inquisitr--2020-02-02--2020 Iowa Caucus Prediction: One Very Unlikely Candidate May Be Having A Late Surge

With just one day before the start of the 2020 Democratic primary , predictions for who will win the Iowa caucus are getting increasingly murky , with one new report indicating that a very unlikely candidate could make a late run for the state .
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden have led the majority of polls from the critical early state , which will hold caucuses on Monday .
But that could be changing , with the polling analysis and aggregator FiveThirtyEight reporting that the most recent polls show one candidate on a sharp rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has lingered near the bottom of the pack for much of the lead-up to the start of the primary , Klobuchar has been rising quickly in the most recent polls and moved to within striking distance of the leaders .
The site noted that her chances of winning in Iowa have tripled in the last few weeks , rising from a 3 percent chance of winning up to 10 percent .
The report cautioned against putting too much stock in the late surge , though it noted that her upward movement in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s quite the last-minute surge , considering she was polling at 6 percent just a little over a week ago , but she ’ s also still several points behind Sen. Bernie Sanders , former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , and Sen. Elizabeth Warren , so don ’ t read too much into this yet , ” the site noted .
But the report went on to add that Iowa has been known for its “ last minute surprises , ” which included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a win in 2008 and propel him to the Democratic nomination .
Klobuchar could be siphoning some support from Warren and Buttigieg , who had previously been near the top of the pack but fell off by several points in the most recent Iowa polling .
There may be even more uncertainty going in to the 2020 Iowa caucus thanks to a polling mishap .
The influential Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll , which is considered to be the most accurate for the Iowa caucus , had to be scrapped at the last minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of questioning for poll takers .
As Politico reported , the poll from the Des Moines-based Selzer & Co. was set to be released on Saturday night with an hour-long special on CNN to announce results , but it was pulled and will not be released before Monday ’ s caucuses .

With just one day before the start of the 2020 Democratic primary, predictions for who will win the Iowa caucus are getting increasingly murky, with one new report indicating that a very unlikely candidate could make a late run for the state.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden have led the majority of polls from the critical early state, which will hold caucuses on Monday. But that could be changing, with the polling analysis and aggregator FiveThirtyEight reporting that the most recent polls show one candidate on a sharp rise — Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Though she has lingered near the bottom of the pack for much of the lead-up to the start of the primary, Klobuchar has been rising quickly in the most recent polls and moved to within striking distance of the leaders. The site noted that her chances of winning in Iowa have tripled in the last few weeks, rising from a 3 percent chance of winning up to 10 percent.
The report cautioned against putting too much stock in the late surge, though it noted that her upward movement in the race is clear.
“That’s quite the last-minute surge, considering she was polling at 6 percent just a little over a week ago, but she’s also still several points behind Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, so don’t read too much into this yet,” the site noted.
But the report went on to add that Iowa has been known for its “last minute surprises,” which included Barack Obama beating long odds to snag a win in 2008 and propel him to the Democratic nomination.
Klobuchar could be siphoning some support from Warren and Buttigieg, who had previously been near the top of the pack but fell off by several points in the most recent Iowa polling.
There may be even more uncertainty going in to the 2020 Iowa caucus thanks to a polling mishap. The influential Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll, which is considered to be the most accurate for the Iowa caucus, had to be scrapped at the last minute after a polling error left candidates out of questioning for poll takers. As Politico reported, the poll from the Des Moines-based Selzer & Co. was set to be released on Saturday night with an hour-long special on CNN to announce results, but it was pulled and will not be released before Monday’s caucuses.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--Donald Trump Reportedly Slammed ‘Fat’ Meghan McCain In Vicious Rant: She’s ‘Dumber’ Than Her Dad

Donald Trump has never been afraid to slam his critics , but according to a new report from the Daily Beast , the president was particularly harsh in an attack against The View ‘ s Meghan McCain .
In a new book called Sinking in the Swamp : How Trump ’ s Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington , sources say that Trump called friends to encourage them to join him in a lengthy rant against McCain , saying that the View host somehow seems “ dumber ” than her father and asked if she has “ been getting fatter.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began with her father , the late Arizona Senator John McCain .
In early 2019 , as Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report was slated to be turned in to the Department of Justice , the president repeatedly attacked the Republican senator , despite his near-universal respect in Washington D.C. after his passing .
Meghan responded to the president ’ s attacks in a March episode of the talk show .
“ I don ’ t expect decency from the Trump family , ” she said .
Reportedly , this angered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he allegedly went on a minute and a half uninterrupted rant where he bashed the younger McCain .
The source says that the person on the line with the president put the phone on mute , turned on the speakerphone function , and let everyone in the room listen to his venting .
During the attack , he made fun of her cheeks and waistline .
“ During the conversations , he aggressively fixated on what an awful TV host she was , both on The View and during her time as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone would want to hire her .
He rambled on and on about how nobody would care about who she was or what she had to say , if not for the genetic proximity to Sen. McCain , ” the Daily Beast reports .
McCain has since repeated her criticism of the Trump family , extending her displeasure to Ivanka and Melania Trump .
McCain isn ’ t the only woman in the media that Trump reportedly had an issue with .
The book notes that he attacked NBC News correspondent Katy Tur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her “ that b*tch with the tranny dad.
” The two first clashed in an interview prior to his being elected where Tur pushed Trump on his foreign policy and he verbally berated her when she momentarily lost her train of thought during questioning .
Tur later wrote a book about the campaign and noted that Trump regularly acted inappropriately towards her , kissing her on the cheek without her consent and berating her .

Donald Trump has never been afraid to slam his critics, but according to a new report from the Daily Beast, the president was particularly harsh in an attack against The View‘s Meghan McCain.
In a new book called Sinking in the Swamp: How Trump’s Minions and Misfits Poisoned Washington, sources say that Trump called friends to encourage them to join him in a lengthy rant against McCain, saying that the View host somehow seems “dumber” than her father and asked if she has “been getting fatter.”
Trump’s issues with McCain apparently began with her father, the late Arizona Senator John McCain. In early 2019, as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report was slated to be turned in to the Department of Justice, the president repeatedly attacked the Republican senator, despite his near-universal respect in Washington D.C. after his passing.
Meghan responded to the president’s attacks in a March episode of the talk show.
“I don’t expect decency from the Trump family,” she said.
Reportedly, this angered the president and he called friends, where he allegedly went on a minute and a half uninterrupted rant where he bashed the younger McCain. The source says that the person on the line with the president put the phone on mute, turned on the speakerphone function, and let everyone in the room listen to his venting.
During the attack, he made fun of her cheeks and waistline.
“During the conversations, he aggressively fixated on what an awful TV host she was, both on The View and during her time as a Fox News contributor. He wondered why anyone would want to hire her. He rambled on and on about how nobody would care about who she was or what she had to say, if not for the genetic proximity to Sen. McCain,” the Daily Beast reports.
McCain has since repeated her criticism of the Trump family, extending her displeasure to Ivanka and Melania Trump.
McCain isn’t the only woman in the media that Trump reportedly had an issue with. The book notes that he attacked NBC News correspondent Katy Tur. During his campaign, Trump dubbed her “that b*tch with the tranny dad.”
The two first clashed in an interview prior to his being elected where Tur pushed Trump on his foreign policy and he verbally berated her when she momentarily lost her train of thought during questioning. Tur later wrote a book about the campaign and noted that Trump regularly acted inappropriately towards her, kissing her on the cheek without her consent and berating her.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--Donald Trump Now ‘Functionally A Monarch,’ Most Powerful President Ever, Says Pulitzer Prize-Winning

Donald Trump Now ‘Functionally A Monarch,’ Most Powerful President Ever, Says Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian

By blocking all witnesses from Donald Trump 's impeachment trial , the GOP-led Senate has made him the most politically powerful president in American history , says Jon Meacham .
Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander was considered a pivotal vote in the effort to allow witnesses and new evidence in the Donald Trump impeachment trial on Friday .
But before he announced that he would vote against bringing in witnesses , effectively ending the impeachment effort against Trump , Alexander was spotted reading a book about the history of presidential impeachments co-authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But shortly after the vote , Meacham made clear that his view on Trump ’ s impeachment was significantly different than Alexander ’ s .
In an interview with MSNBC ’ s Brian Williams on Friday night , Meacham said that the vote against allowing evidence at the trial meant that the Senate had made Trump “ functionally a monarch , ” as seen in the video excerpt seen below on this page .
“ He ’ s functionally the most politically powerful president in American history , ” Meachan told Williams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hands as a result of the Senate decision is “ something that we haven ’ t fully grappled with.
” The Senate cast its vote , with all but two Republicans — Utah ’ s Mitt Romney and Maine ’ s Susan Collins — opposing new witnesses , just hours after explosive new evidence emerged from an upcoming book by Trump ’ s former national security adviser John Bolton .
According to The New York Times , in his book , Bolton reports that Trump personally told him that military aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country staged an investigation of Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden — the allegation at the heart of the impeachment articles .
But while all 45 Democratic senators , and two Independents , voted in favor of allowing the new witnesses , Republicans simply ignored the apparent Bolton evidence , refusing to allow his testimony in the trial .
New evidence continued to surface even after the Senate vote .
Later on Friday night , the Trump administration filed court documents admitting that it had been concealing 24 internal emails that detailed Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine .
Trump ’ s refusal to release the aid , without involving or informing Congress , was a violation of federal law , the Government Accountability Office ruled earlier in January .
With Republicans expected to move for acquittal on the impeachment articles in a vote scheduled for Wednesday , their dismissal of Trump ’ s alleged actions come “ in spite of the facts , ” Meacham told Williams in the Friday night interview .
Meacham had warned in December that the Republican Party had become “ monarchist , ” treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than simply a chief executive whose powers are supposed to be answerable to , and constrained by , Congress and the courts .

