csmonitor--2020-02-04--Closing arguments in Trump impeachment trial aimed at voters

Closing arguments Monday in President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial were directed more toward history than to sway the outcome , one final chance to influence public opinion and set the record ahead of his expected acquittal in the Republican-led Senate .
The House Democratic prosecutors drew on the Founding Fathers and common sense to urge senators – and Americans – to see that Mr. Trump 's actions are not isolated but a pattern of behavior that , left unchecked , will allow him to `` cheat '' ' in the 2020 election .
Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff implored those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's wrongdoing in the Ukraine matter to prevent a `` runaway presidency '' and stand up to say `` enough . ''
`` For a man like Donald J. Trump , they gave you a remedy and meant for you to use it .
They gave you an oath , and they meant for you to observe it , '' Mr. Schiff said .
`` We have proven Donald Trump guilty .
Now do impartial justice and convict him . ''
The president 's defense countered the Democrats have been out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his presidency , nothing short of an effort to undo the 2016 election and to try to shape the next one , as early primary voting begins Monday in Iowa .
`` Leave it to the voters to choose , '' said White House counsel Pat Cipollone .
He called for an end to the partisan `` era of impeachment . ''
All that 's left , as the Senate prepares to acquit Mr. Trump on charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress , is for Americans to decide now and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential impeachment trial in the nation 's history comes to a close .
Most senators acknowledge the House Democratic managers have essentially proven their case .
Mr. Trump was impeached in December on two charges : that he abused his power like no other president in history when he pushed Ukraine to investigate rival Democrats , and he then obstructed Congress by instructing aides to defy House subpoenas .
But key Republicans have decided the president 's actions toward Ukraine do not rise to the level of impeachable offense that warrants the dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
His acquittal in Wednesday 's vote is all but assured .
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called the president 's actions `` shameful and wrong , '' but in a powerful speech late Monday she also derided the highly partisan process .
`` I can not vote to convict , '' she said .
Republican Sens .
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , Marco Rubio of Florida , and Rob Portman of Ohio are among those who acknowledged the inappropriateness of Mr. Trump 's actions , but said they would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convict .
`` What message does that send ? ''
asked Rep. Hakeem Jeffries , D-N.Y. , a House prosecutor .
He warned senators that for Mr. Trump , the `` past is prologue . ''
He urged the Senate to realize its failure to convict will `` allow the president 's misconduct to stand . ''
The Senate proceedings are set against a sweeping political backstop , as voters in Iowa on Monday are choosing presidential Democratic primary candidates and Mr. Trump is poised to deliver his State of the Union address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
It is unclear if any Republican or Democratic senators sworn to do `` impartial justice '' will break from party lines .
One centrist Democrat , Sen. Joe Manchin , W-Va. , said he was heavily weighing the vote ahead .
He suggested censure may be a bipartisan alternative .
The House Democrats unveiled a striking case centered on Mr. Trump 's personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , running an alternative foreign policy that drew alarm at the highest levels .
As part of the `` scheme , '' Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid from Ukraine , a fragile ally battling Russia , for his personal political gain , they argued .
The money was eventually released after Congress intervened .
As Chief Justice John Roberts presided , the House managers opened with a plea from Rep. Jason Crow , D-Colo. , a freshman and former Army Ranger : `` We can not and should not leave our common sense at the door . ''
One by one , the Democrats drew on their life experiences to remind senators , and Americans , of the simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case against Mr. Trump .
Rep. Val Demings , a former police chief , argued that the president is not behaving like someone who is innocent .
She warned that if senators do not convict , Mr. Trump will try to `` cheat '' again ahead of 2020 .
`` You will send a terrible message to the nation that one can get away with abuse of power , cheating , and spreading of false narratives , '' she told them .
Before Mr. Trump 's celebrity defense mounted its closing argument , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , where he decried the whole thing – as he often does – as a `` hoax . ''
Kenneth Starr , the former prosecutor whose investigation led to Bill Clinton 's impeachment , complained about the inadequacy of the House prosecutors ' `` fast track '' case .
Trump attorney Jay Sekulow showed political clips of Democrats calling for impeachment – with many lawmakers of color , including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , a top Republican foil – to argue this was the `` first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our last . ''
One key Trump lawyer , Alan Dershowitz , who was forced to walk back a sweeping defense of presidential power in last week 's arguments , did not appear .
Mr. Trump wanted acquittal secured before he arrives at the Capitol for the State of the Union address Tuesday , but that will not happen .
Senators carrying the power of their votes to the history books wanted additional time to make their own arguments , in public speeches from the floor of the Senate .
Those began Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday 's vote .
The trial unfolded over nearly two weeks and reached a decisive moment last Friday when senators voted against calling witnesses and documents .
Key Republicans said they had heard enough .
It becomes the first impeachment trial in the nation 's more than 200-year history without any witnesses .
Even new revelations from John Bolton , the former White House national security adviser , whose forthcoming book discloses his firsthand account of Mr. Trump ordering the investigations , did not impress upon senators the need for more testimony .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he received a subpoena , but GOP senators said the House should have issued the summons and the Senate did not want to prolong the proceedings .
Prosecutors relied on a 28,000-page report compiled over three months of proceedings in the Democratic-controlled House , including public and private testimony from 17 witnesses , among them current and former ambassadors and national security officials with close proximity to the Ukraine dealings .
The case stems from Mr. Trump 's July 25 call with Ukraine that he maintains was `` perfect . ''
A government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint that sparked the inquiry .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick , Matthew Daly , Laurie Kellman , and Padmananda Rama contributed to the story .

Closing arguments Monday in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial were directed more toward history than to sway the outcome, one final chance to influence public opinion and set the record ahead of his expected acquittal in the Republican-led Senate.
The House Democratic prosecutors drew on the Founding Fathers and common sense to urge senators – and Americans – to see that Mr. Trump's actions are not isolated but a pattern of behavior that, left unchecked, will allow him to "cheat"' in the 2020 election.
Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff implored those few Republican senators who have acknowledged Mr. Trump's wrongdoing in the Ukraine matter to prevent a "runaway presidency" and stand up to say "enough."
"For a man like Donald J. Trump, they gave you a remedy and meant for you to use it. They gave you an oath, and they meant for you to observe it," Mr. Schiff said. "We have proven Donald Trump guilty. Now do impartial justice and convict him."
The president's defense countered the Democrats have been out to impeach Mr. Trump since the start of his presidency, nothing short of an effort to undo the 2016 election and to try to shape the next one, as early primary voting begins Monday in Iowa.
"Leave it to the voters to choose," said White House counsel Pat Cipollone.
He called for an end to the partisan "era of impeachment."
All that's left, as the Senate prepares to acquit Mr. Trump on charges that he abused power and obstructed Congress, is for Americans to decide now and in the November election, as the third presidential impeachment trial in the nation's history comes to a close.
Most senators acknowledge the House Democratic managers have essentially proven their case. Mr. Trump was impeached in December on two charges: that he abused his power like no other president in history when he pushed Ukraine to investigate rival Democrats, and he then obstructed Congress by instructing aides to defy House subpoenas.
But key Republicans have decided the president's actions toward Ukraine do not rise to the level of impeachable offense that warrants the dramatic political upheaval of conviction and removal from office. His acquittal in Wednesday's vote is all but assured.
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called the president's actions "shameful and wrong," but in a powerful speech late Monday she also derided the highly partisan process. "I cannot vote to convict," she said.
Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Rob Portman of Ohio are among those who acknowledged the inappropriateness of Mr. Trump's actions, but said they would not vote to hear more testimony or to convict.
"What message does that send?" asked Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., a House prosecutor. He warned senators that for Mr. Trump, the "past is prologue." He urged the Senate to realize its failure to convict will "allow the president's misconduct to stand."
The Senate proceedings are set against a sweeping political backstop, as voters in Iowa on Monday are choosing presidential Democratic primary candidates and Mr. Trump is poised to deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday in his own victory lap before Congress.
It is unclear if any Republican or Democratic senators sworn to do "impartial justice'' will break from party lines. One centrist Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin, W-Va., said he was heavily weighing the vote ahead. He suggested censure may be a bipartisan alternative.
The House Democrats unveiled a striking case centered on Mr. Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, running an alternative foreign policy that drew alarm at the highest levels. As part of the "scheme," Mr. Trump held up $391 million in U.S. aid from Ukraine, a fragile ally battling Russia, for his personal political gain, they argued. The money was eventually released after Congress intervened.
As Chief Justice John Roberts presided, the House managers opened with a plea from Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a freshman and former Army Ranger: "We cannot and should not leave our common sense at the door."
One by one, the Democrats drew on their life experiences to remind senators, and Americans, of the simple difference between right and wrong in the case against Mr. Trump.
Rep. Val Demings, a former police chief, argued that the president is not behaving like someone who is innocent. She warned that if senators do not convict, Mr. Trump will try to "cheat" again ahead of 2020.
"You will send a terrible message to the nation that one can get away with abuse of power, cheating, and spreading of false narratives," she told them.
Before Mr. Trump's celebrity defense mounted its closing argument, the president himself already registered his views on Twitter, where he decried the whole thing – as he often does – as a "hoax."
Kenneth Starr, the former prosecutor whose investigation led to Bill Clinton's impeachment, complained about the inadequacy of the House prosecutors' "fast track" case.
Trump attorney Jay Sekulow showed political clips of Democrats calling for impeachment – with many lawmakers of color, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a top Republican foil – to argue this was the "first totally partisan presidential impeachment in our nation's history, and it should be our last."
One key Trump lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, who was forced to walk back a sweeping defense of presidential power in last week's arguments, did not appear.
Mr. Trump wanted acquittal secured before he arrives at the Capitol for the State of the Union address Tuesday, but that will not happen.
Senators carrying the power of their votes to the history books wanted additional time to make their own arguments, in public speeches from the floor of the Senate. Those began Monday afternoon and were expected to continue until Wednesday's vote.
The trial unfolded over nearly two weeks and reached a decisive moment last Friday when senators voted against calling witnesses and documents. Key Republicans said they had heard enough. It becomes the first impeachment trial in the nation's more than 200-year history without any witnesses.
Even new revelations from John Bolton, the former White House national security adviser, whose forthcoming book discloses his firsthand account of Mr. Trump ordering the investigations, did not impress upon senators the need for more testimony.
Mr. Bolton said he would appear if he received a subpoena, but GOP senators said the House should have issued the summons and the Senate did not want to prolong the proceedings.
Prosecutors relied on a 28,000-page report compiled over three months of proceedings in the Democratic-controlled House, including public and private testimony from 17 witnesses, among them current and former ambassadors and national security officials with close proximity to the Ukraine dealings.
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The case stems from Mr. Trump's July 25 call with Ukraine that he maintains was "perfect." A government whistleblower alarmed by the call filed a complaint that sparked the inquiry.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Matthew Daly, Laurie Kellman, and Padmananda Rama contributed to the story.


