npr--2020-02-12--6 Takeaways From The New Hampshire Primary

6 Takeaways From The New Hampshire Primary The finish at the top in New Hampshire looked a lot like the finish last week in Iowa , this time with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders leading the way and former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg finishing a close second .
But from the No .
3 spot on down , there were some pretty big surprises , including the rise of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and disappointing finishes for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden .
Here are six takeaways from what happened last night : 1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination right now Sanders essentially tied in Iowa ( and had the most raw votes ) and now has won New Hampshire , and because the center-left of the party is divided at the moment , he is in the pole position for the Democratic nomination .
That 's especially true if Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren continues to fade .
She finished fourth with only about 9 % of the vote — not a good showing for a senator from a neighboring state .
But Sanders has only gotten 26 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to show he can expand beyond his core base of voters under-30-years-old and liberals , if he wants to win the nomination .
Unlike Iowa , turnout in New Hampshire was high , which helps Sanders ' case that he can drum up enthusiasm among the base , especially young voters ( even though exit polls showed a smaller percentage of voters under 30 came out to vote than in the 2016 primary ) .
As of 1:45 a.m .
ET , turnout was about 279,000 with 87 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 288,000 .
In 2016 , turnout was about 250,000 .
However , that does n't mean there is n't now going to be a very loud debate on whether Sanders , a self-described democratic socialist , can defeat President Trump .
3 .
Klobuchar was the story of the night — and the search is on for the Sanders alternative Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar finishing third with 20 % of the vote was the biggest surprise of the night .
She appears to have found a lane for a hopeful message between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We can not win big by out-dividing the divider-in-chief , '' Klobuchar said .
`` We have to bring people with us instead of shutting them out .
Donald Trump 's worst nightmare is the people in the middle , tired of the name-calling and the mudslinging , have someone to vote for in November . ''
Klobuchar had been trending upward since her surprise fifth-place finish on the heels of former Vice President Biden in Iowa , and her debate performance appears to have put her over the top .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last few days , and half of voters also said the debate was important to their choice , according to the exit polls .
Klobuchar is peaking at exactly the right time .
The question for her is — can she capitalize on it and convince moderates she 's the one who can win .
A lot of that may well depend on how she performs with more diverse electorates in upcoming contests .
4 .
For Buttigieg , Iowa and New Hampshire are nice , but now comes the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire , Buttigieg is the delegate leader in this race with 22 to Sanders ' 21 .
But there 's a long way to go .
Just 2 % of the delegates have been allocated , and a candidate needs 1,991 to become the nominee .
Buttigieg 's candidacy is about to face its most critical stress test with the primary race heading to Nevada Feb. 22 and South Carolina a week later .
He 's won in two of the whitest states in the country and has strength with white voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled in the polls with voters of color .
Nevada was 41 % non-white in 2016 , and 61 % of South Carolina Democratic voters were African American .
5 .
Biden 's in free fall .
Will South Carolina really be the firewall ?
For the former vice president , with higher name recognition coming into this primary campaign , there 's just no excuse for a fifth-place finish in New Hampshire .
As recently as three weeks ago , Biden was leading the polls in the state .
And the electorate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal than 2016 , according to the exit polls .
If your argument is that you 're the most electable , you ca n't finish fourth and fifth , respectively , in the first two nominating contests .
Biden has one last shot in South Carolina , and that 's where he was on Tuesday night instead of waiting for results in New Hampshire .
`` It ai n't over , man , '' he said .
`` We 're just getting started . ''
He stressed that `` 99.9 % '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Latinos in the Democratic primary have n't had a chance to weigh in yet .
Biden 's been banking on doing well with black voters — and he has to .
A bad showing in South Carolina , and it 's the end for Biden .
It 's still more than two weeks away , and he needs to stop the bleeding with a solid performance in Nevada .
Making things more difficult for Biden is wealthy venture capitalist Tom Steyer , who 's spending a ton of money and making a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina .
If he gets a significant share of them , that could gut Biden 's campaign .
Biden 's performance on the campaign trail has not inspired confidence in Democratic voters who were open to voting for him — and many are now thinking about former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg .
The billionaire , who is already facing scrutiny for his tenure as mayor , is not on the ballot in Nevada and South Carolina , but he will be in the March 3 Super Tuesday states .
He 's spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own money on ads , and they have become ubiquitous .
If Biden , Buttigieg and Klobuchar do n't perform well in Nevada and South Carolina , and Bloomberg beats them out on Super Tuesday , that 's a plausible scenario in which it becomes Sanders versus Bloomberg .
Can you imagine what that would do to the party ?
Finally , one really nice thing about Tuesday night was actually having results .
Primaries are just more straightforward than caucuses , and with more states moving away from caucuses , you wonder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the past .
There 's going to be a real conversation among Democrats about the best way to count votes , especially considering Iowa gave Republicans an opening to attack Democrats on competence .

6 Takeaways From The New Hampshire Primary
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jesse Costa/WBUR Jesse Costa/WBUR
Updated at 10:20 a.m. ET
The finish at the top in New Hampshire looked a lot like the finish last week in Iowa, this time with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders leading the way and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg finishing a close second.
But from the No. 3 spot on down there were some pretty big surprises, including the rise of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and disappointing finishes for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Here are six takeaways from what happened last night:
Media no longer available
1. Sanders has the inside track for the nomination right now
Sanders essentially tied in Iowa (and had the most raw votes) and now has won New Hampshire, and because the center-left of the party is divided at the moment, he is in the pole position for the Democratic nomination.
That's especially true if Warren continues to fade. She finished fourth with only about 9% of the vote — not a good showing for a senator from a neighboring state.
But Sanders has only gotten 26% of the vote in both states. He needs to be able to show he can expand beyond his core base of voters younger than 30 and liberals if he wants to win the nomination.
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2. Turnout helps Sanders' electability argument
Unlike in Iowa, turnout in New Hampshire was high, which helps Sanders' case that he can drum up enthusiasm among the base, especially young voters (even though exit polls showed a smaller percentage of voters younger than 30 came out to vote than in the 2016 primary).
As of 10 a.m. ET, turnout was just over 288,000 with 93% of precincts reporting. That just surpasses the 2008 record. In 2016, turnout was about 250,000.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't going to be a very loud debate on whether Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, can defeat President Trump.
3. Klobuchar was the story of the night — and the search is on for the Sanders alternative
Enlarge this image toggle caption Faith Ninivaggi/Reuters Faith Ninivaggi/Reuters
Klobuchar finishing third with 20% of the vote was the biggest surprise of the night. She appears to have found a lane for a hopeful message between Sanders and the rest of the pack.
"We cannot win big by out-dividing the divider-in-chief," Klobuchar said. "We have to bring people with us instead of shutting them out. Donald Trump's worst nightmare is the people in the middle, tired of the name-calling and the mudslinging, have someone to vote for in November."
Klobuchar had been trending upward since her surprise fifth-place finish on the heels of Biden in Iowa, and her debate performance appears to have put her over the top. About half of voters said they decided in the past few days, and half of voters also said the debate was important in making their choice, according to exit polls.
Klobuchar is peaking at exactly the right time. The question for her is: Can she capitalize on it and convince moderates she's the one who can win? A lot of that may well depend on how she performs with more diverse electorates in upcoming contests.
4. For Buttigieg, Iowa and New Hampshire are nice, but now comes the real test
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images
After doing well in Iowa and New Hampshire, Buttigieg is the delegate leader in this race with 22 to Sanders' 21. But there's a long way to go. Just 2% of the delegates have been allocated, and a candidate needs 1,991 to become the nominee.
Buttigieg's candidacy is about to face its most critical stress test with the primary race heading to Nevada Feb. 22 and South Carolina a week later. He's won in two of the whitest states in the country and has strength with white voters with college degrees. But he's struggled in the polls with voters of color. Nevada was 41% nonwhite in 2016, and 61% of South Carolina Democratic voters were African American.
5. Biden's in free fall. Will South Carolina really be the firewall?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sean Rayford/Getty Images Sean Rayford/Getty Images
For a former vice president with higher name recognition coming into this primary campaign, there's just no excuse for a fifth-place finish in New Hampshire.
As recently as three weeks ago, Biden was leading the polls in the state. And the electorate that turned out was older and less liberal than in 2016, according to the exit polls.
If your argument is that you're the most electable, you can't finish fourth and fifth, respectively, in the first two nominating contests.
Biden has one last shot in South Carolina, and that's where he was on Tuesday night instead of waiting for results in New Hampshire. "It ain't over, man," he said. "We're just getting started."
He stressed that "99.9%" of black voters and "99.8%" of Latinos in the Democratic primary haven't had a chance to weigh in yet. Biden's been banking on doing well with black voters — and he has to. If he has a bad showing in South Carolina, it's the end for Biden. It's still more than two weeks away, and he needs to stop the bleeding with a solid performance in Nevada.
Making things more difficult for Biden is wealthy venture capitalist Tom Steyer, who's spending a ton of money and making a serious play for black voters in South Carolina. If he gets a significant share of them, that could gut Biden's campaign.
Biden's performance on the campaign trail has not inspired confidence in Democratic voters who were open to voting for him — and many are now thinking about former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The billionaire, who is already facing scrutiny for his tenure as mayor, is not on the ballot in Nevada and South Carolina, but he will be in the March 3 Super Tuesday states. He's spent more than $350 million of his own money on ads, and they have become ubiquitous.
If Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar don't perform well in Nevada and South Carolina, and Bloomberg beats them out on Super Tuesday, that's a plausible scenario in which it becomes Sanders versus Bloomberg. Can you imagine what that would do to the party?
6. Primaries are a lot easier than caucuses
Finally, one really nice thing about Tuesday night was actually having results.
Primaries are more straightforward than caucuses, and with more states moving away from caucuses, you wonder if they will soon become a thing of the past.
There's going to be a real conversation among Democrats about the best way to count votes, especially considering Iowa gave Republicans an opening to attack Democrats on competence.


npr--2020-02-12--How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have?