Tennessee Republican Senator Lamar Alexander was considered a pivotal vote in the effort to allow witnesses and new evidence in the Donald Trump impeachment trial on Friday. But before he announced that he would vote against bringing in witnesses, effectively ending the impeachment effort against Trump, Alexander was spotted reading a book about the history of presidential impeachments co-authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham, according to a New Yorker Magazine account.
But shortly after the vote, Meacham made clear that his view on Trump’s impeachment was significantly different than Alexander’s. In an interview with MSNBC’s Brian Williams on Friday night, Meacham said that the vote against allowing evidence at the trial meant that the Senate had made Trump “functionally a monarch,” as seen in the video excerpt seen below on this page.
“He’s functionally the most politically powerful president in American history,” Meachan told Williams, adding that the power now in Trump’s hands as a result of the Senate decision is “something that we haven’t fully grappled with.”
The Senate cast its vote, with all but two Republicans — Utah’s Mitt Romney and Maine’s Susan Collins — opposing new witnesses, just hours after explosive new evidence emerged from an upcoming book by Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton. According to The New York Times, in his book, Bolton reports that Trump personally told him that military aid to Ukraine was being withheld until that country staged an investigation of Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden — the allegation at the heart of the impeachment articles.
But while all 45 Democratic senators, and two Independents, voted in favor of allowing the new witnesses, Republicans simply ignored the apparent Bolton evidence, refusing to allow his testimony in the trial.
New evidence continued to surface even after the Senate vote. Later on Friday night, the Trump administration filed court documents admitting that it had been concealing 24 internal emails that detailed Trump’s role in holding back the aid to Ukraine.
Trump’s refusal to release the aid, without involving or informing Congress, was a violation of federal law, the Government Accountability Office ruled earlier in January.
With Republicans expected to move for acquittal on the impeachment articles in a vote scheduled for Wednesday, their dismissal of Trump’s alleged actions come “in spite of the facts,” Meacham told Williams in the Friday night interview.
Meacham had warned in December that the Republican Party had become “monarchist,” treating Trump as if he is their king, rather than simply a chief executive whose powers are supposed to be answerable to, and constrained by, Congress and the courts.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--Influential Selzer Poll Scrapped Before Iowa Caucus Showed Bernie Sanders In ‘Free Fall,’ Insider Sa

Influential Selzer Poll Scrapped Before Iowa Caucus Showed Bernie Sanders In ‘Free Fall,’ Insider Says

The highly anticipated Selzer poll was scrapped just ahead of the Iowa caucus , but one Democratic strategist said the results would have shown an unlikely candidate surging and another potential frontrunner in free fall .
The Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll was considered the gold standard for Iowa polling , scheduled to be released on Saturday night , with CNN devoting an entire hour just to its release .
But the poll from Des Moines-based Selzer & Co. was scrapped at the last minute after reports that some of the pollsters did not ask respondents about all the candidates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a representative for former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg ’ s campaign said a supporter from Iowa received a call for the Selzer poll but the representative did not mention him as one of the potential choices .
Liz Smith , Buttigieg ’ s campaign manager , wrote on Twitter that they passed the concern on to the polling firm , which ultimately decided that they results could not be released as they had not yet determined how widespread the error had been .
The announcement sparked immediate speculation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Selzer poll has historically been one of the most accurate in predicting the winner of the Iowa caucus , and this year ’ s Democratic primary is unusually close , with a number of candidates within striking distance .
Tom Watson , a Democratic strategist , said he learned through back channels that the poll showed Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren surging and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders moving downward .
That would have been a significant shift , as Sanders has been climbing in recent polls while Warren ’ s numbers have steadily been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not know if the reports he heard were true .
Other evidence suggests a close result in the Iowa caucus .
Biden , who has been the frontrunner in national polling since announcing his candidacy , said that he believes it will be a tight race after polls showed Sanders surpassing him .
Speaking to ABC ’ s George Stephanopoulos , via Politico , the former vice president said that the race , as it stands , appears to be all tied up .
While the Selzer poll will not be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , FiveThirtyEight reported that there are still at least two other polls in the state set to be released on Sunday .

The highly anticipated Selzer poll was scrapped just ahead of the Iowa caucus, but one Democratic strategist said the results would have shown an unlikely candidate surging and another potential frontrunner in free fall.
The Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll was considered the gold standard for Iowa polling, scheduled to be released on Saturday night, with CNN devoting an entire hour just to its release. But the poll from Des Moines-based Selzer & Co. was scrapped at the last minute after reports that some of the pollsters did not ask respondents about all the candidates in the race.
As Politico reported, a representative for former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s campaign said a supporter from Iowa received a call for the Selzer poll but the representative did not mention him as one of the potential choices. Liz Smith, Buttigieg’s campaign manager, wrote on Twitter that they passed the concern on to the polling firm, which ultimately decided that they results could not be released as they had not yet determined how widespread the error had been.
The announcement sparked immediate speculation about what could have been shown. The Selzer poll has historically been one of the most accurate in predicting the winner of the Iowa caucus, and this year’s Democratic primary is unusually close, with a number of candidates within striking distance.
Tom Watson, a Democratic strategist, said he learned through back channels that the poll showed Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren surging and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders moving downward. That would have been a significant shift, as Sanders has been climbing in recent polls while Warren’s numbers have steadily been dropping.
Will surprise no one: back channel has Warren surging in the Selzer poll. Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Biden in hold pattern. Sanders in free fall on Rogan/Wallace/booing. We'll see in 48 hours. — Tom Watson (@tomwatson) February 2, 2020
Watson later added that he did not know if the reports he heard were true. Other evidence suggests a close result in the Iowa caucus. Biden, who has been the frontrunner in national polling since announcing his candidacy, said that he believes it will be a tight race after polls showed Sanders surpassing him. Speaking to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, via Politico, the former vice president said that the race, as it stands, appears to be all tied up.
“I think it’s going to be really close, George. It’s neck and neck. Bernie’s up, I’m up. Actually, there’s basically a statistical tie.”
While the Selzer poll will not be seen before the Iowa caucus kicks off on Monday, FiveThirtyEight reported that there are still at least two other polls in the state set to be released on Sunday.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--Adam Schiff’s Impeachment Performance Leads To Huge Fundraising Haul, Speculation Of Senate Run

Adam Schiff may not be winning the impeachment trial , but his prosecution of President Donald Trump is earning the California congressman plenty of campaign donations — and speculation that he could have his eyes on higher office .
As The Hill reported , Schiff drew $ 2.5 million in fundraising in the fourth quarter of 2019 — an amount that is seen as an especially significant sum for a congressman in a very safe Democratic district .
He did not face much of a challenge in 2018 , winning California ’ s 28th Congressional District with close to 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report noted , he came into 2020 with more than $ 8.1 million cash on hand .
The fundraising haul came as Schiff was leading the House impeachment inquiry as chair of the House Intelligence Committee .
The California lawmaker has continued to earn good marks as a lead prosecutor , with even some Senate Republicans saying he has been effective in laying out the case that Trump allegedly abused power by pressuring Ukraine into digging up dirt on political rival Joe Biden .
The president is still expected to be acquitted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which Republicans blocked attempts to call witnesses .
As the report noted , there is rising speculation that Schiff could rise up the ranks in the Democratic Party , with his eyes possibly set on a run for the U.S. Senate or as House Speaker .
“ I think he would be a good senator , ” Rep. Norma Torres , a fellow Democrat and member of Congress from California , told The Hill in a 2019 interview .
“ I think how he ’ s handled himself is very admirable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep his composure even though he ’ s been personally attacked .
This is not easy for him.
” But Schiff ’ s prosecution has also made him one of the most prominent targets for the right .
A number of Republicans have launched personal attacks against the congressman , spreading unfounded allegations that he colluded with the unnamed whistleblower who first reported Trump ’ s attempts to pressure Ukraine .
These lawmakers have also claimed that his investigations into the president were motivated solely by politics .
Trump himself has frequently lobbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newt Gingrich launched into a personal attack against Schiff in an interview with Laura Ingraham .
He accused him of lying repeatedly in his investigations , calling him a “ compulsive , uncontrollable liar.
” “ I think it also incumbent on Schiff .
I mean Schiff personally , is obviously — a deranged human being .
This is about Schiff .
You know , Schiff is a guy who is a pathological liar , ” Gingrich said , via the Washington Examiner .
Schiff has not said publicly whether he intends to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he has aspirations to become House speaker .

