Mar 14, 2020 - Politics & Policy

2020 candidates lean on virtual town halls as coronavirus spreads

Lally Doerrer (left) watches Joe Biden's virtual town hall yesterday, in her Chicago living room with neighbors Douglas and Marlene Groll. Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Former Vice President Joe Biden's virtual town hall in Illinois on Friday marks a new normal for campaigning, AP reports.

What's happening: With the Prairie State primary coming up Tuesday, Biden held a town hall from 800+ miles away in Delaware. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been holding daily press briefings from his home state, and said this is hurting him.

What they're saying:

  • Biden: "I'm sorry this has been such a disjointed effort here because of the connections," he said after answering a question about protecting endangered species.
  • Sanders: "We do more rallies than anybody else, and [they're] often very well attended. I love to do them," Sanders told reporters at a hotel in Burlington. "This coronavirus has obviously impacted our ability to communicate with people in the traditional way that we do. That's hurting."

Flashback: Louisiana was the first state to delay its primary in response to the novel coronavirus. The contest has been moved from April 4 to June 20.

Go deeper: Democratic primaries in flux over coronavirus concerns

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Axios
Updated 25 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 18,814,178 — Total deaths: 707,754— Total recoveries — 11,361,953 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 4,823,891 — Total deaths: 158,256 — Total recoveries: 1,577,851 — Total tests: 58,920,975 — Map.
  3. Public health: Florida surpasses 500,000 confirmed cases — Fauci calls U.S. coronavirus testing delays "totally unacceptable."
  4. Business: America's next housing crisis.
  5. States: Virginia launches contact tracing app using specs from Apple and Google.
  6. Cities: L.A. mayor authorizes utilities shut-off at homes hosting large gatherings
  7. Politics: White House, Democrats remain "trillions of dollars apart" on stimulus talks.
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Rebecca Falconer
35 mins ago - World

Hiroshima mayor warns of rise of nationalism on 75th anniversary

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) at the Memorial Cenotaph in the Peace Memorial Park during the 75th anniversary service for atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima, Japan, on Thursday. Photo: Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images

Hiroshima's Mayor Kazumi Matsui on Thursday urged the international community to work together to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and warned against an increase in "self-centered nationalism," per the Washington Post.

Why it matters: He said at a remembrance service on the atomic bombing of the Japanese city that the 1918 flu pandemic killed millions as countries fighting in World War I were unable to overcome the threat together, per DPR. "A subsequent upsurge in nationalism led to World War II," he added. The U.S. bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 and Nagasaki three days later contributed to the end of World War II, but tens of thousands of people died. At the service, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lamented nuclear weapons' "inhumanity," but he didn't mention Japan's wartime past, WashPost noted.

Go deeper: How new tech raises the risk of nuclear war

Rebecca Falconer
1 hour ago - Sports

LeBron James on Trump NBA protest remarks: "We could care less"

The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James kneels during the national anthem before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Wednesday. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

LeBron James responded on Wednesday night to President Trump's comments calling NBA players "disgraceful" for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racism and that he won't watch games because of the action.

The big picture: Trump has repeatedly criticized sports players for taking the knee since 2016. But James said during a news conference, "I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership, him viewing the game." November's elections marked "a big moment for us as Americans," he said. "If we continue to talk about, 'We want better, we want change,' we have an opportunity to do that," he added. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league will "respect peaceful protest."

Go deeper: LeBron James forms voting rights group to inspire Black voters