csmonitor--2020-03-02--Amy Klobuchar drops out of 2020 race, endorses Joe Biden

Amy Klobuchar suspended her presidential campaign Monday as the Democratic Party 's moderate wing coalesced further behind Joe Biden to blunt the rise of Bernie Sanders on the eve of Super Tuesday .
The U.S. senator made the decision to leave the race and endorse Mr. Biden just 18 hours before polls began opening across 14 states , including her native Minnesota , in the party 's turbulent nomination fight .
She becomes the third Democrat to abandon their presidential bid since Mr. Biden scored a resounding victory in South Carolina , his first of the 2020 roller coaster nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dallas and plans to join Biden at his rally Monday night , according to her campaign .
Pete Buttigieg announced his exit late Sunday .
He and Mr. Biden spoke late Sunday night , but it was unclear if Mr. Buttigieg planned to endorse the former vice president .
The former mayor of South Bend Indiana is expected to announce his support for Mr. Biden later Monday at a rally in Dallas that Ms. Klobuchar also planned to attend , according to two people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press on condition of anonymity .
A shrinking group of other Democrats vowed to press on , potentially toward a contested convention .
The fast-moving developments came at a key crossroads in the Democratic Party 's turbulent primary season .
Fourteen states , one U.S. territory and Democrats abroad will vote on Tuesday , which offers almost 10 times as many delegates in a single day than have been awarded over the first month .
Fiery progressive Mr. Sanders remained the undisputed front-runner .
But the rest of the field was decidedly unsettled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina blowout and the departures of Ms. Klobuchar , Mr. Buttigieg , and billionaire activist Tom Steyer .
New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg in particular could create problems for Mr. Biden 's establishment appeal .
Mr. Bloomberg , who will appear on a 2020 ballot for the first time on Tuesday , has invested more than half a billion dollars into presidential bid and wracked up many high-profile endorsements of his own .
Yet Mr. Biden appeared to have the momentum on the eve of Super Tuesday after his blowout South Carolina victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 5 million fundraising hauls , by far the best 48-hour stretch of his campaign .
Mr. Biden himself touted the threshold Sunday night on a call with donors , according to one person on the call .
And the Biden campaign highlights several new endorsements .
The new Biden backers include California Sen. Barbara Boxer , Rep. Jennifer Wexton , D-Va. , Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White , former Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln , and Rep. Gil Cisneros , D-Calif. Virginia Rep. Don Beyer , the first member of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned to endorse Mr. Biden and expected Mr. Buttigieg to as well .
`` I do think it 's the most logical , '' Mr. Beyer said of a Biden endorsement , given his echo of the former vice president 's call for civility , a mantra of the Buttigieg campaign .
`` I think Joe is the next best possibility . ''
Perhaps the most powerful endorsement would come from former President Barack Obama , who has a relationship with most of the candidates and has talked with several in recent weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke with Mr. Biden after his South Carolina victory , but still has no plans to endorse in the primary at this point .
Meanwhile , Mr. Sanders was focused on California , the crown jewel of Super Tuesday .
California alone offers 415 delegates , which is more than double the amount of delegates allocated through Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada , and South Carolina .
Mr. Sanders has struggled to win over many elected officials in Washington , but earned a high-profile endorsement Monday from Democracy for America , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vermont Gov .
Howard Dean , that boasts thousands of members across the county .
`` The overwhelming support for Bernie we saw in our member vote should be a wake-up call to the broken , visionless , corporate Democratic establishment , '' said the organization 's chair Charles Chamberlain .
`` Americans want fundamental change in Washington , not a return to the status quo . ''
The future for candidates not named Mr. Biden or Mr. Sanders appeared uncertain at best .
A handful of high-profile political strategists with ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rivals – including Mr. Bloomberg – to quit the race to allow anti-Sanders Democrats to unify behind Mr. Obama 's former vice president .
“ Most of them have seen the writing on the wall for at least the last week , ” said Rufus Gifford , who held top fundraising posts on both of Obama ’ s presidential campaigns and was part of Biden ’ s fundraising operation .
“ It ’ s clear the Democratic alternative to Bernie Sanders is Joe Biden.
” Text messages reviewed by The Associated Press revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donors supporting other candidates , including Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren .
But in an example of Biden 's challenge ahead , Mr. Sanders said Sunday he raised an eye-popping $ 46.5 million for February .
That compared to $ 29 million for Warren and $ 18 million for Biden over the same period .
Mr. Sanders , who dominated the money race for much of the year even though he did not court wealthy donors , said it was not the overall fundraising haul that should impress but the enthusiasm of working people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceded that the post-South Carolina fundraising surge would have little impact on Super Tuesday .
“ Super Tuesday is too close , ” said former Pennsylvania Gov .
Ed Rendell , a Biden supporter .
“ Fortunately , Joe Biden has been on the national scene for 35 years .
He has less need to advertise.
” In addition to his phone call with Mr. Biden , Mr. Buttigieg also spoke with Mr. Obama , who has been calling most of the candidates who have departed the race .
Mr. Obama praised Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step aside at this critical juncture in the Democratic primary , according to a person with knowledge of the call .
Mr. Biden 's other rivals showed no interest in getting out of the race .
In fact , some vowed to keep fighting no matter what happened on Super Tuesday .
Warren campaign manager Roger Lau spoke brazenly of pushing into a floor battle at the Democratic National Convention this summer if no candidate emerged from the primary season with a clear majority , which was possible even if someone had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Milwaukee is the final play , ” Mr. Lau wrote in a Sunday memo .
And Mr. Bloomberg , who this week will be on the ballot for the first time , insisted that he was not going anywhere before Tuesday ’ s primaries .
“ I ’ m optimistic , '' he told voters in Selma , Alabama , where many of the White House hopefuls gathered for ceremonies commemorating civil rights heroism .
Mr. Biden got 48 % of the South Carolina vote , Sen. Bernie Sanders got 19.9 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and promptly dropped out of the race ) .
Mr. Buttigieg received 8.2 % , Sen. Elizabeth Warren 7.1 % , and Amy Klobuchar 3.2 % .
Through four primary contests , the AP allocated at least 58 delegates to Mr. Sanders , including two added Sunday as South Carolina 's remaining votes dribbled in .
Mr. Biden vaulted past Mr. Buttigieg into second place with at least 50 delegates – shrinking Mr. Sanders ' lead from what had been 30 delegates before South Carolina to eight .
Mr. Buttigieg , Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 26 , eight , and seven , respectively .
But the first four states were always more about momentum more than math .
Super Tuesday states offer a trove of 1,344 new delegates based on how candidates finish .
Just 150 delegates have been awarded so far .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Mr .
Peoples reported from Washington and Mr. Barrow reported from Columbia , South Carolina .
AP writers Brian Slodysko , Will Weissert , Hope Yen , Julie Pace , and Seth Borenstein in Washington @ @ @ @ @