How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have ?
Primary voters are beginning to choose who will face @ @ @ @ @ President Trump .
In most cases , state Democratic parties award delegates to candidates based @ @ @ @ @ primary or caucus vote .
NPR and the Associated Press are keeping track of who @ @ @ @ @ the primary season .
At the Democratic National Convention in July , those delegates will @ @ @ @ @ party .
Not every presidential candidate will receive delegates in every state , and some @ @ @ @ @ .
Only those who have earned at least one delegate are listed on this page @ @ @ @ @ maintained by the Associated Press and are provided via an automatic feed .
Because some @ @ @ @ @ shown here may differ from what is reported elsewhere .

How Many Delegates Do The 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Have?
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The Democratic Party is officially nominating Joe Biden as the party's presidential nominee on Aug. 18. Follow live coverage of the DNC here.
Updated on June 4, 2020
NPR and the Associated Press are keeping track of who has the most delegates throughout the primary season. At the Democratic National Convention in July, those delegates will choose a nominee for the party.
In most cases, state Democratic parties award delegates to candidates based on their performance in a primary or caucus vote.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has been the last active Democratic candidate running to face off against President Trump in November since April, but at that point he was still far short of the 1,991 delegates needed to officially secure the party's presidential nomination.
Not every presidential candidate who has run this year received delegates. Only those who have earned at least one delegate in any contest are listed on this page.
Candidates' totals have changed due to party rules that make those who have dropped out of the race ineligible to receive delegates in certain cases. Some delegates earned by former candidates Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Mike Bloomberg have been transferred to Biden.
However, the campaigns of Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders came to an agreement that allows Sanders supporters to hold the delegate slots he would have received. Therefore, the AP has not adjusted the Sanders delegate counts.
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Delegate numbers shown are maintained by the Associated Press and are provided via an automatic feed. Because some counts are unofficial, numbers shown here may differ from what is reported elsewhere.
This story was originally published on Feb. 11, 2020.


npr--2020-02-12--Standard Poodle Takes Best In Show At Westminster Kennel Club Competition

Standard Poodle Takes Best In Show At Westminster Kennel Club Competition With her stylish standard poodle locks , Siba won @ @ @ @ @ at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday night .
Siba elegantly defeated more than @ @ @ @ @ over three days of competition .
Also representing their breeds and categories in the Best @ @ @ @ @ And of course the ultimate winner : Non-Sporting - Siba , poodle .
Judges decide @ @ @ @ @ by comparing the dog against its own breed and group 's ideal standards .
`` @ @ @ @ @ do specific jobs , whether hunting , guarding , tracking , or companionship , '' @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The standard describes how a dog should look in order to carry out @ @ @ @ @ year 's winner was King , a wire fox terrier .
Bono , the Havanese @ @ @ @ @ category this year , placed second known as `` Reserve Best In Show '' in @ @

Siba The Standard Poodle Beats Out Fan Favorite Daniel For Westminster Crown
Enlarge this image toggle caption Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 10:44 a.m. ET
For the first time in nearly three decades, a standard poodle has earned the right to adorn her leash with Westminster laurels. Siba, with her elegant sable locks, walked away with Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday night.
To manage the feat, Siba, owned and bred by Connie S. Unger, had to outlast some 2,500 competitors representing 204 breeds across three days.
Her triumph makes her the fifth standard poodle ever to win the top prize at the 144-year-old competition and the first of her breed to do so since a powerhouse pup by the name of Whisperwind's On A Carousel did it in 1991.
The last winning poodle of any kind was the miniature Surrey Spice Girl in 2002.
Judges decide which is "best" by comparing the dog against its own breed and the group's ideal standards. "Dogs were originally bred to do specific jobs, whether hunting, guarding, tracking, or companionship," the Westminster Kennel Club explains. "The standard describes how a dog should look in order to carry out its job."
In Siba's case, though, determining just what that job and look should be can be a particularly difficult task for judges, as she hails from the nonsporting group — a potpourri of breeds that includes everything from chow chows and American Eskimo dogs, to bulldogs and lhasa apsos.
"Talk about differences in size, coat, and visage!" the American Kennel Club observes.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
The win didn't come easy for Siba. She had some rough competition, so to speak, in the final round — plenty of good girls and boys that had already earned the title "best" by winning their respective groups.
There was: Bourbon, the whippet who won the hound group and ultimately placed second; Bono, the Havanese who won the toy group; Wilma, the boxer who won the working group; Conrad, the Shetland sheepdog who won the herding group; and Vinny, the fox terrier who won the terrier group and hoped to snag back-to-back wins for his breed after King's triumph last year.
Oh, and there was also Daniel, the fan favorite golden retriever who snagged top honors in the sporting group.
It bears mentioning that not once in nearly a century and a half of competition has a golden retriever won best in show at Westminster. And plenty of folks, both on hand at Madison Square Garden and watching at home, wanted to see Daniel become the first.
The groundswell of support and disappointment even spawned a hashtag: #DanielWasRobbed. Sorry, Daniel: It appears the breed's coming-out party remains on pause.


npr--2020-02-11--Bernie Sanders Narrowly Wins In New Hampshire, Taking Front-Runner Mantle

