usatoday--2020-02-29--Federal court temporarily halts Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' policy

TUCSON , Ariz. – A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration ’ s policy of returning asylum-seekers to Mexico to await court hearings , a practice immigrant advocates have denounced as inhumane and deadly .
The decision on Friday by the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco deals a blow to the Trump administration .
The process — called the Migrant Protection Protocols , or MPP , also known as `` Remain in Mexico '' — had been seen as another tool in President Donald Trump ’ s asylum crackdown .
Since the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program in January 2019 , the U.S. government has sent back more than 60,000 people to seven Mexican border cities from Tijuana to Matamoros .
Those included some of those most dangerous areas of the border , exposing migrants to assaults , kidnappings , murders and extortion .
U.S. authorities have argued that the policy keeps migrants from slipping into the U.S. and deters other migrants considering crossing from the U.S. southern border .
“ This is really a tremendous decision recognizing the illegality of the Remain in Mexico program , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin , who makes regular trips to Texas border towns to interview MPP migrants and monitor their legal proceedings .
“ It means that asylum-seekers can now have access to the U.S. asylum system in a humane way.
” A key question remains : What happens to the thousands of migrants currently in Mexico in the MPP program and will they be allowed to enter the U.S. to wait out their court dates ?
“ There should be immediate relief for those currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Right now , it ’ s unclear what will happen.
” The 9th Circuit issued a separate ruling on Friday morning that reinstated a lower court 's injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a rule that made migrants ineligible for asylum if they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in between the ports of entry .
Eleven migrants sent back to Mexico under the program , and a collection of six civil rights advocates including Innovation Law Lab , Al Otro Lado and Tahirih Justice Center , filed a lawsuit last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. immigration law .
A federal district court in California had issued a ruling blocking the policy during the case , but MPP continued while the U.S. government appealed .
In an 81-page opinion published on Friday morning , a three-judge panel with the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in California found that the program `` is inconsistent '' with U.S. federal law and should be blocked entirely .
Judges split 2-1 on the decision .
With an injunction in place , the case now likely returns to the district court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of the appeal , Homeland Security had expanded the program along the U.S.-Mexico border .
The U.S. government rolled out the Migrant Protection Protocols in San Diego-Tijuana in January 2019 .
It later began sending asylum-seekers to Mexico in Calexico-Mexicali at the California border ; El Paso-Ciudad Juárez , Brownsville-Matamoros , Laredo-Nuevo Laredo and Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras along the Texas border ; and Nogales-Nogales , Sonora , at the Arizona border .
`` The panel concluded that there is a significant likelihood that the individual plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence in the record establishes that non-Mexicans returned to Mexico under the MPP risk substantial harm , even death , while they await adjudication of their applications for asylum , '' the court 's opinion read .
Judges William Fletcher and Richard Paez , who were both appointed by President Bill Clinton , voted to block MPP .
Judge Ferdinand Fernandez , an appointee of President Ronald Reagan , dissented .
A spokesman for the Justice Department , which litigated on behalf of the government , criticized the 9th Circuit 's decision , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nationwide injunctions to halt some of the administration 's immigration and border enforcement policies .
`` The Ninth Circuit ’ s decision not only ignores the Constitutional authority of Congress and the Administration for a policy in effect for over a year , but also extends relief beyond the parties before the Court , '' the department said in a statement .
The American Civil Liberties Union litigated the appeal before the 9th Circuit in October , along with the Southern Poverty Law Center and Center for Gender and Refugee Studies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ACLU ’ s Immigrants ’ Rights Project , argued the case before the judges .
“ The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration ’ s assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger , ” she said in a statement Friday .
“ It ’ s time for the administration to follow the law and stop putting asylum seekers in harm ’ s way.
” Michael Tan , the deputy director for the Immigrants ' Rights Project , said it is almost certain the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the option to ask a full panel of the 9th Circuit to review the case , a process known as en banc .
Or , it can file an appeal directly to the Supreme Court , as it has done in other high-profile immigration cases , such as the administration 's travel ban .
Regardless of which route it takes , Tan said , the Justice Department could once again ask the courts to stay Friday 's decision , pending an appeal .
`` We 're under no illusion that the administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
Al Otro Lado , a binational legal aid group based in California that has provided assistance to asylum-seekers returned under MPP to Tijuana and Mexicali , claimed victory following the court ’ s decision .
`` A HUGE WIN !
9th circuit has sided with us in our lawsuit and reinstated the block on the ILLEGAL and inhumane Remain in Mexico Policy , ” the group wrote on Twitter .
“ We suspect the government will appeal , but for now we are celebrating !
” Human Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on MPP migrants , including kidnappings , rape , torture , murder and at least 228 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children .
In a recent report , Doctors Without Borders also reported that , in October alone , 75 % of the migrants in the MPP program they spoke to in Nuevo Laredo had been recently kidnapped .
The labor union for federal asylum officers , the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1924 , condemned the policy in an amicus briefing filed in June to go along with the lawsuit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safe haven to the persecuted and violates our international and domestic legal obligations , ” the union wrote .
Scott Weaver , an Austin attorney representing more than 50 MPP clients in Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo , said he was encouraged to hear of the court ’ s decision but didn ’ t know what it meant for his clients .
He feared ICE would now detain MPP migrants in U.S. immigration detention facilities as their asylum process played out , which would be better than the Mexican border towns they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
He would like to see them paroled during their court process , he said .
“ I ’ m concerned about what happens next , ” Weaver said .
“ I ’ m sure they ’ ll be more hurdles for my clients.
” Across the border , José Ascención Moreno Mena expressed his satisfaction with the court 's ruling given the `` unnecessary risks '' the policy exposed returned migrants to .
He leads the Coalición Pro Defense del Migrante , a collective of shelters and aid groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two cities where U.S. officials first implemented `` Remain in Mexico . ''
Dec. 2018 : New Trump administration policy requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico , bans US entry Despite a vast network of shelters in cities all along Mexican side of the border , many of them are continuously full , forcing migrants returned under MPP to find other accommodations .
`` All these people are forced to go to places that are inhospitable , places where they run lots of risks .
And since they do n't know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end up in places that are not very safe , '' he said .
He said it was hard to track how many migrants sent back had suffered violence or extortion because no one is tracking that , and because migrants are afraid to report it .
Pastor Lorenzo Ortiz was driving a group of migrants from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey when he got the news that the `` Remain in Mexico '' policy had been temporarily halted .
Then calls began pouring in to his cellphone from returned migrants stranded in Nuevo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the international bridge to the U.S. “ There was a little bit of a panic , ” said Ortiz , who runs two shelters filled with MPP migrants in Nuevo Laredo .
The ruling `` created some conflict and confusion , '' he said .
`` I ’ m telling people to just wait , don ’ t do anything wrong that could impact your case.
” Ortiz said he hopes the U.S. government now takes the steps they did when throngs of Cuban migrants piled up at the foot of the bridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` wet foot/dry foot '' rule , which eased the way for Cubans reaching U.S. soil to stay in the U.S. After that measure ended in 2017 under President Obama , Customs and Border Protection officers took around 20 to 30 Cubans a day until they were all processed into the U.S. within about nine months , he said .
Ortiz said he doubts he will see the same orderly reaction this time around .
“ It sounds like good news , but I don ’ t think it ’ ll really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Trump will find a way to stop this.
” Rafael Carranza covers the border and is based in Tucson , Ariz. Jervis is based in Austin for the USA TODAY Network .
Follow Rafael Carranza and Rick Jervis on Twitter : @ RafaelCarranza and @ MrRJervis .

