic base – Latinos , African-Americans and union members – than voted in Iowa and New Hampshire , the first two states in the primary .
“ We ’ ve brought together a multigenerational , multiracial coalition that is not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to sweep this country , ” Sanders said in San Antonio , Texas , on Sunday .
In the next eight days , 15 crucial elections will take place .
Centrists in the party having failed to coalesce around a moderate candidate , the nomination could be there for Sanders ’ taking after South Carolina votes on Saturday or after Super Tuesday , 3 March , when 14 states follow suit .
Only 2.5 % of the delegates needed to win the nomination at the convention in July were on offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanders began his crucial week planning extra rallies in Super Tuesday states but also under fire for comments made in an interview with CBS News broadcast on Sunday night .
Sanders told 60 Minutes he opposed the “ authoritarian nature ” of Cuba under the Castro regime , but said Fidel Castro did some good things .
“ He had a massive literacy program , ” he said .
“ Is that a bad thing ?
Even though Fidel Castro did it ?
” The Florida Democrats Donna Shalala and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s muted praise for the deceased Cuban president .
“ I ’ m hoping that in the future Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro , ” Shalala tweeted .
“ The Castro regime murdered and jailed dissidents , and caused unspeakable harm to too many South Florida families , ” Mucarsel-Powell wrote .
“ To this day , it remains an authoritarian regime that oppresses its people , subverts the free press and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments are likely to feature in Tuesday night ’ s Democratic debate in Charleston , South Carolina .
Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg , who has spent more than $ 460m of his own money in an attempt to establish himself as the Democrat best placed to beat Donald Trump , indicated on Monday that he would also target Sanders on gun control .
The Bloomberg campaign released a video attacking the senator for his mixed record on the subject .
Before Sanders was elected to Congress in 1990 , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rifle Association because his Republican opponent had supported banning assault weapons .
The Bloomberg video also highlighted Sanders ’ support for a law that helps stop mass shooting victims suing gun manufacturers and the five times he voted against a bill which called for waiting periods before acquiring guns and instant background checks on gun purchases .
Sanders addressed the issue in the New Hampshire debate earlier this month .
“ Until the last – two years ago – we had virtually no gun control legislation at all , and I represented that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The world has changed , and my views have changed .
“ And my view is right now , we need universal background checks .
We end the gun show loophole .
We end the so-called strawman provision .
We make certain that we end the sale and distribution of assault weapons in this country.
” Bloomberg has poured money into the gun control movement but it is unclear if his cash can overcome the damage wrought by other candidates ’ focus on his own record regarding women and people of color .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the former mayor failed to craft a convincing response to criticism of his controversial policing policy , stop-and-frisk , which disproportionately impacted minorities .
The favored centrist candidate in South Carolina is Joe Biden , who remains popular with African American voters , a dominant presence in Democratic contests in the state , after serving for eight years as vice-president to Barack Obama .
A CBS News poll taken before Nevada , where Biden placed second , showed him in the lead in South Carolina with 28 % support .
Sanders was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second billionaire in the race , Tom Steyer , with 18 % .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton dominated South Carolina , winning with 73 % of the vote to 26 % for Sanders .
Biden , who has denied suggestions that that his campaign will be over if he does not win South Carolina , is expected to receive a well-timed endorsement from the House majority whip , Jim Clyburn , the highest-ranking African American in Congress .
“ We are going to let people know how we feel about these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with Nevada or New Hampshire or Iowa , ” Clyburn told ABC News on Sunday .
As Trump tweeted gleefully about supposed establishment attempts to block Sanders , some Democrats called on candidates including the Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend , Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg to exit the race in order to consolidate the moderate vote .
All the remaining candidates , however , have said they plan to stick around for Super Tuesday .
Buttigieg , who like Sanders declared himself the winner of the muddled Iowa caucuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to warn against a “ rush ” to nominate Sanders to face Trump in November .
The senator , he said , is a “ disaster in waiting ” .

In the aftermath of Bernie Sanders’ victory in Nevada and as the South Carolina primary looms, the Democratic party establishment continues to grapple with the increasing likelihood that the Vermont senator, a self-proclaimed socialist, will be its nominee for president.
Sanders’ latest victory showcased his popularity among a more representative chunk of the Democratic base – Latinos, African-Americans and union members – than voted in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the primary.
“We’ve brought together a multigenerational, multiracial coalition that is not only going to win Nevada, it’s going to sweep this country,” Sanders said in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.
In the next eight days, 15 crucial elections will take place.
Centrists in the party having failed to coalesce around a moderate candidate, the nomination could be there for Sanders’ taking after South Carolina votes on Saturday or after Super Tuesday, 3 March, when 14 states follow suit. Only 2.5% of the delegates needed to win the nomination at the convention in July were on offer in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it? Bernie Sanders
Sanders began his crucial week planning extra rallies in Super Tuesday states but also under fire for comments made in an interview with CBS News broadcast on Sunday night.
