usatoday--2020-02-28--Mike Pence's crisis manager skills put to the test in new role leading coronavirus response

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump 's decision to put Mike Pence in charge of the administration 's coronavirus response will test the vice president 's ability to manage a rapidly growing crisis as stock prices plunge and critics charge the administration is n't doing enough .
As the Trump administration staffs up and prepares for a potentially broader coronavirus outbreak , one challenge that awaits Pence will be coordinating a response for a president who is prone to second-guessing the advice of experts and has proposed deep cuts to key agencies in charge of public health .
During a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump contradicted a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the spread of the virus in the United States is inevitable .
`` I don ’ t think it ’ s inevitable , '' Trump said .
`` I think that we 're doing a really good job in terms of maintaining borders '' and making sure people coming in the country are checked .
US case : First coronavirus case of unknown origin confirmed in US .
What does that mean ?
Coronavirus , explained : Everything to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarming the world Trump 's decision to put Pence in charge is a good sign of how the administration is prioritizing its response , said Ned Price , who served as spokesman for the National Security Council in the Obama administration during its response to the Ebola outbreak .
But having Pence coordinate the effort is `` not an appropriate substitute '' for someone who could devote their full attention to the issue , such as Ebola `` czar '' Ronald Klain had been appointed to do for the Obama administration , Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his official duties to carry out , and unless he 's going to take a sabbatical from his role as the vice president , I think it 's it 's substituting one problem for another , '' Price said , noting Pence had spoken at the Conservative Political Action Conference on the same day as his first meeting with the coronavirus response task force Trump signaled confidence in Pence ’ s ability to coordinate the administration ’ s response when he announced the appointment Wednesday .
“ He ’ s got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said as Pence stood at his side , along with officials from the CDC and other agencies .
More : Trump picks Pence to lead coronavirus response , critics point out his handling of HIV outbreak Some question whether Pence is the right choice , arguing that a health care professional would be better positioned to monitor and react to a virus that already has spawned more than 80,000 cases around the world , including 60 in the U.S. Top health officials like Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci are `` highly qualified '' to handle the crisis , said John Holdren , who was the senior science and technology adviser to President Barack Obama .
`` I just have to wonder whether President Trump will ever be listening , '' Holdren said .
Asha George , who heads a bipartisan group of former government officials who analyze the U.S. 's capacity to defend against biological threats , applauded Trump ’ s decision to put Pence in charge of the coronavirus response .
More : Mike Pence is leading coronavirus efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana .
Multiple agencies are involved in such an effort , which can make a coordinated response difficult , said George , executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense .
`` You need somebody with enough power and authority to direct everybody and make sure everybody is doing what they 're supposed to be doing , '' she said .
The vice president `` carries a lot of weight and is pretty much the only person short of the president who can get this sort of thing done , especially in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now , '' she said .
Pence announced Thursday that he has tapped Debbie Birx , who is in charge of U.S. efforts to fight HIV and AIDS , to help manage the response to the coronavirus threat .
The administration also added three new members to its coronavrius task force : Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin , Surgeon General Jerome Adams , and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow .
Pence 's selection of Birx could ease concerns of some lawmakers who called for the Trump administration to put someone with expertise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Debbie Birx is a highly qualified public health expert who is kind of battle tested , '' said Tom Frieden , who served as director of the CDC and commissioner of the New York City Health Department .
`` She 's a veteran and has extensive experience with the CDC and other parts of the U.S. government .
I think that 's a good choice . ''
Trump 's budgets have routinely proposed to cut funding for the agencies like the CDC and the NIH that are now on the front lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the news briefing Wednesday , Trump said the coronavirus threat did not make him question those previously proposed cuts .
`` We know all the people .
We know all the good people , '' Trump said , adding , `` we can get them back very quickly '' if staff are cut .
Price told USA TODAY top officials on the National Security Council who were tasked with biodefense readiness had been sacked or departed the administration , with their positions since unfilled .
`` There 's not a point person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , '' he said .
`` President Trump dismissed the senior director and his team responsible for pandemics and preparedness . ''
George said those cuts and recent efforts by the administration to purge employees whom it considers disloyal to the president could make it more challenging to battle the coronavirus .
`` I ’ m sure people are concerned , '' she said .
`` They are worried about their jobs .
They have seen other people come and go based on their performance .
It ’ s a tough challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it adds additional stress . ''
Juliette Kayyem , who had served as the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security under the Obama administration , helping coordinate the response to the H1N1 outbreak , said she was concerned by the number of acting officials rather than appointed officials .
Kayyem called DHS 's current state `` gutted out , '' with `` acting ( officials ) in almost every major position . ''
She pointed to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf 's rocky testimony before a Senate Appropriations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is ill-prepared to provide the states and localities that are going to be on the front line with the information , standards , and policies that are going to have to be directed . ''
Under questioning from Sen. John Kennedy , R-La.
, Wolf appeared not to know some basic statistics about the virus , misstating its fatality rate and not knowing how many cases had come from cruise ships .
`` You 're supposed to keep us safe .
And the American people deserve some straight answers on the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from you , '' Kennedy told Wolf .
What Kayyem also saw as a breakdown in the response process were some of the political interventions of lawmakers in the response to the virus .
Sen. Richard Shelby , R-Ala. , had called Trump to ask him and successfully asked him not to quarantine virus patients from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Alabama , something Kayyem said should not have happened .
`` A senator does n't have operational control over what a state or local jurisdiction does , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President was responsive is just proof that all these mechanisms ( for intergovernmental cooperation ) have fallen apart . ''