csmonitor--2020-02-04--In unexpected twist, tech issues delay Iowa caucus results

Democratic party officials in Iowa worked furiously Tuesday to deliver the delayed results of their first-in-the-nation caucus , as frustrated presidential candidates claimed momentum and plowed ahead in their quest for the White House .
Technology problems and reporting `` inconsistencies '' kept Iowa Democratic Party officials from releasing results from Monday 's caucus , the much-hyped kickoff to the 2020 primary .
It was an embarrassing twist after months of promoting the contest as a chance for Democrats to find some clarity in a jumbled field with no clear front-runner .
Instead , caucus day ended with no winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about whether Iowa can retain its coveted `` first '' status .
State party officials said final results would be released later Tuesday and offered assurances that the problem was not a result of `` a hack or an intrusion . ''
Officials were conducting quality checks and verifying results , prioritizing the integrity of the results , the party said in a statement .
The statement came after tens of thousands of voters spent hours Monday night sorting through a field of nearly a dozen candidates who had spent much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening contest of the 2020 campaign and , ultimately , the opportunity to take on President Donald Trump this fall .
The candidates did n't wait for the party to resolve its issues before claiming , if not victory , progress and moving on to next-up New Hampshire .
`` It looks like it ’ s going to be a long night , but we ’ re feeling good , '' former Vice President Joe Biden said , suggesting the final results would `` be close . ''
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're going to be doing very , very well here in Iowa '' once results were posted .
`` Today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump , '' he predicted .
`` Listen , it ’ s too close to call , '' Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said .
`` The road won ’ t be easy .
But we are built for the long haul . ''
And Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , was most certain .
`` So we don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know by the time it ’ s all said and done , Iowa , you have shocked the nation , '' he said .
`` By all indications , we are going on to New Hampshire victorious . ''
Democrats faced the possibility that whatever numbers they ultimately released would be questioned .
And beyond 2020 , critics began wondering aloud whether the Iowa caucuses , a complicated set of political meetings staged in a state that is whiter and older than the Democratic Party , are a tradition whose time had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodate critics , this year by promising to report three different data points about voters ' preferences , presumably improving transparency .
But the new system created new headaches .
State party spokeswoman Mandy McClure said it had `` found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results , '' forcing officials to try to verify results with `` underlying data '' and the paper trail .
Some of the trouble stemmed from issues with a new mobile app developed to report results to the party .
Caucus organizers reported problems downloading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moines County Democratic Chair Tom Courtney said the new app created `` a mess . ''
As a result , Mr. Courtney said precinct leaders were phoning in results to the state party headquarters , which was too busy to answer their calls in some cases .
Organizers were still looking for missing results several hours after voting concluded .
Shortly before 2 a.m. , the state party was making plans to dispatch people to the homes of precinct captains who had n't reported their numbers .
That 's according to a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not authorized to share internal discussions publicly .
Earlier in the night , Iowa Democrats across the state cast their votes , balancing a strong preference for fundamental change with an overwhelming desire to defeat Mr. Trump .
At least four high-profile candidates vied for the lead in a contest that offered the opening test of who and what the party stands for in the turbulent age of Mr. Trump .
It 's just the first in a primary season that will span all 50 states and several U.S. territories , ending at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-July .
For Democrats , the moment was thick with promise for a party that has seized major gains in states since Mr. Trump won the White House in 2016 .
But instead of clear optimism , a growing cloud of uncertainty and intraparty resentment hung over the election as the prospect of an unclear result raised fears of a long and divisive primary fight in the months ahead .
One unsurprising development : Mr. Trump won the Republican caucus , a largely symbolic victory given that he faced no significant opposition .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' problems .
`` The Democrat Caucus is an unmitigated disaster , '' Mr. Trump tweeted early Tuesday .
`` Nothing works , just like they ran the Country . ''
He added : `` The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is ‘ Trump.
’ '' Pre-caucus polls suggested Mr. Sanders entered the night with a narrow lead , but any of the top four candidates – Mr. Sanders , Mr. Biden , Ms. Warren , and Mr. Buttigieg – was positioned to score a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents neighboring Minnesota , was also claiming momentum , while outsider candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang , billionaire activist Tom Steyer , and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard could be factors .
`` We know one thing : We are punching above our weight , '' Ms. Klobuchar said late Monday , promising to keep fighting in New Hampshire .
About one-quarter of all voters reported that they were caucusing for the first time , according to AP VoteCast , a survey of voters who said they planned to take part in Monday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightly more likely to support Mr. Sanders , Ms. Warren , or Mr. Buttigieg , compared with other candidates .
At the same time , VoteCast found that roughly two-thirds of caucusgoers said supporting a candidate who would fundamentally change how the system in Washington works was important to their vote .
That compared to about a third of caucusgoers who said it was more important to support a candidate who would restore the political system to how it was before Mr. Trump ’ s election in 2016 .
Not surprisingly , nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Mr. Trump was an important quality for a presidential nominee .
VoteCast found that measure outranked others as the most important quality for a nominee .
The 2020 fight has already played out over myriad distractions , particularly congressional Democrats ' push to impeach Mr. Trump , which has often overshadowed the primary and effectively pinned several leading candidates to Washington at the pinnacle of the early campaign season .
Meanwhile , ultrabillionaire Mike Bloomberg , the former mayor of New York City , is running a parallel campaign that ignored Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perceived weaknesses in the field come March .
The amalgam of oddities was building toward what could be a murky Iowa finale before the race pivoted quickly to New Hampshire , which votes Feb. 11 .
For the first time , the Iowa Democratic Party planned to report three sets of results : a tally of caucusgoers ’ initial candidate preference ; vote totals from the `` final alignment '' after supporters of lower-ranking candidates were able to make a second choice ; and the total number of State Delegate Equivalents each candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all three will show the same winner when they 're ultimately released .
The Associated Press will declare a winner based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins , which has been the traditional standard .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Steve Peoples, Thomas Beaumont, and Alexandra Jaffe