Adam Schiff may not be winning the impeachment trial, but his prosecution of President Donald Trump is earning the California congressman plenty of campaign donations — and speculation that he could have his eyes on higher office.
As The Hill reported, Schiff drew $2.5 million in fundraising in the fourth quarter of 2019 — an amount that is seen as an especially significant sum for a congressman in a very safe Democratic district. He did not face much of a challenge in 2018, winning California’s 28th Congressional District with close to 80 percent of the vote. As the report noted, he came into 2020 with more than $8.1 million cash on hand.
The fundraising haul came as Schiff was leading the House impeachment inquiry as chair of the House Intelligence Committee. The California lawmaker has continued to earn good marks as a lead prosecutor, with even some Senate Republicans saying he has been effective in laying out the case that Trump allegedly abused power by pressuring Ukraine into digging up dirt on political rival Joe Biden.
The president is still expected to be acquitted, especially after a critical vote last week in which Republicans blocked attempts to call witnesses.
As the report noted, there is rising speculation that Schiff could rise up the ranks in the Democratic Party, with his eyes possibly set on a run for the U.S. Senate or as House Speaker.
“I think he would be a good senator,” Rep. Norma Torres, a fellow Democrat and member of Congress from California, told The Hill in a 2019 interview. “I think how he’s handled himself is very admirable, that he’s been able to keep his composure even though he’s been personally attacked. This is not easy for him.”
But Schiff’s prosecution has also made him one of the most prominent targets for the right. A number of Republicans have launched personal attacks against the congressman, spreading unfounded allegations that he colluded with the unnamed whistleblower who first reported Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine. These lawmakers have also claimed that his investigations into the president were motivated solely by politics. Trump himself has frequently lobbed insults at Schiff.
This week, Newt Gingrich launched into a personal attack against Schiff in an interview with Laura Ingraham. He accused him of lying repeatedly in his investigations, calling him a “compulsive, uncontrollable liar.”
“I think it also incumbent on Schiff. I mean Schiff personally, is obviously — a deranged human being. This is about Schiff. You know, Schiff is a guy who is a pathological liar,” Gingrich said, via the Washington Examiner.
Schiff has not said publicly whether he intends to run for the U.S. Senate, or whether he has aspirations to become House speaker.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--CNN Analyst Says Donald Trump ‘Won’ In Impeachment Trial: ‘That’s How History Will Remember What Wen

CNN Analyst Says Donald Trump ‘Won’ In Impeachment Trial: ‘That’s How History Will Remember What Went On Here’

In a 51-49 vote on Friday , the United States Senate voted against calling additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , all but paving the way for the president ’ s swift acquittal next week .
According to CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin , it is clear who the winner is .
Per The Hill , on Saturday , Toobin — a staunch critic of the commander-in-chief — weighed in on the latest developments in the impeachment saga , concluding that the only way the events can be interpreted is as a victory for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won .
I mean , you know he ’ s gon na win this trial .
He won on the issue of witnesses , ” Toobin told told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer .
Toobin noted that the Republicans ’ refusal to allow former national security adviser John Bolton to testify will also be remembered , as will the GOP ’ s constant rejection of calls for other witnesses the Democrats considered to be crucial .
“ I think history will also record that there are at last one and perhaps other pivotal pivotal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about the precise issue that is the subject of this impeachment trial , and the Senate decided not to hear from them , ” he said .
Toobin predicted the outcome last week , when he — after analyzing the trial — similarly suggested that Trump and Republicans are “ winning.
” The staunch Trump critic praised the president ’ s legal team , suggesting that Democratic impeachment managers made a number of mistakes during the process , creating an opportunity for White House lawyers to persuasively defend the president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House , Trump is guilty of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power .
The president committed the impeachable offenses , House Democrats claim , when he allegedly pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Hunter .
During the trial , White House attorneys focused extensively on attacking Democrats in charge of the impeachment effort .
They took aim at House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff , questioning his credibility and reminding the American people that Schiff has long claimed that Trump conspired with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election .
Trump allies have long disputed the Democrats ’ impeachment case , alleging that it is part of a broader conspiracy to take down the president .
Attorney Alan Dershowitz , who defended Trump in the impeachment trial , argued in a recent interview that the president should not have the stain of impeachment on his legacy .
According to Dershowitz , given that Trump has not been granted a fair trial , he can not even be considered impeached .
“ If he wins this , I think nobody should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .

In a 51-49 vote on Friday, the United States Senate voted against calling additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, all but paving the way for the president’s swift acquittal next week. According to CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, it is clear who the winner is.
Per The Hill, on Saturday, Toobin — a staunch critic of the commander-in-chief — weighed in on the latest developments in the impeachment saga, concluding that the only way the events can be interpreted is as a victory for Trump and his Republican allies.
“Trump won. I mean, you know he’s gonna win this trial. He won on the issue of witnesses,” Toobin told told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer.
“He’s going to get acquitted, and that’s how history will remember what went on here.”
Toobin noted that the Republicans’ refusal to allow former national security adviser John Bolton to testify will also be remembered, as will the GOP’s constant rejection of calls for other witnesses the Democrats considered to be crucial.
“I think history will also record that there are at last one and perhaps other pivotal pivotal witnesses who were available to the Senate to talk about the precise issue that is the subject of this impeachment trial, and the Senate decided not to hear from them,” he said.
Toobin predicted the outcome last week, when he — after analyzing the trial — similarly suggested that Trump and Republicans are “winning.” The staunch Trump critic praised the president’s legal team, suggesting that Democratic impeachment managers made a number of mistakes during the process, creating an opportunity for White House lawyers to persuasively defend the president.
According to the impeachment articles passed by the House, Trump is guilty of obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. The president committed the impeachable offenses, House Democrats claim, when he allegedly pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
During the trial, White House attorneys focused extensively on attacking Democrats in charge of the impeachment effort. They took aim at House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, questioning his credibility and reminding the American people that Schiff has long claimed that Trump conspired with the Russian government to win the 2016 presidential election.
Trump allies have long disputed the Democrats’ impeachment case, alleging that it is part of a broader conspiracy to take down the president. Attorney Alan Dershowitz, who defended Trump in the impeachment trial, argued in a recent interview that the president should not have the stain of impeachment on his legacy.
According to Dershowitz, given that Trump has not been granted a fair trial, he can not even be considered impeached. “If he wins this, I think nobody should regard him as having been impeached,” he said.


inquisitr--2020-02-02--Former RNC Chair Calls CPAC Conference ‘Embarrassing, Stupid And Juvenile’ For Publicly Uninviting M

Former RNC Chair Calls CPAC Conference ‘Embarrassing, Stupid And Juvenile’ For Publicly Uninviting Mitt Romney

The former head of the Republican National Committee blasted one of the most influential conservative organizations for publicly uninviting Mitt Romney from its annual conference after the Utah senator voted in favor of witnesses at Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial .
Romney was one of two Republicans to join Democrats in voting to hear from witnesses at the trial , a measure that ultimately failed as enough Republicans held together to defeat the motion .
The vote now sets the stage for the end of Trump ’ s trial and his likely acquittal , but Romney is still facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined Democrats in calling for witnesses , Romney came under fire from the Conservative Political Action Conference , which took to Twitter to boast that he would not be invited to this year ’ s conference .
That did not sit well with Michael Steele , the former RNC chair who has since become a vocal critic of Trump .
He called the public slam of Romney “ embarrassing , stupid and juvenile ” in responding to the tweet .
As USA Today reported , the CPAC conference moving to bar Romney from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most important gatherings of conservatives , and Romney had previously spoken at the conference as the party ’ s 2012 presidential nominee and until this week had been in good standing with the organization .
But CPAC has since shifted sharply in favor of Trump , who has spoken there each of the last three years .
Trump , who has been known for sharp attacks on critics , has been especially pointed when attacking Republicans who defy him , and many of the president ’ s supporters have followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to as “ Never Trumpers.
” Steele has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump on the right and has not been afraid to criticize the president ’ s supporters at times as well .
As The Inquisitr reported last year , Steele took aim at evangelical voters who support Trump , a group that the former RNC chair said was hypocritical .
Steele accused these voters of overlooking Trump ’ s glaring moral flaws because he can help move the Supreme Court toward a more favorable balance for their political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defiling the White House and disrespecting God ’ s children at every turn , but it ’ s cool , because he gave them two Supreme Court justices , ” he said .
Romney ’ s office did not comment on the apparent ban from the CPAC conference , USA Today reported .

