buzzfeed--2020-03-03--Tom Steyer's Weird And Weirdly Amazing Last Rally In South Carolina

The final event for Steyer was a hodgepodge of HBCU and Southern Baptist culture : The campaign brought Juvenile and gospel singer Yolanda Adams to perform for a largely black audience .
It was a small and energetic event that celebrated the culture , joy , and struggle of black southerners — a vignette of the campaign black South Carolinians say has wooed them away from campaigns like Joe Biden ’ s .
Under blue and purple stage lights , the rapper Juvenile performed the song at Steyer ’ s last rally before Saturday ’ s South Carolina primary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a historically black college here in Columbia .
Steyer ’ s campaign has invested heavily in South Carolina : Both campaign and candidate have gone deep into rural black communities to learn about the lives of black South Carolinians — all while blanketing the state with television ads and glossy mailers that have propelled the candidate who lost in Iowa , New Hampshire , and Nevada to third place in polls of South Carolinians and the second choice among black voters .
He has also , in recent weeks , has put on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and South Carolina featuring ( one of the ) Boyz II Men and TLC .
A high-low Twilight Zone , however , carried throughout the event .
People trickled into the gym Friday evening under signs that read “ invest in HBCUs ” and did the Electric Slide to Beyoncé ’ s remix of “ Before I Let Go.
” They halfheartedly did the Renegade TikTok dance to K Camp ’ s “ Lottery , ” and linked arms to swag surf while being led by a campaign surrogate .
When the music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DJ spin that shit !
” before Beyoncé ’ s “ Get Me Bodied ” bumped through the venue ’ s speakers .
Later in the night , the voters in the crowd followed along to a new version of the “ Fired up !
Ready to go !
” chant led by its creator , Greenwood County Council Member Edith Childs .
She created the chant during Barack Obama ’ s first presidential campaign , and has backed Steyer ’ s in the 2020 primary .
“ Steyer ’ d up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go !
” The crowd got riled up with the opening chords of “ Back That Azz Up !
” — the first time it was played — settled down as sound issues interrupted the performance .
( Juvenile complained about the sound mixing to the event staff , and stopped and started his performance several times before walking offstage to let event staffers figure out the sound issue . )
“ Juvie ’ s comin ’ back out !
We ’ re gon na let Yolanda Adams come out and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this bitch down for y ’ all !
” Juvenile ’ s hype man told the crowd that had been quietly waiting for him to start performing again .
Adams , the Grammy-winning gospel singer , walked out onstage to encourage voters across the state to turn out for Steyer and performed a version of “ America the Beautiful.
” Steyer was then introduced by his daughter and wife who told the crowd that it was time for minority voters and young voters to be heard .
Steyer ran through the story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina — recalling trips to Denmark , a small town where one of the water wells has been contaminated HaloSan , a chemical used to disinfect pools and hot tubs , and stories of medical debt and economic disparity .
In the end , Steyer told the crowd here that he and his wife had fallen in love with the state and South Carolinians ’ “ moral leadership.
” “ I ’ m never leaving , ” Steyer told the cheering crowd .
“ We ’ re going to win this fight .
@

Steyer’s campaign has invested heavily in South Carolina: Both campaign and candidate have gone deep into rural black communities to learn about the lives of black South Carolinians — all while blanketing the state with television ads and glossy mailers that have propelled the candidate who lost in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada to third place in polls of South Carolinians and the second choice among black voters. He has also, in recent weeks, has put on an array of rally-shows in Las Vegas and South Carolina featuring (one of the) Boyz II Men and TLC.
A high-low Twilight Zone, however, carried throughout the event. People trickled into the gym Friday evening under signs that read “invest in HBCUs” and did the Electric Slide to Beyoncé’s remix of “Before I Let Go.” They halfheartedly did the Renegade TikTok dance to K Camp’s “Lottery,” and linked arms to swag surf while being led by a campaign surrogate.
When the music paused, a staffer yelled, “DJ spin that shit!” before Beyoncé’s “Get Me Bodied” bumped through the venue’s speakers.
Later in the night, the voters in the crowd followed along to a new version of the “Fired up! Ready to go!” chant led by its creator, Greenwood County Council Member Edith Childs. She created the chant during Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, and has backed Steyer’s in the 2020 primary.
“Steyer’d up,” the chant went. “Ready to go!”
The crowd got riled up with the opening chords of “Back That Azz Up!” — the first time it was played — settled down as sound issues interrupted the performance. (Juvenile complained about the sound mixing to the event staff, and stopped and started his performance several times before walking offstage to let event staffers figure out the sound issue.)
“Juvie’s comin’ back out! We’re gonna let Yolanda Adams come out and then we’re coming back to shut this bitch down for y’all!” Juvenile’s hype man told the crowd that had been quietly waiting for him to start performing again.
Adams, the Grammy-winning gospel singer, walked out onstage to encourage voters across the state to turn out for Steyer and performed a version of “America the Beautiful.”
Steyer was then introduced by his daughter and wife who told the crowd that it was time for minority voters and young voters to be heard. Steyer ran through the story of his campaign’s journey through South Carolina — recalling trips to Denmark, a small town where one of the water wells has been contaminated HaloSan, a chemical used to disinfect pools and hot tubs, and stories of medical debt and economic disparity.
In the end, Steyer told the crowd here that he and his wife had fallen in love with the state and South Carolinians’ “moral leadership.”
“I’m never leaving,” Steyer told the cheering crowd. “We’re going to win this fight.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-04--Live Results: Super Tuesday Democratic Primaries

It ’ s Super Tuesday , where one third of the total delegates are up for grabs in 15 states @ @ @ @ @ the results in each state as they come in .

It’s Super Tuesday, when one-third of the total delegates are up for grabs in 15 states and territories. This post will be updated as results come in.


buzzfeed--2020-03-04--Senators Insist They Will Be Fine During A Coronavirus Outbreak And Won’t Need To Shut Down Congress

The average age of a United States senator is 62.9 years old , with five senators over the age of 80 , and despite being at heightened risk of coronavirus because of their jobs and demographic profile , senators insist they will not need to shut down Congress in the event of a pandemic .
The Senate is sometimes jokingly described as the world ’ s greatest retirement home .
But the advanced age of so many federal politicians is also a major vulnerability .
Most people who contract coronavirus will have mild symptoms or none at all , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those age 65 and older .
Almost half of the Senate — 48 out of 100 senators — are 65 or older .
Every week , senators and members of the House travel between their homes all across the country , where they interact with constituents , and Washington , DC , where they all congregate in the same rooms .
Despite this , senators insist they do not see Congress being shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Several told BuzzFeed News they are not planning to do their jobs any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue to live our lives and do our jobs .
We ’ re just going to probably wash our hands twice as much , ” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio .
Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said he plans to continue holding town halls and community meetings , even if he has to wear a face mask .
But he agrees that it is likely only a matter of time before coronavirus hits Congress .
“ I fully anticipate that folks here will end up with it .
We just do too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he rejects the idea of shutting down Congress , saying the legislative branch becoming “ paralyzed ” could do more damage than good .
“ I think if you start doing that kind of stuff then what , are we going to shut down the elections ?
I think it would set a poor precedent.
” A study of 70,000 Chinese patients with coronavirus put the mortality rate at around 2 % .
But that rate rose to 8 % for people in their seventies and up to 15 % for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet there are no formal plans for how Congress will respond to the risk of coronavirus , but congressional leaders are meeting Wednesday to discuss it .
Thousands of visitors walk through the halls of Congress every day .
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said his staff is reviewing policies on how to protect the health of politicians and visitors , but that he won ’ t comment on hypothetical scenarios .
Senators were unanimously confident in Congress ’ s ability to weather a potential outbreak .
“ Speaking for the octogenarians that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty fit , ” said Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts , who is 83 .
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy , a doctor , said that most members of Congress lead an active lifestyle , which would put them at lower risk of suffering life-threatening effects of the virus .
He said the key thing to look at is underlying health , not age .
“ Given that most folks who work here live fairly active lifestyles , I think we should not overstate the need for concern , ” he said .
When a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had recently undergone cancer treatment , Cassidy said individuals may get specific precautions from their doctors .