Democratic party officials in Iowa worked furiously Tuesday to deliver the delayed results of their first-in-the-nation caucus, as frustrated presidential candidates claimed momentum and plowed ahead in their quest for the White House.
Technology problems and reporting "inconsistencies" kept Iowa Democratic Party officials from releasing results from Monday's caucus, the much-hyped kickoff to the 2020 primary. It was an embarrassing twist after months of promoting the contest as a chance for Democrats to find some clarity in a jumbled field with no clear front-runner.
Instead, caucus day ended with no winner, no official results and many fresh questions about whether Iowa can retain its coveted "first" status.
State party officials said final results would be released later Tuesday and offered assurances that the problem was not a result of "a hack or an intrusion." Officials were conducting quality checks and verifying results, prioritizing the integrity of the results, the party said in a statement.
The statement came after tens of thousands of voters spent hours Monday night sorting through a field of nearly a dozen candidates who had spent much of the previous year fighting to win the opening contest of the 2020 campaign and, ultimately, the opportunity to take on President Donald Trump this fall.
The candidates didn't wait for the party to resolve its issues before claiming, if not victory, progress and moving on to next-up New Hampshire.
"It looks like it’s going to be a long night, but we’re feeling good," former Vice President Joe Biden said, suggesting the final results would "be close."
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he had "a good feeling we're going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa" once results were posted. "Today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump," he predicted.
"Listen, it’s too close to call," Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said. "The road won’t be easy. But we are built for the long haul."
And Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was most certain.
"So we don’t know all the results, but we know by the time it’s all said and done, Iowa, you have shocked the nation," he said. "By all indications, we are going on to New Hampshire victorious."
Democrats faced the possibility that whatever numbers they ultimately released would be questioned. And beyond 2020, critics began wondering aloud whether the Iowa caucuses, a complicated set of political meetings staged in a state that is whiter and older than the Democratic Party, are a tradition whose time had passed.
The party has tried to accommodate critics, this year by promising to report three different data points about voters' preferences, presumably improving transparency. But the new system created new headaches.
State party spokeswoman Mandy McClure said it had "found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results," forcing officials to try to verify results with "underlying data" and the paper trail.
Some of the trouble stemmed from issues with a new mobile app developed to report results to the party. Caucus organizers reported problems downloading the app and other glitches.
Des Moines County Democratic Chair Tom Courtney said the new app created "a mess." As a result, Mr. Courtney said precinct leaders were phoning in results to the state party headquarters, which was too busy to answer their calls in some cases.
Organizers were still looking for missing results several hours after voting concluded.
Shortly before 2 a.m., the state party was making plans to dispatch people to the homes of precinct captains who hadn't reported their numbers. That's according to a state party official in the room who was not authorized to share internal discussions publicly.
Earlier in the night, Iowa Democrats across the state cast their votes, balancing a strong preference for fundamental change with an overwhelming desire to defeat Mr. Trump. At least four high-profile candidates vied for the lead in a contest that offered the opening test of who and what the party stands for in the turbulent age of Mr. Trump.
It's just the first in a primary season that will span all 50 states and several U.S. territories, ending at the party’s national convention in mid-July.
For Democrats, the moment was thick with promise for a party that has seized major gains in states since Mr. Trump won the White House in 2016. But instead of clear optimism, a growing cloud of uncertainty and intraparty resentment hung over the election as the prospect of an unclear result raised fears of a long and divisive primary fight in the months ahead.
One unsurprising development: Mr. Trump won the Republican caucus, a largely symbolic victory given that he faced no significant opposition.
The president eagerly seized on the Democrats' problems.
"The Democrat Caucus is an unmitigated disaster," Mr. Trump tweeted early Tuesday. "Nothing works, just like they ran the Country." He added: "The only person that can claim a very big victory in Iowa last night is ‘Trump.’"
Pre-caucus polls suggested Mr. Sanders entered the night with a narrow lead, but any of the top four candidates – Mr. Sanders, Mr. Biden, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Buttigieg – was positioned to score a victory. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who represents neighboring Minnesota, was also claiming momentum, while outsider candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard could be factors.
"We know one thing: We are punching above our weight," Ms. Klobuchar said late Monday, promising to keep fighting in New Hampshire.
New voters played a significant role in shaping Iowa's election.
About one-quarter of all voters reported that they were caucusing for the first time, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Democratic caucuses. The first-timers were slightly more likely to support Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren, or Mr. Buttigieg, compared with other candidates.
At the same time, VoteCast found that roughly two-thirds of caucusgoers said supporting a candidate who would fundamentally change how the system in Washington works was important to their vote. That compared to about a third of caucusgoers who said it was more important to support a candidate who would restore the political system to how it was before Mr. Trump’s election in 2016.
Not surprisingly, nearly every Iowa Democrat said the ability to beat Mr. Trump was an important quality for a presidential nominee. VoteCast found that measure outranked others as the most important quality for a nominee.
The 2020 fight has already played out over myriad distractions, particularly congressional Democrats' push to impeach Mr. Trump, which has often overshadowed the primary and effectively pinned several leading candidates to Washington at the pinnacle of the early campaign season.
Meanwhile, ultrabillionaire Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, is running a parallel campaign that ignored Iowa as he prepares to pounce on any perceived weaknesses in the field come March.
The amalgam of oddities was building toward what could be a murky Iowa finale before the race pivoted quickly to New Hampshire, which votes Feb. 11.
For the first time, the Iowa Democratic Party planned to report three sets of results: a tally of caucusgoers’ initial candidate preference; vote totals from the "final alignment" after supporters of lower-ranking candidates were able to make a second choice; and the total number of State Delegate Equivalents each candidate receives.
There is no guarantee that all three will show the same winner when they're ultimately released.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
The Associated Press will declare a winner based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins, which has been the traditional standard.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-02-05--Why Democrats won't beat Trump playing by his rules

First , President Donald Trump appeared to decline to shake House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s hand .
Later , Ms. Pelosi tore up the president ’ s speech .
The made-for-meme moments bookending last night ’ s State of the Union address represent a dispiriting sign of our times .
Politics has always been about theater , as presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama intuitively understood .
But today ’ s tit for tat theatrics seem increasingly petty and crass .
President Trump ’ s penchant for schoolyard insults and over-the-top rhetoric – his willingness to go there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If they try to rise above it , a la Michelle Obama ’ s famous “ when they go low , we go high ” dictum , they risk not getting any credit – or more importantly , any attention .
But while a clap back may generate cheers from the base , it can diminish your stature in the long run .
Over the weekend , after Mr. Trump sent out a series of tweets mocking former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as “ Mini Mike , ” the Bloomberg campaign chose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president is lying , ” said Bloomberg campaign spokeswoman Julie Wood .
“ He is a pathological liar who lies about everything : his fake hair , his obesity , and his spray-on tan.
” Trump-haters loved it .
Others saw it as taking the bait .
“ Donald Trump is a master of forcing opponents to play the game by his rules , ” tweeted Politico ’ s Tim Alberta .
“ This .
Stuff .
Does .
Not .
Work .
Just ask Rubio , Cruz , Hillary… The president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can not beat him at stagecraft and emotion.
” The problem is , Mr. Trump ’ s stagecraft and emotion – whether you love it or hate it – tends to crowd out everything else .
As one Democratic voter in Iowa told the Monitor last week : “ Although I disagree with him on everything , he does know how to manipulate the media and get attention.
” In the run up to Monday ’ s Iowa caucus debacle , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Mr. Trump .
He answered : “ I ’ m going to respond without becoming what we ’ re fighting.
” We ’ ll see if he can stick to that plan .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
First, President Donald Trump appeared to decline to shake House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s hand. Later, Ms. Pelosi tore up the president’s speech.
The made-for-meme moments bookending last night’s State of the Union address represent a dispiriting sign of our times.
Why We Wrote This President Trump’s stagecraft and emotion – whether you love it or hate it – tends to crowd out everything else.
Politics has always been about theater, as presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama intuitively understood. But today’s tit for tat theatrics seem increasingly petty and crass.
President Trump’s penchant for schoolyard insults and over-the-top rhetoric – his willingness to go there – has long confounded his opponents. If they try to rise above it, a la Michelle Obama’s famous “when they go low, we go high” dictum, they risk not getting any credit – or more importantly, any attention.
But while a clap back may generate cheers from the base, it can diminish your stature in the long run.
Over the weekend, after Mr. Trump sent out a series of tweets mocking former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as “Mini Mike,” the Bloomberg campaign chose to responded in kind. “The president is lying,” said Bloomberg campaign spokeswoman Julie Wood. “He is a pathological liar who lies about everything: his fake hair, his obesity, and his spray-on tan.”
Trump-haters loved it. Others saw it as taking the bait.
“Donald Trump is a master of forcing opponents to play the game by his rules,” tweeted Politico’s Tim Alberta. “This. Stuff. Does. Not. Work. Just ask Rubio, Cruz, Hillary… The president’s kryptonite is substance and reason. You cannot beat him at stagecraft and emotion.”
The problem is, Mr. Trump’s stagecraft and emotion – whether you love it or hate it – tends to crowd out everything else. As one Democratic voter in Iowa told the Monitor last week: “Although I disagree with him on everything, he does know how to manipulate the media and get attention.”
In the run up to Monday’s Iowa caucus debacle, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked by a voter how he would take on Mr. Trump. He answered: “I’m going to respond without becoming what we’re fighting.”
We’ll see if he can stick to that plan.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.


csmonitor--2020-02-05--Will impeachment change Trump? A Washington guessing game.

