buzzfeed--2020-03-12--Joe Biden’s Coronavirus Speech And Campaign Shakeup Show Him Shifting Into General Election Mode

Joe Biden is looking past the remaining primaries with a shakeup of his campaign leadership and an approach to the coronavirus outbreak framed as a rebuttal to President Donald Trump .
During remarks Thursday afternoon in Wilmington , Delaware , Biden pointedly called back to Trump ’ s address the night before , when from the Oval Office he announced a ban on a significant amount of travel from Europe and described the disease as a “ foreign ” virus with origins in China .
“ Downplaying it , being overly dismissive , or spreading misinformation is only going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disease , ” Biden said .
“ But neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia .
Labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration.
” “ Let me be crystal clear , ” the former vice president added .
“ The coronavirus does not have a political affiliation , but will infect Republicans , independents , and Democrats alike .
And it will not discriminate based on national origin , race , gender , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in positions of power , as well as the most vulnerable in our society .
And it will not stop banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world .
It may slow it , but as we ’ ve seen , it will not stop it.
” Biden , who on Wednesday formed a public health advisory committee for his campaign , also criticized the Trump administration for cuts to global health investments that he said left the US vulnerable to a pandemic like the coronavirus .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus that is heavy on broad themes and ideas , like `` restoring trust , credibility , and common purpose . ''
But it also includes big and potentially expensive proposals , like preventing Americans from paying out of pocket for preventive care or treatment for the virus , and providing emergency paid leave for people impacted by the virus ’ s spread .
The Democratic frontrunner also called for COVID-19 testing to be made both free and widely available , for mobile testing sites and drive-through medical facilities in each state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient influxes with temporary hospitals and military resources .
“ Biden believes , ” the plan states , “ we must spend whatever it takes , without delay , to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.
” Trump reelection campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh defended the president in a statement emailed after Biden ’ s speech .
“ His every move has been aimed at keeping Americans safe , ” Murtaugh said of Trump , “ while Joe Biden has sought to capitalize politically and stoke citizens ’ fears.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pivotal moment in the campaign .
Both Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled events , citing the public health risks .
The next debate , initially set for Sunday in Phoenix , is now closed to spectators and the media and happening in Washington , DC .
Just as Biden tightens his grasp on the Democratic nomination and Sanders struggles to reconcile what ’ s next for his now–long shot candidacy , both are limited to televised moments .
( Sanders is expected to address the “ health and economic crisis ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference in Burlington , Vermont . )
Biden also has canceled upcoming visits to Chicago and Miami ahead of next week ’ s primaries in Illinois and Florida , and instead plans events such as a “ virtual town hall ” Friday for Illinois voters .
He spoke Thursday about “ radical changes ” necessary in daily behavior , with more hand-washing and less hand-shaking and more people working remotely .
The NBA and NHL have suspended the remainder of their seasons indefinitely .
The NCAA ’ s March Madness tournament is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assess and adjust how we conduct our campaign as we move forward and find new ways to share our message with the public while putting the health and safety of the American people first , ” Biden said .
Just before he began his remarks Thursday , Biden announced a shakeup that puts longtime Democratic strategist Jen O ’ Malley Dillon in as the new campaign manager and moves Greg Schultz , who had held the position since Biden ’ s campaign launch last year , into an organizational role that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am grateful to Greg for his leadership and hard work to help get our campaign where it is today , and I will value his continued input on this campaign , ” Biden said in a statement distributed by the campaign .
“ I am also thrilled that Jen is bringing her considerable talent and insight to this team .
She will be a tremendous asset to a campaign that is only growing and getting stronger as we prepare to take the fight to Donald Trump this fall.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a reassuring attribute during times of crisis , tragedy , and uncertainty .
As impeachment proceedings began against Trump last year , he used a speech in Wilmington to paint the president as a threat to the Constitution .
And the overall theme of Biden ’ s campaign is that Trump — through his character and his handling of racist riots in Charlottesville , Virginia — has forced a battle for the soul of the nation .
“ No president can promise to prevent future outbreaks , ” Biden said Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : When I am president , we will be better prepared , respond better , and recover better .
”

Joe Biden is looking past the remaining primaries with a shakeup of his campaign leadership and an approach to the coronavirus outbreak framed as a rebuttal to President Donald Trump.
During remarks Thursday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden pointedly called back to Trump’s address the night before, when from the Oval Office he announced a ban on a significant amount of travel from Europe and described the disease as a “foreign” virus with origins in China.
“Downplaying it, being overly dismissive, or spreading misinformation is only going to hurt us and further advantage the spread of the disease,” Biden said. “But neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia. Labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration.”
“Let me be crystal clear,” the former vice president added. “The coronavirus does not have a political affiliation, but will infect Republicans, independents, and Democrats alike. And it will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender, or zip code. It will touch people in positions of power, as well as the most vulnerable in our society. And it will not stop banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world. It may slow it, but as we’ve seen, it will not stop it.”
Biden, who on Wednesday formed a public health advisory committee for his campaign, also criticized the Trump administration for cuts to global health investments that he said left the US vulnerable to a pandemic like the coronavirus. And he released a lengthy plan to combat the coronavirus that is heavy on broad themes and ideas, like "restoring trust, credibility, and common purpose." But it also includes big and potentially expensive proposals, like preventing Americans from paying out of pocket for preventive care or treatment for the virus, and providing emergency paid leave for people impacted by the virus’s spread.
The Democratic frontrunner also called for COVID-19 testing to be made both free and widely available, for mobile testing sites and drive-through medical facilities in each state, and for preparing hospitals for possibly gigantic patient influxes with temporary hospitals and military resources.
“Biden believes,” the plan states, “we must spend whatever it takes, without delay, to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.”
Trump reelection campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh defended the president in a statement emailed after Biden’s speech. “His every move has been aimed at keeping Americans safe,” Murtaugh said of Trump, “while Joe Biden has sought to capitalize politically and stoke citizens’ fears.”
Thursday’s speech came at a pivotal moment in the campaign. Both Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled events, citing the public health risks. The next debate, initially set for Sunday in Phoenix, is now closed to spectators and the media and happening in Washington, DC. Just as Biden tightens his grasp on the Democratic nomination and Sanders struggles to reconcile what’s next for his now–long shot candidacy, both are limited to televised moments. (Sanders is expected to address the “health and economic crisis” at a 3 p.m. ET news conference in Burlington, Vermont.)
Biden also has canceled upcoming visits to Chicago and Miami ahead of next week’s primaries in Illinois and Florida, and instead plans events such as a “virtual town hall” Friday for Illinois voters. He spoke Thursday about “radical changes” necessary in daily behavior, with more hand-washing and less hand-shaking and more people working remotely. The NBA and NHL have suspended the remainder of their seasons indefinitely. The NCAA’s March Madness tournament is in jeopardy.
“We’ll continue to assess and adjust how we conduct our campaign as we move forward and find new ways to share our message with the public while putting the health and safety of the American people first,” Biden said.
Just before he began his remarks Thursday, Biden announced a shakeup that puts longtime Democratic strategist Jen O’Malley Dillon in as the new campaign manager and moves Greg Schultz, who had held the position since Biden’s campaign launch last year, into an organizational role that is expected to focus on general election planning.
“I am grateful to Greg for his leadership and hard work to help get our campaign where it is today, and I will value his continued input on this campaign,” Biden said in a statement distributed by the campaign. “I am also thrilled that Jen is bringing her considerable talent and insight to this team. She will be a tremendous asset to a campaign that is only growing and getting stronger as we prepare to take the fight to Donald Trump this fall.”
Biden often offers his experience in federal government as a reassuring attribute during times of crisis, tragedy, and uncertainty. As impeachment proceedings began against Trump last year, he used a speech in Wilmington to paint the president as a threat to the Constitution. And the overall theme of Biden’s campaign is that Trump — through his character and his handling of racist riots in Charlottesville, Virginia — has forced a battle for the soul of the nation.
“No president can promise to prevent future outbreaks,” Biden said Thursday. “But I can promise you this: When I am president, we will be better prepared, respond better, and recover better.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--A Brazilian Official Who Met Trump At Mar-A-Lago Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

Fabio Wajngarten was pictured alongside Donald Trump and Mike Pence last Saturday .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is being monitored for the coronavirus .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 's press secretary has tested positive for the coronavirus , days after meeting President Donald Trump .
Fabio Wajngarten was part of a Brazilian delegation that recently visited the US , and last weekend posted a photo on Instagram of him standing next to Trump at the president 's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida .
A Brazilian government source told BuzzFeed News that they suspect Wajngarten contracted the virus while in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday of the Brazilian president having dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago .
According to Brazil 's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper , which first reported the news about Wajngarten , Wajngarten 's wife revealed her husband 's positive test on the WhatsApp group for parents at the school their children attend .
“ The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation ‘ s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19 ; confirmatory testing is pending .
Exposures from the case are being assessed , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time , '' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement .
“ As stated before , the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families , and all White House staff healthy .
“ To reiterate CDC guidelines , there is currently no indication to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine .
We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.
” Trump earlier responded to a journalist 's question in the Oval Office about Wajngarten testing positive for the novel coronavirus , saying , `` I did hear something about that .
We had dinner together in Florida , at Mar-a-Lago , with the entire delegation .
I don ’ t know if the press aide was there , if he was there he was there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We sat together for a period of time , had a great conversation .
[ Bolsonaro 's ] doing a terrific job in Brazil , and we ’ ll find out what happens — I guess they ’ re being tested right now . ''
Trump added , `` Let ’ s put it this way : I ’ m not concerned . ''
Also on Thursday , Florida Sen. Rick Scott said he was self-quarantining after potential contact with Wajngarten at a separate event in Miami on Tuesday .
Just days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ During the past year , obviously , we have had moments of crisis .
A lot of that is fantasy .
And coronavirus , which is not all the mainstream media makes it out to be , ” he said at the business event in Miami .