The former head of the Republican National Committee blasted one of the most influential conservative organizations for publicly uninviting Mitt Romney from its annual conference after the Utah senator voted in favor of witnesses at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
Romney was one of two Republicans to join Democrats in voting to hear from witnesses at the trial, a measure that ultimately failed as enough Republicans held together to defeat the motion. The vote now sets the stage for the end of Trump’s trial and his likely acquittal, but Romney is still facing consequences for his vote.
After he joined Democrats in calling for witnesses, Romney came under fire from the Conservative Political Action Conference, which took to Twitter to boast that he would not be invited to this year’s conference. That did not sit well with Michael Steele, the former RNC chair who has since become a vocal critic of Trump. He called the public slam of Romney “embarrassing, stupid and juvenile” in responding to the tweet.
As USA Today reported, the CPAC conference moving to bar Romney from attending is significant. The conference is one of the most important gatherings of conservatives, and Romney had previously spoken at the conference as the party’s 2012 presidential nominee and until this week had been in good standing with the organization.
But CPAC has since shifted sharply in favor of Trump, who has spoken there each of the last three years. Trump, who has been known for sharp attacks on critics, has been especially pointed when attacking Republicans who defy him, and many of the president’s supporters have followed suit in publicly shunning what he refers to as “Never Trumpers.”
Steele has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump on the right and has not been afraid to criticize the president’s supporters at times as well. As The Inquisitr reported last year, Steele took aim at evangelical voters who support Trump, a group that the former RNC chair said was hypocritical.
Steele accused these voters of overlooking Trump’s glaring moral flaws because he can help move the Supreme Court toward a more favorable balance for their political causes.
“This motherf**ker comes along defiling the White House and disrespecting God’s children at every turn, but it’s cool, because he gave them two Supreme Court justices,” he said.
Romney’s office did not comment on the apparent ban from the CPAC conference, USA Today reported.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Bernie Sanders Takes Massive 15-Point Lead In New Hampshire Poll

A new 7News/Emerson College poll shows Bernie Sanders taking a massive lead with 15 points on his nearest competitor , Breitbart reports .
The Vermont Sen. tops the poll with 29 percent support , with former vice president Joe Biden in second with 14 percent support .
Behind Biden is former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg with 13 percent support , trailed by Elizabeth Warren with 12 percent support .
In the single digits , Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and businessman Tom Steyer have eight percent support , while Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and businessman Andrew Yang each gained seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders has gained six points over the last two weeks in the lead up to the Iowa caucuses Monday evening .
The pollster also notes that Democratic New Hampshire voters are evenly split on who they believe will secure the nomination — 39 percent chose Biden , and 38 percent chose Sanders .
None of the other candidates earned more than 5 percent on the same question , suggesting that most New Hampshire voters believe it ’ s come down to a two-person race , even though Iowa caucuses have yet to conclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of New Hampshire Primary voters say the events of Monday ’ s Iowa Caucus will not have an impact on their vote , while 13 % say the results of the Caucus will impact who they vote for , ” Emerson wrote .
In South Carolina , the latest Change Research/Post and Courier poll shows Sanders catching up to Biden , who remains in first with 25 percent support .
Close behind is Sanders with 20 percent support , and not far behind the 78-year-old politician is Steyer with 18 percent support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only other candidate with double-digit backing is Warren , with 11 percent .
In the final Emerson College/7 News Iowa poll ahead of the state ’ s Monday caucuses , Sanders led with 28 percent support .
In second is Biden with 21 percent support , and in third is Buttigieg with 15 percent .
Sanders ’ rise has caused worry among the Democratic establishment as well as some Republicans .
While some members of the GOP believe Sanders will be easy for Donald Trump to defeat , Vox reports that others aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will run on dystopia .
Bernie will run on utopia , ” argued conservative author David French , highlighting each candidate ’ s unique brand of populism .
“ This split reflects a deeper and growing divide in conservatism : between traditional small-government , free market , libertarian-leaning conservatives and an emerging populist conservative movement that sees some of its 2016 self in Sanders , ” Jane Coaston writes in the Vox piece .
According to Coaston , the right ’ s response to the Sanders campaign reflects the “ ideological fault lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A new 7News/Emerson College poll shows Bernie Sanders taking a massive lead with 15 points on his nearest competitor, Breitbart reports. The Vermont senator tops the poll with 29 percent support, with former Vice President Joe Biden in second with 14 percent. Behind Biden is former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg with 13 percent support, trailed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 12 percent.
In the single digits, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and businessman Tom Steyer polled with 8 percent, while Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and businessman Andrew Yang each got 7 percent.
According to Emerson, Sanders has gained six points over the last two weeks in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses Monday evening. The pollster also notes that Democratic New Hampshire voters are evenly split on who they believe will secure the nomination — 39 percent chose Biden, and 38 percent chose Sanders.
None of the other candidates earned more than 5 percent on the same question, suggesting that most New Hampshire voters believe it’s come down to a two-person race, even though Iowa caucuses have yet to conclude.
“The majority (87%) of New Hampshire Primary voters say the events of Monday’s Iowa Caucus will not have an impact on their vote, while 13% say the results of the Caucus will impact who they vote for,” Emerson wrote.
In South Carolina, the latest Change Research/Post and Courier poll shows Sanders catching up to Biden, who remains in first with 25 percent support. The Vermont senator is second with 20 percent, and not far behind the 78-year-old politician is Steyer with 18 percent. Outside of the trio, the only other candidate with double-digit backing is Warren, with 11 percent.
In the final Emerson College/7 News Iowa poll ahead of the state’s Monday caucuses, Sanders led with 28 percent support. In second is Biden with 21 percent, and in third is Buttigieg with 15 percent.
The whole world is looking at Iowa today. They are looking to see whether the people of Iowa are prepared to stand up and fight for justice. Let's win this together. pic.twitter.com/lNW5teLvi0 — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2020
Sanders’ rise has caused worry among the Democratic establishment as well as some Republicans. While some members of the GOP believe he will be easy for incumbent Donald Trump to defeat, Vox reports that others aren’t so sure.
“Trump will run on dystopia. Bernie will run on utopia,” argued conservative author David French, highlighting each candidate’s unique brand of populism.
“This split reflects a deeper and growing divide in conservatism: between traditional small-government, free market, libertarian-leaning conservatives and an emerging populist conservative movement that sees some of its 2016 self in Sanders,” Jane Coaston writes in the Vox piece.
According to Coaston, the right’s response to the Sanders campaign reflects the “ideological fault lines” of the modern conservative movement.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Iowa Caucus 2020 Live Results: Find Up-To-Date Totals From Start Of The Democratic Primary

The Iowa caucuses are finally here , and those who want to follow along live totals of the ever-changing results will have a few options .
The start of the 2020 Democratic primary comes with an extra dose of uncertainty as one of the largest fields in recent political history had made for an especially close race .
Going into Monday ’ s caucuses , Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden were neck-in-neck for the lead in recent polls , but as many as three others were within striking distance .
The nature of Iowa ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to pick a second-favorite candidate if their preferred candidate does not reach 15 percent support in the first round — adds to the uncertainty .
And the poll considered the gold standard in Iowa , set to be released late on Saturday , had to be scrapped due to errors in how the poll was conducted .
As the polling aggregator and analysis outfit FiveThirtyEight noted , there is still the potential that more recent events could be swinging voters .
“ Overall , these last few surveys were fairly good for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the polls show a pretty wide-open race .
And there could be a polling surprise flying under the radar , as only two of these new polls included survey interviews from this weekend , ” the site noted .
“ Moreover , because of the rules Iowa Democrats use in their caucuses , there are many moving parts that add to the uncertainty — voters ’ second choices and the realignment process where voters can switch their preferences could come into play.
” There are some other changes to the Iowa caucuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
One is that caucusgoers will not be able to make a second choice if their first choice is above 15 percent on the first vote .
In the past , these voters were still able to change their pick , making for a longer and more complicated process .
Campaigns will also be able to know the results for the first vote , which could play into the narrative if one candidate were to win on the first vote but end up behind on delegates after the re-shifting takes place .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those looking to follow along with live results from the 2020 Iowa caucuses .
The New York Times offers an interactive guide to results , including a county-by-county breakdown of the voting .
For those looking for deeper analysis into the voting totals and trends that emerge over the course of the evening , FiveThirtyEight is offering a more in-depth breakdown .

The Iowa caucuses are finally here, and those who want to follow along live totals of the ever-changing results will have a few options.
The start of the 2020 Democratic primary comes with an extra dose of uncertainty as one of the largest fields in recent political history had made for an especially close race. Going into Monday’s caucuses, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden were neck-and-neck for the lead in recent polls, but as many as three others were within striking distance.
The nature of Iowa’s caucuses — with voters getting the chance to pick a second-favorite candidate if their preferred candidate does not reach 15 percent support in the first round — adds to the uncertainty. And the poll considered the gold standard in Iowa, set to be released late on Saturday, had to be scrapped due to errors in how the poll was conducted.
As the polling aggregator and analysis outfit FiveThirtyEight noted, there is still the potential that more recent events could be swinging voters.
“Overall, these last few surveys were fairly good for Sanders, but remember that on average, the polls show a pretty wide-open race. And there could be a polling surprise flying under the radar, as only two of these new polls included survey interviews from this weekend,” the site noted.
“Moreover, because of the rules Iowa Democrats use in their caucuses, there are many moving parts that add to the uncertainty — voters’ second choices and the realignment process where voters can switch their preferences could come into play.”
There are some other changes to the Iowa caucuses this year that may affect the results. One is that caucusgoers will not be able to make a second choice if their first choice is above 15 percent on the first vote. In the past, these voters were still able to change their pick, making for a longer and more complicated process. Campaigns will also be able to know the results for the first vote, which could play into the narrative if one candidate were to win on the first vote but end up behind on delegates after the re-shifting takes place.
There will be a few different options for those looking to follow along with live results from the 2020 Iowa caucuses. The New York Times offers an interactive guide to results, including a county-by-county breakdown of the voting. For those looking for deeper analysis into the voting totals and trends that emerge over the course of the evening, FiveThirtyEight is offering a more in-depth breakdown.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Amy Klobuchar Prosecuted Somali Users Of Social Herbal Stimulant, Says Report

Amid controversy over her prosecution of a black teenager , Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar ’ s stint as Minnesota ‘ s Hennepin County attorney is drawing scrutiny .
As The Intercept reported , Klobuchar allegedly prosecuted Somali people who possessed khat , a herbal stimulant grown in Southeast Africa and the Arabian peninsula .
The stimulant is reportedly commonly used in social gatherings , and The Intercept reports that it is culturally equivalent to drinking coffee or tea .
It also allegedly has uses in Indigenous tribal medicine .
Despite criminal justice reform advocates and scholars claiming the harms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by chewing tobacco , it is an illegal narcotic in the United States , and its active chemical , cathinone , remains a Schedule I drug alongside heroin and LSD .
Klobuchar reportedly prosecuted dozens of khat cases a year , despite the cultural usage of the flowering plant .
Although such cases often did not involve prison time , they still resulted in felonies for the accused .
However , the Minnesota Sen. told Associated Press 1999 that “ treatment or probation is usual ” for such cases .
Rene Clemenson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Klobuchar , told AP that the now-presidential candidate ’ s decision to prosecute such cases made little sense .
Klobuchar ’ s time as a prosecutor has been put under the microscope as she increases in the polls ahead of Monday ’ s Iowa caucuses .
Speaking to Fox News ’ Chris Wallace on Sunday , Klobuchar evaded the host ’ s continued questioning of whether she was aware of the reported problems with the evidence used to imprison black teenager Myon Burrell for the killing of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case has prompted the Minneapolis N.A.A.C.P.
, Black Lives Matter , and other local activists to call on her to suspend her presidential campaign .
She received a particular backlash for her decision to refuse to let Burrell attend the funeral of his mother , who was killed in a car accident on the way home from visiting him in prison .
According to NPR , Klobuchar claims to have witnessed a surge in voters turning out for her on the Iowa campaign trail .
The news comes just hours before the Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the presidential primary and could be make or break for candidates like Klobuchar .

Amid controversy over her prosecution of a black teenager, Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar’s stint as Minnesota‘s Hennepin County attorney is drawing scrutiny. As The Intercept reported, Klobuchar allegedly prosecuted Somali people who possessed khat, a herbal stimulant grown in Southeast Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
The stimulant is reportedly commonly used in social gatherings, and The Intercept reports that it is culturally equivalent to drinking coffee or tea. It also allegedly has uses in Indigenous tribal medicine.
Despite criminal justice reform advocates and scholars claiming the harms of that are akin to those presented by chewing tobacco, it is an illegal narcotic in the United States, and its active chemical, cathinone, remains a Schedule I drug alongside heroin and LSD.
Klobuchar reportedly prosecuted dozens of khat cases a year, despite the cultural usage of the flowering plant. Although such cases often did not involve prison time, they still resulted in felonies for the accused. However, the Minnesota Sen. told Associated Press 1999 that “treatment or probation is usual” for such cases.
Rene Clemenson, an attorney for six Somali defendants prosecuted by Klobuchar, told AP that the now-presidential candidate’s decision to prosecute such cases made little sense.
“The county has spent so much time, money and effort on what is a social gathering in the Somali community, like meeting for a cup of coffee. It’s sad because it has seriously affected the Somali community, which in my experience is industrious and hardworking.”
Klobuchar’s time as a prosecutor has been put under the microscope as she increases in the polls ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses. Speaking to Fox News’ Chris Wallace on Sunday, Klobuchar evaded the host’s continued questioning of whether she was aware of the reported problems with the evidence used to imprison black teenager Myon Burrell for the killing of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards.
Sen Amy Klobuchar responds to new evidence in a murder case she prosecuted years ago as well as to criticism that her tough-on-crime record is alienating some black voters. #FNS #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/fz9D2sKV4K — Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) February 2, 2020
The 59-year-old politician’s handling of the case has prompted the Minneapolis N.A.A.C.P., Black Lives Matter, and other local activists to call on her to suspend her presidential campaign. She received a particular backlash for her decision to refuse to let Burrell attend the funeral of his mother, who was killed in a car accident on the way home from visiting him in prison.
According to NPR, Klobuchar claims to have witnessed a surge in voters turning out for her on the Iowa campaign trail. The news comes just hours before the Iowa caucuses, which will set the pace for the presidential primary and could make or break for candidates like Klobuchar.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Justin Amash Outraises All Of His Democratic And Republican Competitors As An Independent

In calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump , former Republican Justin Amash was driven from his party and lost support from former GOP donors and allies .
But as reported by National Journal ’ s Josh Kraushaar , the Independent outraised all of his opponents during the last three months of 2019 and had the best fundraising quarter of his career since leaving the Republican Party .
“ Fun little $ $ nugget : Justin Amash easily lapped the field of Republicans and Dems in fundraising as an independent ( $ 595K ) , ” Kraushaar tweeted .
Per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s haul leaves him with more money than all of the other candidates in the race for his Michigan seat .
To date , he has raised more than $ 1 million for the campaign cycle and had $ 722,000 on hand as of December 31 .
Since Amash broke from the GOP , multiple contenders have arisen to vie for his seat .
One such contender is Peter Meijer , the heir for the Meijer grocery store chain , who came closest to Amash ’ s haul — he raised $ 313,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loan to himself .
Amash ’ s Grand Rapids district is traditionally Republican , and the eventual nominee will likely gain support from pro-Trump factions .
The Detroit Free Press noted that winning a Michigan congressional race is “ unheard of in recent political history.
” The publication believes that if Amash stays in the race , he may be able to siphon Republican votes and provide an opening for Democrats to win the seat .
According to the History News Network , Amash ’ s decision to buck his party in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision that many others have made in the past .
But as the platform noted — pointing to Colonel Alexander Butterfield , Rep. Margaret Chase Smith , and Sen. Edmond Ross — it ’ s a path that doesn ’ t often bode well politically .
“ They were from different eras , parties , and opinions , but consistent , honest , citizens of integrity and character possessing a strong fidelity to the truth , ” the report reads , noting Winston Churchill ’ s quote on truth .
Whether Amash ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor remains to be seen .
Regardless , he continues to voice his criticism of Trump and the current GOP , which he believes has strayed from its traditional principles .
Recently , he took aim a the Republican Senators that voted against hearing from additional witnesses during the Senate impeachment trial of the president .

In calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump, former Republican Justin Amash was driven from his party and lost support from former GOP donors and allies. But as reported by National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar, the Independent outraised all of his opponents during the last three months of 2019 and had the best fundraising quarter of his career since leaving the Republican Party.
“Fun little $$ nugget: Justin Amash easily lapped the field of Republicans and Dems in fundraising as an independent ($595K),” Kraushaar tweeted.
“Best fundraising quarter in his career since LEAVING the Republican party.”
Per The Detroit Free Press, Amash’s haul leaves him with more money than all of the other candidates in the race for his Michigan seat. To date, he has raised more than $1 million for the campaign cycle and had $722,000 on hand as of December 31.
Since Amash broke from the GOP, multiple contenders have arisen to vie for his seat. One such contender is Peter Meijer, the heir for the Meijer grocery store chain, who came closest to Amash’s haul — he raised $313,000, although $75,000 came from a loan to himself.
Amash’s Grand Rapids district is traditionally Republican, and the eventual nominee will likely gain support from pro-Trump factions. The Detroit Free Press noted that winning a Michigan congressional race is “unheard of in recent political history.” The publication believes that if Amash stays in the race, he may be able to siphon Republican votes and provide an opening for Democrats to win the seat.
According to the History News Network, Amash’s decision to buck his party in the name of “truth-telling” is a decision that many others have made in the past. But as the platform noted — pointing to Colonel Alexander Butterfield, Rep. Margaret Chase Smith, and Sen. Edmond Ross — it’s a path that doesn’t often bode well politically.
“They were from different eras, parties, and opinions, but consistent, honest, citizens of integrity and character possessing a strong fidelity to the truth,” the report reads, noting Winston Churchill’s quote on truth.
“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.”
Whether Amash’s gamble will play out in his favor remains to be seen. Regardless, he continues to voice his criticism of Trump and the current GOP, which he believes has strayed from its traditional principles. Recently, he took aim a the Republican Senators that voted against hearing from additional witnesses during the Senate impeachment trial of the president.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Andrew Yang Says He Is ‘Exciting People’ Not Traditionally Interested In The Democratic Party

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang recently appeared on MSNBC ’ s Morning Joe and spoke about his campaign ahead of the Iowa caucuses Monday evening .
At one point in the YouTube video of the appearance , the panel asked Yang about the result of the recent Emerson College/7 News poll , which revealed that 42 percent of the Venture for America founder ’ s base surveyed said they would not support another Democratic nominee – the highest percentage of all candidates .
Critics used the statistic as a fault against Yang ’ s campaign .
Others , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enjeti , touted it as a positive that reflects the excitement and diversity that his campaign is creating .
While Yang said he would suggest his supporters support the eventual nominee to take down Donald Trump , like Enjeti , he also noted the diversity of his base .
“ I will say that I ’ m drawing in people who voted for Donald Trump in the general in 2016 .
I ’ m getting independents , I ’ m getting libertarians , I ’ m getting the politically disengaged .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in the Democratic Party , which means I can grow the party unlike any other candidate in the field .
That ’ s what that poll demonstrates.
” When the show ’ s co-host asked Yang why he believes he is sparking unique excitement within the party , Yang pointed to the approach of his campaign and the solutions he is offering within it .
“ I think I ’ m talking about different problems in different ways with different solutions than most of the other candidates , ” Yang said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politically ” instead of using data-based approaches .
The 45-year-old serial entrepreneur contended that the current United States economy is not working for the majority of American families .
He pointed to his proposal of a universal basic income ( UBI ) of $ 1,000 per month and touted it as a drastic solution that is vastly different from the solutions traditionally offered by politicians .
Ahead of Monday evening ’ s Iowa caucuses , RealClearPolitics puts Yang in sixth in average polling in the state with 3.3 percent support .
Regardless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest he will outperform expectations .
“ We think we ’ re going to surprise a lot of people on Monday night , George , ” he said on Sunday to host George Stephanopoulos in an appearance on ABC ’ s This Week .
On Super Bowl Sunday , Yang ’ s supporters pushed # YangUnitesAmerica into the top Twitter trends and highlighted the diversity of his base .
On Monday afternoon , just hours before the Iowa caucuses , his supporters pushed # CaucusForYang into the top trend on Twitter , once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his base .

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang recently appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe and spoke about his campaign ahead of the Iowa caucuses Monday evening.
At one point in the YouTube video of the appearance, the panel asked Yang about the result of the recent Emerson College/7 News poll, which revealed that 42 percent of the Venture for America founder’s base surveyed said they would not support another Democratic nominee – the highest percentage of all candidates.
Critics used the statistic as a fault against Yang’s campaign. Others, such as The Hill’s Rising co-host Saagar Enjeti, touted it as a positive that reflects the excitement and diversity that his campaign is creating.
While Yang said he would suggest his supporters support the eventual nominee to take down Donald Trump, like Enjeti, he also noted the diversity of his base.
“I will say that I’m drawing in people who voted for Donald Trump in the general in 2016. I’m getting independents, I’m getting libertarians, I’m getting the politically disengaged. I’m exciting people that have traditionally not been in the Democratic Party, which means I can grow the party unlike any other candidate in the field. That’s what that poll demonstrates.”
When the show’s co-host asked Yang why he believes he is sparking unique excitement within the party, Yang pointed to the approach of his campaign and the solutions he is offering within it.
“I think I’m talking about different problems in different ways with different solutions than most of the other candidates,” Yang said, claiming that his rivals are talking “politically” instead of using data-based approaches.
The 45-year-old serial entrepreneur contended that the current United States economy is not working for the majority of American families. He pointed to his proposal of a universal basic income (UBI) of $1,000 per month and touted it as a drastic solution that is vastly different from the solutions traditionally offered by politicians.
The fact that Andrew Yang supporters won’t back others is NOT a knock against him He did what every politician aspires too but never actually pulled off. He brought new people into the political process and made them excited. It’s an absolutely remarkable feat https://t.co/cI9z5ITmLk — Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) February 2, 2020
Ahead of Monday evening’s Iowa caucuses, RealClearPolitics puts Yang in sixth in average polling in the state with 3.3 percent support. Regardless, the candidate and his supporters continue to suggest he will outperform expectations.
“We think we’re going to surprise a lot of people on Monday night, George,” he said on Sunday to host George Stephanopoulos in an appearance on ABC’s This Week.
On Super Bowl Sunday, Yang’s supporters pushed #YangUnitesAmerica into the top Twitter trends and highlighted the diversity of his base. On Monday afternoon, just hours before the Iowa caucuses, his supporters pushed #CaucusForYang into the top trend on Twitter, once again showing the social media savvy of his base.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Joe Biden’s Allies Reportedly Feel Iowa Is ‘Not Going To Be Great’

Democratic primary frontrunner Joe Biden has been steadily losing ground in the lead up to Monday ’ s Iowa caucuses .
According to The Hill , his campaign team has lowered their expectations , with some reportedly feeling apprehensive about the results .
“ Most ( aides ) feel it ’ s not going to be great , ” said one Biden ally , who claims to have spoken with the former vice president and his campaign team .
The latest poll of Iowa by Emerson College and Channel 7 News Iowa showed Bernie Sanders in the lead with 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent .
Another CBS News/YouGov poll was more promising but still tight — Biden tied with Sanders for first with 25 percent support .
In some positive news for Biden , he holds the most extensive lead over Donald Trump of any Democrat in hypothetical head-to-heads in a Sunday NBC News/ The Wall Street Journal poll .
Although Biden ’ s team says it ’ s hoping to place in the top three in Iowa , one Biden confidant said that the campaign has the resources to continue pushing forward in the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast resources , Iowa caucuses present dangers that the campaign is not ignoring .
The Hill reports that some Biden allies believe that the purportedly low expectations for candidates outside of Sanders could provide momentum for other moderates such as Pete Buttigieg or Amy Klobuchar .
According to a Democrat who has raised money for Biden , Buttigieg and Klobuchar pose the biggest threat to Biden .
“ If Amy or Pete does better than expected and is getting a ton of buzz going into New Hampshire , that ’ s really bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more moderate candidates fighting over table scraps while Bernie gains strength , the more narrow the path gets for him going forward.
” But veteran Democratic fundraiser Kelly Dietrich believes Biden ’ s strong base of support will likely ensure he is in a strong position after Iowa , even in the case of lackluster results .
Although Dietrich acknowledged there are still many undecided voters , he claims Biden will be in the race no matter what .
RealClearPolitics puts Biden in second in Iowa with an average of 19.3 percent support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent , in third is Buttigieg with 16.8 percent , and in fourth is Elizabeth Warren with 15.5 percent .

Democratic primary frontrunner Joe Biden has been steadily losing ground in the lead up to Monday’s Iowa caucuses. According to The Hill, his campaign team has lowered their expectations, with some reportedly feeling apprehensive about the results.
“Most (aides) feel it’s not going to be great,” said one Biden ally, who claims to have spoken with the former vice president and his campaign team.
The latest poll of Iowa by Emerson College and Channel 7 News Iowa showed Bernie Sanders in the lead with 28 percent support and Biden trailing with 21 percent. Another CBS News/YouGov poll was more promising but still tight — Biden tied with Sanders for first with 25 percent support.
In some positive news for Biden, he holds the most extensive lead over Donald Trump of any Democrat in hypothetical head-to-heads in a Sunday NBC News/ The Wall Street Journal poll.
Although Biden’s team says it’s hoping to place in the top three in Iowa, one Biden confidant said that the campaign has the resources to continue pushing forward in the race for the “long haul.”
Despite vast resources, Iowa caucuses present dangers that the campaign is not ignoring. The Hill reports that some Biden allies believe that the purportedly low expectations for candidates outside of Sanders could provide momentum for other moderates such as Pete Buttigieg or Amy Klobuchar.
It’s IOWA CAUCUS DAY. @JoeBiden is in South Des Moines delivering pizza to folks at his campaign office. pic.twitter.com/fbQpHr5Fq9 — Sarah Mucha (@sarahmucha) February 3, 2020
According to a Democrat who has raised money for Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar pose the biggest threat to Biden.
“If Amy or Pete does better than expected and is getting a ton of buzz going into New Hampshire, that’s really bad for Biden. The longer there are more moderate candidates fighting over table scraps while Bernie gains strength, the more narrow the path gets for him going forward.”
But veteran Democratic fundraiser Kelly Dietrich believes Biden’s strong base of support will likely ensure he is in a strong position after Iowa, even in the case of lackluster results.
“No matter what happens in Iowa, he’ll be competitive moving forward. He’s the most well-known and only candidate in this race that nearly every Democrat has voted for twice as vice president.”
Although Dietrich acknowledged there are still many undecided voters, he claims Biden will be in the race no matter what.
RealClearPolitics puts Biden in second in Iowa with an average of 19.3 percent support. In first is Sanders with 23 percent, in third is Buttigieg with 16.8 percent, and in fourth is Elizabeth Warren with 15.5 percent.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Bernie Sanders Promises To Legalize Marijuana On His First Day In Office If Elected President