Michael Collins and Nicholas Wu, USA TODAY

Mike Pence's crisis manager skills put to the test in new role leading coronavirus response
Show Caption Hide Caption Is the U.S. prepared for a coronavirus pandemic? A previous version of this video incorrectly stated how many people the 1918 Spanish influenza killed. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's decision to put Mike Pence in charge of the administration's coronavirus response will test the vice president's ability to manage a rapidly growing crisis as stock prices plunge and critics charge the administration isn't doing enough.
As the Trump administration staffs up and prepares for a potentially broader coronavirus outbreak, one challenge that awaits Pence will be coordinating a response for a president who is prone to second-guessing the advice of experts and has proposed deep cuts to key agencies in charge of public health.
During a news conference Wednesday to announce Pence's appointment, Trump contradicted a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the spread of the virus in the United States is inevitable.
"I don’t think it’s inevitable," Trump said. "I think that we're doing a really good job in terms of maintaining borders" and making sure people coming in the country are checked.
US case: First coronavirus case of unknown origin confirmed in US. What does that mean?
Coronavirus, explained: Everything to know about COVID-19, the deadly virus alarming the world
Trump's decision to put Pence in charge is a good sign of how the administration is prioritizing its response, said Ned Price, who served as spokesman for the National Security Council in the Obama administration during its response to the Ebola outbreak.
Donald Trump picks Mike Pence to head government response to coronavirus President Donald Trump declares that the U.S. is ready for whatever the coronavirus threat brings, as he puts Vice President Mike Pence in charge of overseeing the nation's response. (Feb. 26) AP
But having Pence coordinate the effort is "not an appropriate substitute" for someone who could devote their full attention to the issue, such as Ebola "czar" Ronald Klain had been appointed to do for the Obama administration, Price said.
"He still has all of his official duties to carry out, and unless he's going to take a sabbatical from his role as the vice president, I think it's it's substituting one problem for another," Price said, noting Pence had spoken at the Conservative Political Action Conference on the same day as his first meeting with the coronavirus response task force
Trump signaled confidence in Pence’s ability to coordinate the administration’s response when he announced the appointment Wednesday.
“He’s got a certain talent for this,” Trump said as Pence stood at his side, along with officials from the CDC and other agencies.
More: Trump picks Pence to lead coronavirus response, critics point out his handling of HIV outbreak
Some question whether Pence is the right choice, arguing that a health care professional would be better positioned to monitor and react to a virus that already has spawned more than 80,000 cases around the world, including 60 in the U.S.
Top health officials like Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases Director Anthony Fauci are "highly qualified" to handle the crisis, said John Holdren, who was the senior science and technology adviser to President Barack Obama.
"I just have to wonder whether President Trump will ever be listening," Holdren said.
Asha George, who heads a bipartisan group of former government officials who analyze the U.S.'s capacity to defend against biological threats, applauded Trump’s decision to put Pence in charge of the coronavirus response.
More: Mike Pence is leading coronavirus efforts. This was his health record in Indiana.
Multiple agencies are involved in such an effort, which can make a coordinated response difficult, said George, executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense.
"You need somebody with enough power and authority to direct everybody and make sure everybody is doing what they're supposed to be doing," she said.
The vice president "carries a lot of weight and is pretty much the only person short of the president who can get this sort of thing done, especially in the midst of a response, as we are now," she said.
Pence announced Thursday that he has tapped Debbie Birx, who is in charge of U.S. efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, to help manage the response to the coronavirus threat. The administration also added three new members to its coronavrius task force: Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow.
Pence's selection of Birx could ease concerns of some lawmakers who called for the Trump administration to put someone with expertise in charge of the federal response.
"Debbie Birx is a highly qualified public health expert who is kind of battle tested," said Tom Frieden, who served as director of the CDC and commissioner of the New York City Health Department. "She's a veteran and has extensive experience with the CDC and other parts of the U.S. government. I think that's a good choice."
Proposed budget cuts
Trump's budgets have routinely proposed to cut funding for the agencies like the CDC and the NIH that are now on the front lines of the fight against the virus.
At the news briefing Wednesday, Trump said the coronavirus threat did not make him question those previously proposed cuts.
"We know all the people. We know all the good people," Trump said, adding, "we can get them back very quickly" if staff are cut.
Price told USA TODAY top officials on the National Security Council who were tasked with biodefense readiness had been sacked or departed the administration, with their positions since unfilled.
"There's not a point person on the NSC really responsible for these issues," he said. "President Trump dismissed the senior director and his team responsible for pandemics and preparedness."
George said those cuts and recent efforts by the administration to purge employees whom it considers disloyal to the president could make it more challenging to battle the coronavirus.
"I’m sure people are concerned," she said. "They are worried about their jobs. They have seen other people come and go based on their performance. It’s a tough challenge for anyone there. ... I think it adds additional stress."
'Gutted out' agencies
Juliette Kayyem, who had served as the Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Department of Homeland Security under the Obama administration, helping coordinate the response to the H1N1 outbreak, said she was concerned by the number of acting officials rather than appointed officials.
Kayyem called DHS's current state "gutted out," with "acting (officials) in almost every major position."
She pointed to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf's rocky testimony before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee as "reflective of an agency that is ill-prepared to provide the states and localities that are going to be on the front line with the information, standards, and policies that are going to have to be directed."
Under questioning from Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., Wolf appeared not to know some basic statistics about the virus, misstating its fatality rate and not knowing how many cases had come from cruise ships.
"You're supposed to keep us safe. And the American people deserve some straight answers on the coronavirus. And I'm not getting them from you," Kennedy told Wolf.
What Kayyem also saw as a breakdown in the response process were some of the political interventions of lawmakers in the response to the virus.
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., had called Trump to ask him and successfully asked him not to quarantine virus patients from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Alabama, something Kayyem said should not have happened.
"A senator doesn't have operational control over what a state or local jurisdiction does," she said. "But I think the fact that the President was responsive is just proof that all these mechanisms (for intergovernmental cooperation) have fallen apart."
I just got off the phone with the President. He told me that his administration will not be sending any victims of the Coronavirus from the Diamond Princess cruise ship to Anniston, Alabama. Thank you, @POTUS, for working with us to ensure the safety of all Alabamians. — Richard Shelby (@SenShelby) February 23, 2020
More: Dow plunges 1,191 points, its biggest one-day point drop, as coronavirus fears escalate


usatoday--2020-02-28--'I'm staying in this race': Warren ready to take fight to convention – even if she's losing

WASHINGTON – Sen. Elizabeth Warren is ready to stay in the race for the presidential nomination through the Democratic National Convention in July .
During a CNN town hall event Wednesday night , the senator from Massachusetts said that she would take her fight all the way to the convention floor , even if she is trailing another candidate in delegates .
`` A lot of people made $ 5 contributions to my campaign to keep me in it , '' Warren said .
`` And as long as they want me to stay in this race , I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I 've done a lot of pinkie promises out there so I got ta stay in this .
I 've told little girls , 'We persist . '
'' Theoretically , the candidate who holds the most delegates heading into the convention could be denied the nomination if they did not win more than half of the delegates up for grabs in the primaries and caucuses .
According to therules laid out by the Democratic National Committee , a candidate must have the support of a majority of the 3,979 available pledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first ballot .
If no candidate has the 1,991 votes needed , the `` contested convention '' moves to a second ballot , which would include 771 unpledged delegates – better known as `` superdelegates '' – who are composed of elected officials and Democratic Party leaders .
'He 's a socialist and I 'm not ' : Will moderates warm up to Bernie Sanders as Super Tuesday approaches ?
At Wednesday 's town hall , a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders told Warren that that process `` essentially means the will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the superdelegates and the DNC , which is basically undemocratic . ''
`` You do know that was Bernie 's position in 2016 , '' Warren shot back .
`` The way I see this is , you write the rules before you know where everybody stands .
And then , you stick with those rules . ''
In his 2016 run for president , Sanders kept up his campaign for the nomination even after then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had secured a majority of the delegates , which included the lion 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were counted on the first ballot that year .
Though Sanders had long complained the superdelegates gave Clinton an unfair advantage , at that point in 2016 , he pinned his hopes on enough of them jumping ship to give him the majority at the convention .
Despite the claims from Sanders ' supporters ( and President Donald Trump ) that superdelegates subverted the will of the voters in 2016 , Clinton won a majority of the popular vote and pledged delegates .
The only way Sanders could have won would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those votes , according to PolitiFact .
Sanders ended up endorsing Clinton about two weeks before the 2016 Democratic National Convention .
Warren claimed Sanders `` had a big hand '' in the rule change that consigned the superdelegates to the second ballot .
`` Everybody got into the race thinking that was the set of rules .
I do n't see how come you get to change it just because he now thinks there 's an advantage to him to doing it , '' Warren said .
At the Democratic debate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ except Sanders agreed that the nominee should be determined at the convention if no one had secured a majority of the delegates .
`` The will of the people should prevail , '' Sanders said at the debate .
`` The person who has the most votes should become the nominee . ''

