csmonitor--2020-04-15--The meaning of Joe Biden's big week

The meaning of Joe Biden's big week

Joe Biden has had a pretty good week .
On Monday , his erstwhile competitor Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed him , saying , “ We need you in the White House.
” On Tuesday , his old boss President Barack Obama endorsed him , releasing a 12-minute video that sung Joe ’ s praises and tried to prep Democrats for the campaign ahead .
And on Wednesday , another ex-presidential aspirant , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( yes , you guessed it ) endorsed him .
One thing we ’ ve learned from this endorse-o-rama is that the Democratic Party seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s been in past presidential cycles .
Somebody made some discreet phone calls to put this all together – as somebody did to push Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg to drop out of the White House race and endorse Mr. Biden just prior to Super Tuesday .
And by “ somebody , ” we mean , “ the Democrat elected most recently to the presidency in their own right.
” Mr. Obama may not actually have been the person who phoned folks and made the ask in these situations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ s been much more active behind the scenes in the 2020 race than many people realized .
“ The real lesson here is that Obama has been pretty involved in politics for a past president , ” said Marquette University political scientist Julia Azari in an interesting FiveThirtyEight politics chat this week .
The other takeaway may be the one word these Democrats , and by extension Mr. Biden , are using at this point to summarize what they think the campaign is going to be about .
No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( At least , not yet . )
It ’ s “ government.
” “ Government ” was the biggest word highlighted on screen in Sen. Warren ’ s endorsement video .
Mr. Obama , in his , used it over and over .
In 1996 then-President Bill Clinton famously said “ the era of big government is over.
” In 2020 the novel coronavirus pandemic , with its trillions of dollars of U.S. economic interventions and lockdowns and hospital equipment needs , has turned that saying on its head .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mr. Obama said .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
Joe Biden has had a pretty good week. On Monday, his erstwhile competitor Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed him, saying, “We need you in the White House.” On Tuesday, his old boss President Barack Obama endorsed him, releasing a 12-minute video that sung Joe’s praises and tried to prep Democrats for the campaign ahead. And on Wednesday, another ex-presidential aspirant, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (yes, you guessed it) endorsed him.
“When you disagree, he’ll listen,” Sen. Warren said.
One thing we’ve learned from this endorse-o-rama is that the Democratic Party seems a lot more organized in 2020 than it’s been in past presidential cycles. Somebody made some discreet phone calls to put this all together – as somebody did to push Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg to drop out of the White House race and endorse Mr. Biden just prior to Super Tuesday.
And by “somebody,” we mean, “the Democrat elected most recently to the presidency in their own right.” Mr. Obama may not actually have been the person who phoned folks and made the ask in these situations, but it’s become pretty clear that he’s been much more active behind the scenes in the 2020 race than many people realized.
“The real lesson here is that Obama has been pretty involved in politics for a past president,” said Marquette University political scientist Julia Azari in an interesting FiveThirtyEight politics chat this week.
The other takeaway may be the one word these Democrats, and by extension Mr. Biden, are using at this point to summarize what they think the campaign is going to be about.
No, it’s not “Trump.” (At least, not yet.) It’s “government.”
“Government” was the biggest word highlighted on screen in Sen. Warren’s endorsement video. Mr. Obama, in his, used it over and over.
In 1996 then-President Bill Clinton famously said “the era of big government is over.” In 2020 the novel coronavirus pandemic, with its trillions of dollars of U.S. economic interventions and lockdowns and hospital equipment needs, has turned that saying on its head.
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“This crisis has reminded us that government matters,” Mr. Obama said.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.


csmonitor--2020-04-15--In crisis, Trump’s most ardent fans find they love him more

“ Things were wonderful [ before COVID-19 ] , ” she says .
“ He did it once , he ’ ll do it again .
I trust him.
” She tunes into President Trump ’ s briefings every evening , saying they make her feel reassured and hopeful .
“ The man is not a magician , but he ’ s doing everything he can , ” says Maria Romero , who lost her job at a car dealership outside Chicago two weeks ago because of COVID-19 .
These supporters say the president is exhibiting strong leadership – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the economy moving again , despite warnings from public health experts that reopening workplaces too soon could lead to another spike in fatalities .
According to a recent YouGov poll , 27 % of Americans “ strongly approve ” of the president ’ s performance .
That may be a rough measure for Mr. Trump ’ s true base , voters who will not abandon him under almost any foreseeable circumstance .
But as the United States navigates a spring season like no other , with much of its population at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s core supporters remain staunchly behind the man they believe was Making America Great Again before the pandemic unexpectedly upset his plans .
To many on the left , President Donald Trump has been a manifest disaster in guiding America through COVID-19 .
To many on the left , President Donald Trump has been a manifest disaster in guiding America through the current pandemic .
But Maria Romero most definitely would beg to differ .
“ The man is not a magician , but he ’ s doing everything he can .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes in Americans , ” says Ms. Romero , who lost her job at a car dealership outside of Chicago two weeks ago because of COVID-19 .
She tunes into President Trump ’ s coronavirus briefings every evening , saying they make her feel reassured and hopeful .
“ I could be bitter , I could say , ‘ This is President Trump ’ s fault ’ – but it ’ s not , ” she says .
“ Things were wonderful [ before COVID-19 ] .
He did it once , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trust him.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .
As the United States navigates a spring season like no other , with much of its population sheltering at home and the economy frozen , President Trump ’ s core supporters – call them “ superfans ” – remain staunchly behind a chief executive they believe was Making America Great Again before a pandemic unexpectedly upset his plans .
Democrats may maintain that the president initially downplayed the threat from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report that the White House failed to prepare for the pandemic by making sure the U.S. had adequate testing and medical supplies .
But these superfans , while they agree the crisis has been devastating , believe that President Trump has responded with strong leadership .
They think the president is rightly attuned to the need to get the economy moving again as soon as possible , despite warnings from public health experts that broadly reopening workplaces before a vaccine or treatments are available could lead to another spike in fatalities .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership is not necessarily because his supporters have been less impacted by the virus – although so far it has hit hardest in urban areas like New York and Detroit , which tend to be predominantly Democratic .
Still , plenty of the president ’ s supporters have lost loved ones to COVID-19 .
Recently , the Front Row Joes – a self-named group of Trump superfans who travel the country going to MAGA rallies – lost one of their own : Benjamin Hirschmann , a young political science student from Fraser , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MAGA cape .
In response , however , Mr. Trump ’ s fans are more convinced than ever that he ’ s the right man for the job .
In interviews , more than a dozen Trump voters tell the Monitor they believe Mr. Trump ’ s unique talents are needed now more than ever .
“ Everything he is doing is for the good of the country , ” says Cindy Hoffman , who owns an industrial tool sharpening business with her husband in Independence , Iowa .
“ It feels like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to protect me.
” As polarized as ever In a world in which everything has suddenly been upended , it ’ s perhaps revealing that views of Mr. Trump have remained as polarized as ever .
Typically , support for the president goes up in a crisis , as Americans “ rally round the flag.
” Former President George W. Bush ’ s approval rating , for example , hit a record 90 % after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 .
And in early to mid-March , Mr. Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from 44 % to 53 % , according to a Morning Consult poll .
But that proved to be short lived .
By the beginning of April , Mr. Trump ’ s approval rating had fallen back to 49 % , with the gap between Democrats and Republicans even wider than before .
In the latest Morning Consult poll , it stands at 43 % – about where it was at the end of February .
The president ’ s critics say his “ rally round ” bump evaporated because his leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump ’ s initial dismissal of the threat from the novel coronavirus as “ contained ” – and the critical time his administration wasted once the threat was known , when it should have been ramping up testing and the production of medical supplies – has almost certainly cost lives , they say .
The president ’ s hard-core supporters , however , disagree .
According to a recent YouGov poll , 27 % of those surveyed “ strongly approve ” of President Trump ’ s current job performance .
That may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s true base , the voters who will not abandon him under almost any foreseeable circumstance .
The daily press briefings the president has been holding may be one way he ’ s continuing to keep his most committed fans behind him , says Jason Mollica , a lecturer at American University ’ s School of Communication .
While Mr. Trump has always had a knack for grabbing the spotlight , he has been more visible than ever in recent weeks .
In some ways , the briefings have taken the place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the president to promote himself and attack the news media , impart valuable information , and make assertions that are not always backed by facts .
“ Every day he has a chance to reach his people , ” says Mr. Mollica .
“ He tells his supporters he is doing everything he can to support us Americans .
… To everyone else , he might not make any sense , but [ his fans ] believe he is making America great again , even as the numbers [ of coronavirus deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters believe that the crisis would be far worse with anyone else in the White House .
When Mr. Trump moved to restrict flights from China back in January , he was called a racist , notes Tommy Dugo , a moderator for a pro-Trump Facebook group .
