Donald Trump’s White House is facing criticism for its “insane and depressing” decision to hire 23-year-old college James Bacon for a post in its powerful Presidential Personnel Office under new director John McEntee.
The president has just returned from his two-day visit to India where he set in place a lucrative arms deal with Narendra Modi and toured the country’s beauty spots while being shielded from the outbreak of anti-Muslim riots, which left at least 20 people dead in New Dehli.
On the debate stage in South Carolina on Tuesday night, Trump came under fire for his handling of the coronavirus as the Democratic 2020 rivals largely focused their fire on front-runner Bernie Sanders and wealthy newcomer Michael Bloomberg.
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Something of a throwback with this observation:
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From our very own Andrew Buncombe:
Former neo-Nazi leader arrested in 'swatting' scheme said to target cabinet member
John Denton accused of heading group linked to multiple killingsTrump weighs in on Nancy Pelosi's home district
He and her are known to have a pretty fraught relationship:
Trump sues the NYT for libel
Read all about it right here:
Trump sues New York Times for libel
Donald Trump's re-election campaign has filed a libel lawsuit against the New York Times, accusing America's newspaper of record of intentionallypublishing a false story last year about Russia's interference in the 2016 election. More follows...AOC says Trump's attacks are leaving her feeling unsafe
AOC says she feels unsafe because Trump’s fixation with her is fuelling white supremacist threats
The New York representative admits feeling safer living in The Bronx over Wasington DCOn why the coronavirus is a mounting nightmare for America's germaphobe commander-in-chief
Coronavirus outbreak a mounting nightmare for germaphobe Trump
'This is shameful,' Nancy Pelosi says of Trump administration's Coronavirus responseCan Bernie turn Texas into a socialist haven?
Andrew Buncombe has gamed out what to expect on Super Tuesday:
Can Bernie Sanders turn one of the most important states socialist on Super Tuesday?
Lone Star state would be a massive prize for DemocratsTrump press conference hours away
The president has gone on the offensive amid criticism of his coronavirus response, and is set to hold a news conference at 6pm today to address his response.
He has accused MSNBC and CNN of "doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus(sic) look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible".
Earlier reports have indicated that Trump is pretty mad about those stock market plunges, which threaten his number one claim to a successful presidency so-far: a strong economy.
Good news for Biden heading into South Carolina
The former vice president is laying it all down on the line in South Carolina, which political observers have seen as an important firewall for his campaign.
Just this morning, Biden received the coveted endorsement of Jim Clyburn — the most powerful African American member of Congress and the leading Democrat in the state.
And, while some have wondered if Sanders's momentum out of Nevada, New Hampshire and Iowa will continue into South Carolina, it looks like the former vice president is ready to compete. Polling averages by FiveThirtyEight have put him in the lead there with 31.2 per cent of the vote, with Sanders behind him with 21.4 per cent. Steyer comes in third with 14.8 per cent, Warren behind him with 8.2 per cent, followed by Buttigieg at 7.7 per cent and Klobuchar at 3.8 per cent.
Trouble in Bloomberg-land
From Five Thirty Eight's Nate Silver, here is some interesting polling data:
Nancy Pelosi calls Trump's coronavirus response 'shameful'
The House speaker has been adding her considerable voice to the growing outcry over the president's failure to act on the global pandemic.
Phil Thomas has this report.
The House speaker has been adding her considerable voice to the growing outcry over the president's failure to act on the global pandemic.
Phil Thomas has this report.
Trump butters up his favourite social media influencers
The president is clearly in a jovial mood at the moment and is praising several of his odious right-wing allies on Twitter, notably Piers Morgan and Diamond and Silk.
The president is clearly in a jovial mood at the moment and is praising several of his odious right-wing allies on Twitter, notably Piers Morgan and Diamond and Silk.
White House considering appointing 'coronavirus czar'
Is Trump going to announce this in his press conference later? Politico says so and names a possible candidate below.
Is Trump going to announce this in his press conference later? Politico says so and names a possible candidate below.
Mike Bloomberg borrows Trumpian tactics to spin Bernie feud into gold
The billionnaire is cashing in on his beef with Sanders through the medium of baseball caps.
"Bring in the boss" will surely never catch on as slogan.
Bloomberg's spokesman Tim O'Brien has also been channelling Trump by denying something we all heard his man say with our own ears last night.
The candidate was about to claim he "bought" the Democratic blue wave that swept the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterms before stopping himself short in mid-sentence with a correction: "I bough... I got them..."
But O'Brien, speaking to John Berman on CNN's New Day, insists his man said "backed", not "bought". Hmmm.
The below is even more tragic.
Joe Walsh: ‘I’d rather have a socialist in the White House than a con man’
Trump's former GOP challenger has written for The Washington Post this morning to rally the Never Trumpers.