'I'm staying in this race': Warren ready to take fight to convention – even if she's losing
Show Caption Hide Caption How the DNC changed its rules since Sanders, Clinton in 2016 The primaries are here! How does one get elected in the first place and what is in store for the Democratic National Convention in 2020? We explain. Just the FAQs
WASHINGTON – Sen. Elizabeth Warren is ready to stay in the race for the presidential nomination through the Democratic National Convention in July.
During a CNN town hall event Wednesday night, the senator from Massachusetts said that she would take her fight all the way to the convention floor, even if she is trailing another candidate in delegates.
"A lot of people made $5 contributions to my campaign to keep me in it," Warren said. "And as long as they want me to stay in this race, I'm staying in this race. That, and I've done a lot of pinkie promises out there so I gotta stay in this. I've told little girls, 'We persist.'"
Theoretically, the candidate who holds the most delegates heading into the convention could be denied the nomination if they did not win more than half of the delegates up for grabs in the primaries and caucuses.
According to the rules laid out by the Democratic National Committee, a candidate must have the support of a majority of the 3,979 available pledged delegates to lock up the nomination on the first ballot. If no candidate has the 1,991 votes needed, the "contested convention" moves to a second ballot, which would include 771 unpledged delegates – better known as "superdelegates" – who are composed of elected officials and Democratic Party leaders.
'He's a socialist and I'm not': Will moderates warm up to Bernie Sanders as Super Tuesday approaches?
At Wednesday's town hall, a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders told Warren that that process "essentially means the will of the voters could be denied by the superdelegates and the DNC, which is basically undemocratic."
"You do know that was Bernie's position in 2016," Warren shot back. "The way I see this is, you write the rules before you know where everybody stands. And then, you stick with those rules."
In his 2016 run for president, Sanders kept up his campaign for the nomination even after then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had secured a majority of the delegates, which included the lion's share of the superdelegates – whose votes were counted on the first ballot that year.
Though Sanders had long complained the superdelegates gave Clinton an unfair advantage, at that point in 2016, he pinned his hopes on enough of them jumping ship to give him the majority at the convention.
Despite the claims from Sanders' supporters (and President Donald Trump) that superdelegates subverted the will of the voters in 2016, Clinton won a majority of the popular vote and pledged delegates. The only way Sanders could have won would have been through the support of superdelegates going against those votes, according to PolitiFact.
Sanders ended up endorsing Clinton about two weeks before the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Warren claimed Sanders "had a big hand" in the rule change that consigned the superdelegates to the second ballot.
"Everybody got into the race thinking that was the set of rules. I don't see how come you get to change it just because he now thinks there's an advantage to him to doing it," Warren said.
At the Democratic debate in Las Vegas this month, every candidate except Sanders agreed that the nominee should be determined at the convention if no one had secured a majority of the delegates.
"The will of the people should prevail," Sanders said at the debate. "The person who has the most votes should become the nominee."
South Carolina debate: Front-runner Bernie Sanders takes brunt of attacks ahead of primary


usatoday--2020-03-01--Super Tuesday: California has huge role in Democratic primary, but new vote centers could mean confu

Super Tuesday: California has huge role in Democratic primary, but new vote centers could mean confusion

LOS ANGELES — California 's primary , moved up by months and with a massive delegates haul , is expected to play a critical role in picking a Democratic presidential nominee Tuesday .
But the earlier date is n't the only change .
Voters in Los Angeles and several other counties must figure how and where to vote .
The Golden State joins 14 other states and territories in taking part in Super Tuesday , where its 415 pledged delegates will make up 30 percent of the haul awarded on the pivotal primary day .
In some past elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election date so late in the primary season that it often rendered the contest meaningless in picking a presidential nominee .
This time , Californians are weighing in days after former Vice President Joe Biden 's decisive win in South Carolina , which hurt the early momentum of progressive U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont .
A recent Monmouth University poll showed Californians preferring Sanders with about 24 % of likely voters , followed by Biden with 17 % and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg with 10 % .
But after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentiments could change by Tuesday .
'This campaign has taken off ' : Biden 's blowout win in South Carolina could reshape nomination fight With the chance to vote earlier come myriad voting changes in California .
In Los Angeles County , one of the nation 's most populous when it comes to registered voters , the number of polling places is being sharply reduced — from about 4,500 to 976 .
And fancy new balloting machines could lead to confusion or a slowdown as voters learn to use them .
Some fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate a voter selects .
`` It could be an ugly , ugly Tuesday , '' said Frederic Woocher , an attorney who filed suit earlier this year on behalf of the city of Beverly Hills over the design of the machines , with some candidates fearing voters may not see their names on the long list of options .
President Donald Trump , as a shoo-in on the Republican ballot , need not worry .
Democrats , however , will be voting in a hotly contested primary in which no candidate yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twenty candidates are on the Democratic ballot , including several who have already dropped out .
Besides the presidential contest , the most memorable thing about this year 's California primary will be the new voting protocols , starting with a more aggressive vote-by-mail campaign in several counties .
`` The California presidential primary may be on Super Tuesday , but for millions of Californians , it 's really Super February , '' said Secretary of State Alex Padilla in a statement .
Staking it all on Super Tuesday : How billionaire Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of having to request a vote-by-mail ballot , those registered in 14 California counties , including populous ones like Sacramento , Fresno , Santa Clara and Orange , are automatically receiving a ballot .
The biggest changes are coming in Los Angeles County , home to 5.4 million registered voters — more than the population of 42 states , according to Mike Sanchez , spokesman for the county registrar-recorder 's office .
It 's yet to be seen whether the more than 75 % reduction in polling places results in long lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people can cast their ballots early , in-person : More than 43,000 ballots had been cast at the centers through Friday afternoon , Sanchez said .
The remaining voters will have to see if their voting location has changed and , if they wait until Tuesday , face the specter of lines to vote .
`` Despite substantial efforts to inform the electorate of new voting centers , no doubt some voters will be surprised to find their local precincts closed on Election Day , '' said Jeff Lewis , a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles .
Officials believe fewer polling stations are required not just because of early voting , but also because more people are casting ballots by mail .
Statewide , some 67.7 % of ballots cast in the 2018 primary elections arrived by mail , compared to 25.3 % in 1998 , figures show .
The county also had to find locations where , unlike some home garages that used to serve as neighborhood polling sites , they would be able to have electricity for the new voting machines .
The machines can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size to be enlarged , but some are concerned that they will lead to confusion .
In its lawsuit against the county , the city of Beverly Hills contends the machines have a design flaw .
Their digital readout can only display four candidates or other voting choices at a time .
For more , voters need to hit a `` more '' button to view the following page .
Attorney Woocher said the court agreed with the county that there was n't enough time to make changes in the system in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue remains .
It 's drawn the attention of candidates like U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Jimmy Gomez , both Los Angeles-area Democrats , who tweeted concerns that voters may not be able to find their names on the ballot .
At one vote center at a recreation center near the Baldwin Hills section of Los Angeles , voters were n't exactly rushing to cast ballots .
Only one had voted in person by 10:30 a.m. Thursday , followed by 19 all of Wednesday , though workers there were expecting the pace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others dropped off completed ballots .
`` People do n't know you can vote over 11 days , '' said Chrissy Clark , among those staffing the station .
To help get out the word at a high school , she said her daughter covered her backpack in `` I voted '' stickers .
The changes result from passage of a state law , the Voter 's Choice Act , in 2016 .
In formulating the new system , California officials visited Colorado , which has been a leader in early voting and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Amber McReynolds , CEO of the National Vote At Home Institute and former director of elections in Denver .
Utah , Washington and Oregon have also had extended voting periods and extensive vote-at-home efforts .
All , McReynolds said , have seen higher voter participation levels .
She said , too , that increased voter participation did not appear to impact results .
She noted that in a Colorado general election in 2014 , the Democratic governor was reelected but the incumbent Democratic senator was turned out of office .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't help one side or the other , '' she said .
Losing momentum ?
Sanders supporters denounce news outlets calling S.C. primary for Biden 'with 0 % ' of the vote Not all agree early voting helps turnout .
A 2013 study conducted by four University of Wisconsin researchers and published in the American Journal of Political Science asserts that early voting by itself suppresses turnout because it reduces the significance of the election and provides less of an incentive for campaigns to get voters to the polls .
But early voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a professor of political science at the University of Georgia , because of the flexibility it affords people with busy lives at home and at work .
The system , however , stands the best chance of working when voters are fully informed of the changes .
`` Early voting can certainly make things easier for those who want to vote , but removing Election Day polling places can cause some problems , '' said Michael Hanmer , professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland .
`` The information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how the candidates and parties mobilize supporters will matter a great deal . ''
'You brought me back ' : Joe Biden rallies supporters after convincing South Carolina primary win

