theguardian--2020-02-12--Who is Amy Klobuchar, the third-place finisher in New Hampshire?

When the results came in from the three tiny towns that traditionally vote first in New Hampshire , Amy Klobuchar posted them straight to Instagram .
“ We ’ re off to a great start in New Hampshire today !
” the Minnesota senator wrote about the midnight tallies from Dixville Notch , Millsfield and Hart ’ s Location , which showed her ahead of the Democratic pack with a total of eight votes .
But her joke presaged a successful night that has saved her campaign , at least for now .
Klobuchar came in a strong third in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote , behind her fellow moderate Pete Buttigieg on 24.4 % and the Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders on 25.7 % .
Some of the credit can go to her punchy performance in Friday ’ s debate , in which she attacked Buttigieg for his youth and inexperience , telling him that “ 59 – my age – is the new 38 up here ” .
The jab also drew attention to the fact that the other top contenders – Sanders , Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden – are all in their 70s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would rather watch cartoons than Donald Trump ’ s “ exhausting ” impeachment trial .
“ It is easy to go after Washington , because that ’ s a popular thing to do , ” said Klobuchar .
“ It is much harder to lead , and much harder to take those difficult positions.
” While Buttigieg presented himself as a “ cool newcomer ” , she said , “ I don ’ t think that ’ s what people want right now .
We have a newcomer in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think having some experience is a good thing.
” Klobuchar was born in Plymouth , Minnesota , in 1960 .
After studying at Yale and the University of Chicago Law School , she practised as a lawyer and then moved into politics .
She joined the Senate in 2006 and gained a reputation for working across the aisle , taking a trip to the Baltic states and Ukraine with the Republicans John McCain and Lindsey Graham in 2016 .
She played a memorable role in the heated confirmation hearings for the supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking the judge if he had ever been blackout drunk .
“ I don ’ t know .
Have you ?
” he asked , repeating the question aggressively .
“ I have no drinking problem , ” she replied calmly .
Minutes before , she had talked about her father ’ s struggles with alcoholism .
Kavanaugh later apologised .
Klobuchar has been accused of bullying by former staff members , with one aide allegedly hit by a flying binder .
A bizarre story recounted by the New York Times claimed she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the absence of a fork and then gave it a staff member and told them to clean it .
“ Am I a tough boss sometimes ?
Yes , ” she has said when asked about the allegations .
“ Have I pushed people too hard ?
Yes.
” Her policies as a presidential candidate are probably best described in relation to her more leftwing rivals .
She thinks the “ green new deal ” – a proposed programme to tackle climate change and create jobs – is too ambitious and expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Medicare for All , a policy backed by Sanders and Warren that would replace the health insurance industry with a publicly run scheme .
Aware that she needed to seize her moment in the national spotlight , Klobuchar used her speech in New Hampshire on Tuesday night to look past her party and address the nation .
“ Hello America , my name is Amy Klobuchar and I will beat Donald Trump , ” she vowed .
But she faces an uphill struggle to unite the Democratic centrist vote , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her , plus Michael Bloomberg who plans to join the race on 3 March for Super Tuesday .
“ There is no evidence that she can get non-white voters , ” one Democratic source told Politico .
She is polling in low single digits in Nevada and South Carolina , the next states to vote , and is doing only marginally better nationally .
As Sanders surges forward on the left and Biden fades , Klobuchar has a small window to make her case .

When the results came in from the three tiny towns that traditionally vote first in New Hampshire, Amy Klobuchar posted them straight to Instagram. “We’re off to a great start in New Hampshire today!” the Minnesota senator wrote about the midnight tallies from Dixville Notch, Millsfield and Hart’s Location, which showed her ahead of the Democratic pack with a total of eight votes.
But her joke presaged a successful night that has saved her campaign, at least for now. Klobuchar came in a strong third in New Hampshire with nearly 20% of the vote, behind her fellow moderate Pete Buttigieg on 24.4% and the Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders on 25.7%.
Some of the credit can go to her punchy performance in Friday’s debate, in which she attacked Buttigieg for his youth and inexperience, telling him that “59 – my age – is the new 38 up here”. The jab also drew attention to the fact that the other top contenders – Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden – are all in their 70s.
Klobuchar also criticised Buttigieg for saying he would rather watch cartoons than Donald Trump’s “exhausting” impeachment trial. “It is easy to go after Washington, because that’s a popular thing to do,” said Klobuchar. “It is much harder to lead, and much harder to take those difficult positions.”
While Buttigieg presented himself as a “cool newcomer”, she said, “I don’t think that’s what people want right now. We have a newcomer in the White House and look where it got us. I think having some experience is a good thing.”
Klobuchar was born in Plymouth, Minnesota, in 1960. After studying at Yale and the University of Chicago Law School, she practised as a lawyer and then moved into politics. She joined the Senate in 2006 and gained a reputation for working across the aisle, taking a trip to the Baltic states and Ukraine with the Republicans John McCain and Lindsey Graham in 2016.
She played a memorable role in the heated confirmation hearings for the supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, asking the judge if he had ever been blackout drunk. “I don’t know. Have you?” he asked, repeating the question aggressively. “I have no drinking problem,” she replied calmly. Minutes before, she had talked about her father’s struggles with alcoholism. Kavanaugh later apologised.
Kavanaugh asks Sen Klobuchar multiple times if she's had alcoholic blackouts. pic.twitter.com/3huBRb2JEo — Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 27, 2018
Klobuchar has been accused of bullying by former staff members, with one aide allegedly hit by a flying binder. A bizarre story recounted by the New York Times claimed she used a comb to eat a salad in the absence of a fork and then gave it a staff member and told them to clean it. “Am I a tough boss sometimes? Yes,” she has said when asked about the allegations. “Have I pushed people too hard? Yes.”
Her policies as a presidential candidate are probably best described in relation to her more leftwing rivals. She thinks the “green new deal” – a proposed programme to tackle climate change and create jobs – is too ambitious and expensive, and she makes the same argument about Medicare for All, a policy backed by Sanders and Warren that would replace the health insurance industry with a publicly run scheme.
Aware that she needed to seize her moment in the national spotlight, Klobuchar used her speech in New Hampshire on Tuesday night to look past her party and address the nation. “Hello America, my name is Amy Klobuchar and I will beat Donald Trump,” she vowed.
But she faces an uphill struggle to unite the Democratic centrist vote, which is now split between Buttigieg, Biden and her, plus Michael Bloomberg who plans to join the race on 3 March for Super Tuesday. “There is no evidence that she can get non-white voters,” one Democratic source told Politico. She is polling in low single digits in Nevada and South Carolina, the next states to vote, and is doing only marginally better nationally.
As Sanders surges forward on the left and Biden fades, Klobuchar has a small window to make her case.


theguardian--2020-02-12--Trump praises Barr after prosecutors quit Roger Stone case

Donald Trump praised his attorney general , William Barr , on Wednesday morning , one day after the nation ’ s top law official recommended cutting the suggested sentence of Trump campaign operative Roger Stone , a move that triggered the resignations of the four prosecutors in the case .
“ Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought , ” the president tweeted early on Wednesday .
“ Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” Trump provided no evidence for this claim .
Trump was referring to the special counsel Robert Mueller , who conducted the investigation into allegations that the Trump 2016 election campaign conspired with Russia to sway the vote , which concluded last year .
Stone , who was found guilty last November of seven crimes including obstruction of justice , lying to Congress and witness tampering , faces up to seven to nine years in prison at his upcoming sentencing next week for what prosecutors described as “ contempt for this court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But on Tuesday Trump claimed without evidence that “ the real crimes were on the other side , as nothing happens to them .
Can not allow this miscarriage of justice !
” Hours later , a new justice department court filing cut the prosecutor ’ s sentence recommendation and sought to rebut their arguments , suggesting that the proposed sentence was too harsh .
Four lawyers who prosecuted Stone , a 67-year-old political operative and a self-described dirty trickster and the sixth former Trump aide to be convicted in cases triggered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigned in protest .
Aaron Zelinsky , Jonathan Kravis , Adam Jed and Michael Marando quit the case while Democrats demanded an independent investigation into what they described as a dangerously politicised and corrupt justice department .
The former attorney general Eric Holder attacked the effort to undercut the prosecutors , posting on Twitter : “ Jonathan Kravis , Aaron Zelinsky , Adam Jed and Michael Marando – Department of Justice heroes .
I support them and all of the men and women of goodwill at DOJ .
Be tough .
Do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no compromise with those who act corruptly.
” The Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of “ shredding the rule of law in this country ” .
The Massachusetts senator tweeted : “ His AG overruled career prosecutors to reduce the sentence for his buddy Roger Stone after Stone committed crimes to protect him .
Every Republican who voted to acquit Trump for his corrupt actions enabled and owns this.
” She continued : “ Donald Trump can continue his corrupt rampages and vendettas because elected Republicans do nothing .
They lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career prosecutors who stepped down rather than facilitate the Attorney General ’ s corrupt scheme .
But we are not powerless.
” The growing controversy raises fresh questions over the role of Barr , the attorney general who has been criticized as a partisan Trump loyalist .
Barr has proved a fierce defender of Trump , even claiming that Mueller ’ s investigation exonerated the president when the final report suggested otherwise .
In the justice department filing , officials argued that the proposed sentence “ would not be appropriate or serve the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Among the mitigating factors , it contended , are Stone ’ s “ advanced age , health , personal circumstances and lack of criminal history ” .
On Wednesday morning , Trump further tweeted that Stone ’ s proposed sentence compared unfavorably to a shorter sentence handed down in 2018 to an unnamed “ Swamp Creature ” , thought to refer to James Wolfe , a former Senate staffer convicted of lying to the FBI .
Trump also referenced Fox News in the tweet .
Speaking in the Oval Office , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking to the justice department about the case but claimed that he would have “ the absolute right ” to do so .
Trump said of the prosecutors : “ They ought to be ashamed of themselves … I think it ’ s been disgraceful.
” He declined to say whether he might consider commuting Stone ’ s sentence .
On Monday , Barr appeared to follow Trump ’ s lead when he confirmed that the justice department would consider material sourced by Rudy Giuliani , the president ’ s personal attorney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed points to corrupt activities concerning Joe Biden and his family in Ukraine .
Despite claims that Giuliani was being treated no different than any other informant , Barr confirmed that the justice department had “ created a process that Rudy could give information and they would see if it ’ s verified ” .
Assertion of a Giuliani-justice department “ intake process ” , potentially a continuation of the issue that lead to Trump ’ s impeachment trial and acquittal last month , were first made on Sunday by the South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News , justice department officials also intervened last month to help change sentencing recommendations for Trump ’ s former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
Prosecutors had recommended up to six months , but their latest court filing recommends probation .
Monday ’ s filing in the Stone case came as Jessica Liu , the investigator overseeing a criminal investigation into former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe , was replaced by a former prosecutor selected by Barr .
McCabe , who was accused by the justice department ’ s inspector general of lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time from Trump , has not been charged .

