cnbc--2020-03-05--Schumer: I 'shouldn't have used' threatening words about Supreme Court

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) raises his fist in an abortion rights rally outside of the Supreme Court as the justices hear oral arguments in the June Medical Services v. Russo case on March 4 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that he `` should not have used the words I used '' when he declared in front of the Supreme Court that two justices would `` pay the price '' for their decision in an abortion case .
Republicans chastised Schumer for the remark and Chief Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the words were `` inappropriate '' and `` dangerous . ''
Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday , Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , called Schumer 's words `` astonishingly reckless and completely irresponsible '' and said they could have `` horrific unintended consequences . ''
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , floated the idea of a censure .
Schumer directed the comments at Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh at the rally while a significant abortion case was being argued at the high court .
`` You have released the whirlwind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions , '' Schumer said , naming the two appointees of President Donald Trump , according to video of the rally .
Schumer did not back down from the comments on Wednesday evening , with his spokesman criticizing Roberts as not remaining impartial .
But Schumer clarified the next morning that he meant political consequences for the justices , not physical ones .
He said that it was a `` gross distortion '' to imply otherwise .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in strong language , '' Schumer said .
`` I should n't have used the words I did , but in no way was I making a threat .
I never , never would do such a thing .
And Leader McConnell knows that , and Republicans who are busy manufacturing outrage over these comments know that too . ''
He said he made the comments because he feels passionately about protecting abortion rights .
`` I feel so deeply , the anger of women all across America , '' Schumer said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , working hand in glove to take down Roe v Wade . ''
Schumer spoke for less than four minutes at the rally , just as arguments got underway in the first major abortion case since Trump 's two appointees , Gorsuch and Kavanaugh , joined the court .
The Democrat invoked the two justices whose nominations he opposed , giving a thumbs-down gesture to provoke boos from the crowd .
His reference to a `` whirlwind '' hearkened back to Kavanaugh 's own passionate opening statement at a 2018 confirmation hearing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the committee who had criticized him as the panel reviewed decades-old sexual assault allegations against him .
`` I fear the country will reap the whirlwind , '' Kavanaugh said then .
Hours after the rally where Schumer appeared , Roberts issued the statement singling out his comments .
`` Justices know that criticism comes with the territory , but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate , they are dangerous , '' Roberts said .
It was only the second time that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual judges .
In 2018 , Roberts rebuked Trump for the president 's criticism of an `` Obama judge . ''
But he has otherwise stayed silent , including in recent weeks when Trump questioned the impartiality of Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor , and U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson , who presided over the trial and sentencing of Trump ally Roger Stone .
Likewise , Senate Republicans did not criticize those comments .
The justices are weighing a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge found that just one of Louisiana 's three abortion clinics would remain open if the law is allowed to take effect .
Roberts is expected to be the deciding vote .
The court struck down a similar law in 2016 before Kavanaugh and Gorsuch joined the court .

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) raises his fist in an abortion rights rally outside of the Supreme Court as the justices hear oral arguments in the June Medical Services v. Russo case on March 4, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that he "should not have used the words I used" when he declared in front of the Supreme Court that two justices would "pay the price" for their decision in an abortion case.
Republicans chastised Schumer for the remark and Chief Justice John Roberts in a rare rebuke said the words were "inappropriate" and "dangerous." Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Schumer's words "astonishingly reckless and completely irresponsible" and said they could have "horrific unintended consequences." Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, floated the idea of a censure.
Schumer directed the comments at Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh at the rally while a significant abortion case was being argued at the high court.
"You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You will not know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions," Schumer said, naming the two appointees of President Donald Trump, according to video of the rally.
Schumer did not back down from the comments on Wednesday evening, with his spokesman criticizing Roberts as not remaining impartial. But Schumer clarified the next morning that he meant political consequences for the justices, not physical ones. He said that it was a "gross distortion" to imply otherwise.
"I'm from Brooklyn, we speak in strong language," Schumer said. "I shouldn't have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat. I never, never would do such a thing. And Leader McConnell knows that, and Republicans who are busy manufacturing outrage over these comments know that too."
He said he made the comments because he feels passionately about protecting abortion rights.
"I feel so deeply, the anger of women all across America," Schumer said. "About Senate Republicans and the courts, working hand in glove to take down Roe v Wade."
Schumer spoke for less than four minutes at the rally, just as arguments got underway in the first major abortion case since Trump's two appointees, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, joined the court. The Democrat invoked the two justices whose nominations he opposed, giving a thumbs-down gesture to provoke boos from the crowd.
His reference to a "whirlwind" hearkened back to Kavanaugh's own passionate opening statement at a 2018 confirmation hearing. The judge lashed out at Democratic members of the committee who had criticized him as the panel reviewed decades-old sexual assault allegations against him.
"I fear the country will reap the whirlwind," Kavanaugh said then.
Hours after the rally where Schumer appeared, Roberts issued the statement singling out his comments. "Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous," Roberts said.
It was only the second time that the chief justice has responded to criticism of individual judges. In 2018, Roberts rebuked Trump for the president's criticism of an "Obama judge."
But he has otherwise stayed silent, including in recent weeks when Trump questioned the impartiality of Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, and U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who presided over the trial and sentencing of Trump ally Roger Stone.
Likewise, Senate Republicans did not criticize those comments.
The justices are weighing a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. A federal judge found that just one of Louisiana's three abortion clinics would remain open if the law is allowed to take effect.
Roberts is expected to be the deciding vote. The court struck down a similar law in 2016 before Kavanaugh and Gorsuch joined the court.


cnbc--2020-03-05--More than 500 Bernie Madoff victims oppose prison release: Read what they told judge about Ponzi kin

More than 500 Bernie Madoff victims oppose prison release: Read what they told judge about Ponzi kingpin

Bernard Madoff , founder of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities , leaves federal court in New York on Tuesday , March 10 , 2009 .
Hundreds of victims of Ponzi scheme kingpin Bernie Madoff really do n't want him to get out of prison despite his claim that he is dying .
They recently told a judge their reasons in often-heartbreaking letters .
`` Our lives , and not just financially , also emotionally , mentally , and physically .
.
.
were Destroyed , '' wrote one victim , who noted that her husband lost $ 850,000 to Madoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost all my money and my husband of 40 years committed suicide because of his horrific crimes .
`` As far as I am concerned , he should spend the rest of his life in jail , '' she wrote to Judge Denny Chin in U.S. District Court in Manhattan .
Releasing Maddoff , a third victim told Chin , `` would be to put another knife in the hearts of his victims . ''
Those three letters are among the approximately 520 that Madoff victims sent Chin on the heels of Madoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release from his 150-year prison sentence because he has terminal kidney disease .
Madoff , who had headed Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities in New York City , pleaded guilty in 2009 to 11 crimes related to the swindling of billions of dollars from thousands of investors over several decades in what prosecutors have called the largest Ponzi scheme in history .
His new lawyer says the 81-year-old Madoff could be dead in 18 months or less given his medical condition , which has left him mainly wheelchair bound in a federal medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is seeking so-called compassionate release , which was granted several months ago to former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers , who died last month shortly after being set free from a 25-year prison term for a massive accounting fraud .
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday evening filed a memorandum opposing Madoff 's request , saying he `` has demonstrated a wholesale lack of understanding of the seriousness of his crimes and a lack of compassion for his victims , underscoring that he is undeserving of compassionate release himself . ''
The filing notes that out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to Chin , just 20 , or 4 % of the total , support Madoff 's request .
The individual letters are expected to be publicly released at some point .
But prosecutors in their filing quoted parts of a number of letters to bolster their argument opposing the idea of releasing Madoff .
Prosecutors noted that after Madoff 's scheme was exposed in 2008 , two investors committed suicide `` upon realizing the substantial losses they had incurred as a result of investing with Madoff . ''
`` Madoff 's son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Madoff 's arrest , '' prosecutors wrote .
`` Moreover , as reported by the many victim submissions provided in response to Madoff 's motion , Madoff caused many victims immense personal suffering , including by wrecking their family 's financial security ruining their retirements or other life plans , or exacerbating the health conditions themselves or loved ones . ''
`` Many of these victims were not independently wealthy , and worked their entire lives to accumulate the savings that Madoff stole to fuel his and his family 's extravagant lifestyles @ @

