Month: August 2020

Seven Democratic candidates took to the debate stage Friday evening at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., just days before the state’s vital primary.

What were the key takeaways?

Fear of Trump casts long shadow

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Democrats are grappling with a new realization of just how close November’s election could be. 

The New Hampshire debate came at the end of a week that saw the impeachment process end in President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s acquittal by the Senate, and Trump hitting his highest approval rating yet in a Gallup poll. In tandem, Democrats suffered a fiasco in Iowa, where the final results of the caucuses held on Monday evening are still not clear.

The apparent rise in Trump’s chances of reelection is fraying Democrats’ nerves and focusing their minds.

One consequence on Friday was a reluctance to deepen party disunity. 

There were some tense moments — particularly between the two front-runners, Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE (D). But the sparks never threatened to become a fire.

Comity was the order of the day. 

Sanders at one point expressed a wish that he and 2016 nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE could come together, despite her recent sharp criticisms of him.

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At another moment, Sanders and former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE placed their arms around each other’s shoulders. For her part, Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) declined to hit Sanders hard on their differences, instead emphasizing the length of their friendship.

The debate was not all sweetness and light.

Buttigieg made the argument that Sanders was too divisive and prone to a “my way or the highway” approach. 

The Vermont senator later assailed the former mayor for the number of billionaires supporting him. 

And Warren, in one of her most effective moments of the night, blasted Buttigieg for his record on policing and racial justice.

But, overall, no one really took the gloves off — for fear, presumably, that hitting each other would only help the current occupant of the White House.

Electability is (still) the big question

The dominant question in the Democratic nomination process has been the same from the start: Who is best positioned to beat Trump?

On Friday night, Buttigieg sought to cast his rivals as part of the status quo, and argued that his ability to “turn the page” could be crucial. He also argued that his focus on civility could bring new voters into the Democratic fold. It was a time “for addition, not rejection; belonging, not exclusion,” he said.

Sanders made his own case for electability. He argued that his brand of left-wing populism could be effective because “the way you bring people together is by presenting an agenda that works for the working people of this country, not for the billionaire class.”

Variations on those arguments were deployed by other candidates, too. 

Warren, who has recently sought to present herself as a more unifying figure than before, said that her focus on rooting out corruption would appeal to Republican voters. Biden talked up his ability to bring Democrats back into the Senate majority as well as winning back the White House. Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.) emphasized her strong electoral record and modest Midwestern roots as assets in connecting with voters.

The question of whether the centrism espoused by Buttigieg, Biden and Klobuchar is more in line with the nation’s appetites than the sweeping changes sought by Sanders and Warren remains the biggest fault line in the nominating process.

Buttigieg and Sanders stay the course

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The one key outcome from Iowa was the way the caucuses separated Buttigieg and Sanders from the rest of the field.

Their strong performances in that state meant that they could have been targeted by their rivals, or have torn each other down, during the debate.

Neither of those things happened, at least in any significant, game-changing way. 

Each made his case and avoided any obvious gaffe that could have derailed his momentum. 

In the most recent polls of New Hampshire, the two sit atop the polls, with Sanders maintaining his lead but Buttigieg surging. 

That being so, they will be happy enough to have come through Friday’s debate with no reason to expect the fundamentals of the race to change.

Second-tier candidates struggle to make an impact

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No one had a disastrous debate on Friday night. Equally, however, none of the candidates lit up the stage or delivered the kind of standout, viral moment that has the potential to reshape the primary.

That’s fine for Sanders and Buttigieg but a lot more problematic for everyone else.

Biden, who trailed in fourth in Iowa, acknowledged in the debate’s opening stages that he was unlikely to win in New Hampshire. On stage, Biden showed the same pluses (experience and affability) and the same negatives (a lack of incisiveness and a tendency to meander) as he has throughout this cycle.

Warren, a strong debater, laid out her case effectively. But it was largely the same case that voters have already heard — one which delivered a decent but not earth-shattering third-place finish in Iowa.

Klobuchar had some powerful moments — perhaps none more so than her closing argument, where she contrasted her own capacity for empathy with Trump’s “complete lack” of it.

