| THE LEDE
The Democratic primary (if anyone’s paying attention amid impeachment) has become all about Elizabeth Warren, and so is this newsletter. The Policy Stakes: Elizabeth Warren has made a pretty clear decision not to say something true: She’s going to raise taxes to pay for universal health care. The next beat of the argument is that you, middle-class person, won’t feel the tax increase because you’ll stop paying those huge health insurance premiums out of your pocket or your paycheck. Your costs will go down, and the US will operate like most other industrialized countries.
She’s not lying, and it’s a reasonable argument. But her political refusal to say the words has led to a series of tense, confusing exchanges and her only real moments of political weakness for someone emerging as the dominant figure on the Democratic stage.
The Political Stakes: Here’s a little glimpse at some of the nonsense that shoots back and forth between campaigns and reporters — and perhaps a bit of the stress of Kamala Harris’s campaign trying to break through with a Twitter stunt — in a text from a Harris aide to me complaining about a BuzzFeed staffer’s tweet:
READ RECEIPTS Texting with Howard Dean Howard Dean was, back in the fall and winter of 2003–4, the next president of the United States. He was the progressive governor of Vermont, a doctor who had signed a universal health care law, and a strident voice against the Iraq War. I asked him about how it felt then, and what he sees when he looks at the candidates — and in particular, progressive, Northeastern Elizabeth Warren — now. ON THE TRAIL WITH BUZZFEED NEWS Ruby and Katherine reported from the debate in Ohio how Elizabeth Warren’s rivals came after her like she’s the race’s frontrunner.
Henry and Nidhi reported from the debate on Joe Biden disappearing into the background — something that actually wasn’t such a bad thing for the candidate.
Darren reported on another strong debate performance from Cory Booker, which...still might not add up to anything for his campaign.
Facebook made a splash for saying it won’t take down campaign ads for lies. Ryan Mac and Zahra reported on what caused them to take down more than 160 ads from top campaigns.
And Bernie Sanders is getting a big endorsement this weekend from AOC, Addy reports.
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