Donald Trump continues to face criticism over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with 2020 rivals Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both going after him on Sunday and the former saying it was “pathetic” the president was “running into South Carolina trying to steal some media attention away from Democrats” in a time of international crisis.
A new national poll has meanwhile found Trump losing the presidential race to whomever the Democratic nominee proves to be by seven points, as the field narrows further with Pete Buttigieg joining Tom Steyer in ending his campaign for the White House ahead of Super Tuesday.
Amy Klobuchar also ended her campaign on Monday, just a day before those elections, and announced she would be endorsing Mr Biden's candaidacy.
Shortly after, Mr Buttigieg also announced his endorsement of Mr Biden, and the two midwestern former candidates were expected to hit the campaign trail with the former vice president in Texas.
On Twitter, the president has kept up his attacks on his many media and political enemies, singling out Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Todd – who took vice president Mike Pence to task on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday over his attack on “irresponsible rhetoric” against the administration – for particular vitriol.
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Trump under fire from Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden over coronavirus
Donald Trump continues to face criticism over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with 2020 rivals Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both going after him on Sunday and the former saying it was “pathetic” the president was “running into South Carolina trying to steal some media attention away from Democrats” in a time of international crisis.
Both men were speaking to George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week on Sunday after the president had referred to the epidemic as a "hoax" at a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday night.
Trump was forced to row back on his rhetoric on Saturday after a woman in Washington state lost her life to the disease, insisting he was using the word "referring to the action they take to try and pin this on somebody, because we've done such a good job".
A second American has since died of the disease in Seattle and the first case has been diagnosed in New York.
More than 3,000 people have died of coronavirus around the world so far, with over 90,000 cases confirmed and China and Italy worst hit.
Here's Phil Thomas with more on Biden's reaction.
Donald Trump continues to face criticism over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with 2020 rivals Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both going after him on Sunday and the former saying it was “pathetic” the president was “running into South Carolina trying to steal some media attention away from Democrats” in a time of international crisis.
Both men were speaking to George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week on Sunday after the president had referred to the epidemic as a "hoax" at a rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday night.
Trump was forced to row back on his rhetoric on Saturday after a woman in Washington state lost her life to the disease, insisting he was using the word "referring to the action they take to try and pin this on somebody, because we've done such a good job".
A second American has since died of the disease in Seattle and the first case has been diagnosed in New York.
More than 3,000 people have died of coronavirus around the world so far, with over 90,000 cases confirmed and China and Italy worst hit.
Here's Phil Thomas with more on Biden's reaction.
New poll sees president seven points behind 'generic Democrat' as Trump pushes old data on coronavirus
A new national survey from YouGovUS/The Economist has meanwhile found Trump losing the presidential race to whomever the Democratic nominee proves to be by a whopping seven points.
A new national survey from YouGovUS/The Economist has meanwhile found Trump losing the presidential race to whomever the Democratic nominee proves to be by a whopping seven points.
Only 22 per cent of respondents to that poll said they "strongly approve" of the president's response to the escalating coronavirus crisis, but Trump is continuing to push his own counter-narrative by picking out a more favourable poll from the right-wing tabloid The New York Post.
Update: According to Raw Story, the above is a false claim. There is no Post story featuring that data but there was a Gallup poll carried out between 3-16 February delivering those results from a much earlier stage of the coronavirus's development.
All highly misleading from the president.
Pete Buttigieg drops out of 2020 race ahead of Super Tuesday
The Democratic presidential field is continuing to narrow as Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg joining Tom Steyer in ending his campaign for the White House ahead of Super Tuesday.
The 62-year-old billionnaire dropped out on in the aftermath of Biden's victory in the South Carolina, where he hoped dancing to "Back That Azz Up" by Juvenile would help him peel African American support away from the ex-vice president.
Leading the tributes to Buttigieg - who has cut an impressive and articulate presence in the debates - was his husband Chasten.
"About a year and a half ago, my husband came home from work and told me, well, he asked me, 'What do you think about running for president?' And I laughed. Not at him but at life," he told a group of supporters gathered in South Bend. "Because life gave me some interesting experiences on my way to find Pete."
"After falling in love with Pete, Pete got me to believe in myself again. And I told Pete to run because I knew there were other kids sitting out there in this country who needed to believe in themselves too."
Trump also had a response, for once respectfully refraining from nicknaming him "Alfred E Neuman" after the Mad magazine mascot, but pushing a new favourite conspiracy theory: "This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play - NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!"
