Apr 24, 2019

Pete Buttigieg says Bernie Sanders may lack the "novelty" to win in 2020

Mayor Pete Buttigieg said Sen. Bernie Sanders. Photo: Getty Images

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said in an interview with the New York Times that "people were refreshed by the novelty" of the progressive proposals that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) brought to the 2016 election, but that he doubts the 77-year-old Sanders can bring together the "coalition" necessary to beat Trump in 2020.

Why it matters: 2020 Democratic candidates have been largely hands-off with one another so far, focusing primarily on Trump and their individual candidate pitches. Buttigieg, who has surged into the double digits in recent early state polls, has repeatedly drawn parallels between Sanders voters and Trump voters for their anti-establishment, blow-up-the-system style of populism — though he clarified to CNN that he views the two men as "stupendously different."

  • Buttigieg also said he doesn't see himself "as competing against any one" of the others Democratic candidates, but the Times notes that many voters view his appeal as overlapping with Beto O'Rourke's in "something of a parallel primary."

Go deeper: Everything you need to know about 2020 candidate Pete Buttigieg

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Inside hackers' pivot to medical espionage

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

A wave of cyber-spying around COVID-19 medical research is once more demonstrating the perils of treating cybersecurity as a separate, walled-off realm.

Driving the news: U.S. officials recently announced an uptick in Chinese-government affiliated hackers targeting medical research and other facilities in the United States for data on a potential COVID-19 cure or effective treatments to combat the virus. Additionally, “more than a dozen countries have redeployed military and intelligence hackers to glean whatever they can about other nations’ virus responses,” reports the New York Times.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow23 mins ago - Technology

The downsides of remote work

Data: Reproduced from Prudential/Morning Consult "Pulse of the American Worker Survey"; Chart: Axios Visuals

The coronavirus pandemic has forced a large-scale experiment in working from home. It has gone well enough that many companies are expanding their remote work expectations for the foreseeable future, and remote employees want to continue to work that way.

Yes, but: The downsides of remote work — less casual interaction with colleagues, an over-reliance on Zoom, lack of in-person collaboration and longer hours — could over time diminish the short-term gains.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow38 mins ago - Economy & Business

Hong Kong's economic future hangs in the balance

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

As Beijing forces a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, the once semi-autonomous city's status as one of Asia's largest financial hubs is at risk.

Why it matters: Political freedoms and strong rule of law helped make Hong Kong a thriving center for international banking and finance. But China's leaders may be betting that top firms in Hong Kong will trade some political freedoms for the economic prosperity Beijing can offer.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow44 mins ago - Economy & Business