Steve Peoples, Bill Barrow, and Alexandra Jaffe

Amy Klobuchar suspended her presidential campaign Monday as the Democratic Party's moderate wing coalesced further behind Joe Biden to blunt the rise of Bernie Sanders on the eve of Super Tuesday.
The U.S. senator made the decision to leave the race and endorse Mr. Biden just 18 hours before polls began opening across 14 states, including her native Minnesota, in the party's turbulent nomination fight. She becomes the third Democrat to abandon their presidential bid since Mr. Biden scored a resounding victory in South Carolina, his first of the 2020 roller coaster nomination fight.
Senator Klobuchar is flying to Dallas and plans to join Biden at his rally Monday night, according to her campaign.
Pete Buttigieg announced his exit late Sunday. He and Mr. Biden spoke late Sunday night, but it was unclear if Mr. Buttigieg planned to endorse the former vice president. The former mayor of South Bend Indiana is expected to announce his support for Mr. Biden later Monday at a rally in Dallas that Ms. Klobuchar also planned to attend, according to two people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A shrinking group of other Democrats vowed to press on, potentially toward a contested convention.
The fast-moving developments came at a key crossroads in the Democratic Party's turbulent primary season. Fourteen states, one U.S. territory and Democrats abroad will vote on Tuesday, which offers almost 10 times as many delegates in a single day than have been awarded over the first month.
Fiery progressive Mr. Sanders remained the undisputed front-runner. But the rest of the field was decidedly unsettled, even after Mr. Biden's South Carolina blowout and the departures of Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Buttigieg, and billionaire activist Tom Steyer.
New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg in particular could create problems for Mr. Biden's establishment appeal. Mr. Bloomberg, who will appear on a 2020 ballot for the first time on Tuesday, has invested more than half a billion dollars into presidential bid and wracked up many high-profile endorsements of his own.
Yet Mr. Biden appeared to have the momentum on the eve of Super Tuesday after his blowout South Carolina victory.
The Biden campaign reported back-to-back days of $5 million fundraising hauls, by far the best 48-hour stretch of his campaign. Mr. Biden himself touted the threshold Sunday night on a call with donors, according to one person on the call.
And the Biden campaign highlights several new endorsements.
The new Biden backers include California Sen. Barbara Boxer, Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, former Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, and Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Calif.
Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, the first member of Congress to endorse Mr. Buttigieg, said he planned to endorse Mr. Biden and expected Mr. Buttigieg to as well.
"I do think it's the most logical," Mr. Beyer said of a Biden endorsement, given his echo of the former vice president's call for civility, a mantra of the Buttigieg campaign. "I think Joe is the next best possibility."
Perhaps the most powerful endorsement would come from former President Barack Obama, who has a relationship with most of the candidates and has talked with several in recent weeks as primary voting has begun. He spoke with Mr. Biden after his South Carolina victory, but still has no plans to endorse in the primary at this point.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sanders was focused on California, the crown jewel of Super Tuesday. California alone offers 415 delegates, which is more than double the amount of delegates allocated through Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
Mr. Sanders has struggled to win over many elected officials in Washington, but earned a high-profile endorsement Monday from Democracy for America, a national grassroots organization originally led by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, that boasts thousands of members across the county.
"The overwhelming support for Bernie we saw in our member vote should be a wake-up call to the broken, visionless, corporate Democratic establishment," said the organization's chair Charles Chamberlain. "Americans want fundamental change in Washington, not a return to the status quo."
The future for candidates not named Mr. Biden or Mr. Sanders appeared uncertain at best.
A handful of high-profile political strategists with ties to the former president encouraged Mr. Biden's rivals – including Mr. Bloomberg – to quit the race to allow anti-Sanders Democrats to unify behind Mr. Obama's former vice president.
“Most of them have seen the writing on the wall for at least the last week,” said Rufus Gifford, who held top fundraising posts on both of Obama’s presidential campaigns and was part of Biden’s fundraising operation. “It’s clear the Democratic alternative to Bernie Sanders is Joe Biden.”
Text messages reviewed by The Associated Press revealed an outpouring of interest in Biden from donors supporting other candidates, including Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren.
But in an example of Biden's challenge ahead, Mr. Sanders said Sunday he raised an eye-popping $46.5 million for February. That compared to $29 million for Warren and $18 million for Biden over the same period.
Mr. Sanders, who dominated the money race for much of the year even though he did not court wealthy donors, said it was not the overall fundraising haul that should impress but the enthusiasm of working people fueling his candidacy.
Mr. Biden allies conceded that the post-South Carolina fundraising surge would have little impact on Super Tuesday.
“Super Tuesday is too close,” said former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Biden supporter. “Fortunately, Joe Biden has been on the national scene for 35 years. He has less need to advertise.”
In addition to his phone call with Mr. Biden, Mr. Buttigieg also spoke with Mr. Obama, who has been calling most of the candidates who have departed the race. Mr. Obama praised Mr. Buttigieg's campaign and his decision to step aside at this critical juncture in the Democratic primary, according to a person with knowledge of the call.
Mr. Biden's other rivals showed no interest in getting out of the race. In fact, some vowed to keep fighting no matter what happened on Super Tuesday.
Warren campaign manager Roger Lau spoke brazenly of pushing into a floor battle at the Democratic National Convention this summer if no candidate emerged from the primary season with a clear majority, which was possible even if someone had a large delegate lead.
“The convention in Milwaukee is the final play,” Mr. Lau wrote in a Sunday memo.
And Mr. Bloomberg, who this week will be on the ballot for the first time, insisted that he was not going anywhere before Tuesday’s primaries.
“I’m optimistic," he told voters in Selma, Alabama, where many of the White House hopefuls gathered for ceremonies commemorating civil rights heroism.
Mr. Biden got 48% of the South Carolina vote, Sen. Bernie Sanders got 19.9%, Tom Steyer finished with 11.3% (and promptly dropped out of the race). Mr. Buttigieg received 8.2%, Sen. Elizabeth Warren 7.1%, and Amy Klobuchar 3.2%.
Through four primary contests, the AP allocated at least 58 delegates to Mr. Sanders, including two added Sunday as South Carolina's remaining votes dribbled in. Mr. Biden vaulted past Mr. Buttigieg into second place with at least 50 delegates – shrinking Mr. Sanders' lead from what had been 30 delegates before South Carolina to eight. Mr. Buttigieg, Ms. Warren, and Ms. Klobuchar remained stuck at 26, eight, and seven, respectively.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
But the first four states were always more about momentum more than math. Super Tuesday states offer a trove of 1,344 new delegates based on how candidates finish. Just 150 delegates have been awarded so far.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Mr. Peoples reported from Washington and Mr. Barrow reported from Columbia, South Carolina. AP writers Brian Slodysko, Will Weissert, Hope Yen, Julie Pace, and Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-03-02--What Bloomberg needs from Super Tuesday face-off with Biden

Moments before Mike Bloomberg stood in the pulpit of Brown Chapel AME Church , the pastor noted that the former New York mayor initially declined an invitation to speak at the church where , 55 years ago , civil rights activists prepared for the historic march to Montgomery .
The pastor praised Mr. Bloomberg ’ s change of heart , but the Democratic presidential candidate struggled to win over his audience .
Multiple parishioners stood and turned their backs to him .
A short time later , the church erupted in cheers when former Vice President Joe Biden – fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary – strode into the sanctuary and sat behind the pulpit .
The contrasting responses on Sunday were a stark reminder that Mr. Bloomberg ’ s unprecedented investment in the presidential campaign may have little payoff if a diverse coalition of voters spurn him in the 14 states that vote Tuesday , including Alabama .
The billionaire former New York mayor seemed to be aware of the high stakes he faces on Super Tuesday .
`` I 've got a primary to run and to win , '' he said at the Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alabama .
`` We 'll see what happens . ''
Mr. Bloomberg has sought to make issues of race central to his campaign .
He has acknowledged his privilege as a white man , released several criminal justice proposals , and landed endorsements from prominent black elected officials , including the mayor of Washington and several members of the Congressional Black Caucus .
He has also been frank in expressing regret for the stop-and-frisk policing program that disproportionately affected black and Latino New Yorkers during his tenure as mayor .
On Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Selma , he won the endorsement of California state Assemblywoman Shirley Weber , a black legislator who authored one of the nation 's strictest laws on when police can use deadly force .
But after Mr. Biden 's commanding win in South Carolina , which was powered by support from African Americans , Mr. Bloomberg is facing mounting pressure to justify his presence in the race .
Some Democrats fear that Mr. Bloomberg will take votes on Super Tuesday that would otherwise go to Mr. Biden , making it harder for the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , who some in the party establishment say is too liberal to beat President Donald Trump .
`` Mike Bloomberg says that Bernie Sanders ca n't beat Trump , yet his presence in the race makes it much more likely that Bernie Sanders will enter the convention with the delegate lead , '' said Dan Pfeiffer , a longtime aide to former President Barack Obama who recently called on Mr. Bloomberg to drop out .
`` Given how many delegates are at stake on Super Tuesday , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massively strengthen Sanders ' grip on the nomination next week . ''
Even if Mr. Bloomberg has a poor showing on Tuesday , he 's likely to press on .
His campaign hasn ’ t set clear expectations for victory on Tuesday , but adviser Tim O ’ Brien said there ’ s no scenario in which he exits the race due to the results .
He 's already invested heavily in states that come next , including general election battleground states like Florida , where he 'll appear Tuesday night .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters so it ’ s very important to us , '' Mr. O ’ Brien said .
`` But we ’ re also in this for the long haul .
There ’ s still a lot of the country to be heard from and we ’ re in 45-plus states and territories , so we ’ re going to be fighting it through . ''
Mr. Bloomberg spent much of last week campaigning in a handful of Southern and Western states where his aides say they believe he could notch a win , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate who ’ s been able to visit multiple times or air ads in many of them .
His campaign believes he has a particular appeal to suburban Democrats – those well-educated , upper middle-class voters who may be more moderate on financial issues and may have followed his political advocacy on gun control and climate change .
Arkansas , Alabama , North Carolina , Virginia , and Tennessee are the Super Tuesday states with significant black populations .
Texas and California , the biggest delegate prizes , meanwhile , are each roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters Mr. Sanders has aggressively targeted .
Other states that vote Tuesday , like Utah , Maine , and Vermont , are heavily white , but offer low delegate hauls .
Mr. Bloomberg ’ s aides admit Mr. Biden 's South Carolina win makes their path tougher .
But they believe the coronavirus outbreak gives Mr. Bloomberg an opportunity to make an even stronger case for his candidacy as the only proven problem-solver in the field .
The campaign aired a three-minute ad Sunday night on two major networks touting his leadership in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including in the aftermath of 9/11 .
Mr. Bloomberg is campaigning for the presidency in the same way he ran three times for City Hall in New York : overwhelming his rivals with so much spending that it becomes hard to compete .
He 's the only candidate on air in all 14 states , and has staff on the ground in every state , including some teams that campaign leadership says are bigger than any campaign has built for a prior election .
Mr. Bloomberg has spent nearly $ 180 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Super Tuesday states , with more than $ 100 million of that spent just in California and Texas , the two biggest delegate hauls in the primary contest .
That ’ s nearly $ 3 per registered voter in both states .
`` I ’ ve just never seen anything quite as dramatic as these buys , '' said Sheri Sadler , who runs a political media buying firm based in California and consulted for Tom Steyer ’ s nascent campaign .
While Mr. Bloomberg only campaigned in Texas in the final week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit California , he 's purchased ads in every single media market in both states in the 10 days leading up to Super Tuesday , according to TV spending data obtained by The Associated Press .
As of Saturday , when South Carolina voted , about 1.4 million California Democrats had already returned mail-in ballots .
That 's roughly 20 % of the ballots that went out .
Someone in San Diego , the state ’ s second-largest city and a former Republican stronghold that ’ s seen its politics shift over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad as many as 40 times in that window .
In North Carolina , some TV viewers in the northeastern corner of the state may have seen Bloomberg ads as many as 180 times since he entered the race and began spending money there .
He ’ s even spending big in the home states of rivals Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar , at more than $ 9 million in Massachusetts and nearly $ 8 million in Minnesota .
The ads are just one piece of Mr. Bloomberg ’ s unmatched campaign spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg event , with one of his general campaign slogans including `` I Like Mike , '' or specialized T-shirts for whatever state the event is in .
Nearly every event has specialized signage and a backdrop themed to the city the event is in ; a massive sign with Nashville ’ s city skyline outlined in red framed Bloomberg as he spoke to voters in a concert venue in mid-February .
They ’ re treated to catered buffets ranging from cheese plates and small sandwiches to mini quiches to barbecue .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Bloomberg event in Wilmington , North Carolina , on Saturday , that was enough to pique her interest .
`` I think he ’ s a rough and tough businessman who really has made money on his own and not coasted along on his daddy ’ s coattails , '' she said .
`` And , my God , he gave us this free barbecue .
What ’ s not to like ? ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Jay Reeves in Selma , Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @

Moments before Mike Bloomberg stood in the pulpit of Brown Chapel AME Church, the pastor noted that the former New York mayor initially declined an invitation to speak at the church where, 55 years ago, civil rights activists prepared for the historic march to Montgomery. The pastor praised Mr. Bloomberg’s change of heart, but the Democratic presidential candidate struggled to win over his audience. Multiple parishioners stood and turned their backs to him.
A short time later, the church erupted in cheers when former Vice President Joe Biden – fresh off his victory in the South Carolina primary – strode into the sanctuary and sat behind the pulpit.
The contrasting responses on Sunday were a stark reminder that Mr. Bloomberg’s unprecedented investment in the presidential campaign may have little payoff if a diverse coalition of voters spurn him in the 14 states that vote Tuesday, including Alabama. The billionaire former New York mayor seemed to be aware of the high stakes he faces on Super Tuesday.
"I've got a primary to run and to win," he said at the Martin and Coretta King Unity Breakfast in Selma, Alabama. "We'll see what happens."
Mr. Bloomberg has sought to make issues of race central to his campaign. He has acknowledged his privilege as a white man, released several criminal justice proposals, and landed endorsements from prominent black elected officials, including the mayor of Washington and several members of the Congressional Black Caucus. He has also been frank in expressing regret for the stop-and-frisk policing program that disproportionately affected black and Latino New Yorkers during his tenure as mayor.
On Sunday, just hours after he campaigned in Selma, he won the endorsement of California state Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, a black legislator who authored one of the nation's strictest laws on when police can use deadly force.
But after Mr. Biden's commanding win in South Carolina, which was powered by support from African Americans, Mr. Bloomberg is facing mounting pressure to justify his presence in the race. Some Democrats fear that Mr. Bloomberg will take votes on Super Tuesday that would otherwise go to Mr. Biden, making it harder for the party to unite behind a single moderate alternative to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who some in the party establishment say is too liberal to beat President Donald Trump.
"Mike Bloomberg says that Bernie Sanders can't beat Trump, yet his presence in the race makes it much more likely that Bernie Sanders will enter the convention with the delegate lead," said Dan Pfeiffer, a longtime aide to former President Barack Obama who recently called on Mr. Bloomberg to drop out. "Given how many delegates are at stake on Super Tuesday, particularly in California and Texas, Bloomberg could massively strengthen Sanders' grip on the nomination next week."
Even if Mr. Bloomberg has a poor showing on Tuesday, he's likely to press on. His campaign hasn’t set clear expectations for victory on Tuesday, but adviser Tim O’Brien said there’s no scenario in which he exits the race due to the results. He's already invested heavily in states that come next, including general election battleground states like Florida, where he'll appear Tuesday night.
"It’s our first test with voters so it’s very important to us," Mr. O’Brien said. "But we’re also in this for the long haul. There’s still a lot of the country to be heard from and we’re in 45-plus states and territories, so we’re going to be fighting it through."
Mr. Bloomberg spent much of last week campaigning in a handful of Southern and Western states where his aides say they believe he could notch a win, largely because he’s the only candidate who’s been able to visit multiple times or air ads in many of them. His campaign believes he has a particular appeal to suburban Democrats – those well-educated, upper middle-class voters who may be more moderate on financial issues and may have followed his political advocacy on gun control and climate change.
Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee are the Super Tuesday states with significant black populations. Texas and California, the biggest delegate prizes, meanwhile, are each roughly 40% Latino, a group of voters Mr. Sanders has aggressively targeted. Other states that vote Tuesday, like Utah, Maine, and Vermont, are heavily white, but offer low delegate hauls.
Mr. Bloomberg’s aides admit Mr. Biden's South Carolina win makes their path tougher. But they believe the coronavirus outbreak gives Mr. Bloomberg an opportunity to make an even stronger case for his candidacy as the only proven problem-solver in the field. The campaign aired a three-minute ad Sunday night on two major networks touting his leadership in times of crisis as New York mayor, including in the aftermath of 9/11.
Mr. Bloomberg is campaigning for the presidency in the same way he ran three times for City Hall in New York: overwhelming his rivals with so much spending that it becomes hard to compete.
He's the only candidate on air in all 14 states, and has staff on the ground in every state, including some teams that campaign leadership says are bigger than any campaign has built for a prior election.
Mr. Bloomberg has spent nearly $180 million on television advertising alone in the 14 Super Tuesday states, with more than $100 million of that spent just in California and Texas, the two biggest delegate hauls in the primary contest. That’s nearly $3 per registered voter in both states.
"I’ve just never seen anything quite as dramatic as these buys," said Sheri Sadler, who runs a political media buying firm based in California and consulted for Tom Steyer’s nascent campaign.
While Mr. Bloomberg only campaigned in Texas in the final week before the primary and did not personally visit California, he's purchased ads in every single media market in both states in the 10 days leading up to Super Tuesday, according to TV spending data obtained by The Associated Press. As of Saturday, when South Carolina voted, about 1.4 million California Democrats had already returned mail-in ballots. That's roughly 20% of the ballots that went out.
Someone in San Diego, the state’s second-largest city and a former Republican stronghold that’s seen its politics shift over the last decade, could see a Bloomberg ad as many as 40 times in that window. In North Carolina, some TV viewers in the northeastern corner of the state may have seen Bloomberg ads as many as 180 times since he entered the race and began spending money there.
He’s even spending big in the home states of rivals Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, at more than $9 million in Massachusetts and nearly $8 million in Minnesota.
The ads are just one piece of Mr. Bloomberg’s unmatched campaign spending. Attendees get free T-shirts at every Bloomberg event, with one of his general campaign slogans including "I Like Mike," or specialized T-shirts for whatever state the event is in. Nearly every event has specialized signage and a backdrop themed to the city the event is in; a massive sign with Nashville’s city skyline outlined in red framed Bloomberg as he spoke to voters in a concert venue in mid-February. They’re treated to catered buffets ranging from cheese plates and small sandwiches to mini quiches to barbecue.
For Cookie Arthur Smith, an undecided voter at a Bloomberg event in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Saturday, that was enough to pique her interest.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
"I think he’s a rough and tough businessman who really has made money on his own and not coasted along on his daddy’s coattails," she said. "And, my God, he gave us this free barbecue. What’s not to like?"
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Jay Reeves in Selma, Alabama, contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-03-02--Can Bernie Sanders win over centrist black voters?

