I'll put it out there: Biden DOESN'T have to make a play for Sanders' voters...

In his speech today, Bernie Sanders claimed his campaign had won the "ideological debate" and said that Biden and the DNC needed to respond to to the issues his base voters cared about. I'm going to say: no he doesn't.

In 2016, Clinton arguably needed (and didn't get) Sanders voters on the left, BECAUSE she lost marginal centrist voters (Independents and Republicans) in the Battleground States; voters who had supported Obama but either didn't like Clinton personally or were fed up with politicians from both Parties and decided to try a "businessman".

In 2020, those marginal centrist voters are gettable by Biden because they've seen what President Trump is like and don't wan't another four years of this. They're open to a safe, moderate Democratic choice (like they had in the 2018 House races) but aren't looking for a "revolution". Those (still under-voting) people on the left are also far less likely to be in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin; and we don't need more voters from NY and California.

Doesn't mean Biden can't be accomodating to the broad issues that voters on the left care about, but he doesn't need to re-craft his policy proposals to make them happy.

Trump urged Mnuchin to pressure Fed's Powell on economic stimulus in explosive tirade about coronavi

Source: Washington Post

President Trump, in an explosive tirade Monday, urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to encourage Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell to do more to stimulate the economy, three officials familiar with the exchange said, revealing the president’s mounting fury as his administration struggles to corral economic fallout from the novel coronavirus.

Trump has frequently complained about the Fed in public for at least two years, but his latest effort to pressure Mnuchin to privately push for action has not been previously reported.

During that tense Monday meeting in the Oval Office, Trump fumed that Powell never should have been appointed and is damaging the nation and his presidency.

He then told Mnuchin, who had encouraged Trump to nominate Powell in 2017, to engage with the chair and ask him to take more dramatic steps to arrest the stock market’s plummet, according to three White House officials and a senior Republican. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to reveal the exchange.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-urged-mnuchin-to-pressure-feds-powell-on-economic-stimulus-in-explosive-tirade-about-coronavirus/2020/03/11/db7bfeea-63c9-11ea-b3fc-7841686c5c57_story.html

Sarah Palin appears on THE MASKED SINGER...

Seattle Public Schools to close for two weeks in light of coronavirus concerns

Source: Seattle Times

Seattle Public Schools will close for a minimum of two weeks starting Thursday, according to an email sent to school administrators Wednesday. The district later confirmed the news in a press release.

The email said the decision was made after conferring with county and school officials. It instructs principals to treat the closure as if they are going on spring break, and lists some guidance for going forward.

“We know you do not have time to do everything and we trust that you will do your best given the circumstances,” the email said.

The announcement comes after the district’s early move to stay open in an effort to make sure children don’t suddenly see a loss in services, including instruction and food for students who need it.

Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/seattle-public-schools-to-close-for-two-weeks-in-light-of-coronavirus-concerns/

'An Eviction Notice': Chaos After Colleges Tell Students to Stay Away

Source: New York Times

The day after colleges across the country suspended classes over fears of the coronavirus, Abigail Lockhart-Calpito, a freshman from San Antonio, ran across the Harvard campus trying to get answers.

Her lectures were being replaced by online classes. Her residence hall was being cleared out. She, like thousands of others in her shoes, had a million questions: What was going to happen to her financial aid? Where would she stay? What about her credits?

The abrupt disruption of the semester caused widespread concern and a feeling of chaos on campuses across the country. Administrators saw spring break as a chance to reset the clock in the battle against the coronavirus. One after the other, like dominoes, they announced they were suspending classes and asking students to pack up and go.

Low-income students wondered whether they could afford to go home. International students had questions about their visas, which usually did not permit online learning. Graduate students worried about the effects on research projects years in the making.


Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/us/colleges-cancel-classes-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

My friend Laurie Garrett will be appearing on Lawrence O'Donnell tonight...

BREAKING: NBA to suspend the rest of its season (per CNN)

What are the odds that the Stock Exchange circuit breakers kick in tomorrow?

BREAKING: Trump bans all inbound travel from Europe for 30 days

The establishment isn't standing in Bernie Sanders' way. Voters are.