LOS ANGELES – California's primary, moved up by months and with a massive delegates haul, is expected to play a critical role in picking a Democratic presidential nominee Tuesday.
But the earlier date isn't the only change. Voters in Los Angeles and several other counties must figure how and where to vote.
The Golden State joins 14 other states and territories in taking part in Super Tuesday, where its 415 pledged delegates will make up 30% of the haul awarded on the pivotal primary day. In some past elections, Californians had to wait until June, an election date so late in the primary season that it often rendered the contest meaningless in picking a presidential nominee.
What is Super Tuesday and why is it a dealbreaker for presidential candidate campaigns? 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
This time, Californians are weighing in days after former Vice President Joe Biden's decisive win in South Carolina, which hurt the early momentum of progressive U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. A recent Monmouth University poll showed Californians preferring Sanders with about 24% of likely voters, followed by Biden with 17% and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg with 10%. But after the South Carolina contest, Californians' sentiments could change by Tuesday.
'This campaign has taken off': Biden's blowout win in South Carolina could reshape nomination fight
With the chance to vote earlier come myriad voting changes in California. In Los Angeles County, one of the nation's most populous when it comes to registered voters, the number of polling places is being sharply reduced – from about 4,500 to 976. And fancy new balloting machines could lead to confusion or a slowdown as voters learn to use them.
A voter prepares her ballot in a voting booth during early voting for the California presidential primary election at a new L.A. County Mobile Vote Center Mario Tama, Getty Images
Some fear the new machines could even influence which candidate a voter selects.
"It could be an ugly, ugly Tuesday," said Frederic Woocher, an attorney who filed suit earlier this year on behalf of the city of Beverly Hills over the design of the machines, with some candidates fearing voters may not see their names on the long list of options.
President Donald Trump, as a shoo-in on the Republican ballot, need not worry. Democrats, however, will be voting in a hotly contested primary in which no candidate yet has a lock on the nomination. Twenty candidates are on the Democratic ballot, including several who have already dropped out.
Besides the presidential contest, the most memorable thing about this year's California primary will be the new voting protocols, starting with a more aggressive vote-by-mail campaign in several counties.
"The California presidential primary may be on Super Tuesday, but for millions of Californians, it's really Super February," said Secretary of State Alex Padilla in a statement.
Staking it all on Super Tuesday: How billionaire Michael Bloomberg is campaigning for the White House
Instead of having to request a vote-by-mail ballot, those registered in 14 California counties, including populous ones like Sacramento, Fresno, Santa Clara and Orange, are automatically receiving a ballot.
The biggest changes are coming in Los Angeles County, home to 5.4 million registered voters – more than the electorates in 42 states, according to Mike Sanchez, spokesman for the county registrar-recorder's office.
It's yet to be seen whether the more than 75% reduction in polling places results in long lines Tuesday. Along with voting by mail, people can cast their ballots early, in-person: More than 43,000 ballots had been cast at the centers through Friday afternoon, Sanchez said.
The remaining voters will have to see if their voting location has changed and, if they wait until Tuesday, face the specter of lines to vote.
Election security: California has pushed to beef up election security, but ultimately the fate rests with local officials
A voter prepares her ballot in a voting booth during early voting for the California presidential primary election at a new L.A. County Mobile Vote Center outside Universal Studios Hollywood Mario Tama, Getty Images
"Despite substantial efforts to inform the electorate of new voting centers, no doubt some voters will be surprised to find their local precincts closed on Election Day," said Jeff Lewis, a political science professor at the University of California Los Angeles.
Officials believe fewer polling stations are required not just because of early voting, but also because more people are casting ballots by mail. Statewide, some 67.7% of ballots cast in the 2018 primary elections arrived by mail, compared to 25.3% in 1998, figures show.
The county also had to find locations where, unlike some home garages that used to serve as neighborhood polling sites, they would be able to have electricity for the new voting machines. The machines can support 13 languages and allow the type size to be enlarged, but some are concerned that they will lead to confusion.
In its lawsuit against the county, the city of Beverly Hills contends the machines have a design flaw. Their digital readout can only display four candidates or other voting choices at a time. For more, voters need to hit a "more" button to view the following page.
Attorney Woocher said the court agreed with the county that there wasn't enough time to make changes in the system in time for the March primary, so the issue remains.
It's drawn the attention of candidates like U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Jimmy Gomez, both Los Angeles-area Democrats, who tweeted concerns that voters may not be able to find their names on the ballot.
This big ballot flaw also affects other Members including @RepRoybalAllard and @RepJimmyGomez. Many voters in those districts also need to hit the “more” button to see their names if they are voting electronically. https://t.co/pbsIRbpjBA — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) February 26, 2020
At one vote center at a recreation center near the Baldwin Hills section of Los Angeles, voters weren't exactly rushing to cast ballots. Only one had voted in person by 10:30 a.m. Thursday, followed by 19 all of Wednesday, though workers there were expecting the pace to pick up on the weekend. Others dropped off completed ballots.
"People don't know you can vote over 11 days," said Chrissy Clark, among those staffing the station. To help get out the word at a high school, she said her daughter covered her backpack in "I voted" stickers.
The changes result from passage of a state law, the Voter's Choice Act, in 2016.
In formulating the new system, California officials visited Colorado, which has been a leader in early voting and mailing ballots in advance to all voters, said Amber McReynolds, CEO of the National Vote At Home Institute and former director of elections in Denver. Utah, Washington and Oregon have also had extended voting periods and extensive vote-at-home efforts. All, McReynolds said, have seen higher voter participation levels.
She said, too, that increased voter participation did not appear to impact results. She noted that in a Colorado general election in 2014, the Democratic governor was reelected but the incumbent Democratic senator was turned out of office. The split "kind of shows it doesn't help one side or the other," she said.
Losing momentum? Sanders supporters denounce news outlets calling S.C. primary for Biden 'with 0%' of the vote
Voters prepare their ballots in voting booths during early voting for the California presidential primary election at a new L.A. County Mobile Vote Center Mario Tama, Getty Images
Not all agree early voting helps turnout. A 2013 study conducted by four University of Wisconsin researchers and published in the American Journal of Political Science asserts that early voting by itself suppresses turnout because it reduces the significance of the election and provides less of an incentive for campaigns to get voters to the polls.
'You brought me back': Joe Biden rallies supporters after convincing South Carolina primary win
But early voting has become popular, said Trey Hood, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia, because of the flexibility it affords people with busy lives at home and at work.
The system, however, stands the best chance of working when voters are fully informed of the changes.
"Early voting can certainly make things easier for those who want to vote, but removing Election Day polling places can cause some problems," said Michael Hanmer, professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland. "The information campaign from election officials about early voting and how the candidates and parties mobilize supporters will matter a great deal."
Corrections & Clarifications: Clarifies that 42 states have fewer registered voters than Los Angeles County, according to a spokesman for the county registrar-recorder.


usatoday--2020-03-01--Biden posts resounding victory in South Carolina on support of black voters

Former Vice President Joe Biden posted a resounding victory in the South Carolina primary , largely on the strength of @ @ @ @ @ .

Biden wins South Carolina on support of black voters
Former Vice President Joe Biden posted a resounding victory in the South Carolina primary, largely on the strength of his support among black voters.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-02-29--More than 10K turn out for Bernie Sanders rally in Elizabeth Warren's backyard

