With coronavirus, Trump's lies and his reassurances backfire  —  It mattered when the White House press secretary, in his first day on the job, lied about President Trump's inaugural crowd size.  —  It mattered when Trump said that wind turbines cause cancer.

U.S. workers without protective gear assisted coronavirus evacuees, HHS whistleblower says  —  Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak …

No, Not Sanders, Not Ever  —  He is not a liberal, he's the end of liberalism.  —  A few months ago, I wrote a column saying I would vote for Elizabeth Warren over Donald Trump.  I may not agree with some of her policies, but culture is more important than politics.  She does not spread moral rot the way Trump does.

Joe Biden's campaign isn't dead yet  —  CHARLESTON, S.C. — Just as his White House bid appeared to be sputtering to an ugly end, there are signs of life for Joe Biden still.  —  And perhaps more than that.  —  A second-place finish in Nevada, a major endorsement in South Carolina …

WBUR Poll: Sanders Opens Substantial Lead In Mass., Challenging Warren On Her Home Turf  —  With Super Tuesday just days away, a new WBUR poll finds Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders well ahead of Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her home state of Massachusetts.  —  The poll shows Sanders is the choice …

Trump Spends 45 Minutes With ‘Deep State’ Play Actors Amid Coronavirus Mayhem  —  Meanwhile, the man he tapped to run point on the virus, VP Pence, took to a conservative activists conference and had meetings with pro-Trump media luminaries.  —  NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — One day after briefing …

Turkey will no longer stop Syrian migrant flow to Europe, official says  —  Turkey has decided to no longer stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe by land and sea, a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Thursday, in anticipation of the imminent arrival of refugees from Syria's Idlib where nearly a million have been displaced.

Final Iowa Caucus Results: Pete Buttigieg Wins  —  The final Iowa Caucus results are finally final: Pete Buttigieg has won (still).  —  This evening, the Iowa Democratic Party released the results of the recount requested by Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg's campaigns for 23 precincts.

Michael Bloomberg's North Carolina Game Is Seriously Unlike Anything Else  —  The Super Tuesday state is the former New York mayor's best shot at primary delegates — and he knows it  —  eeing the Bloomberg presidential campaign up close, there is no easy way to describe it.

Bernie Sanders holds 2-1 lead in California, poll shows  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders has taken a commanding lead in California's Democratic presidential race, ahead of his nearest rival by 2 to 1 and on track to win a majority of the huge trove of delegates at stake in the state's March 3 primary …

When the Billionaire Family Behind the Opioid Crisis Needed PR Help, They Turned to Mike Bloomberg  —  Bloomberg gave media advice to the Sacklers and recommended his longtime mayoral spokesman to them.  The relationship could shadow his presidential bid.  —  Long celebrated …

What's on Mike Pence's schedule as coronavirus point man?  A fundraiser in Florida.  —  The $25,000-per-plate GOP event featuring the vice president is in Longboat Key.  —  The country's new point man on coronavirus response, Vice President Mike Pence, is expected to travel to Florida on Friday — but not on a public health mission.

Five Ways William Barr Is Turning America Into a Dictatorship  —  Trump's attorney general has corrupted the Justice Department and willfully abetted the president's lawlessness.  —  Attorney General William Barr, seen here earlier this month, has made only minimal gestures to push …

Roger Stone lashes out in Florida testimony  —  Take a look inside a Roger Stone Deposition  —  Roger Stone looked like a man on edge, under extreme stress and struggling to contain pent-up fury.  —  The GOP provocateur was just days away from finding out his fate from a criminal case …

FDA reports 1st drug shortage due to novel coronavirus outbreak  —  The FDA said the issue continues to be “an evolving and very dynamic” one.  —  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it's been alerted to the first manufacturing shortage of an unnamed drug, due to a viral coronavirus outbreak …

Trump Isn't Easing Coronavirus Forebodings  —  If it hits America hard, a lot will change—the national mood, cultural habits, the economy.  —  Punditry 101: It's bad when you don't write about what you're thinking about.  All week I was taking notes knowing I'd be looking at South Carolina, Super Tuesday and this week's debate.

Coming to a podcast near you: Hillary Clinton  —  Hillary Clinton is starting a podcast.  —  The former first lady, secretary of State, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee is planning to launch a new audio program in late spring, just in time for her to have a powerful new megaphone during the 2020 election.

White Gay Men Are Destroying Queer Black Lives With “Party ‘n’ Play” Sex And Meth Addiction  —  Two black men were found dead from meth overdoses in the LA home of Democratic donor Ed Buck.  In a new, three-part series, young queer men of color tell BuzzFeed News how rich white men are weaponizing …

Republicans growing nervous about 2020 economy  —  Republicans who have been counting on a roaring economy to power President Trump and GOP congressional candidates on Election Day are growing nervous because of the economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus.