2020-03-01: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-01). One billionaire out: Tom Steyer bows out of Democratic presidential race after 3rd-place finish in South Carolina. rt.com Billionaire activist Tom Steyer has given up on his presidential bid after failing to win any delegates in South Carolina, according to projections. Steyer has been accused of buying his way into the race, having spent millions. | Steyer dug deep into his own pockets, spending about $20 million of his own money in South Carolina alone in hopes of overcoming the 15-percent threshold that would have allowed him to win delegates in the fourth and final early voting contest before Super Tuesday. | However, it was not to be, as Steyer is now projected to win less than 12 percent of the vote in the primary, dominate…

RT (2020-03-01). 'You can't win 'em all': Sanders concedes defeat in South Carolina, says he 'believes strongly' in Super Tuesday success. rt.com Senator Bernie Sanders brushed off concerns over his second-place finish in the South Carolina primary, saying he hopes to bring it home on Super Tuesday when 14 states vote for the Democratic Party nominee. | Sanders, who was busy campaigning in Norfolk, Virginia when the South Carolina primary results came in, appeared upbeat about his campaign's future, describing it as a minor setback. | "I'm very proud that in this campaign so far we have won the popular vote in Iowa, we have won the New Hampshire primary, we have won the Nevada caucus, but you cannot win them all." | Sanders said that what he believes wi…

RT (2020-03-01). Trump calls on Bloomberg to end his 'joke of a campaign' to not chip away at Biden's votes after former VP's South Carolina win. rt.com With former VP Joe Biden's campaign back from the dead after a landslide South Carolina win, US President Donald Trump appealed to another Democratic hopeful, Mike Bloomberg, to drop out of the race for the sake of Biden. | Shortly after the South Carolina primary exit polls pointed to a convincing victory for Biden in the fourth and final early voting contest ahead of Super Tuesday, Trump took to Twitter to send a 'congratulatory' message, taking aim at fellow billionaire Bloomberg in the process. | "Sleepy Joe Biden's victory in the South Carolina Democrat Primary should be the end of Mini Mike Bloomberg's J…

Robert Borosage (2020-03-01). America's Rising Progressive Tide. zcomm.org Examining the future prospects of an energized US left, from Bernie Sanders and AOC to grassroots organisztions across America…

John Buell (2020-03-01). Bernie Sanders and the Poor Little Rich Boys. zcomm.org Why Billionaire Financiers are Bullying the Democratic Party…

Roger D. Harris (2020-03-01). Venezuela Embassy Protectors on Trial. dissidentvoice.org Judicial proceedings are taking place in DC federal court where the judge has ruled inadmissible the question whether the democratically elected Nicolás Maduro or the Trump-chosen Juan Guaidó is the legitimate president of Venezuela. Like an emperor of yore appointing regents of vassal states, US President Trump tapped then recently seated head of the suspended …

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-03-01). City/County of San Francisco leading the way to honor Historic CA Buffalo Soldier Trail. indybay.org 2020 Historic California Buffalo Soldiers Trail poised to expand amazing new opportunities throughout California underserved communities and beyond.

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-03-01). 333 Billion Dollar California Working Landscape introduced at 2020 Black Expo. indybay.org CSUS Planetarium opens eyes toward new possibilities for Black Agriculture in the 333 Billion dollar California Working Landscape…

Yasnaya Elena Aguilar Gil (2020-03-01). Writing in the face of catastrophe. zcomm.org The legal framework of the world's democracies has given shelter to the patriarchy, to capitalism and to colonialism…

Santa Cruz News Network (2020-03-01). SSP Commissioner Deletes Harassing Posts, Commits to "Professional Interactions" in Future. indybay.org Damon Bruder, Supervisor Ryan Coonerty's appointee to Santa Cruz County's Syringe Services Program (SSP) Advisory Commission, has deleted the harassing and bullying statements he made on on Facebook on February 14 about County Health officer Rachel McCullough-Sanden. Bruder, who was complaining about delays in the publication of the monthly public SSP report to the County's website, called McCullough-Sanden "daft" and made other harassing statements on social media posts that displayed a disparaging photo of her. McCullough-Sanden is an Epidemiologist and HIV Surveillance Coordinator at the Santa Cruz County Heal…

Joan Walsh (2020-03-01). Joe Biden Finally Gets a Big Win. thenation.com One billionaire is out, one to go. But is Biden's win too late?

sputniknews (2020-03-01). South Carolina Primary: Biden's 'Loyalty to Obama' Keeps Him Afloat Ahead of Super Tuesday. sputniknews.com The former US Vice President breathed new life into his stalled campaign with a decisive victory in the South Carolina primary as the presidential race is heading into the crucial Super Tuesday states next week.

sputniknews (2020-03-01). 'Get Me Off This Stage': Trump Trades Barbs Over Bloomberg's Stature…Again. sputniknews.com Donald Trump has repeatedly quipped at Michael Bloomberg's stature, claiming that the Democratic presidential hopeful stands on a box behind the podium when speaking, allegations that are rejected by Bloomberg's team.

sputniknews (2020-03-01). 'Unspeakable Violation': Kobe Bryant's Widow 'Devastated' by Report of Shared Photos of Crash Scene. sputniknews.com Earlier, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department was looking into reports that sheriff's deputies had shared some graphic images from the helicopter crash that killed NBA superstar Kobe Bryant and eight other people, including photos of the victims' remains in a setting that had nothing to do with the investigation.