The average age of a United States senator is 62.9 years old, with five senators over the age of 80, and despite being at heightened risk of coronavirus because of their jobs and demographic profile, senators insist they will not need to shut down Congress in the event of a pandemic.
The Senate is sometimes jokingly described as the world’s greatest retirement home. But the advanced age of so many federal politicians is also a major vulnerability. Most people who contract coronavirus will have mild symptoms or none at all, but the people at most acute risk are those age 65 and older. Almost half of the Senate — 48 out of 100 senators — are 65 or older.
Every week, senators and members of the House travel between their homes all across the country, where they interact with constituents, and Washington, DC, where they all congregate in the same rooms.
Despite this, senators insist they do not see Congress being shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak. Several told BuzzFeed News they are not planning to do their jobs any differently. “We’re going to continue to live our lives and do our jobs. We’re just going to probably wash our hands twice as much,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said he plans to continue holding town halls and community meetings, even if he has to wear a face mask. But he agrees that it is likely only a matter of time before coronavirus hits Congress.
“I fully anticipate that folks here will end up with it. We just do too much travel,” said Tester. But he rejects the idea of shutting down Congress, saying the legislative branch becoming “paralyzed” could do more damage than good. “I think if you start doing that kind of stuff then what, are we going to shut down the elections? I think it would set a poor precedent.”
A study of 70,000 Chinese patients with coronavirus put the mortality rate at around 2%. But that rate rose to 8% for people in their seventies and up to 15% for people age 80 and over.
As of yet there are no formal plans for how Congress will respond to the risk of coronavirus, but congressional leaders are meeting Wednesday to discuss it. Thousands of visitors walk through the halls of Congress every day. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said his staff is reviewing policies on how to protect the health of politicians and visitors, but that he won’t comment on hypothetical scenarios.
Senators were unanimously confident in Congress’s ability to weather a potential outbreak.
“Speaking for the octogenarians that are here, most of us are pretty fit,” said Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts, who is 83.
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a doctor, said that most members of Congress lead an active lifestyle, which would put them at lower risk of suffering life-threatening effects of the virus. He said the key thing to look at is underlying health, not age. “Given that most folks who work here live fairly active lifestyles, I think we should not overstate the need for concern,” he said.
When a reporter responded that at least two senators had recently undergone cancer treatment, Cassidy said individuals may get specific precautions from their doctors.


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--I Rode The Train With Andrew Yang On Super Tuesday And He Said He’s Considering Running For Mayor Of

I Rode The Train With Andrew Yang On Super Tuesday And He Said He’s Considering Running For Mayor Of New York

ABOARD THE ACELA — It was the morning of Super Tuesday , and I was sitting in the first-class car of the Amtrak Acela Express ( got a free upgrade ) to Washington DC when I accidentally got cream cheese all over my laptop .
When I tried to get up to grab a napkin to circumvent catastrophe , a man in a crisp , sky-blue button-down was blocking my way to the bathroom , standing in the aisle , holding a seat for support , talking to a fan .
It was , of course , Andrew Yang .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I decided to talk to the former Democratic presidential candidate , who just a few weeks out of the race is now a regular on CNN .
Turns out he was game , and happy to gossip about the race and his own future .
“ You know , we ’ re looking at it , ” he said when I asked if he ’ s thinking about running for mayor of New York City .
“ Joe ’ s team reached out to me yesterday , ” he said when I asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back Joe Biden .
“ At this point , I consider Joe a friend.
” Yang was on his way to DC to spend much of the night on a panel of pundits for CNN ’ s Super Tuesday show and seemed generally amped for what was coming in the next few hours .
“ I ’ m really excited to see how the voting unfolds in the Super Tuesday states today , ” Yang told me , speaking quietly so as not to disturb the other train passengers ( or so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today the biggest question is how much of the support that was going to Pete [ Buttigieg ] and Amy [ Klobuchar ] and Tom [ Steyer ] heads to Joe or Bernie [ Sanders ] or Elizabeth Warren or [ Michael ] Bloomberg , ” he said .
“ And then the big question is what decision Bloomberg makes depending on how today goes.
” Buttigieg dropped out of the race Sunday and Klobuchar threw in the towel Monday .
Both quickly endorsed Biden in an attempt to unite moderate Democrats against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president at separate events Monday , urging their supporters to turn to Biden .
Yang told me that since dropping out of the race , he has been in touch with many of his former competitors for the Democratic nomination , especially in recent days .
He reached out to Buttigieg and Klobuchar via text , but only Buttigieg responded .
“ I just told Pete that he should be really proud of the race he ran , ” Yang said , adding that Buttigieg was likely about to go before cameras with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s hard when you end , you know , it ’ s a lot of mixed emotions , so I wanted to try and raise the positive set of responses .
It ’ s very disappointing for a lot of people when you decide to suspend.
” Buttigieg sent him “ a nice note back , ” he said .
“ And I actually just got off the phone with Tom , we were comparing notes on post-campaign life , ” Yang told me , referring to hedge fund manager Tom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race for the Democratic nomination this past weekend .
“ We ended up talking about the race a fair amount .
… The field is shrinking very quickly and I think that ’ s a good thing for the process and the party.
” When I asked if anyone was pushing him to endorse Biden , Yang told me yes : Biden .
Biden ’ s team called him on Monday , he said , but he hasn ’ t yet “ had a chance to talk to Joe . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained ; his staff and Biden ’ s talk all the time .
However , this doesn ’ t mean he ’ s ready to endorse Biden for president .
“ I don ’ t have any plans to endorse as of this moment , but something could change at any moment , my phone could ring at any moment , ” Yang said .
And his phone did ring , frequently .
He spent most of the train ride he wasn ’ t talking to me pacing back and forth on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of earshot .
“ I ’ ve been clear from the get-go that if someone were to champion a universal basic income in their campaign , it would go a long way ” toward getting his endorsement , he said .
Yang named Warren and Bloomberg as the two candidates who have taken his suggestion most seriously , saying that Warren read his book and publicly stated that basic income was an “ option to consider , ” while Bloomberg ’ s team has been “ looking at it very actively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I posited , there have been reports that the former mayor of New York and current billionaire tried to get Yang ’ s support by floating the vice presidency as an option .
In response , Yang smiled , laughed , and gave me a look , but said he could not comment specifically on whether Bloomberg had asked him .
“ I ’ ve gotten outreach from people who have suggested that [ joining a ticket as vice president ] is a consideration , ” Yang said .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s running mate and everyone also knows I wan na do what I can to make Donald Trump a one-term president.
” However , Yang ’ s team has also been looking into running for the office Bloomberg used to occupy .
“ You know , we ’ re looking at it , ” Yang said of running for mayor in New York City ’ s elections next year , crossing his legs to reveal socks with comedian Ronny Chieng ’ s face on them .
“ One of the things I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the other candidates in the race , and what the race would look like , ” he said .
“ Because I tend to want to do something where I feel like I ’ m gon na have a big impact and add a lot of value , so if there ’ s someone who ’ s already running who would have a positive agenda that ’ s very aligned with mine — I ’ m not someone who is just driven by maximum political advantage .
I wan na see how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then CNN ’ s Van Jones walked over , telling me he would have to “ bug ” Yang in a few moments , to prepare for the Super Tuesday show that evening .
“ We ’ ll see !
” he said , before we thanked each other and I went back to my seat to finish my bagel .
As he got off the train , he donned a navy blue hoodie , putting the hood up to cover his face .