The Minnesotan has had good debates before, however, without them radically transforming her chances.

A good night for moderators

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The old axiom about sports referees is also true of debate moderators: They tend to have done their job well if they’re not noticed very much.

On Friday, the main moderators from ABC News — George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosPelosi: Presidents should not ‘fuel the flame’ National security adviser defends Trump tweets: The president ‘wants to de-escalate violence’ Sanders pushes back on doubts supporters will back Biden MORE, Linsey Davis and David Muir — kept things flowing smoothly, without reaching for cheap “gotcha” moments. The same was true of Monica Hernandez and Adam Sexton, representing New Hampshire affiliate WMUR.

There was one moment that did earn broader attention — for the right reasons. 

After Buttigieg skated away from an initial question about an increase in black arrests for marijuana possession during his time as mayor, Davis pursued the point firmly. It was so striking that Davis earned spontaneous applause from the audience, a rarity for any moderator.

As that exchange ended, Davis turned to Warren, asking whether Buttigieg had “given a substantial answer.”

“No,” the Massachusetts senator replied, to more applause.

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Former Speaker Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanBush, Romney won’t support Trump reelection: NYT Twitter joins Democrats to boost mail-in voting — here’s why Lobbying world MORE (R-Wis.) said on Tuesday that former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE is the one Democrat capable of beating President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE in the 2020 election, but he doesn’t think Biden will win the nomination. Instead, he says it will likely go to one of the progressive candidates on the roster.

“I’d say he’s probably the most likely one to have a chance at beating Donald Trump, but I don’t see Joe getting the nomination, I just don’t see him getting there,” Ryan told CNBC at the annual Milken Conference in Abu Dhabi.

The former Wisconsin congressman mentioned Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania as crucial states that the parties will need to win over in the 2020 election. 

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“I think Joe is probably the hardest to beat because it’s going to come down to the suburban [voter], it’s going to be the suburbanite that’ll basically be the difference-maker,” Ryan said.

He said that if Biden were to be the Democratic Party’s nominee, he would be slated to win over undecided moderates, whom he described as “a first-generation Republican” who likes “Trump the idea” but they don’t necessarily like “the personality and the noise and the tweets that come with it.”

“I think Joe Biden, it’s all relative, will fall into that category,” Ryan said, “and is the likeliest to be able to win that voter.”

However, Ryan said he sees the number of progressive candidates still in the race and the outcome of the Iowa caucuses as an early sign that Biden’s nomination may not be unanimous or even possible at this point.

“If Bernie keeps racking up wins and is seen to be going toward the nomination, then you can probably make the case that Bloomberg will get enough proportional delegates, because he’ll play in enough states, to go into the convention with a claim,” Ryan said, referring to Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) and former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE. “And then you’ll have one whale of a mess of a convention … and then we’ll see what happens there.”  

Biden’s campaign announced earlier today that he is moving on from New Hampshire to South Carolina in preparation for the next primary, and will address his New Hampshire supporters via livestream after the votes come in later tonight.

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Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg nabbed the endorsements of three members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday, a day after taking fire over audio of the former New York City mayor praising the controversial stop-and-frisk police practice.

Bloomberg won the backing of Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), who represents a swing district, Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.). Plaskett had previously endorsed Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) for president before she ended her White House bid. 

“I first met Mike when I was searching for ways to fight against the dangerous gun laws that ripped my son from my life,” McBath, who lost her son to gun violence, said in a statement circulated by Bloomberg’s campaign.

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“Mike gave grieving mothers like me a way to stand up and fight back. Nobody running for president has done more for the gun violence prevention movement than Mike. I am proud to stand with him in this race, and work with him when he is in the White House to keep our communities safe,” she added, referring to Bloomberg’s efforts to boost pro-gun control activist groups.

The campaign also sent out a statement from Plaskett saying Bloomberg “not only has the policies to bring equality and wealth creation to communities of color and economic development to keep us competitive in the world, he’s not afraid to fight.”