“The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending. Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.
“As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy.
“To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine. We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--Secret Users Of Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition Dragnet Included A Former Trump Staffer, A Troll,

Secret Users Of Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition Dragnet Included A Former Trump Staffer, A Troll, And Conservative Think Tanks

CEO Hoan Ton-That said his facial recognition app is strictly for law enforcement .
But he ’ s shared it with political connections , potential investors , and entities designated as “ Friend.
” On a flight to Boston in January , James , a young academic , caught the attention of an aisle mate .
“ Do you go to school in the area ?
” the red-bearded man asked James , whose name has been changed to shield his identity , amid other small talk about technology and science .
Later , as the plane taxied to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man suggested the two connect on social media .
But before James could agree or even give his full name , his fellow passenger pulled out his phone and asked to show him something .
He opened an app , snapped a photo of James , and then showed him the phone .
The app , which flashed a banner reminding its users not to talk to journalists , populated with a handful of pictures from James ’ brother ’ s Instagram account .
And James ’ face was in every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself in so many photos on a stranger ’ s phone .
Some of his social media accounts had been set to private , and he had been careful not to post too many photos of himself to the web .
But the mysterious app had found him on his brother ’ s Instagram account within seconds .
Later that evening , James received a friend request .
It was from the bearded man on the plane — Charles C. Johnson , a controversial right-wing activist and accused Holocaust denier with ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to multiple requests for comment .
After reading coverage about a new facial recognition tool , James deduced that Johnson had identified him using Clearview AI , a secretive company that ’ s claimed to have scraped more than 3 billion photos from social media and the web .
Last month , a BuzzFeed News investigation found that people at more than 2,200 organizations have tried Clearview ’ s facial recognition technology , including federal entities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement , the FBI , and private companies like Macy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America .
Prior to BuzzFeed News ’ report , Clearview insisted its tool was strictly for law enforcement .
“ Clearview AI ’ s search engine is available only for law enforcement agencies and select security professionals to use as an investigative tool , and its results contain only public information , ” the company wrote in a Jan. 27 blog post .
“ Accordingly , the Clearview app has built-in safeguards to ensure these trained professionals only use it for its intended purpose : to help identify the perpetrators and victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has shared its technology with organizations it designated as friends , conservative think tanks , Republican lawmakers , and more than 20 potential investors around the world , according to company documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Some of those entities have connections to the far right and the Trump administration , as do Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That , a MAGA-supporting mobile app developer , and cofounder Richard Schwartz , who was once an adviser to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani .
Ton-That declined to answer a series of detailed questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed ’ s information is flawed , some of it provided via illegal means .
Therefore , we can not comment.
” Got a tip ?
Email one of the reporters of this story at Caroline.Haskins @ buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac @ buzzfeed.com , or contact us here .
The widespread , unregulated use of Clearview ’ s technology has concerned both Democratic and Republican lawmakers .
Last week , the House Committee on Science , Space , and Technology sent a letter signed by each party ’ s ranking member to Ton-That asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its products .
That was followed by a separate note to Clearview from Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts , who sought to understand why the startup had provided its software to organizations outside of law enforcement and to entities in countries with histories of human rights violations , including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
Clearview — which is facing multiple lawsuits from concerned citizens and potential legal action from tech giants including Facebook and Google for scraping their images — has maintained in media interviews that “ it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company data viewed by BuzzFeed News appeared to contradict that statement .
A BuzzFeed News review of the publicly available code for Clearview ’ s web app found that the company had created a list of “ company type ” designations — including “ Government , ” “ Bank , ” and “ Investor ” — for entities that had access to its tool .
Among those 12 labels was one for “ Friend.
” A security researcher on Twitter also discovered the same label in an independent review of the code .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ entities seen by BuzzFeed News , Clearview apparently designated the “ company type ” of a handful of organizations as “ Friend.
” Among them was SHW Partners LLC , a company founded by Jason Miller , a former Trump campaign senior communications official and one-time nominee for White House communications director .
Miller , who cohosts a podcast with Trump ’ s former chief strategist Steve Bannon , declined to comment on Clearview or why his firm was listed as having access to the company ’ s facial recognition software .
Clearview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied to SHW had run nearly 20 searches , some as recently as October .
BuzzFeed News previously revealed that Clearview ’ s data listed the offices of four Republican members of Congress — including Rep. John Ratcliffe , a current nominee for the director of national intelligence — as having been given accounts , along with someone associated with the “ White House Tech Office.
” That White House–affiliated account was credentialed in September 2019 and performed six searches .
“ If a current or former staff member attempted to access more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an official inquiry and was not sanctioned by the White House , ” a senior White House official told BuzzFeed News last month .
Beyond SHW , other entities on Clearview ’ s list with the “ Friend ” designation included the Samarian Group , a New York–based private equity firm ; Droese Raney , a Dallas commercial architecture company ; and Tor Ekeland , Clearview ’ s outside law firm , whose name was misspelled “ Tor Ecklund ” on the list .
All three organizations did not respond to requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to two conservative think tanks : the Manhattan Institute and the American Enterprise Institute .
The Manhattan Institute , where cofounders Ton-That and Schwartz reportedly first met , received an account in the fall .
A spokesperson for the think tank said Schwartz is a “ longtime friend of the Institute ” and noted that a former fellow at the organization had served as one of three judges for a supposedly independent report in which Clearview claimed its technology was “ 100 % accurate.
” Although the spokesperson denied that the Manhattan Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News shows that one person associated with the organization ran more than a dozen searches .
An individual associated with the American Enterprise Institute is also listed with an account , which , according to Clearview documents seen by BuzzFeed News , was designed to display a banner reading “ Richard Says Hi ” — an apparent reference to Schwartz .
AEI did not return multiple requests for comment .
While the data seen by BuzzFeed News listed thousands of organizations with accounts , there were other unknown individual users who ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On its list , the startup maintained an entry for “ Clearview Test Users , ” which included more than 220 accounts that had run more than 30,000 searches over a 19-month period .
When asked if Johnson was one of its test users , Clearview , whose founders have a history of connections to individuals on the far right , declined to answer .
Johnson has known Ton-That since at least 2016 , when the two were photographed at a dinner together .
Johnson did not respond to multiple requests for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a list of credentialed users reviewed by BuzzFeed News , Clearview met with individuals from many of Silicon Valley ’ s most notable firms , among them Kleiner Perkins and Greylock Partners .
A Greylock Partners spokesperson said a firm staffer met Ton-That at “ a defense industry dinner ” in late 2018 and was given a demo account that was sparsely used .
Greylock is not an investor in the company , they said .
A Kleiner Perkins spokesperson did not respond to an email request for comment .
Other firms did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents as having run hundreds of searches .
Among them was venture capital firm Data Collective Venture Capital , which ran more than 270 scans , some as recently as last month .
A spokesperson for the firm confirmed it had used Clearview , but noted that “ the product never made it past our preliminary due diligence phase.
” “ DCVC invests in Deep Tech companies including those in the AI privacy and security space , ” they said .
“ Through preliminary market due diligence , we evaluated the application with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted with their full consent.
” Passport Capital , a San Francisco–based firm which did not respond to a request for comment , ran more than 350 searches , according to documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Another account linked to Sequoia Capital was listed as having run more than 210 scans over a 10-month period .
The New York Times previously reported that Sequoia managing partner Doug Leone had used Clearview .
`` We do n't comment on companies we pass on , ” a Sequoia spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evaluating an investment , and we no longer have access to this app . ''
Founders Fund , the venture firm founded by Peter Thiel , a billionaire and Facebook board member , also appears on Clearview ’ s list .
There were two accounts associated with the San Francisco–based venture firm that have run about 70 searches , some as recently as October , according to Clearview ’ s records .
A company spokesperson did not reply to requests for comment .
A spokesperson for Thiel , who personally invested $ 200,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company — an investment that was later converted into a stake in Clearview — did not provide comment .
Thiel ’ s personal investment firm , Thiel Capital , had a Clearview login , though it appears it was never used , based on documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Clearview didn ’ t just stick to traditional venture firms .
According to documents seen by BuzzFeed News , it provided two accounts to individuals with ties to Iconiq Capital , an investment firm that manages the money of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran more than 70 searches , some as recently as February .
Iconiq did not respond to requests for comment .
Oculus Rift cofounder Palmer Luckey , who now leads defense contractor Anduril Industries , is also listed in Clearview 's data as having an account .
A spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that Anduril “ has never had any relationship of any kind ” with the company .
Clearview data shows that account as having run more than 20 searches .
`` Clearview AI , as part of its fundraising efforts , contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his personal email to ask him if he would consider investing in their company , ” the spokesperson said .
“ He was sent a test account without requesting one.
” Beyond Silicon Valley , Clearview also credentialed people associated with Japanese conglomerate SoftBank , and RIT Capital Partners , a the UK-based investor in the startup .
Mubadala Investment Company , a sovereign wealth fund owned by the government of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates , is listed in the data as having six accounts that ran more than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An RIT spokesperson confirmed it had made “ a very small minority investment ” in Clearview .
SoftBank declined to answer questions , and Mubadala did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
Clearview data reviewed by BuzzFeed News listed more than 20 venture and private equity firms the company had credentialed , but there were others as well .
An entry titled “ Clearview Investors ” showed five associated accounts , though it ’ s unclear whom those accounts belonged to .
Among the known Clearview investors who did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an investment firm based in Bronxville , New York , led by David Scalzo .
A vocal proponent of the startup , Scalzo has appeared on CNBC and various podcasts to defend the company and its technology .
One of those appearances was in a January interview with Dilbert creator Scott Adams , who asked the investor if he thought “ it ’ s inevitable the public will have [ Clearview AI ] .
” “ It is inevitable that this digital information will be out there , ” Scalzo replied .
@