ABOARD THE ACELA — It was the morning of Super Tuesday, and I was sitting in the first-class car of the Amtrak Acela Express (got a free upgrade) to Washington DC when I accidentally got cream cheese all over my laptop.
When I tried to get up to grab a napkin to circumvent catastrophe, a man in a crisp, sky-blue button-down was blocking my way to the bathroom, standing in the aisle, holding a seat for support, talking to a fan.
It was, of course, Andrew Yang.
After some encouragement from my editors, I decided to talk to the former Democratic presidential candidate, who just a few weeks out of the race is now a regular on CNN. Turns out he was game, and happy to gossip about the race and his own future.
“You know, we’re looking at it,” he said when I asked if he’s thinking about running for mayor of New York City.
“Joe’s team reached out to me yesterday,” he said when I asked if he’s facing pressure to back Joe Biden. “At this point, I consider Joe a friend.”
Yang was on his way to DC to spend much of the night on a panel of pundits for CNN’s Super Tuesday show and seemed generally amped for what was coming in the next few hours.
“I’m really excited to see how the voting unfolds in the Super Tuesday states today,” Yang told me, speaking quietly so as not to disturb the other train passengers (or so they wouldn’t eavesdrop).
“Today the biggest question is how much of the support that was going to Pete [Buttigieg] and Amy [Klobuchar] and Tom [Steyer] heads to Joe or Bernie [Sanders] or Elizabeth Warren or [Michael] Bloomberg,” he said. “And then the big question is what decision Bloomberg makes depending on how today goes.”
Buttigieg dropped out of the race Sunday and Klobuchar threw in the towel Monday. Both quickly endorsed Biden in an attempt to unite moderate Democrats against Sanders, appearing alongside the former vice president at separate events Monday, urging their supporters to turn to Biden.
Yang told me that since dropping out of the race, he has been in touch with many of his former competitors for the Democratic nomination, especially in recent days. He reached out to Buttigieg and Klobuchar via text, but only Buttigieg responded.
“I just told Pete that he should be really proud of the race he ran,” Yang said, adding that Buttigieg was likely about to go before cameras with Biden as they were texting. “It’s hard when you end, you know, it’s a lot of mixed emotions, so I wanted to try and raise the positive set of responses. It’s very disappointing for a lot of people when you decide to suspend.”
Buttigieg sent him “a nice note back,” he said.
“And I actually just got off the phone with Tom, we were comparing notes on post-campaign life,” Yang told me, referring to hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, who only dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination this past weekend. “We ended up talking about the race a fair amount. … The field is shrinking very quickly and I think that’s a good thing for the process and the party.”
When I asked if anyone was pushing him to endorse Biden, Yang told me yes: Biden. Biden’s team called him on Monday, he said, but he hasn’t yet “had a chance to talk to Joe." But this isn’t unusual, Yang explained; his staff and Biden’s talk all the time. However, this doesn’t mean he’s ready to endorse Biden for president.
“I don’t have any plans to endorse as of this moment, but something could change at any moment, my phone could ring at any moment,” Yang said.
And his phone did ring, frequently. He spent most of the train ride he wasn’t talking to me pacing back and forth on his phone next to the train bathrooms, out of earshot.
“I’ve been clear from the get-go that if someone were to champion a universal basic income in their campaign, it would go a long way” toward getting his endorsement, he said. Yang named Warren and Bloomberg as the two candidates who have taken his suggestion most seriously, saying that Warren read his book and publicly stated that basic income was an “option to consider,” while Bloomberg’s team has been “looking at it very actively,” Yang said.
Speaking of Bloomberg, I posited, there have been reports that the former mayor of New York and current billionaire tried to get Yang’s support by floating the vice presidency as an option. In response, Yang smiled, laughed, and gave me a look, but said he could not comment specifically on whether Bloomberg had asked him.
“I’ve gotten outreach from people who have suggested that [joining a ticket as vice president] is a consideration,” Yang said. “It’s flattering to be considered as someone’s running mate and everyone also knows I wanna do what I can to make Donald Trump a one-term president.”
(Shortly after we spoke, Yang tweeted “I have a feeling it might be a tough day for the Bloomberg campaign.”)
However, Yang’s team has also been looking into running for the office Bloomberg used to occupy.
“You know, we’re looking at it,” Yang said of running for mayor in New York City’s elections next year, crossing his legs to reveal socks with comedian Ronny Chieng’s face on them.
“One of the things I’m most curious about is who are the other candidates in the race, and what the race would look like,” he said. “Because I tend to want to do something where I feel like I’m gonna have a big impact and add a lot of value, so if there’s someone who’s already running who would have a positive agenda that’s very aligned with mine — I’m not someone who is just driven by maximum political advantage. I wanna see how much value I can add.”
Just then CNN’s Van Jones walked over, telling me he would have to “bug” Yang in a few moments, to prepare for the Super Tuesday show that evening.
“We’ll see!” he said, before we thanked each other and I went back to my seat to finish my bagel. As he got off the train, he donned a navy blue hoodie, putting the hood up to cover his face.


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--Michael Bloomberg’s Top Mayoral Staff Used A Private Email Server And He Still Won’t Release Their E

Michael Bloomberg’s Top Mayoral Staff Used A Private Email Server And He Still Won’t Release Their Emails

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg still refuses to give up countless emails from more than a dozen of his top city staffers during his term as mayor of New York City that were hosted on private Bloomberg.net servers — despite years of requests by the current mayoral administration — according to nearly three years of records obtained by BuzzFeed News and interviews with current New York City officials .
“ Bloomberg LP still needs to turn over the emails , ” Freddi Goldstein , press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , recently told BuzzFeed News about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is a responsibility to the public to turn over these records.
” While it ’ s been known Bloomberg used private servers during his 12-year term as mayor , a practice allowed under city rules , dozens of pages of records obtained by BuzzFeed News under the state disclosure law and interviews shed light on how the city spent recent years attempting to get Bloomberg ’ s staff ’ s emails and its exasperation at getting stonewalled .
The discourse from spring 2016 to fall 2018 shows the city ’ s Law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emails from Bloomberg and his staff in April 2016 .
The requests began one month after the New York Daily News reported none of Bloomberg ’ s email had been made public .
The issue had been percolating since the year Bloomberg left office .
In 2013 , Gawker reported that Bloomberg and former first deputy mayor Patti Harris “ use @ bloomberg.net email addresses to prevent their conversation from becoming public documents.
” Bloomberg did eventually hand over thousands of his emails , but only emails in which he was personally the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which covers New York City Hall , reported in December that Bloomberg had sent 1,590 emails from his private server during his time as mayor ; those were given to the Department of Records and Information Services in 2017 .
However , the records obtained by BuzzFeed show at least 15 members of the former mayor ’ s staff , including deputy mayors and top policy advisers , were also “ significant users of Bloomberg.net while they were in the Mayor ’ s Office , ” according to a May 2016 email from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Tom Golden .
Officials in the de Blasio administration told BuzzFeed News in February that none of the emails from those 15 individuals were ever disclosed , except in cases where Bloomberg himself was the sender or recipient .
The New York City Charter says that documents of “ historical , research , cultural or other important value shall be transferred to the municipal archives for permanent custody.
” Stu Loeser , a spokesperson for the Bloomberg 2020 presidential campaign , did not answer questions from BuzzFeed News about why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not disclosed to the city .
In an email , he noted that the staffers also had accounts hosted by NYC.gov , operated by the city , which were handed over for the city ’ s archives .
“ Bloomberg LP provided to the City hundreds of thousands of bloomberg.net emails between the Mayor and his staffers regarding City business , ” Loeser said .
“ The fact that some staffer used their terminals to message each other on non-City matters is no different than colleagues sending gmails to each other , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News asked Loeser if he was suggesting the 15 staffers only used the Bloomberg.net accounts for nonwork communications with each other — which would be remarkable , since other records reveal that they used those private accounts for government business with the mayor .
Loeser did not answer the question .
BuzzFeed News also reached out to Bloomberg LP and its law firm that handled the email matter , Willkie Farr & Gallagher , but did not hear back .
The records obtained by BuzzFeed News indicate Bloomberg LP slow-walked discussions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last moment and missing a phone call entirely .
City officials said they kept up phone calls to Bloomberg into 2019 , but were ignored and finally gave up .
“ If you keep calling , after a certain period of time and no one is returning your calls or responding to your emails , you know , there 's other business to tend to , and it was clearly becoming fruitless effort , ” an official in the New York City mayor 's office told BuzzFeed News .
“ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the official continued .
“ Their nonresponsiveness kind of tells you everything you need to know.
” In one email , sent at 10:30 a.m. on a Thursday in September 2016 , Bloomberg LP lawyer Tom Golden told the city ’ s Law Department , “ I suggest we cancel this afternoon 's call ; no new information on my end.
” Golden had also missed one of the calls with the Law Department entirely that June .
“ Sorry got tied up , ” Golden wrote the same day as missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send a meeting cancellation but probably did it incorrectly.
” In response , an official in the Law Department said , “ It looks like you were n't able to make the call ... .Maybe we could touch base next week and return to our biweekly schedule.
” Bloomberg ’ s campaign did not answer a question from BuzzFeed News about why Bloomberg ’ s staff had not allowed city officials to review the emails from those 15 staffers to decide whether they merited preservation .
The 15 Bloomberg administration staffers identified as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ server , according to the city ’ s records , are as follows : Michael Best , deputy counsel to the mayor ; Anthony Crowell , director of operations and counselor to the mayor ; Daniel Doctoroff , deputy mayor for economic development ; John Feinblatt , chief adviser to the mayor for policy ; Shea Fink , scheduler ; Patricia Harris , first deputy mayor ; Vincent La Padula , senior adviser ; Robert Lieber , deputy mayor for economic development ; Kim Molstre , deputy mayoral aide ; Kevin Sheekey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skyler , communications director and deputy mayor for operations ; Nanette Smith , mayoral aide ; Robert Steel , deputy mayor for economic development ; Dennis Walcott , deputy mayor for education ; and Howard Wolfson , deputy mayor .
Those officials could have been discussing any number of current events , de Blasio ’ s office official said .
“ They 're the people making the city run , ” the official said .
“ I can tell you that staffers at that level are discussing everything from a snowstorm to major @ @ @ @