Rafael Carranza and Rick Jervis, USA TODAY

Federal court temporarily halts Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy — then reverses itself
Show Caption Hide Caption Federal court blocks Trump administration's 'Remain in Mexico' policy The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals made the ruling regarding the program on Friday. Wibbitz
TUCSON, Ariz. – A federal appeals court has blocked the Trump administration’s policy of returning asylum-seekers to Mexico to await court hearings, a practice immigrant advocates have denounced as inhumane and deadly.
The decision on Friday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco deals a blow to the Trump administration. The process — called the Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP, also known as "Remain in Mexico" — had been seen as another tool in President Donald Trump’s asylum crackdown.
Throngs of migrants in the program began gathering at international crossings in Ciudad Juarez and Matamoros, hoping to be let into the U.S. But the decision — and migrants' hopes — lasted only a few hours. Later on Friday, the 9th Circuit judges granted an emergency stay on the injunction, as requested by the Trump administration, effectively keeping MPP in place while further arguments are heard. The case appears to be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"This evening, with support of DOJ attorneys and CBP’s declaration, the 9th Circuit granted a stay of its earlier order enjoining MPP," Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan tweeted Late Friday. "@CBP will immediately reinstate MPP!"
Since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rolled out the program in January 2019, the U.S. government has sent back more than 60,000 people to seven Mexican border cities from Tijuana to Matamoros. Those included some of those most dangerous areas of the border, exposing migrants to assaults, kidnappings, murders and extortion.
Feb. 27: President Trump's immigration crackdown inundates Supreme Court
Watch: Thousands chant against immigration policy across USA
U.S. authorities have argued that the policy keeps migrants from slipping into the U.S. and deters other migrants considering crossing from the U.S. southern border.
“This is really a tremendous decision recognizing the illegality of the Remain in Mexico program,” said Elissa Steglich, co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, who makes regular trips to Texas border towns to interview MPP migrants and monitor their legal proceedings. “It means that asylum-seekers can now have access to the U.S. asylum system in a humane way.”
A key question remains: What happens to the thousands of migrants currently in Mexico in the MPP program and will they be allowed to enter the U.S. to wait out their court dates?
“There should be immediate relief for those currently in the MPP program,” Steglich said. “Right now, it’s unclear what will happen.”
The 9th Circuit issued a separate ruling on Friday morning that reinstated a lower court's injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a rule that made migrants ineligible for asylum if they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in between the ports of entry.
The lawsuit
Eleven migrants sent back to Mexico under the program, and a collection of six civil rights advocates including Innovation Law Lab, Al Otro Lado and Tahirih Justice Center, filed a lawsuit last year, arguing that the policy violated U.S. immigration law.
A federal district court in California had issued a ruling blocking the policy during the case, but MPP continued while the U.S. government appealed.
In an 81-page opinion published on Friday morning, a three-judge panel with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California found that the program "is inconsistent" with U.S. federal law and should be blocked entirely. Judges split 2-1 on the decision.
With an injunction in place, the case now likely returns to the district court to consider the suit itself.
During the time of the appeal, Homeland Security had expanded the program along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The U.S. government rolled out the Migrant Protection Protocols in San Diego-Tijuana in January 2019. It later began sending asylum-seekers to Mexico in Calexico-Mexicali at the California border; El Paso-Ciudad Juárez, Brownsville-Matamoros, Laredo-Nuevo Laredo and Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras along the Texas border; and Nogales-Nogales, Sonora, at the Arizona border.
In California: ICE ignores state immigration laws
"The panel concluded that there is a significant likelihood that the individual plaintiffs will suffer irreparable harm if the MPP is not enjoined; uncontested evidence in the record establishes that non-Mexicans returned to Mexico under the MPP risk substantial harm, even death, while they await adjudication of their applications for asylum," the court's opinion read.
Judges William Fletcher and Richard Paez, who were both appointed by President Bill Clinton, voted to block MPP. Judge Ferdinand Fernandez, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, dissented.
Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf issued a statement calling the nationwide injunction "grave and reckless," while also accusing the judges of bypassing Congress and undermining the Constitution.
He referred to the Migrant Protection Protocols as a "gamechanger" that has allowed the U.S. government to process "meritorious" claims more quickly and to reduce fraudulent claims.
"By implementing MPP we have also effectively reduced the incentive for smugglers and traffickers to use children in their illicit cross-border activity," Wolf said. "Should this ruling stand, the safety and security of our border communities, international relationships and regional stability is at risk."
He confirmed they're working with the Justice Department to "expeditiously" appeal the court's "inexplicable" decision.
A spokesman for the Justice Department, which litigated on behalf of the government, criticized the 9th Circuit's decision, as well as the "impropriety" of nationwide injunctions to halt some of the administration's immigration and border enforcement policies.
"The Ninth Circuit’s decision not only ignores the Constitutional authority of Congress and the Administration for a policy in effect for over a year, but also extends relief beyond the parties before the Court," the department said in a statement.
The American Civil Liberties Union litigated the appeal before the 9th Circuit in October, along with the Southern Poverty Law Center and Center for Gender and Refugee Studies.
Judy Rabinovitz, an attorney with the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued the case before the judges.
“The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger,” she said in a statement Friday. “It’s time for the administration to follow the law and stop putting asylum seekers in harm’s way.”
Michael Tan, the deputy director for the Immigrants' Rights Project, said it is almost certain the Trump administration will appeal.
The Justice Department has the option to ask a full panel of the 9th Circuit to review the case, a process known as en banc. Or, it can file an appeal directly to the Supreme Court, as it has done in other high-profile immigration cases, such as the administration's travel ban.
Regardless of which route it takes, Tan said, the Justice Department could once again ask the courts to stay Friday's decision, pending an appeal.
"We're under no illusion that the administration is going to take this one lying down," he said.
Al Otro Lado, a binational legal aid group based in California that has provided assistance to asylum-seekers returned under MPP to Tijuana and Mexicali, claimed victory following the court’s decision.
"A HUGE WIN! 9th circuit has sided with us in our lawsuit and reinstated the block on the ILLEGAL and inhumane Remain in Mexico Policy,” the group wrote on Twitter. “We suspect the government will appeal, but for now we are celebrating!”
Returned to violence
Human Rights First has counted 1,001 cases of attacks on MPP migrants, including kidnappings, rape, torture, murder and at least 228 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children.
In a recent report, Doctors Without Borders also reported that, in October alone, 75% of the migrants in the MPP program they spoke to in Nuevo Laredo had been recently kidnapped.
The labor union for federal asylum officers, the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1924, condemned the policy in an amicus briefing filed in June to go along with the lawsuit. “MPP abandons our tradition of providing a safe haven to the persecuted and violates our international and domestic legal obligations,” the union wrote.
Scott Weaver, an Austin attorney representing more than 50 MPP clients in Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo, said he was encouraged to hear of the court’s decision but didn’t know what it meant for his clients.
He feared ICE would now detain MPP migrants in U.S. immigration detention facilities as their asylum process played out, which would be better than the Mexican border towns they’re currently in but still not ideal, he said. He would like to see them paroled during their court process, he said.
“I’m concerned about what happens next,” Weaver said. “I’m sure they’ll be more hurdles for my clients.”
Across the border, José Ascención Moreno Mena expressed his satisfaction with the court's ruling given the "unnecessary risks" the policy exposed returned migrants to.
He leads the Coalición Pro Defense del Migrante, a collective of shelters and aid groups for migrants in Tijuana and Mexicali, the two cities where U.S. officials first implemented "Remain in Mexico."
Dec. 2018: New Trump administration policy requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico, bans US entry
Despite a vast network of shelters in cities all along Mexican side of the border, many of them are continuously full, forcing migrants returned under MPP to find other accommodations.
"All these people are forced to go to places that are inhospitable, places where they run lots of risks. And since they don't know the city well, many times they end up in places that are not very safe," he said.
He said it was hard to track how many migrants sent back had suffered violence or extortion because no one is tracking that, and because migrants are afraid to report it.
Pastor Lorenzo Ortiz was driving a group of migrants from Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey when he got the news that the "Remain in Mexico" policy had been temporarily halted.
Then calls began pouring in to his cellphone from returned migrants stranded in Nuevo Laredo, asking if they should rush the international bridge to the U.S.
“There was a little bit of a panic,” said Ortiz, who runs two shelters filled with MPP migrants in Nuevo Laredo.
The ruling "created some conflict and confusion," he said. "I’m telling people to just wait, don’t do anything wrong that could impact your case.”
Ortiz said he hopes the U.S. government now takes the steps they did when throngs of Cuban migrants piled up at the foot of the bridge in Nuevo Laredo after the government abolished the "wet foot/dry foot" rule, which eased the way for Cubans reaching U.S. soil to stay in the U.S.
After that measure ended in 2017 under President Obama, Customs and Border Protection officers took around 20 to 30 Cubans a day until they were all processed into the U.S. within about nine months, he said.
Ortiz said he doubts he will see the same orderly reaction this time around.
“It sounds like good news, but I don’t think it’ll really be good news,” he said. “Trump will find a way to stop this.”
Rafael Carranza covers the border and is based in Tucson, Ariz. Jervis is based in Austin for the USA TODAY Network. Follow Rafael Carranza and Rick Jervis on Twitter: @RafaelCarranza and @MrRJervis.