Donald Trump praised his attorney general, William Barr, on Wednesday morning, one day after the nation’s top law official recommended cutting the suggested sentence of Trump campaign operative Roger Stone, a move that triggered the resignations of the four prosecutors in the case.
“Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought,” the president tweeted early on Wednesday. “Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!” Trump provided no evidence for this claim.
Trump was referring to the special counsel Robert Mueller, who conducted the investigation into allegations that the Trump 2016 election campaign conspired with Russia to sway the vote, which concluded last year.
Stone, who was found guilty last November of seven crimes including obstruction of justice, lying to Congress and witness tampering, faces up to seven to nine years in prison at his upcoming sentencing next week for what prosecutors described as “contempt for this court and the rule of law”.
Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought. Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2020
But on Tuesday Trump claimed without evidence that “the real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!”
Hours later, a new justice department court filing cut the prosecutor’s sentence recommendation and sought to rebut their arguments, suggesting that the proposed sentence was too harsh.
Four lawyers who prosecuted Stone, a 67-year-old political operative and a self-described dirty trickster and the sixth former Trump aide to be convicted in cases triggered by Mueller’s Russia investigation, then resigned in protest.
Aaron Zelinsky, Jonathan Kravis, Adam Jed and Michael Marando quit the case while Democrats demanded an independent investigation into what they described as a dangerously politicised and corrupt justice department.
The former attorney general Eric Holder attacked the effort to undercut the prosecutors, posting on Twitter: “Jonathan Kravis, Aaron Zelinsky, Adam Jed and Michael Marando – Department of Justice heroes. I support them and all of the men and women of goodwill at DOJ. Be tough. Do not compromise your values; there can be no compromise with those who act corruptly.”
The Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren accused Trump of “shredding the rule of law in this country”.
The Massachusetts senator tweeted: “His AG overruled career prosecutors to reduce the sentence for his buddy Roger Stone after Stone committed crimes to protect him. Every Republican who voted to acquit Trump for his corrupt actions enabled and owns this.”
She continued: “Donald Trump can continue his corrupt rampages and vendettas because elected Republicans do nothing. They lack the courage and backbone shown by four career prosecutors who stepped down rather than facilitate the Attorney General’s corrupt scheme. But we are not powerless.”
The growing controversy raises fresh questions over the role of Barr, the attorney general who has been criticized as a partisan Trump loyalist. Barr has proved a fierce defender of Trump, even claiming that Mueller’s investigation exonerated the president when the final report suggested otherwise.
In the justice department filing, officials argued that the proposed sentence “would not be appropriate or serve the interests of justice in this case”.
Among the mitigating factors, it contended, are Stone’s “advanced age, health, personal circumstances and lack of criminal history”.
On Wednesday morning, Trump further tweeted that Stone’s proposed sentence compared unfavorably to a shorter sentence handed down in 2018 to an unnamed “Swamp Creature”, thought to refer to James Wolfe, a former Senate staffer convicted of lying to the FBI. Trump also referenced Fox News in the tweet.
“Swamp Creature” is James Wolfe - the former Senate Intel staffer who was sentenced to two months in Dec 2018 for lying to the FBI https://t.co/uSoNYfBrw1 — Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) February 12, 2020
Speaking in the Oval Office, according to a pool report, Trump denied speaking to the justice department about the case but claimed that he would have “the absolute right” to do so.
Trump said of the prosecutors: “They ought to be ashamed of themselves … I think it’s been disgraceful.” He declined to say whether he might consider commuting Stone’s sentence.
On Monday, Barr appeared to follow Trump’s lead when he confirmed that the justice department would consider material sourced by Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, on what Trump and his lawyer have claimed points to corrupt activities concerning Joe Biden and his family in Ukraine.
Despite claims that Giuliani was being treated no different than any other informant, Barr confirmed that the justice department had “created a process that Rudy could give information and they would see if it’s verified”.
Assertion of a Giuliani-justice department “intake process”, potentially a continuation of the issue that lead to Trump’s impeachment trial and acquittal last month, were first made on Sunday by the South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham.
According to NBC News, justice department officials also intervened last month to help change sentencing recommendations for Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Prosecutors had recommended up to six months, but their latest court filing recommends probation.
Monday’s filing in the Stone case came as Jessica Liu, the investigator overseeing a criminal investigation into former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, was replaced by a former prosecutor selected by Barr.
McCabe, who was accused by the justice department’s inspector general of lying to investigators, prompting calls for prison time from Trump, has not been charged.


theguardian--2020-02-12--For Democrats, it's Bernie Sanders v centrists as race still unsettled

After the Iowa caucuses failed to produce a clear winner last week , the results of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday night helped crystalize the presidential primary - only insomuch as it appears to be a fiercely contested battle between Bernie Sanders and any candidate who can stop him .
From a sports arena in Manchester on Tuesday night , the Vermont senator and self-declared democratic socialist claimed “ a great victory ” and declared the “ beginning of the end of Donald Trump ” , while his rivals sought to convince Democrats nervous about a Sanders nomination that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders was trailed closely by a pair of midwestern moderates : Pete Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , who rose from political obscurity to effectively tie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses last week , and Senator Amy Klobuchar , who finished a promising and surprise third after presenting herself as an antidote to the “ extremes in our politics ” .
In a dismal finish , Senator Elizabeth Warren , from neighboring Massachusetts , and the former vice-president Joe Biden , who has led the field nationally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did not meet the threshold to earn delegates in the state .
But the primary race remains deeply unsettled , with everything to play for .
All five leading candidates in New Hampshire determined to move ahead to the next series of contests in Nevada , South Carolina and beyond to Super Tuesday on 3 March , where a self-funding billionaire candidate – the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg – lies in wait , having made the risky decision to skip the traditionally crucial early voting states .
Many in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the opposition to Sanders will allow the senator to slip by , charting a similar path to the nomination as Trump did in 2016 .
But the road for Sanders is hardly straightforward .
In 2016 , he carried the state by 22 points over Hillary Clinton .
In 2020 , he won by less than 2 points , raising questions about his ability to expand beyond his core base of support from young voters and liberals .
“ We have been told by some that you must either be for revolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quo , ” Buttigieg told his raucous supporters on Tuesday night in Nashua .
“ Most Americans don ’ t see where they fit in that polarizing vision.
” At Klobuchar ’ s rally in Concord she said Trump ’ s “ worst nightmare ” would be to give the “ people in the middle ” someone to rally behind in November .
But there are immediate questions about where these two go next .
With a higher national profile and and a more robust fundraising operation , Buttigieg is perhaps better poised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early contests .
But he has failed to prove he can win support from black and Latino voters , which will be critical .
Klobuchar , who only recently jumped into the top three after a well-reviewed debate performance on Friday and an influx of campaign donations , has even less of a footprint in the forthcoming contests .
She ’ s scrambling to send staff to Nevada , which holds a caucus in just 10 days , on 22 February .
Warren , who has billed herself as the “ unity candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staked his campaign on the promise that he is the most electable general election nominee , now face serious questions about how much longer they can continue .
In an election day memo to supporters , Warren ’ s campaign manager , Roger Lau , sought to reassure supporters that the senator was prepared to go the distance .
“ The road to the Democratic nomination is not paved with statewide winner-take-all victories , ” he wrote .
“ Warren has proven the doubters wrong before.
” Biden ’ s campaign argues that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diverse states to come .
But national polling has already recorded a significant drop in his support .
Sanders edged past him for the first time in a Monmouth poll this week as a pair of billionaires , Bloomberg and fellow candidate Tom Steyer , peel away critical support from black voters .
On Tuesday , Biden canceled plans to spend primary night in Nashua and instead flew to South Carolina , which has become a must-win after back-to-back losses .
“ It ain ’ t over , man , ” Biden told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina , on Tuesday night .
“ We ’ re just getting started.
” The chaotic spectacle in Iowa , and the specter of a lengthy primary filled with jostling candidates , has left Americans with a dim view of the Democrats ’ chances in November .
Two-thirds of voters believe Trump will be re-elected , even though most Americans disagree that he deserves a second term , according to a Monmouth poll released on Tuesday .
Trump , emboldened by his acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial last week , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to choose his opponent .
At a rally on the eve of the New Hampshire primary , he asked why voters would trust the Democrats when they “ can ’ t even run a caucus in Iowa ” .
Ever the pundit , Trump offered his snap analysis on the evening ’ s developments on Tuesday , claiming on Twitter that Warren is “ sending signals that she wants out ” .
“ Calling for unity is her way of getting there , going home , and having a “ nice cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
After the race was called for Sanders , he tweeted : “ Bootedgeedge ( Buttigieg ) is doing pretty well tonight .
Giving Crazy Bernie a run for his money .
Very interesting !
”

