Barack Obama endorses Dianne Feinstein for Senate

Former President Barack Obama is greeted by Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama released a statement Friday endorsing Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.), 84, for reelection to the Senate, amid speculation that she might have trouble facing off other Democratic candidates come November.

Why it matters: Obama has begun to reinsert himself back into the political sphere after months of staying away from Washington affairs. In March, Politico first reported that he will appear at a fundraiser for Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) in Beverly Hills on May 6.

May 4, 2018 - Politics

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⚖️ Live updates: Democrats close out their opening arguments

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The close: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) anticipated attacks on him, other House managers, the Ukraine whistleblower, and the Bidens from Trump's team, which begins its defense of the president on Saturday. He appealed directly to GOP senators: “Real political courage does not come from disagreement with our opponents, but disagreeing with our friends and our own party.”

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Death toll climbs in coronavirus outbreak

41 people have died from an outbreak of a coronavirus strain that originated in Wuhan, China, AP reports.

The latest: The respiratory illness has made its way to Europe, with France confirming three cases, Reuters reports. France's Health Minister Agnès Buzyn said Friday two patients are hospitalized in Paris. The other case is in the southwestern city of Bordeaux. They had returned from a trip that had a stop in Wuhan.

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Lawyer alleges Giuliani associate recorded Trump comments on Ukrainian ambassador

Photo: Oliver Contreras/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

The lawyer for Lev Parnas, a Rudy Giuliani associate, claims there is a recording of President Trump saying former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch should be fired, the Daily Beast reports.

The latest: Parnas said on Friday that he has turned the recording over to the House Intelligence Committee, per the New York Times — as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led House Democrats in laying out the case for impeaching Trump before the Senate.

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