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg still refuses to give up countless emails from more than a dozen of his top city staffers during his term as mayor of New York City that were hosted on private Bloomberg.net servers — despite years of requests by the current mayoral administration — according to nearly three years of records obtained by BuzzFeed News and interviews with current New York City officials.
“Bloomberg LP still needs to turn over the emails,” Freddi Goldstein, press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, recently told BuzzFeed News about the billionaire’s company. “There is a responsibility to the public to turn over these records.”
While it’s been known Bloomberg used private servers during his 12-year term as mayor, a practice allowed under city rules, dozens of pages of records obtained by BuzzFeed News under the state disclosure law and interviews shed light on how the city spent recent years attempting to get Bloomberg’s staff’s emails and its exasperation at getting stonewalled.
The discourse from spring 2016 to fall 2018 shows the city’s Law Department began pressing Bloomberg LP to disclose emails from Bloomberg and his staff in April 2016. The requests began one month after the New York Daily News reported none of Bloomberg’s email had been made public.
The issue had been percolating since the year Bloomberg left office. In 2013, Gawker reported that Bloomberg and former first deputy mayor Patti Harris “use @bloomberg.net email addresses to prevent their conversation from becoming public documents.”
Bloomberg did eventually hand over thousands of his emails, but only emails in which he was personally the sender or recipient.
The City, which covers New York City Hall, reported in December that Bloomberg had sent 1,590 emails from his private server during his time as mayor; those were given to the Department of Records and Information Services in 2017.
However, the records obtained by BuzzFeed show at least 15 members of the former mayor’s staff, including deputy mayors and top policy advisers, were also “significant users of Bloomberg.net while they were in the Mayor’s Office,” according to a May 2016 email from the NYC Law Department to Bloomberg LP’s Tom Golden.
Officials in the de Blasio administration told BuzzFeed News in February that none of the emails from those 15 individuals were ever disclosed, except in cases where Bloomberg himself was the sender or recipient.
The New York City Charter says that documents of “historical, research, cultural or other important value shall be transferred to the municipal archives for permanent custody.”
Stu Loeser, a spokesperson for the Bloomberg 2020 presidential campaign, did not answer questions from BuzzFeed News about why the records on Bloomberg.net from those 15 staffers were not disclosed to the city. In an email, he noted that the staffers also had accounts hosted by NYC.gov, operated by the city, which were handed over for the city’s archives.
“Bloomberg LP provided to the City hundreds of thousands of bloomberg.net emails between the Mayor and his staffers regarding City business,” Loeser said. “The fact that some staffer used their terminals to message each other on non-City matters is no different than colleagues sending gmails to each other, which happens in every workplace.”
BuzzFeed News asked Loeser if he was suggesting the 15 staffers only used the Bloomberg.net accounts for nonwork communications with each other — which would be remarkable, since other records reveal that they used those private accounts for government business with the mayor. Loeser did not answer the question.
BuzzFeed News also reached out to Bloomberg LP and its law firm that handled the email matter, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, but did not hear back.
The records obtained by BuzzFeed News indicate Bloomberg LP slow-walked discussions about the records, including canceling a meeting at the last moment and missing a phone call entirely. City officials said they kept up phone calls to Bloomberg into 2019, but were ignored and finally gave up.
“If you keep calling, after a certain period of time and no one is returning your calls or responding to your emails, you know, there's other business to tend to, and it was clearly becoming fruitless effort,” an official in the New York City mayor's office told BuzzFeed News.
“I don’t think they really cared,” the official continued. “Their nonresponsiveness kind of tells you everything you need to know.”
In one email, sent at 10:30 a.m. on a Thursday in September 2016, Bloomberg LP lawyer Tom Golden told the city’s Law Department, “I suggest we cancel this afternoon's call; no new information on my end.”
Golden had also missed one of the calls with the Law Department entirely that June. “Sorry got tied up,” Golden wrote the same day as missing the scheduled call, “tried to send a meeting cancellation but probably did it incorrectly.”
In response, an official in the Law Department said, “It looks like you weren't able to make the call....Maybe we could touch base next week and return to our biweekly schedule.”
Bloomberg’s campaign did not answer a question from BuzzFeed News about why Bloomberg’s staff had not allowed city officials to review the emails from those 15 staffers to decide whether they merited preservation.
The 15 Bloomberg administration staffers identified as “significant users” of the Bloomberg.net server, according to the city’s records, are as follows: Michael Best, deputy counsel to the mayor; Anthony Crowell, director of operations and counselor to the mayor; Daniel Doctoroff, deputy mayor for economic development; John Feinblatt, chief adviser to the mayor for policy; Shea Fink, scheduler; Patricia Harris, first deputy mayor; Vincent La Padula, senior adviser; Robert Lieber, deputy mayor for economic development; Kim Molstre, deputy mayoral aide; Kevin Sheekey, deputy mayor for government affairs; Edward Skyler, communications director and deputy mayor for operations; Nanette Smith, mayoral aide; Robert Steel, deputy mayor for economic development; Dennis Walcott, deputy mayor for education; and Howard Wolfson, deputy mayor.
Those officials could have been discussing any number of current events, de Blasio’s office official said.
“They're the people making the city run,” the official said. “I can tell you that staffers at that level are discussing everything from a snowstorm to major policy announcements.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--Senators Are Probing Clearview AI On The Use Of Facial Recognition By Gulf States And International

Senators Are Probing Clearview AI On The Use Of Facial Recognition By Gulf States And International Markets

Markey , who also sent a letter to Clearview in January following stories in the New York Times and BuzzFeed News , called responses to that initial inquiry “ unacceptable.
” He sent a second letter on Tuesday , noting that the company is unique from other facial recognition firms because “ it scrapes billions of photos from social media sites rather than using relatively limited sets of photos from existing government databases.
” On Tuesday , Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts sent a letter to the company questioning the sharing of its facial recognition software with countries including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , following reporting from BuzzFeed News .
Last week BuzzFeed News reported that Clearview documents indicate that more than 2,200 private and public organizations around the world , including the FBI , Macy ’ s , and law enforcement agencies in 27 different counties , have tried its technology , which matches a photo of someone ’ s face to existing pictures of them on the web .
At least two US senators intend to probe Clearview AI , the secretive facial recognition startup that ’ s compiled a database of billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other websites , about the sale of its technology to countries with documented human rights abuses .
“ Recent reports about Clearview potentially selling its technology to authoritarian regimes raise a number of concerns because you would risk enabling foreign governments to conduct mass surveillance and suppress their citizens , ” he wrote .
Markey ’ s letter comes on a day when a representative for Clearview is also expected to meet with Sen. Ron Wyden ’ s office to discuss the use of its technology and its rapid expansion .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That had been expected to attend but pulled out the night before .
This is the third time the executive has asked to reschedule .
A Clearview spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about Markey ’ s letters or the company ’ s meeting with Wyden ’ s office .
Since unveiling some of the details around its facial recognition software earlier this year , Clearview AI has drawn scrutiny for its claims about the accuracy of its technology and the entities with which it works .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his company is focused on working with law enforcement agencies in the US and Canada , BuzzFeed News ’ reporting last week showed the company is looking to expand in sectors including retail , real estate , and banking , and markets from Brazil to the Middle East .
Of particular interest to Markey and Wyden is Clearview ’ s work in Saudi Arabia and the UAE .
According to company documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News , the startup had provided free trials to various government-related agencies there .
Those same documents showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mubadala Investment Company , had run searches using the facial recognition tech , as had the Ministry of Interior ’ s Child Protection Center in Abu Dhabi .
In Saudi Arabia , Clearview documents show the company gave access to the Thakaa Center , also known as the AI Center of Advanced Studies , a Riyadh-based research center whose clients include Saudi Arabia ’ s Ministry of Investment .
News outlets have documented numerous human rights violations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia , where , for example , there are laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Jan. 31 letter written in reply to an early inquiry from Markey , Clearview lawyer Tor Ekeland made no mention of the company ’ s private industry or international clients , describing its software as a “ critical law enforcement tool.
” In the letter , Ekeland noted that Clearview had not been aware of any abuses of the tool and noted that “ all the harm is speculative.
” “ Clearview is committed to keeping it that way , and working with you to ensure that the use of biometrics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting our communities and our constitutional rights , ” he wrote .
On Tuesday , Markey called that four-paragraph letter from Clearview “ unacceptable ” and sent another inquiry .
In it , he asked if the company could guarantee that its technology would not enable human rights abuses and inquired about what steps , if any , had been taken to ensure that Clearview was in compliance with the Children ’ s Online Privacy Protection Act ( COPPA ) .
He also asked a question about the company ’ s plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cameras and augmented reality glasses .
“ If so , will Clearview commit to halting all such integration given the grave privacy and civil liberty risks this would pose to the public ?
” he asked .