The campaign later Wednesday morning added Meeks to the list.

“The most vulnerable communities in America cannot weather another four years of a Donald Trump presidency,” Meeks said in a statement. “Too much is on the line to allow that to happen. We need someone in the White House who will unite us behind the common purpose of rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and driving our economy forward into the 21st century. Mike Bloomberg will do exactly that.”

The endorsements come the day after previously unsurfaced audio of Bloomberg discussing stop and frisk revived the controversy of his use of the practice during his time as mayor. 

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Bloomberg can be heard in the clip defending the practice, which involved law enforcement questioning and searching people for weapons on the street. Studies have shown that the practice was ineffective in reducing crime and overwhelmingly targeted New Yorkers of color. 

“Ninety-five percent of your murders — murderers and murder victims — fit one M.O. You can just take the description, Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops,” he is heard saying in the unearthed video. “They are male, minorities, 16 to 25. That’s true in New York, it’s true in virtually every city.”

Both President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE and his campaign manager, Brad ParscaleBradley (Brad) James ParscaleMORE, jumped on the clip Tuesday, saying it was evidence that Bloomberg was a “complete racist.” Tom SteyerTom SteyerBloomberg wages war on COVID-19, but will he abandon his war on coal? Overnight Energy: 600K clean energy jobs lost during pandemic, report finds | Democrats target diseases spread by wildlife | Energy Dept. to buy 1M barrels of oil Ocasio-Cortez, Schiff team up to boost youth voter turnout MORE, another billionaire Democratic presidential contender, also called the clip “extremely disturbing.” 

Bloomberg had apologized for stop and frisk before and admitted again Tuesday the practice was “overused.”

“By the time I left office, I cut it back by 95 percent, but I should’ve done it faster and sooner,” he said in a statement. “I regret that and I have apologized — and I have taken responsibility for taking too long to understand the impact it had on Black and Latino communities.” 

The renewed controversy over stop and frisk comes as Bloomberg makes gains with black voters. A Quinnipiac University poll released Monday found the former mayor surging to 22 percent among African Americans, appearing to take a chunk out of the support for former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE.

Updated at 10:30 a.m.

RICHMOND, Va. — Former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE apologized for his past handling of the controversial stop-and-frisk policy on Saturday and pledged to “dismantle systems that are plagued by bias and discrimination” as president. 

“I’ve seen the abuse of police practice called stop and frisk, and I’ve gotten a lot of grief for it lately, and I defended it for too long” Bloomberg told a crowd of more than 900 people at an organizing event in Richmond. 

Stop and frisk was a law enforcement policy the former mayor claims he “inherited” from his predecessor to curb crime.

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The controversial practice, which disproportionately targeted communities of color in New York, was ended in 2013 at the end of Bloomberg’s tenure. A judge ruled that the policy violated the constitutional rights of minorities in the city. 

“I didn’t fully understand the unintentional pain,” he continued. 

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“I should have acted sooner, and I should have stopped it, and I didn’t, and I apologize that for that,” he said to applause. 

“I’ve listened to their stories. I’ve heard their pain and their confusion and their anger, and I’ve learned from them and I’ve grown from them,” he said. 

“So tonight, let me make clear because they want to know, as president of the United States, I will work to dismantle systems that are plagued by bias and discrimination. I will invest in communities that have worn the brunt of these systems for generations,” he said. “I will put this work at the very top of my agenda.” 

Bloomberg’s latest comments on the matter come as he faces backlash for unearthed, controversial remarks he made in 2015 defending the policy. 

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The former New York City mayor said at the time that the practice was a way to curb crime by throwing minority kids “up against the walls” and frisking them.

Bloomberg added in the audio that “95 percent” of “murders — murderers and murder victims” are male minorities between the ages of 16 and 25. 

When he was pressed on the issue at a campaign event earlier this week, he said the resurfaced remarks did not reflect how he led the city as mayor. 

“I don’t think those words reflect what, how I led the most diverse city in the nation. And I apologized for the practice and the pain that it caused,” Bloomberg said on Thursday. 