BOSTON – Four miles from the Cambridge home of Elizabeth Warren , more than 10,000 people turned out in freezing temperatures Saturday for an outdoor Bernie Sanders rally at Boston Common , three days before Massachusetts ’ 91 delegates are up for grabs on Super Tuesday .
With former Vice President Joe Biden the favorite to win Saturday 's South Carolina Democratic presidential primary , Sanders looked ahead to Super Tuesday , where he has an opportunity to build a significant overall delegate lead .
He was in Springfield , Massachusetts , Friday night and will be in Virginia on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday .
“ As some of you may know , the establishment is getting very nervous about our campaign , ” said Sanders , an independent U.S. senator from Vermont , taking the stage after musician Béla Fleck warmed up the crowd with the banjo .
“ And tonight , they ’ re going to turn on the TV and they ’ re going to find that 10,000 people came out to the Boston Common , and they ’ re going to become even more nervous.
” The Sanders campaign later said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina primary : Pivotal South Carolina could reshape the Democratic race heading into Super Tuesday In Massachusetts , Sanders is going for a knockout punch against Warren , a U.S. senator from the state , and delegates that once seemed improbable given her home-state advantage .
But Sanders , the national Democratic frontrunner , has surged into first place in recent Massachusetts polls , topping Warren 25 % to 17 % in a survey released Friday by WBUR .
They were followed by Pete Buttigeig , 14 % ; Mike Bloomberg , 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanders , a democratic socialist , did not mention Warren during his speech , railing instead on President Donald Trump , the “ 1 percent ” and billionaires in his usual populist pitch .
“ This is not just a campaign .
We are a movement , ” Sanders said .
“ Here we are a few days before the Massachusetts primary in the most consequential election in the modern history of America .
And we are assembled to tell Donald Trump he ’ s not going to destroy democracy in America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a city of great learning with great universities , ” he added .
“ And I ’ ve got to tell you , I don ’ t have a Ph.D. in mathematics , but this I do know : 99 % is a hell of a lot bigger than 1 % .
” What to know about Super Tuesday : Why is it so important ?
What 's a delegate ?
And what happens at a brokered convention ?
Sanders ' rise has come at the expense of Warren , who is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shares several policy positions as Sanders .
The Warren campaign this week released a list of 147 Massachusetts elected officials – local , state and federal – supporting her campaign .
Backers include Sen. Ed Markey , U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley , Jim McGovern , Joe Kennedy III , Katherine Clark and Lori Trahan , as well as state Speaker Robert DeLeo , state Senate President Karen Spilka and Attorney General Maura Healey .
But Warren has not campaigned in Massachusetts in recent days .
She will be in Houston on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Bernie Sanders in her home state of Massachusetts Among those in the Sanders crowd , Thomas Simpson , a 29-year-old nonprofit worker from Allston , Massachusetts , said he originally supported Warren but switched and voted for Sanders during the early-voting period after her struggles in Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada .
“ Just the trends in the polls seemed to indicate that it ’ s a race between Bernie , Bloomberg and maybe Biden as well , ” Simpson said , describing himself as “ much more aligned with Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In general , I don ’ t necessarily gravitate toward Bernie ’ s outright advocacy of socialism , ” he said , applauding Warren ’ s support of progressive taxation .
“ I ’ m not as far left as Bernie ’ s politics , but I think that we definitely need to nominate somebody who ’ s going to offer a clear choice to Donald Trump and his policies.
” Simpson said Bloomberg would be a “ disaster ” and that he ’ s concerned with the possibility of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Sanders doesn ’ t reach a majority of delegates .
“ I would hope the party and the superdelegates would do the right thing at that point and realize there ’ s a movement going on in the Democratic Party .
There ’ s a movement toward progressive positions , ” Simpson said . '
A plan to fight back ' : How Elizabeth Warren stumbled in New Hampshire and her plan for 'the long haul' Brian Willis , 56 , a union stage handle from Scituate , Massachusetts , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 and 2018 but is backing Sanders for president .
He proposed that Warren serve as Sanders ’ vice president if he ’ s elected .
“ I think they ’ d make a great team , but I ’ ve been a Bernie supporter for a while and I think that she has less electability , in my opinion , ” Willis said .
“ If Bernie wasn ’ t in the race , she ’ d be my top choice.
” Willis touted Sanders ’ “ years and years of fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stood up for what was right .
And so has Elizabeth Warren , ” he said , but added : “ I believe the Democratic establishment stole his opportunity last cycle.
” Massachusetts state Rep. Mike Connolly , D-Cambridge , was among a handful of Democrats to speak before Sanders .
“ This Common has hosted revolutionaries from John Adams to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , '' Connolly said .
`` So , it ’ s very fitting that we are in here today in support of Sen. Sanders , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion for public good .
”

More than 13K turn out for Bernie Sanders rally in Elizabeth Warren's backyard
Show Caption Hide Caption Sanders confident as state primary looms US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders held a campaign rally in Columbia, South Carolina on Friday. The Vermont Senator urged his supporters to unite and help in defeating President Donald Trump in November's presidential election. AP
BOSTON – Four miles from the Cambridge home of Elizabeth Warren, more than 13,000 people turned out in freezing temperatures Saturday for an outdoor Bernie Sanders rally at Boston Common, three days before Massachusetts’ 91 delegates are up for grabs on Super Tuesday.
With former Vice President Joe Biden the favorite to win Saturday's South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, Sanders looked ahead to Super Tuesday, where he has an opportunity to build a significant overall delegate lead. He was in Springfield, Massachusetts, Friday night and will be in Virginia on Saturday evening before heading to Los Angeles on Sunday.
“As some of you may know, the establishment is getting very nervous about our campaign,” said Sanders, an independent U.S. senator from Vermont, taking the stage after musician Béla Fleck warmed up the crowd with the banjo. “And tonight, they’re going to turn on the TV and they’re going to find that 10,000 people came out to the Boston Common, and they’re going to become even more nervous.”
The Sanders campaign later said 13,200 people attended.
South Carolina primary: Pivotal South Carolina could reshape the Democratic race heading into Super Tuesday
In Massachusetts, Sanders is going for a knockout punch against Warren, a U.S. senator from the state, and delegates that once seemed improbable given her home-state advantage. But Sanders, the national Democratic frontrunner, has surged into first place in recent Massachusetts polls, topping Warren 25% to 17% in a survey released Friday by WBUR. They were followed by Pete Buttigeig, 14%; Mike Bloomberg, 13%; and Biden, 9%.
Sanders, a democratic socialist, did not mention Warren during his speech, railing instead on President Donald Trump, the “1 percent” and billionaires in his usual populist pitch. “This is not just a campaign. We are a movement,” Sanders said.
“Here we are a few days before the Massachusetts primary in the most consequential election in the modern history of America. And we are assembled to tell Donald Trump he’s not going to destroy democracy in America.
“I know I am in a city of great learning with great universities,” he added. “And I’ve got to tell you, I don’t have a Ph.D. in mathematics, but this I do know: 99% is a hell of a lot bigger than 1%.”
What to know about Super Tuesday: Why is it so important? What's a delegate? And what happens at a brokered convention?
Sanders' rise has come at the expense of Warren, who is also running in the party's progressive lane and shares several policy positions as Sanders.
The Warren campaign this week released a list of 147 Massachusetts elected officials – local, state and federal – supporting her campaign. Backers include Sen. Ed Markey, U.S. Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Jim McGovern, Joe Kennedy III, Katherine Clark and Lori Trahan, as well as state Speaker Robert DeLeo, state Senate President Karen Spilka and Attorney General Maura Healey.
But Warren has not campaigned in Massachusetts in recent days. She will be in Houston on Saturday night.
POLL: Elizabeth Warren neck-and-neck with Bernie Sanders in her home state of Massachusetts
Among those in the Sanders crowd, Thomas Simpson, a 29-year-old nonprofit worker from Allston, Massachusetts, said he originally supported Warren but switched and voted for Sanders during the early-voting period after her struggles in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
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
“Just the trends in the polls seemed to indicate that it’s a race between Bernie, Bloomberg and maybe Biden as well,” Simpson said, describing himself as “much more aligned with Bernie’s policies” than the others.
“In general, I don’t necessarily gravitate toward Bernie’s outright advocacy of socialism,” he said, applauding Warren’s support of progressive taxation. “I’m not as far left as Bernie’s politics, but I think that we definitely need to nominate somebody who’s going to offer a clear choice to Donald Trump and his policies.”
Simpson said Bloomberg would be a “disaster” and that he’s concerned with the possibility of a brokered convention at the Democratic National Convention if Sanders doesn’t reach a majority of delegates.
“I would hope the party and the superdelegates would do the right thing at that point and realize there’s a movement going on in the Democratic Party. There’s a movement toward progressive positions,” Simpson said.
'A plan to fight back': How Elizabeth Warren stumbled in New Hampshire and her plan for 'the long haul'
Brian Willis, 56, a union stage handle from Scituate, Massachusetts, said he voted for Warren for Senate in both 2012 and 2018 but is backing Sanders for president. He proposed that Warren serve as Sanders’ vice president if he’s elected.
“I think they’d make a great team, but I’ve been a Bernie supporter for a while and I think that she has less electability, in my opinion,” Willis said. “If Bernie wasn’t in the race, she’d be my top choice.”
Willis touted Sanders’ “years and years of fighting for the underdog.”
“He’s stood up for what was right. And so has Elizabeth Warren,” he said, but added: “I believe the Democratic establishment stole his opportunity last cycle.”
Massachusetts state Rep. Mike Connolly, D-Cambridge, was among a handful of Democrats to speak before Sanders.
“This Common has hosted revolutionaries from John Adams to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," Connolly said. "So, it’s very fitting that we are in here today in support of Sen. Sanders, for Bernie is a revolutionary and a true champion for public good.”
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.