“Recent reports about Clearview potentially selling its technology to authoritarian regimes raise a number of concerns because you would risk enabling foreign governments to conduct mass surveillance and suppress their citizens,” he wrote.
Markey’s letter comes on a day when a representative for Clearview is also expected to meet with Sen. Ron Wyden’s office to discuss the use of its technology and its rapid expansion. A spokesperson for Wyden’s office said that Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That had been expected to attend but pulled out the night before. This is the third time the executive has asked to reschedule.
A Clearview spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about Markey’s letters or the company’s meeting with Wyden’s office.
Since unveiling some of the details around its facial recognition software earlier this year, Clearview AI has drawn scrutiny for its claims about the accuracy of its technology and the entities with which it works. While Ton-That has maintained in media interviews that his company is focused on working with law enforcement agencies in the US and Canada, BuzzFeed News’ reporting last week showed the company is looking to expand in sectors including retail, real estate, and banking, and markets from Brazil to the Middle East.
Of particular interest to Markey and Wyden is Clearview’s work in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. According to company documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News, the startup had provided free trials to various government-related agencies there. Those same documents showed that UAE’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala Investment Company, had run searches using the facial recognition tech, as had the Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Center in Abu Dhabi.
In Saudi Arabia, Clearview documents show the company gave access to the Thakaa Center, also known as the AI Center of Advanced Studies, a Riyadh-based research center whose clients include Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment. News outlets have documented numerous human rights violations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where, for example, there are laws that discriminate against LGBTQ individuals.
In a Jan. 31 letter written in reply to an early inquiry from Markey, Clearview lawyer Tor Ekeland made no mention of the company’s private industry or international clients, describing its software as a “critical law enforcement tool.” In the letter, Ekeland noted that Clearview had not been aware of any abuses of the tool and noted that “all the harm is speculative.”
“Clearview is committed to keeping it that way, and working with you to ensure that the use of biometrics in law enforcement strikes the proper balance between protecting our communities and our constitutional rights,” he wrote.
On Tuesday, Markey called that four-paragraph letter from Clearview “unacceptable” and sent another inquiry. In it, he asked if the company could guarantee that its technology would not enable human rights abuses and inquired about what steps, if any, had been taken to ensure that Clearview was in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
He also asked a question about the company’s plans to work on live facial recognition with surveillance cameras and augmented reality glasses. “If so, will Clearview commit to halting all such integration given the grave privacy and civil liberty risks this would pose to the public?” he asked.
In a statement, Wyden said Clearview's offering of its product to "a Saudi regime that is responsible for horrifying human rights abuses" was "deeply troubling."
"This company has repeatedly misrepresented its product to the public, shown a troubling disregard for basic security practices and now appears willing to offer its technology to autocratic regimes as well," he said. "Congress needs to consider whether U.S. companies should be able to export this kind of powerful surveillance technology to nations where it will likely be used to punish dissent and enable repression.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--Michael Bloomberg Said He Can’t Win Without A Contested Convention

MIAMI — Michael Bloomberg acknowledged Tuesday that his only path to the nomination is through a contested convention but insisted that he was staying in the race .
During a testy exchange with the press corps following him while he campaigns in Florida , Bloomberg said he was “ in it to win it ” and rejected the idea that his presence in the race was helping Bernie Sanders ’ candidacy .
Reporters pointed out to Bloomberg that other moderate candidates , Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg , have dropped out and endorsed Joe Biden to consolidate the anti-Sanders vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same .
“ Joe ’ s taking votes away from me , ” a visibly irritated Bloomberg said .
“ Have you asked Joe whether he ’ s going to drop out ?
” “ I have no intention of dropping out , ” Bloomberg said .
Bloomberg was appearing at a campaign field office in Miami where he was introduced by former mayor Manny Diaz .
Though Florida doesn ’ t vote until March 17 , Bloomberg is spending the day here campaigning while the Super Tuesday states hold primaries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , in which 14 states and one US territory are voting , after skipping the first four states on the calendar .
Though Bloomberg has polled fairly well in many of the states voting Tuesday , he ’ s faced increased pressure to drop out of the race as the Democratic establishment has united around Biden , who won South Carolina last weekend .
“ I don ’ t know why that ’ s the case , ” Bloomberg said when a reporter asked him about criticism that his presence in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Miss , are you gon na ask a question or give a lecture ?
” Bloomberg said before relenting and responding to the questions .
“ I think that I know how to beat Donald Trump .
I think I know how to run this country , I ’ ve been practicing that for a lot of years.
” Asked what states he expects to win Tuesday , Bloomberg said , `` I do n't know whether you 're gon na win any .
You do n't have to win states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' When a reporter asked him if he wants the primary to go into a contested convention , he said , `` I do n't think that I can win any other ways . ''
`` A contested convention is a democratic process .
There are rules in the Democratic Party about how you go about this , and I did see Bernie Sanders said all of a sudden he did n't want to follow the rules . ''
Bloomberg said .
`` I find it offensive that Bernie Sanders , who , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in favor of that kind of a convention and now he 's opposed to it . ''

MIAMI — Michael Bloomberg acknowledged Tuesday that his only path to the nomination is through a contested convention but insisted that he was staying in the race.
During a testy exchange with the press corps following him while he campaigns in Florida, Bloomberg said he was “in it to win it” and rejected the idea that his presence in the race was helping Bernie Sanders’ candidacy.
Reporters pointed out to Bloomberg that other moderate candidates, Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, have dropped out and endorsed Joe Biden to consolidate the anti-Sanders vote, and asked if he would do the same.
“Joe’s taking votes away from me,” a visibly irritated Bloomberg said. “Have you asked Joe whether he’s going to drop out?”
“I have no intention of dropping out,” Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg was appearing at a campaign field office in Miami where he was introduced by former mayor Manny Diaz. Though Florida doesn’t vote until March 17, Bloomberg is spending the day here campaigning while the Super Tuesday states hold primaries. Bloomberg has built his strategy around Super Tuesday, in which 14 states and one US territory are voting, after skipping the first four states on the calendar. Though Bloomberg has polled fairly well in many of the states voting Tuesday, he’s faced increased pressure to drop out of the race as the Democratic establishment has united around Biden, who won South Carolina last weekend.
“I don’t know why that’s the case,” Bloomberg said when a reporter asked him about criticism that his presence in the race is helping Sanders secure the nomination. “Miss, are you gonna ask a question or give a lecture?” Bloomberg said before relenting and responding to the questions. “I think that I know how to beat Donald Trump. I think I know how to run this country, I’ve been practicing that for a lot of years.”
Asked what states he expects to win Tuesday, Bloomberg said, "I don't know whether you're gonna win any. You don't have to win states, you have to win delegates."
When a reporter asked him if he wants the primary to go into a contested convention, he said, "I don't think that I can win any other ways."
"A contested convention is a democratic process. There are rules in the Democratic Party about how you go about this, and I did see Bernie Sanders said all of a sudden he didn't want to follow the rules." Bloomberg said. "I find it offensive that Bernie Sanders, who, the last time he ran, was in favor of that kind of a convention and now he's opposed to it."


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--He Knocked 1,250 Doors For Elizabeth Warren. Now He Thinks His Party Needs A “Reckoning.”