After the Iowa caucuses failed to produce a clear winner last week, the results of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday night helped crystalize the presidential primary - only insomuch as it appears to be a fiercely contested battle between Bernie Sanders and any candidate who can stop him.
From a sports arena in Manchester on Tuesday night, the Vermont senator and self-declared democratic socialist claimed “a great victory” and declared the “beginning of the end of Donald Trump”, while his rivals sought to convince Democrats nervous about a Sanders nomination that they were the most viable alternative.
Sanders was trailed closely by a pair of midwestern moderates: Pete Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who rose from political obscurity to effectively tie Sanders in the Iowa caucuses last week, and Senator Amy Klobuchar, who finished a promising and surprise third after presenting herself as an antidote to the “extremes in our politics”.
In a dismal finish, Senator Elizabeth Warren, from neighboring Massachusetts, and the former vice-president Joe Biden, who has led the field nationally since entering the race early last year, did not meet the threshold to earn delegates in the state.
But the primary race remains deeply unsettled, with everything to play for. All five leading candidates in New Hampshire determined to move ahead to the next series of contests in Nevada, South Carolina and beyond to Super Tuesday on 3 March, where a self-funding billionaire candidate – the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg – lies in wait, having made the risky decision to skip the traditionally crucial early voting states.
Amy Klobuchar speaks to supporters on Tuesday night. Photograph: Gretchen Ertl/Reuters
Many in the party are worried that the fractured state of the opposition to Sanders will allow the senator to slip by, charting a similar path to the nomination as Trump did in 2016.
But the road for Sanders is hardly straightforward. In 2016, he carried the state by 22 points over Hillary Clinton. In 2020, he won by less than 2 points, raising questions about his ability to expand beyond his core base of support from young voters and liberals.
“We have been told by some that you must either be for revolution, or you are for the status quo,” Buttigieg told his raucous supporters on Tuesday night in Nashua. “Most Americans don’t see where they fit in that polarizing vision.”
At Klobuchar’s rally in Concord she said Trump’s “worst nightmare” would be to give the “people in the middle” someone to rally behind in November.
But there are immediate questions about where these two go next. With a higher national profile and and a more robust fundraising operation, Buttigieg is perhaps better poised to capitalize on the momentum from these early contests. But he has failed to prove he can win support from black and Latino voters, which will be critical.
Klobuchar, who only recently jumped into the top three after a well-reviewed debate performance on Friday and an influx of campaign donations, has even less of a footprint in the forthcoming contests. She’s scrambling to send staff to Nevada, which holds a caucus in just 10 days, on 22 February.
Warren, who has billed herself as the “unity candidate”, and Biden, who has staked his campaign on the promise that he is the most electable general election nominee, now face serious questions about how much longer they can continue.
In an election day memo to supporters, Warren’s campaign manager, Roger Lau, sought to reassure supporters that the senator was prepared to go the distance.
“The road to the Democratic nomination is not paved with statewide winner-take-all victories,” he wrote. “Warren has proven the doubters wrong before.”
Biden’s campaign argues that a reversal of fortunes awaits in the diverse states to come. But national polling has already recorded a significant drop in his support.
Sanders edged past him for the first time in a Monmouth poll this week as a pair of billionaires, Bloomberg and fellow candidate Tom Steyer, peel away critical support from black voters.
On Tuesday, Biden canceled plans to spend primary night in Nashua and instead flew to South Carolina, which has become a must-win after back-to-back losses.
Supporters of Pete Buttigieg cheer during his speech at his primary night rally at Nashua Community College on 11 February 2020. Photograph: Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
“It ain’t over, man,” Biden told supporters at an event in Columbia, South Carolina, on Tuesday night. “We’re just getting started.”
The chaotic spectacle in Iowa, and the specter of a lengthy primary filled with jostling candidates, has left Americans with a dim view of the Democrats’ chances in November. Two-thirds of voters believe Trump will be re-elected, even though most Americans disagree that he deserves a second term, according to a Monmouth poll released on Tuesday.
Trump, emboldened by his acquittal in the Senate impeachment trial last week, has delighted in the early chaos consuming the effort to choose his opponent. At a rally on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, he asked why voters would trust the Democrats when they “can’t even run a caucus in Iowa”.
Ever the pundit, Trump offered his snap analysis on the evening’s developments on Tuesday, claiming on Twitter that Warren is “sending signals that she wants out”.
“Calling for unity is her way of getting there, going home, and having a “nice cold beer” with her husband!,” he said.
After the race was called for Sanders, he tweeted: “Bootedgeedge (Buttigieg) is doing pretty well tonight. Giving Crazy Bernie a run for his money. Very interesting!”


theguardian--2020-02-12--Bloomberg is avoiding all scrutiny. It's time to take a long, hard look at his views | Benjamin Dixo

Bloomberg is avoiding all scrutiny. It's time to take a long, hard look at his views | Benjamin Dixon

Michael Bloomberg wants to be president of the United States yet faces little to no scrutiny .
Black and brown men of New York City have been interrogated more than he has .
Other candidates appear on debate stages to be questioned by the American people .
Not Bloomberg .
Thanks to his wealth , he can afford to sidestep this process entirely by spending millions on TV ads .
Is that fair ?
Surely anyone who wants to be president of United States needs to be vetted .
That ’ s why I decided to dig through reams of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor .
What I discovered was deeply troubling .
In audio that I unearthed and disseminated on Tuesday from a 2015 speech at the Aspen Institute , Bloomberg gave his rationale for his controversial stop-and-frisk policy , saying : “ Put those cops where the crime is , which means in minority neighborhoods … [ the ] unintended consequences is people say , ‘ Oh , my God , you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities.
’ Yes , that ’ s true .
Why ?
Because we put all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yes , that ’ s true .
Why do we do it ?
Because that ’ s where all the crime is.
” He goes on to say : “ Ninety-five per cent of your murders – murderers and murder victims – fit one MO .
You can just take the description , Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops.
” Not only is this data point inaccurate , but it also reflects a deeply disturbing , racist worldview that harms minority men and is based on fallacious logic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glimpse into his deeply held philosophies regarding young minority men as well as his governing principles .
The clip demands that the mayor come forward and answer to the people he ostensibly wants to lead .
Unfortunately , far from using the footage to help hold Bloomberg to account , many in the media want to divert attention away from his wrongdoings .
One CNN anchor , for example , tried to malign me and question my motives for disseminating the tapes .
She wondered how I got the audio and why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me answer her : I got the audio by doing the most basic research that should be expected of any journalist .
As to why I released it now , because if not now , when ?
I make no apologies for my vehement opposition to billionaire Michael Bloomberg purchasing his way into the 2020 election .
In fact , I believe that every American citizen should be terrified by the idea that , in the midst of a Democratic primary where big ideas are being debated and ideologies are being scrutinized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but by the millions of his own money spent on ads .
The gall of it is unacceptable .
The Aspen audio clip reveals Bloomberg ’ s governing philosophy : use the force of the government not to correct the underlying causes of a problem such as violence but to persecute the people who are the victims of the violence : “ And the way you get the guns out of the kids ’ hands is to throw them up against the wall and frisk them .
[ Inaudible ] and then they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] ‘ Oh , I don ’ t want to get caught.
’ So they don ’ t bring the gun .
They still have a gun , but they leave it at home.
” He believes that the power of the government should be wielded to control the masses instead of to promote general welfare .
This is evident in other statements he has made in the past .
Consider the video of Bloomberg as he explains the rationale behind the infamous soda tax : “ Some people say , well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , yes they are .
That ’ s the good thing about them , because the problem is in people that don ’ t have a lot of money .
And so higher taxes should have a bigger impact on their behavior and how they deal with themselves .
“ So I listen to people saying , ‘ Oh , we don ’ t want to tax the poor , ’ Well , we want the poor to live longer so that they can get an education and enjoy life.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force to “ correct ” the ills of marginalized communities is deeply disturbing .
Is this what we want in the White House ?
How can Americans know without the opportunity to ask ?
These are precisely the types of worldviews and philosophies that must be interrogated by the American people .
Instead , the mayor is circumventing our democratic process by leveraging his tremendous wealth .
Which is why , until Michael Bloomberg addresses his critics in a meaningful way , we are calling on all of those politicians and leaders who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
How can they endorse someone who has yet to answer for worldviews that , if he still holds them , would certainly disqualify him from being president ?
Democracy is too fragile to endure the complete circumvention of our electoral process by a billionaire with enough wealth to take the easy route while other candidates do the actual work of convincing America they are the right choice .
• None Benjamin Dixon is the host of the Benjamin Dixon podcast