“ But that probably saved a lot of lives , ” says Mr. Dugo .
And if the president snaps at reporters during his daily briefings , it ’ s only because they refuse to acknowledge anything positive , says Randal Thom , a dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a founder of the Front Row Joes .
“ You see the reporters there giving him snarky comments and ‘ gotcha ’ type of questions , ” says Mr. Thom .
Mr. Trump has been criticized by many for suggesting he may want to reopen America before health officials deem advisable , saying : “ We can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself.
” The president ’ s supporters often repeat this sentiment , with some adding that the COVID-19 models predicting high mortality rates seem like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the markets down and hurt Mr. Trump ’ s chances of reelection .
According to a YouGov poll from late March more than half of Mr. Trump ’ s voters believe it will be safe to end social distancing by May 1 , whereas the majority of those who voted for Hillary Clinton believe that move should come later .
Likewise , while almost 65 % of Clinton voters say Americans are still not taking the risks of coronavirus seriously enough , some 60 % of Trump voters say Americans are either behaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s supporters , including Mr. Thom , recently created the group “ ReOpen America ” to try to show lawmakers that many voters agree with the president .
“ We are doing this to counter the left ’ s strategy , ” says Mr. Thom .
“ Their narrative is to keep America shut down.
” Of course , not all of Mr. Trump ’ s voters are thrilled with his handling of COVID-19 .
Katy Ritter , a stay-at-home mom in Louisville , Kentucky , voted for Mr. Trump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some buyer ’ s remorse watching the president ’ s recent press conferences , and is not sure she ’ ll vote for him again in November .
“ We need to be led by a more compassionate person , ” says Ms. Ritter , pointing to Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear as an example .
“ We ’ re all in this together , and I want [ Trump ] to give us some of that unity that Andy is giving us.
” And there are some issues where Trump supporters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the $ 2 trillion CARES Act , the largest emergency aid package in US history .
According to the YouGov poll , a majority of both Trump and Clinton voters “ strongly approve ” of the coronavirus relief legislation ’ s payments to Americans making less than $ 99,000 , extended unemployment eligibility , and its $ 117 billion for hospitals .
“ Usually I ’ m not a fan of doling out money .
I think people should make their own way , ” says Ms. Romero , who recently got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Depot , and one at a local grocery store .
“ But the stimulus is a necessity right now .
This is uncharted territory.
” The isolation of quarantine is also a shared experience across party lines .
Like many Americans , the Front Row Joes – who often would wait in line together for days in advance of Mr. Trump ’ s rallies – have been looking for ways to connect in this unprecedented time .
Last week a dozen of them from across the country logged into Zoom for a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pledge of Allegiance together from their pixelated squares , some posing in front of Trump posters , others wearing red hats .
The Joes have also been connecting on Facebook to share memories of Mr. Hirschmann .
They ’ ve been sharing news articles about the 500 cars that partook in a drive-by vigil in front of the Hirschmanns ’ home in Michigan , and photos of Taco Bell chalupas , Mr. Hirschmann ’ s favorite .
When Ms. Hoffman first heard the news about Mr. Hirschmann ’ s death from COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praying it wasn ’ t true .
But Mr. Hirschmann ’ s mother answered , and confirmed that her son had passed away .
“ He was a mixture between my brother and my son , ” says Ms. Hoffman , her voice wavering .
“ He would worry about me and I ’ d worry about him.
” Still , Ms. Hoffman doesn ’ t blame Mr. Trump in any way for what happened – and she doesn ’ t believe Mr. Hirschmann would , either .
“ I trust [ Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben said that actual phrase to me : ‘ I trust Trump with my life , ’ ” she recalls .
If he were here , he would tell people “ to trust Trump , ” she says .
“ I know that ’ s what he would say.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“Things were wonderful [before COVID-19],” she says. “He did it once, he’ll do it again. I trust him.”
She tunes into President Trump’s briefings every evening, saying they make her feel reassured and hopeful.
“The man is not a magician, but he’s doing everything he can,” says Maria Romero, who lost her job at a car dealership outside Chicago two weeks ago because of COVID-19.
These supporters say the president is exhibiting strong leadership – and is rightly attuned to the need to get the economy moving again, despite warnings from public health experts that reopening workplaces too soon could lead to another spike in fatalities.
According to a recent YouGov poll , 27% of Americans “strongly approve” of the president’s performance. That may be a rough measure for Mr. Trump’s true base, voters who will not abandon him under almost any foreseeable circumstance.
Critics say the president failed to prepare for the pandemic and is botching the response. But roughly a third of Americans believe he’s exhibiting strong leadership, and back his desire to get the economy moving soon.
But as the United States navigates a spring season like no other, with much of its population at home and the economy frozen, President Trump’s core supporters remain staunchly behind the man they believe was Making America Great Again before the pandemic unexpectedly upset his plans.
To many on the left, President Donald Trump has been a manifest disaster in guiding America through COVID-19.
To many on the left, President Donald Trump has been a manifest disaster in guiding America through the current pandemic.
But Maria Romero most definitely would beg to differ.
“The man is not a magician, but he’s doing everything he can. … He believes in America and he believes in Americans,” says Ms. Romero, who lost her job at a car dealership outside of Chicago two weeks ago because of COVID-19.
Why We Wrote This Critics say the president failed to prepare for the pandemic and is botching the response. But roughly a third of Americans believe he’s exhibiting strong leadership, and back his desire to get the economy moving soon.
She tunes into President Trump’s coronavirus briefings every evening, saying they make her feel reassured and hopeful.
“I could be bitter, I could say, ‘This is President Trump’s fault’ – but it’s not,” she says. “Things were wonderful [before COVID-19]. He did it once, he’ll do it again. I trust him.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
As the United States navigates a spring season like no other, with much of its population sheltering at home and the economy frozen, President Trump’s core supporters – call them “superfans” – remain staunchly behind a chief executive they believe was Making America Great Again before a pandemic unexpectedly upset his plans.
Democrats may maintain that the president initially downplayed the threat from the novel coronavirus. The media may report that the White House failed to prepare for the pandemic by making sure the U.S. had adequate testing and medical supplies.
But these superfans, while they agree the crisis has been devastating, believe that President Trump has responded with strong leadership. They think the president is rightly attuned to the need to get the economy moving again as soon as possible, despite warnings from public health experts that broadly reopening workplaces before a vaccine or treatments are available could lead to another spike in fatalities.
This unshaken faith in Mr. Trump’s leadership is not necessarily because his supporters have been less impacted by the virus – although so far it has hit hardest in urban areas like New York and Detroit, which tend to be predominantly Democratic. Still, plenty of the president’s supporters have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Recently, the Front Row Joes – a self-named group of Trump superfans who travel the country going to MAGA rallies – lost one of their own: Benjamin Hirschmann, a young political science student from Fraser, Michigan, known for his smile and MAGA cape.
In response, however, Mr. Trump’s fans are more convinced than ever that he’s the right man for the job. In interviews, more than a dozen Trump voters tell the Monitor they believe Mr. Trump’s unique talents are needed now more than ever.
“Everything he is doing is for the good of the country,” says Cindy Hoffman, who owns an industrial tool sharpening business with her husband in Independence, Iowa. “It feels like he’s my father. He’s going to protect me.”
As polarized as ever
In a world in which everything has suddenly been upended, it’s perhaps revealing that views of Mr. Trump have remained as polarized as ever.
Typically, support for the president goes up in a crisis, as Americans “rally round the flag.” Former President George W. Bush’s approval rating, for example, hit a record 90% after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. And in early to mid-March, Mr. Trump’s overall approval rating did rise modestly, from 44% to 53%, according to a Morning Consult poll.
But that proved to be short lived. By the beginning of April, Mr. Trump’s approval rating had fallen back to 49%, with the gap between Democrats and Republicans even wider than before. In the latest Morning Consult poll, it stands at 43% – about where it was at the end of February.
The president’s critics say his “rally round” bump evaporated because his leadership through the pandemic has been poor. Mr. Trump’s initial dismissal of the threat from the novel coronavirus as “contained” – and the critical time his administration wasted once the threat was known, when it should have been ramping up testing and the production of medical supplies – has almost certainly cost lives, they say.
Courtesy of Cindy Hoffman View caption Hide caption Benjamin Hirschmann (front row, left), Cindy Hoffman (front row, right), and Randal Thom (second from right in back row) pose with some of the other "Front Row Joes" ahead of a Make America Great Again rally in Elkhart, Indiana on May 10, 2018.
The president’s hard-core supporters, however, disagree. According to a recent YouGov poll, 27% of those surveyed “strongly approve” of President Trump’s current job performance. That may be a rough measure for Mr. Trump’s true base, the voters who will not abandon him under almost any foreseeable circumstance.
