memeorandum: Empty stadiums and no more selfie lines? Coronavirus becomes 2020 X-factor. (David Siders/Politico)

6:45 PM ET, February 29, 2020

Top Items:

Man in Washington state first in US to die from new virus — A man has died in Washington state of COVID-19, state health officials said Saturday, marking the first such reported death in the United States. — State officials issued a terse news release announcing the death, gave no details and scheduled a news conference.

Discussion: Mediaite

Washington Post:

Live updates: New coronavirus cases indicate virus is spreading in U.S.; FDA expands testing — More coronavirus infections were reported from South Korea to France to Qatar on Saturday after health officials in Washington state, Oregon and California on Friday reported a worrying development …

Discussion: NBC News, The Daily Beast, Occupy Democrats, Slate, WAVY-TV, Twitchy, Vox, POLITICUSUSA, UPI, The Post Millennial, Raw Story, LiveScience, Fox News and New York Post

Ted Hesson / Reuters:

Exclusive: U.S. weighs restrictions at border with Mexico over coronavirus threat — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering imposing entry restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border to control the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, according to two U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.

Discussion: Political Flare and Raw Story

KIRO:

Department of Health confirms first coronavirus death in Washington state — The Washington Department of Health confirmed Saturday the first coronavirus-related death in Washington state, according to a press release. — Health officials said there are new King County cases in addition to the two new cases confirmed Friday evening.

Discussion: The Seattle Times, Breitbart, Fox News, Daily Kos, TheBlaze and New York Post

New York Times:

Coronavirus Updates: First Death in U.S. Confirmed In Seattle Area — The death comes as unexplained new cases in Washington State, Oregon and California suggest local, person-to-person spread of the virus in the United States. — RIGHT NOW A person in King County, Washington, near Seattle …

Discussion: Vox, CNBC, The Daily Beast, Gothamist and Mother Jones

Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:

First coronavirus death in the U.S. happens in Washington state — The person who died was a man in his 50s who had underlying health conditions. — Health officials in Washington state said on Saturday a coronavirus patient has died. — The death is the first from coronavirus illness COVID-19 in the United States.

Discussion: Vox, Townhall, SFist, Mashable, The Week and Deadline

Tara Lee / governor.wa.gov:

Inslee issues COVID-19 emergency proclamation — Gov. Jay Inslee today declared a state of emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19, directing state agencies to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to the outbreak. — “This will allow us to get the resources we need,” Inslee said.

Discussion: Breitbart and Talking Points Memo

Tony Romm / Washington Post:

Millions of tweets peddled conspiracy theories about coronavirus in other countries, an unpublished U.S. report says — The study, which said it excluded the United States, found early signs that some of the activity may have been coordinated and inauthentic

New York Times:
First U.S. Death in Coronavirus Outbreak Reported in Washington State

Discussion: The Wrap

Los Angeles Times: First U.S. coronavirus death reported in Washington state; California braces for virus' spread

Marisa Schultz / Fox News:
Trump assures nation after 1st American coronavirus death: ‘No reason to panic’

Discussion: The Guardian and Politico

ABC News: President Trump confirms 1st known death in US from coronavirus

Maegan Vazquez / CNN:
Trump says additional coronavirus cases ‘likely’ as US confirms first death

Discussion: Big League Politics, The Week and Redstate

CBS News:

South Carolina primary election live updates — Voting is underway in South Carolina's pivotal primary, the last primary before Super Tuesday. Joe Biden is hoping for his first 2020 win and Bernie Sanders has momentum from his victories in New Hampshire and Nevada, and his popular vote lead in Iowa.