usatoday--2020-02-29--Trump nominates Rep. John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Friday he will nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe to become Director of National Intelligence , just six months after the Texas congressman took his name out of the running for the job .
“ I am pleased to announce the nomination of @ RepRatcliffe ( Congressman John Ratcliffe ) to be Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) , ” Trump wrote on Twitter while en route to South Carolina for a political rally .
Trump said the nomination process would have been completed earlier , but Ratcliffe wanted to wait until an inspector general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI handled an investigation into whether Trump ’ s presidential campaign coordinated with Russia .
“ John is an outstanding man of great talent !
” Trump wrote .
Trump 's announcement that he had settled on Ratcliffe for the top spy job comes just two weeks after he tapped Richard Grenell to serve as acting director .
That decision stirred concern because Grenell , a Trump loyalist who has been serving as U.S. ambassador to Germany , has no intelligence experience .
Trump floated the Texas Republican 's name for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bid to become the spy chief after Democrats and some Republicans raised questions about whether he exaggerated his work as a federal prosecutor of terrorism cases .
Others questioned Ratcliffe 's experience and whether he could give the president unvarnished advice on Russia given his strong partisan views .
Trump told reporters at the time that he thought Ratcliffe `` was being treated very unfairly . ''
Top spy : Donald Trump : John Ratcliffe withdrawing his name to be Director of National Intelligence Ratcliffe is likely to face the same kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moments after Trump announced Ratcliffe ’ s nomination over Twitter , congressional Democrats started voicing their opposition .
Spanberger , a former CIA officer who also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee , told CNN she was “ very concerned ” due to Ratcliffe ’ s lack of intelligence experience .
“ The notion that we would have someone without an intelligence background , without that respect for what it is to be driven by facts and evidence and not partisan politics , I think this is overall very detrimental , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what type of input the president will be getting from someone who 's driven far more by partisan politics than the pursuit of the truth , ” she said .
Sen. Mark Warner , the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee , said he doesn ’ t see how anything has changed since the last time Ratcliffe was nominated for this role .
“ The last time this nomination was unsuccessfully put forward , serious bipartisan questions were raised about Rep. Ratcliffe ’ s background and qualifications , ” the Virginia Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hard for me to see how anything new has happened to change that.
” Rep. Lee Zeldin , R-N.Y. , called Ratcliffe `` massively talented '' and tweeted that he is `` a top notch pick who is serious , motivated & prepared to do an exceptional job on Day 1 ! ''
Rep. Mark Meadows , R-N.C. , who served with Ratcliffe as a member of Trump ’ s impeachment defense team , called Ratcliffe an “ EXCELLENT ” choice .
“ John is the best of the best—smart , measured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North Carolina Republican said .
The intelligence position has been without a permanent director since Dan Coates , a former Indiana senator who held the job since 2017 , stepped down .
Disagreements between Coates and Trump on Russia , North Korea and other matters often spilled into public view .
Trump tales : From the Chicago cop to the crying businessman , Trump ’ s anecdotes often change with each telling Steve Vladeck , a law professor at the University of Texas , said the nomination may , essentially , extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Even if there 's no real chance that @ RepRatcliffe will be confirmed by the Senate , the formal submission of his nomination will allow @ RichardGrenell to continue to serve as Acting DNI past March 11 — and for another 210 days after Ratcliffe 's rejection or withdrawal , '' Vladeck tweeted .
Ned Price , a spokesman for the National Security Council during the Obama administration , dismissed Trump 's selection of Ratcliffe as not `` a serious nomination . ''
`` Trump , Ratcliffe , and Senate Rs all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Price tweeted .
`` This is a transparent effort to reset the clock on Grenell ’ s appointment — and a de facto installation of him as DNI for months to come . ''

Michael Collins and David Jackson, USA TODAY

Trump nominates Rep. John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence
Show Caption Hide Caption Donald Trump nominates Rep. John Ratcliffe as the Director of National Intelligence President Trump announced he will nominate Representative John Ratcliffe of Texas to become the Director of National Intelligence. Buzz60
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Friday he will nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe to become Director of National Intelligence, just six months after the Texas congressman took his name out of the running for the job.
“I am pleased to announce the nomination of @RepRatcliffe(Congressman John Ratcliffe) to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI),” Trump wrote on Twitter while en route to South Carolina for a political rally.
Trump said the nomination process would have been completed earlier, but Ratcliffe wanted to wait until an inspector general’s report was completed on how the FBI handled an investigation into whether Trump’s presidential campaign coordinated with Russia.
“John is an outstanding man of great talent!” Trump wrote.
Trump's announcement that he had settled on Ratcliffe for the top spy job comes just two weeks after he tapped Richard Grenell to serve as acting director. That decision stirred concern because Grenell, a Trump loyalist who has been serving as U.S. ambassador to Germany, has no intelligence experience.
Trump floated the Texas Republican's name for the job last summer, but Ratcliffe withdrew his bid to become the spy chief after Democrats and some Republicans raised questions about whether he exaggerated his work as a federal prosecutor of terrorism cases. Others questioned Ratcliffe's experience and whether he could give the president unvarnished advice on Russia given his strong partisan views.
Trump told reporters at the time that he thought Ratcliffe "was being treated very unfairly."
Top spy:Donald Trump: John Ratcliffe withdrawing his name to be Director of National Intelligence
Ratcliffe is likely to face the same kind of opposition he did last summer.
Moments after Trump announced Ratcliffe’s nomination over Twitter, congressional Democrats started voicing their opposition.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., called it “deeply troubling.
Spanberger, a former CIA officer who also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CNN she was “very concerned” due to Ratcliffe’s lack of intelligence experience.
“The notion that we would have someone without an intelligence background, without that respect for what it is to be driven by facts and evidence and not partisan politics, I think this is overall very detrimental, because I question what type of advice and what type of input the president will be getting from someone who's driven far more by partisan politics than the pursuit of the truth,” she said.
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he doesn’t see how anything has changed since the last time Ratcliffe was nominated for this role.
“The last time this nomination was unsuccessfully put forward, serious bipartisan questions were raised about Rep. Ratcliffe’s background and qualifications,” the Virginia Democrat said on Twitter. “It’s hard for me to see how anything new has happened to change that.”
Republican allies of Ratcliffe praised his nomination.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., called Ratcliffe "massively talented" and tweeted that he is "a top notch pick who is serious, motivated & prepared to do an exceptional job on Day 1!"
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who served with Ratcliffe as a member of Trump’s impeachment defense team, called Ratcliffe an “EXCELLENT” choice.
“John is the best of the best—smart, measured, and a total pro,” the North Carolina Republican said.
The intelligence position has been without a permanent director since Dan Coates, a former Indiana senator who held the job since 2017, stepped down. Disagreements between Coates and Trump on Russia, North Korea and other matters often spilled into public view.
Trump tales:From the Chicago cop to the crying businessman, Trump’s anecdotes often change with each telling
Steve Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas, said the nomination may, essentially, extend Grenell's appointment as acting DNI.
"Even if there's no real chance that @RepRatcliffe will be confirmed by the Senate, the formal submission of his nomination will allow @RichardGrenell to continue to serve as Acting DNI past March 11 — and for another 210 days after Ratcliffe's rejection or withdrawal," Vladeck tweeted.
Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council during the Obama administration, dismissed Trump's selection of Ratcliffe as not "a serious nomination."
"Trump, Ratcliffe, and Senate Rs all know he’ll never be confirmed," Price tweeted. "This is a transparent effort to reset the clock on Grenell’s appointment — and a de facto installation of him as DNI for months to come."
Contributing: Christal Hayes


usatoday--2020-02-28--Former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn doesn't have to testify after court dismisses lawsuit

WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that former White House counsel Don McGahn does not have to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in one of multiple , lingering investigations of President Donald Trump .
In a 2-1 decision , the appeals court ruled that the Constitution forbids federal courts `` from becoming an ombudsman '' who resolves disputes between the executive and legislative branches of government .
The decision hands the president a key legal victory and could close the door for testimony from some of his closest aides whom House Democrats have sought to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the 'judicial Power ' for good reasons .
Interbranch disputes are deeply political and often quite partisan , '' U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit Judge Thomas Griffith wrote .
`` By restricting the role of the Judiciary , '' the Constitution `` preserves the 'public confidence ' in the federal courts . ''
In her dissenting opinion , U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit Judge Judith Rogers said the court 's decision `` all but assures future Presidential stonewalling of Congress , and further impairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional duties . ''
The committee subpoenaed McGahn in April 2019 to ask about potential obstruction of justice by Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election .
But the Justice Department has argued that he is immune from being compelled to testify , to protect the confidential advice that all presidents receive from top aides .
Justice Department spokeswoman Brianna Herlihy said the ruling recognizes that the House of Representatives `` can not invoke the power of the courts in its political disputes '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decision overturns a ruling by U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown , who said in November that the president `` does not have the power '' to prevent his aides from responding to congressional subpoenas .
The McGahn case deals with the Russia probe rather than the Ukraine inquiry that resulted in the House impeaching Trump on Dec. 18 .
But the Senate acquitted him handily on Feb. 5 of charges that he abused the power of his office and obstructed Congress .
Despite that verdict , House Democrats said they would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjects .
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two cases March 31 where House panels are seeking access to Trump 's financial records from his accountant , Mazars USA , and his lender , Deutsche Bank .
The McGahn case is one of two the appeals court heard during oral arguments last month .
The other sought access to grand jury evidence gathered in the Mueller investigation .
House general counsel Douglas Letter told the judges on the grand jury panel that the evidence could potentially lead to another impeachment .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no doubt , ” Letter said .
Megan Barbero , House associate general counsel , told the other panel that McGahn ’ s testimony could potentially lead to additional articles of impeachment for obstructing Mueller ’ s inquiry .
“ It is the pattern of misconduct that would be relevant , ” Barbero said .
U.S. District Court judges supported both subpoenas .
`` Stated simply , the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings , '' Jackson said in her McGahn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both rulings by arguing that both McGahn 's testimony and grand jury evidence should remain confidential .
McGahn 's testimony is tantalizing because he is featured several times in Mueller 's report , under episodes of possible obstruction .
•In June 2017 , Trump called McGahn at home and told him Mueller should be removed because he had conflicts of interest , according to the Mueller report .
McGahn decided he would rather resign than carry out that order .
He feared a repeat of the `` Saturday Night Massacre , '' which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than carry out former President Richard Nixon 's order to fire the Watergate prosecutor .
•Trump met with McGahn in the Oval Office and pressured him again , according to the Mueller report .
McGahn refused .
McGahn later told Trump 's then-chief of staff , Reince Priebus , that the president had asked him to `` do crazy s -- - , '' according to the report .
•After news broke in early 2018 about Trump 's efforts to have Mueller fired , the president told White House staffers to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record stating he had not been ordered to remove Mueller , according to the report .
McGahn , again , refused .
He later told Mueller 's investigators that the news stories were accurate .
The Justice Department 's arguments about defying the subpoenas were met with deep skepticism from members of both appeals panels .
“ Has there ever been an instance of such a broad scale of defiance of Congress ?
” Judge Thomas Griffith asked Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan , referring to the Trump administration 's refusal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Has that ever happened ?
” Mooppan acknowledged there may be no precedent , yet he pressed to block McGahn ’ s testimony by arguing the courts have no authority to intervene in a largely political dispute .
Judges spent most of the 80-minute hearing in the McGahn case questioning whether they should decide the matter at all .
Judge Karen Henderson pointedly asked Mooppan whether the administration believes the House could never ask the courts to enforce a subpoena against the executive branch .
“ That is our position , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judith Rogers said judges were wrestling with whether and how to mediate in a period of noncooperation between the branches of government , when “ either they have to duke it out or nothing happens.
” “ That ’ s what we ’ re struggling with here , ” Rogers said .