Still “ there ’ s an enormous amount of anxiety about what he might do as president from this point forward , ” says political historian Russell Riley , “ because he ’ s effectively a president unbound.
” The logical approach for Mr. Trump , political analysts say , would be to restrain his behavior and not do anything too risky through Election Day .
His omission of impeachment during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night was noteworthy – suggesting he may be willing to exercise a bit more discipline three years into his presidency .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overplay his hand ?
Post-acquittal , will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term ?
The president delivered last night ’ s speech amid the expectation of acquittal today by the Senate .
A mid-afternoon announcement from Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney that he would vote to convict Mr. Trump on one count dealt a blow to the Republican wall of unity .
But the president remained a leader on the verge of triumph .
For the first time in American history , an impeached president is running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win .
That stark reality came to life Tuesday night , as President Donald Trump delivered his third State of the Union address .
For the first time in American history , an impeached president is running for reelection – and quite possibly could win .
That stark reality came to life Tuesday night , as President Donald Trump delivered his third State of the Union address , a more raucous campaign-style event dotted with made-for-TV moments than the often-staid annual affair .
The president delivered last night ’ s speech amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A midafternoon announcement from Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney that he would vote to convict Mr. Trump on one count dealt a blow to the Republican wall of unity .
But the president remained a leader on the verge of triumph , with his Gallup job approval rating at an all-time high ( 49 % ) and his political adversaries warning of a chief executive unbound .
The icing on the cake this week came from Iowa , where the fiasco over the Democrats ’ inability to report the results of Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fashion handed Mr. Trump another political gift .
Still , questions abound : Will the president overplay his hand ?
Post-acquittal , will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term ?
While some Republican senators have said that his dealings with the Ukrainian president – withholding military aid in exchange for dirt on political opponents – were “ shameful , ” all but Senator Romney voted today to acquit .
Senator Romney ’ s stunning decision to vote to convict on one count – abuse of power – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of Mr. Trump ’ s sails .
Calling himself “ profoundly religious , ” the former GOP presidential nominee said he couldn ’ t think of much “ that would be a more egregious assault on our Constitution than trying to corrupt an election to maintain power .
And that ’ s what the president did.
” The logical approach for Mr. Trump , political analysts say , would be to restrain his behavior and not do anything too risky through Election Day .
After all , he can claim vindication on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong ; a near-record-high 59 % of Americans say their personal finances are better now than a year ago , according to Gallup ; and Democrats are in disarray .
As things look now , Mr. Trump is in a reasonably good position to win in November .
“ It seems like the people around him would say , ‘ Just run the string here , then you ’ ll have four more years and you can do what you want to do , ’ ” says Cal Jillson , a presidential scholar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aides had reportedly advised the president not to mention impeachment in the State of the Union , following President Bill Clinton ’ s 1999 precedent , and the fact that the president stuck to that advice Tuesday night was noteworthy – suggesting he may be willing to exercise a bit more discipline three years into his presidency .
Mr. Trump , after all , is famous for over-the-top rhetoric , via Twitter and at rallies , and his cries of “ witch hunt ” ( or similar charges ) have been part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2015 .
Yet the cloud of impeachment hung over the proceedings , and its accompanying partisan rancor contributed to a circuslike atmosphere .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mr. Trump publicly snubbed each other at the beginning and end – most dramatically , when Speaker Pelosi ripped a paper copy of his speech in half after he finished .
Some Democrats heckled and gestured over a pronouncement on health care ; some walked out .
Moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine , one of only two GOP senators ( along with Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnesses during the Senate trial , argued Sunday that Mr. Trump has learned his lesson .
“ He was impeached , ” Senator Collins said on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation.
” “ And there has been criticism by both Republican and Democratic senators of his call [ with the Ukrainian president ] .
I believe that he will be much more cautious in the future.
” ( Though she later said that “ hope ” may have been a better word than “ believe.
” ) One big difference between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Clinton ’ s took place toward the end of his presidency , and Mr. Trump ’ s is taking place amid a reelection bid .
But there ’ s also a big difference in their respective postures .
With Mr. Clinton , “ there was this general sense that he was chastened and remorseful , ” says Russell Riley , co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia ’ s Miller Center .
“ With Trump , there ’ s none of that .
So there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he might do as president from this point forward , because he ’ s effectively a president unbound.
” In the past , “ institutions balanced other institutions , but those checks and balances are largely not working , ” he says .
“ So the only real question is the sense of self-restraint that President Trump feels as it relates to his own reelection prospects.
” Trump defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz stoked fears last week that the president ’ s executive power could become unfettered , when the retired Harvard Law professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest , that can not be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.
” Mr. Dershowitz later said his remarks were mischaracterized , but the larger concern about presidential overreach remains .
House Democrats , meanwhile , say more information will emerge about the president ’ s actions in Ukraine .
One possibility could be testimony in House hearings from John Bolton , a former Trump national security adviser , and Lev Parnas , the Ukrainian-born former associate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an interview Sunday on “ Face the Nation , ” House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff would not state whether Democrats plan to subpoena Mr. Bolton .
But , he added , “ the truth will come out ” – whether in testimony before the House or in Mr. Bolton ’ s forthcoming book .

Still “there’s an enormous amount of anxiety about what he might do as president from this point forward,” says political historian Russell Riley, “because he’s effectively a president unbound.”
The logical approach for Mr. Trump, political analysts say, would be to restrain his behavior and not do anything too risky through Election Day. His omission of impeachment during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night was noteworthy – suggesting he may be willing to exercise a bit more discipline three years into his presidency.
Still, questions abound: Will the president overplay his hand? Post-acquittal, will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term?
President Donald Trump comes out of impeachment in a reasonably strong position. But post-acquittal, will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term?
The president delivered last night’s speech amid the expectation of acquittal today by the Senate. A mid-afternoon announcement from Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney that he would vote to convict Mr. Trump on one count dealt a blow to the Republican wall of unity. But the president remained a leader on the verge of triumph.
For the first time in American history, an impeached president is running for reelection – and quite possibly could win. That stark reality came to life Tuesday night, as President Donald Trump delivered his third State of the Union address.
For the first time in American history, an impeached president is running for reelection – and quite possibly could win. That stark reality came to life Tuesday night, as President Donald Trump delivered his third State of the Union address, a more raucous campaign-style event dotted with made-for-TV moments than the often-staid annual affair.
The president delivered last night’s speech amid the expectation of acquittal today by the Senate. A midafternoon announcement from Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney that he would vote to convict Mr. Trump on one count dealt a blow to the Republican wall of unity. But the president remained a leader on the verge of triumph, with his Gallup job approval rating at an all-time high (49%) and his political adversaries warning of a chief executive unbound.
The icing on the cake this week came from Iowa, where the fiasco over the Democrats’ inability to report the results of Monday’s presidential caucuses in a timely fashion handed Mr. Trump another political gift.
Why We Wrote This President Donald Trump comes out of impeachment in a reasonably strong position. But post-acquittal, will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term?
Still, questions abound: Will the president overplay his hand? Post-acquittal, will he feel unfettered in his behavior as he seeks a second term? While some Republican senators have said that his dealings with the Ukrainian president – withholding military aid in exchange for dirt on political opponents – were “shameful,” all but Senator Romney voted today to acquit.
Senator Romney’s stunning decision to vote to convict on one count – abuse of power – no doubt took some of the wind out of Mr. Trump’s sails. Calling himself “profoundly religious,” the former GOP presidential nominee said he couldn’t think of much “that would be a more egregious assault on our Constitution than trying to corrupt an election to maintain power. And that’s what the president did.”
The logical approach for Mr. Trump, political analysts say, would be to restrain his behavior and not do anything too risky through Election Day. After all, he can claim vindication on the impeachment charges; the economy is strong; a near-record-high 59% of Americans say their personal finances are better now than a year ago, according to Gallup; and Democrats are in disarray. As things look now, Mr. Trump is in a reasonably good position to win in November.
“It seems like the people around him would say, ‘Just run the string here, then you’ll have four more years and you can do what you want to do,’” says Cal Jillson, a presidential scholar at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Aides had reportedly advised the president not to mention impeachment in the State of the Union, following President Bill Clinton’s 1999 precedent, and the fact that the president stuck to that advice Tuesday night was noteworthy – suggesting he may be willing to exercise a bit more discipline three years into his presidency. Mr. Trump, after all, is famous for over-the-top rhetoric, via Twitter and at rallies, and his cries of “witch hunt” (or similar charges) have been part of his repertoire since he announced his candidacy in 2015.
Yet the cloud of impeachment hung over the proceedings, and its accompanying partisan rancor contributed to a circuslike atmosphere. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mr. Trump publicly snubbed each other at the beginning and end – most dramatically, when Speaker Pelosi ripped a paper copy of his speech in half after he finished. Some Democrats heckled and gestured over a pronouncement on health care; some walked out.
Moderate Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of only two GOP senators (along with Senator Romney) to vote in favor of witnesses during the Senate trial, argued Sunday that Mr. Trump has learned his lesson.
“He was impeached,” Senator Collins said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “And there has been criticism by both Republican and Democratic senators of his call [with the Ukrainian president]. I believe that he will be much more cautious in the future.” (Though she later said that “hope” may have been a better word than “believe.”)
One big difference between the Clinton and Trump impeachments is that Mr. Clinton’s took place toward the end of his presidency, and Mr. Trump’s is taking place amid a reelection bid.
But there’s also a big difference in their respective postures. With Mr. Clinton, “there was this general sense that he was chastened and remorseful,” says Russell Riley, co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “With Trump, there’s none of that. So there’s an enormous amount of anxiety about what he might do as president from this point forward, because he’s effectively a president unbound.”
Professor Riley sees this period as constitutionally perilous.
In the past, “institutions balanced other institutions, but those checks and balances are largely not working,” he says. “So the only real question is the sense of self-restraint that President Trump feels as it relates to his own reelection prospects.”
Trump defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz stoked fears last week that the president’s executive power could become unfettered, when the retired Harvard Law professor asserted, “If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.”
Mr. Dershowitz later said his remarks were mischaracterized, but the larger concern about presidential overreach remains.
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House Democrats, meanwhile, say more information will emerge about the president’s actions in Ukraine. One possibility could be testimony in House hearings from John Bolton, a former Trump national security adviser, and Lev Parnas, the Ukrainian-born former associate of Trump personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
In an interview Sunday on “Face the Nation,” House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff would not state whether Democrats plan to subpoena Mr. Bolton. But, he added, “the truth will come out” – whether in testimony before the House or in Mr. Bolton’s forthcoming book.


csmonitor--2020-02-05--Democrats' electability divide: Buttigieg leads Sanders in Iowa