The daily press briefings the president has been holding may be one way he’s continuing to keep his most committed fans behind him, says Jason Mollica, a lecturer at American University’s School of Communication.
While Mr. Trump has always had a knack for grabbing the spotlight, he has been more visible than ever in recent weeks. In some ways, the briefings have taken the place of MAGA rallies, providing a forum for the president to promote himself and attack the news media, impart valuable information, and make assertions that are not always backed by facts.
“Every day he has a chance to reach his people,” says Mr. Mollica. “He tells his supporters he is doing everything he can to support us Americans. … To everyone else, he might not make any sense, but [his fans] believe he is making America great again, even as the numbers [of coronavirus deaths] climb.”
Indeed, many Trump supporters believe that the crisis would be far worse with anyone else in the White House.
When Mr. Trump moved to restrict flights from China back in January, he was called a racist, notes Tommy Dugo, a moderator for a pro-Trump Facebook group. “But that probably saved a lot of lives,” says Mr. Dugo.
And if the president snaps at reporters during his daily briefings, it’s only because they refuse to acknowledge anything positive, says Randal Thom, a dog breeder and painter from Lakefield, Minnesota, and a founder of the Front Row Joes. “You see the reporters there giving him snarky comments and ‘gotcha’ type of questions,” says Mr. Thom.
Mr. Trump has been criticized by many for suggesting he may want to reopen America before health officials deem advisable, saying: “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.”
The president’s supporters often repeat this sentiment, with some adding that the COVID-19 models predicting high mortality rates seem like part of a Democratic conspiracy to keep the markets down and hurt Mr. Trump’s chances of reelection.
According to a YouGov poll from late March more than half of Mr. Trump’s voters believe it will be safe to end social distancing by May 1, whereas the majority of those who voted for Hillary Clinton believe that move should come later. Likewise, while almost 65% of Clinton voters say Americans are still not taking the risks of coronavirus seriously enough, some 60% of Trump voters say Americans are either behaving appropriately or overreacting.
Some of the president’s supporters, including Mr. Thom, recently created the group “ReOpen America” to try to show lawmakers that many voters agree with the president.
“We are doing this to counter the left’s strategy,” says Mr. Thom. “Their narrative is to keep America shut down.”
Shared experiences
Of course, not all of Mr. Trump’s voters are thrilled with his handling of COVID-19. Katy Ritter, a stay-at-home mom in Louisville, Kentucky, voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, but she’s had some buyer’s remorse watching the president’s recent press conferences, and is not sure she’ll vote for him again in November.
“We need to be led by a more compassionate person,” says Ms. Ritter, pointing to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear as an example. “We’re all in this together, and I want [Trump] to give us some of that unity that Andy is giving us.”
And there are some issues where Trump supporters and critics widely agree – such as support for the $2 trillion CARES Act, the largest emergency aid package in US history. According to the YouGov poll, a majority of both Trump and Clinton voters “strongly approve” of the coronavirus relief legislation’s payments to Americans making less than $99,000, extended unemployment eligibility, and its $117 billion for hospitals.
“Usually I’m not a fan of doling out money. I think people should make their own way,” says Ms. Romero, who recently got two part-time jobs: one at Home Depot, and one at a local grocery store. “But the stimulus is a necessity right now. This is uncharted territory.”
The isolation of quarantine is also a shared experience across party lines. Like many Americans, the Front Row Joes – who often would wait in line together for days in advance of Mr. Trump’s rallies – have been looking for ways to connect in this unprecedented time.
Last week a dozen of them from across the country logged into Zoom for a “virtual flag drop,” reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together from their pixelated squares, some posing in front of Trump posters, others wearing red hats.
The Joes have also been connecting on Facebook to share memories of Mr. Hirschmann. They’ve been sharing news articles about the 500 cars that partook in a drive-by vigil in front of the Hirschmanns’ home in Michigan, and photos of Taco Bell chalupas, Mr. Hirschmann’s favorite.
When Ms. Hoffman first heard the news about Mr. Hirschmann’s death from COVID-19, she immediately called his cell phone – praying it wasn’t true. But Mr. Hirschmann’s mother answered, and confirmed that her son had passed away.
“He was a mixture between my brother and my son,” says Ms. Hoffman, her voice wavering. “He would worry about me and I’d worry about him.”
Still, Ms. Hoffman doesn’t blame Mr. Trump in any way for what happened – and she doesn’t believe Mr. Hirschmann would, either.
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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.
“I trust [Trump] with my life. … And Ben said that actual phrase to me: ‘I trust Trump with my life,’” she recalls. If he were here, he would tell people “to trust Trump,” she says. “I know that’s what he would say.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-15--Endorsed by Warren and Sanders, can Biden win their supporters?

Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that it would be “ irresponsible ” for his loyalists not to support Joe Biden , warning that progressives who “ sit on their hands ” in the months ahead would simply enable President Donald Trump 's reelection .
This comes as Elizabeth Warren endorsed Mr. Biden on Wednesday , becoming the last of the former vice president 's major Democratic presidential rivals to formally back him .
The Massachusetts senator dropped out of the race last month , shortly after a disappointing third-place finish in her home state .
She refused to immediately endorse Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Sanders , who suspended his campaign last week , endorsed Mr. Biden on Monday .
A day later , former President Barack Obama announced his public backing of Biden .
And lest there be any question , the Vermont senator confirmed that “ it ’ s probably a very fair assumption ” that he would not run for president again .
He added , with a laugh : “ One can ’ t predict the future.
” Mr. Sanders spoke at length about his decision to endorse Mr. Biden , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to unify the Democratic Party during an interview with The Associated Press .
He railed against the Republican president but also offered pointed criticism at his own supporters who have so far resisted his vow to do whatever it takes to help Mr. Biden win the presidency .
He seemed to distance himself from his campaign 's former national press secretary , Briahna Joy Gray , when asked about her recent statement on social media refusing to endorse Mr. Biden .
“ She is my former press secretary – not on the payroll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman later clarified that all campaign staffers were no longer on the payroll as of Tuesday , though they will get a severance check in May .
Mr. Sanders said his supporters have a simple choice now that Mr. Biden has emerged as the presumptive nominee : “ Do we be as active as we can in electing Joe Biden and doing everything we can to move Joe and his campaign in a more progressive direction ?
Or do we choose to sit it out and allow the most dangerous president in modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He continued : “ I believe that it ’ s irresponsible for anybody to say , ‘ Well , I disagree with Joe Biden – I disagree with Joe Biden !
– and therefore I ’ m not going to be involved.
’ ” Mr. Sanders said he would not actively campaign or spend money on advertising in the primary contests that are still on the calendar in the coming months .
But he still encouraged Democrats in those states to vote for him , hoping to amass as many delegates as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the direction of Mr. Biden 's campaign .
He also vowed to continue fighting for progressive priorities such as his signature “ Medicare for All ” as a senator , even though Mr. Biden has refused to embrace the government-backed single-payer health care system .
“ If people want to vote for me , we ’ d appreciate it , '' Mr. Sanders said of the roughly 20 primary contests that remain where his name will appear on the ballot .
He later added , `` I think you ’ re going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Biden campaign into a more progressive direction on a whole lot of issues.
” Mr. Sanders did not outline any specific plans to begin helping Mr. Biden in earnest , though he noted that he held dozens of rallies for former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton four years ago and would be at least as active for Mr. Biden .
In the short term , he said he 's essentially “ incarcerated in his home '' because of coronavirus social distancing guidelines and did not know when he would return to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about why he was willing to back Mr. Biden so much sooner than he did Mrs. Clinton , whom he waited until June to endorse .
He said recent conversations with former President Barack Obama did not influence his decision .
It came down to simple math , he said .
In 2016 , Mr. Sanders said he had a mathematical path to the nomination all the way until the California primary , which was held on the last day of voting in June .
That simply was n't the case this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of staying in , of spending a whole lot of money , of attacking the vice president , giving fodder for Trump – what 's the sense of doing that when you can ’ t win ?
” he asked .
“ I will do everything I can to help elect Joe , '' Mr. Sanders continued .
`` We had a contentious campaign .
We disagree on issues .
But my job now is to not only rally my supporters , but to do everything I can to bring the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not elected president.
” Ms. Warren 's endorsement could fuel speculation that Mr. Biden may choose her as a running mate .
Ms. Warren made no mention of that possibility in announcing her endorsement , instead saying in a statement that Mr. Biden `` grew up on the ragged edge of the middle class.
” That phrase that was a centerpiece of Ms. Warren 's own campaign and referred to her own upbringing in Oklahoma .
Ms. Warren also referred to the pandemic by tweeting : “ In this moment of crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever that the next president restores Americans ’ faith in good , effective government – and I ’ ve seen Joe Biden help our nation rebuild .