usatoday--2020-02-29--'No need to panic': President Trump says risk to Americans is low as first coronavirus death reporte

Clarification : This story has been updated to correct the gender of the person who died in Washington state .
WASHINGTON – In a rare televised news conference from the White House on Saturday , President Donald Trump said the risk to Americans from coronavirus remains low and that he would meet with pharmaceutical companies next week to discuss development of a vaccine .
His comments came as the first U.S. death from the disease was reported .
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence also announced new travel restrictions to combat the virus , which has infected more than 84,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An existing travel ban on Iran will be expanded to prevent any foreign national who has been in that country in the past 14 days from entering the U.S .
The administration also advised Americans not to travel to regions of Italy and South Korea that have been impacted by the virus .
Though he continued to insist that the risk to Americans from the disease remains low , Trump acknowledged that additional cases in the U.S. are likely .
Public health officials have said it could take months to develop a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving quickly and said he would meet with pharmaceutical companies at the White House on Monday .
`` There 's no need to panic , '' he said .
`` This is something that 's being handled professionally . ''
Trump 's remarks came just hours after , speaking at a political rally in South Carolina , he described the coronavirus outbreak as a `` new hoax '' perpetuated by Democrats and suggested they were overlooking the effort his administration has made to confront the virus .
Trump , who was surrounded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Azar and other members of the coronavirus task force , struck a more subdued tone at Saturday 's news conference .
He insisted he was not describing the virus as a `` hoax '' but that he was referring to his belief that Democrats are using the outbreak to try tohurt him politically .
`` This is very serious , '' he said .
Shortly before Trump spoke , health officials confirmed that a person in Washington state had died from the virus , the first death from the virus in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County , Washington , the state 's Department of Health said .
Trump described the deceased patient as a woman who was `` a medically high risk patient in her mid-50s . ''
But King county officials said later , at a CDC briefing , that the patient was a man .
CDC director Robert Redfield tweeted Saturday that the agency “ erroneously identified the patient as a female ” in a briefing with the president and vice president .
So far , 22 patients in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said .
Earlier , health officials in California , Oregon and Washington state reported four new apparent cases of the novel coronavirus , raising concerns it is spreading through West Coast communities .
Authorities said three of the cases – an older Northern California woman with chronic health conditions , a high school student in Everett , Washington , and an employee at a Portland , Oregon-area school – had not recently traveled overseas or had any known close contact with a traveler or an infected person .
Fact Check : Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak Trump 's news conference marked the second time this week the president addressed reporters in the White House briefing room , an extremely rare occurrence throughout his presidency .
During an hourlong press conference Wednesday , Trump conflicted with health officials in his administration by saying he didn ’ t believe the spread of the virus was “ inevitable.
” Trump announced at that news conference that he was putting Pence in charge of coordinating the administration 's response to the virus .
Coronavirus , explained : Everything to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world

Michael Collins and John Fritze, USA TODAY

'No need to panic': President Trump says risk to Americans is low as first coronavirus death reported in US
Clarification: This story has been updated to correct the gender of the person who died in Washington state.
WASHINGTON – In a rare televised news conference from the White House on Saturday, President Donald Trump said the risk to Americans from coronavirus remains low and that he would meet with pharmaceutical companies next week to discuss development of a vaccine.
His comments came as the first U.S. death from the disease was reported.
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence also announced new travel restrictions to combat the virus, which has infected more than 84,000 people and killed nearly 3,000 people globally.
An existing travel ban on Iran will be expanded to prevent any foreign national who has been in that country in the past 14 days from entering the U.S. The administration also advised Americans not to travel to regions of Italy and South Korea that have been impacted by the virus.
Though he continued to insist that the risk to Americans from the disease remains low, Trump acknowledged that additional cases in the U.S. are likely. Public health officials have said it could take months to develop a vaccine, but Trump said plans are moving quickly and said he would meet with pharmaceutical companies at the White House on Monday.
"There's no need to panic," he said. "This is something that's being handled professionally."
Is the U.S. prepared for a coronavirus pandemic? A previous version of this video incorrectly stated how many people the 1918 Spanish influenza killed. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Trump's remarks came just hours after, speaking at a political rally in South Carolina, he described the coronavirus outbreak as a "new hoax" perpetuated by Democrats and suggested they were overlooking the effort his administration has made to confront the virus.
Trump, who was surrounded by Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and other members of the coronavirus task force, struck a more subdued tone at Saturday's news conference. He insisted he was not describing the virus as a "hoax" but that he was referring to his belief that Democrats are using the outbreak to try tohurt him politically.
"This is very serious," he said.
Shortly before Trump spoke, health officials confirmed that a person in Washington state had died from the virus, the first death from the virus in the U.S.
The person died in King County, Washington, the state's Department of Health said.
Trump described the deceased patient as a woman who was "a medically high risk patient in her mid-50s." But King county officials said later, at a CDC briefing, that the patient was a man.
The woman is alive.
CDC director Robert Redfield tweeted Saturday that the agency “erroneously identified the patient as a female” in a briefing with the president and vice president.
CDC erroneously identified the patient as a female in a briefing earlier today with the President and Vice President. — Dr. Robert R. Redfield (@CDCDirector) February 29, 2020
So far, 22 patients in the U.S. have been diagnosed with the virus. Four are seriously ill, Trump said.
Earlier, health officials in California, Oregon and Washington state reported four new apparent cases of the novel coronavirus, raising concerns it is spreading through West Coast communities.
Authorities said three of the cases – an older Northern California woman with chronic health conditions, a high school student in Everett, Washington, and an employee at a Portland, Oregon-area school – had not recently traveled overseas or had any known close contact with a traveler or an infected person.
Fact Check: Here's what President Trump has said about the coronavirus outbreak
Trump's news conference marked the second time this week the president addressed reporters in the White House briefing room, an extremely rare occurrence throughout his presidency.
During an hourlong press conference Wednesday, Trump conflicted with health officials in his administration by saying he didn’t believe the spread of the virus was “inevitable.” Trump announced at that news conference that he was putting Pence in charge of coordinating the administration's response to the virus.
Conributing: Doug Stanglin, Grace Hauck
Coronavirus, explained: Everything to know about COVID-19, the deadly virus alarming the world


usatoday--2020-02-29--Historic peace deal made in Afghanistan with Taliban, allowing withdrawal of U.S. troops

Historic peace deal made between U.S. and Taliban negotiators U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed a historic agreement that could end @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan .
This sets the stage for further negotiations .