Bart Jansen and Kristine Phillips, USA TODAY

Former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn doesn't have to testify after court dismisses lawsuit
Show Caption Hide Caption Don McGahn ignores House subpoena, Rep. Nadler says 'not acceptable' The White House's former top lawyer, Don McGahn, defied a congressional subpoena and skipped a hearing. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that former White House counsel Don McGahn does not have to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in one of multiple, lingering investigations of President Donald Trump.
In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court ruled that the Constitution forbids federal courts "from becoming an ombudsman" who resolves disputes between the executive and legislative branches of government. The decision hands the president a key legal victory and could close the door for testimony from some of his closest aides whom House Democrats have sought to hear from.
"The Constitution imposes limitations on the 'judicial Power' for good reasons. Interbranch disputes are deeply political and often quite partisan," U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Judge Thomas Griffith wrote. "By restricting the role of the Judiciary," the Constitution "preserves the 'public confidence' in the federal courts."
In her dissenting opinion, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Judge Judith Rogers said the court's decision "all but assures future Presidential stonewalling of Congress, and further impairs the House's ability to perform its constitutional duties."
The committee subpoenaed McGahn in April 2019 to ask about potential obstruction of justice by Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. But the Justice Department has argued that he is immune from being compelled to testify, to protect the confidential advice that all presidents receive from top aides.
Justice Department spokeswoman Brianna Herlihy said the ruling recognizes that the House of Representatives "cannot invoke the power of the courts in its political disputes" with the White House.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said the House Judiciary Committee will seek a rehearing before the full appeals court.
"If upheld, [the ruling] would destroy the power of Congress to gather information and hold this or any future administration accountable," said Nadler, the committee's chairman. "Now more than ever, the courts cannot abandon their responsibility to resolve legal disputes involving the President."
The court's decision overturns a ruling by U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown, who said in November that the president "does not have the power" to prevent his aides from responding to congressional subpoenas.
The McGahn case deals with the Russia probe rather than the Ukraine inquiry that resulted in the House impeaching Trump on Dec. 18. But the Senate acquitted him handily on Feb. 5 of charges that he abused the power of his office and obstructed Congress.
Despite that verdict, House Democrats said they would continue to investigate Trump on a variety of subjects. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear two cases March 31 where House panels are seeking access to Trump's financial records from his accountant, Mazars USA, and his lender, Deutsche Bank.
The McGahn case is one of two the appeals court heard during oral arguments last month. The other sought access to grand jury evidence gathered in the Mueller investigation.
House general counsel Douglas Letter told the judges on the grand jury panel that the evidence could potentially lead to another impeachment.
“That is on the table; there is no doubt,” Letter said.
Megan Barbero, House associate general counsel, told the other panel that McGahn’s testimony could potentially lead to additional articles of impeachment for obstructing Mueller’s inquiry.
“It is the pattern of misconduct that would be relevant,” Barbero said.
U.S. District Court judges supported both subpoenas. "Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings," Jackson said in her McGahn ruling.
But the Justice Department appealed both rulings by arguing that both McGahn's testimony and grand jury evidence should remain confidential.
McGahn's testimony is tantalizing because he is featured several times in Mueller's report, under episodes of possible obstruction.
•In June 2017, Trump called McGahn at home and told him Mueller should be removed because he had conflicts of interest, according to the Mueller report. McGahn decided he would rather resign than carry out that order. He feared a repeat of the "Saturday Night Massacre," which happened when top Justice Department officials resigned rather than carry out former President Richard Nixon's order to fire the Watergate prosecutor.
•Trump met with McGahn in the Oval Office and pressured him again, according to the Mueller report. McGahn refused. McGahn later told Trump's then-chief of staff, Reince Priebus, that the president had asked him to "do crazy s---," according to the report.
•After news broke in early 2018 about Trump's efforts to have Mueller fired, the president told White House staffers to tell McGahn to dispute the story and create a record stating he had not been ordered to remove Mueller, according to the report. McGahn, again, refused. He later told Mueller's investigators that the news stories were accurate.
McGahn resigned in October 2018.
The Justice Department's arguments about defying the subpoenas were met with deep skepticism from members of both appeals panels.
“Has there ever been an instance of such a broad scale of defiance of Congress?” Judge Thomas Griffith asked Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan, referring to the Trump administration's refusal to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry. “Has that ever happened?”
Mooppan acknowledged there may be no precedent, yet he pressed to block McGahn’s testimony by arguing the courts have no authority to intervene in a largely political dispute.
Judges spent most of the 80-minute hearing in the McGahn case questioning whether they should decide the matter at all. Judge Karen Henderson pointedly asked Mooppan whether the administration believes the House could never ask the courts to enforce a subpoena against the executive branch.
“That is our position, your honor,” Mooppan said.
Judge Judith Rogers said judges were wrestling with whether and how to mediate in a period of noncooperation between the branches of government, when “either they have to duke it out or nothing happens.”
“That’s what we’re struggling with here,” Rogers said.


usatoday--2020-02-28--Bernie Sanders is the national frontunner, but Tennessee Democrats are divided over his shot at winn

Bernie Sanders is the national frontunner, but Tennessee Democrats are divided over his shot at winning