Updated at 5:40 a.m ET Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has won the New Hampshire Democratic primary , according to The Associated Press .
The results make Sanders , who spent much of his career as a political outsider and still is not a member of the Democratic Party , a top contender for the party 's presidential nomination .
Speaking to supporters in Manchester late Tuesday , Sanders said his win marked `` the beginning of the end for Donald Trump . ''
Sanders was ahead throughout the night but faced a close contest from Pete Buttigieg , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His victory in New Hampshire , along with his virtual tie with Buttigieg in last week 's still-muddled Iowa caucuses , sets up a contest between the liberal and more moderate wings of the Democratic Party .
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , campaigning in the moderate lane , came in third .
She was buoyed by a strong showing in last Friday 's debate and sagging support for former Vice President Joe Biden .
Initially his party 's front-runner , Biden finished in fifth place and received far less than the 15 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nomination .
The Minnesota Democrat boasted that she raised roughly $ 2.5 million since that debate and that undecided voters flocked to her final campaign events across the state .
She needed a strong showing after a fifth-place finish in Iowa , which borders her home state and where she spent a lot of time arguing she was capable of winning in a battleground state .
Klobuchar was quick to tout her third-place showing as a win because she exceeded expectations .
Even before the results were announced , her campaign announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 Democratic contest in Nevada .
Buttigieg argued his second top-tier showing in a row `` has shown that we are here to stay . ''
He pushed back , as he has for weeks , arguing that those who do not back the same progressive policies that Sanders proposes make up a large contingent in the party .
`` Most Americans do n't see where they fit in that polarized vision , and we ca n't defeat the most divisive president in modern American history by tearing down anybody who does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , '' Buttigieg said .
The former mayor faces an uphill climb in the upcoming nominating states , where a more diverse electorate will weigh in .
The Real Clear Politics polling average has Buttigieg at 5.5 % in South Carolina and 7 % in Nevada .
Four years ago , Sanders won the New Hampshire primary easily , beating Hillary Clinton by more than 20 points .
In the days leading up to this year 's contest , Sanders told voters that the win helped legitimize his progressive platform of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 an hour minimum wage and free public college — all issues viewed at the time by many Democrats as outside the mainstream .
Many Democrats have now embraced that agenda , and Sanders appears to have a path to be the party 's candidate for the White House , even if his New Hampshire margin of victory was far below his 2016 win .
But with Buttigieg and Klobuchar as the second and third top finishers in the primary , the tension inside the party about whether a progressive or more pragmatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general election against President Trump will continue .
Alluding to the divisions in the party , Sanders said Tuesday night , `` We are going to unite together and defeat the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country . ''
Sanders predicted he would win the next two contests in Nevada and South Carolina .
His success raising money among a loyal base of supporters with small-dollar donations is a strength over many of his rivals .
Facing a poor showing , Biden decided not to sit out election night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , where he addressed his supporters in New Hampshire via a livestream .
He vowed to win contests in Nevada and especially South Carolina , where the Biden campaign believes his strong support from African American voters will deliver a victory .
`` We 're going to be back in New Hampshire , '' the former vice president said .
`` We 're going to be back there to defeat Donald Trump in November , elect Jeanne Shaheen the next senator again , and up and down the ticket .
So you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Bernie Sanders Narrowly Wins In New Hampshire, Taking Front-Runner Mantle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Updated at 10:20 a.m ET
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pulled off a narrow victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, providing a jolt of energy to his front-of-the-pack status by holding off Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Ind.
The close race means the crowded Democratic presidential field remains fiercely contested, with Buttigieg just barely ahead of Sanders in the national delegate count. Each candidate is pushing a vastly different vision for America's future and offers contrasting paths for the Democratic Party.
With 95% of precincts reporting, Sanders captured 25.7% of the vote. Buttigieg claimed 24.4% and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar brought in a surprising 19.8% of the vote.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren brought in 9.2% of the vote. Former Vice President Joe Biden was the fifth-place finisher, clocking about 8.4% of the vote with nearly all the returns in.
Speaking to supporters in Manchester late Tuesday, Sanders said his win marked "the beginning of the end for Donald Trump."
Sanders was ahead throughout the night but faced a close contest from Buttigieg. His victory in New Hampshire, along with his virtual tie with Buttigieg in last week's still-muddled Iowa caucuses, sets up a contest between the liberal and more moderate wings of the Democratic Party.
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Klobuchar, campaigning in the moderate lane, came in third. She was buoyed by a strong showing in last Friday's debate and sagging support for Biden.
Initially his party's front-runner, Biden finished in fifth place and received far less than the 15% he needed to get any delegates for the nomination. The Minnesota Democrat boasted that she raised roughly $2.5 million since that debate and that undecided voters flocked to her final campaign events across the state.
She needed a strong showing after a fifth-place finish in Iowa, which borders her home state and where she spent a lot of time arguing she was capable of winning in a battleground state.
Klobuchar was quick to tout her third-place showing as a win because she exceeded expectations. Even before the results were announced, her campaign announced a seven-figure ad buy for the Feb. 22 Democratic contest in Nevada.
Buttigieg argued his second top-tier showing in a row "has shown that we are here to stay."
He pushed back, as he has for weeks, arguing that those who do not back the same progressive policies that Sanders proposes make up a large contingent in the party.
"Most Americans don't see where they fit in that polarized vision, and we can't defeat the most divisive president in modern American history by tearing down anybody who doesn't agree with us 100% of the time," Buttigieg said.
The former mayor faces an uphill climb in the upcoming nominating states, where a more diverse electorate will weigh in. The Real Clear Politics polling average has Buttigieg at 5.5% in South Carolina and 7% in Nevada.
Warren, Sanders' primary opponent on the far left, ended with a New Hampshire performance that was a disappointment to her supporters. Her fourth-place finish is on track to provide her no delegates from the state.
Four years ago, Sanders won the New Hampshire primary easily, beating Hillary Clinton by more than 20 points. In the days leading up to this year's contest, Sanders told voters that the win helped legitimize his progressive platform of "Medicare for All," a $15 an hour minimum wage and free public college — all issues viewed at the time by many Democrats as outside the mainstream.
Many Democrats have now embraced that agenda, and Sanders appears to have a path to be the party's candidate for the White House, even if his New Hampshire margin of victory was far below his 2016 win.
But with Buttigieg and Klobuchar as the second and third top finishers in the primary, the tension inside the party about whether a progressive or more pragmatic agenda would appeal to voters in a general election against President Trump will continue.
Alluding to the divisions in the party, Sanders said Tuesday night, "We are going to unite together and defeat the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country."
Sanders predicted he would win the next two contests in Nevada and South Carolina. His success raising money among a loyal base of supporters with small-dollar donations is a strength over many of his rivals.
Facing a poor showing, Biden decided not to sit out election night in New Hampshire and moved onto South Carolina, where he addressed his supporters in New Hampshire via a livestream.
He vowed to win contests in Nevada and especially South Carolina, where the Biden campaign believes his strong support from African American voters will deliver a victory.
"We're going to be back in New Hampshire," the former vice president said. "We're going to be back there to defeat Donald Trump in November, elect Jeanne Shaheen the next senator again, and up and down the ticket. So you're not getting rid of us."
NPR's Elena Moore contributed to this report


npr--2020-02-11--2020 Presidential Candidates: Which Democrats Are Running

The Democratic presidential field started out as the most diverse ever , and the largest in at least 40 years @ @ @ @ @ down .
Below are the Democrats who are still in the running to try and @ @ @ @ @ well as the candidates who have dropped out of the primary : Do n't see @ @ @ @ @ here .
This story was originally published on Jan. 31 , 2019 .

2020 Presidential Candidates: Tracking Which Democrats Ran
The Democratic presidential field started out as the most diverse ever, and the largest in at least 40 years. It's since winnowed down to one: former Vice President Joe Biden.
Below are also the candidates who have dropped out of the primary:
Don't see the graphic above? Click here.
This story was originally published on Jan. 31, 2019.
Edited by NPR's Arnie Seipel


npr--2020-02-11--Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet Ends 2020 Democratic Presidential Campaign

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet has ended his bid for the White House after failing to catch fire in a crowded Democratic field .
Bennet got a late start in the race , not joining the already-ballooning field until May 2019 .
His plans to seek the Democratic nomination were delayed after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April .
However , following a successful surgery he was declared cancer-free and he continued with his plans to join the presidential fray .
But by then , front-runners had already begun to emerge and there seemed little place for Bennet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ races in Colorado , once a swing state that has trended toward Democrats in recent cycles .
For a while , he was competing against former Colorado Gov .
John Hickenlooper , too ; Hickenlooper ended his campaign in mid-August to run for the U.S. Senate .
Bennet was on stage for the first two Democratic debates , in June and July of 2019 , but failed to qualify for any subsequent debates .
He was one of four senator-candidates whose time on the campaign trail was interrupted by the Senate impeachment trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a low-key alternative to Trump , writing : `` If you elect me president , I promise you wo n't have to think about me for 2 weeks at a time . ''
But Bennet showed little upward momentum throughout his run , overshadowed by several of his other Senate colleagues .

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet Ends 2020 Democratic Presidential Campaign
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Edelman/Getty Images Alex Edelman/Getty Images
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet has ended his bid for the White House after failing to catch fire in a crowded Democratic field.
Bennet got a late start in the race, not joining the already-ballooning field until May 2019. His plans to seek the Democratic nomination were delayed after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April. However, following a successful surgery he was declared cancer-free and he continued with his plans to join the presidential fray.
But by then, front-runners had already begun to emerge and there seemed little place for Bennet, despite the fact he had won two races in Colorado, once a swing state that has trended toward Democrats in recent cycles. For a while, he was competing against former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, too; Hickenlooper ended his campaign in mid-August to run for the U.S. Senate.
Bennet was on stage for the first two Democratic debates, in June and July of 2019, but failed to qualify for any subsequent debates.
He was one of four senator-candidates whose time on the campaign trail was interrupted by the Senate impeachment trial of Trump.
Bennet pitched himself as a low-key alternative to Trump, writing: "If you elect me president, I promise you won't have to think about me for 2 weeks at a time."
But Bennet showed little upward momentum throughout his run, overshadowed by several of his other Senate colleagues.
With reporting by NPR deputy political editor Benjamin Swasey


npr--2020-02-11--Tech Entrepreneur Andrew Yang Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

Andrew Yang , a tech entrepreneur who built his campaign around a signature policy proposal — universal basic income — has ended his bid for the presidency .
`` We have touched and improved millions of lives and moved this country we love so much in the right direction .
And while there is great work left to be done , you know , I am the math guy , and it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race , '' he told supporters on Tuesday night .
`` I am not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support in a race that we will not win .
And so tonight I am announcing I am suspending my campaign for president . ''
Over the campaign , Yang rose from relative obscurity and built a loyal following of supporters , known as the `` Yang Gang . ''
The son of immigrants , Yang founded Venture for America , a nonprofit fellowship program that places recent graduates with startups .
Before that , he was the CEO of an education company later bought by Kaplan .
That sale made him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drilled down on the dangers of automation to the U.S. economy , making appeals to workers who have lost jobs or felt left behind amid the rise of new technologies .
Central to his policy platform , Yang pitched a universal basic income for all adults — a $ 1,000-a-month stipend he called the `` freedom dividend '' — as a key solution for many of the country 's most pressing problems .
`` This campaign is about taking hold of our government that has now just been completely overrun by the corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then rewrite the rules of the 21st-century economy to work for you , to work for your families , to work for communities , '' he told the crowd at a recent event in Iowa .
Yang became known for reeling off data points about the economy at campaign events and on the debate stage , often wearing a button with `` MATH '' in all capital letters , or `` Make America Think Harder . ''
Recently , he said he 'd be the first president to use a PowerPoint deck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By December , Yang was the only candidate of color to qualify for that month 's Democratic debate .
`` It 's both an honor and disappointment to be the lone candidate of color on the stage tonight .
The question is , why am I the lone candidate of color on this stage ?
Fewer than 5 % of Americans donate to political campaigns , '' he said , pivoting to his universal basic income proposal .
`` You know what you need to donate to political campaigns ?
Disposable income @ @