Historic peace deal made between U.S. and Taliban negotiators
U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed a historic agreement that could end 19 years of war in Afghanistan. This sets the stage for further negotiations.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-03-01--Historic peace deal in Afghanistan reached with Taliban, allowing withdrawal of US troops

WASHINGTON – U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed an historic agreement Saturday in Qatar that could end 19 years of war in Afghanistan and allow President Donald Trump to begin the promised withdrawal of American troops .
The four-page pact spells out a timetable for the United States to withdraw its 13,000 troops from Afghanistan ; in exchange , the Taliban agreed to sever its ties with al Qaeda , the terrorist group that launched the Sept. 11 attacks against the U.S. “ Everybody ’ s tired of war , ” Trump told reporters at the White House .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s been a hard journey for everybody . ''
The agreementsets the stage for further negotiations between Afghanistan 's government and the Taliban , a militant Islamist group that once ruled Afghanistan and provided safe haven to Osama bin Laden .
American officials hope those talks will lead to a power-sharing deal , a permanent end to the bloody conflict , and a full withdrawal of American forces .
However , a permanent peace – and an end to America 's longest war – rests on a commitment by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end its deadly attacks on U.S. forces and to renounce its ties to al Qaeda .
`` If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments , we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home , '' the president said in a statement released ahead of Saturday 's signing ceremony in Doha .
Zalmay Khalilzad , the top U.S. negotiator for Afghanistan , signed the pact as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looked on .
In remarks at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the reality that the conflict was militarily unwinnable without a massive deployment of additional U.S. forces .
The Taliban also saw the war as a lost cause , he noted .
`` This is a hopeful moment , but it 's only the beginning , '' Pompeo said .
“ There 's a great deal of hard work ahead . ''
In the coming weeks , the United States will begin a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan , reducing its forces from 13,000 troops to 8,600 .
Pompeo said the remaining U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Taliban lives up to its promises .
In Kabul , Defense Secretary Mark Esper echoed that message – saying the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops would be based on the Taliban reining in its fighters .
`` Should the Taliban fail to honor their commitments , they will forfeit their chance to sit with fellow Afghans and deliberate on the future of their country .
Moreover , the United States would not hesitate to nullify the agreement , '' Esper said in prepared remarks .
If the Taliban fulfills its commitments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks , the U.S. agreed to a complete withdrawal of all remaining American forces from Afghanistan within 10 months .
The U.S. also agreed to immediately facilitate a controversial prisoner exchange , under which up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government could be released .
The Taliban would free as many as 1,000 prisoners , as demanded by the Afghan government .
Trump said he expected withdrawals to begin immediately .
`` If bad things happen , we ’ ll go back , '' Trump said .
`` We 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ever seen . ''
The president , speaking at a press conference primarily focused on the coronavirus , announced he would soon be meeting with Taliban leaders .
He declined to provide additional information about where or when that meeting would take place .
The U.S.-Taliban deal , crafted during painstaking , on-again-off-again negotiations that began in 2018 , was finalized after seven days of reduced violence , a confidence-building measure both sides undertook as a prerequisite to inking a peace agreement .
Saturday 's announcement comes with many caveats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in talks only to see hope for peace dissipate and violence continue .
A withdrawal of American troops also would likely take several months .
`` It 's not like ... this will bring flowers and roses and doves overnight , '' said a senior administration official , who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity .
The next step will be even more challenging : getting the Taliban and the Afghan government – bitter opponents with sharply divergent views about the future of their country – to hammer out a peace agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , devastated by war , and overrun with criminal and terrorist elements .
Those talks are expected to begin is Oslo within 10 days , but neither side has designated negotiators yet .
And the Afghan government , backed by the U.S. , is in the midst of a political crisis , with two leaders proclaiming victory in the country 's September election .
The reduction in violence is supposed to continue as the intra-Afghan talks proceed , and the U.S. is hoping to secure a complete cease-fire in Afghanistan as one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some Republicans warned against signing the deal , arguing that the Taliban is a terrorist group that can not be trusted to live up to any commitments .
Rep. Liz Cheney , R-Wyo.
, said the agreement would jeopardize America 's national security and compared it to the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal .
`` Releasing thousands of Taliban fighters , lifting sanctions on international terrorists , and agreeing to withdraw all U.S. forces in exchange for promises from the Taliban ... would be reminiscent of the worst aspects of the Obama Iran nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement Saturday .
But others , including a top former Obama administration official , hailed the agreement as a remarkable step forward .
“ No agreement is perfect , and the US-Taliban deal is no exception , '' said Robert Malley , who served as a senior White House adviser on the Middle East under President Barack Obama .
`` But it represents the most hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives .
It ought to be celebrated , bolstered and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace , ” said Malley , now president and CEO of the International Crisis Group , a nonpartisan organization focused on preventing conflict .
Previewing the agreement earlier this week , Pompeo seemed to concede the peace deal was not a resounding victory but rather a practical way to extricate American troops from what has been a horrific and costly war .
“ We have to be realistic .
We 're proud of our gains , but our generals have determined that this war is unlikely to be won militarily without tremendous additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington on Tuesday .
“ All sides are tired of fighting ... We should seize the moment.
” Pompeo refused to say what , if any , red lines the U.S. would set in the intra-Afghan negotiations that are set to begin in early March .
The U.S. will participate in those talks in a supportive role , but Pompeo said it will be led by Afghans and the U.S. will not require any guarantees for women ’ s rights or other democratic reforms .
Still , Afghan civil society and women ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations , said a second administration official , who also spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity .
It will be a “ very high priority for us ” to protect women ’ s rights , this official said .
“ We are n't without influence in the process going forward .
The United States is still a major presence in Afghanistan , '' this official said .
`` There 's all sorts of ways that we and others will be able to help defend the rights of women in Afghanistan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much ” in the interest of the United States .
Before the 2001 U.S. invasion , the Taliban subjected women and girls to ruthless violence and oppression .
Women could not work or study ; they could not leave their homes without a man ; and they could be flogged for showing even an inch of skin under mandated full-body veils , known as burqas .
Afghan women have seen enormous gains in the wake of the 2001 international intervention , with many schools now open to girls and some women allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
But many fear those changes will not be preserved in the intra-Afghan negotiations .
Meanwhile , the war-torn country remains violent and divided .
On Feb. 8 , two Army Special Forces soldiers were killed in Afghanistan .
Insurgent attacks that caused casualties in the last quarter of 2019 were at the highest level since recording began in 2010 , according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction .
The inspector general also found fault with the administration 's lack of a strategy to deal with narcotics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay fighters and buy weapons and bombs .
Taliban insurgents retain control over large portions of the countryside , while the government primarily holds sway in large cities like Kabul , the capital .
Extremist groups linked to ISIS , or the Islamic State , another terrorist group , remain active in rural areas .
In addition , the U.S. conducted more airstrikes in Afghanistan in 2019 than in any other year of the war , including 2011 , the year of peak U.S. involvement with 100,000 troops on the ground .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan .
Their mission is split between training Afghan security forces and conducting counter-terrorism missions .
Pompeo acknowledged that talks could fail to achieve a permanent peace .
`` Factions will undoubtedly emerge to want to spoil our good work , '' Pompeo said on Saturday .
`` We must call them out and reject their schemes . ''
U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks orchestrated by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden , who operated in Afghanistan under the Taliban 's rule .
Airstrikes backed a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped local forces topple the Taliban .
Removed from government , the Taliban mounted an increasingly deadly insurgency .
More than 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed there , and more than 20,000 wounded in the fighting .
Last year , the Pentagon estimated the cost to taxpayers for the war there at $ 737 billion .
Trump announced during a visit to Afghanistan on Thanksgiving that peace talks had resumed after a brief hiatus last year .
`` The Taliban wants to make a deal – we ’ ll see if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they do , and if they don ’ t , they don ’ t .
That 's fine , '' Trump told reporters traveling with him .
In September , Trump abruptly canceled a then-secret summit with the Taliban , as well as Ghani and other Afghan officials , after the militant group killed a U.S. soldier .
That controversial meeting , aimed at finalizing an agreement that had been in the works for months to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan , would have taken place at Camp David two days before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2001 , terrorist attacks .