Hundreds of victims of Ponzi scheme kingpin Bernie Madoff really don't want him to get out of prison despite his claim that he is dying. They recently told a judge their reasons in often-heartbreaking letters.
"Our lives, and not just financially, also emotionally, mentally, and physically . . . were Destroyed," wrote one victim, who noted that her husband lost $850,000 to Madoff.
Another woman wrote, "I lost all my money and my husband of 40 years committed suicide because of his horrific crimes.
"As far as I am concerned, he should spend the rest of his life in jail," she wrote to Judge Denny Chin in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Releasing Madoff, a third victim told Chin, "would be to put another knife in the hearts of his victims."
Those three letters are among the approximately 520 that Madoff victims sent Chin on the heels of Madoff's court filing last month seeking early release from his 150-year prison sentence because he has terminal kidney disease.
Madoff, who had headed Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities in New York City, pleaded guilty in 2009 to 11 crimes related to the swindling of billions of dollars from thousands of investors over several decades in what prosecutors have called the largest Ponzi scheme in history.
His new lawyer says the 81-year-old Madoff could be dead in 18 months or less given his medical condition, which has left him mainly wheelchair bound in a federal medical prison facility in North Carolina.
Madoff is seeking so-called compassionate release, which was granted several months ago to former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, who died last month shortly after being set free from a 25-year prison term for a massive accounting fraud.
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday evening filed a memorandum opposing Madoff's request, saying he "has demonstrated a wholesale lack of understanding of the seriousness of his crimes and a lack of compassion for his victims, underscoring that he is undeserving of compassionate release himself."
The filing notes that out of the hundreds of letters from victims sent to Chin, just 20, or 4% of the total, support Madoff's request.
The individual letters are expected to be publicly released at some point.
But prosecutors in their filing quoted parts of a number of letters to bolster their argument opposing the idea of releasing Madoff.
Prosecutors noted that after Madoff's scheme was exposed in 2008, two investors committed suicide "upon realizing the substantial losses they had incurred as a result of investing with Madoff."
"Madoff's son Mark hanged himself on the second anniversary of Madoff's arrest," prosecutors wrote.
"Moreover, as reported by the many victim submissions provided in response to Madoff's motion, Madoff caused many victims immense personal suffering, including by wrecking their family's financial security ruining their retirements or other life plans, or exacerbating the health conditions themselves or loved ones."
"Many of these victims were not independently wealthy, and worked their entire lives to accumulate the savings that Madoff stole to fuel his and his family's extravagant lifestyles."


cnbc--2020-03-05--Elizabeth Warren drops out of 2020 presidential race after disappointing Super Tuesday showing

It was not immediately clear if the progressive Massachusetts senator planned to endorse one of her rivals , a move that could be pivotal as Biden and Sanders jockey for a delegate lead .
Warren has spoken to both candidates by phone in recent days , though none of the Democrats has said what was discussed .
`` We did n't reach our goal , but what we have done together – what you have done – has made a lasting difference , '' Warren said on a call with her campaign staff ahead of the official announcement at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcript provided by the campaign .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren quit the Democratic presidential race on Thursday , leaving former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders as the last major contenders battling for the nomination to challenge President Donald Trump this fall .
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren talks to reporters with her husband Bruce behind her outside their house after informing her staff that she is withdrawing from the 2020 presidential race in Cambridge , Massachusetts , March 5 , 2020 .
Warren 's exit — like that of former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — came after the Massachusetts senator 's poor showings in the crucial Super Tuesday contests , when 14 states held primaries , and the territory of American Samoa held a caucus .
Her departure leaves what was once a historically diverse Democratic field essentially narrowed to two white men in their 70s .
Sanders is 78 and Biden is 77 .
Surrounded by supporters in Massachusetts on Thursday , Warren described her anguish that there would not be a woman nominee in 2020 .
On the trail , when Warren met little girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them that she would fight for the presidency because `` that 's what women do . ''
`` One of the hardest parts of this is all those pinky promises .
All those little girls are going to have to wait for a woman , '' Warren said .
Biden and Sanders both praised Warren on Thursday .
`` She has run a very strong issue-oriented campaign and the reason that her campaigns ideas will remain viable for many , many years is she has changed political conscience in America , '' Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , called her `` the fiercest of fighters for middle class families . ''
The trajectory of the race has rapidly shifted in recent days , with Biden gaining momentum in the contests that voted on Super Tuesday .
Biden won at least 10 states on Tuesday , a dramatic turnaround for a candidacy that very recently looked doomed .
Read more : Supreme Court looks likely to weaken Consumer Financial Protection Bureau but leave it standing Warren 's dismal showing the same day included a third-place result in her own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and where she finished 5 percentage points behind the Vermont independent Sanders .
Warren previously failed to notch any wins in the Democratic race 's first four nominating contests in February , when Sanders appeared to consolidate support from the party 's progressive wing .
The former Harvard Law professor had sought to court that left flank — which flocked to Sanders during the 2016 primary race — with a series of ambitious and detailed policy proposals .
Those plans included a wealth tax on the very rich , and a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren alluded to those many plans during her Thursday call with staff .
`` What we have done – and the ideas we have launched into the world , the way we have fought this fight , the relationships we have built – will carry through , carry through for the rest of this election , and the one after that , and the one after that , '' she said .
Despite Warren 's plans , Sanders largely retained his hold on left-leaning voters , besting his rival by significant margins in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came in third in national delegates in the Iowa caucuses , behind Sanders and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg .
She took fourth place in New Hampshire , behind Sanders , Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota The Democratic race took a dramatic turn after Biden 's sweeping victory Saturday in South Carolina , which led to Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropping out and endorsing Biden .
Biden 's performance on Super Tuesday then spurred Bloomberg to exit the race and endorse the former vice president .
Despite spending more than $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won only American Samoa on Super Tuesday .
Warren 's early losses put added pressure on the campaign as it sought to fund a unionized staff of more than 1,000 workers , one of the largest payrolls in the field .
A strong debate performance in Nevada , during which she shredded Bloomberg , brought a fundraising surge .
But the votes did n't follow the money .
Warren finished fourth in the Nevada caucuses , behind Sanders , Biden and Buttigieg .
She also had a weak showing in the South Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate performance against Bloomberg during her remarks to staff , commenting that `` in this campaign , we have been willing to fight , and , when necessary , we left plenty of blood and teeth on the floor . ''
`` And I can think of one billionaire who has been denied the chance to buy this election , '' Warren said .
To support her massive ground operation , Warren rejected traditional fundraising methods , refusing to meet with wealthy donors behind closed doors and instead relying on online contributions from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1 million such donations , behind only Sanders in the display of grassroots support .
As the campaign lagged , Warren reverted so some more traditional methods of campaign financing .
She reversed her earlier position on Super PAC support in February , refusing to disavow an outside spending group that deployed millions on her behalf .
Persist PAC spent about $ 15 million , largely focused on Super Tuesday state advertising , ultimately becoming the top outside spending group of the cycle , according to campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets .

It was not immediately clear if the progressive Massachusetts senator planned to endorse one of her rivals, a move that could be pivotal as Biden and Sanders jockey for a delegate lead. Warren has spoken to both candidates by phone in recent days, though none of the Democrats has said what was discussed.
"We didn't reach our goal, but what we have done together – what you have done – has made a lasting difference," Warren said on a call with her campaign staff ahead of the official announcement at an event in Massachusetts, according to a transcript provided by the campaign.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren quit the Democratic presidential race on Thursday, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders as the last major contenders battling for the nomination to challenge President Donald Trump this fall.
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren talks to reporters with her husband Bruce behind her outside their house after informing her staff that she is withdrawing from the 2020 presidential race in Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 5, 2020.
Warren's exit — like that of former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg on Wednesday — came after the Massachusetts senator's poor showings in the crucial Super Tuesday contests, when 14 states held primaries, and the territory of American Samoa held a caucus.
Her departure leaves what was once a historically diverse Democratic field essentially narrowed to two white men in their 70s. Sanders is 78 and Biden is 77.
Surrounded by supporters in Massachusetts on Thursday, Warren described her anguish that there would not be a woman nominee in 2020. On the trail, when Warren met little girls, she often bent down to promise them that she would fight for the presidency because "that's what women do."
"One of the hardest parts of this is all those pinky promises. All those little girls are going to have to wait for a woman," Warren said.
Biden and Sanders both praised Warren on Thursday.
"She has run a very strong issue-oriented campaign and the reason that her campaigns ideas will remain viable for many, many years is she has changed political conscience in America," Sanders said.
Biden, in a post on Twitter, called her "the fiercest of fighters for middle class families."
The trajectory of the race has rapidly shifted in recent days, with Biden gaining momentum in the contests that voted on Super Tuesday. Biden won at least 10 states on Tuesday, a dramatic turnaround for a candidacy that very recently looked doomed.
Read more: Supreme Court looks likely to weaken Consumer Financial Protection Bureau but leave it standing
Warren's dismal showing the same day included a third-place result in her own state of Massachusetts, which Biden won, and where she finished 5 percentage points behind the Vermont independent Sanders.
Warren previously failed to notch any wins in the Democratic race's first four nominating contests in February, when Sanders appeared to consolidate support from the party's progressive wing.
The former Harvard Law professor had sought to court that left flank — which flocked to Sanders during the 2016 primary race — with a series of ambitious and detailed policy proposals.
Those plans included a wealth tax on the very rich, and a call to break up Big Tech companies.
Warren alluded to those many plans during her Thursday call with staff.
"What we have done – and the ideas we have launched into the world, the way we have fought this fight, the relationships we have built – will carry through, carry through for the rest of this election, and the one after that, and the one after that," she said.
Despite Warren's plans, Sanders largely retained his hold on left-leaning voters, besting his rival by significant margins in both Iowa and New Hampshire.
Warren came in third in national delegates in the Iowa caucuses, behind Sanders and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
She took fourth place in New Hampshire, behind Sanders, Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
The Democratic race took a dramatic turn after Biden's sweeping victory Saturday in South Carolina, which led to Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropping out and endorsing Biden.
Biden's performance on Super Tuesday then spurred Bloomberg to exit the race and endorse the former vice president. Despite spending more than $500 million on campaign ads, Bloomberg won only American Samoa on Super Tuesday.
Warren's early losses put added pressure on the campaign as it sought to fund a unionized staff of more than 1,000 workers, one of the largest payrolls in the field.
A strong debate performance in Nevada, during which she shredded Bloomberg, brought a fundraising surge.
But the votes didn't follow the money. Warren finished fourth in the Nevada caucuses, behind Sanders, Biden and Buttigieg. She also had a weak showing in the South Carolina primary.
Warren seemed to reference her debate performance against Bloomberg during her remarks to staff, commenting that "in this campaign, we have been willing to fight, and, when necessary, we left plenty of blood and teeth on the floor."
"And I can think of one billionaire who has been denied the chance to buy this election," Warren said.
To support her massive ground operation, Warren rejected traditional fundraising methods, refusing to meet with wealthy donors behind closed doors and instead relying on online contributions from small-dollar donors.
Her campaign received more than 1 million such donations, behind only Sanders in the display of grassroots support.
As the campaign lagged, Warren reverted so some more traditional methods of campaign financing.
She reversed her earlier position on Super PAC support in February, refusing to disavow an outside spending group that deployed millions on her behalf. Persist PAC spent about $15 million, largely focused on Super Tuesday state advertising, ultimately becoming the top outside spending group of the cycle, according to campaign finance watchdog OpenSecrets.