RT (2020-02-29). Tulsi to MSM: Stop referring to Al-Qaeda in Syria's Idlib as 'rebels' to make them seem like 'freedom fighters'. rt.com The US media and officials who stubbornly keep referring to armed groups dominated by an Al-Qaeda offshoot in Syria's Idlib province as 'rebels' only disgrace themselves and their country, US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has said. | Gabbard, who is one of the Democratic Party contenders in the 2020 presidential race, castigated American mainstream media and Trump administration officials for a consistent effort to whitewash the extremists entrenched in the north-western province of Idlib — Syria's last major stronghold of anti-government forces. Such actions betray the memory of the 9/11 terrorist attack,…

Julie Hollar (2020-02-29). Debate Moderators Frame Questions to Define Acceptable Politics. fair.org With Super Tuesday around the corner, the Democratic presidential debates are coming to a close. The debates are ostensibly an exercise in democracy, a chance for voters to evaluate candidates' positions in order to cast a better informed vote in the nominating contest. But a review of three of the most frequent topics of debate starkly demonstrates how media hosts use their platform less to inform voters in an evenhanded way than to define which positions—and candidates—are acceptable, and which are not. | Healthcare: Both Bernie Sanders…

RT (2020-02-29). 'Bernie or brokered': Dems, media sweating as Biden makes last chance effort to challenge Sanders in South Carolina. rt.com Joe Biden may have his first primary victory in South Carolina, something that is essential for his campaign to compete against frontrunner Bernie Sanders, who continues to weather attacks from the media and Dem establishments. | After poor showings in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, Biden is looking to challenge Sanders' frontrunner status with a comeback in South Carolina, a place where he is expected to win. | Though his campaign has been riddled with gaffes and he's struggled in previous states, polling in South Carolina shows Biden has a double digit lead over his competitors. An average of polls out of S…

The Canary (2020-02-29). Trump thinks Democrats' criticism of his response to coronavirus is 'a hoax'. thecanary.co Donald Trump has lashed out at Democrats who questioned his handling of the coronavirus, calling it their new "hoax".Some Democrats have said Trump could have acted sooner to bolster the country's response to the virus. However, Trump said Democrats only want to see him fail.At a campaign rally in South Carolina, he accused Democrats of "politicising" the global outbreak, and said: They have no clue […] They tried the impeachment hoax … this is their new hoax. | The US president said Democrats were "politicising"the deadly virus (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)Trump boasted about the preventive steps he has ordered in an…

RT (2020-02-29). Washington state declares emergency over coronavirus as CDC warns risk is 'increasing'. rt.com Washington Governor Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency after three new cases of COVID-19 and one death resulting from the coronavirus were confirmed there on Saturday. Inslee said that the time had come for "proactive measures," adding that state officials have been preparing ever since the first US coronavirus case was confirmed in Snohomish County. The measure will also allow the authorities to use the National Guard if necessary. | The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have so far reported that the two new coronavirus cases were linked to a Life Care Center in Kirkland, a suburb…

Staff (2020-02-29). Virus Claims First Fatality in U.S.; Washington State Declares Emergency. truthdig.com The governor of Washington state declared a state of emergency Saturday after a man died there of COVID-19, the first such reported death in the United States. More than 50 people in a nursing facility are sick and being tested for the virus. | Gov. Jay Inslee directed state agencies to use "all resources necessary" to prepare for and respond to the coronavirus outbreak. The declaration also allows the use of the Washington National Guard, if necessary. | "We will continue to work toward a day where no one dies from this virus," the governor vowed. | Health officials in California, Oregon and Washington state are…

Staff (2020-02-29). Superdelegate Pushing Convention Effort to Stop Sanders Is Health Care Lobbyist. truthout.org A Democratic superdelegate promoting an effort to stop Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., if he fails to clinch a majority of pledged delegates is a health care lobbyist who has contributed thousands to Republicans. | William Owen, a former Tennessee lawmaker and Democratic National Committee member, was among the superdelegates quoted in a

teleSUR (2020-02-29). Biden Wins First 2020 Primary Victory in South Carolina. telesurenglish.net The Democrats' 2020 nominating fight turned to South Carolina on Saturday for the first-in-the-South primary, with Joe Biden projected as the winner, halting the rise of national leader Bernie Sanders, who got second place. | RELATED: | Voting began from the beginning with all the attention on Biden, who started out as one of the top favorites in this state, after three consecutive losses in Nevada, Iowa and Ne…

Peter Bolton (2020-02-29). Bernie Sanders could win big in November. Trump and his supporters know it. thecanary.co Bernie Sanders is the clear front-runner going into the South Carolina presidential primary. And debate is now shifting from whether Sanders can win the nomination, to whether he might actually beat Donald Trump in the general election this coming November. And it seems that not only are Sanders' supporters feeling confident he might — so are Trump's. | Growing evidence that Sanders could beat Trump: | Ahead of the

WSWS (2020-02-29). Slovenian journalist Blaž Zgaga: If Assange is extradited "the same can happen to any of us" wsws.org "If journalists cannot write about war crimes allegedly committed by Western armed forces, what is the legitimacy of these democratic countries?"