The Iowa Democratic Party released partial results of its kickoff presidential caucus after a daylong delay late Tuesday showing former Midwestern mayor Pete Buttigieg with a slight lead over progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the opening contest of the party 's 2020 primary season .
The results followed 24 hours of chaos as technical problems marred the complicated caucus process , forcing state officials to apologize and raising questions about Iowa 's traditional place atop the presidential primary calendar .
It was too early to call a winner based on the initial results , but Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar were trailing in the tally of State Delegate Equivalents , according to data released for the first time by the Iowa Democratic Party nearly 24 hours after voting concluded .
The results reflected 71 % of precincts in the state .
The two early leaders , Mr. Buttigieg and Mr. Sanders , were separated by 40 years in age , conflicting ideology , and more .
Mr. Sanders , a self-described democratic socialist , has been a progressive powerhouse for decades , while Mr. Buttigieg 's early standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor to a legitimate force in the 2020 contest .
Mr. Buttigieg is also the first openly gay candidate to earn presidential primary delegates .
`` We do n't know all of the numbers , but we know this much : A campaign that started a year ago with four staff members , no name recognition , no money , just a big idea – a campaign that some said should have no business even making this attempt – has taken its place at the front of this race , '' Mr. Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as he campaigned in next-up New Hampshire with his husband looking on .
Mr. Buttigieg 's early rise was rivaled for possible importance by the struggle of another moderate , Mr. Biden .
One of his party 's most accomplished figures , the former two-term vice president and longtime senator was mired in the second tier of Iowa candidates with almost two-thirds of precincts reporting .
Mr. Biden 's campaign sought to downplay the caucus results even before they were released , hardly a measure of strength for a high-profile contender who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last year .
`` We believe we will emerge with the delegates we need to continue on our path to nomination , '' said Symone Sanders , a senior adviser .
While all campaigns were eager to spin the Iowa results to their advantage , there was little immediate indication that the incomplete results erased the confusion and concern that loomed over the caucuses .
It was unclear when the full results would be released .
During a private conference call with campaigns earlier in the day , state party chairman Troy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the timeline – even whether it would be days or weeks .
`` We have been working day and night to make sure these results are accurate , '' Mr. Price said at a subsequent press conference .
The leading candidates pressed on in New Hampshire , which votes in just seven days .
And billionaire Democrat Michael Bloomberg sensed opportunity , saying he would double his already massive advertising campaign and expand his sprawling staff focused on a series of delegate-rich states voting next month .
The party 's caucus crisis was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa as a chance for Democrats to find some clarity in a jumbled field .
Instead , after a buildup that featured seven rounds of debates , nearly $ 1 billion spent nationwide , and a year of political jockeying , caucus day ended with no winner , no official results , and many fresh questions about whether Iowa can retain its coveted `` first '' status .
Iowa marked the first contest in a primary season that will span all 50 states and several U.S. territories , ending at the party 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left Iowa late Monday , Mr. Sanders said , `` Today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump . ''
Facing New Hampshire voters a day later , Mr. Sanders said thank you to Iowa and , tongue in cheek , expressed confidence that New Hampshire election officials would have more success counting votes .
`` And when you count those votes , I look forward to winning here , '' he said .
For the first time , the Iowa Democratic Party reported three sets of results this year : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preference ; vote totals from the `` final alignment '' after supporters of lower-ranking candidates were able to make a second choice , and the total number of State Delegate Equivalents each candidate received .
The Associated Press will declare a winner based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins , which has been the traditional standard .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar , who represents Iowa neighbor Minnesota , was also in the early running , while outsider candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang , billionaire activist Tom Steyer , and Hawaii Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire on Tuesday , Ms. Warren also said she was `` feeling good '' about her performance in Iowa .
The state party told campaigns Tuesday the problem was a result of a `` coding issue in the reporting system '' that it said had since been fixed .
It said it had verified the accuracy of the collected data and said the problem was not a result of `` a hack or an intrusion . ''
A Biden campaign representative objected to the party 's plan to release partial results before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the conference call that the plan did n't address `` growing reports '' about problems on caucus night , such as precinct captains unable to get through on the phone to report results .
Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver thanked party officials , and encouraged other campaigns not to undermine the party .
`` Folks who are just trying to delay the return of this because of their relative positioning in the results last night , I think that 's a bit disingenuous , '' Mr. Weaver said .
Mr. Bloomberg announced plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – which has already exceeded $ 100 million – as he expands his paid staff to more than 2,000 people .
Mr. Bloomberg is looking to next month , having decided to bypass Iowa 's contest and the three other states voting this month in favor of the delegate-rich states in March .
`` After more than a year of this primary , the field is as unsettled as ever , '' Bloomberg spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said .
`` No one has made the sale or even come close to it . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh criticism about Iowa caucuses , a complicated set of political meetings staged in a state that is whiter and older than the Democratic Party in general .
Many questioned anew whether it was a quaint political tradition whose time had passed .
`` I think Iowa is a dumpster fire , '' said Dick Harpootlian , a South Carolina state senator and longtime Biden supporter , who served as an Iowa precinct captain for Mr. Biden on Monday .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

The Iowa Democratic Party released partial results of its kickoff presidential caucus after a daylong delay late Tuesday showing former Midwestern mayor Pete Buttigieg with a slight lead over progressive Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the opening contest of the party's 2020 primary season.
The results followed 24 hours of chaos as technical problems marred the complicated caucus process, forcing state officials to apologize and raising questions about Iowa's traditional place atop the presidential primary calendar.
It was too early to call a winner based on the initial results, but Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar were trailing in the tally of State Delegate Equivalents, according to data released for the first time by the Iowa Democratic Party nearly 24 hours after voting concluded.
The results reflected 71% of precincts in the state.
The two early leaders, Mr. Buttigieg and Mr. Sanders, were separated by 40 years in age, conflicting ideology, and more.
Mr. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, has been a progressive powerhouse for decades, while Mr. Buttigieg's early standing cemented his transformation from a little-known Indiana mayor to a legitimate force in the 2020 contest. Mr. Buttigieg is also the first openly gay candidate to earn presidential primary delegates.
"We don't know all of the numbers, but we know this much: A campaign that started a year ago with four staff members, no name recognition, no money, just a big idea – a campaign that some said should have no business even making this attempt – has taken its place at the front of this race," Mr. Buttigieg declared, his voice filled with emotion, as he campaigned in next-up New Hampshire with his husband looking on.
Mr. Buttigieg's early rise was rivaled for possible importance by the struggle of another moderate, Mr. Biden.
One of his party's most accomplished figures, the former two-term vice president and longtime senator was mired in the second tier of Iowa candidates with almost two-thirds of precincts reporting. Mr. Biden's campaign sought to downplay the caucus results even before they were released, hardly a measure of strength for a high-profile contender who has led national polls for most of the last year.
"We believe we will emerge with the delegates we need to continue on our path to nomination," said Symone Sanders, a senior adviser.
While all campaigns were eager to spin the Iowa results to their advantage, there was little immediate indication that the incomplete results erased the confusion and concern that loomed over the caucuses. It was unclear when the full results would be released.
During a private conference call with campaigns earlier in the day, state party chairman Troy Price declined to answer pointed questions about the timeline – even whether it would be days or weeks.
"We have been working day and night to make sure these results are accurate," Mr. Price said at a subsequent press conference.
The leading candidates pressed on in New Hampshire, which votes in just seven days. And billionaire Democrat Michael Bloomberg sensed opportunity, saying he would double his already massive advertising campaign and expand his sprawling staff focused on a series of delegate-rich states voting next month.
The party's caucus crisis was an embarrassing twist after months of promoting Iowa as a chance for Democrats to find some clarity in a jumbled field. Instead, after a buildup that featured seven rounds of debates, nearly $1 billion spent nationwide, and a year of political jockeying, caucus day ended with no winner, no official results, and many fresh questions about whether Iowa can retain its coveted "first" status.
Iowa marked the first contest in a primary season that will span all 50 states and several U.S. territories, ending at the party's national convention in July.
Before he left Iowa late Monday, Mr. Sanders said, "Today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump."
Facing New Hampshire voters a day later, Mr. Sanders said thank you to Iowa and, tongue in cheek, expressed confidence that New Hampshire election officials would have more success counting votes.
"And when you count those votes, I look forward to winning here," he said.
For the first time, the Iowa Democratic Party reported three sets of results this year: a tally of caucusgoers' initial candidate preference; vote totals from the "final alignment" after supporters of lower-ranking candidates were able to make a second choice, and the total number of State Delegate Equivalents each candidate received.
The Associated Press will declare a winner based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins, which has been the traditional standard.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who represents Iowa neighbor Minnesota, was also in the early running, while outsider candidates including entrepreneur Andrew Yang, billionaire activist Tom Steyer, and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard lagged behind.
Campaigning in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Ms. Warren also said she was "feeling good" about her performance in Iowa.
The state party told campaigns Tuesday the problem was a result of a "coding issue in the reporting system" that it said had since been fixed. It said it had verified the accuracy of the collected data and said the problem was not a result of "a hack or an intrusion."
A Biden campaign representative objected to the party's plan to release partial results before checking them against paper records, saying in the conference call that the plan didn't address "growing reports" about problems on caucus night, such as precinct captains unable to get through on the phone to report results.
Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver thanked party officials, and encouraged other campaigns not to undermine the party.
"Folks who are just trying to delay the return of this because of their relative positioning in the results last night, I think that's a bit disingenuous," Mr. Weaver said.
Mr. Bloomberg announced plans to double his national television advertising spending – which has already exceeded $100 million – as he expands his paid staff to more than 2,000 people.
Mr. Bloomberg is looking to next month, having decided to bypass Iowa's contest and the three other states voting this month in favor of the delegate-rich states in March.
"After more than a year of this primary, the field is as unsettled as ever," Bloomberg spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said. "No one has made the sale or even come close to it."
Beyond 2020, Monday's debacle invited fresh criticism about Iowa caucuses, a complicated set of political meetings staged in a state that is whiter and older than the Democratic Party in general. Many questioned anew whether it was a quaint political tradition whose time had passed.
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"I think Iowa is a dumpster fire," said Dick Harpootlian, a South Carolina state senator and longtime Biden supporter, who served as an Iowa precinct captain for Mr. Biden on Monday.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-02-05--Why Trump's State of Union sounded like a campaign speech

