Category Archives: US elections 2020

The final sprint: will any of the Democratic candidates excite voters?

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Biden is too gaffe-prone; Sanders and Warren are too far left; Buttigieg, too young. But which one is capable of beating Trump?

Democrats overwhelmingly agree that their top priority in 2020 is to remove Donald Trump from office. But which of the many Democrats running for president is best suited to the task remains a source of deep anxiety and division less than five weeks before the Iowa caucuses.

After more than a year of campaigning, the Democratic presidential primary enters the final sprint before voting begins on 3 February in Iowa in a familiar but fluid state: Joe Biden in the lead, trailed by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren with Pete Buttigieg also showing signs of strength in the early states.

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Bernie Sanders calls out Buttigieg’s billionaire fundraising: ‘exactly the problem with politics’

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Exclusive: the Vermont senator speaks to the Guardian about his rivals’ support from billionaires, and his plan to beat Trump

Bernie Sanders on Friday doubled down on criticism of fellow Democratic presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden over the support they’ve received from billionaire donors, arguing his 2020 rivals’ fundraising was “exactly the problem with American politics”.

Related: Billionaire candidates spent $15m on TV ads in California. What if they'd spent it on housing?

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Nancy Pelosi on Trump: ‘He’ll be impeached for ever’ – live

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  • ‘No matter what the Senate does – he’s impeached for ever’
  • Trump to sign spending deal today including $738bn defense bill
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That’s all from me. Thanks for sticking around for the tail end of this momentous week.

Here’s a summary of the day’s major stories:

Bernie Sanders spoke with my colleague Sam Levin this morning, and reiterated his critique of Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and billionaires:

They will tell you, ‘It doesn’t impact me. It really doesn’t mean anything to me.’ That is clearly nonsensical. Why would billionaires and wealthy people be making large contributions if it didn’t mean something to them?

The United Kingdom, last I heard, is not the United States. Brexit is not a major part of what this campaign is about. The issues that I am campaigning on, in fact, are precisely the issues the American people support. Talk about raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. Four years ago when I introduced that concept, it was a radical idea. Not radical anymore.

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Who won the last Democratic debate? | Nathan Robinson

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Buttigieg was targeted by opponents and Elizabeth Warren had the best line of the night. But there were no clear winners

This was a lively one. The latest Democratic debate won’t change the course of the presidential primary – debates generally don’t. But there were a few spirited clashes between candidates that served to highlight crucial differences.

Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg repeatedly locked horns, even though the differences between them politically are not substantial. It is clear that Klobuchar has an intense dislike for Buttigieg: she professed herself insulted by his previous comments about the limited value of “Washington experience”, pointing out that Buttigieg had never managed to win a statewide election. Buttigieg, for his part, gave a righteously indignant defense of the significance of small-town America that could have been scripted by Aaron Sorkin. (You might not think we matter out in South Bend, Senator, but the firefighters and teachers I proudly serve – this is not an exact quote, but you get the picture.)

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Democratic debate: Warren, Sanders, Biden and Yang face off in LA – live updates

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Candidates take the stage at Loyola Marymount University as impeachment dominates the headlines

The Guardian’s Lois Beckett is in Los Angeles and has been speaking with voters ahead of tonight’s debate. Here’s what they had to say about the respective candidates ….

.@stephenroelewis, 50, and his son Daniel Roe Lewis, 20, are here from the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. Daniel supports Sanders, for his strong environmental platform; and Yang, for his universal basic income plan. pic.twitter.com/ZH0kJileif

Two LA friends outside the debate, talking about Warren’s electability.

Warren is from the Midwest, Beatina says. “She has that Midwest nice thing.”

“Does she?” Christine asks, very skeptical. To her, Warren reads as very Northeast. pic.twitter.com/Tojd6w8Tci

Alayshia Barker-Vaughn, 18, is leaning towards Elizabeth Warren. She likes her outreach to voters of color, her focus on healthcare, the fact she’s a woman, and her “charisma.”

“Her charisma & how she engages with an audience is very unique.” pic.twitter.com/J6UlMDGc2w

The sixth Democratic debate is officially underway, and seven candidates will now face off the day after the impeachment of Donald Trump.