cnbc--2020-03-05--Op-Ed: Biden can finish off Sanders by doing these 4 things

Joe Biden has grabbed the delegate lead and the momentum in the Democratic presidential primary race .
But he 's had the lead , at least in the polls , before .
What does he need to do now to make sure he defeats Senator Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) and closes the deal this time ?
Here are Biden 's four simple steps to victory : Realize what got you here and keep a low profile The biggest danger right now for Biden and his campaign handlers is for them to believe something they did is the reason his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realize and embrace the fact that it was the fear of a Sanders nomination and the democratic socialist , anti-establishment movement that came with it that brought the avalanche of key nominations and the victories in South Carolina and the Super Tuesday states .
Biden did n't come back to life on his own , he was resurrected by others .
His campaign trail conduct was continuing to deteriorate going right into Super Tuesday .
And that 's fueling significant discussions online and in other circles about Biden 's mental capacity beyond his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should leave Biden 's actual mental abilities to the medical experts , but his campaign needs to learn from the mistakes it made last year .
Mentally sharp or not , Biden at every stage in his political career has never shown a consistent ability to win over voters anywhere other than Delaware .
The Biden campaign foolishly ignored that fact and thrust him officially into the race way too early last year .
In this election cycle , Biden 's perceived electability against President Donald Trump - and now against Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ card .
His personality , demeanor on the campaign trail , and his debate performances are all weak by contrast .
With Super Tuesday 's grueling campaign and travel challenges behind him , it 's time for the Biden campaign to take their candidate out of the public eye and as many unscripted events as possible .
That includes trying to reduce the number of debates versus Sanders and relying on more of Biden 's growing list of Democratic Party backers to do as much of the talking for him until Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders , Biden needs to incorporate more pro-business rhetoric into his agenda .
Based on his tax plan that would make a lot of billionaire-hating socialists proud , Biden has a long way to go .
Luckily , Biden can do that by following a modern example of a successful Democratic presidential candidate who made it a point to prove his vision for America sharply contrasted with the party 's anti-business or anti-capitalist vision .
That candidate was Bill Clinton , who made his 1992 campaign and much of his actual presidency about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaning on issues like the economy , gun control , and even the death penalty .
If you do n't believe or remember how Clinton made his pro-capitalist message a prominent part of his campaign , take a good look at how quickly he praised entrepreneurship in his 1992 Democratic National Convention acceptance speech .
Before the party establishment clearly freaked out over Sanders and his socialist message , it was almost impossible to imagine a Democrat today making a similar speech .
But now , Biden has a free pass to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-MA ) now out of the race , the urgency is high for Biden 's camp to make a better case for his alternative to the Medicare for All plans she and Sanders have supported .
This is urgent not just because Biden needs to counter a key Sanders plan , but because health care costs and coverage remain at the forefront of the voters ' minds .
Health care and coverage were the top issues for voters in the 2018 midterm elections , but the Democratic presidential candidates have devoted much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump also rarely speaks or tweets about it .
This leaves Biden with an opportunity to balance whatever Democratic voter support there is for Medicare for All with his promise to revise and improve Obamacare .
Biden does not want to seem like he 's criticizing the Obama administration 's signature policy .
But if there ever was a time for Biden to acknowledge that not everything about the Obama White House was perfect , it would be now .
Biden can make this a winning issue for his primary and potential general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground right now Finally , Biden and his team need to understand what it really means when Democrats and independents say they want a true alternative to Trump .
As Mike Bloomberg has already found out the hard way , that does n't mean those voters want to see a bunch of nasty and trolling tweets against the president .
Biden needs to brand himself as something other than the Democratic version of Trump by invoking his name less often , tweeting more conservatively , and making overtures to Trump voters .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already won the nomination should be doing , but Biden needs to start carrying himself like the nominee while not insulting Sanders ' voters .
It 's all part of that `` acting presidential ' thing that so many Trump detractors harp on so much .
The above priorities may seem like easy steps for Biden and his team to take .
But embracing the reality that makes these options clear is n't a given for a party that still refuses to embrace the real reasons for its 2016 election loss and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its recent challenges in this primary process .
The next few weeks will show us if Biden has what it takes to close the deal against Sanders and start to make his case for the general election .
Jake Novak is a political and economic analyst at Jake Novak News and former CNBC TV producer .
You can follow him on Twitter @ jakejakeny .

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers remarks at his primary night election event in Columbia, South Carolina, on February 29, 2020. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images
Joe Biden has grabbed the delegate lead and the momentum in the Democratic presidential primary race. But he's had the lead, at least in the polls, before. What does he need to do now to make sure he defeats Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and closes the deal this time? Here are Biden's four simple steps to victory:
Realize what got you here and keep a low profile
The biggest danger right now for Biden and his campaign handlers is for them to believe something they did is the reason his fortunes have turned around. They must realize and embrace the fact that it was the fear of a Sanders nomination and the democratic socialist, anti-establishment movement that came with it that brought the avalanche of key nominations and the victories in South Carolina and the Super Tuesday states. Biden didn't come back to life on his own, he was resurrected by others. His campaign trail conduct was continuing to deteriorate going right into Super Tuesday. And that's fueling significant discussions online and in other circles about Biden's mental capacity beyond his long history of controversial statements. We should leave Biden's actual mental abilities to the medical experts, but his campaign needs to learn from the mistakes it made last year. Mentally sharp or not, Biden at every stage in his political career has never shown a consistent ability to win over voters anywhere other than Delaware. The Biden campaign foolishly ignored that fact and thrust him officially into the race way too early last year. In this election cycle, Biden's perceived electability against President Donald Trump - and now against Bernie Sanders - has always been his best calling card. His personality, demeanor on the campaign trail, and his debate performances are all weak by contrast. With Super Tuesday's grueling campaign and travel challenges behind him, it's time for the Biden campaign to take their candidate out of the public eye and as many unscripted events as possible. That includes trying to reduce the number of debates versus Sanders and relying on more of Biden's growing list of Democratic Party backers to do as much of the talking for him until Election Day.
Channel Bill Clinton's 1992 pro-business message
Other than literally not being Bernie Sanders, Biden needs to incorporate more pro-business rhetoric into his agenda. Based on his tax plan that would make a lot of billionaire-hating socialists proud, Biden has a long way to go. Luckily, Biden can do that by following a modern example of a successful Democratic presidential candidate who made it a point to prove his vision for America sharply contrasted with the party's anti-business or anti-capitalist vision. That candidate was Bill Clinton, who made his 1992 campaign and much of his actual presidency about rebranding the party overall as less leftward leaning on issues like the economy, gun control, and even the death penalty. If you don't believe or remember how Clinton made his pro-capitalist message a prominent part of his campaign, take a good look at how quickly he praised entrepreneurship in his 1992 Democratic National Convention acceptance speech. Before the party establishment clearly freaked out over Sanders and his socialist message, it was almost impossible to imagine a Democrat today making a similar speech. But now, Biden has a free pass to do it.
Tackle health care head on
With Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) now out of the race, the urgency is high for Biden's camp to make a better case for his alternative to the Medicare for All plans she and Sanders have supported. This is urgent not just because Biden needs to counter a key Sanders plan, but because health care costs and coverage remain at the forefront of the voters' minds. Health care and coverage were the top issues for voters in the 2018 midterm elections, but the Democratic presidential candidates have devoted much more of their attention to other issues. Trump also rarely speaks or tweets about it. This leaves Biden with an opportunity to balance whatever Democratic voter support there is for Medicare for All with his promise to revise and improve Obamacare. Biden does not want to seem like he's criticizing the Obama administration's signature policy. But if there ever was a time for Biden to acknowledge that not everything about the Obama White House was perfect, it would be now. Biden can make this a winning issue for his primary and potential general election campaign.
Start taking the higher ground right now


cnbc--2020-03-05--Chief Justice John Roberts defends Gorsuch, Kavanaugh after Schumer warns they will 'pay the price'

Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement on Wednesday defending his newest colleagues , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned at a rally earlier in the day that the two Trump appointees would `` pay the price '' if they voted against reproductive rights activists .
`` Justices know that criticism comes with the territory , but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate , they are dangerous , '' Roberts wrote .
`` All Members of the Court will continue to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from whatever quarter . ''
The statement directly named Schumer but did not name Gorsuch or Kavanaugh .
The court heard arguments on Wednesday in the first major abortion case since Gorsuch and Kavanaugh joined the bench , one of the most high-profile disputes of the term .
`` I want to tell you , Gorsuch .
I want to tell you , Kavanaugh .
You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price ! ''
Schumer said at a rally coordinated by the Center for Reproductive Rights around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson , said that the New York lawmaker 's comments referred to the `` political price '' Republicans will pay for confirming the two justices `` and a warning that the justices will unleash major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision . ''
Roberts , a George W. Bush appointee , almost never issues statements .
In 2018 , Roberts issued a statement defending a federal judge who had been criticized by President Donald Trump as an `` Obama judge , '' writing that America does not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush judges or Clinton judges . ''
`` What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them , '' he wrote at the time .
Trump responded to Schumer 's comments late Wednesday , tweeting : `` There can be few things worse in a civilized , law abiding nation , than a United States Senator openly , and for all to see and hear , threatening the Supreme Court or its Justices .
This is what Chuck Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe price for this ! ''
A controversy last year over a friend-of-the-court brief filed by several Democratic lawmakers , who warned that the court should `` heal itself '' or face being restructured , prompted a response from all of the Republicans in the Senate .
`` It 's one thing for politicians to peddle these ideas in Tweets or on the stump , '' the senators wrote .
`` But the Democrats ' [ friend-of-the-court ] brief demonstrates that their court-packing plans are more than mere pandering .
They are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the judiciary and the rights of all Americans . ''

Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement on Wednesday defending his newest colleagues, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned at a rally earlier in the day that the two Trump appointees would "pay the price" if they voted against reproductive rights activists.
"Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous," Roberts wrote. "All Members of the Court will continue to do their job, without fear or favor, from whatever quarter."
The statement directly named Schumer but did not name Gorsuch or Kavanaugh. The court heard arguments on Wednesday in the first major abortion case since Gorsuch and Kavanaugh joined the bench, one of the most high-profile disputes of the term.
"I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price!" Schumer said at a rally coordinated by the Center for Reproductive Rights around the arguments.
Justin Goodman, a Schumer spokesperson, said that the New York lawmaker's comments referred to the "political price" Republicans will pay for confirming the two justices "and a warning that the justices will unleash major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision."
Roberts, a George W. Bush appointee, almost never issues statements. In 2018, Roberts issued a statement defending a federal judge who had been criticized by President Donald Trump as an "Obama judge," writing that America does not have "Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges."
"What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them," he wrote at the time.
Trump responded to Schumer's comments late Wednesday, tweeting: "There can be few things worse in a civilized, law abiding nation, than a United States Senator openly, and for all to see and hear, threatening the Supreme Court or its Justices. This is what Chuck Schumer just did. He must pay a severe price for this!"
tweet
A controversy last year over a friend-of-the-court brief filed by several Democratic lawmakers, who warned that the court should "heal itself" or face being restructured, prompted a response from all of the Republicans in the Senate.
"It's one thing for politicians to peddle these ideas in Tweets or on the stump," the senators wrote. "But the Democrats' [friend-of-the-court] brief demonstrates that their court-packing plans are more than mere pandering. They are a direct, immediate threat to the independence of the judiciary and the rights of all Americans."


cnbc--2020-03-05--Prosecutors oppose Ponzi king Bernie Madoff bid for early prison release, don't dispute he's dying

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday told a judge that they oppose Ponzi scheme kingpin Bernie Madoff 's recent request for early release from prison on compassionate grounds due to his terminal kidney disease .
`` The nature of Madoff 's crime — unprecedented in scope and magnitude — wholly justified the 150-year sentence this Court imposed and is by itself a sufficient reason to deny Madoff 's motion , '' prosecutors wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan .
`` Furthermore , since his sentencing , Madoff has demonstrated a wholesale lack of understanding of the seriousness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his victims , underscoring that he is undeserving of compassionate release himself . ''
The filing by the United States Attorney 's Office for the Southern District of New York , which cited letters from some of the more than 500 victim who have written Judge Denny Chin to oppose Madoff 's early release , pointedly does not dispute Madoff 's claim that he could die in less than two years .
But prosecutors said that the 81-year-old 's condition in a federal prison facility in North Carolina had improved since last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And they noted that when Madoff was sentenced in 2009 , a judge had rejected an argument by his lawyer for a 15-to-20 year sentence , which could give him a chance to die a free man , `` to send a message that Madoff had been punished to the fullest extent of the law . ''
`` Even though time has passed and Madoff may now be near the end of his life , that message is equally important , '' prosecutors wrote .
`` He should not be released .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in history while running Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities in New York City.
, last month said in a court filing that the fraudster has `` less than 18 months to live . ''
The attorney said Madoff is suffering from `` numerous other serious medical conditions '' including cardiovascular disease and hypertension .

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday told a judge that they oppose Ponzi scheme kingpin Bernie Madoff's recent request for early release from prison on compassionate grounds due to his terminal kidney disease.
"The nature of Madoff's crime — unprecedented in scope and magnitude — wholly justified the 150-year sentence this Court imposed and is by itself a sufficient reason to deny Madoff's motion," prosecutors wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
"Furthermore, since his sentencing, Madoff has demonstrated a wholesale lack of understanding of the seriousness of his crimes and a lack of compassion for his victims, underscoring that he is undeserving of compassionate release himself."
The filing by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which cited letters from some of the more than 500 victim who have written Judge Denny Chin to oppose Madoff's early release, pointedly does not dispute Madoff's claim that he could die in less than two years.
But prosecutors said that the 81-year-old's condition in a federal prison facility in North Carolina had improved since last November, when he restarted dialysis treatments.
And they noted that when Madoff was sentenced in 2009, a judge had rejected an argument by his lawyer for a 15-to-20 year sentence, which could give him a chance to die a free man, "to send a message that Madoff had been punished to the fullest extent of the law."
"Even though time has passed and Madoff may now be near the end of his life, that message is equally important," prosecutors wrote. "He should not be released."
A lawyer for Madoff, who orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in history while running Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities in New York City., last month said in a court filing that the fraudster has "less than 18 months to live."
The attorney said Madoff is suffering from "numerous other serious medical conditions" including cardiovascular disease and hypertension.


cnbc--2020-03-05--Roberts signals he could side with liberals in Supreme Court abortion arguments

File photo : U.S. Supreme Court Police guard the building during a protest against anti-abortion legislation at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington , U.S. , May 21 , 2019 .
WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts left open the possibility that he could side with the Supreme Court 's liberal wing during intensive , fact-based arguments on Wednesday in a high-profile abortion case .
A vote with the court 's four liberal justices to strike down a Louisiana law regulating abortion providers would be a dramatic turnaround for the chief justice , who joined a dissenting opinion from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law in Texas just four years ago .
Read more : Supreme Court abortion case tests Trump 's campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade But on Wednesday , Roberts suggested he saw that decision as binding .
That ruling found that the Texas law had no medical benefits and placed an unconstitutional burden on women seeking abortion .
Roberts twice said the medical benefits for the Louisiana law would likely be the same .
`` I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places , but as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's going to be the same in each state , is n't it ? ''
Roberts asked of Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill at one point .
Wednesday 's case was the first substantial abortion dispute to come before the top court since the confirmation of President Donald Trump 's two appointees , Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
It marks a significant test of how the court 's new conservative majority will treat laws concerning abortion .
How the court ultimately comes down could have an impact on the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Trump has boasted of his impact on the federal judiciary and sought to develop conservative credentials on abortion .
The dispute concerned a Louisiana law that requires doctors who provide abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic , a requirement that could limit the state to just one provider .
The court struck down the Texas law by a 5-3 vote in the 2016 case Whole Woman 's Health v. Hellerstedt .
Roberts was in the dissent in the Whole Woman 's Health case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by siding with the court 's liberal members — Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Stephen Breyer , Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor — to halt the Louisiana law from going into effect while its challengers pursued their appeal .
There were not many clues presented during Wednesday 's arguments as to how Trump 's appointees will vote .
Gorsuch , who was largely expected to uphold the Louisiana law going into arguments , was unusually silent , asking no questions .
Kavanaugh , somewhat more of a mystery , quizzed Center for Reproductive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed that admitting privileges laws would be unconstitutional in every state , not just Louisiana and Texas .
She said she believed they would be .
Justice Samuel Alito was the court 's most talkative conservative on Wednesday , pushing Rikelman on whether her clients , an abortion clinic and several abortion doctors , should be allowed to bring the case in the first place .
Murrill and Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Wall , both in court defending the Louisiana law , argued that the clinic and doctors had a conflict of interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was not clear whether the other conservative justices would sign onto Alito 's point , but Breyer and some of the other liberals pushed back strongly .
Breyer , citing past abortion cases that had relied on so-called third-party standing , or the right of clinics to sue on behalf of their patients , said doing away with it would require overturning at least eight past Supreme Court rulings .
Breyer told Wall that if the court was going to reexamine third-party standing , `` let 's go back and reexamine Marbury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling .
Sotomayor took issue with the idea that there were diverging interests between women seeking abortions and the clinics providing them .
`` What sane woman who 's a plaintiff is going to have a conflict with a doctor who wants to protect her rights by doing what they can to comply with the law ? ''
she asked .
An overriding question during arguments — not least because it seemed to be on the mind of Roberts , the likely swing vote — was about the medical benefits that come from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitting privileges within 30 miles of their clinic .
Read more : The battle over abortion rights : Here 's what 's at stake in 2020 Kagan said the clinic , known as Hope Medical Group , had performed about 70,000 procedures over 23 years and had only four hospital transfers .
`` I do n't know of a medical procedure where it 's lower than that of any kind , '' she said .
Ginsburg pressed each of the attorneys specifically on the 30-mile limit included in the law , telling Murrill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' to where the women receiving the procedure actually live .
On the other hand , Murrill and Wall focused on the claimed burdens that the law would impose .
They argued that in Louisiana , those burdens on abortion providers would be far more limited than in Texas .
A federal district court found that the burdens imposed by the law were unconstitutionally high , but that decision was reversed by the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018 , which found that abortion doctors did not try hard enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the 5th Circuit opinion , claiming that it presented evidence that virtually all of the abortion providers `` sabotaged their own applications . ''
The case is June Medical Services v. Russo , No .
18-1323 .