Discussion: Townhall, NBC News and CNN

Matt Stevens / New York Times:

2020 South Carolina Primary: Live Coverage — The South Carolina Democratic primary, where 54 delegates are at stake, is here. It's the first time in the nomination process that a majority-black electorate will have their voices heard. — The polls open at 7 a.m. and close …

Discussion: Vox, PJ Media Home and CNN

Li Zhou / Vox: Live results for the South Carolina Democratic primary

Maggie Severns / Politico:
Biden gets a late burst of cash at a key moment

Discussion: Vox, The Hill, Axios and Washington Post

Steven Nelson / New York Post: Trump urges South Carolina Republicans to vote for Bernie Sanders

Marc Caputo / Politico: ‘Too much detail’: South Carolina holds firm for Biden despite rambling, graphic speeches

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times: 'We're the Base': Black Democrats in South Carolina Want to Send a Message

Nellie Bowles / New York Times:

The Pied Pipers of the Dirtbag Left Want to Lead Everyone to Bernie Sanders — Many listeners would never repeat what these podcast hosts say. So why do they desperately want to hear from them? — IOWA CITY — The people in the crowd were angry, and “Chapo Trap House” wanted them to stay that way.

New York Times:

Sanders Looks to Topple Warren in Her Home State — A victory in Massachusetts would not just give Mr. Sanders a significant share of the state's 91 delegates but also inflict a symbolic blow to his closest ideological rival. — SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Bernie Sanders landed …

Discussion: The Week, The Boston Globe and Politico

Kaelan Deese / The Hill:
Professor with history of correctly predicting elections says it's 'the incumbent's election to lose'

Discussion: ABC News, The Independent, Breitbart and TheBlaze

Jim Geraghty / National Review:
The End of Elizabeth Warren?

Discussion: New York Times and The Gateway Pundit

Kevin Robillard / HuffPost:
Top Teachers Union Leader Is Endorsing Elizabeth Warren For President

Discussion: CNN

TMZ.com:

Bernie Sanders Boards the Wrong Private Jet, Campaign Brain Fart — BERNIE SANDERS BOARDS THE WRONG PRIVATE JET ... Case Of Campaign Brain — Bernie Sanders is on the go all the time — which seems to have given him a momentary case of a campaign brain fart as he accidentally boarded the wrong jet.

Martin Pengelly / The Guardian:

Republican mega-donor buys stake in Twitter and seeks to oust Jack Dorsey - report — Billionaire Paul Singer's Elliott Management has taken a ‘sizable state’ and intends to ‘push for changes’, reports Bloomberg News — A major Republican donor has purchased a stake in Twitter …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Deadline, Bloomberg and Raw Story, more at Techmeme »

Riley Beggin / Vox:

Trump expands Iran travel ban in the wake of the first US coronavirus death — The Trump administration also advised US citizens to limit travel to Italy and South Korea. — President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and senior US health officials announced Saturday afternoon …

Discussion: New York Times and Breitbart

Bloomberg: First Death Reported in U.S.; More Cases Likely: Virus Update

Mujib Mashal / New York Times:

U.S. Strikes Deal With Taliban to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan — After more than a year of talks, the agreement lays out the beginning of the end of the United States' longest war. But many obstacles remain. — DOHA, Qatar — The United States signed a deal with the Taliban on Saturday …

Discussion: Associated Press, The Daily Beast, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, PJ Media Home, The Week, CNN, Vox, Daily Kos, Slate, UPI, ABC News and The White House

Rebecca Kheel / The Hill:
US, Taliban sign deal to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

Discussion: Reuters and The Guardian

Betsy Swan / The Daily Beast:

Jackie Speier's Question to DOJ on Epstein Raises Eyebrows in House Intel Committee — In a closed-door briefing to members of Congress on government surveillance, a senior Justice Department official was asked a surprising question. — In a closed-door briefing to members of Congress …

Discussion: New York Post and Raw Story

Ashe Schow / The Daily Wire:

Media Claims Trump Called Coronavirus A ‘Hoax.’ Here's What He Actually Said. — While speaking at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina, President Donald Trump brought up the coronavirus and Democrats' attempts to politicize the issue. — Trump called those attempts a new hoax …

Discussion: Redstate, NBC News, Fox News and Don Surber