Standing before a Congress and a nation sharply divided by impeachment , President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to extol a `` Great American Comeback '' on his watch , just three years after he took office decrying a land of `` American carnage '' under his predecessor .
The partisan discord was on vivid display Tuesday as the first president to campaign for reelection after being impeached made his case for another term : Republican legislators chanted `` Four More Years . ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of Mr. Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` America 's enemies are on the run , America 's fortunes are on the rise , and America 's future is blazing bright , '' Mr. Trump declared .
`` In just three short years , we have shattered the mentality of American decline and we have rejected the downsizing of America 's destiny .
We are moving forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time ago , and we are never going back . ''
Holding out the nation 's economic success as the chief rationale for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resembled a lower-volume version of his campaign rallies , providing something for every section of his political base .
The president entered the evening on a roll , with his impeachment acquittal imminent , his job approval numbers ticking upward , and Wall Street looking strong .
He struck a largely optimistic tone .
But in past moments when Mr. Trump has struck a tone of bipartisanship and cooperation , he has consistently returned to harsher rhetoric within days .
Mr. Trump spent much of the speech highlighting the economy 's strength , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has helped blue-collar workers and the middle class , though the period of growth began under his predecessor , Barack Obama .
And what Mr. Trump calls an unprecedented boom is , by many measures , not all that different from the solid economy he inherited from Mr. Obama .
Economic growth was 2.3 % in 2019 , matching the average pace since the Great Recession ended a decade ago in the first year of Mr. Obama 's eight-year presidency .
But while he tweets daily assailing his impeachment , Mr. Trump never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78-minute speech .
That followed the lead of Bill Clinton , who did not reference his recent impeachment when he delivered his State of the Union in 1999 .
Mr. Trump spoke from the House of Representatives , on the opposite side of the Capitol from where the Senate one day later was expected to acquit him largely along party lines .
Ms. Pelosi , a frequent thorn in Mr. Trump 's side , created a viral image with her seemingly sarcastic applause of the president a year ago .
This time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very text-ripping rebuke .
Mr. Trump appeared no more cordial .
When he climbed to the House rostrum , he did not take her outstretched hand though it was not clear he had seen her gesture .
Later , as Republicans often cheered , she remained in her seat , at times shaking her head at his remarks .
When Ms. Pelosi left , she told reporters that tearing up the speech was `` the courteous thing to do considering the alternative . ''
Republicans denounced her action as disrespectful .
Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added a showbiz flavor to the staid event : He had wife Melania Trump present the Presidential Medal of Freedom , the nation 's highest civilian honor , to the divisive conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh , who recently announced he has advanced lung cancer .
He stunned a young student in the gallery with a scholarship .
And he orchestrated the surprise tearful reunion of a soldier from overseas with his family in the balcony .
Even for a Trump-era news cycle that seems permanently set to hyper-speed , the breakneck pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February offered a singular backdrop for the president 's address .
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts , who has presided in the Senate over only the third impeachment trial in the nation 's history , was on hand again Tuesday night – this time in his more customary seat in the audience .
Mr. Trump stood before the very lawmakers who have voted to remove him from office – and those who are expected to acquit him when the Senate trial comes to a close .
The leading Senate Democrats hoping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New Hampshire .
In advance of his address , Mr. Trump tweeted that the chaos in Iowa 's Monday leadoff caucuses showed Democrats were incompetent and should not be trusted to run the government .
Among Mr. Trump 's guests in the chamber : Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó , who has been trying to win face time with Mr. Trump , his most important international ally .
The president offered Mr. Guaidó exactly the sort of endorsement he 's been looking for as he struggles to oust President Nicolás Maduro from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the true and legitimate president of Venezuela . ''
Mr. Trump stressed the new trade agreements he has negotiated , including his phase-one deal with China and the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement he signed last month .
While the White House said the president was offering a message of unity , he also spent time on issues that have created great division and resonated with his political base .
He attacked Democrats ' health care proposals for being too intrusive and again highlighted his signature issue – immigration – trumpeting the miles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also dedicated a section to `` American values , '' discussing efforts to protect `` religious liberties '' and limit access to abortion as he continues to court the evangelical and conservative Christian voters who form a crucial part of his base .
The Democrats were supplying plenty of counter-programming , focusing on health care – the issue key to their takeover of the House last year .
Mr. Trump , for his part , vowed to not allow a `` socialist takeover of our health care system '' – a swipe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some of his Democratic challengers .
Many female Democrats were wearing white as tribute to the suffragettes , while a number in the party were wearing red , white , and blue-striped lapel pins to highlight climate change , saying Mr. Trump has rolled back environmental safeguards and given free rein to polluters .
Several Democratic lawmakers , including California Rep. Maxine Waters and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , announced in advance of the speech that they would be skipping it while other Democrats walked out early .
Michigan Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ response and drew a contrast between actions taken by Democrats and the president 's rhetoric .
`` It does n't matter what the president says about the stock market , '' Ms. Whitmer said .
`` What matters is that millions of people struggle to get by or do n't have enough money at the end of the month after paying for transportation , student loans , or prescription drugs . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Darlene Superville , Aamer Madhani in Washington , and David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this report .

Standing before a Congress and a nation sharply divided by impeachment, President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to extol a "Great American Comeback" on his watch, just three years after he took office decrying a land of "American carnage" under his predecessor.
The partisan discord was on vivid display Tuesday as the first president to campaign for reelection after being impeached made his case for another term: Republican legislators chanted "Four More Years." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of Mr. Trump's speech as he ended his address.
"America's enemies are on the run, America's fortunes are on the rise, and America's future is blazing bright," Mr. Trump declared.
"In just three short years, we have shattered the mentality of American decline and we have rejected the downsizing of America's destiny. We are moving forward at a pace that was unimaginable just a short time ago, and we are never going back."
Holding out the nation's economic success as the chief rationale for a second term, Mr. Trump's speech resembled a lower-volume version of his campaign rallies, providing something for every section of his political base.
The president entered the evening on a roll, with his impeachment acquittal imminent, his job approval numbers ticking upward, and Wall Street looking strong. He struck a largely optimistic tone. But in past moments when Mr. Trump has struck a tone of bipartisanship and cooperation, he has consistently returned to harsher rhetoric within days.
Mr. Trump spent much of the speech highlighting the economy's strength, including low unemployment, stressing how it has helped blue-collar workers and the middle class, though the period of growth began under his predecessor, Barack Obama. And what Mr. Trump calls an unprecedented boom is, by many measures, not all that different from the solid economy he inherited from Mr. Obama. Economic growth was 2.3% in 2019, matching the average pace since the Great Recession ended a decade ago in the first year of Mr. Obama's eight-year presidency.
But while he tweets daily assailing his impeachment, Mr. Trump never mentioned the "i-word" in his 78-minute speech. That followed the lead of Bill Clinton, who did not reference his recent impeachment when he delivered his State of the Union in 1999. Mr. Trump spoke from the House of Representatives, on the opposite side of the Capitol from where the Senate one day later was expected to acquit him largely along party lines.
Ms. Pelosi, a frequent thorn in Mr. Trump's side, created a viral image with her seemingly sarcastic applause of the president a year ago. This time, she was even more explicit with her very text-ripping rebuke.
Mr. Trump appeared no more cordial. When he climbed to the House rostrum, he did not take her outstretched hand though it was not clear he had seen her gesture. Later, as Republicans often cheered, she remained in her seat, at times shaking her head at his remarks.
When Ms. Pelosi left, she told reporters that tearing up the speech was "the courteous thing to do considering the alternative." Republicans denounced her action as disrespectful.
Mr. Trump, the former reality TV star, added a showbiz flavor to the staid event: He had wife Melania Trump present the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, to the divisive conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who recently announced he has advanced lung cancer.
He stunned a young student in the gallery with a scholarship. And he orchestrated the surprise tearful reunion of a soldier from overseas with his family in the balcony.
Even for a Trump-era news cycle that seems permanently set to hyper-speed, the breakneck pace of events dominating the first week of February offered a singular backdrop for the president's address.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who has presided in the Senate over only the third impeachment trial in the nation's history, was on hand again Tuesday night – this time in his more customary seat in the audience. Mr. Trump stood before the very lawmakers who have voted to remove him from office – and those who are expected to acquit him when the Senate trial comes to a close.
The leading Senate Democrats hoping to unseat him in November were off campaigning in New Hampshire. In advance of his address, Mr. Trump tweeted that the chaos in Iowa's Monday leadoff caucuses showed Democrats were incompetent and should not be trusted to run the government.
Among Mr. Trump's guests in the chamber: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has been trying to win face time with Mr. Trump, his most important international ally.
The president offered Mr. Guaidó exactly the sort of endorsement he's been looking for as he struggles to oust President Nicolás Maduro from power. Mr. Trump called Mr. Guaidó "the true and legitimate president of Venezuela."
"Socialism destroys nations," Mr. Trump declared.
Mr. Trump stressed the new trade agreements he has negotiated, including his phase-one deal with China and the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement he signed last month.
While the White House said the president was offering a message of unity, he also spent time on issues that have created great division and resonated with his political base. He attacked Democrats' health care proposals for being too intrusive and again highlighted his signature issue – immigration – trumpeting the miles of border wall that have been constructed.
He also dedicated a section to "American values," discussing efforts to protect "religious liberties" and limit access to abortion as he continues to court the evangelical and conservative Christian voters who form a crucial part of his base.
The Democrats were supplying plenty of counter-programming, focusing on health care – the issue key to their takeover of the House last year. Mr. Trump, for his part, vowed to not allow a "socialist takeover of our health care system" – a swipe at the Medicare For All proposal endorsed by some of his Democratic challengers.
Many female Democrats were wearing white as tribute to the suffragettes, while a number in the party were wearing red, white, and blue-striped lapel pins to highlight climate change, saying Mr. Trump has rolled back environmental safeguards and given free rein to polluters.
Several Democratic lawmakers, including California Rep. Maxine Waters and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, announced in advance of the speech that they would be skipping it while other Democrats walked out early.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her party's official response and drew a contrast between actions taken by Democrats and the president's rhetoric.
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"It doesn't matter what the president says about the stock market," Ms. Whitmer said. "What matters is that millions of people struggle to get by or don't have enough money at the end of the month after paying for transportation, student loans, or prescription drugs."
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Darlene Superville, Aamer Madhani in Washington, and David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-02-06--For Bernie camp, Iowa debacle triggers déjà vu