File photo: U.S. Supreme Court Police guard the building during a protest against anti-abortion legislation at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., May 21, 2019.
WASHINGTON — Chief Justice John Roberts left open the possibility that he could side with the Supreme Court's liberal wing during intensive, fact-based arguments on Wednesday in a high-profile abortion case.
A vote with the court's four liberal justices to strike down a Louisiana law regulating abortion providers would be a dramatic turnaround for the chief justice, who joined a dissenting opinion from the court's decision striking down a similar law in Texas just four years ago.
Read more: Supreme Court abortion case tests Trump's campaign promise to overturn Roe v. Wade
But on Wednesday, Roberts suggested he saw that decision as binding. That ruling found that the Texas law had no medical benefits and placed an unconstitutional burden on women seeking abortion. Roberts twice said the medical benefits for the Louisiana law would likely be the same.
"I understand the idea that the impact might be different in different places, but as far as the benefits of the law, that's going to be the same in each state, isn't it?" Roberts asked of Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill at one point.
Wednesday's case was the first substantial abortion dispute to come before the top court since the confirmation of President Donald Trump's two appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
It marks a significant test of how the court's new conservative majority will treat laws concerning abortion. How the court ultimately comes down could have an impact on the next presidential election, in a race in which Trump has boasted of his impact on the federal judiciary and sought to develop conservative credentials on abortion.
The dispute concerned a Louisiana law that requires doctors who provide abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic, a requirement that could limit the state to just one provider. The court struck down the Texas law by a 5-3 vote in the 2016 case Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.
Roberts was in the dissent in the Whole Woman's Health case. But he raised questions a year ago by siding with the court's liberal members — Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor — to halt the Louisiana law from going into effect while its challengers pursued their appeal.
There were not many clues presented during Wednesday's arguments as to how Trump's appointees will vote.
Gorsuch, who was largely expected to uphold the Louisiana law going into arguments, was unusually silent, asking no questions.
Kavanaugh, somewhat more of a mystery, quizzed Center for Reproductive Rights attorney Julie Rikelman about whether she believed that admitting privileges laws would be unconstitutional in every state, not just Louisiana and Texas. She said she believed they would be.
Justice Samuel Alito was the court's most talkative conservative on Wednesday, pushing Rikelman on whether her clients, an abortion clinic and several abortion doctors, should be allowed to bring the case in the first place.
Murrill and Justice Department attorney Jeffrey Wall, both in court defending the Louisiana law, argued that the clinic and doctors had a conflict of interest with the women whom they serve.
It was not clear whether the other conservative justices would sign onto Alito's point, but Breyer and some of the other liberals pushed back strongly.
Breyer, citing past abortion cases that had relied on so-called third-party standing, or the right of clinics to sue on behalf of their patients, said doing away with it would require overturning at least eight past Supreme Court rulings.
Breyer told Wall that if the court was going to reexamine third-party standing, "let's go back and reexamine Marbury v. Madison," the landmark 1803 ruling.
Sotomayor took issue with the idea that there were diverging interests between women seeking abortions and the clinics providing them.
"What sane woman who's a plaintiff is going to have a conflict with a doctor who wants to protect her rights by doing what they can to comply with the law?" she asked.
An overriding question during arguments — not least because it seemed to be on the mind of Roberts, the likely swing vote — was about the medical benefits that come from requiring abortion doctors in Louisiana to have admitting privileges within 30 miles of their clinic.
Read more: The battle over abortion rights: Here's what's at stake in 2020
Kagan said the clinic, known as Hope Medical Group, had performed about 70,000 procedures over 23 years and had only four hospital transfers.
"I don't know of a medical procedure where it's lower than that of any kind," she said.
Ginsburg pressed each of the attorneys specifically on the 30-mile limit included in the law, telling Murrill that it had "no necessary relationship" to where the women receiving the procedure actually live.
On the other hand, Murrill and Wall focused on the claimed burdens that the law would impose. They argued that in Louisiana, those burdens on abortion providers would be far more limited than in Texas.
A federal district court found that the burdens imposed by the law were unconstitutionally high, but that decision was reversed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2018, which found that abortion doctors did not try hard enough to obtain admitting privileges.
Murrill leaned into the 5th Circuit opinion, claiming that it presented evidence that virtually all of the abortion providers "sabotaged their own applications."
The case is June Medical Services v. Russo, No. 18-1323.


cnbc--2020-03-06--Elizabeth Warren's rise and fall had it all – big plans, pinky promises and billionaire brawls

For the first time since she announced her presidential campaign , Sen. Elizabeth Warren does n't have a plan .
The Massachusetts Democrat ended her run on Thursday after a tenacious year-plus-long campaign marked by detailed plans addressing crucial issues from health care to climate change and a deep grassroots operation that shunned wealthy donors .
`` We did n't reach our goal , but what we have done together – what you have done – has made a lasting difference , '' Warren said of her efforts on a call with her staff , according to a transcript provided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to endorse either of the two major contenders left in the race , Sen. Bernie Sanders , a fellow progressive , and former Vice President Joe Biden , a moderate who has emerged yet again as the front-runner .
The press hounded her about an endorsement after she ended her run , but Warren said she will take time to reflect before making a decision .
Warren 's exit from the race marked the end of a staggering , protracted decline from headline-grabbing heights .
She started officially exploring a presidential run at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near-front-runner status by June .
She picked fights with billionaires , often by name .
Her message of `` big structural change '' caught on .
She promised to fight for everyday people .
She pushed out one detailed policy plan after another .
`` I 've got a plan for that '' became her signature phase .
The slogan also helped shape her demise , as some of her detailed policy proposals could n't withstand scrutiny .
But it might also be the key to her political future beyond the 2020 race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` electability , '' a word also associated with 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton .
It 's a word that has been thrown at Warren often , said Heather McGhee , a political strategist and former president of progressive think tank Demos .
It was a concept that greatly contributed to the demise of her campaign .
`` From day one , Democratic primary voters have been united on the urgency of preventing a second Trump presidency , '' McGhee said .
`` The desire for bold structural change was and is high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women candidates and candidates of color from the start . ''
In the historically most diverse presidential race in the United States , two white men are the final contestants battling it out for the nomination .
Though Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is the last woman who remains in the Democratic race , she is widely expected to drop out soon .
After she withdrew from the 2020 race , Warren told supporters in an email that her campaign helped extend future possibilities for women running for president .
`` We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hold her ground , and stay true to herself — no matter what , '' she said in the email .
On the campaign trail Warren has made a habit of engaging with little girls , asking them to pinky-promise her that they 'd one day run for president `` because that 's what girls do , '' she would often tell them with enthusiasm .
`` One of the hardest parts of this is all those pinky promises and all those little girls are going to have to wait for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press briefing following her announcement to end her run .
Then came her most widely panned policy proposal : how she would pay for her version of Medicare for All , an idea popularized by Sanders .
During an October debate her then-rival and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg grilled her on how she would pay for one of her signature agenda items , Medicare for All .
When asked whether middle-class taxes would increase under her plan , Warren evaded the question .
Sanders , when pressed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up under his bill , but overall costs would go down .
His directness paid off as Warren came under pressure .
In November , Warren came up with a complicated response — a plan that included a bigger wealth tax than she had originally promised — and a host of other actions that would pay for her plan without increasing middle-class taxes .
The plan would cost the country `` just under '' $ 52 trillion over a decade , Warren 's campaign said , with `` not one penny in middle-class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ satisfying her critics , her plan raised even more questions , further emboldened her naysayers on both sides of the political spectrum , and left her more enmeshed in an uncomfortable debate , '' wrote Helaine Olen in a Washington Post op-ed .
That lost momentum translated into losses in the first nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire .
Warren came in third in the Iowa caucuses behind Buttigieg and Sanders .
In New Hampshire , she took fourth place , behind Sanders , Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
Then she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Super Tuesday , she was largely a nonfactor , even placing third in her home state of Massachusetts .
Yet , despite her withdrawal from the race , she remains an influential leader on the progressive side of the Democratic Party and continues to hold a great deal of power in how things could shake out .
Both Biden and Sanders are likely eager to receive her endorsement .
`` There 's no more sought-after endorsement in America than Elizabeth Warren 's , '' said Adam Green , political strategist and co-founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ending her campaign , Warren has not said whether she 'll endorse Sanders or Biden , or whether she 'll endorse anyone at all .
It 's unclear what her next step is , but the woman who coined `` I 've got a plan for that , '' one of the most lasting phrases of this cycle , has immense opportunities , McGhee said .
`` She 's already expanded her reach and respect in the party so the sky is the limit for her in the Senate , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders might consider her for both vice president and treasury secretary if he were to win the nomination .
The Massachusetts senator built a strong following over decades , and with that comes donations that will likely continue to buoy her and her efforts , McGhee said .
`` Even before politics , her TV appearances and testimonies went viral , which attracted a massive cultural following and grassroots donations that followed , '' she said .
Warren herself said she 's not going anywhere .
`` This has been the opportunity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press briefing after announcing her run .
`` I will not be running for president in 2020 , but I guarantee I will stay in the fight . ''