Ralph Nader (2020-02-29). American Fuhrer: Delusionary, Dictatorial Donald Trump Is Drunk on Power. commondreams.org President Donald Trump appears at a rally on the eve before the South Carolina primary on February 28, 2020 in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Trump administration is coming under increased criticism from democrats for not doing enough to prepare America for the Coronavirus. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_american_fuhrer.jpg

Staff (2020-02-29). The Broader Democratic Socialist Program Won Over Culinary Workers. truthout.org The Saturday of the Nevada Caucus began just like any other weekend for Monica Smith, an in-room dining server at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Smith works Wednesdays through Mondays and by 7: 00 a.m. she was already at her workstation. But that day she was wearing something different: Her Culinary Union t-shirt and a jacket from her volunteer organizer days. | "Don't forget, today is the day," she told her boss as she walked in. | By 11: 00 a.m., Smith, who has been a member of the union s…

Staff (2020-02-29). Vulture Funds Profiting Off Puerto Rico Gave to Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar. truthout.org This article was produced by Puerto Rico was still recovering from Hurricane Maria when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck on Jan. 7, leveling buildings along its southern coast and damaging power plan…

WSWS (2020-02-29). Democratic establishment steps up campaign against Sanders. wsws.org There is increasing talk of using the anti-democratic procedures of a "brokered convention" to block the nomination of the Vermont senator.

Julie Hollar (2020-02-29). Democratic Debate Moderators Frame Questions to Define Acceptable Politics. commondreams.org Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg looks on during the Democratic presidential primary debate at the Charleston Gaillard Center on February 25, 2020 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/michael_bloomberg_3.jpg

Common Dreams staff (2020-02-29). 'Sad Day in Our State,' Says Gov. Jay Inslee as First US Coronavirus Death Confirmed in Washington. commondreams.org President Donald Trump, under fire for his handling of the situation, was expected to hold a press conference Saturday afternoon to offer an update on the situation. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/shutter_2.jpeg

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-02-29). A Step Away From Fascism and 'Toward a Brighter More Just Future': 100+ Black Writers and Scholars Endorse Bernie Sanders. commondreams.org "When so much is at stake, not only for Black people but for all people, and all life on the planet, we feel it imperative that we step outside of our classrooms and go beyond our campuses, to speak out on the current presidential election." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/sanders_black_voters.jpg

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-02-29). 'Careful What You Wish For': Trump Urges GOP Voters to Back 'Crazy Bernie' in Democratic Primary. commondreams.org "It's pathetic and unacceptable that, while reports of coronavirus infection continue to grow and economic concerns rise," said Sanders, "Trump is flying around playing his own political game, traveling to South Carolina in an attempt to disrupt the Democratic primary." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/trump_careful_what_you_wish_for.jpg

RT (2020-02-28). Congressman threatens Don Jr. with 'serious altercation' over claim Dems 'HOPE' people get coronavirus & die so as to derail Trump. rt.com Democratic Rep. John Garamendi had some harsh words for Donald Trump Jr. after the president's son said Dems "seemingly hope" the coronavirus comes to the US and "kills millions." | The coronavirus is not only a pandemic, it's also now a political tool for Republicans and Democrats to lob across the aisle at each other. | California Congressman Garamendi perhaps went further than any politician has so far when he spoke about the disease and the political response to it in the US while appearing on MSNBC on Friday. Garamendi was particularly upset with Donald Trump Jr. over an earlier statement the president's…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-28). Will it be a Sanders bandwagon rolling into Super Tuesday? peoplesworld.org

RT (2020-02-28). Trump fans lose it with Garth Brooks for 'supporting Bernie Sanders' in NFL jersey mix-up. rt.com Country music star Garth Brooks took heat from his conservative fans after seemingly endorsing Bernie Sanders for president… when he was actually just wearing a sports jersey of an NFL Hall of Famer with the same name. | Some fans were left with the mistaken impression that Brooks was openly backing the socialist Vermont senator in the middle of the Democratic primaries by sporting the jersey at a concert. | "Can't you just do what you get paid to do? Why why why does it have to involve politics!" one Instagram commenter wrote. "Thought you were different." | The jersey doesn't reference the Vermont senat…

RT (2020-02-28). 'The Shillary Show?' Hillary Clinton is launching a podcast and Twitter isn't on board. rt.com News that failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is planning to launch her very own podcast has been met with a collective eye roll and plenty of sarcasm on social media. | Clinton is planning to launch the podcast in late spring, "just in time for her to have a powerful new megaphone during the 2020 election," Politico reported on Thursday. | The show will be co-produced by iHeartMedia, which distributes a bevy of right-wing radio shows as well as the left-wing Joe Rogan Experience, which has endorsed Clinton's 2016 archrival Bernie Sanders for president. | As if a literal plague weren't bad enough, Hi…

RT (2020-02-28). Wait, what? Biden claims he'll 'appoint' first African-American woman to US Senate in fresh gaffe. rt.com Joe Biden has aroused concerns after misspeaking yet again in public, this time in front of an audience in South Carolina, promising voters he would "appoint" the first African-American woman to the US Senate. | From accidentally pitching himself as a Senate

CounterSpin (2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…

Staff (2020-02-28). "We Want Democracy!" Mass Protests Continue in Dominican Republic After Local Elections Suspended. democracynow.org Thousands in the Dominican Republic took to the streets of the capital Santo Domingo Thursday to protest the abrupt suspension of local elections earlier this month and to commemorate the country's Independence Day. Protests have been ongoing since February 16, after the government suspended the municipal elections four hours after voting began, alleging there were "technical glitches" in the electronic ballot machines used. The machines were previously used in October 2019, and they cost the Dominican government $19 million. The Dominican people believe the alleged technical glitch is just an attempt by the ruli…