Amazing, Buttigieg's departure means the following statement is true:
He is 77-years-old.
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar - at 59 - is the youngest left standing by a long chalk.
Here's Alex Woodward's report.
The Democratic presidential field is continuing to narrow as Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg joining Tom Steyer in ending his campaign for the White House ahead of Super Tuesday.
The 62-year-old billionnaire dropped out on in the aftermath of Biden's victory in the South Carolina, where he hoped dancing to "Back That Azz Up" by Juvenile would help him peel African American support away from the ex-vice president.
Leading the tributes to Buttigieg - who has cut an impressive and articulate presence in the debates - was his husband Chasten.
"About a year and a half ago, my husband came home from work and told me, well, he asked me, 'What do you think about running for president?' And I laughed. Not at him but at life," he told a group of supporters gathered in South Bend. "Because life gave me some interesting experiences on my way to find Pete."
"After falling in love with Pete, Pete got me to believe in myself again. And I told Pete to run because I knew there were other kids sitting out there in this country who needed to believe in themselves too."
Trump also had a response, for once respectfully refraining from nicknaming him "Alfred E Neuman" after the Mad magazine mascot, but pushing a new favourite conspiracy theory: "This is the REAL beginning of the Dems taking Bernie out of play - NO NOMINATION, AGAIN!"
Amazing, Buttigieg's departure means the following statement is true:
He is 77-years-old.
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar - at 59 - is the youngest left standing by a long chalk.
Here's Alex Woodward's report.
Trump ups attacks on media rivals as Pence grilled and Fox expert pronounces NYT lawsuit 'DOA'
On Twitter, the president has kept up his attacks on his many media enemies, singling out Chuck Todd – who took vice president Mike Pence to task on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday over his attack on “irresponsible rhetoric” against the administration – for particular vitriol.
On Twitter, the president has kept up his attacks on his many media enemies, singling out Chuck Todd – who took vice president Mike Pence to task on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday over his attack on “irresponsible rhetoric” against the administration – for particular vitriol.
Pence was there to tell Todd the risk posed by the coronavirus "remains low" but ended up sparring over a New York Times column that suggested the disease should be renamed "the Trump virus".
Pence was also on State of the Union with Jake Tapper yesterday apologising for Don Jr's claim that Democrats are hoping the coronavirus will kill millions of Americans to hurt his father, even saying the remark was "understandable".
But speaking of The New York Times, the president is already suing the newspaper for libel over a seperate opinion piece but even Fox News doesn't think he has a leg to stand on.
The network's legal expert Mercedes Colwin appeared on Mediabuzz with Howard Kurtz to discuss the 2019 piece in question by Max Frankel - which the Trump camp believe alleged a false "quid pro quo" between his 2016 campaign and Russia - and pronounce the lawsuit "dead on arrival".
“This case is DOA - dead on arrival,” Colwin told Kurtz. “When you have a libel case, especially against an op-ed editor, the very nature of an op-ed is that it’s opinion.
“There’s lots of well-settled law that says when you are expressing an opinion, you are devoid of making a defamatory statement. So even when the president said at that press conference ‘Well, they got the opinion wrong,’ by his own admission you’re talking and criticising an opinion.”
The network's legal expert Mercedes Colwin appeared on Mediabuzz with Howard Kurtz to discuss the 2019 piece in question by Max Frankel - which the Trump camp believe alleged a false "quid pro quo" between his 2016 campaign and Russia - and pronounce the lawsuit "dead on arrival".
“This case is DOA - dead on arrival,” Colwin told Kurtz. “When you have a libel case, especially against an op-ed editor, the very nature of an op-ed is that it’s opinion.
“There’s lots of well-settled law that says when you are expressing an opinion, you are devoid of making a defamatory statement. So even when the president said at that press conference ‘Well, they got the opinion wrong,’ by his own admission you’re talking and criticising an opinion.”
Michael Bloomberg ridiculed after black church congregants snub him in Selma
Another of Trump's targets over the weekend was his fellow New York fat cat "Mini Mike" - whom he brutally impersonated at CPAC on Saturday night - after a crowd of African American churchgoers in Selma, Alabama, turned their backs on him at a service to remember the 55th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday bridge crossing at the height of the Civil Rights movement.
Here's Alex Woodward's report.