NASHVILLE — Democrats in Tennessee are under no illusion that the deeply red state will go to anyone other than President Donald Trump come November .
But as Democratic presidential candidates scramble this week to make stops or send surrogates to the state ahead of Super Tuesday , those active in the fight for the party ’ s relevance in Tennessee have a new source of heartburn , and it ’ s not the sitting president .
“ I think Senator Sanders obviously taps into the frustration and anger of people who have been let down by Washington , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how risky it could be to have Bernie at the top of the ticket , ” said state Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro , who represents Nashville .
Yarbro has been a vocal supporter of Pete Buttigieg , an old Harvard acquaintance who is in a crowded fight to appeal to voters who aren ’ t looking for a Democratic socialist .
While Yarbro doesn ’ t have a race of his own this fall , he fears that state House and state Senate candidates in swing legislative districts here — where Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country will be judged by Sanders ’ more revolutionary message .
On Wednesday , Sanders ’ wife , Jane Sanders , made stops across Nashville throughout the afternoon and evening , marking the first time any high-profile surrogate for the campaign had come to the state this cycle to campaign .
“ I just don ’ t know that Tennessee swings that liberal , ” said Sen. Raumesh Akbari , D-Memphis , who is also chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus .
“ We ’ re not talking about a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who says in a tweet he is not in support of a traditional Democratic or traditional Republican Party .
“ He seems to be someone who wants to tear it all down.
” Akbari has thrown her support behind Joe Biden , who she believes can have appeal to a wide swath of voters .
Christopher Hale , who ran for Congress in 2018 and who is active in the state Democratic party , has spent recent weeks traveling to Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina in support of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are on the Titanic right now , ” Hale said of the Tennessee Democratic Party .
“ A Bernie Sanders victory would be an iceberg into our ship . ''
Hale believes Biden could win the primary in Tennessee based on his national reputation and name recognition , and likewise fears Sanders ' potential effect on some downballot races on the November ballot .
Democrats in the Tennessee General Assembly hold 26 out of 99 seats in the House , and just five out of 33 in the Senate .
Close races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall .
“ We won ’ t get those seats back until the second coming of Jesus Christ , ” he said of a possible Sanders nomination .
For a year , Sanders ' campaign in Tennessee has been grassroots To be sure , although Sanders has been the national frontrunner since winning in New Hampshire and Nevada , Tennessee Democrats overall are far more moderate than their counterparts in other parts of the country .
Hillary Clinton defeated Sanders by a 2-to-1 margin in the state 's 2016 primary , 66 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , the more moderate candidates have put a greater emphasis on Tennessee , where Sanders himself has not campaigned .
Jane Sanders on Wednesday said her husband ’ s electability in Tennessee next week should not be questioned with his record in Iowa , New Hampshire and “ crushing victory ” in Nevada .
Tennessee voters , she said , will vote for Sanders if they want a candidate who will represent the working class , compared to other Democratic candidates who are accepting money from billionaires or running their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderate Democrats are offering half the loaf , '' she said in an interview .
`` They are coming up with ideas that help a bit , but do n't really get to the root causes of the issues . ''
Sanders , who this week has purchased his first television ad in the state , employs five staff members in Tennessee , but has had an active grassroots volunteer effort since he launched his 2020 bid last February .
The campaign reports that they 've received 80,000 donations totaling $ 1.2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg , Biden appear to have captured Tennesseans ’ attention As he has done in other states around the country , billionaire Mike Bloomberg has poured money into Tennessee , where the former New York mayor has employed 43 paid staff members and opened seven offices .
He has blanketed the airwaves with television ads .
While most of the candidates have n't returned to Tennessee since last year , Friday will mark Bloomberg ’ s fourth trip to the state in just over two months .
Bloomberg ’ s campaign declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tennessee appears to dwarf that of any other candidate .
Nashville-area resident Lamar Gordon attended one of Bloomberg 's rallies and said he was leaning toward voting for him , despite not agreeing with all of his policies .
“ I was kind of leaning toward Joe Biden but he ’ s kind of slipping , ” Gordon said .
Marie Shoemaker in Memphis was unsure when she would vote in the Democratic presidential primary — if she would vote this past Tuesday , the last day of early voting , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But who she is voting for isn ’ t in doubt .
Shoemaker ’ s support is with Biden .
Her chief concern , beyond protecting the Affordable Care Act , was finding someone who `` can actually beat Trump.
” “ I think Joe Biden can beat him , '' she said .
`` I don ’ t think Bernie Sanders can . ''
The certified public accountant thinks Sanders is somewhat too far to the left to win the general election .
She believes Biden will restore and protect legislation passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affordable Care Act 's passage in 2010 allowed her to go to the doctor for the first time in years , she said .
For a time , the public exchange was how she received her insurance , and without such an option , “ people can ’ t get help.
” “ He ’ s OK , ” she said .
“ I think he has too much baggage , ” citing Bloomberg ’ s “ stop and frisk ” policy that largely targeted African Americans and other minorities and reports on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Right now we don ’ t need that baggage , ” she said .
But elsewhere in Memphis , notable politicians in the majority black city have supported and even embraced Bloomberg , despite stop and frisk .
At a Feb. 22. breakfast for Bloomberg event hosted by former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr. and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland , state Rep. Antonio Parkinson , a Democrat from the city , was among other African Americans who were satisfied that Bloomberg had apologized for the policy .
“ Every one of them has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American community , ” Parkinson said from inside Ford ’ s packed funeral home banquet hall .
“ Now that that is even , which one of them can win ?
Which one of them has a history of governing … and which one of them has the resources to get it done ?
” Likewise , Gordon , the Nashville Bloomberg supporter , shrugged at the former mayor 's old policy .
`` I thought it was real bad , but hey , everybody makes mistakes , '' Gordon said .
Campaigning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats in the city saw during the 2016 presidential primary , said Gary Bynum , chair of the Davidson County Democratic Party .
`` The sheer number of candidates that have been on the Democratic side this year has just opened the door for a lot of people to get involved in the process , '' Bynum said .
At a recent Nashville meetup of Buttigieg supporters , Denise Sesler showed up early to help set up for the gathering held at Wine Down Nashville , a small wine bar in the Donelson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ever made calls for was H.W .
Bush , when I was 20 years old , '' Sesler said .
After being a longtime Republican , Sesler left the party in 2016 and voted for Clinton .
This time , she 's all in for Buttigieg , hosting small events in her Hillsboro Village home to tell friends about the 38-year-old former South Bend , Indiana mayor , and visiting other counties to knock on doors .
`` He 's a war veteran , he 's a Christian , he 's empathetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articulate , '' Sesler said .
`` And I am personally fine with his experience .
I don ’ t think he needs 30 years of Washington experience . ''
Elizabeth Warren 's campaign has been canvassing weekly since November .
She has 30 staff members in the state , and in recent days has relied on actress Ashley Judd to make appearances in her place in Tennessee .
They 've bought ads with black-owned radio stations across the state .
Tom Steyer , a billionare philanthropist , has hired community leaders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas .
Steyer 's campaign employs 15 in Tennessee .
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota makes her first stop in Tennessee on Friday and is now running television ads in the state as part of an ad buy across Super Tuesday locations .
While a number of Democratic voters who spoke with USA TODAY Network in Tennessee said they were open to supporting any Democrat facing Trump in November , Jason Bennett , of Murfreesboro , said he was n't sure he could vote for anyone but Sanders .
“ If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good battle , I 'm good with that , ” Bennett said .
“ I do n't want to go winning a battle that ’ s not a good battle.
” Bennett , who has at one point been homeless , said he is drawn to Sanders largely because of his health care ideas .
Sanders is calling for Medicare for all , and Bennett said he has not had health insurance since 2008 because he ca n't afford it .
With a split vote , Sanders could pull off a win in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political science professor at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Poll , said polling nationwide on the primary race has been somewhat unclear .
But it has illustrated the predicament the more moderate-leaning Democrats find themselves in amid a crowded field .
`` A majority of Tennessee Democrats voting for Bernie Sanders , I do n't see it , '' Geer said .
`` Do I see how Sanders could somehow win a split vote ?
Yeah , I could see that . ''
Most of the Democrats interviewed across the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can beat Trump — and to many , that doesn ’ t look like Sanders .
“ I don ’ t think that Bernie Sanders gives us our best shot at winning the 2020 election , '' Yarbro said .
`` And the stakes are really high . ''
Yihyun Jeong and Joel Ebert in Nashville , Sam Hardiman in Memphis , Tyler Whetsone in Knoxville , Brinley Hineman and Nancy DeGennaro in Murfreesboro and Jennifer Babich in Clarksville contributed .
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison @ tennessean.com .
Follow her on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read more stories like this ?
A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest politics news , podcasts like Grand Divisions , plus newsletters , a personalized mobile experience and the ability to tap into stories , photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network 's 261 daily sites .

