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Bernie Sanders suspends 2020 presidential campaign – live updates
Bernie Sanders suspends 2020 presidential campaign – live updates
(32 minutes later)
Bernie Sanders is suspending his presidential campaign, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee
Bernie Sanders is suspending his presidential campaign, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee
Bernie Sanders congratulated Joe Biden on his victory in the Democratic priamry, calling the former vice president “a very decent man.”
Looking ahead to the general election, Sanders pledged to work with Biden “to move our progressive ideas forward.”
Sanders closed by saying how he and his wife, Jane, have been moved by the support they have seen across the country. “Let us go forward together,” Sanders told his supporters. “The struggle continues.”
Bernie Sanders has formally announced he is suspending his campaign in a livestream to supporters.
“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,” Sanders said. The Vermony senator noted that Joe Biden’s delegate lead had made victory “virtually impossible.”
“I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful, and so today I am announcing the suspension of my campaign,” Sanders said.
Sanders acknowledged his withdrawal from the race had been a “difficult and painful decision” that came after an “honest assessment” of his prospects.
Bernie Sanders said his movement had won the “ideological struggle” of the Democratic party, even though he did not win the nomination.
Sanders said a number of his positions that were previously considered extreme, such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, have now become mainstream.
Bernie Sanders is addressing his supporters via livestream to formally announce he is suspending his presidential campaign.
The Vermont senator thanked his supporters for powering his candidacy through phone banks, door-knocking and 10 million donations.
Sanders applauded his supporters for creating a “new vision” of what America could be, particularly on issues like overhauling the healthcare system and raising the minimum wage.
Trump has weighed in on Bernie Sanders suspending his campaign, blaming Elizabeth Warren for his loss and imploring Sanders’ supporters to back him instead of Joe Biden in November.
Joe Biden’s victory in the Democratic presidential primary comes almost exactly a year after he launched his third bid for the White House.
Once Biden announced his candidacy, he became the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, a title he largely held on to for the duration of the race.
Biden’s worst weeks came in Feburary, when he lost the first three contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Bernie Sanders’ strong performances across the three states briefly made him the frontrunner in the race.
However, Biden’s victory in South Carolina followed by a series of wins on Super Tuesday gave him the rebound he needed to surpass Sanders and ultimately win the nomination.
Bernie Sanders, the 78-year-old senator from Vermont who reshaped American politics with his youth-led movement for sweeping social change, has ended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination.
Bernie Sanders, the 78-year-old senator from Vermont who reshaped American politics with his youth-led movement for sweeping social change, has ended his campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination.
His departure all but ensures the former vice-president Joe Biden will be the Democratic presidential nominee in an election against Donald Trump amid the rapidly escalating coronavirus crisis.
His departure all but ensures the former vice-president Joe Biden will be the Democratic presidential nominee in an election against Donald Trump amid the rapidly escalating coronavirus crisis.
For weeks, Sanders resisted calls to leave the race despite falling almost hopelessly behind his rival as the pandemic forced the candidates to retreat from the campaign trail and governors to delay several key primary elections. Against the worsening economic and public health crises, Sanders found a new urgency for his progressive agenda, the centerpiece of which is a single-payer proposal that would guarantee health coverage for every American.
For weeks, Sanders resisted calls to leave the race despite falling almost hopelessly behind his rival as the pandemic forced the candidates to retreat from the campaign trail and governors to delay several key primary elections. Against the worsening economic and public health crises, Sanders found a new urgency for his progressive agenda, the centerpiece of which is a single-payer proposal that would guarantee health coverage for every American.
In the final weeks before his exit, Sanders effectively turned his campaign into a coronavirus response effort, hosting virtual events on the virus and raising money for charities helping those affected by the outbreak.
In the final weeks before his exit, Sanders effectively turned his campaign into a coronavirus response effort, hosting virtual events on the virus and raising money for charities helping those affected by the outbreak.
Bernie Sanders’ decision to suspend his presidential campaign comes after a series of losses to Joe Biden in recent primaries.
Bernie Sanders’ decision to suspend his presidential campaign comes after a series of losses to Joe Biden in recent primaries.
The Vermont senator was briefly viewed as the frontrunner in the race afrer winning the New Hampshire primary and the Nevada caucuses in February.
The Vermont senator was briefly viewed as the frontrunner in the race afrer winning the New Hampshire primary and the Nevada caucuses in February.
However, Biden quickly rebounded with a win in the South Carolina primary and a series of victotries on Super Tuesday. The winning streak gave Biden a delegate lead over Sanders that many deemed insurmountable.