Another of Trump's targets over the weekend was his fellow New York fat cat "Mini Mike" - whom he brutally impersonated at CPAC on Saturday night - after a crowd of African American churchgoers in Selma, Alabama, turned their backs on him at a service to remember the 55th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday bridge crossing at the height of the Civil Rights movement.
Bloomberg has faced mounting criticism for a range of controversies during his tenure as New York's mayor and as a company chief, from sexual harassment allegations and settlements to his continued defence for his police department's practice of racially profiling through "stop and frisk" measures, which he only publicly apologised for as he entered the presidential race.
Here's Alex Woodward's report.
Trump posts ludicrous meme as Steve Bannon says coronavirus is his 'Churchill moment'
While you might hope the president had better things to do with the coronavirus in the air - he is meeting up with his task force today, to be fair - this ludicrous meme, in response to a tweet abusing his position to promote a Mexican restaurant in Arizona, is his most recent public message.
Trump reminded British onlookers of Lance Corporal Jones from Dad's Army over the weekend when he urged Americans not to panic over the outbreak but his former chief strategist Steve Bannon had a loftier Second World War reference to make, saying this is Trump's "Churchill moment".
Alex Woodward has more on this.
While you might hope the president had better things to do with the coronavirus in the air - he is meeting up with his task force today, to be fair - this ludicrous meme, in response to a tweet abusing his position to promote a Mexican restaurant in Arizona, is his most recent public message.
Trump reminded British onlookers of Lance Corporal Jones from Dad's Army over the weekend when he urged Americans not to panic over the outbreak but his former chief strategist Steve Bannon had a loftier Second World War reference to make, saying this is Trump's "Churchill moment".
Alex Woodward has more on this.
Democratic establishment ‘desperate’ for Buttigieg to endorse Biden
On his appearance on Meet the Press yesterday, Joe Biden warned that Bernie Sanders would lose the 2020 election for the Democrats if he is chosen as the party's nominee to take on Trump.
Here's Chris Baynes on the moderate wing of the opposition clamouring to keep Buttigieg in line now that he's out of contention.
On his appearance on Meet the Press yesterday, Joe Biden warned that Bernie Sanders would lose the 2020 election for the Democrats if he is chosen as the party's nominee to take on Trump.
"People aren't looking for a revolution... They're looking for results," he told Chuck Todd.
On ABC, Bernie himself acknowledged that he is not exactly universally popular with the party establishment, declaring: “I am an existential threat to the corporate wing of the Democratic Party."
On ABC, Bernie himself acknowledged that he is not exactly universally popular with the party establishment, declaring: “I am an existential threat to the corporate wing of the Democratic Party."
Here's Chris Baynes on the moderate wing of the opposition clamouring to keep Buttigieg in line now that he's out of contention.
Now that Biden is back in the race, Super Tuesday will play a huge role in deciding Trump’s election opponent
For Indy Premium, here's our assessment of what promises to be a defining day in one of the most important elections anywhere in recent memory.
Team Trump to fly data-collecting blimp over key 2020 swing states
Trump's campaign is planning to fly a blimp over swing states to get its message out - and to collect reams of data.
The blimp with Trump logos is set to fly between May and July, and will encourage Trump supporters to text the campaign, a move aimed at helping to refine the campaign's already voluminous data on voters in key states, the campaign confirmed on Sunday.
The unconventional advertising strategy is borne in part out of the campaign's record fundraising, which has given Trump aides the freedom to explore novel ways to reach voters. Last week Trump's campaign unveiled plans to open 15 "Black Voices for Trump Community Centers" in urban areas to try to make inroads with the traditionally Democratic voting bloc.
The campaign is also discussing the possibility of a fundraising contest to give Trump supporters the opportunity to fly in the blimp.
The campaign has experimented with aerial advertising before, for instance, deploying airplane-towed banners the cities hosting Democratic debates.
Trump's campaign is planning to fly a blimp over swing states to get its message out - and to collect reams of data.
The blimp with Trump logos is set to fly between May and July, and will encourage Trump supporters to text the campaign, a move aimed at helping to refine the campaign's already voluminous data on voters in key states, the campaign confirmed on Sunday.
The unconventional advertising strategy is borne in part out of the campaign's record fundraising, which has given Trump aides the freedom to explore novel ways to reach voters. Last week Trump's campaign unveiled plans to open 15 "Black Voices for Trump Community Centers" in urban areas to try to make inroads with the traditionally Democratic voting bloc.