Bernie Sanders is the national frontrunner, but Tennessee Democrats are divided over his shot at winning
Show Caption Hide Caption What is Super Tuesday and why is it important? A previous version of this video displayed an incorrect date in a graphic. It was 1988 when 14 Southern and border states held their primaries. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
NASHVILLE — Democrats in Tennessee are under no illusion that the deeply red state will go to anyone other than President Donald Trump come November.
But as Democratic presidential candidates scramble this week to make stops or send surrogates to the state ahead of Super Tuesday, those active in the fight for the party’s relevance in Tennessee have a new source of heartburn, and it’s not the sitting president.
It’s Bernie Sanders.
“I think Senator Sanders obviously taps into the frustration and anger of people who have been let down by Washington, but people shouldn’t kid themselves about how risky it could be to have Bernie at the top of the ticket,” said state Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro, who represents Nashville.
Yarbro has been a vocal supporter of Pete Buttigieg, an old Harvard acquaintance who is in a crowded fight to appeal to voters who aren’t looking for a Democratic socialist.
While Yarbro doesn’t have a race of his own this fall, he fears that state House and state Senate candidates in swing legislative districts here — where Democrats are in a superminority — and elsewhere in the country will be judged by Sanders’ more revolutionary message.
On Wednesday, Sanders’ wife, Jane Sanders, made stops across Nashville throughout the afternoon and evening, marking the first time any high-profile surrogate for the campaign had come to the state this cycle to campaign.
“I just don’t know that Tennessee swings that liberal,” said Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, who is also chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. “We’re not talking about a Democrat, we’re talking about someone who says in a tweet he is not in support of a traditional Democratic or traditional Republican Party.
“He seems to be someone who wants to tear it all down.”
Akbari has thrown her support behind Joe Biden, who she believes can have appeal to a wide swath of voters.
Christopher Hale, who ran for Congress in 2018 and who is active in the state Democratic party, has spent recent weeks traveling to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina in support of both the Biden and Buttigieg campaigns.
“We are on the Titanic right now,” Hale said of the Tennessee Democratic Party. “A Bernie Sanders victory would be an iceberg into our ship."
Hale believes Biden could win the primary in Tennessee based on his national reputation and name recognition, and likewise fears Sanders' potential effect on some downballot races on the November ballot.
Democrats in the Tennessee General Assembly hold 26 out of 99 seats in the House, and just five out of 33 in the Senate. Close races are expected in multiple swing districts this fall.
“We won’t get those seats back until the second coming of Jesus Christ,” he said of a possible Sanders nomination.
For a year, Sanders' campaign in Tennessee has been grassroots
To be sure, although Sanders has been the national frontrunner since winning in New Hampshire and Nevada, Tennessee Democrats overall are far more moderate than their counterparts in other parts of the country.
Hillary Clinton defeated Sanders by a 2-to-1 margin in the state's 2016 primary, 66 percent to 32 percent. And so far this year, the more moderate candidates have put a greater emphasis on Tennessee, where Sanders himself has not campaigned.
Jane Sanders on Wednesday said her husband’s electability in Tennessee next week should not be questioned with his record in Iowa, New Hampshire and “crushing victory” in Nevada.
Democratic candidates debate before South Carolina and Super Tuesday Sanders and Bloomberg take on attacks from other candidates in final debate before South Carolina and Super Tuesday primaries. USA TODAY
Tennessee voters, she said, will vote for Sanders if they want a candidate who will represent the working class, compared to other Democratic candidates who are accepting money from billionaires or running their own campaign from their own fortunes.
“Moderate Democrats are offering half the loaf," she said in an interview. "They are coming up with ideas that help a bit, but don't really get to the root causes of the issues."
Sanders, who this week has purchased his first television ad in the state, employs five staff members in Tennessee, but has had an active grassroots volunteer effort since he launched his 2020 bid last February.
The campaign reports that they've received 80,000 donations totaling $1.2 million in Tennessee in that time period.
Bloomberg, Biden appear to have captured Tennesseans’ attention
As he has done in other states around the country, billionaire Mike Bloomberg has poured money into Tennessee, where the former New York mayor has employed 43 paid staff members and opened seven offices. He has blanketed the airwaves with television ads.
While most of the candidates haven't returned to Tennessee since last year, Friday will mark Bloomberg’s fourth trip to the state in just over two months.
Bloomberg’s campaign declined to provide spending totals, but his investment in Tennessee appears to dwarf that of any other candidate.
Nashville-area resident Lamar Gordon attended one of Bloomberg's rallies and said he was leaning toward voting for him, despite not agreeing with all of his policies.
“I was kind of leaning toward Joe Biden but he’s kind of slipping,” Gordon said.
Marie Shoemaker in Memphis was unsure when she would vote in the Democratic presidential primary — if she would vote this past Tuesday, the last day of early voting, or a week later on election day.
But who she is voting for isn’t in doubt. Shoemaker’s support is with Biden.
Her chief concern, beyond protecting the Affordable Care Act, was finding someone who "can actually beat Trump.”
“I think Joe Biden can beat him," she said. "I don’t think Bernie Sanders can."
The certified public accountant thinks Sanders is somewhat too far to the left to win the general election. She believes Biden will restore and protect legislation passed under former President Barack Obama.
The Affordable Care Act's passage in 2010 allowed her to go to the doctor for the first time in years, she said. For a time, the public exchange was how she received her insurance, and without such an option, “people can’t get help.”
Shoemaker was tepid on Bloomberg.
“He’s OK,” she said. “I think he has too much baggage,” citing Bloomberg’s “stop and frisk” policy that largely targeted African Americans and other minorities and reports on his treatment of female employees.
“Right now we don’t need that baggage,” she said.
But elsewhere in Memphis, notable politicians in the majority black city have supported and even embraced Bloomberg, despite stop and frisk.
At a Feb. 22. breakfast for Bloomberg event hosted by former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Sr. and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, state Rep. Antonio Parkinson, a Democrat from the city, was among other African Americans who were satisfied that Bloomberg had apologized for the policy.
“Every one of them has things that have been unfavorable to the African-American community,” Parkinson said from inside Ford’s packed funeral home banquet hall. “Now that that is even, which one of them can win? Which one of them has a history of governing … and which one of them has the resources to get it done?”
Likewise, Gordon, the Nashville Bloomberg supporter, shrugged at the former mayor's old policy.
"I thought it was real bad, but hey, everybody makes mistakes," Gordon said.
Democratic campaigning in Nashville far exceeds 2016
Campaigning in Nashville this year far exceeds what Democrats in the city saw during the 2016 presidential primary, said Gary Bynum, chair of the Davidson County Democratic Party.
"The sheer number of candidates that have been on the Democratic side this year has just opened the door for a lot of people to get involved in the process," Bynum said.
At a recent Nashville meetup of Buttigieg supporters, Denise Sesler showed up early to help set up for the gathering held at Wine Down Nashville, a small wine bar in the Donelson area.
"The only other person I ever made calls for was H.W. Bush, when I was 20 years old," Sesler said.
After being a longtime Republican, Sesler left the party in 2016 and voted for Clinton. This time, she's all in for Buttigieg, hosting small events in her Hillsboro Village home to tell friends about the 38-year-old former South Bend, Indiana mayor, and visiting other counties to knock on doors.
"He's a war veteran, he's a Christian, he's empathetic, he's intelligent, he's articulate," Sesler said. "And I am personally fine with his experience. I don’t think he needs 30 years of Washington experience."
Elizabeth Warren's campaign has been canvassing weekly since November. She has 30 staff members in the state, and in recent days has relied on actress Ashley Judd to make appearances in her place in Tennessee. They've bought ads with black-owned radio stations across the state.
Tom Steyer, a billionare philanthropist, has hired community leaders to knock on doors in their own local areas. Steyer's campaign employs 15 in Tennessee.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota makes her first stop in Tennessee on Friday and is now running television ads in the state as part of an ad buy across Super Tuesday locations.
While a number of Democratic voters who spoke with USA TODAY Network in Tennessee said they were open to supporting any Democrat facing Trump in November, Jason Bennett, of Murfreesboro, said he wasn't sure he could vote for anyone but Sanders.
“If you lose a battle that’s a good battle, I'm good with that,” Bennett said. “I don't want to go winning a battle that’s not a good battle.”
Bennett, who has at one point been homeless, said he is drawn to Sanders largely because of his health care ideas. Sanders is calling for Medicare for all, and Bennett said he has not had health insurance since 2008 because he can't afford it.
With a split vote, Sanders could pull off a win in Tennessee, pollster says
John Geer, political science professor at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said polling nationwide on the primary race has been somewhat unclear. But it has illustrated the predicament the more moderate-leaning Democrats find themselves in amid a crowded field.
"A majority of Tennessee Democrats voting for Bernie Sanders, I don't see it," Geer said. "Do I see how Sanders could somehow win a split vote? Yeah, I could see that."
Most of the Democrats interviewed across the state were resolved just to get a candidate who can beat Trump — and to many, that doesn’t look like Sanders.
“I don’t think that Bernie Sanders gives us our best shot at winning the 2020 election," Yarbro said. "And the stakes are really high."
Yihyun Jeong and Joel Ebert in Nashville, Sam Hardiman in Memphis, Tyler Whetsone in Knoxville, Brinley Hineman and Nancy DeGennaro in Murfreesboro and Jennifer Babich in Clarksville contributed.
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.
Want to read more stories like this? A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest politics news, podcasts like Grand Divisions, plus newsletters, a personalized mobile experience and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network's 261 daily sites.


usatoday--2020-02-28--Here are the voter registration deadlines for the primaries in each state

As the year wears on and we approach the 2020 presidential general election , voter registration deadlines for state primary elections and caucuses are passing every day .
In order to vote , you need to be registered – unless you 're a North Dakotan , where there 's no such thing as registration .
We 've compiled all of the registration deadlines for 2020 primaries for every state and Washington , D.C. , as a voter resource .
Here they are : Make sure you 're ready : Check your voter registration , get election reminders and more 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues and where candidates stand Register by : Jan. 28 to switch parties ; April 23 online ; noon on April 27 in person .
Register by : May 12 ; primary election day in person Register by : Feb. 14 , or on primary election day in person Register by : March 1 or on primary election day in person Register by : Jan. 10 or on caucus day in person Register by : primary election day online or in person Register by : March 4 in person or by mail ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , or primary election day in person Register by : Feb. 24 , or on primary election day in person Register by : Feb. 11 , or on primary election day in person Register by : May 4 , or on primary election day in person Register by : April 24 ; or May 1 in person Register by : Feb. 4 ; or primary election day in person Register by : Feb. 7 , or same-day early voting and registration through Feb. 29 .
Register by : North Dakota does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 , or on primary election day in person Register by : March 18 , or election day in person Register by : March 20 , or election day in person

Here are the voter registration deadlines for the primaries in each state
Show Caption Hide Caption Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
As the year wears on and we approach the 2020 presidential general election, voter registration deadlines for state primary elections and caucuses are passing every day. In order to vote, you need to be registered – unless you're a North Dakotan, where there's no such thing as registration.
We've compiled all of the registration deadlines for 2020 primaries for every state and Washington, D.C., as a voter resource. Here they are:
Make sure you're ready: Check your voter registration, get election reminders and more
2020 election voter guide: Explanations of top issues and where candidates stand
Alabama
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 17
Alaska
Democratic primary date: April 4
Register by: primary election day in person
Arizona
Democratic primary date: March 17
Register by: Feb. 18
Arkansas
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 3
California
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 18
Colorado
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 24 online, primary election day in person
Connecticut
Primary date: April 28
Register by: Jan. 28 to switch parties; April 23 online; noon on April 27 in person.
Delaware
Primary date: April 28
Register by: April 4
District of Columbia
Primary date: June 2
Register by: May 12; primary election day in person
Florida
Primary date: March 17
Register by: Feb. 18
Georgia
Primary date: March 24
Register by: Feb. 24
Hawaii
Democratic primary date: April 4
Register by: primary election day
Idaho
Primary date: March 10
Register by: Feb. 14, or on primary election day in person
Illinois
Primary date: March 17
Register by: March 1 or on primary election day in person
Indiana
Primary date: May 5
Register by: April 6
Iowa
Caucus date: Feb. 3
Register by: Jan. 10 or on caucus day in person
Kansas
Democratic primary date: May 2
Register by: primary election day online or in person
Kentucky
Primary date: May 19
Register by: April 20
Louisiana
Primary date: April 4
Register by: March 4 in person or by mail; March 14 online
Maine
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 11, or primary election day in person
Maryland
Primary date: April 28
Register by: April 7
Massachusetts
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 12
Michigan
Primary date: March 10
Register by: Feb. 24, or on primary election day in person
Minnesota
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 11, or on primary election day in person
Mississippi
Primary date: March 10
Register by: Feb. 10
Missouri
Primary date: March 10
Register by: Feb. 12
Montana
Primary date: June 2
Register by: May 4, or on primary election day in person
Nebraska
Primary date: May 12, 2020
Register by: April 24; or May 1 in person
Nevada
Democratic caucus date: Feb. 22
Register by: primary election day
New Hampshire
Primary date: Feb. 11
Register by: Feb. 4; or primary election day in person
New Jersey
Primary date: June 2
Register by: May 12
New Mexico
Primary date: June 2
Register by: May 5
New York
Primary date: April 28
Register by: April 3
North Carolina
Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 7, or same-day early voting and registration through Feb. 29.
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Democratic "firehouse caucus": March 10
Republican convention: March 27
Register by: North Dakota does not have voter registration
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Primary date: March 17
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Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
Register by: Feb. 7
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Primary date: May 19
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Primary date: April 28
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Primary date: April 28
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Democratic primary date: Feb. 29
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Primary date: June 2
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Primary date: March 3 (Super Tuesday)
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Democratic caucuses date: April 4
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usatoday--2020-02-28--Bernie Sanders leads Democratic primary candidates with Texas Latino voters in new poll