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McConnell and Pelosi set for showdown over next steps of Trump impeachment

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  • Not clear when articles of impeachment will reach Senate
  • Pelosi threatens delay until she receives assurances of fair trial

As Washington awoke on Thursday to the realisation that it had impeached the third US president in American history, the capital remained racked with uncertainty about what will come next in an impeachment process defined by almost total partisanship and rancor.

Related: Trump impeachment charges 'absolutely made up', says Putin

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Trump’s impeachment may be just another battle in the US’s civil war

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Trump will be wounded, seething, hellbent on revenge – and turn the weight of impeachment against his foes in 2020

After Donald Trump’s inaugural address, George W Bush turned to Hillary Clinton and said: “Well, that was some weird shit,” the former secretary of state confirmed earlier this month.

For nearly three years since that chilly day here at the US Capitol in Washington, Democrats (and many others) have accused of Trump using and abusing the United States like his personal punchbag. On Wednesday, that slice of America finally punched back via impeachment.

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Trump accuses Democrats of ‘open war on American democracy’ in stinging impeachment letter – live

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President sends six-page letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi condemning inquiry as ‘unprecedented and unconstitutional abuse of power’

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A message from the Guardian US editor-in-chief:

This year, readers across all 50 states supported our journalism, allowing us to thrive in a challenging climate for publishers. Thank you.

Here’s a recap of today:

Related: Trump impeachment inquiry: a timeline of key events so far

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Trump impeachment: Schumer says Senate trial without witnesses would be ‘cover-up’ – live

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Senate minority leader criticized the White House for its handling of the impeachment inquiry, saying ‘trials have witnesses’

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Speaking to reporters in the cabinet room at the White House, Trump said Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, had not shared “too much” with him after returning from Ukraine.

Hmm...Asked what Giuliani shared with him upon his return from Ukraine, Trump says, "Not too much. But he’s a very great crime fighter…He’s a great person who loves our country. And he does this out of love, believe me. " Giuliani told WSJ he had more than Trump could imagine.

According to a newly released poll, Trump’s approval rating has edged up a bit and opposition to impeachment has slightly decreased since the start of the public impeachment hearings.

The Quinnipiac poll found 43 percent of registered voters approve of Trump’s job performance, compared to 38 percent in an Oct. 23 poll.

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Man with the money: Democrats cry foul as Bloomberg splashes the cash

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The billionaire is controversially dodging the early voting states amid a $100m ad blitz but some see a wider boost for the party

House Democrats received some welcome news on Wednesday: Michael Bloomberg was coming to their rescue once again.

Related: Amy Klobuchar: 'I will reverse Trump abortion policies in the first 100 days'

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‘Let’s do this!’: Megan Rapinoe endorses Elizabeth Warren for president

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  • Soccer star praises Warren for being ‘bold and real’
  • SI Sportsperson of the Year posts video of call with candidate

Two-time World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe has announced her support for the Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren.

“I truly believe the best things in life are a result of being bold and being real,” wrote the soccer star, whom Sports Illustrated this week named Sportsperson of the Year.

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Warren, Biden and other Democrats threaten to boycott debate amid labor feud

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  • Union plans to picket Loyola Marymount University venue
  • Warren calls for DNC to find solution in line with principles

All the Democratic presidential candidates slated to participate in next week’s debate have threatened to skip the event if an ongoing labor dispute forces them to cross picket lines on the university campus where the debate will be hosted.

A labor union says it will picket as Loyola Marymount University hosts Thursday’s sixth Democratic debate, and Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders responded by tweeting they would not participate if that meant crossing it. Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang followed suit.

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Jewish groups criticize Trump for antisemitic stereotypes in speech

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Trump urged to appeal to Jewish voters in ways that don’t use ‘money references that feed age-old and ugly stereotypes’

Prominent American Jewish organizations have criticised comments made by Donald Trump in a speech to the Israeli American Council.

Related: Trump: if Jared Kushner can't achieve peace in Middle East, 'it can't be done'

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Joe Biden lashes out at voter: ‘You think I thought you’d vote for me?’ – video

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Joe Biden got into a spat with a voter at a campaign event in Iowa on Thursday in an exchange that had the Democratic 2020 hopeful lashing out at the man and seeming to call him 'fat'. The man in the audience described himself as an 84-year-old retired farmer, then argued that Biden was too old to be president and pressed him on his son's business activities in Ukraine.