After reading coverage about a new facial recognition tool, James deduced that Johnson had identified him using Clearview AI, a secretive company that’s claimed to have scraped more than 3 billion photos from social media and the web. Last month, a BuzzFeed News investigation found that people at more than 2,200 organizations have tried Clearview’s facial recognition technology, including federal entities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and private companies like Macy’s, the NBA, and Bank of America.
Prior to BuzzFeed News’ report, Clearview insisted its tool was strictly for law enforcement. “Clearview AI’s search engine is available only for law enforcement agencies and select security professionals to use as an investigative tool, and its results contain only public information,” the company wrote in a Jan. 27 blog post. “Accordingly, the Clearview app has built-in safeguards to ensure these trained professionals only use it for its intended purpose: to help identify the perpetrators and victims of crimes.”
Clearview, however, has shared its technology with organizations it designated as friends, conservative think tanks, Republican lawmakers, and more than 20 potential investors around the world, according to company documents seen by BuzzFeed News. Some of those entities have connections to the far right and the Trump administration, as do Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That, a MAGA-supporting mobile app developer, and cofounder Richard Schwartz, who was once an adviser to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Ton-That declined to answer a series of detailed questions, saying: “Once again, BuzzFeed’s information is flawed, some of it provided via illegal means. Therefore, we cannot comment.”
Got a tip? Email one of the reporters of this story at Caroline.Haskins@buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac@buzzfeed.com, or contact us here.
The widespread, unregulated use of Clearview’s technology has concerned both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Last week, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology sent a letter signed by each party’s ranking member to Ton-That asking how his company determined who gets access to its products. That was followed by a separate note to Clearview from Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who sought to understand why the startup had provided its software to organizations outside of law enforcement and to entities in countries with histories of human rights violations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Clearview — which is facing multiple lawsuits from concerned citizens and potential legal action from tech giants including Facebook and Google for scraping their images — has maintained in media interviews that “it’s strictly for law enforcement.” But company data viewed by BuzzFeed News appeared to contradict that statement.
A BuzzFeed News review of the publicly available code for Clearview’s web app found that the company had created a list of “company type” designations — including “Government,” “Bank,” and “Investor” — for entities that had access to its tool. Among those 12 labels was one for “Friend.” A security researcher on Twitter also discovered the same label in an independent review of the code.
On a list of more than 2,200 entities seen by BuzzFeed News, Clearview apparently designated the “company type” of a handful of organizations as “Friend.” Among them was SHW Partners LLC, a company founded by Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign senior communications official and one-time nominee for White House communications director.


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--The Week Bernie Sanders Realized He Was Losing