The campaign is also discussing the possibility of a fundraising contest to give Trump supporters the opportunity to fly in the blimp.
The campaign has experimented with aerial advertising before, for instance, deploying airplane-towed banners the cities hosting Democratic debates.
Court rules top Trump immigration official unlawfully appointed
A federal judge has ruled that Ken Cuccinelli was unlawfully appointed to lead Trump's US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency and, as a result, lacked authority to give asylum seekers less time to prepare for initial screening interviews.
Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general and an immigration hardliner, was named to a new position of "principal deputy director" in June, which immediately made him acting director because Lee Francis Cissna had just resigned. The agency grants green cards and other visas and also oversees asylum officers.
US district judge Randolph Moss in Washington found Cuccinelli's appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, a 1998 law governing who is eligible to lead federal agencies in an acting capacity. The impact of the ruling wasn't immediately clear.
The ruling issued Sunday was at odds with Trump's penchant for temporary appointments. At Homeland Security, Chad Wolf is acting secretary, and the heads of Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services are also in acting roles.
The judge wrote that Cuccinelli didn't qualify for exceptions for officials who won Senate approval for other positions or spent 90 days in the previous year at the agency.
The administration's reading of the law "would decimate this carefully crafted framework," Moss wrote in his 55-page ruling. "The president would be relieved of responsibility and accountability for selecting acting officials, and the universe of those eligible to serve in an acting capacity would be vastly expanded."
Moss, an appointee of Barack Obama, set aside a Cuccinelli directive to give asylum seekers less time to consult attorneys before an initial screening interview, but his decision applies only to the five Hondurans who sued. He did not address other Cuccinelli actions.
The asylum directive gives asylum seekers at least one calendar day to prepare for the screening interview, instead of 72 hours for families and generally 48 hours for single adults. Extensions are granted only "in the most extraordinary circumstances," such as a serious illness or mental or physical disability.
The directive is a foundation for new policies aimed at quickly completing the screening, known as a "credible fear interview," without leaving Customs and Border Protection custody.
Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Heather Swift said, "We obviously disagree with the court's opinion and are looking more closely at it."
Cuccinelli is now acting deputy Homeland Security secretary, the department's No. 2 position. Joseph Edlow, a longtime congressional aide who joined Citizenship and Immigration Services in July, was named last month to run the agency's day-to-day operations.
AP
A federal judge has ruled that Ken Cuccinelli was unlawfully appointed to lead Trump's US Citizenship and Immigration Services agency and, as a result, lacked authority to give asylum seekers less time to prepare for initial screening interviews.
Cuccinelli, a former Virginia attorney general and an immigration hardliner, was named to a new position of "principal deputy director" in June, which immediately made him acting director because Lee Francis Cissna had just resigned. The agency grants green cards and other visas and also oversees asylum officers.
US district judge Randolph Moss in Washington found Cuccinelli's appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, a 1998 law governing who is eligible to lead federal agencies in an acting capacity. The impact of the ruling wasn't immediately clear.
The ruling issued Sunday was at odds with Trump's penchant for temporary appointments. At Homeland Security, Chad Wolf is acting secretary, and the heads of Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services are also in acting roles.
(Sam Corum/Getty)
The judge wrote that Cuccinelli didn't qualify for exceptions for officials who won Senate approval for other positions or spent 90 days in the previous year at the agency.
The administration's reading of the law "would decimate this carefully crafted framework," Moss wrote in his 55-page ruling. "The president would be relieved of responsibility and accountability for selecting acting officials, and the universe of those eligible to serve in an acting capacity would be vastly expanded."
Moss, an appointee of Barack Obama, set aside a Cuccinelli directive to give asylum seekers less time to consult attorneys before an initial screening interview, but his decision applies only to the five Hondurans who sued. He did not address other Cuccinelli actions.
The asylum directive gives asylum seekers at least one calendar day to prepare for the screening interview, instead of 72 hours for families and generally 48 hours for single adults. Extensions are granted only "in the most extraordinary circumstances," such as a serious illness or mental or physical disability.
The directive is a foundation for new policies aimed at quickly completing the screening, known as a "credible fear interview," without leaving Customs and Border Protection custody.
Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Heather Swift said, "We obviously disagree with the court's opinion and are looking more closely at it."