Michael Bloomberg wants to be president of the United States yet faces little to no scrutiny. Black and brown men of New York City have been interrogated more than he has. Other candidates appear on debate stages to be questioned by the American people. Not Bloomberg. Thanks to his wealth, he can afford to sidestep this process entirely by spending millions on TV ads. Is that fair? Surely anyone who wants to be president of United States needs to be vetted. That’s why I decided to dig through reams of video and audio footage of the former mayor. What I discovered was deeply troubling.
In audio that I unearthed and disseminated on Tuesday from a 2015 speech at the Aspen Institute, Bloomberg gave his rationale for his controversial stop-and-frisk policy, saying:
“Put those cops where the crime is, which means in minority neighborhoods … [the] unintended consequences is people say, ‘Oh, my God, you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities.’ Yes, that’s true. Why? Because we put all the cops in the minority neighborhoods. Yes, that’s true. Why do we do it? Because that’s where all the crime is.” He goes on to say: “Ninety-five per cent of your murders – murderers and murder victims – fit one MO. You can just take the description, Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops.”
Not only is this data point inaccurate, but it also reflects a deeply disturbing, racist worldview that harms minority men and is based on fallacious logic and inaccurate data.
The unearthed clip provides a glimpse into his deeply held philosophies regarding young minority men as well as his governing principles. The clip demands that the mayor come forward and answer to the people he ostensibly wants to lead.
Unfortunately, far from using the footage to help hold Bloomberg to account, many in the media want to divert attention away from his wrongdoings. One CNN anchor, for example, tried to malign me and question my motives for disseminating the tapes. She wondered how I got the audio and why I was distributing it now. Let me answer her: I got the audio by doing the most basic research that should be expected of any journalist. As to why I released it now, because if not now, when?
I make no apologies for my vehement opposition to billionaire Michael Bloomberg purchasing his way into the 2020 election. In fact, I believe that every American citizen should be terrified by the idea that, in the midst of a Democratic primary where big ideas are being debated and ideologies are being scrutinized, one man can advance not by merit but by the millions of his own money spent on ads. The gall of it is unacceptable.
The Aspen audio clip reveals Bloomberg’s governing philosophy: use the force of the government not to correct the underlying causes of a problem such as violence but to persecute the people who are the victims of the violence:
“And the way you get the guns out of the kids’ hands is to throw them up against the wall and frisk them. [Inaudible] and then they start, they say, [inaudible] ‘Oh, I don’t want to get caught.’ So they don’t bring the gun. They still have a gun, but they leave it at home.”
Democracy is too fragile to endure the complete circumvention of our electoral process by a billionaire
He believes that the power of the government should be wielded to control the masses instead of to promote general welfare. This is evident in other statements he has made in the past. Consider the video of Bloomberg as he explains the rationale behind the infamous soda tax:
“Some people say, well, taxes are regressive. But in this case, yes they are. That’s the good thing about them, because the problem is in people that don’t have a lot of money. And so higher taxes should have a bigger impact on their behavior and how they deal with themselves.
“So I listen to people saying, ‘Oh, we don’t want to tax the poor,’ Well, we want the poor to live longer so that they can get an education and enjoy life.”
This belief that the government should use punitive force to “correct” the ills of marginalized communities is deeply disturbing. Is this what we want in the White House? How can Americans know without the opportunity to ask?
These are precisely the types of worldviews and philosophies that must be interrogated by the American people. Instead, the mayor is circumventing our democratic process by leveraging his tremendous wealth.
Which is why, until Michael Bloomberg addresses his critics in a meaningful way, we are calling on all of those politicians and leaders who have endorsed him to rescind their endorsements. How can they endorse someone who has yet to answer for worldviews that, if he still holds them, would certainly disqualify him from being president?
Democracy is too fragile to endure the complete circumvention of our electoral process by a billionaire with enough wealth to take the easy route while other candidates do the actual work of convincing America they are the right choice.


theguardian--2020-02-12--William Barr's efforts to protect Roger Stone are another blow to rule of law | Andrew Gawthorpe

No one has ever accused the US attorney general , William Barr , of being soft on crime .
Just last year , he gave a speech in which he blasted progressive district attorneys who “ style themselves as ‘ social justice ’ reformers ” and then “ spend their time undercutting the police , letting criminals off the hook , and refusing to enforce the law ” .
When these prosecutors do bring charges , he complained , they seek “ pathetically lenient sentences ” .
Barr ’ s message was clear : the integrity of the criminal justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs .
Given Barr ’ s track record of fulmination against weak prosecutors , it came as something as a surprise yesterday when he intervened in the case of longtime Trump associate Roger Stone .
Stone – an attention-seeking Republican bit-player whose crimes against fashion alone warrant a heavy sentence – committed a series of felonies including obstruction of justice , witness tampering , and lying to Congress during the Mueller investigation .
In turn , these crimes stemmed from Stone ’ s attempts to obfuscate his contact with WikiLeaks during the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed are precisely the sort which threaten the ability of the criminal justice system to operate smoothly and fairly .
No investigation can proceed effectively when a witness has to worry about a message he has received telling him to “ prepare to die ” , which is just one example of the missives which Stone dispatched to another Mueller witness , Randy Credico , in an attempt to force his silence .
Precisely because they interfere with the operation of criminal justice system , federal sentencing guidelines deal with crimes like threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it turns out , for Bill Barr .
On Tuesday , Barr directed the justice department to recommend that Stone be sentenced to “ far less ” than the seven to nine years behind bars which prosecutors had sought – and which would be the standard punishment in a case such as his .
Four government lawyers who had prosecuted the case against Stone promptly resigned in protest , one leaving the department of justice altogether .
Not since Richard Nixon ’ s Saturday Night Massacre has such a sordid public clash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could motivate Barr ’ s monumental act of hypocrisy ?
The answer lies in his complete subservience to Donald Trump .
Just hours before the change , Trump had slammed the original sentencing recommendation as “ disgraceful ” and “ an insult to our country ” .
He also claimed an “ absolute right ” to interfere in justice department investigations , even those concerning his friends and associates such as Stone .
The extent to which Barr has bent his knee , and increasingly that of the justice department , to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost always gone to great lengths to avoid even the appearance of political interference in ongoing investigations .
For Barr to dance so openly to the tune of Donald Trump ’ s Twitter feed suggests that not only has he been deeply corrupted , but that he doesn ’ t care who knows it .
His shamelessness puts him in league with the Republican senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump despite clear evidence that he had committed impeachable offences .
But Barr is more dangerous than any senator because he wields more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department to become an instrument of the president ’ s will , then he can do grave damage to American democracy and the rule of law .
Autocrats always seek to corrupt the criminal justice system in order to give themselves and their subordinates legal cover as they attempt to undermine democratic institutions and norms .
Another Trump subordinate – Rudy Giuliani – is currently under federal investigation for his involvement in the president ’ s illegal scheme to sway the outcome of the 2020 election .
We can have no confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go where the facts lead it .
By seeking special treatment for the president ’ s cronies , Barr creates the impression that future lawbreakers will be able to get away with their crimes so long as they further the interests of the president .
Given that the president himself can not be indicted for a crime , the exposure of his associates and subordinates to legal jeopardy is a key check on the growth of tyranny .
As soon as political favoritism begins to play a role in whether or not criminals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – and democracy – can not last .
Like so many Republicans , Barr has become so obsessed with the dangers which he believes are posed by the left – “ ‘ social-justice ’ reformers ” , as he put it – that he has become willing to countenance any abuse engaged in by the right in order to maintain its power .
As with the Republican senators who voted against impeachment , it seems to matter little to him that he is forced to sacrifice his supposed principles , his reputation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institution with which he is entrusted in order to protect the venal , criminal occupant of the Oval Office .
Unless he is stopped , further great harm awaits .
• None Andrew Gawthorpe is a historian of the United States at Leiden University