“It was five years ago,” he added when pressed again. “You know, it’s just not the way that I think, and it … doesn’t reflect what I do every day. I led the most populous, largest city in the United States and got reelected three times. The public seemed to like what I do.”

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) on Sunday went after his Democratic primary rival Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE, accusing the former New York City mayor of trying to “buy the presidency” with millions of dollars’ worth of TV ads.

During a campaign appearance in Nevada, Sanders pointed out Bloomberg’s absence from the early primary states while knocking the billionaire former mayor for spending more than any other candidate in the 2020 race on TV advertising.

“Hey guys, how do you buy the presidency? Well, you buy the presidency, at least he’s going to try to buy the presidency, by spending hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars on TV ads,” Sanders said. “I didn’t see Mike in Iowa … I didn’t see Mike in New Hampshire. … Hey, you know what? I didn’t see him here in Nevada!”

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“Well, I got news for Mr. Bloomberg, and that is the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections,” he added to applause.

Bernie Sanders directly attacked Mike Bloomberg for attempting to “buy the presidency” at a campaign rally in Nevada.

“Well, I got news for Mr. Bloomberg, and that is the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections.” https://t.co/p9RfLNYSnN pic.twitter.com/vwZyGt56l1

— ABC News (@ABC) February 17, 2020

Sanders’s remarks come as Bloomberg has eclipsed the entirety of the 2020 field in TV ad spending and according to a CNBC analysis has spent more than twice what President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE and every one of his Democratic rivals combined have spent so far this election cycle.

The Vermont senator has consistently hammered Bloomberg since the former mayor officially entered the 2020 race, accusing him of promoting “racist” policing policies as mayor of New York and asserting that Bloomberg could not generate the excitement necessary to defeat Trump in a general election.

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Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE (D) remains the leader of the Democratic field in South Carolina, but faces a strong showing by Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.), who is close on his heels in in the state, according to a new UMass Lowell poll.

Sanders sits just 2 percentage points behind Biden in the survey of likely primary voters, with 21 percent and 23 percent of respondents indicating their support for Sanders and Biden, respectively. They both sit comfortably ahead of the third-place contender, billionaire Tom SteyerTom SteyerBloomberg wages war on COVID-19, but will he abandon his war on coal? Overnight Energy: 600K clean energy jobs lost during pandemic, report finds | Democrats target diseases spread by wildlife | Energy Dept. to buy 1M barrels of oil Ocasio-Cortez, Schiff team up to boost youth voter turnout MORE, who has garnered 13 percent support in the poll.

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.) and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE (D) were tied behind Steyer at 11 percent in the poll, while no other candidates registered double-digit levels of support in the survey.

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South Carolina represents a major test for candidates among voters of color, as black voters make up 60 percent of the electorate in the state — a major shift from previous contests in the majority white states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Biden leads among black likely voters in the poll with 43 percent, while Sanders polls at 20 percent. Of note is improvement for Buttigieg, who received support from 16 percent of black respondents. Buttigieg has struggled to garner support from the African American voting bloc in the past. 

“[O]ur poll has this as a close race, with Biden only ahead by 2 points and Sanders inside the margin of error. With just 10 days to go, Biden needs to hold this lead and prove he can win if he wants to make a play on Super Tuesday,” said poll director Jonathan Dyck in a statement.

The UMass Lowell poll was conducted between Feb. 12-18, with a pool of 400 likely South Carolina primary voters. The margin of error is 7.5 percentage points.

 

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Six Democratic candidates took to the stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening in advance of Saturday’s caucuses in the state.

It was the ninth debate of this cycle for Democrats but the first to feature former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has been rising in national polls and spending lavishly on his campaign.

Who were the winners and losers?

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WINNERS 

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.)

Warren, coming off a disappointing fourth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary, needed to roll the dice in Vegas. She did — and won.

The Massachusetts senator and former Harvard Law School professor is a formidable debater in general but she was especially focused and forceful Wednesday.

More importantly, perhaps, she was the clear winner of the debate’s most memorable moment.