Interviews with nearly two dozen aides , allies , and progressive operatives reveal a campaign struggling to reconcile reality with the emotions of a movement that simply fell short .
And he did lose .
He lost Idaho .
He lost Missouri .
He lost Mississippi so badly that he may only barely pick up delegates .
And he lost Michigan , the state that revived his first presidential campaign four years ago .
The hard reality , evident days earlier , was much tougher to accept .
You could see it last week , when his motorcade arrived for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake City , and all they could do was watch as a seven-person field rapidly shrunk to a two-man race , with candidates flying in secret to line up behind Joe Biden in Dallas .
As the news broke , a senior aide stood in the fairgrounds parking lot near a line of SUVs , visibly shaking with nerves .
You saw it back in his Washington headquarters , where staffers reassured themselves by digging back in , as if by muscle memory , to an old trench : “ Did we really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have it ?
” they told one another .
You saw it after Super Tuesday , a loss across 10 states , when some senior aides began to worry that Biden wouldn ’ t even show up to the next debate , simply because he wouldn ’ t have to .
And even as the campaign made a hard last play for Michigan , some aides said they could see “ the writing on the wall ” — and wondered if the boss did , too .
Bernie Sanders promised a singular and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people into the political process , an antidote to the “ same old , same old status quo , ” a campaign of “ energy and excitement.
” But it was Joe Biden , not Bernie Sanders , who was expanding the electorate .
It was Joe Biden who was turning non-voters into new voters .
Everyone knew who Bernie Sanders was .
The other guy was just getting more votes — and how could he explain that ?
A few days ago , when reporters asked in Phoenix , he couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance to dig into the numbers yet , he said .
“ I honestly have not , ” Sanders told his press corps , standing at a podium in the conference room of a private terminal at the airport .
“ I mean , I like doing those things , but I 've been kind of frantically running around , ” he said .
But Biden was bringing in new suburban voters , a reporter noted .
“ Are you running out of time to— ” Sanders cut in .
“ Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we can.
” “ All I can say is we ’ re working as hard as we can , ” he repeated .
Maybe there was nothing else to say .
The 78-year-old Vermont senator , who is a stubborn and irascible candidate , a well of resentment for the “ clique ” in the Democratic Party and of empathy for the working class and poor , set out to do one thing , give one speech , and lead one kind of movement .
He was as single-minded in his mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pursue it .
He resisted change , most often at the urging of his own aides , including over the last few weeks as some begged him to be more aggressive in his attacks against Biden .
From the start of his second presidential bid almost 13 months ago , his team liked to tell reporters that , unlike his race four years ago , this campaign was his campaign .
And maybe it just wasn ’ t working well enough .
Before Michael Bloomberg ’ s collapse at a debate in Nevada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped out to lift up Biden , Sanders had a strong chance to come out of last week with a lead in the delegate race that , in a crowded field , candidates could chase but never catch .
But after Tuesday , when voters across six states cast their ballots , Biden was leading by well over 100 delegates , with favorable states such as Florida and Ohio slated for next week .
At a hotel in downtown Burlington — where senior aides prepared to leave for New York ahead of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Jimmy Fallon — Sanders did not at any point say the words “ I am staying in the race , ” but said he looked forward to attending the upcoming Democratic debate on Sunday .
His wife , Jane Sanders , and members of their senior campaign team looked on from the side of the room , all of them in matching stolid expressions .
He knew he was losing the delegate race , he said .
And knew he was losing the “ electability debate.
” His position , delivered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not one of a candidate who expects to win — and Sanders , often mistaken by his critics as a movement politician with no interest in governing or institutionalizing change , wanted more than anything to win .
Greg Guma , a Vermont progressive who has followed Sanders for decades , had no trouble in an interview last year naming the biggest difference between this campaign and his first four years ago .
“ He wants to win , ” Guma said .
“ He wants to win as badly as a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly two dozen aides , allies , and progressive operatives over the last week reveal a campaign struggling to reconcile the reality of the delegate math with the emotions of an entire progressive movement that now rests on the shoulders of a man who has pursued his aims with a single-minded focus for more than 50 years , who built a vast and obsessive following from almost nothing in 2016 , who doesn ’ t easily back down — even when he knows he ’ s lost .
“ He was never able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Longabaugh , a top adviser who split with the campaign early last year over strategic disagreements with the candidate .
“ He just didn ’ t succeed at it.
” Now , Sanders has a legacy to consider .
But over the last week , as he sought to reframe the race into an argument of ideas with Biden , the Vermont senator fell back into the familiar rhythms of his first presidential bid , brooding over moderates racing to “ anoint ” their preferred candidate and complaining about a corporate media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand his cause .
“ 'How do we stop Bernie Sanders ! '
” he said last week of recent “ Stop Sanders ” coverage , feigning panic and alarm in his mock impression of the TV networks .
“ That ’ s the frame .
Not 'My god , you have a candidate who ’ s trying to bring working people [ into ] the political process.
’ ” All week , on his plane , in hold rooms backstage , Sanders would approach aides in his gruff , matter-of-fact tone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing at all : We ’ re in a fight .
Even as anxiety grew in Sanders ’ Washington headquarters , the tight circle that travels around him mirrored the straightforward and laserlike focus of the candidate .
Sanders is tough on his staff and prone to angry outbursts , but in pursuit of his “ political revolution , ” he is almost even-keeled — a temperament matched by his quiet campaign manager , Faiz Shakir .
“ He ’ s like Faiz , ” communications director Mike Casca once told reporters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 out of 10.
” But for many outside the senator ’ s small retinue of staff , the past week unfolded as if in slow motion , a muddle of frustration and sadness as they came to terms with what was happening .
On the road , Sanders and the senior aides around him pressed as if little around them had changed .
“ The divide isn ’ t between the traveling staff and headquarters , ” one progressive operative close to the operation said this week .
“ The divide is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Last weekend , a few days after Elizabeth Warren dropped out , Shakir and one of his deputy campaign managers , Ari Rabin-Havt , started contacting her top staffers and supporters to see what could be done to bring together the two camps before the primaries on Tuesday .
Sanders spoke to Warren a “ handful ” of times throughout the week , a campaign aide confirmed , but she has declined to offer her endorsement .
Several figures in Warren ’ s circle balked at the outreach effort — Sanders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months to lay the groundwork for that kind of partnership , but only did so this week from a position of desperation .
About a month ago , when it was clear that Warren had little chance to win , one person inside the campaign said they put out feelers to Sanders ’ operation in an attempt to create new lines of communication .
At the time , senior Sanders officials showed little interest , the person said , in reciprocating .
Others questioned whether Sanders could have prevented such a swift consolidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to candidates like Buttigieg and Klobuchar in a more concerted way .
“ That 's the Sanders model — they were gon na do it themselves , ” said Adam Jentleson , a Democratic strategist who supported Warren .
“ His challenge from day one was to reach out to people who were n't with him in 2016 and build a bridge to the rest of the party.
” “ I would feel differently about it if the other half of the equation was present for them : a wave of new voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
“ But it ’ s not there.
” Meanwhile , a small group of senior aides had been pushing Sanders for months to go harder on Biden .
The problem : Sanders actually liked him .
Personally , they got along better than he ever did with Hillary Clinton , aides have said .
( The former vice president falls into an exclusive category for the Vermont senator : the people who were nice to Sanders before he mattered , as two aides put it recently . )
Back in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to personally apologize to Biden after one of his surrogates , Zephyr Teachout , wrote an op-ed about Biden ’ s “ corruption problem.
” David Sirota , the hard-charging senior adviser who has frequently made attacks on Biden go viral on Twitter , became so enraged by his unwillingness to budge on the matter that he laid out his concerns in a starkly worded email to the candidate and senior aides after Super Tuesday .
The message , two people familiar with the email said : We do this or we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next few days in Arizona and Michigan , Sanders turned his stump speech into a long list of policy disagreements with Biden , on everything from trade and social security to LGBTQ rights and abortion , threading in obvious nuggets of opposition research , citing decades-old Senate votes and a 1974 quote from Biden about Roe v. Wade .
In his remarks to reporters in Burlington on Wednesday , Sanders said he would like Sunday ’ s debate with his “ friend ” Biden to be about questions concerning the future — asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of change the former vice president would bring to working people .
“ Joe , what are you gon na do ?
” he said over and over , backdropped by four US flags .
Off the side of the room , Jane nodded along .
In private conversations over the last week , Sanders staffers were already starting to talk about their mission beyond “ winning.
” Several pointed to a rally last Sunday in Grand Rapids , Michigan , where Rev .
Jesse Jackson came off the sidelines of the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the candidate described privately as the most meaningful moment of the campaign .
Nina Turner , the campaign ’ s cochair , described in a phone interview the feeling inside the Sanders operation on Wednesday morning with a single word : “ heavy.
” “ People are talking about this campaign as if we didn ’ t know what we were bumping up against , ” she said .
“ We ’ re bumping up against an entire world — a system , if you will — that doesn ’ t want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does the candidate .
Over the last 13 months , Sanders has held a firm , at times unyielding grip on his own strategy .
That ’ s led to a presidential campaign that ’ s spoken to working-class voters in ways never seen before , turning his massive digital following into a platform for individual stories of struggle through an unexpectedly emotional series of town halls this summer and fall on subjects such as medical debt .
Sanders has described the effort as a kind of support network for people left out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help millions of people , in his words , “ feel less alone.
” It ’ s also meant that Sanders , a candidate rarely willing to budge , served as his own press secretary , digital director , pollster , advertiser , and campaign manager .
The true inner circle around the senator is already exceptionally tight — limited to his wife and five or so staffers — and even smaller still is the group of aides on his 2020 payroll who are willing to tell him “ no.
” Longabaugh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the 2016 campaign , recalled urging Sanders to spend the three years in between his presidential bids building relationships inside Democratic Party structures like the big unions or the Congressional Black Caucus .
More often than not , he said , the senator resisted .
“ He was never gon na be one of those Walter Mondale– or Hillary Clinton–esque figures who would be able to wire up the entire party .
There was a potential for him to make some inroads , ” he said .
`` He got 42 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I always told him , ‘ If you make small inroads , you 're not too far from 50.
’ But that stuff just never came naturally to Bernie Sanders . ''
More recently , in late February , some Sanders supporters watched in amazement as he claimed victory in the first three states , including by a massive margin in Nevada , and then proceeded to do very little to reach out to voters not already in his movement — instead continuing to rail against the establishment forces that soon after lined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a fair question , ” Larry Cohen , a longtime Sanders supporter who sits on the board of his political nonprofit , Our Revolution , said of whether the candidate missed a crucial opportunity .
“ He ’ s an amazing human being .
And all amazing human beings are not perfect.
” On the day the race began to change in Utah , reporters asked the deputy manager , Rabin-Havt , about what if anything Sanders would be willing to change .
Would he appeal to moderates ?
“ My question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what that would look like , ” Rabin-Havt said .
So he wouldn ’ t consider doing anything different ?
“ What do you mean ‘ consider doing anything different ’ ?
” he asked .
Would he change anything ?
“ Bernie Sanders has had the same values for his entire career , ” Rabin-Havt finally said , “ and he is n't changing that.
” Across the fairgrounds , past a crowd of 5,800 people , the candidate was onstage , delivering his usual speech , as if by heart .
@

BURLINGTON, Vermont — The hard reality of Tuesday night wasn’t losing.
And he did lose. He lost Idaho. He lost Missouri. He lost Mississippi so badly that he may only barely pick up delegates. And he lost Michigan, the state that revived his first presidential campaign four years ago. The hard reality, evident days earlier, was much tougher to accept.
You could see it last week, when his motorcade arrived for a rally at the fairgrounds in Salt Lake City, and all they could do was watch as a seven-person field rapidly shrunk to a two-man race, with candidates flying in secret to line up behind Joe Biden in Dallas. As the news broke, a senior aide stood in the fairgrounds parking lot near a line of SUVs, visibly shaking with nerves.
You saw it back in his Washington headquarters, where staffers reassured themselves by digging back in, as if by muscle memory, to an old trench: “Did we really think they were going to let us have it?” they told one another. You saw it after Super Tuesday, a loss across 10 states, when some senior aides began to worry that Biden wouldn’t even show up to the next debate, simply because he wouldn’t have to. And even as the campaign made a hard last play for Michigan, some aides said they could see “the writing on the wall” — and wondered if the boss did, too.
Bernie Sanders promised a singular and unprecedented ability to bring young and working-class people into the political process, an antidote to the “same old, same old status quo,” a campaign of “energy and excitement.” But it was Joe Biden, not Bernie Sanders, who was expanding the electorate. It was Joe Biden who was turning non-voters into new voters. Everyone knew who Bernie Sanders was. The other guy was just getting more votes — and how could he explain that?
A few days ago, when reporters asked in Phoenix, he couldn’t.
He hadn’t had a chance to dig into the numbers yet, he said. “I honestly have not,” Sanders told his press corps, standing at a podium in the conference room of a private terminal at the airport.
“I mean, I like doing those things, but I've been kind of frantically running around,” he said.
But Biden was bringing in new suburban voters, a reporter noted. “Are you running out of time to—”
Sanders cut in. “Well, we’re doing the best that we can.”
“All I can say is we’re working as hard as we can,” he repeated.
Maybe there was nothing else to say. The 78-year-old Vermont senator, who is a stubborn and irascible candidate, a well of resentment for the “clique” in the Democratic Party and of empathy for the working class and poor, set out to do one thing, give one speech, and lead one kind of movement. He was as single-minded in his mission as in the way he wanted to pursue it. He resisted change, most often at the urging of his own aides, including over the last few weeks as some begged him to be more aggressive in his attacks against Biden. From the start of his second presidential bid almost 13 months ago, his team liked to tell reporters that, unlike his race four years ago, this campaign was his campaign. And maybe it just wasn’t working well enough.
Before Michael Bloomberg’s collapse at a debate in Nevada, before Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropped out to lift up Biden, Sanders had a strong chance to come out of last week with a lead in the delegate race that, in a crowded field, candidates could chase but never catch. But after Tuesday, when voters across six states cast their ballots, Biden was leading by well over 100 delegates, with favorable states such as Florida and Ohio slated for next week.
At a hotel in downtown Burlington — where senior aides prepared to leave for New York ahead of a previously scheduled appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — Sanders did not at any point say the words “I am staying in the race,” but said he looked forward to attending the upcoming Democratic debate on Sunday. His wife, Jane Sanders, and members of their senior campaign team looked on from the side of the room, all of them in matching stolid expressions.
He knew he was losing the delegate race, he said. And knew he was losing the “electability debate.” His position, delivered in 10 minutes of prepared remarks, was not one of a candidate who expects to win — and Sanders, often mistaken by his critics as a movement politician with no interest in governing or institutionalizing change, wanted more than anything to win.
Greg Guma, a Vermont progressive who has followed Sanders for decades, had no trouble in an interview last year naming the biggest difference between this campaign and his first four years ago.
“He wants to win,” Guma said. “He wants to win as badly as a person can want to win.”
Interviews with nearly two dozen aides, allies, and progressive operatives over the last week reveal a campaign struggling to reconcile the reality of the delegate math with the emotions of an entire progressive movement that now rests on the shoulders of a man who has pursued his aims with a single-minded focus for more than 50 years, who built a vast and obsessive following from almost nothing in 2016, who doesn’t easily back down — even when he knows he’s lost.
“He was never able to expand his coalition,” said Mark Longabaugh, a top adviser who split with the campaign early last year over strategic disagreements with the candidate. “He just didn’t succeed at it.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-11--Bernie's Coalition Still Isn't Big Enough