Sanders told 60 Minutes he opposed the “authoritarian nature” of Cuba under the Castro regime, but said Fidel Castro did some good things.
“He had a massive literacy program,” he said. “Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?”
The Florida Democrats Donna Shalala and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell were among those to criticize Sanders’s muted praise for the deceased Cuban president.
“I’m hoping that in the future Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro,” Shalala tweeted.
“The Castro regime murdered and jailed dissidents, and caused unspeakable harm to too many South Florida families,” Mucarsel-Powell wrote. “To this day, it remains an authoritarian regime that oppresses its people, subverts the free press and stifles a free society.”
Sanders’ comments are likely to feature in Tuesday night’s Democratic debate in Charleston, South Carolina.
Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has spent more than $460m of his own money in an attempt to establish himself as the Democrat best placed to beat Donald Trump, indicated on Monday that he would also target Sanders on gun control.
The Bloomberg campaign released a video attacking the senator for his mixed record on the subject.
Before Sanders was elected to Congress in 1990, for example, he received support from the National Rifle Association because his Republican opponent had supported banning assault weapons. The Bloomberg video also highlighted Sanders’ support for a law that helps stop mass shooting victims suing gun manufacturers and the five times he voted against a bill which called for waiting periods before acquiring guns and instant background checks on gun purchases.
Sanders addressed the issue in the New Hampshire debate earlier this month.
“Until the last – two years ago – we had virtually no gun control legislation at all, and I represented that perspective,” he said. “The world has changed, and my views have changed.
“And my view is right now, we need universal background checks. We end the gun show loophole. We end the so-called strawman provision. We make certain that we end the sale and distribution of assault weapons in this country.”
We are going to let people know how we feel about these candidates James Clyburn
Bloomberg has poured money into the gun control movement but it is unclear if his cash can overcome the damage wrought by other candidates’ focus on his own record regarding women and people of color.
At the last debate, in Nevada, the former mayor failed to craft a convincing response to criticism of his controversial policing policy, stop-and-frisk, which disproportionately impacted minorities.
The favored centrist candidate in South Carolina is Joe Biden, who remains popular with African American voters, a dominant presence in Democratic contests in the state, after serving for eight years as vice-president to Barack Obama.
A CBS News poll taken before Nevada, where Biden placed second, showed him in the lead in South Carolina with 28% support. Sanders was second with 23%, followed by the second billionaire in the race, Tom Steyer, with 18%.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton dominated South Carolina, winning with 73% of the vote to 26% for Sanders.
Biden, who has denied suggestions that that his campaign will be over if he does not win South Carolina, is expected to receive a well-timed endorsement from the House majority whip, Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking African American in Congress.
“We are going to let people know how we feel about these candidates, and it may not line up with Nevada or New Hampshire or Iowa,” Clyburn told ABC News on Sunday.
As Trump tweeted gleefully about supposed establishment attempts to block Sanders, some Democrats called on candidates including the Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg to exit the race in order to consolidate the moderate vote.
All the remaining candidates, however, have said they plan to stick around for Super Tuesday.
Buttigieg, who like Sanders declared himself the winner of the muddled Iowa caucuses, used his concession speech in Nevada to warn against a “rush” to nominate Sanders to face Trump in November.
The senator, he said, is a “disaster in waiting”.


theguardian--2020-02-24--Nine-year-old Buttigieg supporter asks candidate to help 'tell the world I'm gay'

At a campaign rally in Denver , a nine-year-old Pete Buttigieg supporter asked the presidential hopeful to “ tell the world I ’ m gay ” .
Zachary Ro , from Lone Tree , was called on stage so Buttigieg could answer directly a question the young fan had written to the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , as he entered the rally .
In front of about 4,000 people , Zachary shook Buttigieg ’ s hand and gave him a handmade bracelet .
Zachary asked : “ Thank you for being so brave .
Would you help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay , too ?
I want to be brave like you.
” Zachary , Buttigieg said , did not seem “ to need a lot of advice for me on bravery .
You seem pretty strong to me .
“ It took me a long time to figure out how to tell even my best friend that I was gay , ” the candidate continued , “ let alone to go out there and tell the world , and to see you willing to come to terms with who you are in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people you ’ ve never met that ’ s really something.
” Buttigieg also told Zachary “ a couple things that might be useful ” .
“ The first thing is that it won ’ t always be easy , but that ’ s OK , because you know who you are .
And that ’ s really important , because when you know who you are , you have a center of gravity that can hold you together when all kinds of chaos is happening around you.
” Buttigieg also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s taking their lead from you , who ’ s watching you and deciding that they can be a little braver because you have been brave.
” The crowd cheered and someone yelled “ Go Zach ” before Buttigieg continued .
“ When I was trying to figure out who I was , ” he said , “ I was afraid that who I was might mean that I could never make a difference .
And what wound up happening instead is that it ’ s a huge part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I never could have seen that coming , and you ’ ll never know whose life you might be affecting right now , just by standing here .
There ’ s a lot of power in that.