Bernie Sanders ' presidential ambitions were undone in 2016 when he could n't line up enough support from black voters to win the Democratic nomination .
As he tries again in 2020 , results from South Carolina suggest he 's still struggling to appeal to the voters who make up the backbone of the Democratic Party .
Former Vice President Joe Biden won 64 % of African American voters in South Carolina , compared to just 14 % who sided with Mr. Sanders , according to AP VoteCast , a wide-ranging survey of more than 1,400 voters in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning signs among younger voters of color on whom Mr. Sanders has relied to offset older voters who were expected to support Mr. Biden .
Black voters under 45 were roughly split between Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders , a sign that the Vermont senator 's following among younger voters had limits .
Mr. Sanders held on to voters under 30 overall .
In the four years since Hillary Clinton defeated him by 47 percentage points in South Carolina , Mr. Sanders has focused on building relationships with black leaders and voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will help him win the nomination and the White House .
But some black leaders say Mr. Sanders will struggle to build support if his campaign remains focused on hard-line progressive issues such as single-payer health care .
`` This is not an extreme left-wing party , and , if we 're going to win , you 're going to have to be able to attract people to you from more than one corner of the Earth , '' said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn , a South Carolina Democrat and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clyburn endorsed Mr. Biden in the final days before his home state 's primary , backing that some black voters said was influential in their decision to vote for the former vice president .
Mr. Sanders has proven he can win voters of color .
He scored a resounding victory in the Nevada caucuses with support from Latino voters .
His next test comes on Tuesday when voters go to the polls in 14 states .
Several states , including Alabama , Tennessee , North Carolina , and Virginia , have substantial populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote on Tuesday , including California and Texas , have large numbers of Latinos as well .
Mr. Sanders was the only leading presidential candidate who did n't attend ceremonies on Sunday in Selma , Alabama , commemorating a pivotal march during the 1960s civil rights movement .
But he has spent the past several years working to strengthen his relationship with minorities .
Like a lot of Democratic presidential candidates , Mr. Sanders has prioritized visits to historically black colleges and universities .
He 's also promised to overhaul a `` racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says unfairly targets black Americans and punishes them and other minorities much harsher than whites .
Mr. Sanders has courted activists , hoping to win their endorsements .
He visited Goldsboro , North Carolina , last week to meet the Rev .
William Barber and address a gathering at his Greenleaf Christian Church .
`` The measurable difference between how Senator Sanders is doing , especially anecdotally , than what he was doing in 2016 – his endorsements are one measure of that , '' said Nina Turner , a former Ohio state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders ' campaign and one of his highest-profile African American supporters .
`` People – when he is around , they respond to him in the same way , and it 's not about how they identify , '' Ms. Turner said .
`` It 's that they identify him as the person who has the vision that they need to make their lives better . ''
Jennifer Epps-Addison , co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy Action , which has endorsed Mr. Sanders , said Mr. Sanders has gone out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse perceptions from 2016 .
`` He has done the work , '' Ms. Epps-Addison said .
`` Our network has been very critical of Sen. Sanders , particularly on issues of race , in the past .
But he has sat with folks , he has built a movement . ''
She added that Sanders has won the support of `` folks who have dedicated their lives to the liberation of black people in the United States , and they are surrounding Sen. Sanders and saying : 'This is our campaign because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
'' Mr. Sanders ' top advisers acknowledge that his standing with black Americans will have to improve if their candidate is going to win the Democratic nomination , much less defeat President Donald Trump in November .
Ms. Clinton 's failure to secure turnout among African Americans in 2016 at the levels that helped carry President Barack Obama to reelection four years prior was a key factor in her defeat .
But Mr. Sanders ' campaign also points to polling in some early states and nationally that shows Mr. Sanders appealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic backgrounds .
Mr. Sanders himself advanced that argument the day after the South Carolina primary , saying , `` Biden did very well last night .
But we did win among younger African Americans . ''
`` I think if you look at the national polling , in some cases we are beating him nationally and certainly among younger people , '' Mr. Sanders said on ABC 's `` This Week . ''
That followed Mr. Sanders taking a subtle shot at Mr. Biden during a rally Saturday night in Virginia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the same old , same old type of politics that does n't excite anybody , that does n't energize anybody . ''
Older voters of all races tend to vote in much higher numbers than their younger counterparts , which is why Mr. Sanders has stressed for weeks that he 'll need record voter turnout to prevail in November – should he make it through the primary .
`` I 'm a 50-year-old black woman , and I tend to be middle of the road .
I do n't veer too far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting what I think is best for all of us , not just me , '' said Dalhi Myers , a councilwoman from Richland County in South Carolina , who switched her backing from Mr. Biden to Mr. Sanders earlier this year .
`` I think what 's best for all of us is electrifying enough people ... who will go to the polls . ''
Many of Mr. Sanders ' arguments for broad-based reform – including a complete revamp of the nation 's health care system – may seem extreme to someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself more of a centrist .
But , to Ms. Myers , defeating Mr. Trump , with the knowledge that sweeping structural changes would need to make their way through Congress in order to be implemented , should win the day .
`` I 'm not a left-wing liberal .
I 'm not even a left-wing Democrat , '' Ms. Myers said .
`` But I am a realist . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Will Weissert reported from Washington .
AP writer Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed @ @ @ @

Bernie Sanders' presidential ambitions were undone in 2016 when he couldn't line up enough support from black voters to win the Democratic nomination. As he tries again in 2020, results from South Carolina suggest he's still struggling to appeal to the voters who make up the backbone of the Democratic Party.
Former Vice President Joe Biden won 64% of African American voters in South Carolina, compared to just 14% who sided with Mr. Sanders, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of more than 1,400 voters in the state's Democratic primary.
There were also warning signs among younger voters of color on whom Mr. Sanders has relied to offset older voters who were expected to support Mr. Biden. Black voters under 45 were roughly split between Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders, a sign that the Vermont senator's following among younger voters had limits. Mr. Sanders held on to voters under 30 overall.
In the four years since Hillary Clinton defeated him by 47 percentage points in South Carolina, Mr. Sanders has focused on building relationships with black leaders and voters. He frequently speaks of a multi-racial coalition that will help him win the nomination and the White House. But some black leaders say Mr. Sanders will struggle to build support if his campaign remains focused on hard-line progressive issues such as single-payer health care.
"This is not an extreme left-wing party, and, if we're going to win, you're going to have to be able to attract people to you from more than one corner of the Earth," said House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat and the highest-ranking black member of Congress.
Mr. Clyburn endorsed Mr. Biden in the final days before his home state's primary, backing that some black voters said was influential in their decision to vote for the former vice president.
Mr. Sanders has proven he can win voters of color. He scored a resounding victory in the Nevada caucuses with support from Latino voters.
His next test comes on Tuesday when voters go to the polls in 14 states. Several states, including Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, have substantial populations of black voters. Other states that vote on Tuesday, including California and Texas, have large numbers of Latinos as well.
Mr. Sanders was the only leading presidential candidate who didn't attend ceremonies on Sunday in Selma, Alabama, commemorating a pivotal march during the 1960s civil rights movement. But he has spent the past several years working to strengthen his relationship with minorities.
Like a lot of Democratic presidential candidates, Mr. Sanders has prioritized visits to historically black colleges and universities. He's also promised to overhaul a "racist" federal criminal justice system that he says unfairly targets black Americans and punishes them and other minorities much harsher than whites.
Mr. Sanders has courted activists, hoping to win their endorsements. He visited Goldsboro, North Carolina, last week to meet the Rev. William Barber and address a gathering at his Greenleaf Christian Church.
"The measurable difference between how Senator Sanders is doing, especially anecdotally, than what he was doing in 2016 – his endorsements are one measure of that," said Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator who is a co-chairwoman of Mr. Sanders' campaign and one of his highest-profile African American supporters.
"People – when he is around, they respond to him in the same way, and it's not about how they identify," Ms. Turner said. "It's that they identify him as the person who has the vision that they need to make their lives better."
Jennifer Epps-Addison, co-executive director of the Center for Popular Democracy Action, which has endorsed Mr. Sanders, said Mr. Sanders has gone out of his way to woo black activists and reverse perceptions from 2016.
"He has done the work," Ms. Epps-Addison said. "Our network has been very critical of Sen. Sanders, particularly on issues of race, in the past. But he has sat with folks, he has built a movement."
She added that Sanders has won the support of "folks who have dedicated their lives to the liberation of black people in the United States, and they are surrounding Sen. Sanders and saying: 'This is our campaign because we have real power in this movement.'"
Mr. Sanders' top advisers acknowledge that his standing with black Americans will have to improve if their candidate is going to win the Democratic nomination, much less defeat President Donald Trump in November. Ms. Clinton's failure to secure turnout among African Americans in 2016 at the levels that helped carry President Barack Obama to reelection four years prior was a key factor in her defeat.
But Mr. Sanders' campaign also points to polling in some early states and nationally that shows Mr. Sanders appealing to young people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Mr. Sanders himself advanced that argument the day after the South Carolina primary, saying, "Biden did very well last night. But we did win among younger African Americans."
"I think if you look at the national polling, in some cases we are beating him nationally and certainly among younger people," Mr. Sanders said on ABC's "This Week." That followed Mr. Sanders taking a subtle shot at Mr. Biden during a rally Saturday night in Virginia, when he declared that "old-fashioned politics, the same old, same old type of politics that doesn't excite anybody, that doesn't energize anybody."
Older voters of all races tend to vote in much higher numbers than their younger counterparts, which is why Mr. Sanders has stressed for weeks that he'll need record voter turnout to prevail in November – should he make it through the primary.
"I'm a 50-year-old black woman, and I tend to be middle of the road. I don't veer too far to either side, but I'm voting what I think is best for all of us, not just me," said Dalhi Myers, a councilwoman from Richland County in South Carolina, who switched her backing from Mr. Biden to Mr. Sanders earlier this year. "I think what's best for all of us is electrifying enough people ... who will go to the polls."
Many of Mr. Sanders' arguments for broad-based reform – including a complete revamp of the nation's health care system – may seem extreme to someone who, like Ms. Myers, considers herself more of a centrist. But, to Ms. Myers, defeating Mr. Trump, with the knowledge that sweeping structural changes would need to make their way through Congress in order to be implemented, should win the day.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
"I'm not a left-wing liberal. I'm not even a left-wing Democrat," Ms. Myers said. "But I am a realist."
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Will Weissert reported from Washington. AP writer Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-03-02--Talking Trump and media with Chris Wallace and Maggie Haberman