Jared Mollenkof has spent countless hours trying to convince voters Elizabeth Warren can win .
“ I was ready to gamble a lot of money on her being president.
” MINNEAPOLIS — The young woman answered Jared Mollenkof ’ s question with what sounded like a question .
Standing in her wool socks on the stoop of her home in Northeast Minneapolis , she looked anything but certain about the question of whom she planned to vote for on Tuesday .
“ I do really like Elizabeth Warren too , ” she offered , looking at the faded stickers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for President , Warren Has a Plan for That .
“ She ’ s right behind.
” Mollenkof explained why he was voting for Warren , a spiel he ’ s given hundreds of times by now at doors across Minnesota , which will go to the polls in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday .
With her arms crossed tightly , the woman told Mollenkof she agreed with everything he said : She loved Warren , thought she was amazing .
But .
“ I just do worry about her beating Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went up in a question again .
“ Sort of…with regards to her as a woman ?
That ’ s why I ’ m leaning towards Sanders.
” The woman listened , nodding eagerly , as Mollenkof , who is black , explained that he worried too — all the time .
He wanted to beat Trump more than anything else .
He assured her the data , the history , didn ’ t back up the fear that a woman couldn ’ t beat Trump .
He told her why he thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I should just figure out whether I ’ m for Bernie or Warren , ” the woman said .
“ I do think that maybe my fears are irrational too.
” But as Mollenkof trudged through the crusted-over snow to the next house , and the next , he said he didn ’ t have much hope that the woman would change her mind .
More than likely , he thought , she would end up voting for Bernie Sanders .
By his count , Mollenkof had knocked on 1,250 doors for Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his home state , and on freezing cold weekends in Iowa , too .
He had heard that same worry , that Warren couldn ’ t win because she was a woman , a lot .
And he had tried to talk people out of it a lot .
And the more he ’ d heard it , the more Mollenkof saw Warren slide in the polls .
With three days to go until Super Tuesday , he was upbeat .
He was hopeful .
And he was also getting , well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we could unite after a contested convention , ” he said .
“ And I kind of want to leave some blood and teeth on the way.
” “ Blood and teeth ” — a phrase borrowed from Warren a decade ago , in her fight to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .
Her first choice , she had said , was to create a strong , independent agency .
“ My second choice is no agency at all and plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor.
” Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Iowa .
But she raised $ 30 million in February .
And in the wake of an abysmal finish in South Carolina on Saturday , her campaign began to talk openly about a contested convention — their plan to take the fight all the way to Milwaukee , where the convention will be held , in July .
She has stayed in the race even as two other candidates , Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar , dropped out in the days before Super Tuesday , endorsing Joe Biden in an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party .
Warren has given no indication she will do the same .
On the campaign trail lately , she has been fighting , openly , with the fierce energy that began her career in politics .
To understand why , you can look at Jared Mollenkof .
“ Every office I ’ ve ever worked in has told me they want to have more black employees , but it ’ s just a supply , not a demand , issue , ” Mollenkof said .
“ I am just so fucking sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I really want a woman to be president , but just not this woman at this moment.
’ “ And I want the party to have a reckoning with that fact.
” Minnesota was ground zero of Warren ’ s steady rise last summer : In August in St. Paul , in the midst of a drumbeat of excitement over her plans and unyielding anti-corruption message , she drew the largest crowd of her campaign at that point in the race — some 12,000 people out on the grass in the late summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two hours to take selfies .
That all feels far away now , with the ground packed hard with snow .
There aren ’ t clear , obvious answers about what happened between then and now , with Warren ’ s shot at winning a majority of delegates almost entirely gone .
Pundits have blamed Warren ’ s fall on her wavering stance on Medicare for All late last summer , her unwillingness to change her messaging into the winter , her lack of momentum , her rejection of traditional methods like super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign on the back of a massive army of paid organizers and volunteer canvassers and phone-bankers .
She didn ’ t spend her money on pollsters to tell her how to fine-tune her message or television ads to blanket the airwaves in early states .
Her campaign thought it was better off persuading voters in one-on-one conversations .
That army was thought to be one of Warren ’ s strengths going into Iowa .
As she has struggled in those early states , many observers have wondered if it wasn ’ t also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizing that seems , in the end , not to have mattered as much as they ’ d hoped .
But Mollenkof and other organizers he works with in that grassroots army have seen enough , talked to enough people , that they have come up with their own idea of what happened .
In the end , it ’ s pretty simple , they think : It ’ s misogyny .
Neil Chudgar was one of the first volunteers for Warren ’ s campaign , long before she had paid staffers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer , when Warren was at her height : “ It really looked like we were going to win the state.
” There was the huge , energetic crowd in St. Paul .
And , especially , the Minnesota State Fair — Chudgar remembered that in the famous “ bean ballot , ” where fairgoers place dried beans into clear tubes to cast their primary vote , Warren was the only candidate in state history to need a whole extra tube to hold her beans .
She won 38 % of the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he feel now , with Warren far behind in state polls ?
“ I love Elizabeth Warren , ” Chudgar said simply .
“ And I ’ ve learned more about misogyny in the past few months than I ever realized.
” There was one day , specifically , when Mollenkof started to think about how he wanted to leave behind “ blood and teeth ” : the debate in Iowa , when Warren was asked about news stories that Sanders had told her he thought a woman could not beat Trump .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the fight with Bernie turned out better for him than for her after it seems pretty clear that he said that shit , '' Mollenkof said .
“ And the fact that people do n't think she 's smart enough to know that accusing a man of sexism would result in her losing votes is offensive .
She was aware of how that was going to play out , and she did it anyway because that was the truth — and she lost votes in New Hampshire.
” Mollenkof , who works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love with Warren early in the race , and followed her through her ups and downs — a “ roller coaster , ” he called it .
He had originally expected to spend Monday and Tuesday focused on the trial of a client ; he had worked some 140 hours over the past two weeks preparing for it .
But at the last minute , the state dropped its case .
That meant more time to canvass for Warren .
After doorknocking from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday , he would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next .
To celebrate , Mollenkof painted his nails with a thick coat of liberty green , the color of Warren ’ s campaign , smudging the paint around his cuticles .
He hadn ’ t wanted to have his nails painted in case of a trial : You never know what a juror might think .
He is still fiercely , tirelessly , behind Warren .
But , he admitted , canvassing for Warren was “ a lot easier ” back that summer — not because of his own feelings about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about her .
They liked to be part of the winning team .
“ I was ready to gamble a lot of money on her being president , ” Mollenkof said .
Lately , instead of gambling , he has simply been donating a lot of money to Warren — more than he ’ s ever given to another candidate , despite his love for Barack Obama and his work on behalf of Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Like Warren ’ s team , he ’ s convinced she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party ’ s ideological wings .
There ’ s another thing driving him too .
`` It feels like you ’ re watching a game play out that 's rigged against one team , ” Mollenkof said .
“ The basketball hoops have been set at different heights , and you 're watching , and the refs are n't doing anything about it .
And you just get angrier and angrier.
” After the devastation of Clinton ’ s loss in 2016 , Mollenkof did his research as he tried to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He bought books by Sanders and Buttigieg .
He wanted to be excited about Buttigieg , he said : Mollenkof is gay , and there was something meaningful about that .
And he did like Sanders ’ politics ; he ’ d voted for him in the 2016 primary .
But Warren was the one Mollenkof fell in love with .
He loved the way she talked about poverty and race and class .
He loved the way she listened .
She was the candidate , he thought , who could truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has only met Warren briefly — a few unremarkable conversations in selfie lines .
But like so many of her volunteers , he feels like he knows her personally .
He tells voters not just about her plans , but how she created them .
He tells them about how nice she is to her staff .
Watching her this election , he said , felt like cheering your kid as they run a big race , one you know they might not win .
You ’ re just that invested .
Mollenkof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , came in large part from talking to people of color who respected her : DACA recipients , black women criminal justice advocates in the South .
“ Those women do not pity a fool , and that sealed it , ” he said .
Mollenkof has watched , though , as Warren has struggled with black and Latino voters .
The support he thought she might get at first never materialized .
That night in South Carolina , she would finish with around 5 % of the black vote .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It— I have wondered if there is some level on which that , like , people just reached the conclusion that a Harvard professor that grew up in the places that she did would be incapable of really relating to African American communities , ” Mollenkof said .
He thought her claim of Native American ancestry might have had something to do with it too .
“ It makes me nervous to try to put my finger on why — why the coalition hasn ’ t been more diverse .
Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsements would have been so helpful , and I…I don ’ t know.
” Of the hundreds of doors Mollenkof has knocked for Warren , the one that sticks out to him most was one of the first people he met in Minnesota , in the mostly black neighborhood of north Minneapolis .
An older black man invited him into his home , he said , and proudly showed off a display on his wall : a full-size stop sign that he ’ d written “ TRUMP ” on the bottom of , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man was retired and lived alone ; it wasn ’ t clear whom the sign was really for , besides himself .
To Mollenkof , the man is a reminder .
“ I don ’ t know how the Democratic Party does the best job of honoring the experience of the people that have been most harmed by the Trump administration , ” he said .
“ But it is important that when we get him out of office that we don ’ t just try to turn the page and try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold people accountable for the crimes this administration has committed.
” Mollenkof believes there are only two candidates who “ have the stomach ” to do that : Warren and Sanders .
Did he think the man from north Minneapolis would vote for Warren ?
“ I don ’ t know , ” Mollenkof said .
“ I don ’ t know who he ’ ll vote for.
” “ Hey hey , ” Mollenkof said over and over again when voters opened the door .
“ I ’ m a volunteer with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes a point to say he ’ s a volunteer ; white voters , of which there are very , very many in Minneapolis , always assume black volunteers must be staffers , Mollenkof said .
“ They think you must be paid to do this , ” he explained .
People are ruder when they think you ’ re getting paid .
All day Saturday , from voter to voter , up one block of modest single-family homes and down another , the sense of anxiety was strong .
There were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who admitted they didn ’ t care about issues as much as they wanted to beat Trump .
Despite a highly engaged , almost entirely Democratic electorate in Minneapolis , Mollenkof passed few yard signs : one Amy , one Bernie , one that said “ Any Functioning Adult.
” “ She ’ s taken a knock , ” one Warren voter told Mollenkof , sadly , squinting out into the sun from her porch .
“ I don ’ t really know what to do about it.
” “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about pundits and polling , ” Mollenkof told another woman .
“ But if people get out and vote their heart , then we ’ ll end up in the right place.
” Mollenkof gets the anxiety , he said .
He feels it too .
But he doesn ’ t listen to it .
`` I 've been an eternal optimist on every campaign I 've ever worked on , ” Mollenkof said .
“ I 've doorknocked on Election Day thinking we ’ re going to win on every campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 'll be so much less fun if I do n't fully engage and drink the Kool-Aid in that regard , and so I do.
” A lot of the campaigns he has worked on have lost .
There was Hillary , of course .
But one loss that really sticks out to Mollenkof was from the 2018 midterm elections , when he was living in Tennessee .
He campaigned hard for Phil Bredesen , the former governor , who was running for Senate .
Mollenkof really thought Bredesen could win , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day he believes Bredesen lost the race : when he said he would have voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court .
It was a bid to win some of the state ’ s moderate and conservative voters .
But that was the day when so many of the young , progressive women who had been working tirelessly on Bredesen ’ s behalf simply stopped showing up to phone-bank and canvass .
Bredesen said it on a Tuesday ; by that weekend , Mollenkof said , 60 % of their volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t blame them .
He was “ pissed , ” too .
And even though he still showed up to canvass , he did less than he would have .
He felt he couldn ’ t push family and friends to volunteer , either , because they asked a question he didn ’ t really have an answer to : “ If he was going to have voted for Kavanaugh , why do I care if he ’ s in the Senate ?
” This is the theory that drives Mollenkof , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over again as he campaigns for Warren .
The candidate who will beat Trump , he said , is the one who can inspire the widest swath of people to turn out to the polls , not the one who will just flip voters away from Trump .
We don ’ t need to change Republicans ’ minds , he told a young couple on Saturday who had invited him out of the cold and into their home to talk about electability , despite the fact that they had friends visiting from out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people who don ’ t even show up to vote , ” Mollenkof told them .
“ The 144,000 people in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania who didn ’ t turn out in 2016.
” Mollenkof grew up in a religious , anti-abortion home , the son of evangelical missionaries in Africa .
His father , who is white , is extremely conservative but deeply opposed to Trump ; he dislikes the president so much , Mollenkof said , that he changed his stance on issues like climate change to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
But he didn ’ t like Hillary Clinton , either .
Mollenkof thinks he probably didn ’ t vote in 2016 .
Does Mollenkof ever think about picking a Democratic nominee whom his father would vote for too ?
“ No , ” he said simply .
“ Because I wouldn ’ t want to vote for that person.
” ●