Cuccinelli is now acting deputy Homeland Security secretary, the department's No. 2 position. Joseph Edlow, a longtime congressional aide who joined Citizenship and Immigration Services in July, was named last month to run the agency's day-to-day operations.
AP
'Progress being made!
Here's the latest reassurance from Trump on the coronavirus.
Following a couple of retweets from the World Health Organisation, he's back to what he really cares about: ridiculing Mike Bloomberg.
For Indy Voices, here's Borzou Daragahi with a warning on the populist response to the epidemic.
Here's the latest reassurance from Trump on the coronavirus.
Following a couple of retweets from the World Health Organisation, he's back to what he really cares about: ridiculing Mike Bloomberg.
For Indy Voices, here's Borzou Daragahi with a warning on the populist response to the epidemic.
Trump kisses flagpole, tells odd jokes and mocks Greta Thunberg at CPAC
Here's Clark Mindock with a reminder of the president's extraordinary keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Saturday.
The above was just the tip of the iceberg.
Here's Clark Mindock with a reminder of the president's extraordinary keynote address to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Saturday.
The above was just the tip of the iceberg.
Glenn Beck cheered by Republicans for speech claiming Sanders presidency would lead to ‘another Holocaust’
Also at CPAC was this disgraceful perfomance from a Trump ally and former Fox stalwart.
His audience, of course, lapped this up.
Samuel Lovett has a full report below.
Also at CPAC was this disgraceful perfomance from a Trump ally and former Fox stalwart.
His audience, of course, lapped this up.
Samuel Lovett has a full report below.
Bernie Sanders reinvented as metal hero as Public Enemy excommunicate Flavor Flav
Absolutely cannot get enough of this guy's single-issue determination to reinvent Bernie as a metal icon.
Warning: Contains explicit lyrics.
Sanders welcomed hip hop legends Public Enemy to his rally in Los Angeles over the weekend but not all of the band's members would play ball...
Absolutely cannot get enough of this guy's single-issue determination to reinvent Bernie as a metal icon.
Warning: Contains explicit lyrics.
Sanders welcomed hip hop legends Public Enemy to his rally in Los Angeles over the weekend but not all of the band's members would play ball...
John Oliver on Trump’s coronavirus comments: ‘He’s a president whose entire life has been a series of low-stakes lies’
The president is claiming he "saved many lives" by imposing travel restrictions on China while the Democrats were focused on his impeachment and blames them for "scaremongering" over the coronavirus.
Louis Chilton has the latest from the late night crowd on Trump.
Biden bets on South Carolina momentum to beat Sanders on Super Tuesday
Alex Woodward has this on the Comeback Kid ahead of tomorrow's pivotal day.
Alex Woodward has this on the Comeback Kid ahead of tomorrow's pivotal day.
Trump pushing weeks-old coronavirus response polling
The president rarely accredits the survey results he cites on Twitter but this time he did and, although they're not made up, they are weeks old.
John T Bennett has more on this.
The president rarely accredits the survey results he cites on Twitter but this time he did and, although they're not made up, they are weeks old.
John T Bennett has more on this.
Trump pays respects to late GE CEO Jack Welch and bashes Fed
Here's the president attempting to mourn a fellow business big wig without making it about himself - and failing.
Here's the president attempting to mourn a fellow business big wig without making it about himself - and failing.
He's now back to haranguing the Federal Reserve - setting up Jay Powell as his scapegoat should the economy really tank before November.
Amy Klobuchar forced to cancel rally over Black Lives Matter protest
The Minnesota senator had to abandon an event in her home state on Sunday night after several dozen protesters took to the stage chanting "Black Lives Matter, "Klobuchar has got to go" and "Free Myon" causing a 40-minute delay.
The demonstrators in St Louis Park were referencing the conviction of Myon Burrell, who has given life in prison in 2002 after Tyesha Edwwards, an 11-year-old school girl, was killed by a stray bullet while doing her homework, a case on which the lawmaker served as Hennepin County’s top attorney.
The Minnesota senator had to abandon an event in her home state on Sunday night after several dozen protesters took to the stage chanting "Black Lives Matter, "Klobuchar has got to go" and "Free Myon" causing a 40-minute delay.
The demonstrators in St Louis Park were referencing the conviction of Myon Burrell, who has given life in prison in 2002 after Tyesha Edwwards, an 11-year-old school girl, was killed by a stray bullet while doing her homework, a case on which the lawmaker served as Hennepin County’s top attorney.