In the rough and tumble of political journalism , respect can be a casualty .
And so it was Feb. 25 in India , when President Donald Trump and CNN ’ s Jim Acosta clashed at a press conference .
Mr. Acosta had said , in response to criticism , that his network was better at “ delivering the truth ” than the president .
Later that day Chris Wallace , host of Fox News Sunday , said he was “ horrified ” by the CNN correspondent ’ s behavior .
“ It ’ s not our job to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Wallace said at an event at Columbia University ’ s Graduate School of Journalism in New York .
“ It ’ s not our job to one-up presidents.
” The other panelist on stage , New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman , agreed .
It was a “ common ground ” moment at the event , sponsored by an organization devoted to bringing “ light , not heat ” to public discourse , the Common Ground Committee .
I was delighted to moderate the Feb. 25 panel , titled “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News , and the Media.
” Mr. Wallace and Ms. Haberman are two of the best in the business .
But I didn ’ t imagine there would be much conflict to resolve .
After all , they ’ re both news reporters , not partisans .
I soon learned that , in the public sphere , they are often associated with the political leanings of their outlets ’ opinion departments – liberal at the Times and , at Fox , not just conservative but sometimes closely linked to President Trump .
Indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s often called upon to answer for Fox ’ s prime-time lineup ( Sean Hannity et al . )
– more so , he surmised , than Ms. Haberman is with regard to the Times ’ opinion pages .
She agreed .
Mr. Wallace spoke of a “ firewall ” between news and opinion at Fox .
Still , I pointed out , the two do clash at times .
News anchor Shepard Smith crossed swords with Mr. Hannity , and eventually resigned .
Mr. Wallace himself recently told conservative Fox contributor Katie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ get her facts straight.
” “ That wasn ’ t my best moment , ” Mr. Wallace acknowledged .
But he also made clear that his “ marching orders ” from Fox News are to “ tell it straight , not to push an agenda , not to pull punches.
” On the fundamentals of news reporting , the two panelists agree .
There ’ s also no doubt that covering the norm-breaking Trump presidency comes with unique challenges – including how to deal with Twitter .
On that , Ms. Haberman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s an avid tweeter .
He doesn ’ t even have an account .
But they ’ ve each been attacked by Mr. Trump on Twitter , and have each responded .
Ms. Haberman says she regrets it every time .
Mr. Wallace , in contrast , recounted a response to the president he rather liked .
“ One of us has daddy issues , and it ’ s not me , ” he said , an allusion to his late father , the legendary Mike Wallace of CBS ’ s “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the event video , found here .
Audience questions were excellent , including many from journalism students .

Dear reader,
In the rough and tumble of political journalism, respect can be a casualty. And so it was Feb. 25 in India, when President Donald Trump and CNN’s Jim Acosta clashed at a press conference.
Mr. Acosta had said, in response to criticism, that his network was better at “delivering the truth” than the president. Later that day Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, said he was “horrified” by the CNN correspondent’s behavior.
“It’s not our job to get in fights with the president,” Mr. Wallace said at an event at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York. “It’s not our job to one-up presidents.”
The other panelist on stage, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, agreed.
It was a “common ground” moment at the event, sponsored by an organization devoted to bringing “light, not heat” to public discourse, the Common Ground Committee.
I was delighted to moderate the Feb. 25 panel, titled “Finding Common Ground on Facts, Fake News, and the Media.” Mr. Wallace and Ms. Haberman are two of the best in the business. But I didn’t imagine there would be much conflict to resolve. After all, they’re both news reporters, not partisans.
I soon learned that, in the public sphere, they are often associated with the political leanings of their outlets’ opinion departments – liberal at the Times and, at Fox, not just conservative but sometimes closely linked to President Trump.
Indeed, Mr. Wallace said that he’s often called upon to answer for Fox’s prime-time lineup (Sean Hannity et al.) – more so, he surmised, than Ms. Haberman is with regard to the Times’ opinion pages. She agreed.
Mr. Wallace spoke of a “firewall” between news and opinion at Fox. Still, I pointed out, the two do clash at times. News anchor Shepard Smith crossed swords with Mr. Hannity, and eventually resigned. Mr. Wallace himself recently told conservative Fox contributor Katie Pavlich, on the air, to “get her facts straight.”
“That wasn’t my best moment,” Mr. Wallace acknowledged. But he also made clear that his “marching orders” from Fox News are to “tell it straight, not to push an agenda, not to pull punches.”
On the fundamentals of news reporting, the two panelists agree. There’s also no doubt that covering the norm-breaking Trump presidency comes with unique challenges – including how to deal with Twitter.
On that, Ms. Haberman and Mr. Wallace part ways. She’s an avid tweeter. He doesn’t even have an account. But they’ve each been attacked by Mr. Trump on Twitter, and have each responded. Ms. Haberman says she regrets it every time. Mr. Wallace, in contrast, recounted a response to the president he rather liked.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“One of us has daddy issues, and it’s not me,” he said, an allusion to his late father, the legendary Mike Wallace of CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
I encourage you to watch the event video, found here. Audience questions were excellent, including many from journalism students.


csmonitor--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday: Which candidate does Russia want to win?