Tech Entrepreneur Andrew Yang Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race
Enlarge this image toggle caption Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Updated at 8:26 p.m. ET
Andrew Yang, a tech entrepreneur who built his campaign around a signature policy proposal — universal basic income — has ended his bid for the presidency.
"We have touched and improved millions of lives and moved this country we love so much in the right direction. And while there is great work left to be done, you know, I am the math guy, and it is clear tonight from the numbers that we are not going to win this race," he told supporters on Tuesday night.
"I am not someone who wants to accept donations and support in a race that we will not win. And so tonight I am announcing I am suspending my campaign for president."
Over the campaign, Yang rose from relative obscurity and built a loyal following of supporters, known as the "Yang Gang."
The son of immigrants, Yang founded Venture for America, a nonprofit fellowship program that places recent graduates with startups. Before that, he was the CEO of an education company later bought by Kaplan. That sale made him a millionaire.
As a candidate, Yang drilled down on the dangers of automation to the U.S. economy, making appeals to workers who have lost jobs or felt left behind amid the rise of new technologies. Central to his policy platform, Yang pitched a universal basic income for all adults — a $1,000-a-month stipend he called the "freedom dividend" — as a key solution for many of the country's most pressing problems.
"This campaign is about taking hold of our government that has now just been completely overrun by the corporate money and return it to us — and then rewrite the rules of the 21st-century economy to work for you, to work for your families, to work for communities," he told the crowd at a recent event in Iowa.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Eisen/Getty Images Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Yang became known for reeling off data points about the economy at campaign events and on the debate stage, often wearing a button with "MATH" in all capital letters, or "Make America Think Harder." Recently, he said he'd be the first president to use a PowerPoint deck when delivering the State of the Union.
By December, Yang was the only candidate of color to qualify for that month's Democratic debate.
"It's both an honor and disappointment to be the lone candidate of color on the stage tonight. The question is, why am I the lone candidate of color on this stage? Fewer than 5% of Americans donate to political campaigns," he said, pivoting to his universal basic income proposal. "You know what you need to donate to political campaigns? Disposable income."
NPR political reporter Juana Summers contributed to this report.


npr--2020-02-12--Iowa Democratic Chair Troy Price Resigns After Caucus Night Debacle

The head of the Iowa Democratic party filed his resignation Wednesday , as the organization is still picking up the pieces from last week 's caucus debacle .
Troy Price had been head of the state party since 2017 , but after his role in overseeing a process widely panned as disorganized and opaque , it became an open question whether he would stay on in his job .
`` While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion , I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my current role makes that more difficult , '' Price said , in a letter to the Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee .
Prior to being elected head of the state party in July 2017 , Price worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in Iowa .
Last week 's contest was Price 's first presidential caucus as chairman , and he had long made it clear he hoped to use technology to make the caucus process more accessible and quick .
But those efforts ran into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way .
Last year , the state party was forced to scrap a plan that would have allowed for remote caucusing , over security concerns .
And then Monday night , a technology decision that was implemented turned disastrous .
Precinct leaders across Iowa were told to use a smartphone app to report their results to the party .
The app experienced a coding error , and then the backup phone lines set up to take results became clogged for hours .
It took days for the party to eventually get results to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still working through recanvass requests from multiple campaigns .
`` The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night , '' Price wrote in his resignation letter .
`` As chair of this party , I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party . ''
Price repeatedly claimed that `` nationally renowned '' cyber security experts reviewed or tested the app , but he has not detailed who those experts are or what companies they worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday , after the State Central Committee holds an emergency meeting to elect a new chair .

Iowa Democratic Chair Troy Price Resigns After Caucus Night Debacle
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The head of the Iowa Democratic Party filed his resignation Wednesday, as the organization is still picking up the pieces from last week's caucus debacle.
Troy Price had been head of the state party since 2017, but after his role in overseeing a process widely panned as disorganized and opaque, it became an open question whether he would stay on in his job.
"While it is my desire to stay in this role and see this process through to completion, I do believe it is time for the Iowa Democratic Party to begin looking forward, and my presence in my current role makes that more difficult," Price said, in a letter to the Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee.
Prior to being elected head of the state party in July 2017, Price worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in Iowa.
Last week's contest was Price's first presidential caucus as chairman, and he had long made it clear he hoped to use technology to make the caucus process more accessible and quick.
But those efforts ran into issues at almost every step of the way.
Last year, the state party was forced to scrap a plan that would have allowed for remote caucusing, over security concerns.
And then Monday night, a technology decision that was implemented turned disastrous.
Precinct leaders across Iowa were told to use a smartphone app to report their results to the party. The app experienced a coding error, and then the backup phone lines set up to take results became clogged for hours.
It took days for the party to eventually get results to the public, and the party is still working through recanvass requests from multiple campaigns.
"The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night," Price wrote in his resignation letter. "As chair of this party, I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party."
Price repeatedly claimed that "nationally renowned" cybersecurity experts reviewed or tested the app, but he has not detailed who those experts are or what companies they worked for.
His resignation will become effective Saturday, after the State Central Committee holds an emergency meeting to elect a new chair.


npr--2020-02-12--Utah Bill Decriminalizing Polygamy Clears First Hurdle, Moves To State Senate

A Utah bill that would reduce polygamy among consenting adults from a felony to an infraction — on par with a traffic ticket — was unanimously endorsed by a state Senate committee earlier this week , despite opposition from critics who argue the law could potentially protect abusers .
The move advances Senate Bill 102 to the full chamber for a vote .
`` Vigorous enforcement of the law during the mid-twentieth century did not deter the practice of plural marriage , '' Sen. Deidre Henderson told NPR .
The Republican senator , who sponsored the legislation , contends strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polygamous families underground `` into a shadow society where the vulnerable make easy prey . ''
There are an estimated 30,000 Utahans currently living in polygamous communities , the Associated Press reported .
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially disavowed the principle of plural marriages in 1890 , though the church acknowledges that the practice continued and was condoned for decades afterward .
Under existing state law , it is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison .
Those also convicted of fraud , child abuse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smuggling or trafficking could also face an additional 15-year sentence .
`` Branding all polygamists as felons has facilitated abuse , not eliminated polygamy , '' she added , urging lawmakers to lift the veil of secrecy around the practice .
Henderson also notes the bill increases penalties for bigamy in concert with abuse or other serious crimes , including fraud and child-bride marriages .
`` We are basically codifying the long-standing practice of the Utah Attorney General 's office : do n't prosecute otherwise law-abiding polygamists unless other crimes are being committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other advocates for victims of polygamous communities say the bill also provides protections for abusers , pedophiles and traffickers .
Sound Choices Coalition , a nonprofit organization working to end polygamy , is leading a campaign to defeat the bill .
`` Mormon polygamy is NOT A CHOICE , as fundamentalists would like you to believe , '' the organization 's statement reads .
`` Offenders use [ LDS Covenants ] Section 132 to justify crimes and deviant behaviors ; to subvert and oppress their wives and their numerous offspring who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loving God commanded such suffering and disparity , '' it adds .
Angela Kelly , the group 's director , spoke against the bill before the panel 's vote on Monday .
`` To make this an infraction ?
You 're essentially saying this is an OK lifestyle , '' Kelly said , according to Salt Lake City 's Fox 13 .
The church did not respond to NPR 's requests for comment .
In 2013 , polygamist and reality TV star Kody Brown and his four wives , Meri Brown , Janelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , challenged Utah 's criminal polygamy law .
The family stars in the TLC series , Sister Wives .
While the family won in a district court , the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed the case in 2016 , saying the Browns faced no credible fear of future prosecution because local prosecutors had adopted a policy of not prosecuting cases in the absence of additional crimes .
The following year the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the Brown case challenging the law .

