Welcome to The Hill’s Campaign Report, your daily rundown on all the latest news in the 2020 presidential, Senate and House races. Did someone forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.
We’re Julia Manchester, Max Greenwood and Jonathan Easley. Here’s what we’re watching today on the campaign trail.
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LEADING THE DAY:
Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE has his work cut out for him.
With the Democratic nomination all but certain, the former vice president is facing the task of uniting the party’s moderate and liberal wings and bringing Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE’s (I-Vt.) ultra-devoted supporters into his campaign. He’s made some overtures to progressives in recent weeks, endorsing Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE’s (D-Mass.) bankruptcy reform plan and adopting parts of Sanders’s proposal for free public colleges and universities.
Complicating Biden’s outreach efforts is the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, which has largely ground traditional campaign activities to a halt in recent weeks. For now, the former vice president will have to settle for virtual events – a reality that worries some of his supporters who see his face-to-face retail politicking as his greatest asset.
Biden has already started his appeal to Sanders’s supporters. In a livestreamed address on Tuesday night, following his victories in the Florida and Illinois primaries, he insisted that while he and Sanders may “disagree on tactic,” they “share a common vision” for the country. “Let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders: I hear you. I know what’s at stake. I know what we have to do,” he said. “Our goal as a campaign and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party and then to unify the nation.”
Strategists say that showing respect for Sanders and the progressive movement he leads is a good first step for Biden.
“A big piece of this is tone and attitude,” Mark Longabaugh, a senior adviser to Sanders’s 2016 presidential campaign, said. “I don’t want to rehash the 2016 campaign over again, but [Hillary] Clinton just had this attitude that she won so everybody needed to get on board. Well that’s true. She won. But Bernie has displayed some strength among key constituencies. The key thing for Biden is to show that he’s not contemptuous of Bernie or Bernie’s wing of the party and that he wants them to be part of his team.”
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–Max Greenwood
READ MORE:
Biden seeks transition to general election campaign, by The Hill’s Amie Parnes
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Warren on endorsement: ‘I think Bernie needs space to decide what he wants to do next,’ by The Hill’s Tal Axelrod
Connecticut becomes latest state to delay its primary, by Tal
Poll: Biden leads Sanders by 17 points in Connecticut, by The Hill’s John Bowden
FROM THE TRAIL:
Rep. Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardGabbard drops defamation lawsuit against Clinton It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process 125 lawmakers urge Trump administration to support National Guard troops amid pandemic MORE (D-Hawaii) ended her presidential campaign on Thursday and threw her support behind Biden, Tal reports. Her exit from the race follows weeks of dismally low finishes in primary contests across the country. Her decision to endorse Biden marks a change of course for the Hawaii congresswoman, who previously backed Sanders’s 2016 presidential bid. In a statement to supporters, she acknowledged that she has disagreements with Biden, but said that he was well positioned to heal the country’s partisan divisions. “Although I may not agree with the Vice President on every issue, I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people,” she said.
Twitter on Thursday denied a request by President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s campaign to put a “manipulated media” warning tag on content spread by Democrats under the social media giant’s new policy aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation. According to emails reviewed by The Hill, the Trump campaign flagged new content on Twitter that it said had been deceptively edited to make it seem like the president had called the coronavirus a “hoax.” Jonathan Easley reports.
PERSPECTIVES:
Bernard Goldberg: Trump’s hurdles include Biden, a scary virus and a shaky economy
J.T. Young: Biden may be from the establishment but he’s no moderate
FROM CONGRESS AND THE STATES:
Sen. Sherrod BrownSherrod Campbell BrownHillicon Valley: Senators raise concerns over government surveillance of protests | Amazon pauses police use of its facial recognition tech | FBI warns hackers are targeting mobile banking apps Democratic senators raise concerns over government surveillance of protests Some realistic solutions for income inequality MORE (D-Ohio) expressed concern on Wednesday that President Trump could use the coronavirus outbreak or another issue to delay the November presidential election, pointing to the recent decisions of several states to postpone primaries in the face of the pandemic. “My concern is that in the age of Trump that other governors might think, or that the president might ask, for a delay in the November election based on something, perhaps this, perhaps something else,” Brown told reporters on a conference call, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Montana Gov. Steve BullockSteve BullockKoch-backed group launches ad campaign to support four vulnerable GOP senators Overnight Energy: US Park Police say ‘tear gas’ statements were ‘mistake’ | Trump to reopen area off New England coast for fishing | Vulnerable Republicans embrace green issues Vulnerable Republicans embrace green issues in battle to save seats MORE (D) and Sen. Steve DainesSteven (Steve) David DainesSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Koch-backed group launches ad campaign to support four vulnerable GOP senators OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior faces legal scrutiny for keeping controversial acting leaders in office | White House faces suit on order lifting endangered species protections | Lawmakers seek investigation of Park Police after clearing of protesters MORE (R) are tied in the race for Daines’s Senate seat, according to a poll released Thursday from left-leaning pollster Public Policy Polling (PPP).
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POLL WATCH:
HARTFORD COURANT/SACRED HEART – CONNECTICUT PRIMARY
Biden: 42 percent
Sanders: 25 percent
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
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(Keep in mind these dates could change because of the outbreak.)
April 4:
Alaska Democratic primary
Hawaii Democratic primary
Wyoming Democratic caucuses
April 7:
Wisconsin Democratic primary
April 26:
Puerto Rico Democratic primary
April 28:
Delaware primaries
New York primaries
Pennsylvania primaries
Rhode Island primaries
ONE HOPEFUL THING
Yesterday we told you about a number of grocery stores around the world which are setting aside hours exclusively for the elderly and those especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Today we’re going to tell you about Tonka the Great Dane, who is spreading comfort and cheer to those quarantined during these stressful and uncertain times.
KXAN reports that Tonka, a certified therapy dog with the Dog Alliance in Cedar Park, Texas, was a frequent visitor to the area’s senior community before the coronavirus outbreak. The virus isn’t stopping the Great Dane’s work.
While Tonka may not be able to go inside the senior facilities anymore, he’s been doing curb-side appearances.
Even though this therapy dog and his trainer aren’t allowed to go inside the Texas nursing home due to the coronavirus, Tonka the Great Dane is still bringing smiles to the residents’ faces. https://t.co/igyLW5PtFP pic.twitter.com/gaGiCeJc1x
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) March 19, 2020
“We learned that with the recent events all therapy visits will be discontinued for safety purposes, of course, and containment. We really missed our visits, and I thought, what can I do personally, on my own, to try and continue some of the feelgood that this wonderful dog gives to everyone? So they were kind enough to go with the idea I had,” Tonka’s owner Leigh told KXAN.
Stay safe and stay home, folks!