AUSTIN -- Bernie Sanders may have drawn a maelstrom of criticism from Florida Hispanics following his comments on Fidel Castro .
But he remains an attractive choice for Texas Latinos .
The Vermont senator leads all Democratic primary challengers among Latino voters in Texas , according to a poll released Friday by Univision Noticias and the University of Houston ’ s Center for Mexican American Studies .
Sanders garnered 31 % of Latino support in Texas , followed by media mogul Mike Bloomberg with 23 % and former Vice President Joe Biden with 19 % , according to the poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenarios against President Donald Trump , beating out the president 65 % to 25 % among Texas Latinos , besting other candidates by at least 8 percentage points .
Texas Latino voters also disapprove of the current president , 62 % to 38 % , the poll said .
Texans head to the polls on Tuesday as part of Super Tuesday primary elections , when the state ’ s 228 delegates will be up for grabs for Democrats .
Latino are expected to play a significant role in that and in the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why is Super Tuesday so important ?
What 's a delegate ?
And what happens at a brokered convention ?
Another telling result from the poll : 80 % of respondents said they would “ almost certain ” and “ probably ” vote in the presidential election this fall .
“ That ’ s extremely high and highlights a lot of enthusiasm for the primary next week , ” said Jeronimo Cortina , associate director at the Center for Mexican American Studies who helped lead the survey .
Sanders also leads among all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey of overall Texan voters .
Similarly , in that poll , Sanders drew the most support at 26 % , followed by Bloomberg and Biden , who tied at 20 % , and Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 11 % .
Pollsters interviewed 1,004 Texas registered voters overall , including 504 Latinos .
Margin of error was +/- 3.1 percentage points for overall voters , and +/- 4.4 percentage points for the Latino group .
For November ’ s general election , a record 32 million Latinos across the USA are projected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of black eligible voters for the first time , according to the Pew Research Center .
In Texas , there are 5.6 million Latino eligible voters , second only to California 's 7.9 million , and Latinos make up nearly one-third of eligible voters in both states , among the highest shares in the nation , according to the center .
Sanders appeared to bruise his chances with some Latino groups when , in an interview with “ 60 Minutes ” on Sunday , he criticized the authoritarian nature of the Castro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s literacy program overseen by Castro .
Latinos in South Florida – mostly Cubans – railed against the comments , calling them insensitive .
Florida is also home to scores of Nicaraguans and Venezuelans , who fled similar socialist regimes in their countries .
But Latinos in Texas , predominately of Mexican origin , don ’ t have the same connections to those parts of Latin America and were far less moved by Sanders ' comments , Cortina said .
The differences between Florida ’ s and Texas ’ s Latino populations underscore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters across the country , who support different issues and don ’ t always agree on candidates , he said .
“ You can not say , ‘ the Latino electorate , ’ per se .
That doesn ’ t exist , ” Cortina said .
“ It ’ s a mosaic rather than a homogeneous voting bloc.
” The Univision/UH survey also ranked lowering health care costs , improving wages and creating more jobs as the top three issues for Texas Latino voters .
Of those polled , 60 % of respondents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee in the general election , even if their preferred candidate doesn ’ t get the nod .
Andy Canales , Houston-based chairman of Latino Texas PAC , which focuses on electing more Latinos and Latinas to public office across Texas , said Sanders is doing so well in Texas because he ’ s focused on one of the top issues among Latinos here : affordable healthcare .
Nearly 18 % of Texans don ’ t have health insurance , the highest uninsured rate in the nation , according to U.S. Census Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing affordable health care to every American and arguing that the system is set up to benefit companies rather than people strikes a chord with Latino voters , including his Salvadorian parents , who are naturalized citizens and eligible to vote , Canales said .
“ People like my parents are nodding their heads when they listen to him , ” he said .
“ He 's been articulating these premises for a long time.
” Democratic presidential candidates have been paying increased attention to Texas this year , more so than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically to Texas Latinos .
Bloomberg launched TV ads in Spanish as part of his multi-million-dollar media blitz in the state , and Warren ’ s campaign organized events in places like Laredo and Brownsville to mine often-overlooked voters in the Rio Grande Valley .
Sanders , too , celebrated his win in last week 's Nevada caucuses with a weekend tour through Texas , holding a rally in Austin , visiting a rodeo in Dallas and speaking at a dance hall in San Antonio .
Angelica Razo , state director of Mi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engagement group , said she has felt the buzz of the upcoming Democratic primary and general election among Latino voters in Texas .
Turnout will depend on whether candidates strike the right message or do enough to make themselves known among Hispanics .
`` Candidates shouldn ’ t be dismissive of the Latino vote in Texas , '' Razo said .
`` There ’ s a lot of political power we hold here in Texas . ''

Bernie Sanders leads Democratic primary candidates with Texas Latino voters in new poll
Show Caption Hide Caption Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at El Paso rally Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at campaign rally Feb. 22 at Downtown El Paso concert hall. Vic Kolenc/El Paso Times
AUSTIN -- Bernie Sanders may have drawn a maelstrom of criticism from Florida Hispanics following his comments on Fidel Castro. But he remains an attractive choice for Texas Latinos.
The Vermont senator leads all Democratic primary challengers among Latino voters in Texas, according to a poll released Friday by Univision Noticias and the University of Houston’s Center for Mexican American Studies. Sanders garnered 31% of Latino support in Texas, followed by media mogul Mike Bloomberg with 23% and former Vice President Joe Biden with 19%, according to the poll.
Sanders also did best in head-to-head scenarios against President Donald Trump, beating out the president 65% to 25% among Texas Latinos, besting other candidates by at least 8 percentage points. Texas Latino voters also disapprove of the current president, 62% to 38%, the poll said.
Texans head to the polls on Tuesday as part of Super Tuesday primary elections, when the state’s 228 delegates will be up for grabs for Democrats. Latino are expected to play a significant role in that and in the presidential election in the fall.
More: Why is Super Tuesday so important? What's a delegate? And what happens at a brokered convention?
Another telling result from the poll: 80% of respondents said they would “almost certain” and “probably” vote in the presidential election this fall.
“That’s extremely high and highlights a lot of enthusiasm for the primary next week,” said Jeronimo Cortina, associate director at the Center for Mexican American Studies who helped lead the survey.
Sanders also leads among all voters in Texas
Univision/UH also released a survey of overall Texan voters. Similarly, in that poll, Sanders drew the most support at 26%, followed by Bloomberg and Biden, who tied at 20%, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 11%. Pollsters interviewed 1,004 Texas registered voters overall, including 504 Latinos. Margin of error was +/- 3.1 percentage points for overall voters, and +/- 4.4 percentage points for the Latino group.
For November’s general election, a record 32 million Latinos across the USA are projected to be eligible to vote, eclipsing the number of black eligible voters for the first time, according to the Pew Research Center.
In Texas, there are 5.6 million Latino eligible voters, second only to California's 7.9 million, and Latinos make up nearly one-third of eligible voters in both states, among the highest shares in the nation, according to the center.
Sanders appeared to bruise his chances with some Latino groups when, in an interview with “60 Minutes” on Sunday, he criticized the authoritarian nature of the Castro regime but praised the communist island’s literacy program overseen by Castro. Latinos in South Florida – mostly Cubans – railed against the comments, calling them insensitive. Florida is also home to scores of Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, who fled similar socialist regimes in their countries.
But Latinos in Texas, predominately of Mexican origin, don’t have the same connections to those parts of Latin America and were far less moved by Sanders' comments, Cortina said. The differences between Florida’s and Texas’s Latino populations underscore the diverse and complicated nature of Hispanic voters across the country, who support different issues and don’t always agree on candidates, he said.
“You cannot say, ‘the Latino electorate,’ per se. That doesn’t exist,” Cortina said. “It’s a mosaic rather than a homogeneous voting bloc.”
What's behind Sanders' support?
The Univision/UH survey also ranked lowering health care costs, improving wages and creating more jobs as the top three issues for Texas Latino voters. Of those polled, 60% of respondents said they would vote for the Democratic nominee in the general election, even if their preferred candidate doesn’t get the nod.
Andy Canales, Houston-based chairman of Latino Texas PAC, which focuses on electing more Latinos and Latinas to public office across Texas, said Sanders is doing so well in Texas because he’s focused on one of the top issues among Latinos here: affordable healthcare. Nearly 18% of Texans don’t have health insurance, the highest uninsured rate in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau report.
What is Super Tuesday and why is it important? A previous version of this video displayed an incorrect date in a graphic. It was 1988 when 14 Southern and border states held their primaries. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Sanders' consistent narrative of bringing affordable health care to every American and arguing that the system is set up to benefit companies rather than people strikes a chord with Latino voters, including his Salvadorian parents, who are naturalized citizens and eligible to vote, Canales said.
“People like my parents are nodding their heads when they listen to him,” he said. “He's been articulating these premises for a long time.”
Democratic presidential candidates have been paying increased attention to Texas this year, more so than in years past, and have reached out specifically to Texas Latinos. Bloomberg launched TV ads in Spanish as part of his multi-million-dollar media blitz in the state, and Warren’s campaign organized events in places like Laredo and Brownsville to mine often-overlooked voters in the Rio Grande Valley.
Sanders, too, celebrated his win in last week's Nevada caucuses with a weekend tour through Texas, holding a rally in Austin, visiting a rodeo in Dallas and speaking at a dance hall in San Antonio.
Angelica Razo, state director of Mi Familia Vota Texas, a nonpartisan civic engagement group, said she has felt the buzz of the upcoming Democratic primary and general election among Latino voters in Texas. Turnout will depend on whether candidates strike the right message or do enough to make themselves known among Hispanics.
"Candidates shouldn’t be dismissive of the Latino vote in Texas," Razo said. "There’s a lot of political power we hold here in Texas."
Follow Jervis on Twitter: @MrRJervis.