No one has ever accused the US attorney general, William Barr, of being soft on crime. Just last year, he gave a speech in which he blasted progressive district attorneys who “style themselves as ‘social justice’ reformers” and then “spend their time undercutting the police, letting criminals off the hook, and refusing to enforce the law”. When these prosecutors do bring charges, he complained, they seek “pathetically lenient sentences”. Barr’s message was clear: the integrity of the criminal justice system had to be protected at all costs.
Given Barr’s track record of fulmination against weak prosecutors, it came as something as a surprise yesterday when he intervened in the case of longtime Trump associate Roger Stone. Stone – an attention-seeking Republican bit-player whose crimes against fashion alone warrant a heavy sentence – committed a series of felonies including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress during the Mueller investigation. In turn, these crimes stemmed from Stone’s attempts to obfuscate his contact with WikiLeaks during the 2016 election.
The crimes which Stone has committed are precisely the sort which threaten the ability of the criminal justice system to operate smoothly and fairly. No investigation can proceed effectively when a witness has to worry about a message he has received telling him to “prepare to die”, which is just one example of the missives which Stone dispatched to another Mueller witness, Randy Credico, in an attempt to force his silence. Precisely because they interfere with the operation of criminal justice system, federal sentencing guidelines deal with crimes like threatening witnesses particularly harshly.
Rather too harshly, it turns out, for Bill Barr. On Tuesday, Barr directed the justice department to recommend that Stone be sentenced to “far less” than the seven to nine years behind bars which prosecutors had sought – and which would be the standard punishment in a case such as his. Four government lawyers who had prosecuted the case against Stone promptly resigned in protest, one leaving the department of justice altogether. Not since Richard Nixon’s Saturday Night Massacre has such a sordid public clash swept through the justice department.
What could motivate Barr’s monumental act of hypocrisy? The answer lies in his complete subservience to Donald Trump. Just hours before the change, Trump had slammed the original sentencing recommendation as “disgraceful” and “an insult to our country”. He also claimed an “absolute right” to interfere in justice department investigations, even those concerning his friends and associates such as Stone.
The extent to which Barr has bent his knee, and increasingly that of the justice department, to Trump is profoundly troubling. Attorneys general have almost always gone to great lengths to avoid even the appearance of political interference in ongoing investigations. For Barr to dance so openly to the tune of Donald Trump’s Twitter feed suggests that not only has he been deeply corrupted, but that he doesn’t care who knows it. His shamelessness puts him in league with the Republican senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump despite clear evidence that he had committed impeachable offences.
But Barr is more dangerous than any senator because he wields more power. If he continues to allow the department to become an instrument of the president’s will, then he can do grave damage to American democracy and the rule of law. Autocrats always seek to corrupt the criminal justice system in order to give themselves and their subordinates legal cover as they attempt to undermine democratic institutions and norms. Another Trump subordinate – Rudy Giuliani – is currently under federal investigation for his involvement in the president’s illegal scheme to sway the outcome of the 2020 election. We can have no confidence that Barr will allow this investigation to go where the facts lead it.
By seeking special treatment for the president’s cronies, Barr creates the impression that future lawbreakers will be able to get away with their crimes so long as they further the interests of the president. Given that the president himself cannot be indicted for a crime, the exposure of his associates and subordinates to legal jeopardy is a key check on the growth of tyranny. As soon as political favoritism begins to play a role in whether or not criminals are prosecuted, the rule of law – and democracy – cannot last.
Like so many Republicans, Barr has become so obsessed with the dangers which he believes are posed by the left – “‘social-justice’ reformers”, as he put it – that he has become willing to countenance any abuse engaged in by the right in order to maintain its power. As with the Republican senators who voted against impeachment, it seems to matter little to him that he is forced to sacrifice his supposed principles, his reputation, and the integrity and vitality of the institution with which he is entrusted in order to protect the venal, criminal occupant of the Oval Office. Unless he is stopped, further great harm awaits.


theguardian--2020-02-12--Klobuchar deserves her 'Klomentum'. She's been unfairly overlooked | Lloyd Green

Amy Klobuchar ’ s third place New Hampshire finish is newsworthy .
Even if Klobuchar loses her bid for the nomination , she could well be the Democrat ’ s vice-presidential nominee .
In Iowa and again in New Hampshire , Klobuchar beat expectations .
Last week , she emerged from the chaos of the Iowa caucuses with a double-digit fifth-place finish .
Then in New Hampshire , Minnesota ’ s senior senator came in third behind Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg .
She also left Elizabeth Warren ’ s campaign reeling and Joe Biden ’ s political career on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Said differently , there ’ s definitely a place for midwest nice .
Yet as the campaign battlegrounds shift to Nevada , South Carolina and then Super Tuesday on 3 March , the unanswered question is how far Klobuchar can go , particularly in America ’ s more diverse precincts .
The demographics of the Hawkeye and Granite States are exceptions , not the rule , and Klobuchar has a lot of ground to make up .
For the moment , Klobuchar remains in single digits nationally , has earned less than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources and name recognition of Sanders , Buttigieg and Mike Bloomberg .
How , when and where she upends the campaign chess board remain to be seen .
Regardless it would be a mistake to write off Klobuchar .
Even if Klobuchar fails to snag the presidential nomination , she has earned the right to be considered for the No 2 slot .
Endurance matters , campaigns can be marathons , and here consolation prizes are coveted .
In contrast to Klobuchar , Kamala Harris , Kirsten Gillibrand and Steve Bullock never even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Julián Castro and Cory Booker called it quits a month ago , and the Yang Gang and Michael Bennet are done .
Klobuchar has demonstrated staying power .
Her candidacy is neither whim nor gimmick .
Beyond that , when it comes to picking a vice-president winning isn ’ t everything .
Ask Barack Obama and Biden , they can both tell you .
In 2008 Obama tapped Biden as his running mate despite Biden ’ s having dropped out of the race after running fifth in Iowa – without having captured a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accomplished more than that .
So what would Klobuchar bring to a national ticket ?
How about chops , biography and demeanor .
Beyond that , as a former prosecutor and a three-term senator she possesses age , experience and popularity .
People in her home state like her .
She has never lost a race .
By the numbers , Klobuchar is among the Senate ’ s most popular members unlike Mitch McConnell , Susan Collins , Lisa Murkowski and Elizabeth Warren who have won re-election but fail to garner sustained appreciation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Klobuchar has demonstrated the capacity to appeal to independents and voters without four-year college degrees .
In 2018 , Klobuchar won re-election by better than three-to-two , comfortably led among independents , garnered the lion ’ s share of white working-class votes , and even ran well in rural Minnesota .
For Democrats all that is essential as the midwest again looms as a battleground .
Indeed pitted against Hillary Clinton , Donald Trump came within two points of capturing the North Star state , and now presides over a healthy economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a real difference on election night .
As for her personal story , a highly relevant portion emerged during Brett Kavanaugh ’ s supreme court confirmation hearings .
There , in response to a question posed by the senator , Kavanaugh lost his temper and asked if Klobuchar had ever blacked out when drunk .
At that point , Klobuchar , a Yale and University of Chicago graduate , had already discussed her own father ’ s alcoholism .
Apparently , Kavanaugh either didn ’ t hear or care .
Looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members ’ most effective and memorable moment .
No grandstanding , just plain human drama .
Klobuchar never compared herself to Spartacus , she didn ’ t need to .
Interestingly , Klobuchar , who is pro-choice and a member of the liberal United Church of Christ , appears ready to reach across to a pro-life voters , a less frequent occurrence as abortion and religion continue to define America ’ s deepening political divide .
For the record , Klobuchar is part of the Senate ’ s adoption caucus .
Not surprisingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who worship weekly .
As the Democrats forge ahead , Klobuchar has a real shot at winning the Minnesota primary three weeks from now .
One would expect her to .
More than that , she may also find herself locking horns with Mike Pence come the fall .
Regardless , we haven ’ t seen the last of her .
• None Lloyd Green was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992 .

Amy Klobuchar’s third place New Hampshire finish is newsworthy. Even if Klobuchar loses her bid for the nomination, she could well be the Democrat’s vice-presidential nominee.
In Iowa and again in New Hampshire, Klobuchar beat expectations. Last week, she emerged from the chaos of the Iowa caucuses with a double-digit fifth-place finish. Then in New Hampshire, Minnesota’s senior senator came in third behind Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg. She also left Elizabeth Warren’s campaign reeling and Joe Biden’s political career on a respirator, no small achievement.
Said differently, there’s definitely a place for midwest nice. Yet as the campaign battlegrounds shift to Nevada, South Carolina and then Super Tuesday on 3 March, the unanswered question is how far Klobuchar can go, particularly in America’s more diverse precincts. The demographics of the Hawkeye and Granite States are exceptions, not the rule, and Klobuchar has a lot of ground to make up.
For the moment, Klobuchar remains in single digits nationally, has earned less than a handful of delegates, and lacks the resources and name recognition of Sanders, Buttigieg and Mike Bloomberg. How, when and where she upends the campaign chess board remain to be seen.
Regardless it would be a mistake to write off Klobuchar. Even if Klobuchar fails to snag the presidential nomination, she has earned the right to be considered for the No 2 slot. Endurance matters, campaigns can be marathons, and here consolation prizes are coveted.
In contrast to Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Steve Bullock never even made it into the new year. Julián Castro and Cory Booker called it quits a month ago, and the Yang Gang and Michael Bennet are done. Klobuchar has demonstrated staying power. Her candidacy is neither whim nor gimmick.
Beyond that, when it comes to picking a vice-president winning isn’t everything. Ask Barack Obama and Biden, they can both tell you.
In 2008 Obama tapped Biden as his running mate despite Biden’s having dropped out of the race after running fifth in Iowa – without having captured a single delegate. Already, Klobuchar has accomplished more than that.
So what would Klobuchar bring to a national ticket? How about chops, biography and demeanor. Beyond that, as a former prosecutor and a three-term senator she possesses age, experience and popularity.
People in her home state like her. She has never lost a race. By the numbers, Klobuchar is among the Senate’s most popular members unlike Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Elizabeth Warren who have won re-election but fail to garner sustained appreciation among their own constituents.
Another plus, Klobuchar has demonstrated the capacity to appeal to independents and voters without four-year college degrees. In 2018, Klobuchar won re-election by better than three-to-two, comfortably led among independents, garnered the lion’s share of white working-class votes, and even ran well in rural Minnesota. For Democrats all that is essential as the midwest again looms as a battleground.
Indeed pitted against Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump came within two points of capturing the North Star state, and now presides over a healthy economy. Against this backdrop, Klobuchar stands to make a real difference on election night.
As for her personal story, a highly relevant portion emerged during Brett Kavanaugh’s supreme court confirmation hearings. There, in response to a question posed by the senator, Kavanaugh lost his temper and asked if Klobuchar had ever blacked out when drunk. At that point, Klobuchar, a Yale and University of Chicago graduate, had already discussed her own father’s alcoholism. Apparently, Kavanaugh either didn’t hear or care.
Looking back, the exchange was the Democratic members’ most effective and memorable moment. No grandstanding, just plain human drama. Klobuchar never compared herself to Spartacus, she didn’t need to.
Interestingly, Klobuchar, who is pro-choice and a member of the liberal United Church of Christ, appears ready to reach across to a pro-life voters, a less frequent occurrence as abortion and religion continue to define America’s deepening political divide. For the record, Klobuchar is part of the Senate’s adoption caucus. Not surprisingly, Klobuchar led in New Hampshire among those who worship weekly.
As the Democrats forge ahead, Klobuchar has a real shot at winning the Minnesota primary three weeks from now. One would expect her to. More than that, she may also find herself locking horns with Mike Pence come the fall. Regardless, we haven’t seen the last of her.