With the exception of Joe Biden , all of the major Democratic candidates support legalizing pot .
Bernie Sanders told a crowd of supporters that he will issue an executive order legalizing marijuana in all 50 states on his first day in office , Forbes reports .
Speaking on Sunday to an audience in Cedar Rapids , Iowa , the Democratic candidate called the War on Drugs “ destructive , ” and promised that marijuana prohibition will come to an end quickly if he gets elected .
“ On my first day in office through executive order we will legalize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Additionally , he promised to move beyond simply legalizing marijuana and work to undo some of the wrongs he says its prohibition has wrought .
The Vermont senator also said he would make sure that the burgeoning quasi-legal marijuana industry is open to minority groups that have traditionally been victimized by marijuana prohibition .
“ We will move forward to expunge the records of those arrested for possession of marijuana .
And we will make certain that the legalized marijuana industry is not controlled by a handful of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Latino community , the Native American community—those people who have suffered the most will get help in order to make money through a legalized marijuana industry , ” he added .
Could Sanders Actually Legalize Marijuana Via Executive Order ?
That ’ s far from certain , notes Forbes writer Tom Angell .
Although the Controlled Substances Act , which is the set of laws underpinning federal marijuana prohibition , can be modified by the Executive Branch , the process of legalizing cannabis almost certainly couldn ’ t be completed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more , the U.S. is party to multiple international treaties involving marijuana .
And finally , even if Sanders were to legalize marijuana federally , the 50 states would still retain the power to keep marijuana illegal within their borders .
Where Do The Other Democratic Candidates Stand On Legalizing Marijuana ?
As Politico reports , with the exception of Joe Biden , all of the major Democrats running for president support legalizing marijuana , although the scope and details of their plans differ .
For example , as previously reported by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only legalizing marijuana but all illicit drugs .
Multiple other Democrats , such as Pete Buttigieg , has put forth plans similar to Sanders ’ proposals .
In addition to advocating for the legalization of marijuana at the federal level , the former South Bend mayor wants to see the criminal records of those convicted of minor marijuana offenses expunged .
He also supports increasing minority involvement in the legal cannabis industry .
Only Joe Biden is opposed to legalization .
He does , however , support decriminalization — effectively meaning that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be charged with a crime .

'Jersey Shore's Angelina Pivarnick Vows to Avoid Big Lavish Weddings After Breakup With Chris Larangeira
"If I'm going to ever get married, it would be an eloping and something very small with just a couple [of] people," Angelina Pivarnick said.
3h ago


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Mark Zuckerberg Says Facebook’s Commitment To Free Speech Is Going To ‘P*ss Off A Lot Of People’

During a speech at Silicon Slopes Tech Summit 2020 in Salt Lake City , Utah , Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reaffirmed his company ’ s commitment to free speech , which has caused a backlash and even a boycott from high-profile figures like Stephen King .
“ This is the new approach , and I think it ’ s going to piss off a lot of people , ” Zuckerberg said .
“ But frankly the old approach was pissing off a lot of people too , so let ’ s try something different.
” Zuckerberg noted that the platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encryption for its services .
He claimed that his new goal for the next decade is “ to be understood , ” not liked .
Associated Press reported that he also acknowledged he has thus far not done a good job at communicating Facebook ’ s core mission to the public .
Per Breitbart , the 35-year-old businessman addressed the current dangers to the democratic process that exist on the internet , as well as concerns about free expression , safety , privacy and competition .
“ The last thing I want is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divide people or rip society apart in any kind of way .
But at some point , we ’ ve got to stand up and say , ‘ No , we ’ re going to stand for free expression.
’ Yeah , we ’ re going to take down the content that ’ s really harmful , but the line needs to be held at some point.
” Critics of Zuckerberg , including King , claim that they are not comfortable with the platform ’ s decision to allow false information in political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases in disinformation on the service , the famous author deleted his profile on the social media platform and directed his fans to Twitter instead .
According to Zuckerberg , his decision to pass on fact-checking political advertisements is to protect the freedom of political speech .
He claims that people should be able to hear from political figures uncensored , and said the content of their speech should be debated and scrutinized in a public forum .
Comedian Bill Maher previously defended Facebook ’ s decision .
He claimed that social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the responsibility to determine the truthfulness of politicians is in the hands of voters .
Platforms like Facebook have long been scrutinized for the way they police information .
In particular , many on the political right suggested that such regulation stifled conservative voices .
While Facebook has taken a hands-off approach , Twitter took a different route and banned all political messages from its platform .

During a speech at Silicon Slopes Tech Summit 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reaffirmed his company’s commitment to free speech, which has caused a backlash and even a boycott from high-profile figures like Stephen King.
“This is the new approach, and I think it’s going to piss off a lot of people,” Zuckerberg said. “But frankly the old approach was pissing off a lot of people too, so let’s try something different.”
Zuckerberg noted that the platform would support free speech and feature strong encryption for its services. He claimed that his new goal for the next decade is “to be understood,” not liked. Associated Press reported that he also acknowledged he has thus far not done a good job at communicating Facebook’s core mission to the public.
Per Breitbart, the 35-year-old businessman addressed the current dangers to the democratic process that exist on the internet, as well as concerns about free expression, safety, privacy and competition.
“The last thing I want is for our products to be used to divide people or rip society apart in any kind of way. But at some point, we’ve got to stand up and say, ‘No, we’re going to stand for free expression.’ Yeah, we’re going to take down the content that’s really harmful, but the line needs to be held at some point.”
Critics of Zuckerberg, including King, claim that they are not comfortable with the platform’s decision to allow false information in political ads. In response to the purported increases in disinformation on the service, the famous author deleted his profile on the social media platform and directed his fans to Twitter instead.
According to Zuckerberg, his decision to pass on fact-checking political advertisements is to protect the freedom of political speech. He claims that people should be able to hear from political figures uncensored, and said the content of their speech should be debated and scrutinized in a public forum.
Comedian Bill Maher previously defended Facebook’s decision. He claimed that social media companies should not regulate political speech and said the responsibility to determine the truthfulness of politicians is in the hands of voters.
Platforms like Facebook have long been scrutinized for the way they police information. In particular, many on the political right suggested that such regulation stifled conservative voices. While Facebook has taken a hands-off approach, Twitter took a different route and banned all political messages from its platform.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Slams Space Force Supporters Amid Opposition To Medicare For All

Outspoken New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently took aim at Donald Trump ’ s White House for its decision to fund Space Force amid opposition to public health care or college , Newsweek reports .
“ The folks writing checks for a new Space Force are the same ones asking ‘ how are you going to pay for ’ public college or health care , ” she tweeted on Sunday .
It ’ s not the first time the progressive firebrand has been critical of the Trump administration ’ s Space Force .
The 30-year-old politician spoke at a rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month and said that people who ask about the cost of social programs are the ones who authorize funds for the Space Force , as well as “ massive infrastructure for gas pipelines ” across the country .
Along with Ocasio-Cortez , Sanders — who she has endorsed for president — has also questioned the country ’ s decision to pay for the Space Force without first providing universal healthcare and the other social programs advocated via his platform .
“ Before we create a Space Force we should make sure everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in December .
Like Ocasio-Cortez , the Vermont Sen. has noted on many occasions that the United States is the “ richest country in the history of the world ” when pushing for his proposals of guaranteed healthcare and free education .
“ What we need is the political will , ” he said .
Earlier in January , Vox reported that Ocasio-Cortez spoke with Anderson Cooper for an interview on CBS ’ s 60 Minutes .
She proposed that the country can pay for progressive policies on health care , housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact mechanisms ” that funnel money into programs such as the Space Force .
The freshman congresswoman also pointed to the GOP ’ s $ 1.5 trillion tax cut bill — which reportedly did not accomplish what the party set out to — and claimed that Republicans did not complain about its cost .
The U.S. Space Force has been controversial within Congress as well .
If lawmakers ultimately disagree with the costs of the program , they can pull the plug on it at any time .
As of now , Space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect U.S. assets that are in orbit and deter international aggression .
However , Trump claims that at some point in the future , it ’ s possible the U.S. could create and deploy its own space weapons .

Outspoken New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently took aim at Donald Trump’s White House for its decision to fund Space Force amid opposition to public health care or college, Newsweek reports.
“The folks writing checks for a new Space Force are the same ones asking ‘how are you going to pay for’ public college or health care,” she tweeted on Sunday.
“This is the richest country in the world. Our problem isn’t a lack of money. It’s a lack of good priorities. And that is something we can change.”
It’s not the first time the progressive firebrand has been critical of the Trump administration’s Space Force. The 30-year-old politician spoke at a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders late last month and said that people who ask about the cost of social programs are the ones who authorize funds for the Space Force, as well as “massive infrastructure for gas pipelines” across the country.
Along with Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders — who she has endorsed for president — has also questioned the country’s decision to pay for the Space Force without first providing universal healthcare and the other social programs advocated via his platform.
“Before we create a Space Force we should make sure everyone has health care,” he tweeted back in December.
Like Ocasio-Cortez, the Vermont Sen. has noted on many occasions that the United States is the “richest country in the history of the world” when pushing for his proposals of guaranteed healthcare and free education.
“What we need is the political will,” he said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "We have the opportunity now, this year, to not only push back on the creeping authoritarianism in the White House, but to replace it with something new and better." pic.twitter.com/yKewOwXzn1 — The Hill (@thehill) January 27, 2020
Earlier in January, Vox reported that Ocasio-Cortez spoke with Anderson Cooper for an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
She proposed that the country can pay for progressive policies on health care, housing, and education using the “same exact mechanisms” that funnel money into programs such as the Space Force. The freshman congresswoman also pointed to the GOP’s $1.5 trillion tax cut bill — which reportedly did not accomplish what the party set out to — and claimed that Republicans did not complain about its cost.
The U.S. Space Force has been controversial within Congress as well. If lawmakers ultimately disagree with the costs of the program, they can pull the plug on it at any time.
As of now, Space Force soldiers will be relied on to protect U.S. assets that are in orbit and deter international aggression. However, Trump claims that at some point in the future, it’s possible the U.S. could create and deploy its own space weapons.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Jennifer Lopez Praised And Slammed For Political ‘Kids In Cages’ Moment During Super Bowl Halftime S

