Partial Results from Iowa Caucus Show Buttigieg Leading in Delegate Count
FEB 05, 2020
In Iowa, partial results from Monday’s caucus show former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg with a narrow lead over Senator Bernie Sanders in the delegate count — while Sanders continues to lead the popular vote overall. This is Buttigieg speaking in New Hampshire.
Pete Buttigieg: “A little later than we anticipated, but better late than never, official, verified caucus results are coming in from the state of Iowa. They’re not complete, but results are in from a majority of precincts. And they show our campaign in first place.”
Seventy-one percent of the precinct results have been announced so far. It is not clear when the rest of the results will be announced.
Democratic officials have attributed the chaos in Iowa to a newly created app, built by a little-known firm called Shadow. The New York Times reports the company was founded by members of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and its previous work had been marred by failures and a near bankruptcy. Nevada’s state Democratic Party says it will not not use the Shadow app in its upcoming caucus. Buttigieg’s campaign paid Shadow $42,500 for “software rights and subscriptions.” Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is currently in fourth place in Iowa, also had contracts with Shadow in 2019.
Many say the fiasco in Iowa may mark the end of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus tradition. In a piece headlined “Kill the tradition: N.H. and Iowa should not vote first,” The Boston Globe editorial board called for “the end of an antiquated system that gives outsized influence in choosing presidents to two states that, demographically, more resemble 19th-century America than they do the America of today.” We’ll have more on what we know — and still don’t know — from Iowa after headlines.
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Democrats Boycott & Walk Out of Trump’s State of the Union Address
FEB 05, 2020
Amid the chaos in Iowa and President Trump’s expected acquittal today in his impeachment trial, Trump gave the annual State of the Union address Tuesday night. During his 78-minute speech, Trump made his case for re-election while touting the economy, trying to stoke fear and xenophobia about “criminal aliens,” and calling public schools “government” schools. A number of Democratic lawmakers protested his address. Michigan Congressmember Rashida Tlaib, Ohio Congressmember Tim Ryan, New Jersey Congressmember Bill Pascrell and Massachusetts Congressmember Seth Moulton all walked out of Trump’s speech. Others didn’t attend at all, including New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Massachusetts Congressmember Ayanna Pressley, Texas Congressmember Al Green, Georgia Congressmember Hank Johnson, Tennessee Congressmember Steve Cohen, Oregon Congressmember Earl Blumenauer, Florida Congressmember Frederica Wilson, Mississippi Congressmember Bennie Thompson, Illinois Congressmember Bobby Rush and California Congressmember Maxine Waters. Democratic congressmembers who did attend the speech also broke into chants of “H.R. 3” when Trump spoke about lowering drug prescription prices. H.R. 3 is a House-passed bill that would require Medicare to negotiate for lower prices on insulin and other life-saving medications. Trump refused to shake House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s hand. She later ripped up a copy of his speech after he finished speaking.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “It was a manifesto of mistruths.”
During Trump’s speech, the father of one of the victims of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, was thrown out, after he shouted about his daughter Jaime’s death. Fred Guttenberg was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s guest at the State of the Union. He interrupted Trump’s speech when Trump touted his pro-gun positions. And Melania Trump bestowed the Medal of Freedom on right-wing radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who has spread racist conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama, among other racist lies. We’ll have more on the State of the Union later in the broadcast.
Death Toll of Coronavirus Approaches 500
FEB 05, 2020
The World Health Organization is calling on countries not to impose medically unnecessary restrictions as the coronavirus spreads, warning these moves can fuel racism without improving public health.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “We reiterate our call to all countries not to impose restrictions inconsistent with the international health regulations. Such restrictions can have the effect of increasing fear and stigma with little public health benefit.”
The virus’s death toll is approaching 500 people — nearly all of whom are in China — with nearly 25,000 people infected worldwide. The virus has also unleashed a wave of anti-Chinese racism and xenophobia.
Report: Israel Pushes U.S. to Recognize Moroccan Sovereignty over Occupied Western Sahara
FEB 05, 2020
The news outlet Axios is reporting Israel is pressuring the United States to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over occupied Western Sahara. Morocco has occupied Western Sahara since 1975. Currently no other country on Earth — besides Morocco — recognizes its sovereignty over the territory. Click here to see our full coverage of Western Sahara’s struggle for independence, including our on-the-ground report from Western Sahara.
Magnitude 5.0 Earthquake Rattles Puerto Rico
FEB 05, 2020
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake rattled Puerto Rico Tuesday as residents are still recovering from a magnitude 6.4 earthquake last month that destroyed homes, left 300,000 people without water and knocked out the power for two-thirds of the island. Tuesday’s quake was the 11th earthquake to hit Puerto Rico in the last month.
Canadian Court Dismisses Indigenous Challenge to Trans Mountain Pipeline
FEB 05, 2020
Image Credit: Sally T. Buck
Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed a challenge to the $5.6 billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline brought by four indigenous groups, who say they were not adequately consulted about the pipeline expansion project. The ruling greenlights the construction of the project, which will triple the pipeline’s capacity to as much as 890,000 barrels of oil per day.
Homelessness Among School-Age Children Hits Decade-Long High
FEB 05, 2020
Image Credit: Levi Clancy
New data shows homelessness among school-age children in the United States has surged to a decade-long high. More than 1.5 million public school students experienced homelessness during the 2017-'18 school year. That's more than double the number of students who were homeless over a decade ago. Experts say homelessness can have long-term effects on a student’s health and academic performance.
HBO Max Picks Up Documentary “On the Record”
FEB 05, 2020
In media news, HBO Max has picked up the documentary “On the Record,” which chronicles the stories of the women who have accused hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. The documentary also explores the ways in which women of color are often silenced or sidelined in the movement against sexual violence.
Judge Reverses Convictions of No More Deaths Volunteers
FEB 05, 2020
A federal judge has reversed the convictions of four humanitarian volunteers with the group No More Deaths. The four volunteers had been fined and sentenced to probation last year after they left food and water for migrants inside the scorching Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge in the summer of 2017. Arizona Judge Rosemary Márquez’s reversal of their convictions comes after another member of No More Deaths, Scott Warren, was found not guilty after he provided food, water and shelter to migrants who survived the perilous journey across the Sonoran Desert.
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