” The two were then joined on stage by Buttigieg ’ s husband , Chasten , who greeted Zachary then walked him off while people in the audience chanted : “ Love means love !
” Buttigieg , 38 , is currently fifth in the realclearpolitics.com polling average for the Democratic primary field , having placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He made headlines the previous week , when he hit back at the conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh , who questioned whether Americans were ready to vote for a gay presidential candidate .
Buttigieg said he was “ not going to be lectured on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh or anybody who supports Donald J Trump as the moral as well as political leader of the United States ” .
In an interview with local TV station Fox31 after the Denver rally , Zachary said : “ I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice.
” Zachary told the Colorado Sun he was “ kind of nervous , excited , proud ” to get advice from the presidential candidate in front of thousands of people .
“ I was glad I was able to tell everyone in the audience that I ’ m gay , ” he said .

At a campaign rally in Denver, a nine-year-old Pete Buttigieg supporter asked the presidential hopeful to “tell the world I’m gay”.
Zachary Ro, from Lone Tree, was called on stage so Buttigieg could answer directly a question the young fan had written to the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, as he entered the rally.
In front of about 4,000 people, Zachary shook Buttigieg’s hand and gave him a handmade bracelet.
Zachary asked: “Thank you for being so brave. Would you help me tell the world I’m gay, too? I want to be brave like you.”
Zachary, Buttigieg said, did not seem “to need a lot of advice for me on bravery. You seem pretty strong to me.
“It took me a long time to figure out how to tell even my best friend that I was gay,” the candidate continued, “let alone to go out there and tell the world, and to see you willing to come to terms with who you are in a room full of 1,000 people, thousands of people you’ve never met that’s really something.”
Buttigieg also told Zachary “a couple things that might be useful”.
“The first thing is that it won’t always be easy, but that’s OK, because you know who you are. And that’s really important, because when you know who you are, you have a center of gravity that can hold you together when all kinds of chaos is happening around you.”
Buttigieg also said: “You’ll never know who’s taking their lead from you, who’s watching you and deciding that they can be a little braver because you have been brave.”
The crowd cheered and someone yelled “Go Zach” before Buttigieg continued.
I caught up with 9 year old Zachary after he was brought on stage and asked @PeteButtigieg his question. His dad told me off camera he was proud of his son. pic.twitter.com/CsO60aQiUh — Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) February 23, 2020
“When I was trying to figure out who I was,” he said, “I was afraid that who I was might mean that I could never make a difference. And what wound up happening instead is that it’s a huge part of the difference I get to make.
“I never could have seen that coming, and you’ll never know whose life you might be affecting right now, just by standing here. There’s a lot of power in that.”
The two were then joined on stage by Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, who greeted Zachary then walked him off while people in the audience chanted: “Love means love!”
Buttigieg, 38, is currently fifth in the realclearpolitics.com polling average for the Democratic primary field, having placed third in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. He made headlines the previous week, when he hit back at the conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who questioned whether Americans were ready to vote for a gay presidential candidate.
Buttigieg said he was “not going to be lectured on family values from the likes of Rush Limbaugh or anybody who supports Donald J Trump as the moral as well as political leader of the United States”.
In an interview with local TV station Fox31 after the Denver rally, Zachary said: “I feel like he gave me some very good advice.”
Zachary told the Colorado Sun he was “kind of nervous, excited, proud” to get advice from the presidential candidate in front of thousands of people.
“I was glad I was able to tell everyone in the audience that I’m gay,” he said.


theguardian--2020-02-24--HR McMaster to publish book that may pose headaches for Trump

Donald Trump is trying to stop the publication of a book by his third national security adviser , John Bolton , but he will soon have to contend with a volume published by his second .
Lt Gen HR McMaster will publish Battlegrounds : The Fight to Defend the Free World , on 28 April .
Bolton ’ s book , The Room Where It Happened , is reported to contain details of events central to the president ’ s impeachment over his approaches to Ukraine , which he survived after acquittal in the Senate .
It is due for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to block it until at least after November ’ s election .
McMaster has long been known to be writing a book but it has not been expected to be a memoir of the tell-all kind which has plagued the Trump White House .
Harper Collins duly said McMaster ’ s book would offer a “ groundbreaking reassessment of America ’ s place in the world , drawing from McMaster ’ s long engagement with these issues , including 34 years of service in the US army with multiple tours of duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publisher also said the general would write about “ his 13 months as national security adviser in the Trump White House ” .
McMaster replaced another general , the disgraced Michael Flynn , as national security adviser in early 2017 and lasted in the role until 22 March 2018 .
Trump ’ s fourth national security adviser in less than four years , currently filling the hot seat , is the former hostage negotiator Robert O ’ Brien .
Books on the Trump administration are full of descriptions of a relationship with McMaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clashing with the impulsive president .
In the bestselling A Very Stable Genius , for example , the Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker write that McMaster had “ difficulty holding the president ’ s attention ” as Trump “ would get annoyed with what he considered McMaster ’ s lecturing style ” .
McMaster is a decorated combat veteran who won a famous tank battle in the first Gulf war and also the author of a book on the Vietnam war , Dereliction of Duty , which examines a colossal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy .
According to Leonnig and Rucker , Trump would not read briefing materials McMaster prepared and complain of scheduled meetings : “ I ’ m not fucking doing that .
I ’ m not talking with McMaster for an hour .
Are you kidding me ?
” The situation did not improve , they write , because “ McMaster felt it was his duty to speak truth to his commander ” .
Trump ’ s complaint that McMaster dressed “ like a beer salesman ” has been widely reported .
Leonnig and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s military bearing and “ barking kind of voice ” .
An unidentified McMaster aide is quoted as saying : “ The president doesn ’ t fire people .
He just tortures them until they ’ re willing to quit.
” McMaster was generally considered one of the “ adults in the room ” around Trump in the first two years of his presidency , senior figures from the military or business generally able to restrain the brash and unconventional real estate developer .
Other such figures long gone from the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former defense secretary James Mattis and ex-chief of staff John Kelly , and former Exxon Mobil chief executive and secretary of state Rex Tillerson .
Mattis published his own memoir , Call Sign Chaos , last year .
It only obliquely addressed his service under Trump and his differences with him .
McMaster has fought shy of speaking on record about his time in the White House and has given only one major interview : to the Guardian about his passion for rugby union .
That interview took place the day after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for California , where he is now a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University .
McMaster perhaps gave a taste of the sections of his book on his time in the US army and about America ’ s place in the world , if not his time in the Trump White House .
“ I think the warrior ethos is analogous to what a good rugby team has , ” he said .
“ They ’ re not going to be daunted by another team , or a difficult a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to bind together and overcome .
”

Donald Trump is trying to stop the publication of a book by his third national security adviser, John Bolton, but he will soon have to contend with a volume published by his second.
Lt Gen HR McMaster will publish Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World, on 28 April.
Bolton’s book, The Room Where It Happened, is reported to contain details of events central to the president’s impeachment over his approaches to Ukraine, which he survived after acquittal in the Senate.
It is due for publication in March but Trump is reportedly trying to block it until at least after November’s election.
McMaster has long been known to be writing a book but it has not been expected to be a memoir of the tell-all kind which has plagued the Trump White House.
Harper Collins duly said McMaster’s book would offer a “groundbreaking reassessment of America’s place in the world, drawing from McMaster’s long engagement with these issues, including 34 years of service in the US army with multiple tours of duty in battlegrounds overseas”.
But the publisher also said the general would write about “his 13 months as national security adviser in the Trump White House”.
McMaster replaced another general, the disgraced Michael Flynn, as national security adviser in early 2017 and lasted in the role until 22 March 2018. Trump’s fourth national security adviser in less than four years, currently filling the hot seat, is the former hostage negotiator Robert O’Brien.
Books on the Trump administration are full of descriptions of a relationship with McMaster that never flourished, the cerebral general clashing with the impulsive president.
In the bestselling A Very Stable Genius, for example, the Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker write that McMaster had “difficulty holding the president’s attention” as Trump “would get annoyed with what he considered McMaster’s lecturing style”.
McMaster is a decorated combat veteran who won a famous tank battle in the first Gulf war and also the author of a book on the Vietnam war, Dereliction of Duty, which examines a colossal failure of US foreign and national security policy.
According to Leonnig and Rucker, Trump would not read briefing materials McMaster prepared and complain of scheduled meetings: “I’m not fucking doing that. I’m not talking with McMaster for an hour. Are you kidding me?”
The situation did not improve, they write, because “McMaster felt it was his duty to speak truth to his commander”.
Trump’s complaint that McMaster dressed “like a beer salesman” has been widely reported. Leonnig and Rucker also say Trump would imitate McMaster’s military bearing and “barking kind of voice”. An unidentified McMaster aide is quoted as saying: “The president doesn’t fire people. He just tortures them until they’re willing to quit.”
McMaster was generally considered one of the “adults in the room” around Trump in the first two years of his presidency, senior figures from the military or business generally able to restrain the brash and unconventional real estate developer.
Other such figures long gone from the White House include two other retired generals, former defense secretary James Mattis and ex-chief of staff John Kelly, and former Exxon Mobil chief executive and secretary of state Rex Tillerson.
Mattis published his own memoir, Call Sign Chaos, last year. It only obliquely addressed his service under Trump and his differences with him.
McMaster has fought shy of speaking on record about his time in the White House and has given only one major interview: to the Guardian about his passion for rugby union.
That interview took place the day after he packed up his belongings and left Washington for California, where he is now a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
McMaster perhaps gave a taste of the sections of his book on his time in the US army and about America’s place in the world, if not his time in the Trump White House.
“I think the warrior ethos is analogous to what a good rugby team has,” he said. “They’re not going to be daunted by another team, or a difficult a situation in a game. They’re going to bind together and overcome.”


theguardian--2020-02-24--For Trump and Modi, ethnic purity is the purpose of power | Jason Stanley

The US president , Donald Trump , has delighted a stadium of 125,000 cheering Indians in Gujarat by declaring : “ America loves India .
America respects India .
And America will always be a faithful and loyal friend to the Indian people.
” It might seem a discordant note from a president whose rule has been marked by a single-minded obsession with halting foreign immigration .
But it ’ s an obsession he shares with his Indian counterpart , prime minister Narendra Modi , who stood on the stage alongside him .
The president has previously complained about immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a policy that prefers migrants from “ countries such as Norway ” .
And his administration has assiduously prioritised changes in immigration laws .
Trump ’ s first attorney general , Jeff Sessions , called for a return to something like the 1924 Immigration Act , which banned immigration from Asia and severely restricted the entry of other people considered racially undesirable .
Stephen Miller , Sessions ’ protege and Trump ’ s longest-serving senior adviser , was recently quoted as describing stopping migrants as “ all I care about – this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the first executive orders signed by Trump , “ Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry ” , which banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries ; a subsequent version , altered to tone down its too-obvious religious discrimination , has been approved by a 5-4 majority in a supreme court that features two new ultra-conservative Trump appointees .
In January six countries , including four from Africa , were added to the list .
In the early 20th century , the US deployed citizenship strategically to exclude non-whites and non-Christians , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mein Kampf , he decries the idea of a state in which “ race and nationality ” play no role in citizenship , proposing a “ national state ” : “ Anything crazier and less thought-out than our present laws of state citizenship is hardly possible to conceive .
But there is at least one state in which feeble attempts to achieve a better arrangement are apparent : the United States of America , where they absolutely forbid [ the ] naturalisation of certain defined races , and thus are making a modest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlike the conception of the national state.
” My wife ’ s great-grandfather Takayuki Yaokawa Sato was a fisherman by trade .
At our family gatherings , we show an old American photo of him , with a fishing pole , proudly holding a large fish .
Sato , a Japanese immigrant , married Grace Virginia Woods , a US citizen , in the early 20th century , when the country was gripped by fears of a “ yellow peril ” and the supreme court declared Asians ineligible for naturalisation .
In concert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revoked citizenship to American women who married non-citizens , this deprived Woods of her citizenship .
She only regained it upon her husband ’ s death .
US immigration policy was a source for Hitler ’ s “ national state ” vision .
In September 1935 , the German government realised this vision with the Nuremberg Laws , which prohibited non-Aryans from marrying those of “ German blood ” and created a category of second-class citizenship for Jews .
Here too , Hitler was influenced by American ideology , in particular the Jim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my Jewish father was a German citizen in Berlin , where he had been born in November 1932 .
On 15 September 1935 , he became a second-class citizen .
Stripping minority groups of the state protection associated with full citizenship leaves them vulnerable to brutal treatment .
In Hannah Arendt ’ s phrase from The Origins of Totalitarianism , citizenship is “ the right to have rights ” .
The Nuremberg Laws coincided with the building of large detention centres – concentration camps – for those affected by them .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a zone where the legal norms of arrest and imprisonment do not apply .
The European-American concept of a national state had influence outside Europe .
VD Savarkar , the Indian political theorist who ushered in Hindu nationalist ideology , was influenced by European ethno-nationalism .
He took the Nazi treatment of German Jews to be a model for eventual Hindutva policy towards India ’ s Muslim residents .
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is a Hindu nationalist movement dating back to the mid-1920s , many of whose members venerated Savarkar .
Senior leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenced by Mussolini and Hitler .
The Bharatiya Janata party , the political wing of RSS and now India ’ s ruling party , has begun to implement changes in citizenship laws that echo the Nuremberg Laws .
India ’ s new Citizenship Amendment Act allows for a fast-track to citizenship for non-Muslim migrants , thereby discriminating against Muslims .
The proposed national register requires residents to prove their citizenship with documentation – which many in India lack .
Together , these laws place Muslims without documentation in a quandary .
Large detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Muslim residents who are declared ineligible for citizenship .
Like the US immigration policy so admired by Hitler , these laws are a mask : they are designed to privilege Hindus in the citizenship laws of the world ’ s largest democracy .
Trump leads an administration that seeks to return the US to the national state of Hitler ’ s adulation .
In many respects , Modi ’ s India is considerably further along this path .
The student has become the teacher .
There is more to fascism than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-party rule : over the courts , the police , the military and the press .
They involve a cult of loyalty to a single leader and nostalgia for a mythic past when the nation was dominated by the privileged group .
But the core of fascist ideology is realised in changing citizenship laws to privilege a single ethnic group .
This is why we regard the Nuremberg Laws as a defining moment in German history , and the concentration camp as the defining Nazi institution .
History has been rightly horrified by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why , then , are so many countries going down this path ?
Fascism thrives during moments of perceived crisis , which can be represented as a zero-sum battle for group survival .
The climate crisis , already taking the form of water wars between Indian states , is an example .
The solution is international agreements , which recognise that we humans share similar fates – that our similarities far outweigh our differences .
This liberalism is denounced as “ globalism ” by figures such as Trump , while liberals and leftists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are denounced as “ anti-national ” by the BJP and its acolytes .
Trump ’ s triumphant visit to India demonstrates just how global ethno-nationalism , and its more violent sibling , fascism , has become .
• Jason Stanley is a professor of philosophy at Yale and the author of How Fascism Works

The US president, Donald Trump, has delighted a stadium of 125,000 cheering Indians in Gujarat by declaring: “America loves India. America respects India. And America will always be a faithful and loyal friend to the Indian people.” It might seem a discordant note from a president whose rule has been marked by a single-minded obsession with halting foreign immigration. But it’s an obsession he shares with his Indian counterpart, prime minister Narendra Modi, who stood on the stage alongside him.
The president has previously complained about immigration from “shithole countries” and suggested a policy that prefers migrants from “countries such as Norway”. And his administration has assiduously prioritised changes in immigration laws. Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, called for a return to something like the 1924 Immigration Act, which banned immigration from Asia and severely restricted the entry of other people considered racially undesirable.
Hitler was influenced by American ideology. His Nuremberg Laws made my father, born in Berlin, a second-class citizen
Stephen Miller, Sessions’ protege and Trump’s longest-serving senior adviser, was recently quoted as describing stopping migrants as “all I care about – this is my life”. Miller drafted one of the first executive orders signed by Trump, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry”, which banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries; a subsequent version, altered to tone down its too-obvious religious discrimination, has been approved by a 5-4 majority in a supreme court that features two new ultra-conservative Trump appointees. In January six countries, including four from Africa, were added to the list.
In the early 20th century, the US deployed citizenship strategically to exclude non-whites and non-Christians, which impressed Hitler. In Part II of Mein Kampf, he decries the idea of a state in which “race and nationality” play no role in citizenship, proposing a “national state”: “Anything crazier and less thought-out than our present laws of state citizenship is hardly possible to conceive. But there is at least one state in which feeble attempts to achieve a better arrangement are apparent: the United States of America, where they absolutely forbid [the] naturalisation of certain defined races, and thus are making a modest start in the direction of something not unlike the conception of the national state.”
My wife’s great-grandfather Takayuki Yaokawa Sato was a fisherman by trade. At our family gatherings, we show an old American photo of him, with a fishing pole, proudly holding a large fish. Sato, a Japanese immigrant, married Grace Virginia Woods, a US citizen, in the early 20th century, when the country was gripped by fears of a “yellow peril” and the supreme court declared Asians ineligible for naturalisation. In concert with the 1907 Expatriation Act, which revoked citizenship to American women who married non-citizens, this deprived Woods of her citizenship. She only regained it upon her husband’s death.
US immigration policy was a source for Hitler’s “national state” vision. In September 1935, the German government realised this vision with the Nuremberg Laws, which prohibited non-Aryans from marrying those of “German blood” and created a category of second-class citizenship for Jews. Here too, Hitler was influenced by American ideology, in particular the Jim Crow anti-miscegenation laws. At the time, my Jewish father was a German citizen in Berlin, where he had been born in November 1932. On 15 September 1935, he became a second-class citizen.
Stripping minority groups of the state protection associated with full citizenship leaves them vulnerable to brutal treatment. In Hannah Arendt’s phrase from The Origins of Totalitarianism, citizenship is “the right to have rights”. The Nuremberg Laws coincided with the building of large detention centres – concentration camps – for those affected by them. The US Holocaust Museum describes a concentration camp as a zone where the legal norms of arrest and imprisonment do not apply.
The European-American concept of a national state had influence outside Europe. VD Savarkar, the Indian political theorist who ushered in Hindu nationalist ideology, was influenced by European ethno-nationalism. He took the Nazi treatment of German Jews to be a model for eventual Hindutva policy towards India’s Muslim residents. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is a Hindu nationalist movement dating back to the mid-1920s, many of whose members venerated Savarkar. Senior leaders, such as MS Golwalkar, were influenced by Mussolini and Hitler. The Bharatiya Janata party, the political wing of RSS and now India’s ruling party, has begun to implement changes in citizenship laws that echo the Nuremberg Laws.
India’s new Citizenship Amendment Act allows for a fast-track to citizenship for non-Muslim migrants, thereby discriminating against Muslims. The proposed national register requires residents to prove their citizenship with documentation – which many in India lack. Together, these laws place Muslims without documentation in a quandary. Large detention centres are being built to house India’s Muslim residents who are declared ineligible for citizenship. Like the US immigration policy so admired by Hitler, these laws are a mask: they are designed to privilege Hindus in the citizenship laws of the world’s largest democracy.
Trump leads an administration that seeks to return the US to the national state of Hitler’s adulation. In many respects, Modi’s India is considerably further along this path. The student has become the teacher.
There is more to fascism than changing citizenship laws. Fascist movements seek one-party rule: over the courts, the police, the military and the press. They involve a cult of loyalty to a single leader and nostalgia for a mythic past when the nation was dominated by the privileged group. But the core of fascist ideology is realised in changing citizenship laws to privilege a single ethnic group. This is why we regard the Nuremberg Laws as a defining moment in German history, and the concentration camp as the defining Nazi institution.
History has been rightly horrified by the Nuremberg Laws and their consequences. Why, then, are so many countries going down this path?
Fascism thrives during moments of perceived crisis, which can be represented as a zero-sum battle for group survival. The climate crisis, already taking the form of water wars between Indian states, is an example.
The solution is international agreements, which recognise that we humans share similar fates – that our similarities far outweigh our differences. This liberalism is denounced as “globalism” by figures such as Trump, while liberals and leftists who defend India’s secular constitution are denounced as “anti-national” by the BJP and its acolytes. Trump’s triumphant visit to India demonstrates just how global ethno-nationalism, and its more violent sibling, fascism, has become.


theguardian--2020-02-24--The American media elite has learned nothing from 2016. It will only get worse | Jessa Crispin

The world has gotten weird , so it is natural to turn to the news to explain to us what is going on .
But what is going on in the pages of the newspapers and in the studios of the 24-hour news networks is sometimes as confusing as the news they are reporting .
We have someone on television comparing the supporters of the Jewish presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to Nazi “ brownshirts ” .
We have MSNBC hosts comparing Bernie Sanders ’ Nevada win to the Nazi invasion of France .
We have someone on television constructing elaborate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Park and shooting him in the back of the head for having too much money .
We have people on television who see the hand of Russian agents in every mishap , and we have so many women and men in newspapers who insist that being criticized for their work is a violation of their constitutional rights .
Journalism was supposed to save us .
They promised .
After the election of Donald Trump , which the good gentlemen and ladies of journalism assisted in facilitating , much was made of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blow , to shorten the reign of corruption , to protect the public from the madman in the White House .
It hasn ’ t really worked out that way , and the increasingly unhinged rhetoric of the opinion-havers and the public faces of news networks does little to restore our faith .
The media has come under fire for its role in helping President Trump make his way to the highest office in the land – from making too much of Hillary Clinton ’ s email scandal , to giving Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his every word and deed , to fundamentally misunderstanding their own country and what the people who live between New York and Los Angeles might want or need .
Yet , for the most part , the media did not take its failure to foresee or prevent the results of the 2016 election as a cue to pause , assess what it has been doing wrong , and realign itself and its mission in response to the hard lessons it has learned .
Instead , the media rebranded , like an oil company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the throats of sea turtles .
It announced it would be the bulwark against Trump and all of his cronies , the last line of protection between us and fascism .
Ta-da .
It created whole ad campaigns around Trump ’ s hatred for the press .
If he hates us , that must mean we ’ re good , right ?
Right ?
Like those companies , it never stopped its sludge dumping , just changed the name under which it committed its sea turtle murder .
No one lost their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impossibility of Hillary Clinton losing the election .
No pundits had to apologize for never once stepping inside a red state before pontificating about the state of things in Trump country .
The New York Times relied on the same six “ swing voters ” to provide commentary whenever the paper of record decided it need to prove it was in touch with the common people .
Billionaires buying newspapers also became something of a trend , like fidget spinners or insulin rationing due to a lack of comprehensive health insurance – either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look philanthropic , or because they want to control the coverage of their financial goings-on , or both .
( Democracy dies in darkness , Mr Bezos ?
Yeah , well , so do workers on your warehouse floors . )
Yes , the media made a few cosmetic changes to prove they understood the diversity of thought across this nation .
The New York Times , for example , decided it lacked the conservative voices that could explain the populist rightward tilt the electorate took , so the paper hired man-of-the-people Bret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , graduate of the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics – as a columnist .
You know , someone who could really give some insight into the kind of opinions circulating at the Beloit , Kansas , diner at harvest time .
Other publications followed suit , fawning over anyone who might have accidentally found themselves briefly living in a conservative state before their inevitable elevation to the elite university system , like the Yale graduate/Appalachia expert/venture capitalist JD Vance , despite the multitude of critics who say his theories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at best .
Journalism has become a well-gate-kept little bubble , if bubbles were created out of ignorance and contempt for what lay outside of them instead of just soap .
And unlike soap bubbles , so easily pricked and burst , the walls of the ideological bubbles of our professional class are nearly impenetrable .
As local newspapers disappear due to the financial meddling of Facebook and venture capitalists , and as journalism becomes a career that requires advanced degrees rather than apprenticeships , it is harder and harder for anyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or elite education to find work and a voice in our media institutions .
What gives you access to these realms is not a unique insight or an empathetic perspective or access to overlooked populations , but instead credentials only attainable by wealth or privilege .
Vance went to Yale , so whatever he says about Appalachia must be right , because his editor also probably went to Yale and so did his editor ’ s boss and so on .