Staff (2020-02-28). No Way Out: Report Finds Central American Asylum Seekers Trapped in Mexico in Dangerous Conditions. democracynow.org A new report by Médecins Sans Frontières — or Doctors Without Borders USA — shows how migration policies imposed by the United States and Mexico have trapped thousands of Central American migrants in dangerous conditions. Called "No Way Out," it is based on nearly 500 interviews with Central American migrants and asylum seekers, most of whom say they were victims of extreme violence prior to leaving their home country or along the migration route through Mexico. Because of the so-called Migrant Protection Protocols, which serve to deter immigration, asylum seekers are often forced to remain in Mexico,…

Staff (2020-02-28). Doctors Without Borders: Cheap Coronavirus Diagnostic Kits Needed in War-Torn Areas & Refugee Camps. democracynow.org Across the U.S., officials report a severe shortage of test kits for coronavirus. New York officials say they're preparing their own kits, after kits distributed by the Centers for Disease Control failed validation tests. Meanwhile, new cases of coronavirus continue to spring up worldwide, with Nigeria reporting its first case and one of Iran's vice presidents testing positive. We discuss how MSF USA, or Doctors Without Borders USA, is responding to coronavirus, with the organization's executive director, Avril BenoàÆt.

Zoya Teirstein (2020-02-28). After Bloomberg, climate was public enemy no. 2 at Nevada Democratic debate. peoplesworld.org If you're reading this, congratulations! You've made it to the ninth — yes, the NINTH — Democratic primary debate. With each new debate, a shrinking cohort of presidential contenders has had the opportunity to make their climate pitch before millions of Americans, moderators' questions permitting. The candidates have grown increasingly adept at weaving issues like rising …

Staff (2020-02-28). Elementary School in NJ Latinx Community Fights Displacement by Robert Wood Johnson Cancer Center. democracynow.org In New Jersey, hundreds rallied at the New Brunswick Board of Education meeting Tuesday night against plans to demolish a public school to make way for Robert Wood Johnson Hospital and Rutgers University to build a new cancer center. Protesters included families and more than 30 children, who held signs reading "Save our School!" and "Stop Gentrification." If approved, 760 third-through-eighth-graders at Lincoln Annex School would be moved to a former warehouse building on the outskirts of town as they await construction of a replacement school. Even worse, the proposed new school site is located on a "brownfield…

Staff (2020-02-28). Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis in Idlib as Syrian Troops Advance & Children Freeze to Death. democracynow.org In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out offensive by the Syrian government is the single largest displacement in a nine-year war that has forced 13 million t…

Steve Early (2020-02-28). VoteVets for Buttigieg: Who's Really Keeping Us in the Dark About Campaign Funding? counterpunch.org In a Democratic primary field that once featured four military veterans, only two are still marching toward the White House. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's anti-war candidacy has sunk nearly out of sight, but Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, became a top tier contender in Iowa and New Hampshire. Flush with cash from nearly

Andrew Levine (2020-02-28). Bloomberg: What Is He Good For? counterpunch.org After winning big in Nevada and withstanding the efforts of Democratic "moderates" to throw him off track at last Tuesday's South Carolina "debate," Bernie Sanders is now enjoying what George H.W. Bush called "the big Mo." He has the wind at his back. Those moderates — Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and, worst of all, Joe

Peter Bolton (2020-02-28). Here's why Bernie Sanders was spot on with his comments about Cuba. thecanary.co Bernie Sanders has recently come Red-baiting tactics: | On 23 February, Sanders said it's "unfair to simply say everything is bad" about the Cuban Revolution. Republicans and establishment Dem…

Nick Pemberton (2020-02-28). If Bernie Sanders Is Unelectable, Then What The Hell Are The Rest Of You? counterpunch.org The New York Times complained in a recent column that Bernie Sanders has not expanded the democratic party in the primaries so far. Apparently the paper wanted him to reach more voters, likely only of the Republican variety. They blasted him as a hypocrite. The press is increasingly hysterical and ridiculous. Ever since the Sanders

Staff (2020-02-28). Headlines for February 28, 2020. democracynow.org California Monitoring 8,400 People for Coronavirus as Fears of Pandemic Grow, Syrian Airstrike Kills 33 Turkish Soldiers in Idlib, Escalating Tensions, New Justice Department Task Force Seeks to Strip Naturalized Immigrants of Citizenship, Joe Biden's Campaign Walks Back False Claims of Arrest in 1970s South Africa, Democratic Superdelegates Overwhelmingly Oppose Bernie Sanders Campaign, Mike Bloomberg Refuses to Apologize for Spying on Muslims, As NYC Mayor, Mike Bloomberg Called for Cuts to Social Security "Ponzi Scheme", ProPublica: Mike Bloomberg Advised Billionaire Sackler Family on Opioid Crisis, Emails Sho…

Rob Urie (2020-02-28). Bernie Sanders and the Socialism Question. counterpunch.org Wherever Bernie Sanders' campaign goes from here, the left critique of establishment politics is getting empirical backing through popular support for his candidacy. The establishment's response— incredulity that the little people have the temerity to question their betters, is combined with a posture of victimhood, that blameless elites are being demonized by neo-collectivist malcontents who are too stupid to appreciate the blessing that four decades of neoliberalism has bestowed on them.