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‘You’re a damn liar’: Biden lashes out at voter and seems to call him fat

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2020 contender appeared to say ‘look, fat’ after 84-year-old man questioned his age and his son Hunter’s business activities

A voter at a campaign event in Iowa got into a spat with Joe Biden on Thursday in an exchange that had the Democratic 2020 hopeful slamming the man as a “damn liar” and seeming to call him “fat”, which had conservatives leaping up to attack the candidate.

The man in the audience took the microphone and described himself as an 84-year-old retired farmer, then argued that Biden is too old to be president and pressed him on his son’s business activities in Ukraine, saying the former vice-president had “sent” Hunter to the country to work with an energy company.

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John Kerry endorses Joe Biden in 2020 Democratic presidential race – live

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The former secretary of state under Obama said Biden’s ‘decency and the experiences that he brings to the table are critical to the moment’

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House speaker Nancy Pelosi has pressed ahead with impeachment, saying: “The President leaves us no choice but to act … Our democracy is what is at stake.” The stakes could not be higher: has the US constitution, the basis of US democracy, been violated by Donald Trump? If so, can both the constitution and the president survive?

In a fractured, poisonous political climate, the Guardian will steer an independent, fact-based path through the impeachment hearings. The need for rigorous, robust reporting has never been greater.

As 2020 approaches, we’re asking our US readers to help us raise $1.5m by early January to support our journalism in the new year. We hope you’ll consider making a year-end gift.

We also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the Guardian in 2019. You provide us with the motivation and financial support to keep doing what we do.

Bernie Sanders will join youth climate protesters planning sit-ins around the country tomorrow “at the offices of establishment Democrats who have yet to back the Green New Deal,” according to a press release from the Sunrise Movement.

We are the climate campaign.

Our Green New Deal is the only proposal put forth by any candidate that is bold enough to take on the crisis we face.

Thank you to @sunrisemvmt for your leadership! https://t.co/gAptQcEMm8

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Kamala Harris: how the ‘female Obama’ started with a bang and went downhill

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The California senator’s campaign began with a huge rally but factional infighting and lack of a clear message took their toll

Newspaper editors infamously prepare obituaries before their subjects have died, keeping them ominously in reserve until the moment of truth.

Related: Kamala Harris drops out of Democratic 2020 presidential race

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Trump abused presidency for own gain, Democrats’ impeachment report concludes

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  • Democrats vote to adopt the report, moving the inquiry forward
  • They say evidence shows president improperly pressured Ukraine to influence 2020 election
  • Help us cover the critical issues of 2020. This Giving Tuesday, consider making a contribution

The US House intelligence committee voted on Tuesday evening to adopt Democrats’ damning 300-page impeachment report, moving the inquiry into Donald Trump into its next phase.

Trump “abused the power of his office for personal and political gain, at the expense of [US] national security”, congressional Democrats concluded in the report released on Tuesday, which laid out incriminating conclusions after two weeks of public hearings.

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Republicans release 123-page impeachment report defending Trump – as it happened

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Wrapping up our live coverage for tonight. The president is now in London for the Nato summit as the House intelligence committee prepares to review its report on the impeachment inquiry. Among today’s many impeachment-adjacent developments:

Trump’s Attorney General, William Barr, has told associates he disagrees with the Justice Department’s inspector general on a central finding of a forthcoming report — that the FBI had enough information in the summer of 2016 to justify launching an investigation into members of the Trump campaign, the Washington Post reports.

The report from Justice Department’s inspector general Michael Horowitz is expected to be made public in a week.

Political appointee of the president refuses to accept conclusion from independent watchdog that doesn't serve president's political needs:https://t.co/EeVCxKVQbl

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Faith, but fury too, for Donald Trump at home

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The US president arrives this week from a split nation amid signs of a Democratic revival

Reality. We all used to know what it meant. The world as it is. Objective facts that provide the foundation for rational – not emotional – judgments and actions.

But the old definition of reality has taken a serious beating during the nearly three years Donald Trump, the reality-show president, has been in office. Partly because Trump himself seems to live in a reality separate from the one most of us inhabit. Partly because too many people still can’t accept the objective facts of his presidency.

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