Today , I ’ m proud to endorse @ JoeBiden as President of the United States.
” Some of Ms. Warren 's allies note that , in the days before her endorsement , Mr. Biden embraced some of the senator ’ s plans to combat the coronavirus , including calls to cancel student debt and expand Social Security benefits during the crisis .
He also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate to overhaul the nation 's bankruptcy system .
In her statement , Ms. Warren also referenced the pair 's sometimes rocky relationship .
They clashed in 2005 , when Mr. Biden was a Delaware senator and Ms. Warren was a Harvard Law School professor and bankruptcy expert , during a congressional hearing over a bankruptcy bill .
It was a scene that Mr. Biden , as vice president , recalled when he swore Ms. Warren into office eight years later .
“ Joe Biden was there at the very moment I became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
`` And when he did , he said ‘ you gave me hell !
And you ’ re gon na do a great job.
’ ” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that it would be “irresponsible” for his loyalists not to support Joe Biden, warning that progressives who “sit on their hands” in the months ahead would simply enable President Donald Trump's reelection.
This comes as Elizabeth Warren endorsed Mr. Biden on Wednesday, becoming the last of the former vice president's major Democratic presidential rivals to formally back him.
The Massachusetts senator dropped out of the race last month, shortly after a disappointing third-place finish in her home state. She refused to immediately endorse Mr. Biden or her fellow progressive Mr. Sanders.
Mr. Sanders, who suspended his campaign last week, endorsed Mr. Biden on Monday. A day later, former President Barack Obama announced his public backing of Biden.
And lest there be any question, the Vermont senator confirmed that “it’s probably a very fair assumption” that he would not run for president again. He added, with a laugh: “One can’t predict the future.”
Mr. Sanders spoke at length about his decision to endorse Mr. Biden, his political future, and the urgent need to unify the Democratic Party during an interview with The Associated Press. He railed against the Republican president but also offered pointed criticism at his own supporters who have so far resisted his vow to do whatever it takes to help Mr. Biden win the presidency.
He seemed to distance himself from his campaign's former national press secretary, Briahna Joy Gray, when asked about her recent statement on social media refusing to endorse Mr. Biden.
“She is my former press secretary – not on the payroll,” Mr. Sanders noted. A spokesman later clarified that all campaign staffers were no longer on the payroll as of Tuesday, though they will get a severance check in May.
Mr. Sanders said his supporters have a simple choice now that Mr. Biden has emerged as the presumptive nominee: “Do we be as active as we can in electing Joe Biden and doing everything we can to move Joe and his campaign in a more progressive direction? Or do we choose to sit it out and allow the most dangerous president in modern American history to get reelected?”
He continued: “I believe that it’s irresponsible for anybody to say, ‘Well, I disagree with Joe Biden – I disagree with Joe Biden! – and therefore I’m not going to be involved.’”
Mr. Sanders said he would not actively campaign or spend money on advertising in the primary contests that are still on the calendar in the coming months. But he still encouraged Democrats in those states to vote for him, hoping to amass as many delegates as possible for leverage to shape the party platform and the direction of Mr. Biden's campaign.
He also vowed to continue fighting for progressive priorities such as his signature “Medicare for All” as a senator, even though Mr. Biden has refused to embrace the government-backed single-payer health care system.
“If people want to vote for me, we’d appreciate it," Mr. Sanders said of the roughly 20 primary contests that remain where his name will appear on the ballot. He later added, "I think you’re going to see significant movement on the part of the Biden campaign into a more progressive direction on a whole lot of issues.”
Mr. Sanders did not outline any specific plans to begin helping Mr. Biden in earnest, though he noted that he held dozens of rallies for former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton four years ago and would be at least as active for Mr. Biden. In the short term, he said he's essentially “incarcerated in his home" because of coronavirus social distancing guidelines and did not know when he would return to the campaign trail.
Mr. Sanders brushed away questions about why he was willing to back Mr. Biden so much sooner than he did Mrs. Clinton, whom he waited until June to endorse. He said recent conversations with former President Barack Obama did not influence his decision. It came down to simple math, he said.
In 2016, Mr. Sanders said he had a mathematical path to the nomination all the way until the California primary, which was held on the last day of voting in June. That simply wasn't the case this year.
“What would be the sense of staying in, of spending a whole lot of money, of attacking the vice president, giving fodder for Trump – what's the sense of doing that when you can’t win?” he asked.
“I will do everything I can to help elect Joe," Mr. Sanders continued. "We had a contentious campaign. We disagree on issues. But my job now is to not only rally my supporters, but to do everything I can to bring the party together to see that [Trump] is not elected president.”
Ms. Warren's endorsement could fuel speculation that Mr. Biden may choose her as a running mate.
Ms. Warren made no mention of that possibility in announcing her endorsement, instead saying in a statement that Mr. Biden "grew up on the ragged edge of the middle class.” That phrase that was a centerpiece of Ms. Warren's own campaign and referred to her own upbringing in Oklahoma.
Ms. Warren also referred to the pandemic by tweeting: “In this moment of crisis, it’s more important than ever that the next president restores Americans’ faith in good, effective government – and I’ve seen Joe Biden help our nation rebuild. Today, I’m proud to endorse @JoeBiden as President of the United States.”
Some of Ms. Warren's allies note that, in the days before her endorsement, Mr. Biden embraced some of the senator’s plans to combat the coronavirus, including calls to cancel student debt and expand Social Security benefits during the crisis. He also has adopted a plan she promoted as a candidate to overhaul the nation's bankruptcy system.
In her statement, Ms. Warren also referenced the pair's sometimes rocky relationship. They clashed in 2005, when Mr. Biden was a Delaware senator and Ms. Warren was a Harvard Law School professor and bankruptcy expert, during a congressional hearing over a bankruptcy bill. It was a scene that Mr. Biden, as vice president, recalled when he swore Ms. Warren into office eight years later.
“Joe Biden was there at the very moment I became a Senator," Ms. Warren wrote Wednesday. "And when he did, he said ‘you gave me hell! And you’re gonna do a great job.’”
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-15--European countries denounce Trump for cutting funding to the WHO

Nations around the world reacted with alarm Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced a halt to the sizable funding the United States sends to the World Health Organization .
Health experts warned the move could jeopardize global efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic .
At a briefing in Washington , Mr. Trump said he was instructing his administration to halt funding for the WHO pending a review of its role `` in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus . ''
The U.S. is WHO 's largest single donor , contributing between $ 400 million and $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent years .
Mr. Trump has repeatedly labelled COVID-19 the `` Chinese virus '' and criticized the U.N. health agency for being too lenient on China , where the novel virus first emerged late last year .
Outside experts have questioned China 's reported infections and deaths from the virus , calling them way too low and unreliable .
And an investigation by The Associated Press has found that six days of delays between when Chinese officials knew about the virus and when they warned the public allowed the pandemic to bloom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The WHO has been particularly effusive in its praise for China , calling on other countries to emulate their approach and repeatedly praising their transparency .
But China only agreed to a proposed WHO-led mission to investigate the coronavirus outbreak after WHO 's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus personally paid a visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping , a highly unusual move to secure a country visit during an outbreak .
The European Union on Wednesday said Mr. Trump has `` no reason '' to freeze WHO funding at this critical stage and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ division .
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-nation bloc `` deeply '' regrets the suspension of funds and added that the U.N. health agency is now `` needed more than ever '' to combat the pandemic .
Mr. Borrell said `` only by joining forces can we overcome this crisis that knows no borders . ''
Even though the EU and the United States have been traditional allies for decades , the EU has increasingly been critical of the Trump administration over the past years .
Worldwide , the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed over 127,000 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he sympathized with some of Mr. Trump 's criticisms of WHO and China , but that Australia would continue to fund the U.N. health agency .
`` We work closely with them so that we 're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater here , '' Mr. Morrison told Perth Radio 6PR .
`` But they 're also not immune from criticism . ''
`` Placing blame does n't help , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The virus knows no borders .
We must work closely against COVID-19 .
Strengthening the U.N. , in particular the underfunded WHO , is a better investment , for example , to develop and distribute tests and vaccines . ''
The Netherlands has also thrown its support behind the WHO .
`` Now is not the time to hold back funding .
Once the pandemic is under control , lessons can be learned .
For now , focus on overcoming this crisis , '' Sigrid Kaag , minister for foreign trade and development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sridhar , chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh , called Mr. Trump 's decision `` extremely problematic , '' noting that WHO is leading efforts to help developing countries fight the spread of COVID-19 .
`` This is the agency that 's looking out for other countries and leading efforts to stop the pandemic , '' Ms. Sridhar said .
`` This is exactly the time when they need more funding , not less . ''
Ms. Sridhar said Mr. Trump 's move was a short-sighted political decision that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is angry , but his anger is being directed in a way that is going to ultimately hurt U.S. interests , '' she said .