Utah Bill Decriminalizing Polygamy Clears First Hurdle, Moves To State Senate
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rick Bowmer/AP Rick Bowmer/AP
A Utah bill that would reduce polygamy among consenting adults from a felony to an infraction — on par with a traffic ticket — was unanimously endorsed by a state Senate committee earlier this week, despite opposition from critics who argue the law could potentially protect abusers.
The move advances Senate Bill 102 to the full chamber for a vote.
"Vigorous enforcement of the law during the mid-twentieth century did not deter the practice of plural marriage," Sen. Deidre Henderson told NPR.
The Republican senator, who sponsored the legislation, contends strict government regulations have only served to drive polygamous families underground "into a shadow society where the vulnerable make easy prey."
There are an estimated 30,000 Utahans currently living in polygamous communities, the Associated Press reported.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially disavowed the principle of plural marriages in 1890, though the church acknowledges that the practice continued and was condoned for decades afterward.
Today, the church excommunicates practicing polygamists.
Under existing state law, it is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Those also convicted of fraud, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse or human smuggling or trafficking could also face an additional 15-year sentence.
"Branding all polygamists as felons has facilitated abuse, not eliminated polygamy," she added, urging lawmakers to lift the veil of secrecy around the practice.
Henderson also notes the bill increases penalties for bigamy in concert with abuse or other serious crimes, including fraud and child-bride marriages.
"We are basically codifying the long-standing practice of the Utah Attorney General's office: don't prosecute otherwise law-abiding polygamists unless other crimes are being committed," she said.
Meanwhile, other advocates for victims of polygamous communities say the bill also provides protections for abusers, pedophiles and traffickers.
Sound Choices Coalition, a nonprofit organization working to end polygamy, is leading a campaign to defeat the bill.
"Mormon polygamy is NOT A CHOICE, as fundamentalists would like you to believe," the organization's statement reads.
"Offenders use Section 132 [of the LDS book of scripture called Doctrine and Covenants] to justify crimes and deviant behaviors; to subvert and oppress their wives and their numerous offspring who have been indoctrinated from birth into believing that a loving God commanded such suffering and disparity," it adds.
Angela Kelly, the group's director, spoke against the bill before the panel's vote on Monday.
"To make this an infraction? You're essentially saying this is an OK lifestyle," Kelly said, according to Salt Lake City's Fox 13.
The church did not respond to NPR's requests for comment.
In 2013, polygamist and reality TV star Kody Brown and his four wives, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, Christine Brown and Robyn Sullivan, challenged Utah's criminal polygamy law. The family stars in the TLC series, Sister Wives.
While the family won in a district court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit dismissed the case in 2016, saying the Browns faced no credible fear of future prosecution because local prosecutors had adopted a policy of not prosecuting cases in the absence of additional crimes.
The following year the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the Brown case challenging the law.


npr--2020-02-12--Kushner Seeks To Revive Trump's Overhaul For Immigration System

Jared Kushner has been quietly trying to resurrect discussions to overhaul the U.S. immigration system , multiple people familiar with the conversations have told NPR .
President Trump 's senior adviser and son-in-law has been meeting with business leaders , immigration hard-liners and other interest groups important to Republicans with the goal of rolling out a new immigration plan once Trump 's impeachment trial ended .
The effort responds to a lobbying push by business groups , which have sought to use the booming economy — a core part of Trump 's 2020 campaign message — to make their case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openings .
But Kushner 's plan faces daunting odds .
There is a gulf between what business interests want and what immigration restrictionist groups are willing to accept .
And Democrats are expected to denounce any effort that does not address the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. or the DREAMers — undocumented people brought into the country as children .
The White House declined to respond to specific questions about the plan .
The details of the plan have not been finalized and could change or even be shelved .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to demonstrate that it is making progress on Trump 's previous promises while uniting Republicans on a list of principles as they head into the 2020 election .
`` The Kushner plan on behalf of President Trump has a lot to like , '' said Dan Stein , president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform , which advocates for stronger immigration enforcement .
`` While it has zero chance of moving through a divided Congress this year , over the coming months we 'll hear why it 's better than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with pretensions to bigger things and an open-borders socialist , '' Stein said , alluding to Democratic candidates .
Elements of the new plan The new plan would boost the number of legal immigrants by increasing visas for high-skilled workers — something Trump has argued is needed for the tech industry and manufacturers to expand in America .
It would reorganize the Department of Homeland Security to streamline the leadership of its three immigration-related agencies , creating a new director position , or immigration czar , who would be in charge of U.S @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Customs and Border Protection , and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
The plan would increase the number of federal departments and agencies required to use E-Verify , a database that helps check the immigration status of employees , but would not make E-Verify mandatory for all businesses to use .
Keeping E-Verify voluntary is one of the reasons groups that favor immigration restrictions are questioning the plan and pushing for stronger enforcement measures .
They are also concerned that Kushner 's plan does n't cut – and likely increases — the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year , about 1 million immigrants were given permanent resident status .
`` What they do is they take Tom Cotton 's RAISE Act , which created a merit system which the president liked , and they basically puff it out to cover more people , more types of applicant types and a huge increase in numbers , '' said Jessica Vaughan , director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies , a group that wants tighter immigration controls .
Vaughan has been briefed on elements of the plan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as stricter visa screening , clamping down on sanctuary cities and tighter rules for asylum-seekers .
The plan would eliminate many current categories for family-sponsored immigration but would allow family members of immigrants to apply for a new `` Build America Visa . ''
This new visa category would be for `` extraordinarily talented individuals , '' high-skilled professionals and top graduate students from American universities .
Business groups say they 're encouraged by the renewed effort to focus immigration on workforce needs but raised concerns that the plan would n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers .
Neil Bradley , chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , said the United States needs to increase legal immigration to keep the economy booming .
At a minimum , he said , Trump 's plan should not reduce levels of legal immigration .
`` Every incumbent president is interested in a growing economy , particularly in an election year , '' Bradley said in an interview .
`` One of the headwinds that the economy is facing is a lack of available workers and no sense that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' This is not Kushner 's first attempt at trying to address this perpetually complicated issue .
He led a similar effort last year to create a merit-based immigration system like ones used in Canada and Australia .
The proposal was released last spring with great fanfare but failed to gain momentum .
It landed as Trump shook up DHS leadership .
In the course of a few weeks , he fired Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna and pulled the nomination of Ron Vitiello to lead ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire with factions in the Republican Party : the hard-liners who seek greater reductions in the number of immigrants and business groups that want more foreign workers .
The current plan faces those same challenges .
And some Republican senators have privately expressed discomfort with the idea of the Trump administration dictating what immigration legislation to introduce , sources said .
Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on immigration , build a wall on the southern border with Mexico and end the Obama-era DREAMers program .
But there have been some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During his State of the Union address this year , Trump alluded to Kushner 's efforts to bring in more legal workers to help fuel the U.S. economy .
`` To build on these historic gains , we are working on legislation to replace our outdated and randomized immigration system with one based on merit , welcoming those who follow the rules , contribute to our economy , support themselves financially and uphold our values , '' Trump said .
It 's a shift from his `` Buy American , Hire American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his presidency ; that agenda included promises to curtail programs that brought in foreign workers who displaced or competed with U.S. citizens .
Trump addressed skepticism about that shift during a recent interview with Fox News ' Laura Ingraham , who reminded Trump that he ran for office with a message that he would not allow foreign labor to replace American workers .
Trump pushed back , arguing that U.S. companies , particularly tech companies , were running out of workers .
`` We have to allow smart people to stay in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do n't have enough of them .
And we have to be competitive with the rest of the world too . ''
Those comments raised alarm bells among immigration hawks like Vaughan .
While she supports many elements in Kushner 's plan , she worries there is too much focus on increasing the number of workers .
`` The main problem is trying to do too much in one bill , '' Vaughan said .