Pete Dolack (2020-02-28). No Thinking Please, We're Red-Baiting. counterpunch.org The red-baiting of Bernie Sanders is in full swing. From Democrats. Yes, the silly season is upon us as Senator Sanders was roundly condemned because he believes literacy campaigns are good things. I know the United States is a uniquely anti-intellectual country, but, still, you'd think teaching reading and writing might be thought of as

Thomas Knapp (2020-02-28). Election 2020: Those Meddling Kids … counterpunch.org According to selected members of the "US intelligence community" ("selected" for their loyalty to, and willingness to promote the line of, the Democratic Party establishment) Vladimir Putin and the Russian government just love them some Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Can't get enough of 'em. If November is a Trump/Sanders shoot-out, the Kremlin wins either

Christopher D. Cook (2020-02-28). Bernie Sanders Is the Unity Candidate. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders addresses his supporters at a campaign rally at the Charleston Area Convention Center. The South Carolina Democratic primary will be held in three days. (Photo: Paul Hennessy/Echoes WIre/Barcroft Media via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_unity_candidate.jpg

Scott Tucker (2020-02-28). Pete Buttigieg: The Energizer Bunny of Hegemony. counterpunch.org Pete Buttigieg's father, Joseph Anthony Buttigieg II, who died in early 2019, was a prominent scholar of the works of Antonio Gramsci, the Italian Marxist who opposed Mussolini's fascist regime. In 1926, the prosecutor at Gramsci's trial declared, "For twenty years, we must stop this brain from functioning." Yet Gramsci continued thinking and writing in

Paul Street (2020-02-28). The So-Called Party of the People: From Nevada to South Carolina. counterpunch.org My thesis on the Democratic Party's corporate-imperialist establishment had been consistent for years: it would rather lose to the right-wing party, even to an increasingly apocalyptic and fascistic right, than to the progressive, moderately social-democratic and environmentalist left wing of its own party. That was the basic story of 2016 — a tragedy the bourgeois

Whitney Webb (2020-02-28). In Dem Debates, Corporate Media Push a Militaristic Foreign Policy: An Interview with Sam Husseini. mintpressnews.com MintPress News recently spoke to Sam Husseini about how the media promotes militaristic and even xenophobic approaches to foreign policy during the primary debates.

Fight Back (2020-02-28). Amy Klobuchar's wrongful convictions, Twitterstorm will demand justice for Myon Burrell. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, February 28, activists will be making noise on Twitter and other social media platforms to demand freedom for Myon Burrell and urging voters to reject Amy Klobuchar, who is responsible for his wrongful conviction. The Twitterstorm is being initiated by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (TCC4J) using the hashtags #FreeMyon and #NoAmyK to spread their message. | Organizers say presidential hopeful Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has used Myon's case – a case full of holes – to claim success as Hennepin County attorney and as an example of her work for the African American c…

Staff (2020-02-28). As Primaries Heat Up, Centrist Candidates Forget Their Campaign Finance Pledges. truthout.org At this time last year, newly declared Democratic primary candidates were racing to outdo each other with escalating promises to shun big money support. Contenders vowed not to take corporate PAC money, to reject lobbyists' dollars, to discourage super PACs, and to tell fossil fuel executives, "no, thank you." Now, however, many seem to be in a wholly different sort of race: to put the most distance between themselves and their prior principled stands. | Joe Biden, who disavowed a super PAC…

Joan Walsh (2020-02-28). Joe Biden Is Having His Best Week Ever. Will It Matter? thenation.com Joe Biden Is Having His Best Week Ever. Will It Matter?

Sasha Abramsky (2020-02-28). Why Is Bernie So Far Ahead in the California Primary? Organizing. thenation.com Why Is Bernie So Far Ahead in the California Primary? Organizing.

Danny Goldberg (2020-02-28). In California Before the Democratic Primary, 'Nobody Knows Anything'. thenation.com In California Before the Democratic Primary, 'Nobody Knows Anything'

Karen J. Greenberg (2020-02-28). American Democracy Is Unraveling Before Our Eyes. thenation.com American Democracy Is Unraveling Before Our Eyes…

Reza Marashi (2020-02-28). Pandemics, Politics, and Peace — Episode 11. iranian.com Episode Description: This week, Reza breaks down Trump's dangerous response to the Corona Virus, why it's bananas for the DC establishment to criticize Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren's call to drawdown US troops in the Middle East, and how Iran nuclear deal opponents have boxed themselves in. Sune Engel Rasmussen, Correspondent for The Wall Street …

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-02-28). Roaming Charges: Knives Out. counterpunch.org In response to criticism from Democratic Party centrists that Sanders didn't do enough to help Hillary in 2016, the Sandernistas are touting the fact that Sanders did 3 times as many campaign events for Hillary as Hillary did for Obama in 2008. I guess that's one way to look at it. The other is: why the hell was Bernie campaigning for Hillary, the walking distillation of every neoliberal policy he purports to loathe, at all?

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-02-28). Warren Accuses Trump of 'Bungling Every Aspect of This Crisis' as WHO Elevates Coronavirus Threat to Highest Level. commondreams.org The World Health Organization on Friday raised the global risk of the new coronavirus to its highest level and reiterated the necessity of worldwide containment efforts as U.S. President Donald Trump continued to face widespread criticism over how his administration has handled the public health crisis so far. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/tedros_who.jpg

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-02-28). "I Don't Think That You are Telling Us the Truth": House Democrats Grill Pompeo on Iran and Coronavirus. commondreams.org "You can't hide behind classification on this one because you can't classify something that doesn't exist." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1203951459.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-02-28). 'Good News for Democracy': Wisconsin Appeals Court Rejects Voter Purge Targeting More Than 200,000 People. commondreams.org Voting rights advocates applauded a Wisconsin appeals court ruling Friday which is set to stop a voter purge from going forward—sparing more than 200,000 people from having their names removed from voter lists. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/voting_2_0_0.jpeg