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and 2020 presidential candidate, speaks during a Town Hall event in Lebanon, New Hampshire, U.S., on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. Kate Flock | Bloomberg | Getty Images
For the first time since she announced her presidential campaign, Sen. Elizabeth Warren doesn't have a plan. The Massachusetts Democrat ended her run on Thursday after a tenacious year-plus-long campaign marked by detailed plans addressing crucial issues from health care to climate change and a deep grassroots operation that shunned wealthy donors. "We didn't reach our goal, but what we have done together – what you have done – has made a lasting difference," Warren said of her efforts on a call with her staff, according to a transcript provided by the campaign. She has yet to endorse either of the two major contenders left in the race, Sen. Bernie Sanders, a fellow progressive, and former Vice President Joe Biden, a moderate who has emerged yet again as the front-runner. The press hounded her about an endorsement after she ended her run, but Warren said she will take time to reflect before making a decision. Warren's exit from the race marked the end of a staggering, protracted decline from headline-grabbing heights. She started officially exploring a presidential run at the end of 2018 and then reached near-front-runner status by June. She picked fights with billionaires, often by name. Her message of "big structural change" caught on. She promised to fight for everyday people. She pushed out one detailed policy plan after another. "I've got a plan for that" became her signature phase. The slogan also helped shape her demise, as some of her detailed policy proposals couldn't withstand scrutiny. But it might also be the key to her political future beyond the 2020 race.
Electability questions
Immediately there were questions about her "electability," a word also associated with 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. It's a word that has been thrown at Warren often, said Heather McGhee, a political strategist and former president of progressive think tank Demos. It was a concept that greatly contributed to the demise of her campaign. "From day one, Democratic primary voters have been united on the urgency of preventing a second Trump presidency," McGhee said. "The desire for bold structural change was and is high, but the myth of electability dogged women candidates and candidates of color from the start." In the historically most diverse presidential race in the United States, two white men are the final contestants battling it out for the nomination. Though Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is the last woman who remains in the Democratic race, she is widely expected to drop out soon.
watch now
After she withdrew from the 2020 race, Warren told supporters in an email that her campaign helped extend future possibilities for women running for president. "We have shown that a woman can stand up, hold her ground, and stay true to herself — no matter what," she said in the email. On the campaign trail Warren has made a habit of engaging with little girls, asking them to pinky-promise her that they'd one day run for president "because that's what girls do," she would often tell them with enthusiasm. "One of the hardest parts of this is all those pinky promises and all those little girls are going to have to wait for a woman," Warren said in a press briefing following her announcement to end her run.
Medicare for All stumble
Then came her most widely panned policy proposal: how she would pay for her version of Medicare for All, an idea popularized by Sanders. During an October debate her then-rival and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg grilled her on how she would pay for one of her signature agenda items, Medicare for All. When asked whether middle-class taxes would increase under her plan, Warren evaded the question. Sanders, when pressed, had already said middle-class taxes would go up under his bill, but overall costs would go down. His directness paid off as Warren came under pressure. Her poll numbers began to tumble. In November, Warren came up with a complicated response — a plan that included a bigger wealth tax than she had originally promised — and a host of other actions that would pay for her plan without increasing middle-class taxes. The plan would cost the country "just under" $52 trillion over a decade, Warren's campaign said, with "not one penny in middle-class tax increases." It didn't go over well.
watch now
"Instead of satisfying her critics, her plan raised even more questions, further emboldened her naysayers on both sides of the political spectrum, and left her more enmeshed in an uncomfortable debate," wrote Helaine Olen in a Washington Post op-ed. That lost momentum translated into losses in the first nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. Warren came in third in the Iowa caucuses behind Buttigieg and Sanders. In New Hampshire, she took fourth place, behind Sanders, Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Then she was fifth in South Carolina. On Super Tuesday, she was largely a nonfactor, even placing third in her home state of Massachusetts.
Staying in the fight


cnbc--2020-03-06--Trump 2020 campaign sues CNN for libel over opinion article, following suits against Times and Post

President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a news conference a day after the midterm elections on November 7 , 2018 in the East Room of the White House in Washington , DC .
President Donald Trump 's reelection campaign sued CNN on Friday for libel , following similar lawsuits against The New York Times and The Washington Post .
The lawsuit , filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia where CNN has its headquarters , cited a June opinion article written by Larry Noble , a former Federal Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the article that former special counsel Robert Mueller should have charged the president for soliciting help from Russia in his 2016 campaign .
Noble also wrote that the campaign `` assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia 's help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table . ''
In a statement announcing the suit , Trump campaign senior legal advisor Jenna Ellis called that claim `` 100 percent false and defamatory . ''
The Trump campaign lawsuit says that there is `` extensive evidence '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Noble and CNN .
The suit claims that the president 's legal team asked CNN to retract the article in February , and that CNN declined to do so .
`` Noble has written numerous articles accusing the President of criminal activity , and of campaign finance and ethics violations , and has lodged a complaint against a Super-PAC which supports the President , '' the complaint reads .
`` CNN clearly had a malicious motive in publishing the Defamatory Article , and acted with reckless disregard for the truth . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar lawsuits against The New York Times and The Washington Post over alleged defamation contained in opinion articles .
All three lawsuits claim damages worth millions of dollars .
Generally speaking , it is more difficult to succeed in libel suits when the allegedly libelous statements are presented as opinions , rather than facts .
Trump has had a combative relationship with the press , which he has dubbed the `` enemy of the people . ''
In 2018 , the White House yanked the press pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the administration relented and restored Acosta 's credential .
Ellis , the Trump campaign advisor , said the new lawsuits against the media companies were meant `` to hold the publishers accountable for their reckless false reporting and also to establish the truth : that the campaign did not have an agreement , quid pro quo , or collusion with Russia , as the Mueller Report concluded . ''
CNN , a 24-hour news network and digital media company , is a subsidiary of WarnerMedia , whose parent is AT & T @ @ @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a news conference a day after the midterm elections on November 7, 2018 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump's reelection campaign sued CNN on Friday for libel, following similar lawsuits against The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia where CNN has its headquarters, cited a June opinion article written by Larry Noble, a former Federal Election Commission general counsel.
Noble argued in the article that former special counsel Robert Mueller should have charged the president for soliciting help from Russia in his 2016 campaign. Noble also wrote that the campaign "assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia's help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table."
In a statement announcing the suit, Trump campaign senior legal advisor Jenna Ellis called that claim "100 percent false and defamatory."
The Trump campaign lawsuit says that there is "extensive evidence" of bias against the president from both Noble and CNN. The suit claims that the president's legal team asked CNN to retract the article in February, and that CNN declined to do so.
"Noble has written numerous articles accusing the President of criminal activity, and of campaign finance and ethics violations, and has lodged a complaint against a Super-PAC which supports the President," the complaint reads. "CNN clearly had a malicious motive in publishing the Defamatory Article, and acted with reckless disregard for the truth."
A spokesperson for CNN declined to comment.
The Trump campaign in recent weeks has filed similar lawsuits against The New York Times and The Washington Post over alleged defamation contained in opinion articles. All three lawsuits claim damages worth millions of dollars.
Generally speaking, it is more difficult to succeed in libel suits when the allegedly libelous statements are presented as opinions, rather than facts.
Trump has had a combative relationship with the press, which he has dubbed the "enemy of the people." In 2018, the White House yanked the press pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, sparking a legal fight that ultimately ended when the administration relented and restored Acosta's credential.
Ellis, the Trump campaign advisor, said the new lawsuits against the media companies were meant "to hold the publishers accountable for their reckless false reporting and also to establish the truth: that the campaign did not have an agreement, quid pro quo, or collusion with Russia, as the Mueller Report concluded."
CNN, a 24-hour news network and digital media company, is a subsidiary of WarnerMedia, whose parent is AT&T . It is based in Atlanta.