“ The fear factor took over , ” the late Bert Lance , an ally of Jackson ’ s in the 1980s , told Frady .
“ There were people saying , ‘ Oh my goodness , Jesse Jackson has a chance to gain the Democratic nomination , what ’ s this going to do to my seat in Congress , to my race for county commissioner , to the mayor ’ s race ?
’ ” ( The Los Angeles Times the week of the Wisconsin primary : “ What worries them is not that Jackson is unelectable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ running on a Jackson ticket.
” ) “ As long as people could vote for him as sending a message to Democrats , saying [ that ] we support this kind of economic populist and moral voice , they were anxious to vote for him , ” Robert Borosage told Jackson biographer Marshall Frady in the 1990s .
“ But as soon as he got close to actually winning the nomination , I think people just said , ‘ Whoa .
We ’ re never going to do this . '
” By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consolidated , delivering big loss after big loss to Jackson , even as he continued speaking to rolling crowds across the country .
“ Other candidates — vice presidents and governors — might go weeks or an entire campaign without crowds as vibrant as Jackson ’ s leftovers , ” wrote David Maraniss in May that year .
Jackson came close , so close , to the moment where all things start to fall in place , where winning begets winning , and the nomination takes hold .
A woman shouted in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unity among ourselves , not with a group of outsiders.
” Then she walked up to Sanders and slapped him across the face .
A few weeks after the Wisconsin primary , in Burlington , the city ’ s mayor , Bernie Sanders , caucused for Jackson despite not being a member of the party .
Pictured next to the quote : Jesse Jackson , tall and crisp , sitting down to breakfast with a family in their Wisconsin home .
He ’ d recently won the 1988 Michigan caucus after winning across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michael Dukakis — the pragmatic , I-can-win liberal — crushed him .
“ You have a choice between two kinds of liberalism , ” a Wisconsin official explained to the New York Times .
“ You have this pragmatic , I-can-win-the-election liberal , and you have this articulate , I-can-tell-you-what-you-believe-in-your-heart liberal.
” Jackson was dealing with far different circumstances as the first black candidate to make a serious run at a presidential nomination , and his own set of problems ( his 1984 bid was partially derailed by his reluctance to denounce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never have the elegance or dynamism of Jackson at his peak .
But as plenty of people have pointed out — including Jackson himself — Sanders ’ two campaigns are interpretations of Jackson ’ s two campaigns , alike in radicalism , alike in establishment skepticism , and alike in the aspiration of a multiracial “ rainbow coalition ” that achieves “ economic justice.
” Jackson ran on big increases in taxes on the wealthy , big reductions in defense spending , and government-funded health care ( “ If government-supported health care is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court and the White House , then it ’ s good enough for your house and my house ” ) .
He ran , too , against prevailing notions that the economy was in strong shape .
“ A kinder , gentler nation , yeah , ” he said while campaigning for Dukakis during the 1988 general election , “ kinder and gentler for the corporations and the merger maniacs and the mega conglomerates swallowing up the family farmer and taking factory jobs overseas .
Urban America looks like it ’ s been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plague ’ s hit .
Family farms gone , jobs out , drugs in , profits up , wages down , workers abandoned.
” Above all , the ethos of that 1988 campaign centered around a cross-racial , cross-gender emphasis on economics , the exact same thesis of Sanders ’ 2020 campaign : “ When they close down your factory or foreclose on your farm , ” Jackson said then , “ and comes the time when they pull the plug and the lights go out , we all — we all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dark.
” Sanders is ending up in about the same spot as Jackson in 1988 : losing .
On Tuesday , Joe Biden dominated the kinds of working-class states where Sanders performed well in 2016 .
And if you were going to try to engineer a comeback against a fixture of national politics , the worst possible one-two the day before : a pandemic combined with a market crash .
It ’ s a sequence that automatically produces the desire for a gentle hum .
“ I wish he would just be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump on Monday .
“ I really mean it .
That ’ s an awful thing to say about a president ; I wish he ’ d be quiet .
Just let the experts speak and acknowledge whatever they suggest to him is what we should be doing.
” But the results in Michigan and elsewhere this week reflected the existing , underlying trends of the 2020 primary , the brick wall both Jackson and Sanders have run into : The coalition still isn ’ t big enough .
Jackson won the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he led a big transformation in the electoral process , actually , through a series of voter registration drives in the 1980s , as well as in his two campaigns , with both voting and staffing patterns .
( He also effectively lowered the delegate threshold from 20 % to 15 % and reduced the number of superdelegates . )
And he did grow his coalition , performing significantly better in very white states like Minnesota .
But he never won enough white voters in states like New York and Ohio to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2020 , like Jackson between 1984 and 1988 , Sanders has grown his coalition to a real degree : Latino voters powered his wins in Nevada , California , and Colorado .
His command of voters under the age of 30 will likely have serious , lasting consequences electorally .
But despite the advertising and the efforts to organize in states like the Carolinas , Sanders has not meaningfully improved on his support with black voters , particularly the middle-aged and older voters who now decide Democratic primaries .
He remains someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who welcomes but does not persuade , whose ask of the electorate about defeating Trump retains an air of risk .
So how do you make the cross-generational , cross-racial economic coalition come alive ?
This is the essential question the ascendant , economic left faces in the 2020s .
Jackson himself told the New York Times as much in January : Despite his belief that Sanders ' and Elizabeth Warren ’ s ideas represented the future of the party , they hadn ’ t persuaded the kinds of middle-aged and older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You must build a coalition and you do it through new relationships , ” he said .
Warren ’ s own ( failed ) bid to be the “ unity ” candidate gestured at that necessity .
But even she complicated the idea by unleashing what Kerry Howley described as “ enthralling brutality.
” As she dismantled Michael Bloomberg ’ s presidential bid , her campaign started a “ blood and teeth ” refrain — a reference to her remark that her first priority would be empowered consumer protection and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ d leave blood and teeth on the floor .
When the candidate dropped out last week , after months of enduring cheer , up went a true rage from within the Warren universe at other candidates and the press .
They might be right to be angry ( leave that aside ) but it suggested dissonance between unity and the enthralling brutality — that if there were a coalition to be built for Warren , it could only be built in the image of insurgency .
That dichotomy between aggression and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement , but at a much higher pitch .
Take in the same week , his supporters calling up the Culinary Union leadership to tell them they ’ re “ bitches ” and “ whores ” for criticizing Medicare for All , and a Culinary Union member saying as she caucuses for Sanders : “ I worry about other people that aren ’ t protected by unions .
How do they get health care ?
” It ’ s the difference in whether Warren was sent from hell to destroy Sanders or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward his bid when it matters most .
Is it the hostility , though , or the lack of long-standing relationships ?
The late-in-the-game panic about someone with old-school , ’ 60s radical views of Cuba ?
The proclamations that the “ nervous ” establishment will be defeated ?
Clearly , though , there is at least one person thinking seriously about the long-term issue of coalitions .
“ There are folks telling Warren what to do now , when they weren ’ t in her camp , ” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not up to me to tell her what to do .
What I do know is that if we want to win Medicare-for-all , we have to build overall.
” During an Instagram Live on Tuesday night , as the returns came in , she admonished people who blamed older voters for the results .
She told viewers , “ We do n't dismiss voters .
We do n't think [ of ] people as disposable .
Your vote matters.
” On Sunday , she introduced Sanders in Ann Arbor and referenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given in the 1980s by Jackson , who ’ d endorsed Sanders earlier that day .
“ In order for us to win , we have to grow , ” Ocasio-Cortez ultimately built up to .
“ We have to grow .
We must be inclusive .
We must bring more people into this movement .
We must shed the unnecessary clothes of cynicism and exclusion and we must turn toward an embracing posture where all people are welcome into a people 's movement .
”