The biases of the professional classes replicate themselves , and we find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive left as they are by the reactionary right .
Often , as with Chuck Todd and Chris Matthews , they can ’ t even distinguish between the two groups .
Anyone working as a collective must be essentially the same , even if one group is chanting white nationalist slogans and the other is asking for racial and economic justice .
But who can tell the difference , watching the demonstration , as they do , through the glass of their building on Eighth Avenue ?
• None Jessa Crispin is the @ @ @ @ @ @

The world has gotten weird, so it is natural to turn to the news to explain to us what is going on. But what is going on in the pages of the newspapers and in the studios of the 24-hour news networks is sometimes as confusing as the news they are reporting.
We have someone on television comparing the supporters of the Jewish presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to Nazi “brownshirts”. We have MSNBC hosts comparing Bernie Sanders’ Nevada win to the Nazi invasion of France. We have someone on television constructing elaborate fantasies about Bernie Sanders walking him into Central Park and shooting him in the back of the head for having too much money. We have people on television who see the hand of Russian agents in every mishap, and we have so many women and men in newspapers who insist that being criticized for their work is a violation of their constitutional rights.
Journalism was supposed to save us. They promised. After the election of Donald Trump, which the good gentlemen and ladies of journalism assisted in facilitating, much was made of the ability of the fourth estate to soften the blow, to shorten the reign of corruption, to protect the public from the madman in the White House. It hasn’t really worked out that way, and the increasingly unhinged rhetoric of the opinion-havers and the public faces of news networks does little to restore our faith.
The media has come under fire for its role in helping President Trump make his way to the highest office in the land – from making too much of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, to giving Trump untold hours of free publicity by broadcasting his every word and deed, to fundamentally misunderstanding their own country and what the people who live between New York and Los Angeles might want or need.
Yet, for the most part, the media did not take its failure to foresee or prevent the results of the 2016 election as a cue to pause, assess what it has been doing wrong, and realign itself and its mission in response to the hard lessons it has learned.
Instead, the media rebranded, like an oil company recently discovered to be dumping toxic sludge down the throats of sea turtles. It announced it would be the bulwark against Trump and all of his cronies, the last line of protection between us and fascism. Ta-da. It created whole ad campaigns around Trump’s hatred for the press. If he hates us, that must mean we’re good, right? Right?
Like those companies, it never stopped its sludge dumping, just changed the name under which it committed its sea turtle murder. No one lost their job for assuring the country of the impossibility of Hillary Clinton losing the election. No pundits had to apologize for never once stepping inside a red state before pontificating about the state of things in Trump country. The New York Times relied on the same six “swing voters” to provide commentary whenever the paper of record decided it need to prove it was in touch with the common people.
Billionaires buying newspapers also became something of a trend, like fidget spinners or insulin rationing due to a lack of comprehensive health insurance – either because these billionaires seek to make themselves look philanthropic, or because they want to control the coverage of their financial goings-on, or both. (Democracy dies in darkness, Mr Bezos? Yeah, well, so do workers on your warehouse floors.)
Yes, the media made a few cosmetic changes to prove they understood the diversity of thought across this nation. The New York Times, for example, decided it lacked the conservative voices that could explain the populist rightward tilt the electorate took, so the paper hired man-of-the-people Bret Stephens – son of a corporate scion, graduate of the University of Chicago and the London School of Economics – as a columnist. You know, someone who could really give some insight into the kind of opinions circulating at the Beloit, Kansas, diner at harvest time. Other publications followed suit, fawning over anyone who might have accidentally found themselves briefly living in a conservative state before their inevitable elevation to the elite university system, like the Yale graduate/Appalachia expert/venture capitalist JD Vance, despite the multitude of critics who say his theories about the white working class are naive at best.
Journalism has become a well-gate-kept little bubble, if bubbles were created out of ignorance and contempt for what lay outside of them instead of just soap. And unlike soap bubbles, so easily pricked and burst, the walls of the ideological bubbles of our professional class are nearly impenetrable.
As local newspapers disappear due to the financial meddling of Facebook and venture capitalists, and as journalism becomes a career that requires advanced degrees rather than apprenticeships, it is harder and harder for anyone who does not come from an upper-middle-class background or elite education to find work and a voice in our media institutions. What gives you access to these realms is not a unique insight or an empathetic perspective or access to overlooked populations, but instead credentials only attainable by wealth or privilege. Vance went to Yale, so whatever he says about Appalachia must be right, because his editor also probably went to Yale and so did his editor’s boss and so on.
The biases of the professional classes replicate themselves, and we find figures as horrified and baffled by the progressive left as they are by the reactionary right. Often, as with Chuck Todd and Chris Matthews, they can’t even distinguish between the two groups. Anyone working as a collective must be essentially the same, even if one group is chanting white nationalist slogans and the other is asking for racial and economic justice. But who can tell the difference, watching the demonstration, as they do, through the glass of their building on Eighth Avenue?