usatoday--2020-02-28--'I guess I wasn't arrested': Joe Biden reverses on claim of an arrest in South Africa

Former Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged Friday he had not been arrested in apartheid South Africa when visiting Nelson Mandela in prison in the 1970s , despite previously saying so on the campaign trail .
`` I said arrested .
I meant I was not able to move , '' he told CNN .
`` I guess I was n't arrested .
I was stopped .
I was n't able to go where I wanted to go . ''
His correction to the story caps off a controversy over the origins of an account fact-checkers at the Washington Post had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the great honor of meeting him , ” Biden said while campaigning in South Carolina , according to a New York Times story this month .
“ I had the great honor of being arrested with our U.N. ambassador on the streets of Soweto trying to get to see him.
” Biden 's deputy campaign manager , Kate Bedingfield , later told reporters the story had referred to the trip in the 1970s and that he `` was separated from his party at the airport . ''
Why Obama is n't endorsing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick' In amending his account in Friday 's CNN interview , Biden , a long-time former senator , said he had been visiting South Africa with members of the Congressional Black Caucus , when the `` Afrikaners '' with `` their short pants and their guns '' made him get off the plane and moved him in a `` different direction '' from the rest of the delegation .
According to Biden , South African officials wanted him and the black lawmakers in the delegation to go through two separate doors , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't going to move , '' and the officials eventually decided to take all of the lawmakers together to the baggage claim .
Biden faces his a crucial test in the South Carolina primary , where his campaign hopes for a big win after disappointing showings in the first three nomination contests in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada .

'I guess I wasn't arrested': Joe Biden reverses on claim of an arrest in South Africa
Show Caption Hide Caption Sanders and Biden dispute who can win Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, in South Carolina, said he doesn't believe that Joe Biden can beat President Trump. Biden criticized a frequent Sanders theme, saying "this nation isn't looking for a revolution." (Feb. 28) AP
Former Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged Friday he had not been arrested in apartheid South Africa when visiting Nelson Mandela in prison in the 1970s, despite previously saying so on the campaign trail.
"I said arrested. I meant I was not able to move," he told CNN. "I guess I wasn't arrested. I was stopped. I wasn't able to go where I wanted to go."
His correction to the story caps off a controversy over the origins of an account fact-checkers at the Washington Post had called "ridiculous."
“I had the great honor of meeting him,” Biden said while campaigning in South Carolina, according to a New York Times story this month. “I had the great honor of being arrested with our U.N. ambassador on the streets of Soweto trying to get to see him.”
Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, later told reporters the story had referred to the trip in the 1970s and that he "was separated from his party at the airport."
Why Obama isn't endorsing: Former president says 'voters themselves must pick'
Monmouth poll: New poll shows Biden with 20-point lead in South Carolina primary
In amending his account in Friday's CNN interview, Biden, a long-time former senator, said he had been visiting South Africa with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, when the "Afrikaners" with "their short pants and their guns" made him get off the plane and moved him in a "different direction" from the rest of the delegation.
According to Biden, South African officials wanted him and the black lawmakers in the delegation to go through two separate doors, but "I made it clear I wasn't going to move," and the officials eventually decided to take all of the lawmakers together to the baggage claim.
Biden faces his a crucial test in the South Carolina primary, where his campaign hopes for a big win after disappointing showings in the first three nomination contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.


usatoday--2020-02-28--Poll: Sanders got highest marks for debate performance but most Democrats didn't watch

In a new poll released Friday , Sen. Bernie Sanders holds an edge among Democrats who watched any of last two debates in Nevada and South Carolina .
According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll , among Democrats who watched the debates , 34 % think Sanders has the best chance of defeating President Donald Trump in the general election .
Twenty-five percent of those Democrats thought former Vice President Joe Biden had the best chance,15 % thought former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had the best chance , and 11 % thought Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shows the limits of the debate format in helping voters decide a candidate .
Some Democrats have been critical of the debate process and its integral role in the primaries so far , and it appears the majority of Democrats tuned out the last two debates .
Of all Democrats surveyed in the poll , a majority – 58 % – skipped watching both debates entirely .
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang , who ended his presidential bid after the New Hampshire primary two weeks ago , mused after the South Carolina debate this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be re-examined .
`` The utility of tonight was not high , '' he wrote on Twitter – and this poll appears to show some voters agreed with Yang 's sentiments – or skipped out on the debate entirely .
More : 'Help me get it . '
Pete Buttigieg 's black surrogates face a skeptical audience for the candidate in South Carolina More : Aides , lawmakers work behind the scenes to try to sway Trump on Jeff Sessions before Alabama Senate primary Of Democrats who watched the debate , a plurality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no difference in the candidates ' abilities to defeat Trump , and 33 % said it weakened their ability to defeat him .
Twenty-eight percent said it strengthened their ability .
Sixty-seven percent of those who watched the debate said it was `` useful '' to help them make their decisions in the primary , whereas 33 % said it was `` not useful . ''
The poll has a sampling size of 639 Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters .
The margin of error among Democrats surveyed is 4.5 percentage points , and 6.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More : How groups are 'pulling out all the stops ' to accurately count people of color for Census 2020

Poll: Sanders got highest marks for debate performance but most Democrats didn't watch
Show Caption Hide Caption How polls work: The science behind gathering voter opinions The news cycle is jampacked with polls. But have you ever wondered how polls actually work and what they mean? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
In a new poll released Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders holds an edge among Democrats who watched any of last two debates in Nevada and South Carolina.
According to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, among Democrats who watched the debates, 34% think Sanders has the best chance of defeating President Donald Trump in the general election.
Twenty-five percent of those Democrats thought former Vice President Joe Biden had the best chance,15% thought former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had the best chance, and 11% thought Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., had the best chance.
The polling, however, shows the limits of the debate format in helping voters decide a candidate. Some Democrats have been critical of the debate process and its integral role in the primaries so far, and it appears the majority of Democrats tuned out the last two debates.
Of all Democrats surveyed in the poll, a majority – 58% – skipped watching both debates entirely.
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who ended his presidential bid after the New Hampshire primary two weeks ago, mused after the South Carolina debate this week that the debates may need to be re-examined.
"The utility of tonight was not high," he wrote on Twitter – and this poll appears to show some voters agreed with Yang's sentiments – or skipped out on the debate entirely.
More: 'Help me get it.' Pete Buttigieg's black surrogates face a skeptical audience for the candidate in South Carolina
More: Aides, lawmakers work behind the scenes to try to sway Trump on Jeff Sessions before Alabama Senate primary
We may need to re-examine the debate format. The utility of tonight was not high. — Andrew Yang🧢 (@AndrewYang) February 26, 2020
Of Democrats who watched the debate, a plurality, 39%, said it made no difference in the candidates' abilities to defeat Trump, and 33% said it weakened their ability to defeat him. Twenty-eight percent said it strengthened their ability.
Sixty-seven percent of those who watched the debate said it was "useful" to help them make their decisions in the primary, whereas 33% said it was "not useful."
The poll has a sampling size of 639 Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters. The margin of error among Democrats surveyed is 4.5 percentage points, and 6.5 points among those who watched the debates.
More: How groups are 'pulling out all the stops' to accurately count people of color for Census 2020