Jackson was dealing with far different circumstances as the first black candidate to make a serious run at a presidential nomination, and his own set of problems (his 1984 bid was partially derailed by his reluctance to denounce Louis Farrakhan). And Sanders will never have the elegance or dynamism of Jackson at his peak.
But as plenty of people have pointed out — including Jackson himself — Sanders’ two campaigns are interpretations of Jackson’s two campaigns, alike in radicalism, alike in establishment skepticism, and alike in the aspiration of a multiracial “rainbow coalition” that achieves “economic justice.”
Jackson ran on big increases in taxes on the wealthy, big reductions in defense spending, and government-funded health care (“If government-supported health care is good enough for Congress and the Supreme Court and the White House, then it’s good enough for your house and my house”). He ran, too, against prevailing notions that the economy was in strong shape. “A kinder, gentler nation, yeah,” he said while campaigning for Dukakis during the 1988 general election, “kinder and gentler for the corporations and the merger maniacs and the mega conglomerates swallowing up the family farmer and taking factory jobs overseas. Urban America looks like it’s been bombed out, rural America abandoned like a plague’s hit. Family farms gone, jobs out, drugs in, profits up, wages down, workers abandoned.”
Above all, the ethos of that 1988 campaign centered around a cross-racial, cross-gender emphasis on economics, the exact same thesis of Sanders’ 2020 campaign: “When they close down your factory or foreclose on your farm,” Jackson said then, “and comes the time when they pull the plug and the lights go out, we all — we all — look amazingly similar sitting there in the dark.”
Sanders is ending up in about the same spot as Jackson in 1988: losing. On Tuesday, Joe Biden dominated the kinds of working-class states where Sanders performed well in 2016. And if you were going to try to engineer a comeback against a fixture of national politics, the worst possible one-two the day before: a pandemic combined with a market crash.
It’s a sequence that automatically produces the desire for a gentle hum. “I wish he would just be quiet,” Biden said of Donald Trump on Monday. “I really mean it. That’s an awful thing to say about a president; I wish he’d be quiet. Just let the experts speak and acknowledge whatever they suggest to him is what we should be doing.”
But the results in Michigan and elsewhere this week reflected the existing, underlying trends of the 2020 primary, the brick wall both Jackson and Sanders have run into: The coalition still isn’t big enough.
Jackson won the vast majority of black voters during his campaigns; he led a big transformation in the electoral process, actually, through a series of voter registration drives in the 1980s, as well as in his two campaigns, with both voting and staffing patterns. (He also effectively lowered the delegate threshold from 20% to 15% and reduced the number of superdelegates.) And he did grow his coalition, performing significantly better in very white states like Minnesota. But he never won enough white voters in states like New York and Ohio to make the rainbow coalition a reality.
In 2020, like Jackson between 1984 and 1988, Sanders has grown his coalition to a real degree: Latino voters powered his wins in Nevada, California, and Colorado. His command of voters under the age of 30 will likely have serious, lasting consequences electorally. But despite the advertising and the efforts to organize in states like the Carolinas, Sanders has not meaningfully improved on his support with black voters, particularly the middle-aged and older voters who now decide Democratic primaries. He remains someone without the long-standing relationships with black leaders, who welcomes but does not persuade, whose ask of the electorate about defeating Trump retains an air of risk.
So how do you make the cross-generational, cross-racial economic coalition come alive? This is the essential question the ascendant, economic left faces in the 2020s.
Jackson himself told the New York Times as much in January: Despite his belief that Sanders' and Elizabeth Warren’s ideas represented the future of the party, they hadn’t persuaded the kinds of middle-aged and older black voters they would need to win. “You must build a coalition and you do it through new relationships,” he said.
Warren’s own (failed) bid to be the “unity” candidate gestured at that necessity. But even she complicated the idea by unleashing what Kerry Howley described as “enthralling brutality.” As she dismantled Michael Bloomberg’s presidential bid, her campaign started a “blood and teeth” refrain — a reference to her remark that her first priority would be empowered consumer protection and if she couldn’t get that, she’d leave blood and teeth on the floor. When the candidate dropped out last week, after months of enduring cheer, up went a true rage from within the Warren universe at other candidates and the press. They might be right to be angry (leave that aside) but it suggested dissonance between unity and the enthralling brutality — that if there were a coalition to be built for Warren, it could only be built in the image of insurgency.
That dichotomy between aggression and welcome obviously consumes commentary about the Sanders movement, but at a much higher pitch. Take in the same week, his supporters calling up the Culinary Union leadership to tell them they’re “bitches” and “whores” for criticizing Medicare for All, and a Culinary Union member saying as she caucuses for Sanders: “I worry about other people that aren’t protected by unions. How do they get health care?” It’s the difference in whether Warren was sent from hell to destroy Sanders or a powerful figure whose endorsement would move many toward his bid when it matters most.
Is it the hostility, though, or the lack of long-standing relationships? The late-in-the-game panic about someone with old-school, ’60s radical views of Cuba? The proclamations that the “nervous” establishment will be defeated?
Clearly, though, there is at least one person thinking seriously about the long-term issue of coalitions. “There are folks telling Warren what to do now, when they weren’t in her camp,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the Washington Post. “It’s not up to me to tell her what to do. What I do know is that if we want to win Medicare-for-all, we have to build overall.” During an Instagram Live on Tuesday night, as the returns came in, she admonished people who blamed older voters for the results. She told viewers, “We don't dismiss voters. We don't think [of] people as disposable. Your vote matters.”
On Sunday, she introduced Sanders in Ann Arbor and referenced the “David and Goliath” speech given in the 1980s by Jackson, who’d endorsed Sanders earlier that day.
“In order for us to win, we have to grow,” Ocasio-Cortez ultimately built up to. “We have to grow. We must be inclusive. We must bring more people into this movement. We must shed the unnecessary clothes of cynicism and exclusion and we must turn toward an embracing posture where all people are welcome into a people's movement.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-11--Joe Biden Is Squashing The Revolution. Now He's Making A Pitch To Bernie Sanders' Voters.