cnbc--2020-03-06--GOP Rep. Ken Buck wields AR-15 in office, dares Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke to 'come and take it'

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck , a Colorado Republican , wielded an AR-15 rifle in his office and dared former Vice President Joe Biden and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke to `` come and take it '' in a jaw-dropping video posted online Friday .
`` I have a message for Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke , if you want to take everyone 's AR-15s in America , why do n't you swing by my office in Washington , D.C. and start with this one , '' Buck said in the video on his office 's website .
`` Come and take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the rifle , which was wrapped in an American flag design , was in response to O'Rourke 's stance against high-powered assault rifles being in civilian hands , and Biden 's reference earlier this week that he would tap O'Rourke to help him `` take care of the gun problem . ''
Buck 's office noted that O'Rourke , a former Texas congressman who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year , had said in a Democratic debate , `` hell yes , we 're going to take your AR-15 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that comment , O'Rourke had been asked at the debate whether he proposed to take away those types of weapons .
He answered , `` I am if it is a weapon that was designed to kill people on a battlefield ; if they high impact high velocity round when it hits your body shreds everything inside of your body because it was designed to do that so that you would bleed to death on a battlefield and not be able to get up and kill one of our soldiers . ''
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on Monday said at a rally of O'Rourke that `` I want to make something clear — I 'm gon na guarantee you , this is not the last you 're seeing of this guy — you 're gon na take care of the gun problem with me , you 're gon na be the one who leads this effort . ''
O'Rourke fired back at Buck on Twitter on Friday , writing , `` This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities , in our politics or in our public discourse , '' O'Rourke wrote .
A spokesman for Biden 's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Buck 's video .
Fred Guttenberg , whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime died in the Parkland , Florida , school shooting in 2018 , replied to Buck on Twitter , saying that if he had seen the congressman 's video `` yesterday when in DC I gladly would have '' visited his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single AR 15 bullet .
You may find joy in that , I do n't , '' wrote Guttenberg , who has endorsed Biden 's candidacy .
`` I will gladly come back to DC to discuss your AR 15 and removing it for safe storage .
Do not make threats of AR 15 violence . ''
Buck said in a statement on his office website , `` I have always been a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and will continue to stand up to any attacks on the law-abiding gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Buck was just one of two House members , the other being Andy Biggs , R-Ariz. , who voted Wednesday against the $ 8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak .
That funding passed the House 415-2 , and was signed by President Donald Trump on Friday .
Buck 's fellow congressman , Rep. Ruben Gallego , D-Ariz. , blasted him in a Twitter reply for violating a cardinal rule of handling a gun by pointing it at the person who shot the video .
`` You literally flagged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons handling , treat every weapon as if it were loaded , '' wrote Gallego , who served as a Marine in Iraq .
`` Second rule , never point the weapon at anything you do n't intend to shoot . ''
Buck has permission to have the AR-15 in the U.S. Capitol because he is a member of Congress .
It is illegal for nonmembers of Congress to bring a gun into the Capitol .
Buck told The Washington Post in 2015 that the AR-15 he keeps in his office is unloaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he also had the bolt carrier assembly , which is required to actually fire the rifle , removed before it came to Washington .
In June 2017 , a left-wing activist from Illinois named James Hodgkinson , who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a 9 mm pistol shot then-House Minority Whip Steve Scalise , R-La.
, U.S Capitol police officer Chrystal Griner , congressional aide Zack Barth and a lobbyist , Matt Mika , while they were practicing for the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity in Alexandria , Virginia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ January 2011 , then-Rep. Gabby Giffords , D-Ariz. , was shot in the head while meeting with constituents outside a supermarket in her home state .
Giffords , who survived , was shot by a man , Jared Lee Loughner , who was armed with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that had a 33-round magazine .
Six other people died in the attack .
Correction : James Hodgkinson was the shooter at a congressional baseball practice in June 2017 .
An earlier version misspelled his name .

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican, wielded an AR-15 rifle in his office and dared former Vice President Joe Biden and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke to "come and take it" in a jaw-dropping video posted online Friday.
"I have a message for Joe Biden and Beto O'Rourke, if you want to take everyone's AR-15s in America, why don't you swing by my office in Washington, D.C. and start with this one," Buck said in the video on his office's website.
"Come and take it."
Tweet
Buck's office called Biden and O'Rourke "the gun-grabbing duo."
The video of Buck with the rifle, which was wrapped in an American flag design, was in response to O'Rourke's stance against high-powered assault rifles being in civilian hands, and Biden's reference earlier this week that he would tap O'Rourke to help him "take care of the gun problem."
Buck's office noted that O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, had said in a Democratic debate, "hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."
Before he made that comment, O'Rourke had been asked at the debate whether he proposed to take away those types of weapons.
He answered, "I am if it is a weapon that was designed to kill people on a battlefield; if they high impact high velocity round when it hits your body shreds everything inside of your body because it was designed to do that so that you would bleed to death on a battlefield and not be able to get up and kill one of our soldiers."
Biden, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, on Monday said at a rally of O'Rourke that "I want to make something clear — I'm gonna guarantee you, this is not the last you're seeing of this guy — you're gonna take care of the gun problem with me, you're gonna be the one who leads this effort."
O'Rourke fired back at Buck on Twitter on Friday, writing, "This guy makes the case for both an assault weapons ban and a mandatory buyback program better than I ever could."
"These are weapons of war that have no place in our communities, in our politics or in our public discourse," O'Rourke wrote.
Tweet
Biden's campaign spokesman Andrew Bates issued the following statement on Buck's video:
"Joe Biden is the only candidate in this race who has taken on the NRA and beaten them. Mass shootings have become an epidemic that is devastating communities across our country - especially children in schools - which is a crisis we have to stop as soon as possible. The American people are crying out for gun safety reform, and as president Joe Biden would demand a ban on assault weapons. Weapons of war have no place in our streets, and absolutely no place in our schools. It's long past time for elected officials to value the lives of our children over the interests of gun manufacturers."
Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime died in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting in 2018, replied to Buck on Twitter, saying that if he had seen the congressman's video "yesterday when in DC I gladly would have" visited his office.
"My daughter died from a single AR 15 bullet. You may find joy in that, I don't," wrote Guttenberg, who has endorsed Biden's candidacy. "I will gladly come back to DC to discuss your AR 15 and removing it for safe storage. Do not make threats of AR 15 violence."
Buck said in a statement on his office website, "I have always been a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and will continue to stand up to any attacks on the law-abiding gun owners of Colorado's Fourth District."
Buck was just one of two House members, the other being Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who voted Wednesday against the $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak. That funding passed the House 415-2, and was signed by President Donald Trump on Friday.
Buck's fellow congressman, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., blasted him in a Twitter reply for violating a cardinal rule of handling a gun by pointing it at the person who shot the video.
"You literally flagged the camera man. First rule of weapons handling, treat every weapon as if it were loaded," wrote Gallego, who served as a Marine in Iraq. "Second rule, never point the weapon at anything you don't intend to shoot."
Buck has permission to have the AR-15 in the U.S. Capitol because he is a member of Congress. It is illegal for nonmembers of Congress to bring a gun into the Capitol.
Buck told The Washington Post in 2015 that the AR-15 he keeps in his office is unloaded and has a trigger lock. He said he also had the bolt carrier assembly, which is required to actually fire the rifle, removed before it came to Washington.
In June 2017, a left-wing activist from Illinois named James Hodgkinson, who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a 9 mm pistol shot then-House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., U.S Capitol police officer Chrystal Griner, congressional aide Zack Barth and a lobbyist, Matt Mika, while they were practicing for the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity in Alexandria, Virginia. They all survived the shooting.
Hodgkinson died after a shootout with police.
In January 2011, then-Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., was shot in the head while meeting with constituents outside a supermarket in her home state. Giffords, who survived, was shot by a man, Jared Lee Loughner, who was armed with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol that had a 33-round magazine. Six other people died in the attack.
Correction: James Hodgkinson was the shooter at a congressional baseball practice in June 2017. An earlier version misspelled his name.


cnbc--2020-03-06--Trump defends HHS Secretary Alex Azar amid criticism over his response to coronavirus outbreak

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after signing a $ 7.8 billion emergency coronavirus spending bill in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Friday , March 6 , 2020 .
The amount of money provided in the legislation far exceeds Trumps original request -- $ 1.25 billion in new funds and another $ 1.25 billion from other government social and health programs .
Photographer : Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Donald Trump on Friday defended Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar as he faces mounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak .
`` It is FAKE NEWS that @ HHSGov @ SecAzar is 'sidelined ' from the great job he is doing on the CoronaVirus Task Force , '' Trump tweeted Friday .
`` He has the total confidence of the @ VP and myself , and is doing a fantastic job , as the numbers would indicate ! ''
The president 's remarks come after several news outlets reported that Azar had been kept from attending a press briefing addressing the virus .
Azar had been on the front lines of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , appearing in front of reporters and issuing updates on the status of the virus in the country , until this moment .
Trump 's Friday tweet in defense of Azar appears to include a caveat , however .
The phrase `` as the numbers would indicate '' suggests that if contamination and death totals were to increase , as they have been since the virus was discovered , Azar would no longer be doing `` a fantastic job . ''
The president tweeted the remarks after he addressed reporters at the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump on Friday signed a multibillion-dollar spending package to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
He also canceled and then remade plans to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on Friday .
The coronavirus , which first originated in China in December , has spread to dozens of countries and has killed at least 3,383 people so far , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
The president has repeatedly stressed that the coronavirus is under control in the United States , but health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they continue issuing stronger guidance for travelers and U.S. citizens .
There are more than 100,000 confirmed cases worldwide , and at least 14 deaths in the United States , according to official tallies .
The novel strain of coronavirus , which is believed to have originated in Wuhan in China 's Hubei province , has roiled markets and led governments to take drastic actions as it rapidly spreads across the globe .