“ They ’ re fueling both sides of the argument , because what they want to do is bring the two sides to a clash , ” says Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies , speaking of the broader Russian strategy .
She frequently tells audiences : “ The American mind is the battle space.
” Facebook in October removed 50 Instagram accounts , 11 of which were supporting President Donald Trump and four praising Sen. Bernie Sanders .
But as a whole , the accounts , which appeared to be part of a network , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on opposite sides of controversial issues such as police violence .
Any preference is likely to be more utilitarian than ideological , seeking someone who acts as a vehicle for broader Russian foreign policy goals , which include undermining American democracy .
Populists tend to be particularly useful to this end , becoming a divisive wedge thanks to their anger .
Does Russia have a preferred candidate in the 2020 U.S. election ?
There ’ s not yet enough hard evidence to know for sure , though on Monday U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ false information and propaganda.
” Is Russia working to reelect Donald Trump , the unorthodox real estate magnate turned president ?
Is it also seeking to elevate Sen. Bernie Sanders , who as a democratic socialist mayor of Burlington , Vermont , established sister cities in Nicaragua and the Soviet Union ?
Or is its preference simply the candidate through whom it can create the most chaos ?
As voters headed to the polls Tuesday in 14 states from Texas to Tennessee , questions like these are overhanging the entire election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal departments issued a rare joint statement warning that foreign influence campaigns continue to spread “ false information and propaganda.
” So what does Russia really want ?
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a country run by a former KGB operative , the answer is complicated .
First of all , it ’ s not clear to what extent Russia is influencing American voters online .
As social media companies and intelligence agencies bolster their efforts to prevent large-scale disinformation campaigns , Russia is trying to fly under the radar .
Second , to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost a particular candidate , it ’ s more utilitarian than ideological .
Yes , it would like someone whose policy views align with Russian interests , but it is also looking for the best wedge to divide the American people .
“ It ’ s about finding vehicles to support their broader foreign policy goals , ” says Jessica Brandt , head of research and policy at the German Marshall Fund ’ s Alliance for Securing Democracy in Washington .
Those goals , she adds , include sowing chaos in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , polarizes us , and divides us.
” Indeed , in a broader sense , Russia wants exactly what America is giving it – a country so polarized that it is easy for a foreign interloper to masquerade as yet another angry citizen and exploit those divides even further .
And because the nation is so divided , it can ’ t even agree on the nature of the threat .
National efforts to get to the bottom of the mischief and prevent further meddling are viewed by some with distrust , preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefings and warnings are now being used as a cudgel to score political points – not protect the country , ” says Heather Conley , director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and co-author of “ The Kremlin Playbook : Understanding Russian Influence in Central and Eastern Europe.
” “ This is where I see Mr. Putin sitting back , his feet on his desk , and his work here is done.
” Long before Vladimir Putin ascended to the Russian presidency or Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , the Kremlin was looking for candidates and officials in adversarial countries who could work from within to boost Moscow ’ s interests .
That was part of the old Soviet playbook , says Clint Watts , an ex-FBI agent who began tracking Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the U.S. in 2014 .
At the start of the 2016 cycle , the main thrust of Russia ’ s influence operations was a very focused effort to undermine former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , whom President Putin believed was behind opposition protests in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Mr. Watts : “ This Donald Trump guy would be great for us , and he ’ s hyperdivisive.
” Russia also looked favorably on Sen. Bernie Sanders , who back when he was the democratic socialist mayor of Burlington , Vermont , had visited Cuba and Nicaragua .
According to a 2018 indictment , social media specialists involved in the 2016 Russian meddling were instructed to “ use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest ( except Sanders and Trump – we support them ) .
” Why ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wedge because they ’ re so passionate and angry , says Mr. Watts .
That feeds into Russia ’ s goal of making American democracy look dysfunctional , undermining the world ’ s faith in U.S. leadership and weakening alliances that Russia sees as opposing its own interests .
“ Their long-run goal is break up NATO , break up the EU , advance their position around the world , and lower America on the world stage so there ’ s more space for them to elevate themselves , ” says Mr. Watts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost both President Trump and Senator Sanders , who was briefed by intelligence officials on the matter , according to the Washington Post .
The Vermont senator denounced any Russian attempts to undermine American democracy , calling President Putin “ an autocratic thug.
” “ My message to Putin is clear : Stay out of American elections , and as president I will make sure that you do , ” Mr. Sanders said .
Mr. Trump , for his part , has called the reports of Russia aiding his reelection campaign “ disinformation.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the heads of the Departments of State , Justice , Defense , and Homeland Security , as well as three intelligence agencies and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) cited an “ unprecedented level of commitment and effort to protect our elections and to counter malign foreign influence ” and warned of “ sharp consequences ” for any foreign powers who dared meddle .
CISA is working with all 50 states and more than 2,300 local jurisdictions to secure the country ’ s election systems , including free vulnerability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI is working with social media companies , which have invested significantly in election integrity efforts .
Indeed , there is far more alertness now than in 2016 , says Ben Nimmo , a pioneer of disinformation investigations .
He notes that one of the most prominent fake accounts in that election cycle , @ TEN_GOP , was registered to a Russian mobile number .
That wouldn ’ t fly today – and the Russians likely wouldn ’ t try it , either .
They ’ re increasingly trying to hide their efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations for Graphika , a company that bills itself as the cartographers of the internet age .
For example , some 50 Instagram accounts taken down by Facebook in October used almost no original text , instead copying and pasting from other accounts so as to avoid small grammatical mistakes that would give them away as non-native English speakers .
But that has made it hard to build a persona , limiting their reach .
Of these accounts , only one had more than 20,000 followers , according to a Graphika report co-authored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down included 11 supporting Mr. Trump and four supporting Mr. Sanders .
But as a whole , the accounts , which appeared to be part of a network , were working to fuel divisions by posting on opposite sides of controversial issues such as police violence .
Some included hashtags like # blacklivesmatter or # policebrutality while others would use # bluelivesmatter or # backtheblue .
“ They ’ re fueling both sides of the argument , because what they want to do is bring the two sides to a clash , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently tells audiences : “ The American mind is the battle space.
” If foreign information operations are like fish swimming in the sea , hyperpartisanship has created hospitable waters for them to swim in , says Mr. Nimmo .
In that environment , he says , voters should be alert to efforts to manipulate them through emotion – whether it ’ s coming from Russia or a fellow American .
“ If I see a post which is trying to make me angry or afraid , maybe I should ask why it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
After all , it ’ s not just Russians posting polarizing content online .
If there hadn ’ t been American trolls back in 2016 , there wouldn ’ t have been anyone for the Russians to pretend to be .
And it ’ s not just social media ; TV and talk radio also contribute to a polarized media ecosystem .
Still , there ’ s a qualitative difference in the threat posed by Russian disinformation – which could sow doubts about the legitimacy of election results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , ” says Renee DiResta , technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory , who coauthored a report for the Senate Intelligence Committee quantifying and analyzing Russia ’ s influence operations targeting U.S. citizens from 2014-17 .
“ The challenge is that their presence is potentially used to discredit the results of an election and suggest that outsiders are tampering , which is why continuing to detect that is such an important thing.
” If there is a contested Democratic convention this summer , Mr. Watts says Russia would almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the system was rigged against Mr. Sanders .
That ’ s a narrative Russia very effectively fed when its military intelligence unit hacked into Democratic National Committee emails and leaked documents showing the party establishment ’ s preference for Mrs. Clinton .
This year , Mr. Sanders ’ supporters could be even more angry if they suspect the nomination was stolen from them .
It ’ s not hard to envision “ everybody going to the convention and screaming at each other , ” says Mr. Watts .
“ And Russia clapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted.
” So what is the answer ?
“ Both parties have to love the country more , ” says Ms. Conley – even if it means forgoing an opportunity to score political victories .
“ You have to love the country more than your own power .
”

