Feb 19, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Buttigieg invokes Stormy Daniels in swipe at Limbaugh and Trump

Democratic presidential candidate and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks during a town hall event in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Pete Buttigieg addressed during a CNN town hall Tuesday conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's claim that President Trump told him to "never apologize" for saying Americans wouldn't elect "a gay guy who kisses his husband on stage."

Details: Buttigieg, the first openly gay candidate to launch a major presidential campaign, defended himself following Limbaugh's remarks on his Monday show by reviving on stage in Las Vegas allegations by Trump's now-imprisoned former personal attorney Michael Cohen that the president directed him to pay hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump denies the claim.

What they're saying: Axios has contacted Limbaugh for comment. Per a recording of Limbaugh's show posted by the progressive research center Media Matters, he claimed that Trump called him about his comments and said: "Rush, I just got to tell you something. Never apologize, don't ever."

The White House declined to comment regarding whether or not Trump called Limbaugh.

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Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen

The new not-normal: The Trump state

Photo Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios. Photos: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Donald Trump changed how to run for president. Next, he changed the Republican Party. Now, he’s changing the presidency and the boundaries of executive power.

In the past week, Trump has purged internal dissenters, imported loyalists, pardoned political and financial criminals and continued a running commentary on live Justice Department criminal cases — despite an unprecedented public brushback from his attorney general.

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Conservative pundits attack Dems and media as coronavirus spreads

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Several conservative pundits and commentators have focused their coronavirus narratives on "evidence of bias designed to harm President Trump," the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: Attacks from conservative media commentators could "undermine sources of reliable information at a time when such information is vital." Trump is known to listen to such pundits, and has already tweeted that the news media and Democrats are "doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible."

Go deeperFeb 28, 2020 - Health

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Pete Buttigieg suspends presidential campaign

Pete Buttigieg. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Pete Buttigieg announced in a speech in his hometown of South Bend, Indiana, Sunday night that he is suspending his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The big picture: The 38-year-old, gay, former small-town mayor ran a historic campaign and shocked the political world by surging to the top of the Democratic field and winning the Iowa caucuses in January. But his inability to gain traction with black voters, as exemplified by his poor showing in Saturday's South Carolina primary, called into question the long-term viability of his campaign.

Go deeperUpdated Mar 2, 2020 - Politics & Policy