theguardian--2020-02-13--Controversy rages over Trump interference in Roger Stone case – live updates

The New York Times reports on the Instagram posts by leading meme-makers that Mike Bloomberg has bought .
The self-deprecating @ @ @ @ @ to be screenshots of messages from the former New York mayor to the memestagrammers asking @ @ @ @ @ make him look cool .
Still following ?
Here ’ s one example : The @ @ @ @ @ they are sponsored by the presidential candidate – are an illustration of how freely the @ @ @ @ @ spend on the Democratic primary , and met a mixed response from commenters .
“ @ @ @ @ @ third mayoral term , @ mikebloomberg but you ’ re not buying the presidency .
@ @ @ @ @ glassslipper below a post by fuckjerry .
“ These are trash and flooding my timeline @ @ @ @ @ a post that used a picture of Bernie Sanders that has become a meme recently @ @ @ @ @ meme page doing this ?
” asked piraetje .
“ i don ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ i ’ m Dutch ?
”

14 Feb 2020 01.08 GMT Summary Bill Barr , the attorney general, complained that Donald Trump ’s tweets about justice department cases “make it impossible for me to do my job” and said he would not be “bullied” into doing the president’s bidding. The White House responded that Trump “wasn’t bothered” by Barr’s comments.
, the attorney general, complained that ’s tweets about justice department cases “make it impossible for me to do my job” and said he would not be “bullied” into doing the president’s bidding. The White House responded that Trump “wasn’t bothered” by Barr’s comments. Critics have questioned Barr’s sincerity, given his record going along with what the president wants.
A f ederal judge dismissed Trump’s criticisms of the court’s handling of the Roger Stone case, issuing a rare statement to say, “The judges of this court base their sentencing decisions on careful consideration of the actual record in the case before them” and not based on “public criticism or pressure”.
dismissed Trump’s criticisms of the court’s handling of the case, issuing a rare statement to say, “The judges of this court base their sentencing decisions on careful consideration of the actual record in the case before them” and not based on “public criticism or pressure”. The Democratic National Committee had oversight of the faulty app used in the Iowa caucuses, according to a report.
had oversight of the faulty app used in the Iowa caucuses, according to a report. Nevada’s influential Culinary Union declined to endorse a candidate ahead of the caucuses next week. The union has criticized Bernie Sanders ’ health plan and complained of “vicious attacks” from Sanders’ supporters.
declined to endorse a candidate ahead of the caucuses next week. The union has criticized ’ health plan and complained of “vicious attacks” from Sanders’ supporters. Elizabeth Warren’s campaign is carrying on after placing third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire. Roger Stone case: chief justice urged to step in as Trump's 'abuse of power' condemned Read more
Updated at 01.10 GMT
14 Feb 2020 00.33 GMT
Donald Trump will be the guest of honor at a fundraiser where donors are paying $580,600 per couple to attend. The Washington Post reports that the dinner on Saturday will take place at the Palm Beach estate of billionaire Nelson Peltz: The dinner, taking place just a few miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, shows how enthusiastically Trump has embraced big-dollar fundraising in his bid for a second term — a dramatic about-face from 2016, when he criticized the influence of wealthy donors on the politicians who court them. It also shows the special access enjoyed by many of Trump’s wealthiest donors, including business executives and lobbyists, who get the chance to air their grievances with the president’s tariffs or promote their pet projects, often while dining on Trump’s favorite foods. The event will be the most expensive fundraising event for Trump since he took office.
14 Feb 2020 00.05 GMT A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump’s criticisms of the Roger Stone case. “Public criticism or pressure is not a factor” in the court’s decisions, said Beryl Howell, the chief US district judge of Washington.
Howell issued a rare statement in response to Trump’s criticisms of her colleague Amy Berman Jackson, the sentencing judge in the Roger Stone case. “The Judges of this Court base their sentencing decisions on careful consideration of the actual record in the case before them; the applicable sentencing guidelines and statutory factors; the submissions of the parties, the Probation Office and victims; and their own judgment and experience,” she said.
13 Feb 2020 23.41 GMT Report: the Democratic National Committee had oversight of app that caused chaos in Iowa The DNC was involved throughout the development of the mobile app that was meant to collect and tally results of the Iowa caucuses, according to Yahoo News. Party officials had access to the software – designed by Shadow – for testing before it was used Iowa, according to a contract obtained by Yahoo: An unaffiliated Democratic operative in Iowa provided Yahoo News with a copy of the contract between Shadow and the Iowa Democratic Party. The contract, which was signed on Oct. 14 and refers to Shadow as the “Consultant,” specified that the company had to work with the DNC and provide the national party with access to its software for testing. “Consultant agrees to work with the DNC Services Corporation / Democratic National Committee (‘DNC’) on an on-going basis as Consultant develops the software,” the contract reads. The contract also specifies that Shadow agrees to “provide DNC continual access to review the Consultant’s system configurations, security and system logs, system designs, data flow designs, security controls (preventative and detective), and operational plans for how the Consultant will use and run the Software for informational dissemination, pre-registration, tabulation, and reporting throughout the caucus process.” The DNC has tried to distance itself from the debacle in Iowa; chair Tom Perez has blamed state Democratic party, which directly oversaw the caucuses. After this election cycle, the party will “have a further conversation about whether or not state parties should be running elections”, Perez said in an interview with CNN. In his resignation letter, the Iowa Democratic party chair, Troy Price, said, “I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic party.” Following the app’s failure in Iowa, the DNC abandoned plans to use a similar system from Shadow in the upcoming Nevada caucuses.
Updated at 01.03 GMT
13 Feb 2020 23.24 GMT On Fox News, Senate leader Mitch McConnell said the president should listen to attorney general Bill Barr. “I think the president should listen to his advice,” McConnell told Fox News host Bret Baier. “If the attorney general says it’s getting in the way of doing his job, the president should listen to the attorney general.”
13 Feb 2020 23.10 GMT Donald Trump “wasn’t bothered” by the attorney general Bill Barr’s comments, according to the White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham. “President Trump uses social media very effectively to fight for the American people against injustices in our country.” NEW: White House press sec. Stephanie Grisham says President Trump "wasn’t bothered" by Attorney General Bill Barr's comments to @ABC News. https://t.co/crNbWi6YpG pic.twitter.com/eK4dd9BdZ0 — ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 13, 2020 In an interview with ABC, Barr said “the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case” but added that the president’s tweets about the Roger Stone case and the Department of Justice’s work “make it impossible for me to do my job”.
Updated at 23.24 GMT
13 Feb 2020 22.51 GMT Before the president met with the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, today, he not only insulted Cuomo’s brother – the CNN political analyst Chris Cuomo – he also implied that the administration’s policies toward New York were linked to the state’s ongoing investigations into Trump’s finances. “New York must stop all of its unnecessary lawsuits & harassment, start cleaning itself up, and lowering taxes,” he tweeted, before the meeting. The administration and New York have been at odds over a state law that allows undocumented people to apply for drivers licenses. Federal officials banned New York residents from applying to a federal program that lets travelers avoid long security lines. Picking up on Trump’s ask that New York drop lawsuits, the representative Val Demings, one of the impeachment managers who made the case to remove Trump from office, said the president is “holding New York state hostage to try to stop investigations into his prior tax fraud”. “The president is now expanding his abuse of power to blackmailing US,” she said.
Neither the president nor Cuomo has commented on whether they reached a resolution after today’s meeting. The acting homeland security secretary, Chad Wolf, described the meeting as “productive”. “New York is the only state that restricts CBP access to their data across the board – from law enforcement, customs, trade and travel facilitation purposes,” Wolf said. “Despite that, we will continue discussions with the State of New York to find a mutually agreeable solution.” New York is one of several states that allow undocumented immigrants to have drivers licenses. Still, last week, Ken Cuccinelli, the homeland security department acting deputy secretary, said that New Yorkers would no longer be eligible to apply or reapply for the Global Entry program because the state’s policies made it harder for border agents to confirm immigration status. New York responded with a lawsuit against the administration.
Updated at 23.24 GMT
13 Feb 2020 22.24 GMT Vindman attorney: the president is ‘encouraging breaking the law’ The president claimed that “many of the people in the building started applauding” when Lt Col Alexander Vindman was escorted out after he was fired from his post at the National Security Council. Vindman and his twin brother were abruptly recalled from their positions in a campaign of retribution against officials who cooperated with the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.