“They’re fueling both sides of the argument, because what they want to do is bring the two sides to a clash,” says Heather Conley of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking of the broader Russian strategy. She frequently tells audiences: “The American mind is the battle space.”
Facebook in October removed 50 Instagram accounts, 11 of which were supporting President Donald Trump and four praising Sen. Bernie Sanders. But as a whole, the accounts, which appeared to be part of a network, were working to fuel divisions by posting on opposite sides of controversial issues such as police violence.
To the extent that Moscow prefers a particular candidate, experts say it’s likely not just based on whose policy views align with Russian interests, but who represents the best wedge to divide the American people.
Any preference is likely to be more utilitarian than ideological, seeking someone who acts as a vehicle for broader Russian foreign policy goals, which include undermining American democracy. Populists tend to be particularly useful to this end, becoming a divisive wedge thanks to their anger.
Does Russia have a preferred candidate in the 2020 U.S. election? There’s not yet enough hard evidence to know for sure, though on Monday U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed that foreign influence campaigns continue to spread “false information and propaganda.”
Is Russia working to reelect Donald Trump, the unorthodox real estate magnate turned president? Is it also seeking to elevate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who as a democratic socialist mayor of Burlington, Vermont, established sister cities in Nicaragua and the Soviet Union?
Or is its preference simply the candidate through whom it can create the most chaos?
As voters headed to the polls Tuesday in 14 states from Texas to Tennessee, questions like these are overhanging the entire election. On Monday, U.S. intelligence agencies and federal departments issued a rare joint statement warning that foreign influence campaigns continue to spread “false information and propaganda.”
Why We Wrote This To the extent that Moscow prefers a particular candidate, experts say it’s likely not just based on whose policy views align with Russian interests, but who represents the best wedge to divide the American people.
So what does Russia really want?
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a country run by a former KGB operative, the answer is complicated.
First of all, it’s not clear to what extent Russia is influencing American voters online. As social media companies and intelligence agencies bolster their efforts to prevent large-scale disinformation campaigns, Russia is trying to fly under the radar.
Second, to the extent that Moscow may be trying to boost a particular candidate, it’s more utilitarian than ideological. Yes, it would like someone whose policy views align with Russian interests, but it is also looking for the best wedge to divide the American people.
“It’s about finding vehicles to support their broader foreign policy goals,” says Jessica Brandt, head of research and policy at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy in Washington. Those goals, she adds, include sowing chaos in a way that “spikes doubt, distracts us, polarizes us, and divides us.”
Indeed, in a broader sense, Russia wants exactly what America is giving it – a country so polarized that it is easy for a foreign interloper to masquerade as yet another angry citizen and exploit those divides even further. And because the nation is so divided, it can’t even agree on the nature of the threat. National efforts to get to the bottom of the mischief and prevent further meddling are viewed by some with distrust, preventing a strong united response.
“Intelligence briefings and warnings are now being used as a cudgel to score political points – not protect the country,” says Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and co-author of “The Kremlin Playbook: Understanding Russian Influence in Central and Eastern Europe.” “This is where I see Mr. Putin sitting back, his feet on his desk, and his work here is done.”
Lucas Jackson/Reuters View caption Hide caption Supporters of President Donald Trump boo the media at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, March 2, 2020. Mr. Trump has called reports of Russia aiding his reelection campaign "disinformation."
Is Russia seeking to boost Trump, Sanders?
Long before Vladimir Putin ascended to the Russian presidency or Mr. Trump had any hope of winning a U.S. election, the Kremlin was looking for candidates and officials in adversarial countries who could work from within to boost Moscow’s interests. That was part of the old Soviet playbook, says Clint Watts, an ex-FBI agent who began tracking Russian disinformation campaigns targeting the U.S. in 2014.
At the start of the 2016 cycle, the main thrust of Russia’s influence operations was a very focused effort to undermine former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom President Putin believed was behind opposition protests in Russia.
Then a new theme emerged, says Mr. Watts: “This Donald Trump guy would be great for us, and he’s hyperdivisive.”
Russia also looked favorably on Sen. Bernie Sanders, who back when he was the democratic socialist mayor of Burlington, Vermont, had visited Cuba and Nicaragua.
According to a 2018 indictment, social media specialists involved in the 2016 Russian meddling were instructed to “use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump – we support them).”
Why? Populists tend to act as a divisive wedge because they’re so passionate and angry, says Mr. Watts. That feeds into Russia’s goal of making American democracy look dysfunctional, undermining the world’s faith in U.S. leadership and weakening alliances that Russia sees as opposing its own interests.
“Their long-run goal is break up NATO, break up the EU, advance their position around the world, and lower America on the world stage so there’s more space for them to elevate themselves,” says Mr. Watts.
Russia is reportedly again seeking to boost both President Trump and Senator Sanders, who was briefed by intelligence officials on the matter, according to the Washington Post. The Vermont senator denounced any Russian attempts to undermine American democracy, calling President Putin “an autocratic thug.”
“My message to Putin is clear: Stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do,” Mr. Sanders said.
Mr. Trump, for his part, has called the reports of Russia aiding his reelection campaign “disinformation.”
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters View caption Hide caption Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders departs after he and his wife, Jane, voted at their polling place in Burlington, Vermont, March 3, 2020. After he was informed by U.S. intelligence officials that Russia was seeking to boost his candidacy, Senator Sanders said: "My message to Putin is clear: stay out of American elections."
Cracking down on Russian disinformation
In Monday’s joint statement, the heads of the Departments of State, Justice, Defense, and Homeland Security, as well as three intelligence agencies and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) cited an “unprecedented level of commitment and effort to protect our elections and to counter malign foreign influence” and warned of “sharp consequences” for any foreign powers who dared meddle.
CISA is working with all 50 states and more than 2,300 local jurisdictions to secure the country’s election systems, including free vulnerability scanning and onsite risk assessments. The FBI is working with social media companies, which have invested significantly in election integrity efforts.
Indeed, there is far more alertness now than in 2016, says Ben Nimmo, a pioneer of disinformation investigations.
He notes that one of the most prominent fake accounts in that election cycle, @TEN_GOP, was registered to a Russian mobile number. That wouldn’t fly today – and the Russians likely wouldn’t try it, either. They’re increasingly trying to hide their efforts, says Mr. Nimmo, director of investigations for Graphika, a company that bills itself as the cartographers of the internet age.
For example, some 50 Instagram accounts taken down by Facebook in October used almost no original text, instead copying and pasting from other accounts so as to avoid small grammatical mistakes that would give them away as non-native English speakers. But that has made it hard to build a persona, limiting their reach. Of these accounts, only one had more than 20,000 followers, according to a Graphika report co-authored by Mr. Nimmo.
The accounts taken down included 11 supporting Mr. Trump and four supporting Mr. Sanders. But as a whole, the accounts, which appeared to be part of a network, were working to fuel divisions by posting on opposite sides of controversial issues such as police violence. Some included hashtags like #blacklivesmatter or #policebrutality while others would use #bluelivesmatter or #backtheblue.
“They’re fueling both sides of the argument, because what they want to do is bring the two sides to a clash,” says Ms. Conley of CSIS, who frequently tells audiences: “The American mind is the battle space.”
How polarization muddies the waters
If foreign information operations are like fish swimming in the sea, hyperpartisanship has created hospitable waters for them to swim in, says Mr. Nimmo.
In that environment, he says, voters should be alert to efforts to manipulate them through emotion – whether it’s coming from Russia or a fellow American.
“If I see a post which is trying to make me angry or afraid, maybe I should ask why it’s trying to do that,” he says.
After all, it’s not just Russians posting polarizing content online. If there hadn’t been American trolls back in 2016, there wouldn’t have been anyone for the Russians to pretend to be.
And it’s not just social media; TV and talk radio also contribute to a polarized media ecosystem. Still, there’s a qualitative difference in the threat posed by Russian disinformation – which could sow doubts about the legitimacy of election results.
“Foreign trolls are a small percentage of it,” says Renée DiResta, technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, who coauthored a report for the Senate Intelligence Committee quantifying and analyzing Russia’s influence operations targeting U.S. citizens from 2014-17. “The challenge is that their presence is potentially used to discredit the results of an election and suggest that outsiders are tampering, which is why continuing to detect that is such an important thing.”
If there is a contested Democratic convention this summer, Mr. Watts says Russia would almost certainly exploit that by pushing the notion that the system was rigged against Mr. Sanders. That’s a narrative Russia very effectively fed when its military intelligence unit hacked into Democratic National Committee emails and leaked documents showing the party establishment’s preference for Mrs. Clinton. This year, Mr. Sanders’ supporters could be even more angry if they suspect the nomination was stolen from them.
It’s not hard to envision “everybody going to the convention and screaming at each other,” says Mr. Watts. “And Russia clapping, because this is exactly what they wanted.”
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
So what is the answer?
“Both parties have to love the country more,” says Ms. Conley – even if it means forgoing an opportunity to score political victories. “You have to love the country more than your own power.”


csmonitor--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday tests the strength of Joe Biden's appeal

The dizzying fight for the Democratic presidential nomination reaches a critical juncture on Tuesday as millions of voters from Maine to California head to the polls .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , who has energized liberals and young voters , is seeking to pull away from the rest of the field , while Joe Biden hopes to ride a wave of momentum and establish himself as the standard-bearer for the party 's moderate wing .
The Super Tuesday contests in 14 states are also the first test of billionaire Mike Bloomberg 's massive spending in the Democratic race .
He skipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than half a billion dollars in advertising and ground operations to establish him as a front-runner for the nomination .
The Democratic race has shifted dramatically over the past three days as Mr. Biden capitalized on his commanding South Carolina victory to persuade anxious establishment allies to rally behind his campaign .
Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg abruptly ended their campaigns and endorsed Mr. Biden .
Another former competitor , former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke , publicly backed Mr. Biden while a new wave of mayors , lawmakers , and donors said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Sanders and his closest advisers pushed back against the shift of party establishment and donor class toward Mr. Biden .
Campaigning in Minnesota , Mr. Sanders sought to beat back Mr. Biden 's momentum with a welcoming message to Ms. Klobuchar and Mr. Buttigieg supporters .
`` To all of Amy and Pete 's millions of supporters , the door is open .
Come on in , '' Mr. Sanders said .
`` We all share the understanding that together we are going to beat Donald Trump . ''
The dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats ' turbulent primary season as the party struggles to unify behind a clear message or messenger in its urgent quest to defeat the president .
Yet as a field that once featured more than two dozen candidates shrinks to just five , the choice for primary voters is becoming clearer .
On one side stands Mr. Biden , a 77-year-old lifelong politician who was relishing his newfound momentum in a campaign that has struggled at times to excite voters with a message emphasizing a pragmatic approach to governing and modest change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 78-year-old democratic socialist who has scored four consecutive first- or second-place finishes relying on an energized coalition drawn to his promise to transform the nation 's political and economic systems .
Yet the primary is n't just a two-man race .
Mr. Bloomberg , in particular , could create problems for Mr. Biden 's establishment appeal .
The former New York mayor , who will appear on a 2020 ballot for the first time on Tuesday , has invested an unprecedented amount in his presidential bid and wracked up many high-profile endorsements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Warren , who has struggled for delegates and momentum over the last month , has vowed to stay in the race until the party 's national convention in July .
During an outdoor rally Monday night in East Los Angeles , Ms. Warren criticized Mr. Biden as she told supporters that nominating a `` Washington insider will not meet this moment , '' nor will nominating a man `` who says we do not need any fundamental change in this country . ''
For Mr. Biden , the wave of new support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Just two days earlier , a loss in South Carolina would have effectively killed his candidacy .
But 48 hours after a blowout victory , the former vice president stood on stage in the heart of one of Super Tuesday 's crown jewels backed by three former rivals and a growing collection of donors , activists , and elected officials .
Mr. Biden enters Super Tuesday confident in his ability to win states that resemble South Carolina 's demographic makeup : those with large African-American and white moderate populations .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tennessee , and Virginia potential Biden victories , even in a splintered field .
Yet some of Super Tuesday 's more valuable terrain is less forgiving .
Mr. Sanders has predicted victory in California , the day 's largest delegate prize .
The state , like delegate-rich Texas , plays to his strengths given their significant factions of liberal whites , large urban areas with younger voters , and strong Latino populations .
Mr. Sanders also enjoys obvious advantages in his home state of Vermont , and in neighboring Massachusetts , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive rival Ms. Warren in her home state .
Mr. Bloomberg 's stock is at risk of fading as Mr. Biden gains ground .
But the billionaire will still be a major factor on Tuesday .
He spent much of last week campaigning in a handful of Southern and Western states where his aides say they believe he could notch a win , largely because he 's the only candidate who 's visited multiple times and pounded the local airwaves with ads .
He focused on Alabama , Arkansas , North Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Bloomberg 's campaign says he has particular appeal among suburban Democrats – those well-educated , upper middle-class voters who may be more moderate on financial issues and may be aware of his advocacy on gun control and climate change .
And Mr. Biden 's strategy for the coming days , which relies on media coverage and dispatching his new collection of surrogates , reflects a stark reality : Compared to Mr. Sanders and Mr. Bloomberg , he is understaffed , underfunded , and almost out of time as he fights to transform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national movement .
Mr. Biden raised $ 18 million in February , compared to an eye-popping $ 46.5 million for Mr. Sanders and $ 29 million for Ms. Warren .
Mr. Sanders has struggled to win over his colleagues in Congress but earned a high-profile endorsement of his own on the eve of Super Tuesday from Democracy for America , a national grassroots organization that boasts thousands of members across the county .
`` The overwhelming support for Bernie we saw in our member vote should be a wake-up call to the broken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said the organization 's chair , Charles Chamberlain .
`` Americans want fundamental change in Washington , not a return to the status quo . ''
While Tuesday 's outcome is uncertain , Mr. Biden 's team was confident that the fast-moving trajectory of the race was moving their way .
`` The vice president has momentum , '' said Cedric Richmond , a Louisiana congressman and Mr. Biden 's national co-chairman .
`` You 'll see that in the Super Tuesday states that look more like South Carolina . ''
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence , `` We 're going to win Texas . ''
One complication : A significant number of votes were cast in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesday 's elections when Mr. Buttigieg , Ms. Klobuchar , and Mr. Tom Steyer were still in the race .
At least 1.4 million people have already voted in California 's Democratic primary , for example , according to data collected by The Associated Press .
In Texas , more than 1 million early Democratic votes have been cast .
And in Virginia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many as in 2016 .
Through four primary contests , the AP allocated 60 delegates to Mr. Sanders , 54 to Mr. Biden , and eight to Warren .
The first four states were always more about momentum than math .
Super Tuesday states offer a trove of 1,344 new delegates based on how candidates finish .
Just 155 delegates have been awarded so far .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Steve Peoples reported from Washington .
AP writer Kathleen Ronayne in Los Angeles contributed to this report @