Ms. Sridhar and others said it was still unclear what the precise impact of Mr. Trump 's funding cuts might be , but that other health priorities funded by the U.S. , like polio eradication , malaria , and HIV , were likely to suffer .
In Beijing , Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian says the country is `` seriously concerned '' about the U.S. government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO did not respond to repeated requests from The Associated Press for comment , but its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other top WHO officials were expected to attend a news conference on the pandemic later Wednesday .
Some experts say WHO dallied in declaring a pandemic ; it did so only on March 11 , long after the surging outbreaks on multiple continents met the agency 's own definition for a global crisis .
`` They were really behind the curve , '' said Mark Woolhouse , professor of infectious disease epidemiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. health agency also insisted for months that the virus could be contained and was not as infectious as influenza .
But many outbreak experts , including at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , said COVID-19 was spreading many times faster than flu and that its rate of spread was apparent in January .
Still , some global health academics said Mr. Trump 's attacks on WHO might actually strengthen the agency 's credibility .
`` If Trump was making a great success of the pandemic response in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths there , that might be different , '' said Sophie Harman , a professor of international politics at Queen Mary University of London .
`` But things are getting worse and that reinforces the need for WHO . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Nations around the world reacted with alarm Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced a halt to the sizable funding the United States sends to the World Health Organization. Health experts warned the move could jeopardize global efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic.
At a briefing in Washington, Mr. Trump said he was instructing his administration to halt funding for the WHO pending a review of its role "in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus." The U.S. is WHO's largest single donor, contributing between $400 million and $500 million annually to the Geneva-based agency in recent years.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly labelled COVID-19 the "Chinese virus" and criticized the U.N. health agency for being too lenient on China, where the novel virus first emerged late last year.
Outside experts have questioned China's reported infections and deaths from the virus, calling them way too low and unreliable. And an investigation by The Associated Press has found that six days of delays between when Chinese officials knew about the virus and when they warned the public allowed the pandemic to bloom into an enormous public health disaster.
The WHO has been particularly effusive in its praise for China, calling on other countries to emulate their approach and repeatedly praising their transparency.
But China only agreed to a proposed WHO-led mission to investigate the coronavirus outbreak after WHO's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus personally paid a visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping, a highly unusual move to secure a country visit during an outbreak.
The European Union on Wednesday said Mr. Trump has "no reason" to freeze WHO funding at this critical stage and called for measures to promote unity instead of division. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the 27-nation bloc "deeply" regrets the suspension of funds and added that the U.N. health agency is now "needed more than ever" to combat the pandemic.
Mr. Borrell said "only by joining forces can we overcome this crisis that knows no borders."
Even though the EU and the United States have been traditional allies for decades, the EU has increasingly been critical of the Trump administration over the past years.
Worldwide, the pandemic has infected nearly 2 million people and killed over 127,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he sympathized with some of Mr. Trump's criticisms of WHO and China, but that Australia would continue to fund the U.N. health agency.
"We work closely with them so that we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater here," Mr. Morrison told Perth Radio 6PR. "But they're also not immune from criticism."
Germany's foreign minister, Heiko Maas, pushed back at Mr. Trump's announcement.
"Placing blame doesn't help," he wrote on Twitter. "The virus knows no borders. We must work closely against COVID-19. Strengthening the U.N., in particular the underfunded WHO, is a better investment, for example, to develop and distribute tests and vaccines."
The Netherlands has also thrown its support behind the WHO. "Now is not the time to hold back funding. Once the pandemic is under control, lessons can be learned. For now, focus on overcoming this crisis," Sigrid Kaag, minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, said on Twitter.
Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, called Mr. Trump's decision "extremely problematic," noting that WHO is leading efforts to help developing countries fight the spread of COVID-19.
"This is the agency that's looking out for other countries and leading efforts to stop the pandemic," Ms. Sridhar said. "This is exactly the time when they need more funding, not less."
Ms. Sridhar said Mr. Trump's move was a short-sighted political decision that would likely have lasting consequences.
"Trump is angry, but his anger is being directed in a way that is going to ultimately hurt U.S. interests," she said.
Ms. Sridhar and others said it was still unclear what the precise impact of Mr. Trump's funding cuts might be, but that other health priorities funded by the U.S., like polio eradication, malaria, and HIV, were likely to suffer.
In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian says the country is "seriously concerned" about the U.S. government's decision to suspend funding.
The WHO did not respond to repeated requests from The Associated Press for comment, but its Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other top WHO officials were expected to attend a news conference on the pandemic later Wednesday.
Some experts say WHO dallied in declaring a pandemic; it did so only on March 11, long after the surging outbreaks on multiple continents met the agency's own definition for a global crisis.
"They were really behind the curve," said Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh.
The U.N. health agency also insisted for months that the virus could be contained and was not as infectious as influenza. But many outbreak experts, including at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said COVID-19 was spreading many times faster than flu and that its rate of spread was apparent in January.
Still, some global health academics said Mr. Trump's attacks on WHO might actually strengthen the agency's credibility.
"If Trump was making a great success of the pandemic response in the U.S., if there were minimal cases and deaths there, that might be different," said Sophie Harman, a professor of international politics at Queen Mary University of London. "But things are getting worse and that reinforces the need for WHO."
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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.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--The politics of a pandemic: How Trump will be judged in November

“ But if we ’ re in a prolonged recession , let alone if there ’ s a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall , ” he adds , “ then we ’ re looking at a very different situation.
” It ’ s possible that by November the public health emergency will be waning and the economy starting to come back .
If that ’ s the case , “ Trump could run on recovery – ‘ morning in America , ’ ” as President Ronald Reagan did in 1984 after a deep recession , says Charles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School poll of Wisconsin voters .
Already , the president has been setting expectations and positioning himself to take credit or deflect blame , depending on where things stand come November .
He has pushed back hard on news reports that have portrayed him as slow to respond to early warnings about the virus .
His daily briefings have featured blunt attacks on the reporters in the room and the “ fake news ” media in general .
Since 1992 , “ It ’ s the economy , stupid ” has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic operative James Carville .
Today , it ’ s President Donald Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic that ’ s likely to shape voter calculations – though it and the economy are in many ways linked .
President Donald Trump ’ s bracing assertion on Monday that he will decide when to “ open up the states ” sparked a flurry of pushback .
In America ’ s decentralized federalist system , governors are the drivers of state policy , as even Trump-friendly scholars quickly noted .
Orders to “ stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing schools and most businesses – have come from governors and local authorities , not the president .
In fact , President Trump himself has repeatedly pointed this out .
Just days ago , he made a show of not issuing a nationwide call to shelter in place , as a once-in-a-lifetime global health crisis has swept the United States , killing thousands and wrecking a once-strong economy .
So far more than 25,000 Americans have died and analysts say that the economy has lost more jobs in a month than had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this seeming contradiction makes more sense when seen through the lens of the looming 2020 presidential election .
Like all races featuring an incumbent , the election is likely to be a referendum on Mr. Trump ’ s performance in office .
And he is positioning himself , analysts say , for a range of potential scenarios – to get credit if things are improving , and avoid blame if they ’ re not .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for creating ‘ heads I win , tails you lose ’ conflicts , ” says Lee Drutman , a senior fellow at the New America think tank .
It ’ s possible that by November the public health emergency will be waning and the economy starting to come back .
If that ’ s the case , “ Trump could run on recovery – ‘ morning in America , ’ ” as President Ronald Reagan did in 1984 after a deep recession , says Charles Franklin , director of the Marquette Law School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we ’ re in a prolonged recession , let alone if there ’ s a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall , ” he adds , “ then we ’ re looking at a very different situation.
” The politics of the pandemic have set up a push-and-pull dynamic between the Republican president and governors of the hardest-hit states , almost all Democrats .
For the most part , they have appeared to work well together in procuring needed equipment and supplies , setting up unusual moments of mutual praise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s two largest blue states , California and New York .
Such bipartisan collaboration helps both sides , and not just in addressing the critical needs of the moment .
For Mr. Trump , it ’ s a good look as he campaigns for reelection – particularly with swing voters who could tip the election .
For Govs .
Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York , dubbed by some the “ Trump whisperer , ” the above-politics approach to crisis management may boost aspirations for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen boffo poll numbers within their states on their handling of the pandemic , some upward of 80 % – with high marks from Republican voters for Democratic leaders and vice versa .
Mr. Trump , by contrast , saw a modest , early boost in overall job approval that quickly faded .
His scores on handling the pandemic , which briefly made it above 50 % , have also dipped .
Perhaps predictably , many on Tuesday shot down Mr. Trump ’ s claim of “ total ” authority to reopen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a king ; we have a president , ” Governor Cuomo said on NBC ’ s “ Today Show.