That happened when the topic arose of Bloomberg’s treatment of women. 

Asked by co-moderator Hallie Jackson about alleged sexist comments, Bloomberg tried to pivot to reference the number of women who held senior roles in his company and during his mayoral administration. 

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“I hope you heard what his defense was: ‘I’ve been nice to some women,’ ” Warren shot back. “That just doesn’t cut it.”  

Warren went on to pummel Bloomberg at length for his refusal to release women who sued his company from nondisclosure agreements. 

Warren had already telegraphed what was coming when she began the night with a zinger drawing a parallel between Bloomberg and President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE. 

“I’d like to talk about who we’re running against,” she began. “A billionaire who calls women ‘fat broads’ and ‘horse-faced lesbians.’ And, no, I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m talking about Mayor Bloomberg.”

Warren faces an extremely steep uphill climb to get back into serious contention for the nomination. She hasn’t finished in the top two in either of the first contests, and she has been eclipsed on the left by Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.).

But she could hardly have hoped for a better night than she got Wednesday. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

Sanders went into the debate as the undisputed front-runner for the nomination.  

He leads the RealClearPolitics national polling average by a full 10 points, has an army of intense supporters and is the clear favorite to win Nevada’s caucuses.

All Sanders needed to do on the debate stage was avoid a glaring misstep. He easily cleared that bar. 

No one did Sanders significant damage, and he probably benefited from the volume of fire turned on Bloomberg. Sanders himself mentioned Bloomberg’s support for stop-and-frisk in his first remarks of the night. 

When Sanders’s rivals did try to attack him, he rebuffed them with relative ease. 

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE (D) tried to raise a spat between Sanders and the powerful Culinary Workers Union in Nevada, only to get slapped down.

“We’ve more union support than you’ve ever dreamed of,” the Vermont senator said.

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Love him or hate him, there is no reason to assume Sanders’s trajectory toward the nomination is about to shift anytime soon. 

Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.)

Klobuchar had revived her campaign with her performance in a previous debate, days before the New Hampshire primary. She climbed to a surprise third-place finish in the Granite State in the immediate aftermath.

The Minnesotan had another strong — though not quite so stellar — night on Wednesday.

There is no doubt about the brand of politics Klobuchar is selling — a practical centrism rooted in her Midwestern upbringing. The fading fortunes of former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE give her some room to grow. 

Klobuchar emphasized her modest roots after Bloomberg made an ill-advised reference to how a businessman of his wealth could hardly use Turbo Tax to do his tax returns. 

She referenced her husband, saying he did the couple’s tax returns and they “probably could go to Turbo Tax.”

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Later in the debate, Klobuchar’s exchanges with Buttigieg grew particularly testy, with her accusing him at one point of implying she was stupid. 

During another exchange, she pushed back against the former mayor’s propensity to be sanctimonious, telling him, “I wish everyone was as perfect as you, Pete.”

It’s still very hard to see a plausible route to the nomination for Klobuchar. But she had a good night nonetheless.

MIXED

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg is under pressure on several fronts.

He is polling poorly in Nevada and in the fourth state to vote, South Carolina. His strong showing in Iowa and New Hampshire has not been as transformative as his supporters had hoped. And his position in the centrist lane in the primary is under serious threat from Bloomberg. 

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A stand-out night would have helped, and he didn’t get one. 

He did not have any obvious gaffe, either.

Buttigieg, on Wednesday, was OK. And that probably isn’t good enough. 

LOSERS 

Former New York City Mayor Michael BloombergMichael BloombergEngel scrambles to fend off primary challenge from left It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process Liberals embrace super PACs they once shunned MORE

Make no mistake about it, Bloomberg had a dreadful night.

He came under attack from virtually every other candidate. That was no surprise — they were never going to let him away scot-free on a debate stage having seen him lay out about $350 million in advertising.

More shocking was that Bloomberg was so ineffectual in defending himself. The way Warren filleted him over the nondisclosure agreements was only the most glaring example.

He was hesitant in his defense even of stop and frisk, despite the fact that it was an iron certainty the topic would be raised.