Kushner Seeks To Revive Trump's Overhaul For Immigration System
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Updated at 9:10 p.m. ET
Jared Kushner has been quietly trying to resurrect discussions to overhaul the U.S. immigration system, multiple people familiar with the conversations have told NPR.
President Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law has been meeting with business leaders, immigration hard-liners and other interest groups important to Republicans with the goal of rolling out a new immigration plan once Trump's impeachment trial ended.
The effort responds to a lobbying push by business groups, which have sought to use the booming economy — a core part of Trump's 2020 campaign message — to make their case for more workers to fill critical job openings.
But Kushner's plan faces daunting odds. There is a gulf between what business interests want and what immigration restrictionist groups are willing to accept. And Democrats are expected to denounce any effort that does not address the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. or the DREAMers — undocumented people brought into the country as children.
The White House declined to respond to specific questions about the plan. The details of the plan have not been finalized and could change, or even be shelved.
"There have been no final decisions on specific policy proposals; however, the President has been clear we must have sane, rational immigration policy to keep American citizens safe that includes finishing the wall, securing our border, and a merit-based immigration system that protect American wages and jobs," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said.
The strategy is part of White House efforts to demonstrate that it is making progress on Trump's previous promises while uniting Republicans on a list of principles as they head into the 2020 election.
"The Kushner plan on behalf of President Trump has a lot to like," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for stronger immigration enforcement.
"While it has zero chance of moving through a divided Congress this year, over the coming months we'll hear why it's better than the ideas coming from House Democrats, mayors with pretensions to bigger things and an open-borders socialist," Stein said, alluding to Democratic candidates.
Elements of the new plan
The new plan would boost the number of legal immigrants by increasing visas for high-skilled workers — something Trump has argued is needed for the tech industry and manufacturers to expand in America.
It would reorganize the Department of Homeland Security to streamline the leadership of its three immigration-related agencies, creating a new director position, or immigration czar, who would be in charge of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The plan would increase the number of federal departments and agencies required to use E-Verify, a database that helps check the immigration status of employees, but would not make E-Verify mandatory for all businesses to use.
Keeping E-Verify voluntary is one of the reasons groups that favor immigration restrictions are questioning the plan and pushing for stronger enforcement measures.
They are also concerned that Kushner's plan doesn't cut – and likely increases — the number of green cards issued each year. This year, about 1 million immigrants were given permanent resident status.
"What they do is they take Tom Cotton's RAISE Act, which created a merit system which the president liked, and they basically puff it out to cover more people, more types of applicant types and a huge increase in numbers," said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that wants tighter immigration controls. Vaughan has been briefed on elements of the plan.
The plan includes several border security measures, such as stricter visa screening, clamping down on sanctuary cities and tighter rules for asylum-seekers.
The plan would eliminate many current categories for family-sponsored immigration but would allow family members of immigrants to apply for a new "Build America Visa." This new visa category would be for "extraordinarily talented individuals," high-skilled professionals and top graduate students from American universities.
Business groups say they're encouraged by the renewed effort to focus immigration on workforce needs but raised concerns that the plan wouldn't go far enough to increase the number of workers.
Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the United States needs to increase legal immigration to keep the economy booming. At a minimum, he said, Trump's plan should not reduce levels of legal immigration.
"Every incumbent president is interested in a growing economy, particularly in an election year," Bradley said in an interview. "One of the headwinds that the economy is facing is a lack of available workers and no sense that there's any relief in sight."
Second time around
This is not Kushner's first attempt at trying to address this perpetually complicated issue. He led a similar effort last year to create a merit-based immigration system like ones used in Canada and Australia.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Oliver Contreras/Bloomberg via Getty Images Oliver Contreras/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The proposal was released last spring with great fanfare but failed to gain momentum. It landed as Trump shook up DHS leadership. In the course of a few weeks, he fired Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna and pulled the nomination of Ron Vitiello to lead ICE.
The plan also failed to catch fire with factions in the Republican Party: the hard-liners who seek greater reductions in the number of immigrants and business groups that want more foreign workers.
The current plan faces those same challenges. And some Republican senators have privately expressed discomfort with the idea of the Trump administration dictating what immigration legislation to introduce, sources said.
Trump campaigned on a promise to crack down on immigration, build a wall on the southern border with Mexico and end the Obama-era DREAMers program.
But there have been some shifts in his position on legal immigration.
During his State of the Union address this year, Trump alluded to Kushner's efforts to bring in more legal workers to help fuel the U.S. economy. "To build on these historic gains, we are working on legislation to replace our outdated and randomized immigration system with one based on merit, welcoming those who follow the rules, contribute to our economy, support themselves financially and uphold our values," Trump said.
It's a shift from his "Buy American, Hire American" agenda from the early days of his presidency; that agenda included promises to curtail programs that brought in foreign workers who displaced or competed with U.S. citizens.
Trump addressed skepticism about that shift during a recent interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, who reminded Trump that he ran for office with a message that he would not allow foreign labor to replace American workers.
Trump pushed back, arguing that U.S. companies, particularly tech companies, were running out of workers. "We have to allow smart people to stay in our country," Trump said. "We don't have enough of them. And we have to be competitive with the rest of the world too."
Those comments raised alarm bells among immigration hawks like Vaughan. While she supports many elements in Kushner's plan, she worries there is too much focus on increasing the number of workers.
"The main problem is trying to do too much in one bill," Vaughan said.


npr--2020-02-12--Major Smartphone Trade Show Canceled In Barcelona Amid Coronavirus Concerns

One of the world 's biggest trade shows has been cancelled as mounting concerns over the coronavirus outbreak ripple across the business world .
Organizers called off the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona , Spain , after big-name participants pulled out .
The annual conference , scheduled to kick off on Feb. 24 , is a marquee event for the city of Barcelona and for the mobile phone industry .
It typically attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year who come to check out the latest in smartphone technology .
But in recent days , companies from Sony and Intel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay away because of worries about the safety of their employees .
The conference organizer , GSMA , initially resisted calls to cancel .
It said it would put in place health precautions including scanning body temperatures , and advised attendees against shaking hands .
Still , companies kept pulling out , and on Wednesday , GSMA reversed course .
`` The global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak , travel concern and other circumstances , make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event , '' the group 's CEO , John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other trade shows and business events have also been affected by the outbreak .
More than two dozen industry conferences in Asia have been postponed , Reuters reported .
Watchmaker Swatch canceled an event in Zurich planned for late February .

Major Smartphone Trade Show Canceled In Barcelona Amid Coronavirus Concerns
Enlarge this image toggle caption Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images
One of the world's biggest trade shows has been cancelled as mounting concerns over the coronavirus outbreak ripple across the business world.
Organizers called off the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, after big-name participants pulled out.
The annual conference, scheduled to kick off on Feb. 24, is a marquee event for the city of Barcelona and for the mobile phone industry. It typically attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year who come to check out the latest in smartphone technology.
But in recent days, companies from Sony and Intel to Amazon and Facebook said they would stay away because of worries about the safety of their employees.
The conference organizer, GSMA, initially resisted calls to cancel. It said it would put in place health precautions including scanning body temperatures, and advised attendees against shaking hands.
Still, companies kept pulling out, and on Wednesday, GSMA reversed course.
"The global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event," the group's CEO, John Hoffman, said in a statement.
Other trade shows and business events have also been affected by the outbreak. More than two dozen industry conferences in Asia have been postponed, Reuters reported. Watchmaker Swatch canceled an event in Zurich planned for late February.


npr--2020-02-12--Ohio State Football Players Suspended, Charged With Rape and Kidnapping

Two Ohio State University football players were arrested on rape and kidnapping charges Wednesday after what local police describe as a violent sexual encounter with a woman last week .
The men are scheduled to be arraigned on first-degree felony charges Thursday .
Police charged 21-year-olds Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint , both of whom played on the Buckeyes ' Big Ten Championship team this past season .
These allegations are potentially another blemish for one of the nation 's elite college football programs , which routinely produces top NFL draft prospects .
In 2018 , former Ohio State head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retiring after a season that began with a three-game suspension for his handling of allegations of domestic abuse by a member of his coaching staff .
Current head coach Ryan Day announced that he had dismissed Riep and Wint from the football program .
`` I am not making any statement on the criminal charges , '' he said , `` but it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my expectations .
The athletics department will make sure they both continue to have access to the health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Due to the ongoing criminal investigation , I will not be commenting further . ''
According to an affidavit filed by Columbus police detective Joshua Martin , the incident took place around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 4 at an address roughly nine miles from Ohio State 's campus .
According to the complaint , Riep was with a woman with whom he began to engage in consensual sex .
But after an undisclosed amount of time , described in the affidavit as `` brief , '' the women stated she did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the complaint says , Wint entered the room and Riep asked the woman if his teammate could join the two .
The criminal complaint alleges Riep grabbed the woman by the neck , forcing her to her hands and knees before raping her .
As Riep pinned the woman in place , Wint forced oral sex upon her .
The woman was able to temporarily fend off Wint , but he was able to force himself onto her again .
The affidavit continues , that `` after several minutes both parties stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the woman make a video recording saying that the encounter was consensual .
He then drove her home .
Riep , a cornerback , and Wint , who played safety , were on the Buckeyes team that went undefeated in the Big Ten conference in 2019 , winning a third-straight conference championship .
The team lost in the college football playoff semifinal to Clemson , 29-23 .
According to ESPN , both Riep and Wint are entering into their senior seasons at Ohio State .
Riep appeared in 37 Buckeyes games , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous case , Meyer , the former head coach and current assistant athletics director for the university , fired Zach Smith , an assistant coach , in 2018 .
At the time , reports surfaced that Smith 's ex-wife had been granted a domestic violence protection order against him .
While acknowledging at the time he `` should have done more '' Meyer said he and his staff were unaware of any allegations of domestic abuse by Smith .
As NPR reported , an Ohio State inquiry found Meyer became aware of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Another former OSU head coach , Jim Tressel , resigned in 2011 after being engulfed in a scandal involving several players who were accused of receiving improper gifts , selling championship rings or trading other memorabilia for cash and tattoos .
You can read the affidavit for Wint and Riep below .