” Mr. Trump responded on Twitter : “ Cuomo ’ s been calling daily , even hourly , begging for everything , most of which should have been the state ’ s responsibility , ” he wrote .
Since 1992 , “ It ’ s the economy , stupid ” has been a mantra of presidential campaigns , courtesy of Democratic operative James Carville .
Today , that seems only partly true , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic will also surely factor into voter calculations – though the two are in many ways linked .
Analysts agree it ’ s too soon to say where either the economy or the pandemic will stand come November .
But already , the president has been setting expectations and positioning himself to deflect blame if the economic and public health crises are still raging come November .
He has pushed back hard on news reports , most comprehensively in The New York Times , that have portrayed him as slow to respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His daily briefings have featured blunt attacks on the reporters in the room and the “ fake news ” media in general .
Models in late March that showed between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans dying from the coronavirus have been dialed back , as new information has become available .
The models had also shown that without mitigation , between 1.5 million and 2.2 million people could have died .
Though it ’ s Mr. Trump ’ s medical advisers who come up with the models , and not the president himself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a victory any eventual death toll that ’ s lower than what was initially predicted , says Professor Franklin .
“ President Trump has a genuine talent for how he presents even bad outcomes , to turn those to his advantage , ” Mr. Franklin says .
Before the crisis hit , Mr. Trump was by no means a shoo-in for reelection , despite record-low unemployment and soaring markets .
Even now , the deeply polarized electorate appears to be fairly frozen in place , with a slice of swing voters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outcome .
But the November election will “ unquestionably ” be a referendum on Mr. Trump , says Ari Fleischer , who served as White House press secretary for President George W. Bush .
Mr. Trump has voter intensity on his side , with devoted followers and an opponent – former Vice President Joe Biden – who does not inspire enthusiasm , Mr. Fleischer says .
Mr. Biden ’ s image will matter come the fall , he says , when the election inevitably becomes a choice .
And what of Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ?
“ He ’ s on the side of hope and on the side of what people want , ” Mr. Fleischer says .
“ That cuts in the president ’ s favor.
” Besides , he notes , Democrats are saying the same thing .
On Monday , governors on both the east and west coasts formed regional coalitions aimed at looking ahead to a time when they can reopen their economies in a coordinated way .
“ If things bounce back , will [ Mr. Trump ] get credit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much ?
” asks Christopher Wlezien , a professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied the impact of economic conditions on presidential elections .
“ That might be part of his thinking in not wanting to be involved in the closing of the economy , but wanting to be involved in reopening the economy.
” Editor ’ s note : As a public service , all our coronavirus coverage is free .
No paywall .

“But if we’re in a prolonged recession, let alone if there’s a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall,” he adds, “then we’re looking at a very different situation.”
It’s possible that by November the public health emergency will be waning and the economy starting to come back. If that’s the case, “Trump could run on recovery – ‘morning in America,’” as President Ronald Reagan did in 1984 after a deep recession, says Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin voters.
For President Trump, the election is likely to hinge almost entirely on his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. He’s positioning himself to benefit politically from what goes right – and trying to avoid blame for what doesn’t.
Already, the president has been setting expectations and positioning himself to take credit or deflect blame, depending on where things stand come November. He has pushed back hard on news reports that have portrayed him as slow to respond to early warnings about the virus. His daily briefings have featured blunt attacks on the reporters in the room and the “fake news” media in general.
Since 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid” has been a mantra of presidential campaigns, courtesy of Democratic operative James Carville. Today, it’s President Donald Trump’s handling of the pandemic that’s likely to shape voter calculations – though it and the economy are in many ways linked.
President Donald Trump’s bracing assertion on Monday that he will decide when to “open up the states” sparked a flurry of pushback.
In America’s decentralized federalist system, governors are the drivers of state policy, as even Trump-friendly scholars quickly noted. Orders to “stay at home” amid the pandemic – closing schools and most businesses – have come from governors and local authorities, not the president.
In fact, President Trump himself has repeatedly pointed this out. Just days ago, he made a show of not issuing a nationwide call to shelter in place, as a once-in-a-lifetime global health crisis has swept the United States, killing thousands and wrecking a once-strong economy. So far more than 25,000 Americans have died and analysts say that the economy has lost more jobs in a month than had been created since the Great Recession.
Why We Wrote This For President Trump, the election is likely to hinge almost entirely on his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. He’s positioning himself to benefit politically from what goes right – and trying to avoid blame for what doesn’t.
But this seeming contradiction makes more sense when seen through the lens of the looming 2020 presidential election. Like all races featuring an incumbent, the election is likely to be a referendum on Mr. Trump’s performance in office. And he is positioning himself, analysts say, for a range of potential scenarios – to get credit if things are improving, and avoid blame if they’re not.
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.
“He has a knack for creating ‘heads I win, tails you lose’ conflicts,” says Lee Drutman, a senior fellow at the New America think tank.
It’s possible that by November the public health emergency will be waning and the economy starting to come back.
If that’s the case, “Trump could run on recovery – ‘morning in America,’” as President Ronald Reagan did in 1984 after a deep recession, says Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin voters.
“But if we’re in a prolonged recession, let alone if there’s a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall,” he adds, “then we’re looking at a very different situation.”
The politics of the pandemic have set up a push-and-pull dynamic between the Republican president and governors of the hardest-hit states, almost all Democrats. For the most part, they have appeared to work well together in procuring needed equipment and supplies, setting up unusual moments of mutual praise – most notably involving the governors of the nation’s two largest blue states, California and New York.
Such bipartisan collaboration helps both sides, and not just in addressing the critical needs of the moment. For Mr. Trump, it’s a good look as he campaigns for reelection – particularly with swing voters who could tip the election. For Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York, dubbed by some the “Trump whisperer,” the above-politics approach to crisis management may boost aspirations for a future presidential bid.
Many governors have seen boffo poll numbers within their states on their handling of the pandemic, some upward of 80% – with high marks from Republican voters for Democratic leaders and vice versa. Mr. Trump, by contrast, saw a modest, early boost in overall job approval that quickly faded. His scores on handling the pandemic, which briefly made it above 50%, have also dipped.
Perhaps predictably, many on Tuesday shot down Mr. Trump’s claim of “total” authority to reopen the country.
“We don’t have a king; we have a president,” Governor Cuomo said on NBC’s “Today Show.”
Mr. Trump responded on Twitter: “Cuomo’s been calling daily, even hourly, begging for everything, most of which should have been the state’s responsibility,” he wrote.
Since 1992, “It’s the economy, stupid” has been a mantra of presidential campaigns, courtesy of Democratic operative James Carville.
Today, that seems only partly true, as Mr. Trump’s handling of the pandemic will also surely factor into voter calculations – though the two are in many ways linked. Analysts agree it’s too soon to say where either the economy or the pandemic will stand come November.
But already, the president has been setting expectations and positioning himself to deflect blame if the economic and public health crises are still raging come November. He has pushed back hard on news reports, most comprehensively in The New York Times, that have portrayed him as slow to respond to early warnings about the virus. His daily briefings have featured blunt attacks on the reporters in the room and the “fake news” media in general.
Models in late March that showed between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans dying from the coronavirus have been dialed back, as new information has become available. The models had also shown that without mitigation, between 1.5 million and 2.2 million people could have died.
Though it’s Mr. Trump’s medical advisers who come up with the models, and not the president himself, he would still be able to claim as a victory any eventual death toll that’s lower than what was initially predicted, says Professor Franklin.
“President Trump has a genuine talent for how he presents even bad outcomes, to turn those to his advantage,” Mr. Franklin says.
Before the crisis hit, Mr. Trump was by no means a shoo-in for reelection, despite record-low unemployment and soaring markets. Even now, the deeply polarized electorate appears to be fairly frozen in place, with a slice of swing voters in a handful of states likely to determine the outcome.
But the November election will “unquestionably” be a referendum on Mr. Trump, says Ari Fleischer, who served as White House press secretary for President George W. Bush.
Mr. Trump has voter intensity on his side, with devoted followers and an opponent – former Vice President Joe Biden – who does not inspire enthusiasm, Mr. Fleischer says. Mr. Biden’s image will matter come the fall, he says, when the election inevitably becomes a choice.
And what of Mr. Trump’s talk about reopening the country? “He’s on the side of hope and on the side of what people want,” Mr. Fleischer says. “That cuts in the president’s favor.”
Besides, he notes, Democrats are saying the same thing. On Monday, governors on both the east and west coasts formed regional coalitions aimed at looking ahead to a time when they can reopen their economies in a coordinated way.
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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.
“If things bounce back, will [Mr. Trump] get credit for that? And if so, how much?” asks Christopher Wlezien, a professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied the impact of economic conditions on presidential elections. “That might be part of his thinking in not wanting to be involved in the closing of the economy, but wanting to be involved in reopening the economy.”