MINNEAPOLIS — The young woman answered Jared Mollenkof’s question with what sounded like a question.
“Bernie Sanders?”
Standing in her wool socks on the stoop of her home in Northeast Minneapolis, she looked anything but certain about the question of whom she planned to vote for on Tuesday.
“I do really like Elizabeth Warren too,” she offered, looking at the faded stickers on Mollenkof’s winter jacket: Warren for President, Warren Has a Plan for That. “She’s right behind.”
Mollenkof explained why he was voting for Warren, a spiel he’s given hundreds of times by now at doors across Minnesota, which will go to the polls in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday. With her arms crossed tightly, the woman told Mollenkof she agreed with everything he said: She loved Warren, thought she was amazing. But.
“I just do worry about her beating Trump,” she said. Her voice went up in a question again. “Sort of…with regards to her as a woman? That’s why I’m leaning towards Sanders.”
The woman listened, nodding eagerly, as Mollenkof, who is black, explained that he worried too — all the time. He wanted to beat Trump more than anything else. He assured her the data, the history, didn’t back up the fear that a woman couldn’t beat Trump. He told her why he thought Warren could.
“I guess…I guess I should just figure out whether I’m for Bernie or Warren,” the woman said. “I do think that maybe my fears are irrational too.”
But as Mollenkof trudged through the crusted-over snow to the next house, and the next, he said he didn’t have much hope that the woman would change her mind. More than likely, he thought, she would end up voting for Bernie Sanders.
By his count, Mollenkof had knocked on 1,250 doors for Warren, across not just Minnesota but Tennessee, his home state, and on freezing cold weekends in Iowa, too. He had heard that same worry, that Warren couldn’t win because she was a woman, a lot. And he had tried to talk people out of it a lot.
And the more he’d heard it, the more Mollenkof saw Warren slide in the polls.
With three days to go until Super Tuesday, he was upbeat. He was hopeful. And he was also getting, well, a little angry.
“I think we could unite after a contested convention,” he said. “And I kind of want to leave some blood and teeth on the way.”
“Blood and teeth” — a phrase borrowed from Warren a decade ago, in her fight to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Her first choice, she had said, was to create a strong, independent agency. “My second choice is no agency at all and plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor.”
Warren hasn’t won a single delegate since Iowa. But she raised $30 million in February. And in the wake of an abysmal finish in South Carolina on Saturday, her campaign began to talk openly about a contested convention — their plan to take the fight all the way to Milwaukee, where the convention will be held, in July.
She has stayed in the race even as two other candidates, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, dropped out in the days before Super Tuesday, endorsing Joe Biden in an attempt to consolidate the moderate wing of the Democratic Party.
Warren has given no indication she will do the same. On the campaign trail lately, she has been fighting, openly, with the fierce energy that began her career in politics.
To understand why, you can look at Jared Mollenkof.
“Every office I’ve ever worked in has told me they want to have more black employees, but it’s just a supply, not a demand, issue,” Mollenkof said. “I am just so fucking sick of people saying, like, ‘I really want a woman to be president, but just not this woman at this moment.’
“And I want the party to have a reckoning with that fact.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-03--Remembering This Election’s Strangest Friendship: Bernie Sanders And Amy Klobuchar