Tom Vanden Brook and Deirdre Shesgreen, USA TODAY

Historic peace deal in Afghanistan reached with Taliban, allowing withdrawal of US troops
Show Caption Hide Caption Historic peace deal made between U.S. and Taliban negotiators U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed a historic agreement that could end 19 years of war in Afghanistan. This sets the stage for further negotiations. USA TODAY, Wochit
WASHINGTON – U.S. and Taliban negotiators signed a historic agreement Saturday in Qatar that could end 19 years of war in Afghanistan and allow President Donald Trump to begin the promised withdrawal of American troops.
The four-page pact spells out a timetable for the United States to withdraw its 13,000 troops from Afghanistan; in exchange, the Taliban agreed to sever its ties with al-Qaida, the terrorist group that launched the 9/11 attacks against the U.S.
“Everybody’s tired of war,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “It’s been a very long journey. It’s been a hard journey for everybody."
The agreement sets the stage for further negotiations between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban, a militant Islamist group that once ruled Afghanistan and provided safe haven to Osama bin Laden. American officials hope those talks will lead to a power-sharing deal, a permanent end to the bloody conflict and a full withdrawal of American forces.
But a permanent peace – and an end to America's longest war – rests on a commitment by the Taliban, a fractious insurgency, to end its deadly attacks on U.S. forces and to renounce its ties to al-Qaida.
"If the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan live up to these commitments, we will have a powerful path forward to end the war in Afghanistan and bring our troops home," the president said in a statement released ahead of Saturday's signing ceremony in Doha.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the top U.S. negotiator for Afghanistan, signed the pact as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo looked on. In remarks at the ceremony, Pompeo said the deal was based on the reality that the conflict was militarily unwinnable without a massive deployment of additional U.S. forces. The Taliban also saw the war as a lost cause, he noted.
"This is a hopeful moment, but it's only the beginning," Pompeo said. “There's a great deal of hard work ahead."
In the coming weeks, the United States will begin a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan, reducing its forces from 13,000 troops to 8,600. Pompeo said the remaining U.S. troops will serve as leverage to ensure the Taliban lives up to its promises.
In Kabul, Defense Secretary Mark Esper echoed that message – saying the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition troops would be based on the Taliban reining in its fighters.
"Should the Taliban fail to honor their commitments, they will forfeit their chance to sit with fellow Afghans and deliberate on the future of their country. Moreover, the United States would not hesitate to nullify the agreement," Esper said in prepared remarks.
If the Taliban fulfills its commitments to renounce al-Qaida and begin intra-Afghan talks, the U.S. agreed to a withdrawal of all remaining American forces from Afghanistan within 10 months. The U.S. also agreed to immediately facilitate a controversial prisoner exchange, under which up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government could be released. The Taliban would free as many as 1,000 prisoners, as demanded by the Afghan government.
Trump said he expected withdrawals to begin immediately.
"If bad things happen, we’ll go back," Trump said. "We'll go back with a force like nobody’s ever seen."
The president, speaking at a news conference primarily focused on the coronavirus, announced he would soon be meeting with Taliban leaders. He declined to provide additional information about where or when that meeting would take place.
The U.S.-Taliban deal, crafted during painstaking, on-again-off-again negotiations that began in 2018, was finalized after seven days of reduced violence, a confidence-building measure both sides undertook as a prerequisite to signing an agreement.
Saturday's announcement comes with many caveats. In September, negotiators hailed a breakthrough in talks only to see hope for peace dissipate and violence continue. A withdrawal of American troops also would likely take several months.
"It's not like ... this will bring flowers and roses and doves overnight," said a senior administration official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.
The next step will be even more challenging: getting the Taliban and the Afghan government – bitter opponents with sharply divergent views about the future of their country – to reach a peace agreement in a country riven by tribal factions, devastated by war and overrun with criminal and terrorist elements.
Those talks are expected to begin is Oslo, Norway, within 10 days, but neither side has designated negotiators yet. And the Afghan government, backed by the U.S., is in the midst of a political crisis, with two leaders proclaiming victory in the country's September election.
The reduction in violence is supposed to continue as the intra-Afghan talks proceed, and the U.S. is hoping to secure a full cease-fire in Afghanistan as one of the first elements of those talks.
Some Republicans warned against signing the deal, arguing that the Taliban is a terrorist group that cannot be trusted to live up to any commitments. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said the agreement would jeopardize America's national security and compared it to the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal.
"Releasing thousands of Taliban fighters, lifting sanctions on international terrorists, and agreeing to withdraw all U.S. forces in exchange for promises from the Taliban ... would be reminiscent of the worst aspects of the Obama Iran nuclear deal," Cheney said in a statement Saturday.
But others, including a top former Obama administration official, hailed the agreement as a remarkable step forward.
“No agreement is perfect, and the U.S.-Taliban deal is no exception," said Robert Malley, who was a senior White House adviser on the Middle East under President Barack Obama.
"But it represents the most hopeful step to end a war that has lasted two decades and taken countless American and especially Afghan lives. It ought to be celebrated, bolstered and built upon to reach a genuine intra-Afghan peace,” said Malley, now president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, a nonpartisan organization focused on preventing conflict.
Previewing the agreement last week, Pompeo seemed to concede the peace deal was not a resounding victory but rather a practical way to extricate American troops from what has been a costly war.
“We have to be realistic. We're proud of our gains, but our generals have determined that this war is unlikely to be won militarily without tremendous additional resources,” he told reporters Tuesday in Washington. “All sides are tired of fighting. ... We should seize the moment.”
Pompeo refused to say what, if any, red lines the U.S. would set in the intra-Afghan negotiations that are set to begin in early March. The U.S. will participate in those talks in a supportive role, but Pompeo said it will be led by Afghans and the U.S. will not require any guarantees for women’s rights or other democratic reforms.
Still, Afghan civil society and women’s groups will be part of the negotiations, said a second administration official, who also spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity. It will be a “very high priority for us” to protect women’s rights, the official said.
“We aren't without influence in the process going forward. The United States is still a major presence in Afghanistan," this official said. "There's all sorts of ways that we and others will be able to help defend the rights of women in Afghanistan, and certainly, that would be very much” in the interest of the United States.
Before the 2001 U.S. invasion, the Taliban subjected women and girls to ruthless violence and oppression. Women could not work or study; they could not leave their homes without a man; and they could be flogged for showing even an inch of skin under required full-body veils, known as burqas.
Afghan women have seen enormous gains after the 2001 international intervention, with many schools now open to girls and some women allowed to work and be involved in the political process. But many fear those changes will not be preserved in the intra-Afghan negotiations.
Meanwhile, the country remains violent and divided. On Feb. 8, two Army Special Forces soldiers were killed in Afghanistan. Insurgent attacks that caused casualties in the last quarter of 2019 were at the highest level since recording began in 2010, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
The inspector general also found fault with the administration's lack of a strategy to deal with narcotics, which generate cash the Taliban uses to pay fighters and buy weapons and bombs.
Taliban insurgents retain control over large portions of the countryside, while the government primarily holds sway in large cities like Kabul, the capital. Extremist groups linked to ISIS, or the Islamic State, another terrorist group, remain active in rural areas.
In addition, the U.S. conducted more airstrikes in Afghanistan in 2019 than in any other year of the war, including 2011, the year of peak U.S. involvement with 100,000 troops on the ground.
There are about 13,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Their mission is split between training Afghan security forces and conducting counterterrorism missions.
Pompeo acknowledged that talks could fail to achieve a permanent peace.
"Factions will undoubtedly emerge to want to spoil our good work," Pompeo said Saturday. "We must call them out and reject their schemes."
U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks orchestrated by bin Laden, who operated in Afghanistan under the Taliban's rule. Airstrikes backed a small contingent of U.S. commandos and troops who helped local forces topple the Taliban. Removed from government, the Taliban mounted an increasingly deadly insurgency.
More than 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed there, and more than 20,000 have been wounded in the fighting. Last year, the Pentagon estimated the cost to taxpayers for the war at $737 billion.
Trump announced during a visit to Afghanistan on Thanksgiving that peace talks had resumed after a brief hiatus last year.
"The Taliban wants to make a deal – we’ll see if they make a deal. If they do, they do, and if they don’t, they don’t. That's fine," Trump told reporters traveling with him.
In September, Trump abruptly canceled a then-secret summit with the Taliban, as well as Ghani and other Afghan officials, after the militant group killed a U.S. soldier. That controversial meeting, aimed at finalizing an agreement that had been in the works for months to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan, would have taken place at Camp David two days before the 18th anniversary of 9/11.