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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 april 2020
Obama endorses Biden as the best leader for ‘darkest times’

Continued from Front primary, but followed the ence seemed less powerful early on was defined by a “You’d think Mike was Ba-
race closely from the side- in other places such as Flo- debate over the need for rack’s vice president,” Bi-
The former president cal- lines and is eager to take rida. generational and systemic den once quipped to do-
led Sanders an “American a more active public role. The Trump campaign no- change versus a return to nors.
original” and backed his He’s expected to head- ted that Obama tacitly dis- normalcy after the Trump For his part, Biden leaned
frequent call for “structural line fundraisers for Biden couraged Biden from run- era. even more heavily into
change.” But he also said and public events in key ning for president in 2016 Julián Castro pushed Biden Obama as primary voting
that while Democrats “may swing states, if such gathe- and said the former pre- repeatedly on whether he began. Aiming at Sanders,
not always agree on every rings can still be held given sident is only backing him argued with Obama pri- the self-described demo-
detail,” they must unify to social distancing guideli- now because everyone vately over deportations cratic socialist, and Bloom-
defeat Republicans. nes during the coronavirus else has dropped out of the overseen by that admini- berg, who’d been elected
“The Republicans occupy- pandemic. primary. stration. Pete Buttigieg and New York City mayor as
ing the White House and After his endorsement was “Now that Biden is the only Beto O’Rourke jabbed Bi- a Republican, Biden said
running the U.S. Senate are released, Obama sent a candidate left in the De- den – and by extension, in a Feb. 21 interview with
not interested in progress,” fundraising appeal to Bi- mocrat field, Obama has Obama -- by suggesting The Associated Press that
he said. “They’re interested den supporters, asking for no other choice but to sup- the party shouldn’t “return “they’re not bad folks.
in power.” donations ranging from $5 port him,” Brad Parscale, to the past.” Sanders and They’re just not Demo-
Biden now has the support to $100. Trump’s campaign mana- Warren said the 2010 Af- crats.”
of all of his former Demo- The endorsement will test ger, said in a statement. fordable Care Act hadn’t Campaigning before in-
cratic primary rivals except whether Obama can trans- Though Obama stayed gone far enough. creasingly diverse audien-
for Elizabeth Warren. The fer his personal popularity out of the primary, Biden But Biden was a staunch ces in Nevada and South
Massachusetts senator is to Biden. While the former frequently pointed to their defender of that legislation Carolina, Biden ramped up
expected to formally en- president is seen favorably time together in the White and called it “bizarre” for his recollections of when
dorse Biden soon, accor- by a wide swath of Demo- House. Biden often spoke Democrats, even faintly, to Obama tapped him for the
ding to a person familiar cratic voters, he was also of the “Obama-Biden” attack Obama’s record. ticket in 2008. Biden recal-
with her plans who spoke a deeply polarizing figure administration when tal- The conversation around led Inauguration Day 2009,
on condition of anonymity during his two terms in of- king about various accom- Obama’s presidency shif- waiting for the train in his
to discuss her thinking. fice. During his presidency, plishments and referred to ted as the primary wore on. hometown of Wilmington,
Two other prominent De- Democrats lost about 1,000 himself as an “Obama-Bi- By the time voting began, Delaware, “for a black
mocrats who have yet to legislative seats around the den Democrat.” Buttigieg was almost expli- man to pick me up … for
publicly back Biden are country, starting with disas- But he also insisted he was citly comparing his youthful the two of us to be sworn in
former President Bill Clinton trous 2010 midterms that running as his own man, bid to Obama’s 2008 cam- as president and vice presi-
and Hillary Clinton, the par- also cost the party control telling anyone who asked paign, and the progressives dent of the United States.”
ty’s 2016 nominee. Hillary of the House and many sta- that he urged Obama not were framing their health Often drawing nods and
Clinton has been in regular tehouses. to endorse him out of the care proposals as a way to vocal affirmation from his
touch with Biden, including In 2018, he campaigned for gate or even in the thick of build on Obama’s legacy. audiences, Biden said he
several times since Sanders some winning Senate and the primary. Billionaire candidate Mike had thought of that day as
dropped out of the race, gubernatorial candidates, Obama’s tenure became Bloomberg, meanwhile, a national victory over insti-
according to an aide. like Sen. Jacky Rosen in Ne- a sort of punching bag for featured Obama in his ubi- tutional racism. Now, in the
Obama avoided interve- vada and Gov. Tony Evers some presidential hope- quitous advertising effort, Trump era, Biden calls that
ning in the Democratic in Wisconsin. But his influ- fuls in a primary fight that much to Biden’s chagrin. conclusion a mistake.q

No hugs or handshakes: Pandemic complicates storm relief

By JAY REEVES to comply with the guide- 6 feet apart,” Kieserman
Associated Press lines.” said.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) About 550 people in four The death toll from the
— For people who lost states were staying in hotel outbreak rose to at least
homes to the deadly tor- rooms funded by the Red 34 as officials said a 12th
nadoes that rampaged Cross since mass shelters person had died in Mis-
across the South, there are were not an option during sissippi. There, Gov. Tate
no comforting hugs from the pandemic, said Brad Reeves, who toured dam-
volunteers or handshakes Kieserman, a vice presi- aged areas, said the pan-
from politicians. There are dent of the organization. demic was making a bad
no Red Cross shelters for People are being fed ca- situation worse.
homeless families, who tered meals delivered “The fact that the corona-
are staying instead in ho- to the hotels instead of viruses exist is complicating
tel rooms to avoid large through a mass kitchen, the recovery from the tor-
gatherings. The disaster he said, and workers are nado, while the tornadoes
response reflected how Workers carry boxes to a storm-damaged home Tuesday, April wearing masks, gloves and are complicating our ef-
the coronavirus pandemic 14, 2020, in Chattanooga, Tenn. other gear when dealing forts to make sure that we
has changed relief efforts: Associated Press. with people affected by do everything in our power
Workers are still trying to Southern Baptist volunteers “You’re talking about the storms. Other agencies to stop the spread of the
provide all the comfort were told to avoid holding a very hard change in are making similar provi- virus,” Reeves said during
they can, but from a dis- hands with people as they procedures,” Porter said sions, he said. a stop in tiny Soso. “It is it
tance. Within hours of the pray, said Sam Porter, di- Tuesday. “It’s agonizing. “How ironic is it that the is exceptionally compli-
tornado onslaught, which rector of disaster relief for Jesus touched people all very thing that may unify cated, and it’s tough on
began Sunday, church the nearly 15 million-mem- through his ministry. He people and unify com- all of us.”
groups were out in af- ber denomination. Hugs created us as emotional munities is the condition in
fected communities, and also are out. beings. But we are trying which we have to remain Continued on Page 26