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Bloomberg also displayed a kind of testiness that is familiar to New Yorkers from his three terms as mayor. 

One example was the “Turbo Tax” reference for which Klobuchar punished him. Another came when he rolled his eyes at Warren.  

More generally the former mayor’s manner of vigorously defending his own vast wealth — he is reportedly one of the 20 richest people in the world — seems politically problematic in today’s Democratic Party.

It is, of course, possible that none of this will matter. Bloomberg will not be on the ballot until Super Tuesday, March 3, by which time memories of this debate will have faded — or perhaps been buried beneath an avalanche of ads.

But none of that changes the fact that this was a strikingly poor performance. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden 

Biden’s campaign is in dire straits. 

He came fifth in the New Hampshire primary, there are signs that his bedrock support among black voters is beginning to erode and, according to one national poll released early Wednesday by ABC News and The Washington Post, his support has halved in the past month.

Even in better times earlier this cycle, Biden was an indifferent debater. The same was true on Wednesday, when he seemed to fade into the margins at times.

He occasionally came back with some fire in his belly — particularly when arguing that he had racked up real accomplishments during his long political career while some of his rivals have merely talked airily of aspirations.

But Biden was overshadowed once more by most people on the stage, and that’s a very bad sign when his campaign is already so troubled.

Interviewé par le JDD, le ministre de la Santé, Olivier Véran révèle les enjeux de la rentrée pour combattre la nouvelle vague de coronavirus qui semble arriver en France.

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1. Des mesures territorialisées
2.  

Nouveau confinement ou pas à la rentrée ? C’est la question que tout le monde se pose face aux nombreux messages d’alerte des autorités sanitaires publiques concernant la hausse du nombre de nouveaux cas positifs à la Covid-19 en France. Dans une interview pour le JDD, parue dimanche 23 août 2020, le ministre de la Santé, Olivier Véran a répondu : “ce n’est pas à l’ordre du jour et ne constitue pas une hypothèse de travail.”

Des mesures territorialiséesLe ministre explique que les connaissances sur le virus ayant évolué, il est plus simple de mettre en place des règles sanitaires permettant d’allier déconfinement et gestes barrières. “Nous pouvons mettre en place des mesures spécifiques, territorialisées, comme nous l’avons fait avec succès en Mayenne”, a-t-il ajouté. Ce qui préoccupe le ministre de la santé à l’arrivée de l’automne, c’est la

grippe qui devrait l’accompagner. Les symptômes pouvant être confondus avec, il risque d’y avoir pas mal de suspicion de cas. Pour limiter cette confusion, Olivier Véran mise sur une augmentation du taux de couverture vaccinale contre la grippe pour les personnes à risque.Click Here: NRL Telstra Premiership

Ireland’s leaders have asked European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan to “consider his position” over his attendance at a golf society dinner that broke the country’s coronavirus restrictions.

The request from Prime Minister Micheál Martin and Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar marks a significant increase in pressure on Hogan, after the EU commissioner opted to stand his ground over the political scandal despite the resignation of Irish politicians.

“The Taoiseach (prime minister) and the Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) did speak with Commissioner Hogan today and asked him to consider his position,” a government spokeswoman said in a statement published by the Sunday Independent newspaper on Saturday evening, and also reported by Reuters.

“They both believe that the event should never have been held, that the Commissioner’s apology came late and that he still needs to give a full account and explanations of his actions,” the statement added.

Two senior Irish politicians, including the agriculture minister, resigned for attending the function at a 3-star hotel in the west coast county of Galway on Wednesday, as fury grew across the country that the top brass flouted the rules while expecting citizens to stay away from loved ones during the pandemic.

Hogan insisted in a statement Friday that he only attended the parliamentary golf society’s event, which gathered over 80 people for a dinner, after receiving assurances that it was in line with Ireland’s coronavirus restrictions.

But the high-profile EU commissioner is under renewed pressure to issue a fresh response after both major parties, including the leader of Hogan’s own Fine Gael party, asked him to consider stepping down.

Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resigned Friday over his presence at the function, with both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael reprimanding their members for attending.

In comments to the broadcaster RTÉ on Friday evening, Prime Minister Martin said Hogan “should apologize” and “be far more fulsome in his response” to public criticism.

“I understand fully why people are so angry at what happened,” Martin said. However, he noted that Hogan “is a member of the European Commission. He is not within the jurisdiction of the Irish government,” he said, adding that President Ursula von der Leyen is responsible for governing the Commission.

A spokesperson for Hogan said on Saturday he had “apologized for his attendance.”

Hogan’s team said early Sunday morning that the commissioner had no comment at that time.

Police have launched an investigation into the dinner, the Irish Times reported. While it was not a criminal offense to attend such an event, organizers would be investigated and could be criminally prosecuted, the paper said, citing “informed sources.”

On Tuesday, the Irish government significantly tightened its coronavirus restrictions, reducing the number of people that can meet inside from 50 to just six, after a rise in infections.

The controversial event began Tuesday, featuring golf tournaments between guests, but the dinner took place after the new restrictions had entered into force on Wednesday.

A European Commission spokesperson did not say how long Hogan had stayed at the event at the Clifden Station House Hotel but told journalists on Friday: “In hindsight, he would not attend an event which is not in line with the obligations introduced at local level.”

Commission President von der Leyen had been informed about the matter, the spokesperson said.

A seating plan of the dinner posted online appeared to show Hogan was placed as a guest of honor at the top table, at the event which was held to mark the society’s 50th anniversary. The commissioner is one of six honorary lifetime members of the Oireachtas Golf Society — and the only one to have attended.

Accepting Calleary’s resignation, Martin called Calleary’s presence at the function “wrong and an error of judgement on his part.”

The scandal is yet another embarrassment for Hogan, whose most high-profile action in his second stint as an EU commissioner has been a botched attempt to run for the top job at the World Trade Organization.

Hogan also defended himself against suspicions he had not complied with Ireland’s requirement for travelers from Belgium to quarantine for two weeks, saying he had “fully complied” with the rule when he returned home in late July.

Famed for his gruff, no-nonsense political style and nicknamed Big Phil, the Irishman is an appointee of the conservative Fine Gael party, whose leader Varadkar expelled three politicians from the party on Friday for attending the same dinner.

Hogan, however, has a pedigree as a heavyweight political fixer within Fine Gael and is not an easy figure to budge. He is seen as a wily, experienced politician who helps Ireland punch above its weight in the EU.

Trade is a critical job for Ireland to hold during Brexit talks and there is no guarantee that any replacement commissioner nominated by Dublin would receive the same portfolio.

The government on Saturday agreed to recall the Irish parliament in the wake of the scandal. It had been due to resume on September 15 after a six-week recess.

Lili Bayer, Zosia Wanat and Laurens Cerulus contributed reporting. This story has been updated.

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The Nevada Democratic Party is notifying about 1,000 early-voters that their ballots have been voided for errors, The Nevada Independent reported Thursday.

The number of voided ballots account for 2.8 percent of 36,000 ballots cast in three of the first four days of early voting. Election officials said they are counting another 39,000 ballots, which could uncover more unusable ballots.

An election official told the Independent that most of the errors were from people who failed to sign their ballots. Affected voters are being notified by text message and will have the opportunity to participate in-person at Saturday’s caucuses, according to the newspaper.

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The Hill has reached out to the state’s Democratic Party for comment.

The report has added to anxiety about whether the caucuses will run smoothly after the debacle with the Iowa caucuses earlier this month, which resulted in a recanvass called by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

The hiccups in counting Iowa’s votes were due mainly to human error and malfunctions in an app the state Democratic Party commissioned to help facilitate counting. Nevada will not be using the app and will instead use a Google custom calculator to tally results.

“I have a lot of confidence in Nevada, a really, really strong party,” DNC Chairman Tom PerezThomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s ‘wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE said Wednesday on CNN. “We have gone to school on the lessons of Iowa. We’re as low-tech as humanly possible while still preserving efficiency.”