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after signing a $7.8 billion emergency coronavirus spending bill in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, March 6, 2020. The amount of money provided in the legislation far exceeds Trumps original request -- $1.25 billion in new funds and another $1.25 billion from other government social and health programs. Photographer: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Friday defended Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar as he faces mounting criticism for his response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
"It is FAKE NEWS that @HHSGov @SecAzar is 'sidelined' from the great job he is doing on the CoronaVirus Task Force," Trump tweeted Friday. "He has the total confidence of the @VP and myself, and is doing a fantastic job, as the numbers would indicate!"
Trump tweet
The president's remarks come after several news outlets reported that Azar had been kept from attending a press briefing addressing the virus. Azar had been on the front lines of the response from the U.S. for weeks, appearing in front of reporters and issuing updates on the status of the virus in the country, until this moment.
Trump's Friday tweet in defense of Azar appears to include a caveat, however. The phrase "as the numbers would indicate" suggests that if contamination and death totals were to increase, as they have been since the virus was discovered, Azar would no longer be doing "a fantastic job."
The president tweeted the remarks after he addressed reporters at the White House, with Azar at his side. Trump on Friday signed a multibillion-dollar spending package to combat the spread of the coronavirus. He also canceled and then remade plans to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on Friday.
The coronavirus, which first originated in China in December, has spread to dozens of countries and has killed at least 3,383 people so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The president has repeatedly stressed that the coronavirus is under control in the United States, but health officials have signaled an entirely different message as they continue issuing stronger guidance for travelers and U.S. citizens.
There are more than 100,000 confirmed cases worldwide, and at least 14 deaths in the United States, according to official tallies.
The novel strain of coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, has roiled markets and led governments to take drastic actions as it rapidly spreads across the globe.
— CNBC's Christina Wilkie contributed to this report.


cnbc--2020-03-06--Trump signs $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus spending package

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed a sweeping spending bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ into prevention efforts and research in hopes of quickly producing a vaccine for the deadly @ @ @ @ @ bill on the same day worldwide cases surpassed 100,000 Lawmakers had worked through the weekend @ @ @ @ @ vaccine pricing and unveiling the $ 8.3 billion aid package in Congress on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ and Senate by Thursday .
Only three lawmakers voted against the bill : Reps. Ken @ @ @ @ @ Andy Biggs , R-Ariz. , and Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky. That speedy action by @ @ @ @ @ underscored just how seriously the government is taking the threat of the coronavirus .
A @ @ @ @ @ been confirmed in the U.S. in recent days , and health officials have warned that @ @ @ @ @ verge of becoming a pandemic .
The size of the bill dwarfs the $ 2.5 @ @ @ @ @ administration had originally proposed .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed a sweeping spending bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, pumping billions of dollars into prevention efforts and research in hopes of quickly producing a vaccine for the deadly disease.
Trump signed the bill on the same day worldwide cases surpassed 100,000
Lawmakers had worked through the weekend before resolving a dispute over vaccine pricing and unveiling the $8.3 billion aid package in Congress on Wednesday. It sailed through the House and Senate by Thursday.
Only three lawmakers voted against the bill: Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
That speedy action by an otherwise bitterly divided Congress underscored just how seriously the government is taking the threat of the coronavirus. A slew of new cases have been confirmed in the U.S. in recent days, and health officials have warned that the virus is on the verge of becoming a pandemic.
The size of the bill dwarfs the $2.5 billion in funding the Trump administration had originally proposed.


cnbc--2020-03-06--Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accuses China of setting back coronavirus prevention efforts

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday blamed China for putting the U.S. `` behind the curve '' in trying to contain the coronavirus outbreak .
In a CNBC interview , Pompeo said it has proven `` incredibly frustrating '' to work with the Chinese government to obtain data on the coronavirus , `` which will ultimately be the solution to both getting the vaccine and attacking this risk . ''
`` Remember , this is the Wuhan coronavirus that 's caused this , and the information that we got at the front end of this thing was n't perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place where much of the challenge we face today has put us behind the curve , '' Pompeo said in an interview with CNBC 's `` Squawk Box . ''
`` That 's not the way infectious disease doctors tell me it should work .
It 's not the way America works with transparency and openness and the sharing of the information that needs to take place . ''
Global cases of COVID-19 surpassed 100,000 on Friday , with at least 3,280 deaths .
The vast majority of cases are still in China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus death toll in the U.S. has risen to at least 14 , with at least 233 cases reported around the country .
California and Washington state have the largest number of the cases .
Washington state has seen 13 of the fatalities .
The other was in California .
Pompeo pushed back on any suggestion that the global outbreak of the coronavirus could have originated outside of China , a narrative pushed by the Chinese state-run media .
`` No less authority than the Chinese Communist Party said it came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` So do n't take Mike Pompeo 's word for it .
We have pretty high confidence that we know where this began . ''
`` We have high confidence , too , that there was information that could have been made available more quickly and data that could have been provided and shared among health professionals across the world , '' Pompeo added .
`` It 's most unfortunate . ''
Pompeo said he believed in the U.S. government 's ability to appropriately respond to the coronavirus .
`` I 'm confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm confident that we 'll handle it better than any nation in the world . ''
Earlier in the outbreak , some people raised concerns over state and local capacity to test for the virus .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later altered its testing guidelines to allow more clinician across the U.S. to test for the virus .
Pompeo said his work on combating the virus has focused more on America 's response abroad , but he complimented domestic efforts to increase testing capacity .
`` They 're trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the rate right so that we can do all the testing that 's needed , '' Pompeo said .
`` We have taken this incredibly seriously .
We 'll continue to do that .
The testing kits are one element of America 's effort to reduce risk . ''
Asked about specifically early missteps from the CDC , which sent potentially problematic test kits to public health labs around the country , Pompeo said , `` We 've got to get it right . ''

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday blamed China for putting the U.S. "behind the curve" in trying to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
In a CNBC interview, Pompeo said it has proven "incredibly frustrating" to work with the Chinese government to obtain data on the coronavirus, "which will ultimately be the solution to both getting the vaccine and attacking this risk."
"Remember, this is the Wuhan coronavirus that's caused this, and the information that we got at the front end of this thing wasn't perfect and has led us now to a place where much of the challenge we face today has put us behind the curve," Pompeo said in an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Box."
"That's not the way infectious disease doctors tell me it should work. It's not the way America works with transparency and openness and the sharing of the information that needs to take place."
Global cases of COVID-19 surpassed 100,000 on Friday, with at least 3,280 deaths. The vast majority of cases are still in China, where the virus originated in December.
The coronavirus death toll in the U.S. has risen to at least 14, with at least 233 cases reported around the country. California and Washington state have the largest number of the cases. Washington state has seen 13 of the fatalities. The other was in California.
Pompeo pushed back on any suggestion that the global outbreak of the coronavirus could have originated outside of China, a narrative pushed by the Chinese state-run media.
"No less authority than the Chinese Communist Party said it came from Wuhan," Pompeo said. "So don't take Mike Pompeo's word for it. We have pretty high confidence that we know where this began."
"We have high confidence, too, that there was information that could have been made available more quickly and data that could have been provided and shared among health professionals across the world," Pompeo added. "It's most unfortunate."
Pompeo said he believed in the U.S. government's ability to appropriately respond to the coronavirus. "I'm confident we can handle it here. I'm confident that we'll handle it better than any nation in the world."
Earlier in the outbreak, some people raised concerns over state and local capacity to test for the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later altered its testing guidelines to allow more clinician across the U.S. to test for the virus.
Pompeo said his work on combating the virus has focused more on America's response abroad, but he complimented domestic efforts to increase testing capacity.
"They're trying to get the private sector ramped up to get the rate right so that we can do all the testing that's needed," Pompeo said. "We have taken this incredibly seriously. We'll continue to do that. The testing kits are one element of America's effort to reduce risk."
Asked about specifically early missteps from the CDC, which sent potentially problematic test kits to public health labs around the country, Pompeo said, "We've got to get it right."