“Vindman was the guy that, when we took him out of the building, the building applauded,” Trump said in a radio interview with host Geraldo Rivera. “I don’t know if you heard that.”
“Just so you understand, many of these people I’ve never met,” Trump added. “But I’m not a fan of Vindman, no question about it.” JUST IN: Vindman’s attorney is out with a statement on Trump’s Geraldo interview. He says the president is “encouraging breaking the law” by attempting to intimidate and punish Vindman. pic.twitter.com/VsZXnW1L5J — Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 13, 2020 In response, an attorney for Vindman responded that the president’s public attacks are “designed to intimidate and punish” the Ukraine expert, who provided key testimony in the impeachment case.
“By using the power of his office to repeatedly humiliate and punish those following the law, the president is encouraging breaking the law,” said attorney David Pressman.
Updated at 22.29 GMT
13 Feb 2020 22.00 GMT Evening summary That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands: Attorney general Bill Barr said he would not be “bullied” into allowing the president to influence justice department decisions after Trump tweeted about the case of his former associate, Roger Stone. Barr complained that Trump’s tweets “make it impossible for me to do my job”.
said he would not be “bullied” into allowing the president to influence justice department decisions after tweeted about the case of his former associate, Barr complained that Trump’s tweets “make it impossible for me to do my job”. The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi , said Trump’s comments on Stone represented “an abuse of power”.
, said Trump’s comments on Stone represented “an abuse of power”. The Senate passed a resolution aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to launch military operations in Iran, but the proposal seems unlikely to survive the president’s expected veto.
A judge has temporarily halted Microsoft’s cloud-computing work for the Pentagon in response to a lawsuit from Amazon, which claims the company lost the contract partly because of Trump’s bias against Jeff Bezos.
The Pentagon informed Congress it intends to shift $3.8bn in funds away from projects like fighter jets and national guard equipment to pay for Trump’s border wall. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Updated at 22.32 GMT
13 Feb 2020 21.50 GMT Nevada's influential Culinary Union declines to endorse presidential candidate The Culinary Union, which represents 60,000 workers in Nevada, declined to endorse a Democratic presidential candidate ahead of the state’s caucuses next Saturday. “We’ve worked really hard to make sure members know what’s going on with the candidates, and we’re not stopping that,” the union secretary-treasurer Geoconda Argüello-Kline said during a press conference. “We’re going to endorse our goals, what we’re doing. We’re not going to endorse a political candidate.” There was some speculation that the union would endorse Joe Biden, the only specific candidate Argüello-Kline mentioned during the press conference. But although she described Biden as “our friend”, the union did not offer an explicit endorsement. The announcement comes after the union distributed a flier criticizing the Medicare-for-all plans embraced by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The union later said it was subjected to “vicious attacks” by Sanders’ supporters over the flier.
More details: @Culinary226’s spokeswoman tells me they have received “hundreds” of attacks, in the form of mentions, DM’s, calls and emails, including threats to their personal safety. She says she and Geoconda Arguello-Kline have been doxxed, their personal addresses shared. — Megan Messerly (@meganmesserly) February 13, 2020
Updated at 22.30 GMT
13 Feb 2020 21.29 GMT The White House reportedly received little notice about attorney general Bill Barr’s comments to ABC News. Senior level White House sources tell @ABC the president and top aides were unaware of the Barr’s intentions in today’s interview with ABC and were only informed of the content just before it aired - w/ @KFaulders — John Santucci (@Santucci) February 13, 2020
13 Feb 2020 21.27 GMT Interestingly, Bill Barr said he hoped Trump would respond to the attorney general’s criticism of the president’s comments on Roger Stone. “I hope he will react,” Barr told ABC News’ Pierre Thomas. “And respect it?” Thomas asked. “Yes,” Barr replied.
13 Feb 2020 21.21 GMT Despite attorney general Bill Barr insisting he will not be “bullied” by Trump on Justice Department matters, some commentators were skeptical that Barr was actually trying to distance himself from the president. From an Obama-era Justice Department official: Don't be fooled by this one, people. Barr is telling the president that his impulsiveness is making it politically harder for him to deliver the results he wants. If Trump would just shut up, Barr could take care of him much more effectively. https://t.co/6CmHHgxy9u — Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) February 13, 2020
13 Feb 2020 21.16 GMT In his ABC interview, attorney general Bill Barr ackowledged his comments about Trump could leave him open to backlash from the president, who is notoriously intolerant of criticism from his aides. But Barr said he was determined to lead the Justice Department without being influence by outside forces, including the president. EXCLUSIVE: Attorney Gen. Bill Barr tells @PierreTABC “the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case”—but should stop tweeting about the DOJ because his tweets “make it impossible for me to do my job.” https://t.co/YGa2AhcH5v pic.twitter.com/GSRRrJadSU — ABC News (@ABC) February 13, 2020 “I think the essential role of the attorney general is to keep law enforcement, the criminal process sacrosanct to make sure there is no political interference in it. And I have done that and I will continue to do that,” Barr said. “And I’m happy to say that, in fact the president has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case.” The attorney general insisted he made his own decision that the sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, the president’s former associate, should be revised, but Trump’s tweets on the matter complicated the issue. “Do you go forward with what you think is the right decision or do you pull back because of the tweet?” Barr said. “And that just sort of illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be.”
13 Feb 2020 21.05 GMT Barr: Trump's tweets 'make it impossible for me to do my job' In an interview with ABC News, attorney general Bill Barr said Trump’s tweets about Roger Stone’s case “make it impossible for me to do my job.” “I think it’s time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases,” Barr told ABC. The attorney general emphasized Trump “has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case,” but he acknowledged the president’s comments undercut his authority. “I’m not going to be bullied or influenced by anybody ... whether it’s Congress, a newspaper editorial board, or the president,” Barr said. “I’m gonna do what I think is right. And you know … I cannot do my job here at the department with a constant background commentary that undercuts me.”
13 Feb 2020 20.51 GMT Trump suggested he may stop allowing aides to listen in to his calls with foreign leaders, a clear reaction to the Ukraine controversy. “That’s what they’ve done over the years, when you call a foreign leader, people listen,” the president told Geraldo Rivera in a radio interview that aired today. “I may end the practice entirely, I may end it entirely.” The impeachment inquiry was sparked by a whistleblower complaint stemming from Trump’s July phone call with the Ukrainian president, during which the US president asked for a “favor” and went on to discuss potential investigations of Democrats. It’s a long-running practice to allow administration officials to listen in on presidential calls with world leaders to keep senior advisers updated on foreign policy.
13 Feb 2020 20.29 GMT Pentagon intends to shift $3.8 billion for Trump's border wall The Pentagon has informed Congress of plans to shift $3.8 billion away from fighter jets and National Guard equipment, among other resources, to pay for Trump’s border wall. Politico reports: The surprise reprogramming of another $3.8 billion ... means the Pentagon will have forked over nearly $10 billion since last year to help pay for President Donald Trump’s border wall. But this shift in funding marks a new phase for the administration, which until now had used money set for military construction and counterdrug operations, not combat equipment. The fiscal 2020 money will be moved into drug interdiction accounts that the Pentagon tapped last year to fund border barrier projects. The money will be drawn from a host of procurement accounts, many of which are popular on Capitol Hill. The move includes a cut of two Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets at a cost of $223 million; $100 million from the Army National Guard’s Humvee modernization program; $650 million cut from the Navy’s amphibious assault ship replacement; and $261 million from the Expeditionary Fast Transport ship. The reprogramming also trimmed two Air Force C-130J transport aircraft for a cut of $196 million and $180 million from the service’s light attack aircraft program. The plan sparked criticism from at least one Republican lawmaker, congressman Mac Thornberry, but he has already said he will not seek reelection next year. Representative Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on House Armed Services Committee, says President Trump's latest raid on DOD funds to spend more taxpayer money on a Mexico border wall than Congress was willing to appropriate is unconstitutional. pic.twitter.com/JiorGw1LKt — Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) February 13, 2020


theguardian--2020-02-13--After a disappointing start, where does Elizabeth Warren go from here?