However, Biden quickly rebounded with a win in the South Carolina primary and a series of victotries on Super Tuesday. The winning streak gave Biden a delegate lead over Sanders that many deemed insurmountable.
Bernie Sanders said he would address supporters via livestream in about 20 minutes to formally announce he is suspending his campaign.
Bernie Sanders said he would address supporters via livestream in about 20 minutes to formally announce he is suspending his campaign.
Bernie Sanders is suspending his presidential campaign, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Bernie Sanders is suspending his presidential campaign, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Trump said he believed the coronavirus crisis would end “sooner rather than later,” as experts express cautious optimism about the effects social distancing has had on the number of cases.
Trump said he believed the coronavirus crisis would end “sooner rather than later,” as experts express cautious optimism about the effects social distancing has had on the number of cases.
“Once we OPEN UP OUR GREAT COUNTRY, and it will be sooner rather than later, the horror of the Invisible Enemy, except for those that sadly lost a family member or friend, must be quickly forgotten,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “Our Economy will BOOM, perhaps like never before!!!”
“Once we OPEN UP OUR GREAT COUNTRY, and it will be sooner rather than later, the horror of the Invisible Enemy, except for those that sadly lost a family member or friend, must be quickly forgotten,” Trump wrote in a tweet. “Our Economy will BOOM, perhaps like never before!!!”
The president also once again bragged about viewership of his daily White House briefings on the coronavirus response, saying “the ratings are through the roof.”
The president also once again bragged about viewership of his daily White House briefings on the coronavirus response, saying “the ratings are through the roof.”
Trump mocked some of his critics who have called on networks to stop broadcasting the briefings because the president has repeatedly made false statements during them.
Trump mocked some of his critics who have called on networks to stop broadcasting the briefings because the president has repeatedly made false statements during them.
The White House has released a statement confirming that Kayleigh McEnany will replace Stephanie Grisham as press secretary, a day after Grisham’s role change was announced.
Alyssa Farah will also become the White House’s new director of strategic communications after serving as press secretary of the defense department.
Trump’s reelection campaign, where McEnany most recently worked as national press secretary, released a statement on her move. “Kayleigh McEnany is a first class professional who will serve President Trump and the American people well,” said campagin manger Brad Parscale.
But a number of critics have raised concerns about McEnany’s past comments on a number of issues, including the coronavirus pandemic. McEnany incorrectly said in February that coronavirus would not affect America because of Trump’s leadership.
“This president will always put America first. He will always protect American citizens. We will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here. We will not see terrorism come here,” McEnany said on Feb. 25. “And isn’t that refreshing when contrasting it with the awful presidency of President Obama?”
Latinx and black New Yorkers are dying of coronavirus at a disproportionately high rate, according to newly published data on the city’s fatalities.
The data shows 521 Latinx New Yorkers have died of the virus, as well as 428 black New Yorkers. Put together, the two groups account for 61% of New York’s coronavirus deaths, even though they account for roughly half of the city’s population.
Other major cities, including Detroit and Chicago, have also seen disproportionately higher death rates among people of color, as the Guardian’s Kenya Evelyn has reported:
Local leaders and health experts are warning that the Washington metropolitan area is “an emerging hotspot” in the coronavirus crisis.
Nearly 9,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the region, according to the Wasington Post, and at least 189 people have died of the virus.
Dr Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, has repeatedly named the DC region as an area of concern for the next round of hot spots.
“We are concerned about the metro area of Washington and Baltimore,” Birx said this morning.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed frustration Monday about residents ignoring social distancing guidelines after photos surfaced of a crowd gathering at a local fish market, which was promptly shuttered.
“We had to close that market because the social distancing requirements were not being met,” Bowser said. “We cannot express enough that staying at home is every individual’s responsibility to save lives.”
A commonly cited model of the US coronavirus crisis now predicts that 60,000 Americans will die of the virus by early August, marking a significant decrease from past projections.
Reuters reports:
Surgeon general Jerome Adams similarly said yesterday that he expects the death toll to fall below the 100,000 to 240,000 range previously predicted by the White House, thanks to Americans practicing social distancing.
“That’s absolutely my expectation, and I feel a lot more optimistic, again, because I’m seeing mitigation work,” Adams said.
Dr Anthony Facui predicted schools would be able to reopen in the fall, as early evidence indicates that social distancing is having a positive effect on the country’s number of coronavirus cases.