Mark Gruenberg (2020-02-27). Sanders joins Rev. Barber at New Poor People's Campaign. peoplesworld.org GOLDSBORO, N.C.—"Until people stand up and say" that rampant poverty and income inequality in the U.S. "is wrong, we won't have fundamental change" here, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind.-Vt., told the New Poor People's Campaign. In a q-and-a with the co-chair of the nationwide drive, the Rev. William Barber II, and campaign members and parishioners in …

RT (2020-02-27). 'Princess Diana would've been alive in America': Conservative speaker manages to offend both Brits & French in anti-medicare rant. rt.com A speaker at CPAC claimed the late Princess Diana died not because of her tragic car accident, but because France's socialized medicine prevented her from getting proper medical care. | Conservative fears of socialized medicine — a policy that presidential hopefuls like Bernie Sanders have floated — hit fever pitch at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday with a panel discussing how the late Princess Diana would have survived her 1997 car crash in Paris, France if she had been in America. | "Socialized medicine killed Princess Diana," an announcer for a panel on healthcare i…

RT (2020-02-27). 'Defund racist border wall!' Warren's 'solution' to coronavirus crisis causes mass eye-rolling on Twitter. rt.com Senator Elizabeth Warren announced a bill that would use funding for President Donald Trump's "racist border wall" to combat the coronavirus outbreak — a plan that is earning plenty of eye rolls on social media. | Warren is not letting the coronavirus crisis go to waste. The Massachusetts senator tweeted on Thursday a bill that would move funding from construction of the southern border wall in the US to the Department of Health and Human Services and US Aid to fight the disease. | The senator warned that the virus poses a "serious health, diplomatic and economic threat." Her bill would remove "all fundi…

Staff (2020-02-27). "Dead Bodies Everywhere": Hindu Nationalist Violence Rocks Delhi as Trump Visits Modi in India. democracynow.org In India, the death toll from anti-Muslim violence in Delhi has risen to at least 34, with police accused of turning a blind eye to assaults on Muslims committed by Hindu nationalist mobs. The violence began Sunday, when groups of Hindus attacked peaceful sit-ins of Muslims protesting against Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new citizenship law, which widely restricts Muslim immigration to India. Modi said nothing as the violence continued for days, instead hosting President Donald Trump on a two-day state visit in which Trump heaped praise on the Indian prime minister. We speak with Neha Dixit, i…

Staff (2020-02-27). "Pence Is Not a Medical Expert": Is the Trump Admin Ready to Stop a U.S. Coronavirus Pandemic? democracynow.org The coronavirus disease that was first diagnosed in China's Hubei province has now spread to at least 47 countries and every continent except Antarctica. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency. President Trump sought to play down the threat from coronavirus and announced Vice President Mike Pence would be his point person to coordinate government efforts to prevent a widespread outbreak. As Trump spoke, a new milestone in the novel coronavirus outbreak was reported, in a possible example of community spread: A person was diagnosed with the virus in Northern Calif…

Staff (2020-02-27). How the Climate Crisis Is Making the Spread of Infectious Diseases Like Coronavirus More Common. democracynow.org Sonia Shah is an investigative science journalist and author of "Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond." Her new book is titled "The Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move" and will be published in June. She says the climate crisis is making outbreaks of infectious diseases more common, with the destruction of natural animal habitats and the changes in migration bringing humans and animals into ever-closer contact and making new pathogens more likely. Her latest article, published in The Nation, is titled "Think Exotic Animals Are to Blame for the Coronavirus? Th…

Dakotah Lilly (2020-02-27). The Red-Baiting Attacks on Bernie Sanders Ignore His Flawed Foreign Policy Record. mintpressnews.com The right needs to stop pretending that Bernie Sanders is a Chavista, Sandinista, or the next Che Guevara, and some elements of the left need to stop doing the same.

Peter F. Crowley (2020-02-27). The New York Times' Fear of a Bernie Nomination. dissidentvoice.org The New York Times is one of the most prominent mediums for the Democratic Party establishment's talking points. On Sunday, after Bernie Sanders' landslide victory in the Nevada caucus, here is what two front page articles on the subject are saying. It amounts to a case study of the paper's and the Democratic establishment's fear …

Staff (2020-02-27). Headlines for February 27, 2020. democracynow.org Fears of Coronavirus Pandemic Grow as U.S. Cites First "Community Spread" of Pathogen, Trump Blames "Caronavirus" Fears on Democrats and Fake News Reporting, Trump Taps VP Mike Pence, Who's Blamed for Indiana HIV Outbreak, to Lead Coronavirus Response, Gunman Kills 5 at Molson Coors Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Physicians Group Calls U.S. Migrant Family Separations "Torture", U.S. Drops Charge Against Scott Warren, Who Aided Migrants Crossing Desert, House Approves Emmett Till Act to Make Lynching a Federal Hate Crime, Feds Arrest Five Neo-Nazis for Threatening Journalists and Activists, ABC Suspends David Wr…

Kevin Alexander Gray (2020-02-27). Tom Steyer's South Carolina Support Isn't Just About the Benjamins. thenation.com Tom Steyer's South Carolina Support Isn't Just About the Benjamins…

Simon Greer, Richard D. Kahlenberg (2020-02-27). Democratic Candidates Can Win by Getting Values Right. thenation.com Democratic Candidates Can Win by Getting Values Right…