The votes in New Hampshire ’ s first-in-the-nation primary were still being counted when Elizabeth Warren took the stage at a sports center in Manchester to address her supporters .
She began by commending her rivals Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg on what was shaping up to be a good night for both .
She praised Amy Klobuchar “ for showing just how wrong the pundits can be when they count a woman out ” .
It was not the election night speech Warren ever expected to give when she entered the presidential race more than one year ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the critical primary , where voters have known her since she first ran for Senate in 2012 in the neighboring state of Massachusetts .
“ Let ’ s face it , ” Warren ’ s campaign wrote in a fundraising email to supporters on Wednesday .
“ Last night didn ’ t go the way we wanted it to go.
” More than a week after the chaos of Iowa eclipsed her third place finish , Warren has faded to a distant fourth in New HampshireShe didn ’ t meet the threshold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results raise questions about the sustainability of her presidential campaign .
She ’ s not the only former top-tier candidate who has underperformed .
Joe Biden came in fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire .
But while the former vice-president has pinned his fortunes on a “ firewall ” of support among black voters in South Carolina , it is less clear where Warren goes next .
Asked in a recent interview with NPR to name the first state she anticipates winning , Warren replied : “ I just don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the New Hampshire results , her campaign staff argued Warren is still the candidate “ with the highest potential ceiling of support ” , and that the road to the Democratic nomination is a “ fractured ” and “ drawn-out contest ” .
On Tuesday night , Warren presented herself as a “ consensus candidate ” who could excite liberals without alienating more moderate voters .
The alternative , she warned , was a “ long bitter rehash ” of the divisions that tore the party apart in 2016 .
“ Harsh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to burn down the party , in order to be the last man standing , ” she said .
Warren ’ s team is counting on their early organizational investment in the contests to come : a staff of more than 1,000 spread across 31 states , including in the major Super Tuesday battlegrounds .
To sustain her campaign in the coming weeks she will rely on a prodigious small donor fundraising operation , an enthusiastic base of supporters , and relatively high favorability ratings .
“ There are 57 contests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is after two – and two that very much demographically do not represent the bulk of the Democratic primary , ” said Christina Reynolds , the vice-president of communications at the political action committee Emily ’ s List .
Reynolds noted that after Iowa , Warren all but disappeared from the national political conversation compared with Biden , who finished behind her in both contests .
“ We ’ re still talking about his potential because there are other voters coming , that should apply to other candidates as well , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skeptical of Warren ’ s prospects ahead of Super Tuesday .
Democratic strategist Abe Rakov , the most recently campaign manager for the former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick ’ s presidential bid , said Warren may have a good chance in Nevada , where she has a strong organization and remains close to former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid , an influential figure in the state .
“ Nevada there is a possibility .
They ’ ve been working harder there than any other campaign , ” Rakov said , with the caveat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire , “ sometimes hard work doesn ’ t pay off ” .
In South Carolina , Clay Middleton , a Democratic National committeeman , said Warren has had a relatively light footprint in the state .
“ I think her campaign put more stock into Iowa [ and ] New Hampshire than South Carolina , probably because they thought that Joe Biden had a lot of African American support , ” said Middleton , who pegged her chances in the state as “ not very good ” .
But in a sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with nonwhite voters , Middleton said he was invited by the Warren campaign to attend a political meeting of African American Democrats in the state on Friday .
As Sanders rises and the moderates battle each other , Warren hopes to breakthrough as the candidate best positioned to unite a party increasingly divided between ideological poles .
Many of Warren ’ s admirers are relatively sanguine about her standing .
After more than a year of campaigning , the contest still holds the capacity to surprise .
After all , they reason , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top of the race while Biden ’ s durability all but evaporated in a matter of days .
“ New Hampshire will not be the end for her , ” said New Hampshire state representative Suzanne Vail , holding a Warren sign outside of a polling booth in Nashua on Tuesday .
“ No way .
Not when there are still so many candidates left in the race and so many more contests to go.
” Several supporters also believed there was a double standard at work – that Warren , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race , is hurt by a fixation on electability and that she is held to a higher standard on policy , despite having an arsenal of plans to combat the climate crisis , break up big tech , cancel student loan debt and create a Medicare for All healthcare system .
Warren ’ s allies hope she will start to draw sharper distinctions with her rivals .
“ Anybody who loves Bernie Sanders values should vote for Elizabeth Warren if they want to actually enact progressive policy , ” said Adam Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee which has endorsed Warren .
“ It ’ s not a badge of pride to fight for the exact same issue for 30 years and lose , ” he added in a veiled reference to Sanders , who was elected to Congress in 1990 .
“ Elizabeth Warren came to Washington several years ago with one core priority , was told it couldn ’ t be done , and passed the crown jewel of Wall Street reform into law.
” After she finished her primary night speech Warren stayed for more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking selfies with supporters who had lined up for a photo with the woman they still hoped would be their president .
Among them was , Paul Lagueux , who conceded that he was starting to worry about Warren ’ s path forward .
“ A little bit , yes , ” Lagueux , 52 , of New Hampshire resident , said .
“ But I know that she ’ s got the message , she ’ s got the attitude , she ’ s got the intelligence , she ’ s really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country around .
”

The votes in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary were still being counted when Elizabeth Warren took the stage at a sports center in Manchester to address her supporters.
She began by commending her rivals Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg on what was shaping up to be a good night for both. She praised Amy Klobuchar “for showing just how wrong the pundits can be when they count a woman out”.
It was not the election night speech Warren ever expected to give when she entered the presidential race more than a year ago. For months she was in contention to win the critical primary, where voters have known her since she first ran for Senate in 2012 in the neighboring state of Massachusetts.
“Let’s face it,” Warren’s campaign wrote in a fundraising email to supporters on Wednesday. “Last night didn’t go the way we wanted it to go.”
More than a week after the chaos of Iowa eclipsed her third-place finish, Warren faded to a distant fourth in New Hampshire. She didn’t meet the threshold to earn delegates, and the dismal results raise questions about the sustainability of her presidential campaign.
She’s not the only former top-tier candidate who has underperformed. Joe Biden came in fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire. But while the former vice-president has pinned his fortunes on a “firewall” of support among black voters in South Carolina, it is less clear where Warren goes next. Asked in a recent interview with NPR to name the first state she anticipates winning, Warren replied: “I just don’t frame it that way.”
Before the New Hampshire results, her campaign staff insisted Warren is still the candidate “with the highest potential ceiling of support”, and that the road to the Democratic nomination is a “fractured” and “drawn-out contest”.
On Tuesday night, Warren presented herself as a “consensus candidate” who could excite liberals without alienating more moderate voters. The alternative, she warned, was a “long, bitter rehash” of the divisions that tore the party apart in 2016.
“Harsh tactics might work if you’re willing to burn down the party, in order to be the last man standing,” she said.
Jaye Palazzo of Nevada, a supporter of Elizabeth Warren, cheers during the Nevada Democrats’ “First in the West” event at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photograph: David Becker/Getty Images
‘Nevada is a possibility’
Warren’s team is counting on its early organizational investment in the contests to come: a staff of more than 1,000 spread across 31 states, including in the major Super Tuesday battlegrounds. To sustain her campaign in the coming weeks, Warren will rely on a prodigious small-donor fundraising operation, an enthusiastic base of supporters, and relatively high favorability ratings.
“There are 57 contests and we’re talking about where she is after two – and two that very much demographically do not represent the bulk of the Democratic primary,” said Christina Reynolds, the vice-president of communications at the political action committee Emily’s List.
Reynolds noted that after Iowa, Warren all but disappeared from the national political conversation compared with Biden, who finished behind her in both contests.
“We’re still talking about his potential because there are other voters coming, that should apply to other candidates as well,” she said.
Democratic strategist Abe Rakov, most recently the campaign manager for the former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick’s presidential bid, said Warren may have a good chance in Nevada, where she has a strong organization and remains close to former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, an influential figure in the state.
Rakov said: “Nevada is a possibility. They’ve been working harder there than any other campaign.” But he offered the caveat that, like in Iowa and New Hampshire, “sometimes, hard work doesn’t pay off”.
In South Carolina, Clay Middleton, a Democratic National committeeman, said Warren has had a relatively light footprint in the state.
“I think her campaign put more stock into Iowa [and] New Hampshire than South Carolina, probably because they thought that Joe Biden had a lot of African American support,” said Middleton, who pegged her chances in the state as “not very good”.
But in a sign of her efforts to improve her standing with non-white voters, Middleton said he was invited by the Warren campaign to attend a political meeting of African American Democrats in the state on Friday.
Elizabeth Warren addresses supporters at a rally in New Hampshire. Photograph: Elise Amendola/Associated Press
‘She’s the one’
As Sanders rises and the moderates battle each other, Warren hopes to break through as the candidate best positioned to unite a party increasingly divided between ideological poles.
Many of Warren’s admirers are relatively sanguine about her standing. After more than a year of campaigning, the contest still holds the capacity to surprise. After all, they reason, one strong debate performance vaulted Klobuchar to the top of the race, while Biden’s durability all but evaporated in a matter of days.
“New Hampshire will not be the end for her,” said New Hampshire state representative Suzanne Vail, holding a Warren sign outside of a polling booth in Nashua on Tuesday. “No way. Not when there are still so many candidates left in the race and so many more contests to go.”
Several supporters also believed there was a double standard at work – that Warren, as one of the last remaining women in the race, is hurt by a fixation on electability and that she is held to a higher standard on policy, despite having an arsenal of plans to combat the climate crisis, break up big tech, cancel student loan debt and create a Medicare for All healthcare system.
Warren’s allies hope she will start to draw sharper distinctions with her rivals.
“Anybody who loves Bernie Sanders values should vote for Elizabeth Warren if they want to actually enact progressive policy,” said Adam Green, who leads the Progressive Change Campaign Committee which has endorsed Warren.
“It’s not a badge of pride to fight for the exact same issue for 30 years and lose,” he added in a veiled reference to Sanders, who was elected to Congress in 1990. “Elizabeth Warren came to Washington several years ago with one core priority, was told it couldn’t be done, and passed the crown jewel of Wall Street reform into law.”
After she finished her primary night speech Warren stayed for more than an hour, smiling, hugging and taking selfies with supporters who had lined up for a photo with the woman they still hoped would be their president.
Among them was, Paul Lagueux, who conceded that he was starting to worry about Warren’s path forward.
“A little bit, yes,” said Lagueux, 52, a New Hampshire resident. “But I know that she’s got the message, she’s got the attitude, she’s got the intelligence – she’s really the only one that can turn this country around.”