“Bottom line is, no absolute prediction, but I think we’re going to be in good shape,” Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said during the White House briefing yesterday.
While emphasizing there is still great uncertainty around how the coming months will unfold, Fauci said he expects that “by the time we get to the fall ... we will have this under control enough that it certainly will not be the way it is now, where people are shutting schools.”
Many schools across the country are currently closed, and governors in several states have said schools will not reopen during this academic year.
The New York Times front page today includes a startling graphic on the city’s coronavirus death toll.
The newspaper used bars on a map to demonstrate the number of people who have died of the virus in each major city. The bar for New York goes past the newspaper’s masthead.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said that Monday was the deadliest day yet for the state since the coronavirus crisis started.
New York reported 731 deaths on Monday, bringing the state’s total death toll to 5,489. Most of those deaths have been concentrated in the New York Cirty area.
The Guardian’s Kenya Evelyn reports on how coronavirus is disproportionately affecting African Americans:
The disparity is especially stark in cities like New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit, where high concentrations of African Americans live.
Louisiana has the fourth largest number of Covid-19 cases in the country, and the majority of the Covid-19 deaths are in New Orleans, where black Americans constitute 60% of the population. “Slightly more than 70% of [coronavirus] deaths in Louisiana are African Americans,” the state’s governor, John Bel Edwards, said in a press conference on Monday. “That deserves more attention and we’re going to have to dig into that to see what we can do to slow that down.”
African Americans face a higher risk of exposure to the virus, mostly on account of concentrating in urban areas and working in essential industries. Only 20% of black workers reported being eligible to work from home, compared with about 30% of their white counterparts, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Experts also point to initial research showing a high prevalence of Covid-19 among those suffering from obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes – risk factors more common among black Americans. The virus is known to take a harsher toll on those with underlying health issues, and many hospitals are only testing those admitted for critical care.
Critics note that those risks are significantly exacerbated by racial inequities in healthcare, including facility closures and caps on public health insurance plans like Medicaid and Medicare. African Americans are twice as likely to lack health insurance compared with their white counterparts, and more likely to live in medically underserved areas, where primary care is sparse or expensive.
Unconscious racial bias can also contribute to unequal health outcomes, especially when health professionals are inexperienced with the culture of the community they serve, according to the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Governor JB Pritkzer of Illinois acknowledged racism’s role in the state’s response to the outbreak, but he called it “a much broader problem” that won’t be solved in a matter of weeks. “It’s hard to make up for decades, maybe centuries, of inequality of application of healthcare to people of color,” he said.
US intelligence officials were warning of a virus sweeping through the Wuhan region of China as early as November, according to an ABC News report.
ABC News reports:
This news follows reports that Trump’s top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, wrote memos starting in late January warning of a potential coronavirus pandemic with catastrophic consequences for Americans’ health and finances.
The president claimed yesterday that he had never seen Navarro’s memos, but their existence undermines his defense of the federal government’s early response to the pandemic, which has been widely criticized.
Trump urged Republicans to “fight very hard” against mail-in voting as Democrats work to expand absentee voting options amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting,” Trump tweeted. “Democrats are clamoring for it. Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans.”
Voter fraud is actually extremely rare, and many voters have been hesitant to cast their ballots in person out of fear of catching coronavirus at a polling site, as demonstrated by yesterday’s chaotic primary in Wisconsin.
Trump has previously suggested that mail-in voting could hurt Republicans’ chances in November, presumably because it would increase voter turnout.
During deliberations over the stimulus package, House Democrats pushed to give states $4 billion in election assistance, but the final bill included only $400 million.
“The things they had in there were crazy,” Trump said of the Democratic proposals last week. “They had things, levels of voting that if you’d ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Good morning, live blog readers.
The day is beginning with a grim statistic: yesterday was the deadliest day yet in the US since the start of the coronavirus crisis.
According to the Washington Post, at least 1,939 Americans died of coronavirus yesterday. That is the largest single-day death toll reported by any country since the pandemic began.
Overall, nearly 13,000 Americans have died of coronavirus, and health experts have warned this could be the worst week yet for the death toll.
However, there are also encouraging signs that Americans practicing social distancing is already having an effect on the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said yesterday that the state’s three-day average of hospitalizations is down, and surgeon general Jerome Adams predicted the overall US death toll would fall below 100,000, which was previously viewed as the lowest possibility.
“I know it’s hard, but we have to keep doing it,” Cuomo said of social distancing. “And, to the extent it takes an effort, remember at this time it is about ‘we’, and it is not about ‘me’”.