Cecil ’ s tweet was the first in a rapid succession of Democratic establishment flares meant to put public pressure on Sanders .
Bradley Beychok of the research group American Bridge and Justin Barasky of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee issued similar calls .
“ The math is now clear , ” Guy Cecil , the chair of Priorities USA — the Democratic organization that backed Barack Obama ’ s and Hillary Clinton ’ s campaigns and had been neutral in the 2020 primary race — tweeted as states began going decisively in Biden ’ s favor .
“ Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee for President and @ prioritiesUSA is going to do everything we can to help him defeat Donald Trump in November .
I hope others will join us in the fight.
” The former vice president ’ s victories Tuesday in Missouri , Mississippi , Idaho , and Michigan further weakened Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ argument that he can build a winning coalition .
And some who just two weeks ago were wrapping their heads around the prospects of fortifying Sanders in a fight against President Donald Trump are now pointing Sanders toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , written off by many a month ago after a disastrous run in the New Hampshire primary , now has what top Democratic strategists are describing as an insurmountable lead in the race for the party ’ s presidential nomination .
Our team @ American_Bridge has been ready to support the eventual democratic nominee for the last 2 years .
Our team has outspent Trump on 📺 in MI , PA , and WI .
That work expands bigly tomorrow as we will be ALL IN to elect @ JoeBiden as our next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden added .
“ Want to earn every single vote in every single state.
” Biden allowed only that his own campaign “ is taking off , and I believe we ’ re going to do well from this point on.
” “ I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion , ” Biden said .
“ We share a common goal , and together we ’ ll defeat Donald Trump .
We ’ ll defeat him together.
” Biden did not go so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he flew after canceling a rally in Ohio due to coronavirus concerns , he said it was “ premature ” to celebrate , but he made a pointed pitch to Sanders and his allies , speaking of them almost as if their movement had come to an end .
`` At this point , you can see very clearly that Biden is building a delegate lead that 's only going to grow in the days ahead , ” Yang , a contributor to the cable network , said on air soon after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan .
“ So we need to come together as a party starting tonight . ''
And Biden , who since his big win in South Carolina last month quickly consolidated support from old rivals , got a supportive nod from another former candidate , Andrew Yang , live on CNN .
Contests in Idaho , North Dakota , and Washington state had not yet been called when Biden spoke .
Sanders did not speak to reporters Tuesday night , after flying back to Burlington , Vermont .
Like Biden , he decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cleveland over coronavirus fears .
Josh Schwerin , Priorities USA senior strategist and communications director , said late Tuesday that the group planned to invest significantly to boost Biden against President Donald Trump this fall .
`` We are projected to spend $ 150 million , including $ 70 million in battleground state ads , before the convention to take on Donald Trump , ” Schwerin said .
“ If Trump and his allies attack Biden , we are prepared to defend him . ''
Just two weeks ago Cecil told reporters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina , that Priorities was prepared for a scenario in which Sanders — who at that point had won the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses and finished first in New Hampshire in Nevada — was the party ’ s nominee .
“ I personally feel like if Bernie is the nominee , we 're going to do everything in our power to help Bernie Sanders the next president , ” Cecil said then .
“ And I would say the same thing about Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren.
” American Bridge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday in Pennsylvania — a battleground Trump won in 2016 — with a $ 2.2 million advertising buy .
The ads are anti-Trump and don ’ t mention Biden , though the group was clear Tuesday night that it ’ s rallying around Biden .
Biden reinforced a frontrunner ’ s posture and message in recent days .
He kept a lighter public schedule and delivered shorter speeches .
He had been more confident , and less susceptible to letting his weaknesses — self-righteous indignation , verbal blunders , and meandering speeches — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And he had been workshopping the more conciliatory tone he struck Tuesday .
The 77-year-old who favors old-fashioned slang ( Malarkey ! )
and who once hated to see his age as anything other than a hard sell for experience now offers a softer pitch .
At a rally Monday night in Detroit , he called himself a “ bridge ” to a new generation , nodding at three younger endorsers ( and potential running mates ) on stage with him : Sens .
Cory Booker and Kamala Harris , and Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the future of this country.
” And where Biden once stumbled in confrontations with hecklers — he called one a “ damn liar ” while also challenging him to a push-up contest ; channeling John Wayne he called another a “ lying dog-faced pony soldier ” — he now is more welcoming .
He asks his aides and law enforcement not to remove his disruptors .
When police disregarded his wishes in Detroit and tossed at least a dozen protesters railing against his stances on trade and the environment , Biden off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his speech specifically for his skeptics .
“ Every person who ’ s been knocked down , counted out , left behind : This is your campaign , ” Biden said , using phrasing he would repeat Tuesday night in Philadelphia as he worked toward his salute to Sanders supporters .
“ We need you .
We want you .
… We need you guys .
We have to unite this country.
” Lt. Gov .
Garlin Gilchrist , one of Biden ’ s Michigan backers , even reminded the Detroit audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , drawing some scattered boos .
“ Now look , I ’ m sad that somebody ’ s booing about that , ” Gilchrist responded .
“ But the question is , what ’ s different ?
The difference is nobody with the record , results , and relationships of Joe Biden was on the ballot [ in 2016 ] .
And what we need in 2020 is somebody who is going to have a vision that includes all of us .
We are a broad , diverse , beautiful people , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new approach still has echoes of the old .
“ You ’ re full of shit , ” Biden told a laborer who questioned his position on gun rights Tuesday during a visit to a construction site in Detroit .
But even in that exchange Biden ’ s team saw an opportunity to reclaim the high road .
The retort rattled around Twitter and compelled Sanders ’ campaign manager , Faiz Shakir , to amplify a tweet from a Republican National Committee operative .
Shakir later deleted his retweet and chose instead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of the incident , but Biden aides moved quickly to frame Sanders ’ aides as doing Trump ’ s bidding .
“ In case anyone is wondering , ” Biden campaign manager Greg Schultz tweeted in response , “ I won ’ t be retweeting any GOP or Trump allies to go after another candidate in the democratic primary.
” Where the campaign goes next is , literally , a question .
Coronavirus concerns in Ohio , which holds its primary March 17 , prompted Biden and Sanders to cancel rallies there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Thursday event scheduled in Florida — another March 17 state — and instead will address the outbreak from his hometown , Wilmington , Delaware .
Sunday ’ s debate in Phoenix will go on , but without a live audience or reporters on site .
Shaun King , a Sanders campaign ally , tweeted as results came in Tuesday night that the primary isn ’ t over .
Briahna Joy Gray , Sanders ’ national press secretary , retweeted that message with her own .

Contests in Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington state had not yet been called when Biden spoke.
Sanders did not speak to reporters Tuesday night, after flying back to Burlington, Vermont. Like Biden, he decided to scrap an election night rally in Cleveland over coronavirus fears.
Josh Schwerin, Priorities USA senior strategist and communications director, said late Tuesday that the group planned to invest significantly to boost Biden against President Donald Trump this fall.
"We are projected to spend $150 million, including $70 million in battleground state ads, before the convention to take on Donald Trump,” Schwerin said. “If Trump and his allies attack Biden, we are prepared to defend him."
Just two weeks ago Cecil told reporters at a predebate briefing in Charleston, South Carolina, that Priorities was prepared for a scenario in which Sanders — who at that point had won the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses and finished first in New Hampshire in Nevada — was the party’s nominee.
“I personally feel like if Bernie is the nominee, we're going to do everything in our power to help Bernie Sanders the next president,” Cecil said then. “And I would say the same thing about Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren.”
American Bridge, meanwhile, announced it would go up Wednesday in Pennsylvania — a battleground Trump won in 2016 — with a $2.2 million advertising buy. The ads are anti-Trump and don’t mention Biden, though the group was clear Tuesday night that it’s rallying around Biden.
Biden reinforced a frontrunner’s posture and message in recent days. He kept a lighter public schedule and delivered shorter speeches. He had been more confident, and less susceptible to letting his weaknesses — self-righteous indignation, verbal blunders, and meandering speeches — distract from his case to be president. And he had been workshopping the more conciliatory tone he struck Tuesday.
The 77-year-old who favors old-fashioned slang (Malarkey!) and who once hated to see his age as anything other than a hard sell for experience now offers a softer pitch. At a rally Monday night in Detroit, he called himself a “bridge” to a new generation, nodding at three younger endorsers (and potential running mates) on stage with him: Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “They are the future of this country.”
And where Biden once stumbled in confrontations with hecklers — he called one a “damn liar” while also challenging him to a push-up contest; channeling John Wayne he called another a “lying dog-faced pony soldier” — he now is more welcoming. He asks his aides and law enforcement not to remove his disruptors. When police disregarded his wishes in Detroit and tossed at least a dozen protesters railing against his stances on trade and the environment, Biden off the cuff seemed to repurpose a portion of his speech specifically for his skeptics.
“Every person who’s been knocked down, counted out, left behind: This is your campaign,” Biden said, using phrasing he would repeat Tuesday night in Philadelphia as he worked toward his salute to Sanders supporters. “We need you. We want you. … We need you guys. We have to unite this country.”
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, one of Biden’s Michigan backers, even reminded the Detroit audience Monday that he supported Sanders in 2016, drawing some scattered boos.
“Now look, I’m sad that somebody’s booing about that,” Gilchrist responded. “But the question is, what’s different? The difference is nobody with the record, results, and relationships of Joe Biden was on the ballot [in 2016]. And what we need in 2020 is somebody who is going to have a vision that includes all of us. We are a broad, diverse, beautiful people, where everybody’s opinion matters.”
The new approach still has echoes of the old.
“You’re full of shit,” Biden told a laborer who questioned his position on gun rights Tuesday during a visit to a construction site in Detroit.
But even in that exchange Biden’s team saw an opportunity to reclaim the high road. The retort rattled around Twitter and compelled Sanders’ campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, to amplify a tweet from a Republican National Committee operative. Shakir later deleted his retweet and chose instead to piggyback off a CBS reporter’s video of the incident, but Biden aides moved quickly to frame Sanders’ aides as doing Trump’s bidding.
“In case anyone is wondering,” Biden campaign manager Greg Schultz tweeted in response, “I won’t be retweeting any GOP or Trump allies to go after another candidate in the democratic primary.”
Where the campaign goes next is, literally, a question. Coronavirus concerns in Ohio, which holds its primary March 17, prompted Biden and Sanders to cancel rallies there Tuesday night. Biden already has postponed a Thursday event scheduled in Florida — another March 17 state — and instead will address the outbreak from his hometown, Wilmington, Delaware. Sunday’s debate in Phoenix will go on, but without a live audience or reporters on site.
Shaun King, a Sanders campaign ally, tweeted as results came in Tuesday night that the primary isn’t over. Briahna Joy Gray, Sanders’ national press secretary, retweeted that message with her own.


buzzfeed--2020-03-11--Live Results: Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, And Washington Democratic Primar

Live Results: Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, And Washington Democratic Primaries

It ’ s “ Super Tuesday 2 ” — Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will compete for 352 delegates as @ @ @ @ @ a new phase .
This post will be updated as results come in .

It’s “Super Tuesday 2” — Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will compete for 352 delegates as the 2020 presidential primary begins a new phase. This post will be updated as results come in.