Ohio State Football Players Suspended, Charged With Rape and Kidnapping
toggle caption Franklin County Ohio Sheriff via AP
Updated at 6:03 p.m. ET
Editor's note: This report includes descriptions of alleged sexual assault.
Two Ohio State University football players were arrested on rape and kidnapping charges Wednesday after what local police describe as a violent sexual encounter with a woman last week. The men are scheduled to be arraigned on first-degree felony charges Thursday.
Police charged 21-year-olds Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint, both of whom played on the Buckeyes' Big Ten Championship team this past season.
These allegations are potentially another blemish for one of the nation's elite college football programs, which routinely produces top NFL draft prospects.
In 2018, former Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer announced he was retiring after a season that began with a three-game suspension for his handling of allegations of domestic abuse by a member of his coaching staff.
Current head coach Ryan Day announced that he had dismissed Riep and Wint from the football program. "I am not making any statement on the criminal charges," he said, "but it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my expectations. The athletics department will make sure they both continue to have access to the health and well-being resources available to students and student-athletes. Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, I will not be commenting further."
According to an affidavit filed by Columbus police detective Joshua Martin, the incident took place around 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 4 at an address roughly nine miles from Ohio State's campus.
According to the complaint, Riep was with a woman with whom he began to engage in consensual sex. But after an undisclosed amount of time, described in the affidavit as "brief," the women stated she did not want to continue.
At some point, the complaint says, Wint entered the room and Riep asked the woman if his teammate could join the two.
The criminal complaint alleges Riep grabbed the woman by the neck, forcing her to her hands and knees before raping her. As Riep pinned the woman in place, Wint forced oral sex upon her. The woman was able to temporarily fend off Wint, but he was able to force himself onto her again.
The affidavit continues, that "after several minutes both parties stopped," but Riep then demanded that the woman make a video recording saying that the encounter was consensual. He then drove her home.
Riep, a cornerback, and Wint, who played safety, were on the Buckeyes team that went undefeated in the Big Ten conference in 2019, winning a third-straight conference championship. The team lost in the college football playoff semifinal to Clemson, 29-23.
According to ESPN, both Riep and Wint are entering into their senior seasons at Ohio State. Riep appeared in 37 Buckeyes games, while Wint played in 35.
In the previous case, Meyer, the former head coach and current assistant athletics director for the university, fired Zach Smith, an assistant coach, in 2018. At the time, reports surfaced that Smith's ex-wife had been granted a domestic violence protection order against him. While acknowledging at the time he "should have done more" Meyer said he and his staff were unaware of any allegations of domestic abuse by Smith.
As NPR reported, an Ohio State inquiry found Meyer became aware of the domestic abuse allegations as early as 2015.
Another former OSU head coach, Jim Tressel, resigned in 2011 after being engulfed in a scandal involving several players who were accused of receiving improper gifts, selling championship rings or trading other memorabilia for cash and tattoos.
You can read the affidavit for Wint and Riep below.


npr--2020-02-12--Watchdog Warns Census Faces Cybersecurity, Hiring Risks Before National Rollout

With just weeks before the 2020 census is set to roll out nationwide , the Census Bureau is lagging behind on recruiting temporary workers and addressing IT and cybersecurity risks tied to the first primarily online U.S. count , a new report by the Government Accountability Office warns .
The bureau recently discovered during testing that its main IT system for collecting online census responses was not able to allow enough users to fill out census forms at the same time `` without experiencing performance issues , '' according to the GAO report released to the public on Wednesday during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bureau officials have decided to switch to a backup system that they say will allow as many as 600,000 users to respond to the census online simultaneously .
But the government watchdog group 's report flags the potential dangers of making last-minute changes to the unprecedented plan to rely on online forms to count most of the 300 million-plus residents of the U.S. '' Late design changes , such as the shift from one system to another , can introduce new risks , in part , because the backup system was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' write GAO officials Christopher Mihm and Nick Marinos .
The report also highlights an earlier report by the Office of Inspector General for the Commerce Department , which oversees the Census Bureau .
That watchdog group found `` weaknesses '' in the bureau 's plans for recovering any census data lost because of a cybersecurity attack or disaster .
During a three-hour hearing on Capitol Hill , bureau officials , who have largely agreed to implement recommendations from both watchdog groups , tried to reassure lawmakers that the federal government is prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count of every person living in the country .
`` We will always have risk , and risk by definition means there 's a possibility that something will happen , '' Dillingham testified , emphasizing that the bureau has been working through tens of thousands of tests and other tasks in preparation for the count .
Counting started in remote parts of Alaska last month , and most households in the rest of the country are expected to receive letters from the Census Bureau in mid-March with instructions on how to take part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The results , which the bureau is required to start releasing before the end of the year , form the foundation of how congressional seats and Electoral College votes are distributed among the states based on population .
The numbers also guide how an estimated $ 1.5 trillion a year in federal funding for Medicare , schools , roads and other public services are distributed to states and local communities .
Pressed by lawmakers , Dillingham acknowledged that , as the GAO pointed out , the bureau has not met its internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as organizations that can help promote the count , particularly among communities of color , immigrants and other historically undercounted groups .
The bureau is trying to fill a pool of 2.7 million applicants by the first week of March .
But the GAO found that the bureau missed September recruiting goals , and so far , has not been able to catch up .
This month , the bureau fell around 400,000 recruits short of its goal of more than 2.5 million applicants by Feb. 3 .
The bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofits willing to help promote the census .
As of early this month , it 's about 60,000 short of making its goal of 300,000 organizations by March .
Dillingham , however , remained optimistic during the hearing and explained that the bureau had set `` ambitious '' goals for itself `` to make sure we get the job done . ''
`` Our recruiting is going to exceed our most ambitious goal , '' Dillingham said .
The chair of the House oversight committee , Rep. Carolyn Maloney ( D-N.Y. ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were `` troubling . ''
`` If these gaps are not filled , it is our most vulnerable , our most vulnerable citizens who will suffer , including children , low-income communities , rural communities and minority communities , '' Maloney said .
Rep. Mark Meadows ( R-N.C. ) , another lawmaker who has long monitored census preparations , asked the bureau 's officials to keep the committee in the loop so that members do n't learn about issues with the count through media reports .
`` There are going to be some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials .
`` Even if it has to be discreet , if you 're seeing a problem , we want to know about the problem right away . ''

Watchdog Warns Census Faces Cybersecurity, Hiring Risks Before National Rollout
Enlarge this image toggle caption Amr Alfiky/NPR Amr Alfiky/NPR
With just weeks before the 2020 census is set to roll out nationwide, the Census Bureau is lagging behind on recruiting temporary workers and addressing IT and cybersecurity risks tied to the first primarily online U.S. count, a new report by the Government Accountability Office warns.
The bureau recently discovered during testing that its main IT system for collecting online census responses was not able to allow enough users to fill out census forms at the same time "without experiencing performance issues," according to the GAO report released to the public on Wednesday during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing. Bureau officials have decided to switch to a backup system that they say will allow as many as 600,000 users to respond to the census online simultaneously.
But the government watchdog group's report flags the potential dangers of making last-minute changes to the unprecedented plan to rely on online forms to count most of the 300 million-plus residents of the U.S.
"Late design changes, such as the shift from one system to another, can introduce new risks, in part, because the backup system was not used extensively in earlier operational testing," write GAO officials Christopher Mihm and Nick Marinos.
The report also highlights an earlier report by the Office of Inspector General for the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau. That watchdog group found "weaknesses" in the bureau's plans for recovering any census data lost because of a cybersecurity attack or disaster.
During a three-hour hearing on Capitol Hill, bureau officials, who have largely agreed to implement recommendations from both watchdog groups, tried to reassure lawmakers that the federal government is prepared to carry out the constitutionally required head count of every person living in the country.
"We will always have risk, and risk by definition means there's a possibility that something will happen," Dillingham testified, emphasizing that the bureau has been working through tens of thousands of tests and other tasks in preparation for the count.
Counting started in remote parts of Alaska last month, and most households in the rest of the country are expected to receive letters from the Census Bureau in mid-March with instructions on how to take part online, by phone or on paper.
The results, which the bureau is required to start releasing before the end of the year, form the foundation of how congressional seats and Electoral College votes are distributed among the states based on population. The numbers also guide how an estimated $1.5 trillion a year in federal funding for Medicare, schools, roads and other public services are distributed to states and local communities.
Pressed by lawmakers, Dillingham acknowledged that, as the GAO pointed out, the bureau has not met its internal goals for recruiting applicants for census jobs, as well as organizations that can help promote the count, particularly among communities of color, immigrants and other historically undercounted groups.
It is our most vulnerable, our most vulnerable citizens who will suffer, including children, low-income communities, rural communities and minority communities.
The bureau is trying to fill a pool of 2.7 million applicants by the first week of March. But the GAO found that the bureau missed September recruiting goals, and so far, has not been able to catch up. This month, the bureau fell around 400,000 recruits short of its goal of more than 2.5 million applicants by Feb. 3.
The bureau is also behind in finding businesses and nonprofits willing to help promote the census. As of early this month, it's about 60,000 short of making its goal of 300,000 organizations by March.
Dillingham, however, remained optimistic during the hearing and explained that the bureau had set "ambitious" goals for itself "to make sure we get the job done."
"Our recruiting is going to exceed our most ambitious goal," Dillingham said.
The chair of the House oversight committee, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), stressed that the GAO report's findings were "troubling."
"If these gaps are not filled, it is our most vulnerable, our most vulnerable citizens who will suffer, including children, low-income communities, rural communities and minority communities," Maloney said.
Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), another lawmaker who has long monitored census preparations, asked the bureau's officials to keep the committee in the loop so that members don't learn about issues with the count through media reports.
"There are going to be some major problems," Meadows told bureau officials. "Even if it has to be discreet, if you're seeing a problem, we want to know about the problem right away."


npr--2020-02-12--Can Coronavirus Be Crushed By Warmer Weather?