Editor’s note: As a public service, all our coronavirus coverage is free. No paywall.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--Obama leaves political sidelines to endorse Biden

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden on Tuesday , giving the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee a boost from the party 's biggest fundraiser and one of its most popular figures .
`` Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times , and heal us through a long recovery .
And I know he 'll surround himself with good people , '' Mr. Obama said in a 12-minute video , touting Mr. Biden as a `` close friend '' and lauding him for his perseverance and compassion .
The endorsement marked Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than three years after leaving the White House .
He did n't mention his successor , President Donald Trump , by name and instead sought to bridge the ideological divide among Democrats .
Mr. Obama spent a sizable portion of the video acknowledging the contributions of Bernie Sanders .
The Vermont senator was the leading progressive in the Democratic primary and ended his campaign last week before endorsing Mr. Biden on Monday .
The former president called Mr. Sanders an `` American original '' and backed his frequent call for `` structural change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Democrats `` may not always agree on every detail , '' they must unify to defeat Republicans .
`` The Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress , '' he said .
`` They 're interested in power . ''
Mr. Biden now has the support of all of his former Democratic primary rivals except for Elizabeth Warren .
The Massachusetts senator is expected to formally throw her support behind Mr. Biden soon , according to a person familiar with her plans .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formally endorse Mr. Biden are former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton , the party 's 2016 nominee .
Hillary Clinton has been in regular touch with Mr. Biden , including several times since Mr. Sanders dropped out of the race , according to an aide .
Mr. Obama avoided intervening in the Democratic primary , but followed the race closely from the sidelines and is eager to take a more active public role in the campaign .
He 's expected to headline fundraisers for Mr. Biden and public events in key swing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held given social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic .
An Obama adviser said the former president is taking his cues from Mr. Biden 's campaign on how he can be most useful as he eases back into a more overtly political role .
Though Mr. Obama stayed out of the primary , Mr. Biden frequently pointed to their time together in the White House .
Mr. Biden often spoke of the `` Obama-Biden '' administration when talking about various accomplishments and referred to himself as an `` Obama-Biden Democrat . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was running as his own man , telling anyone who asked that he urged Mr. Obama not to endorse him out of the gate or even in the thick of the primary .
Mr. Obama 's tenure became a sort of punching bag for some presidential hopefuls in a primary fight that early on was defined by a debate over the need for generational and systemic change versus a return to normalcy after the Trump era .
Julian Castro pushed Mr. Biden repeatedly on whether he argued with Mr. Obama privately over deportations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Beto O'Rourke subtly jabbed Mr. Biden – and by extension Mr. Obama – by suggesting the party should n't `` return to the past . ''
Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren said the 2010 Affordable Care Act had n't gone far enough .
But Mr. Biden was a staunch defender of that legislation and called it `` bizarre '' for Democrats , even faintly , to attack Mr. Obama 's record .
The conversation around Mr. Obama 's presidency shifted as the primary wore on .
By the time voting began , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youthful bid to Mr. Obama 's 2008 campaign and the progressives were framing their health care proposals as a way to build on Mr. Obama 's legacy .
Billionaire candidate Mike Bloomberg , meanwhile , featured Mr. Obama in his ubiquitous advertising effort , much to Mr. Biden 's chagrin .
`` You 'd think Mike was Barack 's vice president , '' Mr. Biden once quipped to donors .
For his part , Mr. Biden leaned even more heavily into Mr. Obama as primary voting began .
Aiming at Mr. Sanders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and billionaire Mr. Bloomberg , who 'd been elected New York City mayor as a Republican , Mr. Biden said in a Feb. 21 interview with The Associated Press that `` they 're not bad folks .
They 're just not Democrats . ''
Campaigning before increasingly diverse audiences in Nevada and South Carolina , Mr. Biden ramped up his recollections of when Mr. Obama tapped him for the ticket in 2008 .
Mr. Biden recalled Inauguration Day 2009 , waiting for the train in his hometown of Wilmington , Delaware , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up … for the two of us to be sworn in as president and vice president of the United States . ''
Often drawing nods and vocal affirmation from his audiences , Mr. Biden said he had thought of that day as a national victory over institutional racism .
Now , in the Trump era , Mr. Biden calls that conclusion a mistake .
`` I thought we could defeat hate , '' he said , but , `` it never goes away . ''
On Feb. 29 , Mr. Biden took the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 30-point victory that would propel him past Mr. Sanders and everyone .
He dusted off a line he 'd used many times before : `` I 'm a proud Obama-Biden Democrat , '' Mr. Biden said .
Mr. Obama was watching .
His sideline approach nearing its end , he called his former vice president that night to congratulate him on his victory .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Alexandra Jaffe, Julie Pace, and Bill Barrow

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden on Tuesday, giving the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee a boost from the party's biggest fundraiser and one of its most popular figures.
"Joe has the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times, and heal us through a long recovery. And I know he'll surround himself with good people," Mr. Obama said in a 12-minute video, touting Mr. Biden as a "close friend" and lauding him for his perseverance and compassion.
The endorsement marked Mr. Obama's return to presidential politics more than three years after leaving the White House. He didn't mention his successor, President Donald Trump, by name and instead sought to bridge the ideological divide among Democrats.
Mr. Obama spent a sizable portion of the video acknowledging the contributions of Bernie Sanders. The Vermont senator was the leading progressive in the Democratic primary and ended his campaign last week before endorsing Mr. Biden on Monday.
The former president called Mr. Sanders an "American original" and backed his frequent call for "structural change." But he also acknowledged that while Democrats "may not always agree on every detail," they must unify to defeat Republicans.
"The Republicans occupying the White House and running the U.S. Senate are not interested in progress," he said. "They're interested in power."
Mr. Biden now has the support of all of his former Democratic primary rivals except for Elizabeth Warren. The Massachusetts senator is expected to formally throw her support behind Mr. Biden soon, according to a person familiar with her plans.
Two other prominent Democrats who have yet to formally endorse Mr. Biden are former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the party's 2016 nominee. Hillary Clinton has been in regular touch with Mr. Biden, including several times since Mr. Sanders dropped out of the race, according to an aide.
Mr. Obama avoided intervening in the Democratic primary, but followed the race closely from the sidelines and is eager to take a more active public role in the campaign. He's expected to headline fundraisers for Mr. Biden and public events in key swing states, if those events can still be held given social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. An Obama adviser said the former president is taking his cues from Mr. Biden's campaign on how he can be most useful as he eases back into a more overtly political role.
Though Mr. Obama stayed out of the primary, Mr. Biden frequently pointed to their time together in the White House. Mr. Biden often spoke of the "Obama-Biden" administration when talking about various accomplishments and referred to himself as an "Obama-Biden Democrat."
But he also tried to insist he was running as his own man, telling anyone who asked that he urged Mr. Obama not to endorse him out of the gate or even in the thick of the primary.
Mr. Obama's tenure became a sort of punching bag for some presidential hopefuls in a primary fight that early on was defined by a debate over the need for generational and systemic change versus a return to normalcy after the Trump era.
Julian Castro pushed Mr. Biden repeatedly on whether he argued with Mr. Obama privately over deportations overseen by that administration. Pete Buttigieg and Beto O'Rourke subtly jabbed Mr. Biden – and by extension Mr. Obama – by suggesting the party shouldn't "return to the past." Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren said the 2010 Affordable Care Act hadn't gone far enough.
But Mr. Biden was a staunch defender of that legislation and called it "bizarre" for Democrats, even faintly, to attack Mr. Obama's record.
The conversation around Mr. Obama's presidency shifted as the primary wore on. By the time voting began, Mr. Buttigieg was almost explicitly comparing his youthful bid to Mr. Obama's 2008 campaign and the progressives were framing their health care proposals as a way to build on Mr. Obama's legacy. Billionaire candidate Mike Bloomberg, meanwhile, featured Mr. Obama in his ubiquitous advertising effort, much to Mr. Biden's chagrin.
"You'd think Mike was Barack's vice president," Mr. Biden once quipped to donors.
For his part, Mr. Biden leaned even more heavily into Mr. Obama as primary voting began. Aiming at Mr. Sanders, the self-described "democratic socialist," and billionaire Mr. Bloomberg, who'd been elected New York City mayor as a Republican, Mr. Biden said in a Feb. 21 interview with The Associated Press that "they're not bad folks. They're just not Democrats."
Campaigning before increasingly diverse audiences in Nevada and South Carolina, Mr. Biden ramped up his recollections of when Mr. Obama tapped him for the ticket in 2008. Mr. Biden recalled Inauguration Day 2009, waiting for the train in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, "for a black man to pick me up … for the two of us to be sworn in as president and vice president of the United States."