Running for president is a weird and lonely experience .
At least Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar , two salty candidates , had their own kind of friendship .
For a brief moment last Tuesday after the Democratic presidential debate , past the hallways that snaked from the spin room to the exit near the back of the Gaillard Center in South Carolina , two of the candidates ended up stuck together in a small room , unable to leave .
There was a problem with the door — security needed to unlock it — and so they stood together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with anybody else , it might ’ ve been a moment of awkward silence .
Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders dislike plenty of people , but not each other .
The fact of their friendship , based on a little-discussed , yearslong mutual respect , is all at once entirely unexpected and intuitively obvious .
As candidates , they shared a stubborn force of will and a fierce distaste for their enemies — both of them salty , but in vastly different ways .
As senators , they work together all the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political sensibility , they agree on very little .
He , for example , will hate this article — see : `` political gossip , '' personality-driven media , etc .
She already loves it .
“ Hey , Bernie , ” she told him in Charleston last Tuesday , flashing a little smile as they waited to leave the Gaillard Center , their respective SUVs idling outside in the dark .
“ BuzzFeed is writing a story about us.
” Klobuchar ’ s decision to drop out on the eve of Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopping Sanders ’ s rise — consolidating the moderate wing of the Democratic party .
Sanders , meanwhile , spent Monday night in Klobuchar ’ s state , holding a rally with thousands in St. Paul .
Klobuchar ’ s endorsement of Joe Biden on Monday , Sanders ’ campaign suggested hours before his Minnesota event , changes nothing about their strategy .
But he is losing something rarer in this year ’ s presidential field : a friend .
The Democratic primary drew a cumulative 28 candidates who , isolated from everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the pressure of a unique experience .
Amid the bizarre mix of personalities and political biographies on the presidential stage this year , Sanders and Klobuchar had this year ’ s most unlikely repartee — a puzzle of compatibility that even their own staffers can ’ t totally decode but cast as illuminating on both sides .
“ She ’ s always willing to reach out to anyone , ” a senior Klobuchar adviser said of the Minnesota senator ’ s efforts to pursue common ground across partisan lines , a fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But there ’ s a little personality match there that oddly works.
” “ He likes people who are real and so does she , ” a senior Sanders adviser said of the Vermont senator ’ s radar for political phoniness , a fact of which they are also quite proud .
“ Neither give a shit about putting on pretense.
” On Monday night in St. Paul , hours after she left the race , Sanders spoke about his fondness for Klobuchar .
“ We came into the Senate together in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest workers that I know .
I like Amy.
” The personality match , aides to both senators said in recent interviews , is undergirded in mutual respect in spite of their sizable disagreements .
Sanders frequently talks about Klobuchar ’ s work ethic .
( “ She is always working , ” he ’ ll say . )
The moderate and progressive have partnered on multiple bills in the Senate , including one recent effort to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada .
( The amendment failed , with 13 Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , when CNN asked Sanders to participate in a televised debate on health care policy against Sen. Ted Cruz and another Republican , it was Sanders ’ s idea to invite Klobuchar to appear as his co-debater at the event .
The two presented a tag team–like effect , mostly banding together over a topic that would sharply divide them in the Democratic primary a year later .
The personal relationship between Sanders and Klobuchar dates back more than a decade , when on a trip to Vermont , she and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have dinner with Sanders and his wife , Jane , at a restaurant there .
More recently , in 2018 , Sanders and Klobuchar ran into each other on a flight from Washington to Minneapolis .
She was flying home .
He was with three staffers , en route to campaign for candidates across the Midwest .
When they got on the plane , Klobuchar moved to sit in the middle seat next to Sanders .
When he had a problem with his ride to the hotel , she insisted on taking him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the gate to baggage claim , introducing him to every Minnesotan she recognized along the way , she began by saying , “ This is my friend Bernie.
” Outside , an aide was waiting in a sedan .
There wasn ’ t enough room in the car , but without hesitation , Klobuchar put Sanders in the front seat and crammed into the backseat with his three staffers .
The two senators are both respected and influential among their Senate colleagues , but Klobuchar and Sanders also have a reputation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both can be tough on the people who work for them , though Klobuchar has been accused of harsher treatment , like throwing objects that strike staffers .
Former aides said Klobuchar could become obsessive about getting credit , particularly for bills that she sponsored , sometimes holding up other offices to ensure she got credit .
In Senate tradition , the lead lawmaker on a bill has their name listed first ; Klobuchar ’ s communications staffers are known for frequently emailing reporters who incorrectly list the order of names to correct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not a different senator , is the lead on the bill .
In the New Hampshire debate that propelled Klobuchar to a surprising third-place finish in the state , Klobuchar was asked about Hillary Clinton ’ s biting assertion about Bernie in a January interview : “ Nobody likes him .
Nobody wants to work with him .
He got nothing done.
” “ I like Bernie just fine , ” Klobuchar said onstage , referencing their work on the 2017 pharmaceutical amendment .
“ We actually had a vote late at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to— ” Sanders interrupted , leaning over to look at Klobuchar at the podium next to him .
“ I thought it was Sanders–Klobuchar ?
No ?
” he said .
“ Nope , nope , nope , it was not .
It was not , ” Klobuchar said .
The field of departed candidates now vastly outnumbers the five remaining trying to make it to the White House .
But all of them learned for themselves that running for president is a strange and lonely business .
People can watch up close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners , reporters and volunteers — but only those who have done it know the singular experience .
Months before he ended his campaign , after a day of long drives and small crowds across Iowa , Rep. Eric Swalwell returned to his hotel in Des Moines around midnight , ordered a plate of deviled eggs for dinner from the lobby bar , and talked with reporters about how much he missed his 6-month-old kid at home in California .
Elizabeth Warren told NBC News the experience “ can be thrilling but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entrepreneur who dropped out of the race last month , recalled the slog of early party dinners in Iowa and New Hampshire .
“ Frankly it was a lot of the other second-tier candidates — and those events were kind of lonesome , ” he said in an interview .
“ You show up and people are very polite , but a lot of them are just being courteous .
Some of them don ’ t even know who you are .
Then you go out there and you do your thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a lot of putting yourself out there , so you naturally empathize with the other people who are putting themselves out there in that setting too.
” “ There is a real bonding experience and kinship that comes with this process , ” Yang said .
At party dinners , debates , and parades over the last 14 months , against the super-serious backdrop of a race to unseat Donald Trump , genuine relationships flourished between certain candidates with small gestures .
Yang remembered agreeing to switch time slots at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ From there I think Amy and I had a better connection , ” he said .
Pete Buttigieg tried setting up a series of “ get-to-know-you ” calls with candidates he didn ’ t know well , such as Kamala Harris , according to three of his former staffers .
Tom Steyer , the California billionaire who dropped out of the race last weekend , made it a habit to methodically say “ goodnight ” to the candidates at the end of every debate , including once when he famously interrupted Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heated confrontation in Des Moines .
“ The stakes are amazingly serious .
It can ’ t be any more serious .
So could we please have some joy as we go about life in the meantime and treat each other well ?
” Steyer said , laughing in an interview before he left the race .
“ Are you kidding me ?
What a cast !
” he said .
Klobuchar and Sanders , two of the most serious and stubborn candidates to run in the last year , didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another .
But they did find common admiration for their work .
At the debate in New Hampshire , Klobuchar went on to talk about her own “ receipts ” — her bipartisan bills , her victories in Republican districts in Minnesota , and her large number of newspaper endorsements , another particular obsession of Klobuchar ’ s .
She listed all three of the New Hampshire papers that had endorsed her .
“ I must confess , I don ’ t get too many newspapers ’ editorial support , ” Sanders said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confess that.
” “ What do you mean — you got the Conway endorsement , ” Klobuchar interrupted , turning to Sanders — a reference to the Conway Daily Sun , another local newspaper in New Hampshire .
“ I did .
We ’ re very proud of that.
” Klobuchar gestured to him , satisfied , and turned back to the audience .
“ There we go .
”

For a brief moment last Tuesday after the Democratic presidential debate, past the hallways that snaked from the spin room to the exit near the back of the Gaillard Center in South Carolina, two of the candidates ended up stuck together in a small room, unable to leave.
There was a problem with the door — security needed to unlock it — and so they stood together waiting. Had chance put them there with anybody else, it might’ve been a moment of awkward silence. Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders dislike plenty of people, but not each other.
The fact of their friendship, based on a little-discussed, yearslong mutual respect, is all at once entirely unexpected and intuitively obvious. As candidates, they shared a stubborn force of will and a fierce distaste for their enemies — both of them salty, but in vastly different ways. As senators, they work together all the time, but in matters of ideology and political sensibility, they agree on very little. He, for example, will hate this article — see: "political gossip," personality-driven media, etc. She already loves it.
“Hey, Bernie,” she told him in Charleston last Tuesday, flashing a little smile as they waited to leave the Gaillard Center, their respective SUVs idling outside in the dark. “BuzzFeed is writing a story about us.”
Klobuchar’s decision to drop out on the eve of Super Tuesday was a move aimed squarely at stopping Sanders’s rise — consolidating the moderate wing of the Democratic party. Sanders, meanwhile, spent Monday night in Klobuchar’s state, holding a rally with thousands in St. Paul. Klobuchar’s endorsement of Joe Biden on Monday, Sanders’ campaign suggested hours before his Minnesota event, changes nothing about their strategy.
But he is losing something rarer in this year’s presidential field: a friend.
The Democratic primary drew a cumulative 28 candidates who, isolated from everyone but one another, forged unique relationships under the pressure of a unique experience. Amid the bizarre mix of personalities and political biographies on the presidential stage this year, Sanders and Klobuchar had this year’s most unlikely repartee — a puzzle of compatibility that even their own staffers can’t totally decode but cast as illuminating on both sides.
“She’s always willing to reach out to anyone,” a senior Klobuchar adviser said of the Minnesota senator’s efforts to pursue common ground across partisan lines, a fact of which they are quite proud. “But there’s a little personality match there that oddly works.”
“He likes people who are real and so does she,” a senior Sanders adviser said of the Vermont senator’s radar for political phoniness, a fact of which they are also quite proud. “Neither give a shit about putting on pretense.”