“ Sanders voters ... are saying , ‘ Look , we tried it your way last time , and we got Donald Trump , ’ ” says Andrew Smith , director of the New Hampshire Survey Center in Durham .
“ The political energy of the party shifted left some time ago .
And while the party resisted it in 2016 , they ’ re going to have a much harder time this year.
” For Sanders supporters – who believed they were stymied by the Democratic establishment four years ago – it feels infuriatingly familiar .
The Iowa Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s caucus results , though inaccuracies persist .
Senator Sanders today declared victory , noting a 6,000-vote edge in the popular vote .
But former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend , Indiana , already appears to have gained significant momentum in New Hampshire from what initially looked like a victory in Iowa for him .
The division is in part ideological , between progressives and pragmatists .
At a deeper level , it is an emotional wound , with lingering bitterness between Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ core supporters and those who backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds the other at fault for 2016 ’ s loss .
Democrats profess themselves united around a common goal : beating President Donald Trump .
But it ’ s becoming clear that fissures from 2016 have yet to heal – and may be deepening .
Throughout the 2020 primary cycle , Democratic voters have professed themselves united around a common goal : beating President Donald Trump in November .
But in the wake of Monday ’ s Iowa caucus debacle , it ’ s becoming clear that the intraparty fissures from 2016 have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be growing deeper .
The division is in part ideological , between a progressive faction that wants radical change and a more pragmatic establishment .
At a deeper level , though , is an emotional wound , with lingering mistrust and bitterness between supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and those who backed Hillary Clinton – each of whom still holds the other at fault for 2016 ’ s loss .
The latest results out of Iowa now show a virtual tie between Senator Sanders and Pete Buttigieg in state delegate equivalents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular vote .
On Thursday , amid reports of new inconsistencies , the Democratic National Committee chair called for a recanvass ( essentially an audit of the results ) .
But Mr. Buttigieg already appears to have benefited from what at first looked like a victory for him , showing significant momentum in the latest New Hampshire tracking poll .
For supporters of Mr. Sanders – who believed they were unfairly stymied by the Democratic establishment four years ago – it feels infuriatingly familiar .
“ I ’ m particularly concerned by establishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign , ” says Parker Dooley , a “ democracy tourist ” from Virginia who has already cast a ballot for Mr. Sanders and is in New Hampshire with his wife to observe the state ’ s first-in-the-nation primary on Feb. 11 .
“ I was going to say assassinate , ” Mr. Dooley adds , as other Sanders supporters snap pictures of his T-shirt featuring Mr. Sanders in a “ Back to the Future ” motif .
“ But maybe that ’ s too strong.
” While it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left- or right-wing insurgency against a more moderate establishment , the Democratic Party ’ s overall leftward lurch in the wake of President Trump ’ s election has given its progressive wing new power .
And at a time when distrust of institutions is already high , the sense of grievance among Sanders supporters about their candidate ’ s treatment could pose a significant problem for party unity if he fails to win the nomination again – particularly if no one wins convincingly , which now seems entirely possible .
“ The political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time ago .
And while the party resisted it in 2016 , they ’ re going to have a much harder time this year , ” says Andrew Smith , director of the New Hampshire Survey Center in Durham .
“ Sanders voters or activists are saying , ‘ Look , we tried it your way last time , and we got Donald Trump.
’ ” After 2016 , many Sanders supporters came away feeling robbed , obstructed by a party machine that coalesced early around Mrs. Clinton and worked behind the scenes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grievances was the Democratic National Committee ’ s decision to give Mrs. Clinton a greater degree of influence over its staffing and policy after she bailed out the indebted organization .
Another sore point was former DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile ’ s sharing of CNN town hall topics with the Clinton campaign ahead of the televised events , giving the candidate extra time to prepare .
This was revealed thanks to Russian hackers who procured thousands of DNC emails , which were published by WikiLeaks , revealing a pattern of bias against Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neutrality .
One DNC communications official was quoted as suggesting that they promote a narrative about Mr. Sanders that “ Bernie never ever had his act together , that his campaign was a mess.
” The DNC later apologized , but the damage was done .
At the 2016 Democratic National Convention , angry Sanders supporters launched protests and wore tape over their mouths to symbolize having been “ silenced.
” “ I don ’ t trust the DNC , ” says Nico Gillespie , a college student waiting outside the Derry Opera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear Mr. Sanders speak on Feb. 5 .
“ They want to delay [ the Iowa results ] so Pete Buttigieg can have the momentum.
” Mr. Buttigieg , the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , gave a victory speech Monday night before any official results were released .
Those results have been delayed , due in part to technical problems with an app meant to help tally results according to new rules that were put in place after Sanders supporters complained about a lack of transparency in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll shows Mr. Buttigieg has gotten an 8-point bounce since then , compared with only 1 point for Mr. Sanders .
More than 48 hours after the caucuses ended , the Iowa Democratic Party released updated figures with 97 % of precincts reporting .
They showed Mr. Buttigieg leading Mr. Sanders by only 0.1 % in state delegate equivalents , while Mr. Sanders was shown winning the popular vote by about 6,000 votes on the first alignment .
“ We here in northern New England call that a victory , ” declared Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he spoke , DNC Chair Tom Perez called for an immediate recanvass of the Iowa caucus results .
“ I think what has happened with the Iowa Democratic Party is an outrage – that they were that unprepared , that they put forth such a complicated process , relied on untested technology , ” said Mr. Sanders .
When asked whether the current mess has caused him to doubt the results of the 2016 Iowa caucuses – in which he lost to Mrs. Clinton by just .25 % – he responded : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revisit 2016.
” He did , however , credit reforms that came about as a result of his campaign ’ s complaints last time around .
“ The fact that we now have clear results from the popular vote [ in Iowa ] is something that we fought for , ” he said .
Those reforms were specifically meant to help heal the breach between Mr. Sanders and the establishment wing of the party , which blamed the senator ’ s less-than-enthusiastic backing of Mrs. Clinton as contributing to the party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest changes has to do with superdelegates , another sore spot from 2016 .
At this summer ’ s nominating convention , superdelegates will not be able to vote on the first ballot unless a candidate has already secured a majority of pledged delegates .
“ Certainly there are grievances that the Sanders people had going back to the party in 2016 , where it was very clear that the party ’ s thumb was on the scale in favor of Clinton , ” says Professor Smith .
Nevertheless , he adds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – if you don ’ t win elections , you ’ re out of business.
” In 2016 , the party didn ’ t see a self-proclaimed democratic socialist as able to win a national election .
And many appear to have the same reservations in 2020 .
The tension has as much to do with style as substance .
“ My concern with Bernie is he never talks about what he ’ s accomplished in the Senate , ” says Camille Brown , waiting in line for a selfie with Massachusetts Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She notes that Mr. Sanders can claim very few concrete accomplishments after nearly 30 years in Congress .
“ I don ’ t see him working with other senators .
...
He has very much an attitude of ‘ my way or the highway.
’ ” Some Democrats see that same uncompromising – even combative – approach reflected in his supporters .
“ It ’ s ‘ either my candidate or I ’ m not going to vote , ’ which is not useful when we really need to unite and defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a soft-spoken mother of two from Massachusetts lingering at the Warren event after getting a selfie with her senator .
She voted for Mr. Sanders in the 2016 primaries , and understands the fervor for him then , especially given the antipathy for a candidate with as much baggage as Mrs. Clinton .
But Ms. Yang sees far better options this time .
“ Among the candidates , I think [ Ms. Warren ] is the one – she has the plans , she has the heart , ” she says .
Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the end , though , she ’ ll support whoever is on the Democratic ticket .
“ Would I vote for [ Mr. Sanders ] if it came down to it ?
Yes.
” Still , these measured comments don ’ t come close to matching the fervor of the Sanders supporters back in Derry .
“ Bernie is going to crush this primary , ” says Mr. Dooley .