The dizzying fight for the Democratic presidential nomination reaches a critical juncture on Tuesday as millions of voters from Maine to California head to the polls. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has energized liberals and young voters, is seeking to pull away from the rest of the field, while Joe Biden hopes to ride a wave of momentum and establish himself as the standard-bearer for the party's moderate wing.
The Super Tuesday contests in 14 states are also the first test of billionaire Mike Bloomberg's massive spending in the Democratic race. He skipped the first four states, banking on more than half a billion dollars in advertising and ground operations to establish him as a front-runner for the nomination.
The Democratic race has shifted dramatically over the past three days as Mr. Biden capitalized on his commanding South Carolina victory to persuade anxious establishment allies to rally behind his campaign. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg abruptly ended their campaigns and endorsed Mr. Biden. Another former competitor, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, publicly backed Mr. Biden while a new wave of mayors, lawmakers, and donors said they would support the former vice president.
Mr. Sanders and his closest advisers pushed back against the shift of party establishment and donor class toward Mr. Biden.
Campaigning in Minnesota, Mr. Sanders sought to beat back Mr. Biden's momentum with a welcoming message to Ms. Klobuchar and Mr. Buttigieg supporters.
"To all of Amy and Pete's millions of supporters, the door is open. Come on in," Mr. Sanders said. "We all share the understanding that together we are going to beat Donald Trump."
The dramatic developments came at a key crossroads in Democrats' turbulent primary season as the party struggles to unify behind a clear message or messenger in its urgent quest to defeat the president. Yet as a field that once featured more than two dozen candidates shrinks to just five, the choice for primary voters is becoming clearer.
On one side stands Mr. Biden, a 77-year-old lifelong politician who was relishing his newfound momentum in a campaign that has struggled at times to excite voters with a message emphasizing a pragmatic approach to governing and modest change. On the other stands Mr. Sanders, a 78-year-old democratic socialist who has scored four consecutive first- or second-place finishes relying on an energized coalition drawn to his promise to transform the nation's political and economic systems.
Yet the primary isn't just a two-man race.
Mr. Bloomberg, in particular, could create problems for Mr. Biden's establishment appeal. The former New York mayor, who will appear on a 2020 ballot for the first time on Tuesday, has invested an unprecedented amount in his presidential bid and wracked up many high-profile endorsements of his own.
And Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has struggled for delegates and momentum over the last month, has vowed to stay in the race until the party's national convention in July.
During an outdoor rally Monday night in East Los Angeles, Ms. Warren criticized Mr. Biden as she told supporters that nominating a "Washington insider will not meet this moment," nor will nominating a man "who says we do not need any fundamental change in this country."
For Mr. Biden, the wave of new support could not have come at a better time.
Just two days earlier, a loss in South Carolina would have effectively killed his candidacy. But 48 hours after a blowout victory, the former vice president stood on stage in the heart of one of Super Tuesday's crown jewels backed by three former rivals and a growing collection of donors, activists, and elected officials.
Mr. Biden enters Super Tuesday confident in his ability to win states that resemble South Carolina's demographic makeup: those with large African-American and white moderate populations. That makes Alabama, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia potential Biden victories, even in a splintered field.
Yet some of Super Tuesday's more valuable terrain is less forgiving.
Mr. Sanders has predicted victory in California, the day's largest delegate prize. The state, like delegate-rich Texas, plays to his strengths given their significant factions of liberal whites, large urban areas with younger voters, and strong Latino populations.
Mr. Sanders also enjoys obvious advantages in his home state of Vermont, and in neighboring Massachusetts, where he's eyeing a knockout blow against progressive rival Ms. Warren in her home state.
Mr. Bloomberg's stock is at risk of fading as Mr. Biden gains ground. But the billionaire will still be a major factor on Tuesday.
He spent much of last week campaigning in a handful of Southern and Western states where his aides say they believe he could notch a win, largely because he's the only candidate who's visited multiple times and pounded the local airwaves with ads. He focused on Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas.
Mr. Bloomberg's campaign says he has particular appeal among suburban Democrats – those well-educated, upper middle-class voters who may be more moderate on financial issues and may be aware of his advocacy on gun control and climate change.
And Mr. Biden's strategy for the coming days, which relies on media coverage and dispatching his new collection of surrogates, reflects a stark reality: Compared to Mr. Sanders and Mr. Bloomberg, he is understaffed, underfunded, and almost out of time as he fights to transform his sole South Carolina victory into a national movement.
Mr. Biden raised $18 million in February, compared to an eye-popping $46.5 million for Mr. Sanders and $29 million for Ms. Warren.
Mr. Sanders has struggled to win over his colleagues in Congress but earned a high-profile endorsement of his own on the eve of Super Tuesday from Democracy for America, a national grassroots organization that boasts thousands of members across the county.
"The overwhelming support for Bernie we saw in our member vote should be a wake-up call to the broken, visionless, corporate Democratic establishment," said the organization's chair, Charles Chamberlain. "Americans want fundamental change in Washington, not a return to the status quo."
While Tuesday's outcome is uncertain, Mr. Biden's team was confident that the fast-moving trajectory of the race was moving their way.
"The vice president has momentum," said Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana congressman and Mr. Biden's national co-chairman. "You'll see that in the Super Tuesday states that look more like South Carolina." And, he added in a stroke of confidence, "We're going to win Texas."
One complication: A significant number of votes were cast in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesday's elections when Mr. Buttigieg, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Tom Steyer were still in the race.
At least 1.4 million people have already voted in California's Democratic primary, for example, according to data collected by The Associated Press. In Texas, more than 1 million early Democratic votes have been cast. And in Virginia, nearly 28,000 people voted early, twice as many as in 2016.
Through four primary contests, the AP allocated 60 delegates to Mr. Sanders, 54 to Mr. Biden, and eight to Warren.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The first four states were always more about momentum than math. Super Tuesday states offer a trove of 1,344 new delegates based on how candidates finish. Just 155 delegates have been awarded so far.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Steve Peoples reported from Washington. AP writer Kathleen Ronayne in Los Angeles contributed to this report.