Often drawing nods and vocal affirmation from his audiences, Mr. Biden said he had thought of that day as a national victory over institutional racism. Now, in the Trump era, Mr. Biden calls that conclusion a mistake.
"I thought we could defeat hate," he said, but, "it never goes away."
On Feb. 29, Mr. Biden took the stage in South Carolina to celebrate a nearly 30-point victory that would propel him past Mr. Sanders and everyone.
He dusted off a line he'd used many times before: "I'm a proud Obama-Biden Democrat," Mr. Biden said.
Mr. Obama was watching. His sideline approach nearing its end, he called his former vice president that night to congratulate him on his victory.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-14--Amid Wisconsin election mess, voters reject Trump's court pick

A liberal challenger on Monday ousted a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice endorsed by President Donald Trump , overcoming a successful push by Republicans to forge ahead with last week 's election even as numerous other states postponed theirs due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Joe Biden also emerged victorious , as expected , in the state 's Democratic presidential primary .
Mr. Biden ’ s easy victory became academic when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out , one day after Wisconsin held in-person voting .
But the absentee-ballot-fueled victory by liberal Supreme Court candidate Jill Karofsky was a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the court to 4-3 , giving liberals a chance to take control in 2023 .
Ms. Karofsky will now be on the court when the Republican-controlled Legislature tackles redistricting next year , a fight many expect to be decided by the state Supreme Court .
Her win will also certainly be seen as a bellwether in battleground Wisconsin ahead of the November presidential election .
Mr. Trump barely carried the state four years ago , and both parties see it as critical this year .
Justice Dan Kelly was an early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the expected higher Democratic turnout since the election was on the same day as the presidential primary .
But the Supreme Court outcome became more uncertain as Mr. Biden emerged as the presumptive nominee in March and the coronavirus pandemic led to fears of in-person voting and closure of polling locations .
With so much riding on turnout , the Republican push to proceed with the election was viewed by Democrats as a bid to suppress Democratic votes , particularly among minorities in Milwaukee .
Ms. Karofsky credited her win to voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppress turnout .
`` People were willing to do that because they wanted their voices to be heard in this election , '' she said .
`` A lot of times on election day we ’ re wringing our hands because we ’ re so upset about voter apathy .
That wasn ’ t the problem on Tuesday .
People wanted their voices heard . ''
Karofsky voter Caleb Andersen , of Milwaukee , worked the polls on election day and thought the hurdles put up to voting in person motivated some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have otherwise .
`` I ’ m sure there ’ s some level of vindication , '' Mr. Anderson said of the Karofsky win .
`` I do feel there was a lot of voter activity by people who were angered by the entire thing , the lack of availability of absentee ballots . ''
Mr. Trump last week broke from health experts and called on his supporters to “ get out and vote NOW ” for Mr. Kelly .
He later said Democrats were playing politics by trying to postpone the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , the Wisconsin Democrats said , ‘ Oh , let ’ s move the election two months later , ’ '' Mr. Trump said .
`` Now they talk about , ‘ Oh , safety , safety . '
'' Mr. Trump first voiced support for Mr. Kelly at a rally in January , far before concerns over the coronavirus led to calls for a delay in the election .
After Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers ordered the election postponed , the highly politicized Wisconsin Supreme Court backed Republicans in proceeding with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day before the April 7 election .
Thousands of voters congregated for hours in long lines on April 7 , defying social-distancing guidelines that led to the postponement of primaries in several other states .
Milwaukee opened just five of 180 polling places due to a shortage of workers .
Ms. Karofsky surged to victory behind a record-high number of absentee ballots – nearly as many as all the votes cast in a state Supreme Court race last year .
The Wisconsin election crystallized what ’ s expected to be a high-stakes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely cast their ballots if the coronavirus outbreak persists into the November election .
Democrats are arguing for states to be ready to shift to much greater use of absentee and mailed ballots , while Republicans are raising the specter that such elections could lead to increased fraud .
Ms. Karofksy ’ s win is likely to only add fuel to Democrats ’ call for more mail-in elections and toughen GOP opposition .
Democrats earlier Monday called for moving a May 12 special congressional election in Wisconsin to mail-in only .
Returns weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday due to a quirk in the court battle over the election .
Even before the counting began , a group of Milwaukee-area voters filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force a partial revote to protect the “ thousands ” of voters who they argue were disenfranchised by the turbulent election .
Many voters complained that they had requested absentee ballots that never arrived , forcing them to choose between sitting out the election or risking infection by voting in person .
City officials in Milwaukee , as well as Wisconsin ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Postal Service to investigate the complaints .
Mr. Evers said on Monday that the election was “ a mess that could have been avoided.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

A liberal challenger on Monday ousted a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice endorsed by President Donald Trump, overcoming a successful push by Republicans to forge ahead with last week's election even as numerous other states postponed theirs due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Joe Biden also emerged victorious, as expected, in the state's Democratic presidential primary. Mr. Biden’s easy victory became academic when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out, one day after Wisconsin held in-person voting.
But the absentee-ballot-fueled victory by liberal Supreme Court candidate Jill Karofsky was a huge win for Democrats. It reduced conservative control of the court to 4-3, giving liberals a chance to take control in 2023.
Ms. Karofsky will now be on the court when the Republican-controlled Legislature tackles redistricting next year, a fight many expect to be decided by the state Supreme Court.
Her win will also certainly be seen as a bellwether in battleground Wisconsin ahead of the November presidential election. Mr. Trump barely carried the state four years ago, and both parties see it as critical this year.
Justice Dan Kelly was an early underdog in the Supreme Court race, given the expected higher Democratic turnout since the election was on the same day as the presidential primary. But the Supreme Court outcome became more uncertain as Mr. Biden emerged as the presumptive nominee in March and the coronavirus pandemic led to fears of in-person voting and closure of polling locations.
With so much riding on turnout, the Republican push to proceed with the election was viewed by Democrats as a bid to suppress Democratic votes, particularly among minorities in Milwaukee.
Ms. Karofsky credited her win to voters rising up and rejecting Republican efforts to suppress turnout.
"People were willing to do that because they wanted their voices to be heard in this election," she said. "A lot of times on election day we’re wringing our hands because we’re so upset about voter apathy. That wasn’t the problem on Tuesday. People wanted their voices heard."
Karofsky voter Caleb Andersen, of Milwaukee, worked the polls on election day and thought the hurdles put up to voting in person motivated some people to come out who wouldn’t have otherwise.
"I’m sure there’s some level of vindication," Mr. Anderson said of the Karofsky win. "I do feel there was a lot of voter activity by people who were angered by the entire thing, the lack of availability of absentee ballots."
Mr. Trump last week broke from health experts and called on his supporters to “get out and vote NOW” for Mr. Kelly. He later said Democrats were playing politics by trying to postpone the election.
"As soon as I endorsed him, the Wisconsin Democrats said, ‘Oh, let’s move the election two months later,’" Mr. Trump said. "Now they talk about, ‘Oh, safety, safety.'"
Mr. Trump first voiced support for Mr. Kelly at a rally in January, far before concerns over the coronavirus led to calls for a delay in the election.
After Democratic Gov. Tony Evers ordered the election postponed, the highly politicized Wisconsin Supreme Court backed Republicans in proceeding with in-person voting in a ruling issued the day before the April 7 election.
Thousands of voters congregated for hours in long lines on April 7, defying social-distancing guidelines that led to the postponement of primaries in several other states. Milwaukee opened just five of 180 polling places due to a shortage of workers.
Ms. Karofsky surged to victory behind a record-high number of absentee ballots – nearly as many as all the votes cast in a state Supreme Court race last year.
The Wisconsin election crystallized what’s expected to be a high-stakes, state-by-state legal fight over how citizens can safely cast their ballots if the coronavirus outbreak persists into the November election. Democrats are arguing for states to be ready to shift to much greater use of absentee and mailed ballots, while Republicans are raising the specter that such elections could lead to increased fraud.
Ms. Karofksy’s win is likely to only add fuel to Democrats’ call for more mail-in elections and toughen GOP opposition. Democrats earlier Monday called for moving a May 12 special congressional election in Wisconsin to mail-in only.
Returns weren’t allowed to be reported until Monday due to a quirk in the court battle over the election. Even before the counting began, a group of Milwaukee-area voters filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force a partial revote to protect the “thousands” of voters who they argue were disenfranchised by the turbulent election.
Many voters complained that they had requested absentee ballots that never arrived, forcing them to choose between sitting out the election or risking infection by voting in person. City officials in Milwaukee, as well as Wisconsin’s two U.S. senators, called on the U.S. Postal Service to investigate the complaints.
Mr. Evers said on Monday that the election was “a mess that could have been avoided.”
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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.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.