Jennifer Lopez Praised And Slammed For Political ‘Kids In Cages’ Moment During Super Bowl Halftime Show

Jennifer Lopez and Shakira wowed audiences with their stunning Super Bowl LIV halftime show , but it ’ s not just their music earning the two women praise .
The Hustlers star ’ s subtle political statement during the performance thrilled some viewers — and angered others .
Lopez was dancing on stage with her 11-year-old daughter Emme for a somber , minimalist version of “ Let ’ s Get Loud ” when she sang out the chorus of Bruce Springsteen ’ s “ Born in the U.S.A. ” Although Springsteen ’ s song is often played at Fourth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the song is actually a dark story about a Vietnam veteran who returns to the U.S. after fighting , only to be let down by his country .
Many have interpreted it to be a critique about Americans deserving more from their country .
During the performance , as Lopez belted out that “ Latinos ” should “ get loud , ” she was wrapped in a showy flag made out of feathers that featured the American flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other .
Just prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children dressed in white outfits emblazoned with the American flag appeared on the periphery of the stage .
At first glance the children appeared to be sitting in glowing spheres .
But shortly after vertical bars appeared that seemed to symbolize the separation of children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border and their detention in rooms that critics have likened to cages .
Behind the stage during this segment of the performance was what looked to be a giant chain link fence made out of lights .
“ Replaying the halftime show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the children in cages on stage , then JLo says ‘ Latinos , Let ’ s Get loud ’ as Emme sings ‘ Born in the U.S.A ’ with the ‘ fence ’ background…POWERFUL STATEMENT , ” tweeted one political writer .
Another praised the performers for making the political statement .
Not everyone was happy with the performance , however .
Fox News hosts took issue with the message , saying that it was a jab at the president , as Mediaite reports .
“ A lot of people thought is this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration … put kids in cages , and that is what Democrats say about Republicans about their policy , ” Brian Kilmeade said .
The politics of the show weren ’ t the only thing under the microscope .
Some criticized the singer for dancing on a stripper pole during her performance .

Jennifer Lopez and Shakira wowed audiences with their stunning Super Bowl LIV halftime show, but it’s not just their music earning the two women praise. The Hustlers star’s subtle political statement during the performance thrilled some viewers — and angered others.
Lopez was dancing on stage with her 11-year-old daughter Emme for a somber, minimalist version of “Let’s Get Loud” when she sang out the chorus of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.”
Although Springsteen’s song is often played at Fourth of July events around the country in celebration, the song is actually a dark story about a Vietnam veteran who returns to the U.S. after fighting, only to be let down by his country. Many have interpreted it to be a critique about Americans deserving more from their country.
During the performance, as Lopez belted out that “Latinos” should “get loud,” she was wrapped in a showy flag made out of feathers that featured the American flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other. Just prior to the Springsteen chorus, dozens of children dressed in white outfits emblazoned with the American flag appeared on the periphery of the stage.
At first glance the children appeared to be sitting in glowing spheres. But shortly after vertical bars appeared that seemed to symbolize the separation of children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border and their detention in rooms that critics have likened to cages.
Behind the stage during this segment of the performance was what looked to be a giant chain link fence made out of lights.
“Replaying the halftime show, tears – JLo and Shakira brought the children in cages on stage, then JLo says ‘Latinos, Let’s Get loud’ as Emme sings ‘Born in the U.S.A’ with the ‘fence’ background…POWERFUL STATEMENT,” tweeted one political writer.
Another praised the performers for making the political statement.
Props to Jlo, Shakira and/or the choreographer for the necessary statement with Latino children in cages singing""Born in the USA". #SuperBowl #SuperBowl #PepsiHalftime pic.twitter.com/gyQDsmXo3l — Tom Moore (@tom_moore_104) February 3, 2020
Political activist Amy Siskind noted the inclusion of Springsteen’s song.
Born in the USA – JLo just stuck in political statement on immigration 🔥 — Amy Siskind 🏳🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) February 3, 2020
Not everyone was happy with the performance, however. Fox News hosts took issue with the message, saying that it was a jab at the president, as Mediaite reports.
“A lot of people thought is this something going after the (Trump) administration … put kids in cages, and that is what Democrats say about Republicans about their policy,” Brian Kilmeade said.
The politics of the show weren’t the only thing under the microscope. Some criticized the singer for dancing on a stripper pole during her performance.


inquisitr--2020-02-03--Donald Trump’s $3.4 Million Super Bowl Party Brings Taxpayer Golf Tab To Over $130 Million

Donald Trump has taken heat for the number of days and the amount of taxpayer money he has spent golfing , particularly after he repeatedly criticized former President Barack Obama for doing the same .
This weekend , Trump added to the taxpayer golf tab after he hosted a Super Bowl party at his Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach , Florida that cost taxpayers $ 3.4 million .
According to HuffPost , the president was scheduled for two and a half hours at a Super Bowl viewing party .
While Stephanie Grisham , the White House press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working while at the “ Winter White House , ” Trump wasn ’ t at Mar-a-Lago , he was at his Palm Beach club several miles away .
“ The premise of your story is ridiculous and false , and just more left-wing media bias on display .
The president never stops working , and that includes when he is at the Winter White House , ” Grisham said .
HuffPost noted that Grisham ’ s assertion the president never stops working appears to be false .
On Saturday , Trump attended a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar-a-Lago , an event that was private .
The president was not working at that time , as he wasn ’ t representing the government during the event .
The White House asserted that Trump did work when he had calls and meetings with his staff over the weekend .
Trump ’ s visit to Mar-a-Lago was his 28th stop to his property since taking office .
Throughout his presidency , he has spent 79 days at Mar-a-Lago and a total of 244 days at his golf properties worldwide .
All told , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for the president to visit and stay at his properties .
The president has faced criticism for continuing to make money off these properties while visiting them on the taxpayer dime .
Though he put his businesses in a trust before taking office , he is the sole beneficiary of that trust , so any money that his businesses make — including money from taxpayers — will be funneled directly to him .
One source estimates that Trump has earned several million dollars from government employee costs at his resorts alone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a thing he does on the side to help make money for his business , ” said Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington .
When asked about Trump ’ s decision to host a pricey Super Bowl party , Robert Weissman , president of the progressive group Public Citizen , joked that the president could have saved taxpayers money by bringing club members to Washington D.C. “ Well , obviously there are no TVs in the White House , so what alternative did he have ?
” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money by chartering a plane and flying club members to watch the game at the White House .
”

Donald Trump has taken heat for the number of days and the amount of taxpayer money he has spent golfing, particularly after he repeatedly criticized former President Barack Obama for doing the same. This weekend, Trump added to the taxpayer golf tab after he hosted a Super Bowl party at his Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida that cost taxpayers $3.4 million.
According to HuffPost, the president was scheduled for two and a half hours at a Super Bowl viewing party. While Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said that the president was working while at the “Winter White House,” Trump wasn’t at Mar-a-Lago, he was at his Palm Beach club several miles away.
“The premise of your story is ridiculous and false, and just more left-wing media bias on display. The president never stops working, and that includes when he is at the Winter White House,” Grisham said.
HuffPost noted that Grisham’s assertion the president never stops working appears to be false. On Saturday, Trump attended a campaign event for “Trumpettes” at Mar-a-Lago, an event that was private. The president was not working at that time, as he wasn’t representing the government during the event.
The White House asserted that Trump did work when he had calls and meetings with his staff over the weekend.
Trump’s visit to Mar-a-Lago was his 28th stop to his property since taking office. Throughout his presidency, he has spent 79 days at Mar-a-Lago and a total of 244 days at his golf properties worldwide. All told, taxpayers have paid $130.4 million to pay for the president to visit and stay at his properties.
The president has faced criticism for continuing to make money off these properties while visiting them on the taxpayer dime.
Though he put his businesses in a trust before taking office, he is the sole beneficiary of that trust, so any money that his businesses make — including money from taxpayers — will be funneled directly to him. One source estimates that Trump has earned several million dollars from government employee costs at his resorts alone.
“Turns out the presidency is more like a thing he does on the side to help make money for his business,” said Jordan Libowitz of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
When asked about Trump’s decision to host a pricey Super Bowl party, Robert Weissman, president of the progressive group Public Citizen, joked that the president could have saved taxpayers money by bringing club members to Washington D.C.
“Well, obviously there are no TVs in the White House, so what alternative did he have?” he said. “He could have saved money by chartering a plane and flying club members to watch the game at the White House.”