Staff (2020-02-26). Bernie Sanders Gains Support in South Carolina as Billionaire Tom Steyer Draws Votes from Joe Biden. democracynow.org Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate comes just four days before South Carolina's first-in-the-South primary — and one week before more than a dozen states vote on Super Tuesday. Billionaire Tom Steyer has poured money into outreach to African-American voters, who make up more than half of South Carolina's Democratic electorate. He may help front-runner Bernie Sanders build an insurmountable delegate lead. A new Reuters poll shows Senator Sanders has overtaken former Vice President Joe Biden in support among African Americans. We speak with three guests in South Carolina: Kevin Alexander Gray, a l…

Staff (2020-02-26). "The Billionaire Election": Anand Giridharadas on How 2020 Is a Referendum on Wealth Inequality. democracynow.org The 10th Democratic presidential debate took place Tuesday in Charleston, South Carolina, and two billionaires were at either end of the stage: Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer. Front-runner Bernie Sanders, who has made attacking the power of the "billionaire class" a central theme of his campaign, stood in the middle. It was a visual representation of the split within the Democratic Party, in which a growing number of people are "rising up against plutocracy," says Anand Giridharadas, editor-at-large at Time magazine and author of "Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World." His recent piece for…

Jim Naureckas (2020-02-26). Bernie Sanders Can't Win (by as Much) Unless Youth Vote Surges (Like It Recently Has). fair.org "The first thing is to raise hell," That's not exactly the advice of

Staff (2020-02-26). Reporter: Billionaire Bloomberg Says He Released His Tax Returns as NYC Mayor. This Was a Lie. democracynow.org We speak with Bob Hennelly, an award-winning reporter for The Chief-Leader, who says that billionaire Michael Bloomberg lied during the past two Democratic presidential debates when he claimed he released his taxes while he was mayor of New York City. Hennelly covered Bloomberg during his time as mayor as a reporter for WNYC, New York's main public radio station. In 2012, he had an exchange with Bloomberg after a press conference in which the then-mayor said he didn't have to disclose his federal taxes. We hear that audio recording and discuss Bloomberg's record.

splcenter (2020-02-26). As Alabama primary nears, voter suppression is alive and well. splcenter.org All across this country, the right to vote is under attack. But with your support, we're fighting back in Southern courts and state legislatures with a newly formed team of legal, policy, and grassroots advocates.

Ben Norton (2020-02-26). Vanderbilt oligarch heir Anderson Cooper worked at CIA in college. thegrayzone.com CNN and 60 Minutes host Anderson Cooper, who red-baited Bernie Sanders over old comments praising Fidel Castro's literacy program, worked…

Staff (2020-02-26). Headlines for February 26, 2020. democracynow.org CDC Warns of "Severe" Disruption to Daily Life in U.S. as Coronavirus Spreads, DHS Secretary Grilled over Coronavirus Preparedness as Trump Downplays Risks, Two Billionaires Join Democratic Debate in SC as Rivals Target Bernie Sanders, At Least 24 Killed in India After Hindu Nationalists Attack Muslim Demonstrators, President Trump Wraps India Trip with Praise for $3.5 Billion Weapons Deal, 20 Civilians Killed in Syria's Idlib as the Red Cross Pleads for a Ceasefire, Airwars Reports U.S.-Led Strikes Killed Up to 139 Somali Civilians Since 2007, Supreme Court Rules Border Patrol Agents Who Shoot into Mexico Can't…

Fight Back (2020-02-26). Twin Cities demand release of Myon Burrell. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar (TCC4J). | TCC4J demands freedom for Myon Burrell, despite Mike Freeman's politically motivated endorsement of Klobuchar's prosecution. | On Monday, February 24, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman released a statement defending Amy Klobuchar for the wrongful conviction of Myon Burrell. Freeman claims the attacks on Klobuchar for her highly questionable handling of the case are 'politically motivated.' They are not. Activists and community members want Burrell's unfair conviction reviewed and over…

Fight Back (2020-02-26). USF students rally against racist administration. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On February 25, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a Black Students Matter rally on campus to bring attention to the racist admissions practices that the administration at the University of South Florida (USF) engages in. | Enrollment of Black students at USF has been declining for years and the percent of Black students at USF was the lowest it's been in the past decade last semester (fall 2019), at 9.4%. This is especially alarming considering that in the Tampa Bay area, where USF is located, Black people comprise 24% of the population. | "We understand how schools like USF parta…

Staff (2020-02-25). Bernie Sanders's Key to Success in Democratic Primary? Organizing in Black & Latinx Communities. democracynow.org Senator Bernie Sanders's campaign continues to ride the wave of its decisive victory Saturday in the Democratic presidential caucuses in Nevada. Sanders's win came with support from young voters, union members and Latinx voters, who strengthened his status as Democratic presidential front-runner. He won 73% of the Latino vote in Nevada, a remarkable victory that supporters hope will bode well heading into Super Tuesday and beyond. Through March 17, the Democratic primary calendar will run through seven of the 12 states where Latinx communities constitute at least 10% of the total eligible voting population. | We…

Dean Baker (2020-02-25). NYT's Look at Democratic Tax Plans Is an Orgy of Really Big Numbers. fair.org Election Focus 2020: The New York Times gives a a true orgy of really big numbers in the form of trillions of dollars of additional taxes and spending, providing readers with no context that would let them know how much impact these taxes are likely to have on the economy and/or their pocketbooks.

Staff (2020-02-25). #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke: Harvey Weinsteins of the World Can't Exist Without "Systems of Power" democracynow.org Disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of first-degree commission of a criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, but acquitted of two more serious charges. "If we turn a blind eye to the systems that they operate in, then we'll just have another Harvey Weinstein. … That's why we have to upend the systems," says Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement. We also speak with award-winning actress Rosanna Arquette, who was one of the first women to share details of Weinstein's sexual misconduct.