Can Coronavirus Be Crushed By Warmer Weather ?
There 's a seasonality to many viruses .
Flu and cold viruses tend to peak in winter months , then die down with warmer weather .
Will the newly identified coronavirus and the disease it causes — COVID-19 — follow a similar pattern ?
Before that question can be answer , let 's consider how seasons and temperature influence the spread of viruses .
`` Coronaviruses tend to be associated with winter because of how they 're spread , '' explains Elizabeth McGraw , who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing , in winter months , people may cluster together more indoors , increasing the number of folks at risk of becoming infection by someone who 's contagious .
In addition , there 's the matter of transmission .
Viruses spread through respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes .
And the droplets are more likely to spread under certain conditions .
`` What we know is that they 're [ the droplets ] are better at staying afloat when the air is cold and dry , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is humid and warm , [ the droplets ] fall to the ground more quickly , and it makes transmission harder . ''
Not every coronavirus hews to the same rules .
For instance , the one that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ( MERS ) has not shown the capacity to spread easily from person to person , says Amesh Adalja , an infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security : `` It does n't have that seasonality because it 's really an animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you see causing disease in a seasonal pattern . ''
But he says COVID-19 seems more akin to the seasonal cold .
And up to a third of common colds are caused by coronaviruses .
`` We 've seen , basically , explosive spread inside China of person-to-person transmission , so — in that sense — it really is behaving like a common-cold causing coronavirus , '' says Adalja .
For that reason , he says , `` I do think seasonality will play a role .
As this outbreak unfolds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do think we will see some tapering off of cases . ''
So as China and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere head into spring , the virus could begin to peter out or plateau .
But the southern half of the globe is headed into fall and winter `` so we may see this [ virus ] have increased transmission '' in parts of the southern hemisphere , says Adalja — for example , in Australia .
That 's similar to what happens with the flu each year .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that cases will die down come spring , Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , told NPR .
`` We hope when the weather gets warmer it will diminish a bit , '' he says .
But he sounds a cautionary note : `` However , we do n't know that about this [ new ] coronavirus .
We do n't have [ a ] backlog of history . ''
Dr. Nancy Messionnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounds a similar note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases with warmer weather .
`` I think it 's premature to assume that , '' she said during a call with reporters on Wednesday .
`` We have n't been through even a single year with this pathogen . ''
Given the uncertainty , public health officials say they must plan for the unexpected and for the possibility that the outbreak drags on regardless of the weather .

Can Coronavirus Be Crushed By Warmer Weather?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jia Yu/Getty Images Jia Yu/Getty Images
There's a seasonality to many viruses. Flu and cold viruses tend to peak in winter months, then die down with warmer weather.
Will the newly identified coronavirus and the disease it causes — COVID-19 — follow a similar pattern?
Before that question can be answer, let's consider how seasons and temperature influence the spread of viruses.
"Coronaviruses tend to be associated with winter because of how they're spread," explains Elizabeth McGraw, who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Pennsylvania State University. For one thing, in winter months, people may cluster together more indoors, increasing the number of folks at risk of becoming infection by someone who's contagious.
In addition, there's the matter of transmission. Viruses spread through respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. And the droplets are more likely to spread under certain conditions. "What we know is that they're [the droplets] are better at staying afloat when the air is cold and dry, " says McGraw. "When the air is humid and warm, [the droplets] fall to the ground more quickly, and it makes transmission harder."
Not every coronavirus hews to the same rules. For instance, the one that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has not shown the capacity to spread easily from person to person, says Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security: "It doesn't have that seasonality because it's really an animal to human virus and not something that that you see causing disease in a seasonal pattern."
But he says COVID-19 seems more akin to the seasonal cold. And up to a third of common colds are caused by coronaviruses.
"We've seen, basically, explosive spread inside China of person-to-person transmission, so — in that sense — it really is behaving like a common-cold causing coronavirus," says Adalja.
For that reason, he says, "I do think seasonality will play a role. As this outbreak unfolds and we approach spring and summer, I do think we will see some tapering off of cases."
So as China and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere head into spring, the virus could begin to peter out or plateau. But the southern half of the globe is headed into fall and winter "so we may see this [virus] have increased transmission" in parts of the southern hemisphere, says Adalja — for example, in Australia. That's similar to what happens with the flu each year.
"It's not unreasonable to make the assumption" that cases will die down come spring, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told NPR. "We hope when the weather gets warmer it will diminish a bit," he says.
But he sounds a cautionary note: "However, we don't know that about this [new] coronavirus. We don't have [a] backlog of history."
Dr. Nancy Messionnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounds a similar note when it comes to predicting a slowdown of cases with warmer weather. "I think it's premature to assume that," she said during a call with reporters on Wednesday. "We haven't been through even a single year with this pathogen."
Given the uncertainty, public health officials say they must plan for the unexpected and for the possibility that the outbreak drags on regardless of the weather.


npr--2020-02-12--Thousands Of Fetal Remains, Found After Abortion Provider's Death, Buried In Indiana

Thousands Of Fetal Remains , Found After Abortion Provider 's Death , Buried In Indiana The remains of 2,411 fetuses found in Illinois last year after the death of a former abortion provider have been buried , but authorities say they 're no closer to knowing why the doctor had been keeping them .
The remains were buried together in a donated plot on Wednesday afternoon following a graveside service in South Bend , Ind .
They were found last year after the death of Dr. Ulrich Klopfer , who had worked as an abortion provider at three clinics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he died in September at age 79 .
Soon afterward , officials discovered the remains in his home and vehicle .
Officials say they date back to the years from 2000 to 2003 .
Indiana 's Republican Attorney General , Curtis Hill , who 's been leading an investigation into the matter , presided over the memorial service .
`` While it would have been preferable to return the remains to each city where the procedure took place , that was not possible , due to the degradation of the remains , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Hill told onlookers .
Hill noted that an Indiana law passed in 2016 — long after the procedures in question — requires the burial or cremation of fetal remains resulting from an abortion .
The law was signed by then-Gov .
Mike Pence and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year .
In an interview with NPR , Hill said his office has been combing through `` thousands '' of records found at Klopfer 's home outside Chicago , and at three clinics in Indiana .
But Hill said that Klopfer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still unclear and may never be known .
The remains themselves – which had been sealed in plastic bags and stored in boxes – had `` degraded , '' and the medical records were in `` deplorable '' condition , complicating the investigative process , Hill said .
`` Lots of the records were spoiled , or destroyed , or wet , '' he said .
Hill declined to comment on whether he is speaking with former clinic staff members , citing an ongoing investigation .
He said his office has heard from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for former patients , many of whom were not patients at the time of the procedures .
Hill said he believes Klopfer transported the remains from the clinics in Indiana to his home in Illinois .
He said his office is still examining records , but he expressed little hope of finding an explanation for Klopfer 's actions .
`` In terms of the why ... we may never know , '' Hill said .
`` The best evidence of the why certainly died with Dr. Klopfer in September ...
There 's no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know that we ever will get an answer for that . ''

Thousands Of Fetal Remains, Found After Abortion Provider's Death, Buried In Indiana
Enlarge this image toggle caption Teresa Crawford/AP Teresa Crawford/AP
The remains of 2,411 fetuses found in Illinois last year after the death of a former abortion provider have been buried, but authorities say they're no closer to knowing why the doctor had been keeping them.
The remains were buried together in a donated plot on Wednesday afternoon following a graveside service in South Bend, Ind. They were found last year after the death of Dr. Ulrich Klopfer, who had worked as an abortion provider at three clinics in Indiana.
Klopfer was living in Illinois when he died in September at age 79. Soon afterward, officials discovered the remains in his home and vehicle. Officials say they date back to the years from 2000 to 2003.
Indiana's Republican attorney general, Curtis Hill, who has been leading an investigation into the matter, presided over the memorial service.
"While it would have been preferable to return the remains to each city where the procedure took place, that was not possible, due to the degradation of the remains and the unreliability of the records," Hill told onlookers.
Hill noted that an Indiana law passed in 2016 — long after the procedures in question — requires the burial or cremation of fetal remains resulting from an abortion. The law was signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court last year.
In an interview with NPR, Hill said his office has been combing through "thousands" of records found at Klopfer's home outside Chicago and at three clinics in Indiana. But Hill said that Klopfer's motivation for keeping the remains is still unclear and may never be known.
The remains themselves — which had been sealed in plastic bags and stored in boxes — had "degraded," and the medical records were in "deplorable" condition, complicating the investigative process, Hill said.
"Lots of the records were spoiled, or destroyed, or wet," he said.
Hill declined to comment on whether he is speaking with former clinic staff members, citing an ongoing investigation.
He said his office has heard from about 180 people through an information hotline for former patients, many of whom were not patients at the time of the procedures.
Hill said he believes Klopfer transported the remains from the clinics in Indiana to his home in Illinois. He said his office is still examining records, but he expressed little hope of finding an explanation for Klopfer's actions.
"In terms of the why ... we may never know," Hill said. "The best evidence of the why certainly died with Dr. Klopfer in September. ... There's no answer for that, and I don't know that we ever will get an answer for that."