“Sanders voters ... are saying, ‘Look, we tried it your way last time, and we got Donald Trump,’” says Andrew Smith, director of the New Hampshire Survey Center in Durham. “The political energy of the party shifted left some time ago. And while the party resisted it in 2016, they’re going to have a much harder time this year.”
For Sanders supporters – who believed they were stymied by the Democratic establishment four years ago – it feels infuriatingly familiar.
The Iowa Democratic Party has nearly finished tallying Monday’s caucus results, though inaccuracies persist. Senator Sanders today declared victory, noting a 6,000-vote edge in the popular vote. But former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, already appears to have gained significant momentum in New Hampshire from what initially looked like a victory in Iowa for him.
Beneath the outrage over Democrats’ bungling of the Iowa caucuses lies a wounded trust that dates back to the 2016 campaign.
The division is in part ideological, between progressives and pragmatists. At a deeper level, it is an emotional wound, with lingering bitterness between Sen. Bernie Sanders’ core supporters and those who backed Hillary Clinton – each of whom still holds the other at fault for 2016’s loss.
Democrats profess themselves united around a common goal: beating President Donald Trump. But it’s becoming clear that fissures from 2016 have yet to heal – and may be deepening.
Throughout the 2020 primary cycle, Democratic voters have professed themselves united around a common goal: beating President Donald Trump in November. But in the wake of Monday’s Iowa caucus debacle, it’s becoming clear that the intraparty fissures from 2016 have yet to heal – and indeed, may be growing deeper.
The division is in part ideological, between a progressive faction that wants radical change and a more pragmatic establishment. At a deeper level, though, is an emotional wound, with lingering mistrust and bitterness between supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and those who backed Hillary Clinton – each of whom still holds the other at fault for 2016’s loss.
The latest results out of Iowa now show a virtual tie between Senator Sanders and Pete Buttigieg in state delegate equivalents, with Mr. Sanders leading in the popular vote. On Thursday, amid reports of new inconsistencies, the Democratic National Committee chair called for a recanvass (essentially an audit of the results). But Mr. Buttigieg already appears to have benefited from what at first looked like a victory for him, showing significant momentum in the latest New Hampshire tracking poll.
Why We Wrote This Beneath the outrage over Democrats’ bungling of the Iowa caucuses lies a wounded trust that dates back to the 2016 campaign.
For supporters of Mr. Sanders – who believed they were unfairly stymied by the Democratic establishment four years ago – it feels infuriatingly familiar.
“I’m particularly concerned by establishment Democrats’ efforts to inhibit Bernie’s campaign,” says Parker Dooley, a “democracy tourist” from Virginia who has already cast a ballot for Mr. Sanders and is in New Hampshire with his wife to observe the state’s first-in-the-nation primary on Feb. 11.
“I was going to say assassinate,” Mr. Dooley adds, as other Sanders supporters snap pictures of his T-shirt featuring Mr. Sanders in a “Back to the Future” motif. “But maybe that’s too strong.”
Christa Case Bryant/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Parker Dooley, a self-proclaimed "democracy tourist" from Virginia, stands outside a Bernie Sanders rally in Derry, New Hampshire, on Feb. 5, 2020. Inside, multiple people ask to take photos of his T-shirt – a limited edition, he says, due to a copyright violation complaint.
While it’s not uncommon for nomination battles to pit a left- or right-wing insurgency against a more moderate establishment, the Democratic Party’s overall leftward lurch in the wake of President Trump’s election has given its progressive wing new power. And at a time when distrust of institutions is already high, the sense of grievance among Sanders supporters about their candidate’s treatment could pose a significant problem for party unity if he fails to win the nomination again – particularly if no one wins convincingly, which now seems entirely possible.
“The political energy of the party shifted left some time ago. And while the party resisted it in 2016, they’re going to have a much harder time this year,” says Andrew Smith, director of the New Hampshire Survey Center in Durham. “Sanders voters or activists are saying, ‘Look, we tried it your way last time, and we got Donald Trump.’”
Ruptured trust
After 2016, many Sanders supporters came away feeling robbed, obstructed by a party machine that coalesced early around Mrs. Clinton and worked behind the scenes to preserve her advantage. Among their grievances was the Democratic National Committee’s decision to give Mrs. Clinton a greater degree of influence over its staffing and policy after she bailed out the indebted organization.
Another sore point was former DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile’s sharing of CNN town hall topics with the Clinton campaign ahead of the televised events, giving the candidate extra time to prepare. This was revealed thanks to Russian hackers who procured thousands of DNC emails, which were published by WikiLeaks, revealing a pattern of bias against Mr. Sanders despite the organization’s proclaimed neutrality. One DNC communications official was quoted as suggesting that they promote a narrative about Mr. Sanders that “Bernie never ever had his act together, that his campaign was a mess.” The DNC later apologized, but the damage was done.
At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, angry Sanders supporters launched protests and wore tape over their mouths to symbolize having been “silenced.”
“I don’t trust the DNC,” says Nico Gillespie, a college student waiting outside the Derry Opera House in Derry, New Hampshire, to hear Mr. Sanders speak on Feb. 5. “They want to delay [the Iowa results] so Pete Buttigieg can have the momentum.”
Mr. Buttigieg, the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, gave a victory speech Monday night before any official results were released. Those results have been delayed, due in part to technical problems with an app meant to help tally results according to new rules that were put in place after Sanders supporters complained about a lack of transparency in 2016. The Boston Globe/Suffolk University daily tracker poll shows Mr. Buttigieg has gotten an 8-point bounce since then, compared with only 1 point for Mr. Sanders.
More than 48 hours after the caucuses ended, the Iowa Democratic Party released updated figures with 97% of precincts reporting. They showed Mr. Buttigieg leading Mr. Sanders by only 0.1% in state delegate equivalents, while Mr. Sanders was shown winning the popular vote by about 6,000 votes on the first alignment.
“We here in northern New England call that a victory,” declared Mr. Sanders in Manchester on Thursday.
Minutes before he spoke, DNC Chair Tom Perez called for an immediate recanvass of the Iowa caucus results.
Mary Altaffer/AP View caption Hide caption Supporters cheer as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a campaign rally, Feb. 4, 2020, in Milford, New Hampshire.
“I think what has happened with the Iowa Democratic Party is an outrage – that they were that unprepared, that they put forth such a complicated process, relied on untested technology,” said Mr. Sanders.
When asked whether the current mess has caused him to doubt the results of the 2016 Iowa caucuses – in which he lost to Mrs. Clinton by just .25% – he responded: “I don’t want to revisit 2016.”
He did, however, credit reforms that came about as a result of his campaign’s complaints last time around. “The fact that we now have clear results from the popular vote [in Iowa] is something that we fought for,” he said.
Those reforms were specifically meant to help heal the breach between Mr. Sanders and the establishment wing of the party, which blamed the senator’s less-than-enthusiastic backing of Mrs. Clinton as contributing to the party’s loss to Mr. Trump. One of the biggest changes has to do with superdelegates, another sore spot from 2016. At this summer’s nominating convention, superdelegates will not be able to vote on the first ballot unless a candidate has already secured a majority of pledged delegates.
“Certainly there are grievances that the Sanders people had going back to the party in 2016, where it was very clear that the party’s thumb was on the scale in favor of Clinton,” says Professor Smith. Nevertheless, he adds, “parties exist to win elections – if you don’t win elections, you’re out of business.”
Style vs. substance
In 2016, the party didn’t see a self-proclaimed democratic socialist as able to win a national election. And many appear to have the same reservations in 2020.
The tension has as much to do with style as substance.
“My concern with Bernie is he never talks about what he’s accomplished in the Senate,” says Camille Brown, waiting in line for a selfie with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at an event in Nashua. She notes that Mr. Sanders can claim very few concrete accomplishments after nearly 30 years in Congress. “I don’t see him working with other senators. ... He has very much an attitude of ‘my way or the highway.’”
Some Democrats see that same uncompromising – even combative – approach reflected in his supporters.
“It’s ‘either my candidate or I’m not going to vote,’ which is not useful when we really need to unite and defeat Trump,” says Caroline Yang, a soft-spoken mother of two from Massachusetts lingering at the Warren event after getting a selfie with her senator. She voted for Mr. Sanders in the 2016 primaries, and understands the fervor for him then, especially given the antipathy for a candidate with as much baggage as Mrs. Clinton. But Ms. Yang sees far better options this time.
“Among the candidates, I think [Ms. Warren] is the one – she has the plans, she has the heart,” she says.
Ms. Brown echoes that thought almost precisely. In the end, though, she’ll support whoever is on the Democratic ticket. “Would I vote for [Mr. Sanders] if it came down to it? Yes.”
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Still, these measured comments don’t come close to matching the fervor of the Sanders supporters back in Derry.
“Bernie is going to crush this primary,” says Mr. Dooley.