Page 4 - AT

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 2 March 2020
Biden, Sanders claim momentum heading into Super Tuesday

By STEVE PEOPLES, MEG that could stretch into sum- Other dimming candidates
KINNARD, BILL BARROW mer as seven candidates Pete Buttigieg and Minne-
and LISA MASCARO remain in the Democrats' sota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Associated Press quest to find the strongest appear to be pressing for-
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — possible nominee to take ward. Buttigieg said only
Joe Biden said Sunday he on President Donald Trump that his campaign will be
can "unite this country, the in November. "assessing at every turn"
whole country" after scor- The lagging candidates the best steps for defeat-
ing a comeback victory in are being pushed to jus- ing Trump. "Our country
South Carolina's Democrat- tify their campaigns or can't take four more years
ic primary that could force step aside so Biden can of this," he said on NBC's
moderate rivals out of the engage in a more direct "Meet the Press."
race and blunt the rise of match-up against Sanders, Biden declined to ask rivals
progressive leader Bernie who heads into the coming to bow out. "It's not for me
Sanders. week eager to surpass his ri- to tell another candidate
Biden vowed he would Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe vals in amassing delegates to get out of the race,"
improve his campaign op- Biden smiles at supporters during a campaign event at Saint for the nomination. There Biden said on "Fox News
eration, his fundraising haul Augustine's University in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. were few signs that anyone Sunday."
— and even his own per- Associated Press was leaving the race. Even with the victory, the
formance — as the race Billionaire Mike Bloomberg, shortcomings of Biden's
pushes toward Super Tues- strength of African Ameri- Sanders led in fundraising who will be on the ballot campaign remain, includ-
day. He warned of a "stark can support and at a peril- hauls announced Sunday for the first time next week, ing a lack of robust funding
choice" between him and ous moment in his 2020 bid. with an eye-popping $46.5 said Sunday he's not going and organization that have
Sanders, while making the He needed an emphatic million for February, his anywhere before Tuesday's drawn concern from top
case he is the candidate rebound after under- campaign said. The sena- primaries. allies. He is barely running
that can win up and down whelming performances in tor said it's not the total "I'm optimistic," he told vot- any television advertising in
the ballot and in states Iowa, New Hampshire and amount that should impress ers in Selma, Alabama, Super Tuesday states.
beyond those voting next Nevada. but the enthusiasm of work- where many of the White Bloomberg announced
week. The race now pivots to ing people fueling his can- House hopefuls gathered his own plan to deliver a
"I feel good," Biden said on the 14 states from Maine didacy. for ceremonies commem- three-minute prime-time
ABC's "This Week." "I can to California that vote on "No campaign out there orating civil rights heroism. address Sunday night on
win and I can bring along Tuesday in what in effect has a stronger grassroots He has spent more than two television networks. He
Democratic victories." will be a national primary in movement than we do," $500 million advertising in didn't say how much he
Biden saturated the air- a race increasingly becom- Sanders said on CBS's "Face the states set to vote this paid for the air time, which
waves with back-to-back ing a match-up between the Nation." "That's how you month. is unprecedented in recent
interviews after Saturday's the two powerhouses rep- beat Trump." Bloomberg received a decades. And both Sand-
win, which came on the resenting divergent paths Pressure is mounting to pre- mixed reception as he ers and Bloomberg have
for the party. vent a prolonged battle spoke from the pulpit of many more staff and vol-
Selma's Brown Chapel unteers than Biden.
AME Church. Ten parish- Leveling his own direct at-
ioners stood and turned tack on Sanders, Biden de-
their backs to the New clared, "The people aren't
York billionaire as he talked looking for revolution.
about his desire to increase They're looking for results."
black home ownership and Biden won about three
wealth. That was after the times as many delegates
pastor told the congrega- in South Carolina as Sand-
tion that Bloomberg initially ers, his nearest rival, giving
said he was too busy to at- a momentary respite to
tend because he had to anxious Democrats who
"beat Donald Trump." Eliza- feared that the democrat-
beth Warren's team spoke ic socialist would finish Feb-
brazenly of pushing into a ruary with four consecu-
floor battle at the Demo- tive top finishes that would
cratic National Convention make it difficult for anyone
this summer if no candi- to overtake him.
date emerges from primary The Associated Press de-
season with a majority, as clared Biden the winner
seems increasingly likely. just after the polls closed
"The convention in Milwau- in South Carolina. The AP
kee is the final play," wrote based the call on data
campaign manager Roger from AP VoteCast, a survey
Lau in a memo. of the electorate conduct-
Warren brought in $29 mil- ed for the AP by NORC at
lion last month and Biden the University of Chicago.
trailed with $18 million, but The survey showed a con-
the former vice president vincing win for Biden.
said he raised $5 million in But Biden made an aggres-
the last 24 hours, which is sive round of media ap-
more than any previous pearances on Sunday in
day in his bumpy cam- an effort to counter Bloom-
paign. berg's massive spending.q