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--Fox News And Donald Trump Are Embracing Xenophobia To Defend Against The Coronavirus

For a man who campaigned on inflammatory rhetoric and made anti-immigrant policies a cornerstone of his agenda , it should perhaps come as little surprise that appears to be the next turn in Donald Trump ’ s defense against the coronavirus .
With COVID-19 spreading across the US , Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that “ we need the wall more than ever !
” falling back on his tried and tested trope of blaming immigrants for the country ’ s ills .
Trump ’ s allies in Washington and on Fox News have ramped up their rhetoric against China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core dilemma : how to prepare the population for severe disruptions while ensuring no blowback on the man in the White House ?
At least part of the answer seems to be : xenophobia .
Fox News has shifted to nearly nonstop coverage of the coronavirus .
During the day , viewers get largely straightforward information about the virus ’ s spread , the administration ’ s response , the danger of cruise ships , and general health advice .
When the channel ’ s opinion powerhouses come out at night , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday night , two of the network ’ s three main opinion hosts — Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — leaned heavily into the fact that the virus originated in China and that any response should further isolate the US from the country .
( The third , Sean Hannity , focused on combating criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the crisis . )
“ People you know will get sick .
Some may die .
This is real , ” Carlson said at the top of his hour , striking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the network .
He called out those on the right , including those in government for being overly blasé .
“ People you trust — people you probably voted for — have spent weeks minimizing what is a very serious problem , ” he said .
But first , he had words for the left , speaking next to a graphic that blared : “ the Chinese coronavirus.
” “ On the left , you ’ ve heard them tell you that the real worry is you might use the wrong word to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , ” he said .
“ It ’ s racist , they ’ re telling you , to blame the most racist country in the world for the spread of this virus .
Right.
” “ It 's extraordinarily predictable , ” said Paul Lombardo , a professor at Georgia State University and expert on eugenics .
“ It 's consistent with the usual historical trend — you decide who you want to stay away from , people you do n't want in the country , and then you exploit them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Trump and his allies since before they entered the White House , and the language of infestation often deployed against those looking to enter America .
“ The bigotry against actual or would-be immigrants kind of goes hand in hand with the scapegoating of those same groups at a time of medical crisis.
” Attaching a Chinese descriptor to the virus — formally known as COVID-19 — has become a means of signaling xenophobic intent .
When the virus first emerged late last year , many called it the “ Wuhan flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the World Health Organization formally gave the virus a name .
“ On the one hand I think that there could be a relatively innocent reason , ” Lombardo said .
“ But that the messaging is coming out from people who know about messaging is not by chance.
” Rep. Kevin McCarthy has taken to calling the virus “ the Chinese coronavirus , ” first in a tweet Monday evening and then repeatedly that night in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox .
Rep. Grace Meng , vice-chair of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Tuesday that his use of the term was “ embarrassing , disrespectful , offensive , and downright disgusting.
” She continued : “ Wrongly inserting ‘ Chinese ’ into the name of this disease only reinforces the disparaging and negative stereotypes of Asian Americans.
” Asian Americans and Asians around the world have already been targeted by racist slurs and attacks in the wake of the virus .
“ The naming of a novel disease is so critically important because of the power that a name — especially tied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — can have in producing stigma , ” said Alexandre White , an assistant professor of sociology and the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins .
In the past , diseases were often named after where they originated — from Lyme to West Nile — but White said those diseases were “ quite old ” and standards had evolved since then .
The way previous outbreaks of disease were discussed worked to both stigmatize entire populations and to mask forms of transmission , White said , pointing in particular to the HIV epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration to further disengage the US from the global , and particularly the Chinese , economy .
“ One of the first things we can do to prepare ourselves is break our dependence on China for essential medical supplies , ” Carlson said .
Ingraham said Trump should take “ steps that harken back to his original America First agenda.
” “ We can ’ t keep flooding America with migrant families on the bogus asylum pretense .
We got ta be stronger on these borders , ” she said , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are being flown back to Mexico pending their cases , thousands are still getting in and impossible to screen completely — for health , ” she said .
“ Now is not the time to take in any extra burdens on our schools or the health care system.
” “ The question I would have for Fox News especially is : What is the benefit of this blame ?
” White asked .
“ And the answer is , foundationally , that it allows you to justify very aggressive responses against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way in the interest of public health and solely in the interest of racist xenophobic anxieties or economic protectionism.
” “ The US has a particular history of epidemic control and particularly Sinophobia , ” he said , pointing to a 1900 outbreak of the bubonic plague in Hawaii following an epidemic in Asia .
Local authorities dealt with the outbreak through a strict quarantine of Honolulu ’ s Chinatown — avoiding buildings occupied by white people .
Later , they burned much of that Chinatown down .

For a man who campaigned on inflammatory rhetoric and made anti-immigrant policies a cornerstone of his agenda, it should perhaps come as little surprise that appears to be the next turn in Donald Trump’s defense against the coronavirus.
With COVID-19 spreading across the US, Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that “we need the wall more than ever!” falling back on his tried and tested trope of blaming immigrants for the country’s ills.
Trump’s allies in Washington and on Fox News have ramped up their rhetoric against China, as they are faced with a core dilemma: how to prepare the population for severe disruptions while ensuring no blowback on the man in the White House? At least part of the answer seems to be: xenophobia.
Fox News has shifted to nearly nonstop coverage of the coronavirus. During the day, viewers get largely straightforward information about the virus’s spread, the administration’s response, the danger of cruise ships, and general health advice. When the channel’s opinion powerhouses come out at night, it’s a different story.
On Monday night, two of the network’s three main opinion hosts — Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — leaned heavily into the fact that the virus originated in China and that any response should further isolate the US from the country. (The third, Sean Hannity, focused on combating criticism of Trump’s handling of the crisis.)
“People you know will get sick. Some may die. This is real,” Carlson said at the top of his hour, striking a more alarmist tone than anyone else on the network. He called out those on the right, including those in government for being overly blasé. “People you trust — people you probably voted for — have spent weeks minimizing what is a very serious problem,” he said. But first, he had words for the left, speaking next to a graphic that blared: “the Chinese coronavirus.”
“On the left, you’ve heard them tell you that the real worry is you might use the wrong word to describe what’s happening to the country,” he said. “It’s racist, they’re telling you, to blame the most racist country in the world for the spread of this virus. Right.”
“It's extraordinarily predictable,” said Paul Lombardo, a professor at Georgia State University and expert on eugenics. “It's consistent with the usual historical trend — you decide who you want to stay away from, people you don't want in the country, and then you exploit them.” He pointed to the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from Trump and his allies since before they entered the White House, and the language of infestation often deployed against those looking to enter America. “The bigotry against actual or would-be immigrants kind of goes hand in hand with the scapegoating of those same groups at a time of medical crisis.”
Attaching a Chinese descriptor to the virus — formally known as COVID-19 — has become a means of signaling xenophobic intent. When the virus first emerged late last year, many called it the “Wuhan flu” or something similar, but shifted after the World Health Organization formally gave the virus a name. “On the one hand I think that there could be a relatively innocent reason,” Lombardo said. “But that the messaging is coming out from people who know about messaging is not by chance.”
Rep. Kevin McCarthy has taken to calling the virus “the Chinese coronavirus,” first in a tweet Monday evening and then repeatedly that night in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox. Rep. Grace Meng, vice-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said in a statement Tuesday that his use of the term was “embarrassing, disrespectful, offensive, and downright disgusting.” She continued: “Wrongly inserting ‘Chinese’ into the name of this disease only reinforces the disparaging and negative stereotypes of Asian Americans.” Asian Americans and Asians around the world have already been targeted by racist slurs and attacks in the wake of the virus.
“The naming of a novel disease is so critically important because of the power that a name — especially tied to a particular geography, region or place — can have in producing stigma,” said Alexandre White, an assistant professor of sociology and the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins. In the past, diseases were often named after where they originated — from Lyme to West Nile — but White said those diseases were “quite old” and standards had evolved since then.
The way previous outbreaks of disease were discussed worked to both stigmatize entire populations and to mask forms of transmission, White said, pointing in particular to the HIV epidemic.
Both Carlson and Ingraham called on the administration to further disengage the US from the global, and particularly the Chinese, economy. “One of the first things we can do to prepare ourselves is break our dependence on China for essential medical supplies,” Carlson said. Ingraham said Trump should take “steps that harken back to his original America First agenda.”
“We can’t keep flooding America with migrant families on the bogus asylum pretense. We gotta be stronger on these borders,” she said, while discussing the coronavirus. “While some people are being flown back to Mexico pending their cases, thousands are still getting in and impossible to screen completely — for health,” she said. “Now is not the time to take in any extra burdens on our schools or the health care system.”
“The question I would have for Fox News especially is: What is the benefit of this blame?” White asked. “And the answer is, foundationally, that it allows you to justify very aggressive responses against the Chinese economically, which are in no way in the interest of public health and solely in the interest of racist xenophobic anxieties or economic protectionism.”
“The US has a particular history of epidemic control and particularly Sinophobia,” he said, pointing to a 1900 outbreak of the bubonic plague in Hawaii following an epidemic in Asia. Local authorities dealt with the outbreak through a strict quarantine of Honolulu’s Chinatown — avoiding buildings occupied by white people. Later, they burned much of that Chinatown down.