"Some of my Republican and ex-Republican brethren have started implying that what never-Trump actually meant was something more like: fingers-crossed-I-really-really-hope-not-Trump-but-I-guess-sometimes-Trump if Democrats wind up nominating a self-described democratic socialist," he writes. "But that’s not how this works."
“If it were up to me, [Bernie] Sanders isn’t the guy I’d put in charge But when I finally came around to saying, ‘never Trump,’ I meant it.
“Lots of politicians stink, and people hold their noses and vote for them, anyway. But if you’ve already gone on record as a never-Trumper, and now you’re saying that you’ll vote for Trump because you don’t like the alternative, you’re not holding your nose, you’re inhaling deeply.”
Trump's former GOP challenger has written for The Washington Post this morning to rally the Never Trumpers.
"Some of my Republican and ex-Republican brethren have started implying that what never-Trump actually meant was something more like: fingers-crossed-I-really-really-hope-not-Trump-but-I-guess-sometimes-Trump if Democrats wind up nominating a self-described democratic socialist," he writes. "But that’s not how this works."
“If it were up to me, [Bernie] Sanders isn’t the guy I’d put in charge But when I finally came around to saying, ‘never Trump,’ I meant it.
“Lots of politicians stink, and people hold their noses and vote for them, anyway. But if you’ve already gone on record as a never-Trumper, and now you’re saying that you’ll vote for Trump because you don’t like the alternative, you’re not holding your nose, you’re inhaling deeply.”
Chuck Schumer set to propose $8.5bn coronavirus emergency relief package
The Senate minority leader is reportedly seeking to dwarf the White House's spending proposal by asking Congress to reapportion $8.5bn (£6.6bn) to take on the pandemic.
That's $6bn (£4.6bn) more than the $2.5bn (£1.9bn) asked for by the Trump administration.
Yesterday, Schumer accused the president of being "asleep at the wheel" on the international crisis and he has continued to bash the government response with some gusto.
The Senate minority leader is reportedly seeking to dwarf the White House's spending proposal by asking Congress to reapportion $8.5bn (£6.6bn) to take on the pandemic.
That's $6bn (£4.6bn) more than the $2.5bn (£1.9bn) asked for by the Trump administration.
Yesterday, Schumer accused the president of being "asleep at the wheel" on the international crisis and he has continued to bash the government response with some gusto.
You can, incidentally, follow our dedicated liveblog on the coronavirus with Chiara Giordano below.
New poll shows Bernie winning approval as Mayor Pete forced to cancel Florida fundraisers
Also in the race for the Democratic presidential race, Bernie's curmudgeonly performance on the stage in Charleston last night impressed the viewing public...
Also in the race for the Democratic presidential race, Bernie's curmudgeonly performance on the stage in Charleston last night impressed the viewing public...
...while challenger Pete Buttigieg has been forced to cancel a string of Florida fundraising events ahead of Super Tuesday because he's ill. Let's hope it's not you-know-what.
Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren pick up key endorsements
South Carolina congressman Jim Clyburn has just endorsed the former vice-president ahead of his state's crucial primary, which is make-or-break for Diamond Joe.
Meanwhile, The Boston Globe has backed Massachusetts senator Warren despite admitting that she is a "divisive figure".
South Carolina congressman Jim Clyburn has just endorsed the former vice-president ahead of his state's crucial primary, which is make-or-break for Diamond Joe.
Meanwhile, The Boston Globe has backed Massachusetts senator Warren despite admitting that she is a "divisive figure".
Trump called Obama 'a psycho' for not banning flights over Ebola virus
As Trump continues to insist the coronavirus threat is overstated, it's worth revisiting the pressure he himself put on Barack Obama over the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
There was also this tweet, in which he argued that the Liberian immigrant who first caught the disease of the US should be prosecuted, posting that message four days before Thomas Eric Duncan passed away in Dallas, Texas, aged just 42.
Chris Riotta looks back on the president's heckling from the sidelines six years ago.
As Trump continues to insist the coronavirus threat is overstated, it's worth revisiting the pressure he himself put on Barack Obama over the Ebola outbreak in 2014.
There was also this tweet, in which he argued that the Liberian immigrant who first caught the disease of the US should be prosecuted, posting that message four days before Thomas Eric Duncan passed away in Dallas, Texas, aged just 42.
Chris Riotta looks back on the president's heckling from the sidelines six years ago.
Trevor Noah mocks Trump for 'butchering' Hindi language during India visit
The Daily Show's host was left helpless with laughter at the president's blundering attempts to pronounce Hindi names in his address in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Here's Oliver O'Connell on a joyous segment.
The Daily Show's host was left helpless with laughter at the president's blundering attempts to pronounce Hindi names in his address in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Here's Oliver O'Connell on a joyous segment.