Staff (2020-02-25). Headlines for February 25, 2020. democracynow.org Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Rape, 2020 Democratic Candidates Gear Up for Debate as More Damning Comments by Bloomberg Surface, Bernie Sanders Defends Praise for Fidel Castro's Literacy Program, Protests in India Kill At Least 7 as Trump Continues Visit, Former Egyptian Dictator Hosni Mubarak Dies, U.K. Court Opens Deliberations on Julian Assange's Extradition Case, As Coronavirus Spreads Around the Globe, White House Requests Emergency Funding, China Sentences Bookseller Critical of Chinese Government to 10 Years in Prison, Clashes Between Haitian Police and Soldiers Leave One Dead as Anti-Gov't Protests Rag…

Aaron Maté (2020-02-25). The Russiagate Racket targets Bernie Sanders' surge. thegrayzone.com With a familiar playbook of evidence-free, anonymously sourced red-baiting, the forces behind Russiagate try to stop Bernie Sanders' primary success….

Staff (2020-02-25). "It's a Beginning": Rosanna Arquette on Weinstein Rape Conviction & How He Assaulted, Spied on Her. democracynow.org A jury has found Harvey Weinstein guilty of rape and sexual assault, following a seven-week trial in Manhattan. The jurors convicted the disgraced Hollywood producer Monday of raping then-aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a hotel room in 2013 and of sexually assaulting production assistant Miriam Haley at his apartment in 2006 by forcibly performing oral sex on her. Weinstein was convicted of first-degree commission of a criminal sexual act and third-degree rape. But he was acquitted of two more serious charges of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape. He faces a total sentence of up to 29 years in prison…

pip.hinman (2020-02-25). Direct democracy could have saved Gandolfo Gardens. greenleft.org.au

Jim Naureckas (2020-02-24). Bernie Sanders Plunges to First Place. fair.org Remember when the big winner of New Hampshire was third-place finisher Amy Klobuchar (FAIR.org, "Bernie Sanders may have come first in New Hampshire, but Amy Klobuchar won," Bloomberg (

Staff (2020-02-24). "A Stupendous Victory": Bernie Sanders Wins Nevada After Heavy Organizing in Latinx Communities. democracynow.org Senator Bernie Sanders scored a decisive victory Saturday in the Democratic presidential caucuses in Nevada, riding a wave of support from young voters, union members and Latinx voters, who strengthened his status as front-runner. His win shows the potential for the nation's largest minority group to reshape the next stage of the Democratic presidential race. In the next four weeks, six more of the 12 states with a large Latinx population will vote in the Democratic primary. On Super Tuesday, Texas, California and Colorado go to the polls. Arizona, Florida and Illinois will vote on March 17. We speak with Erika A…

Staff (2020-02-24). Sanders & Socialism: Debate Between Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman & Socialist Economist Richard Wolff. democracynow.org As Bernie Sanders's runaway win in Nevada cements his position as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, the Democratic Party establishment and much of the mainstream media are openly expressing concern about a self-described democratic socialist leading the presidential ticket. His opponents have also attacked his ambitious agenda. Last week during the primary debate in Las Vegas, Bernie Sanders addressed misconceptions about socialism. Invoking the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Sanders decried what he called "socialism for the very rich, rugged individualism for the poor." | For more, we host a…

Staff (2020-02-24). Headlines for February 24, 2020. democracynow.org Bernie Sanders Wins Nevada Caucuses by a Landslide, Calls for MSNBC's Chris Matthews to Resign After He Likens Sanders's NV Win to Nazi Takeover of France, Global Coronavirus Cases Surge, Trump Touts Defense Deal, Praises Modi at Massive Indian Rally, In Afghanistan, U.S. and Taliban Start Partial Truce, Iran: Conservatives Pick Up Bulk of Parliament Seats After 1,000s of Candidates Barred from Running, Outrage After Video Shows Israeli Bulldozer Removing Body of Killed Palestinian, Teck Resources Withdraws Application for Contested Alberta Oil Sands After Sustained Protests, Reports: Trump Admin Out to Purge Dis…

Staff (2020-02-21). Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz on Her Father's Legacy & the New Series "Who Killed Malcolm X?" democracynow.org Fifty-five years ago today, Malcolm X was assassinated. The civil rights leader was shot to death on February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. He was only 39 years old. Details of his assassination remain disputed to this day. Earlier this month, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said he was considering reopening the investigation, just days after a new documentary series about the assassination was released on Netflix called "Who Killed Malcolm X?" It makes the case that two of the three men who were convicted for Malcolm X's murder are actually innocent and that his uncaught killers wer…

Staff (2020-02-21). Headlines for February 21, 2020. democracynow.org Roger Stone Sentenced to 40-Month Prison Term, Trump Lashed at Intel Chief over Warning of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election, Germany Mourns Victims of Right-Wing Terror Attacks, Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at London Mosque, U.K. to Close Borders to "Unskilled" and Non-English-Speaking Immigrants, Protests Erupt as Acting ICE Director Challenges New York Pro-Immigrant Laws, Mexican Radio Journalist Murdered in Ciudad Juárez, February Flowers Bloom in Moscow Amid Record-High Winter Temperatures, 28 Arrested in Seattle Protesting Chase Bank Fossil Fuel Ties, Rail Blockades Continue as Protests Grow Against Coastal…