- Fourteen states vote in Democratic primaries
- Explainer: your guide to Super Tuesday
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My colleague on the west coast, Maanvi Singh, will take on the blog now as Super Tuesday voting - and related drama - continues. Later, Joan Greve in Washington, DC, will helm the blog as the polls begin to close and the results trickle in tonight.
Here’s what’s happened so far today:
The Trump administration is considering using a national disaster program to pay hospitals and doctors for their care of uninsured people infected with the coronavirus.
As concerns rise over costs of treating some of the 27 million Americans without health coverage, the government is looking for news ways to step in, a person familiar with the conversations told the Wall Street Journal. This would certainly be unexpected.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been in discussions about using that program to pay providers who treat uninsured patients with coronavirus, the person said.
Dr. Robert Kadlec, who is the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, also said Tuesday at a congressional hearing that discussions are being held about using the National Disaster Medical System reimbursement program.
Related: Coronavirus: health experts concerned US hospitals are not prepared
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Democrats
Pete Buttigieg drops out as crucial Super Tuesday looms – live updates
- Democrat departs race after poor showing in South Carolina
- Full report: Pete Buttigieg drops out of 2020 race
- What is Super Tuesday? Your guide to the night
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The news of the Supreme Court taking up an Obamacare case is another reminder of how far apart the presidential candidates remain on the issue of healthcare.
Bernie Sanders has said he wants to create a government-run, single-payer healthcare system, which would eliminate the need for Obamacare.
The Supreme Court has announced it will hear a case on whether a part of Obamacare is unconstiutional.
The justices said they would take up the case in their next term, which begins in October, so a decision is not expected until after the 2020 election.
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Joe Biden wins South Carolina primary: ‘This campaign is taking off’ – live
- Former vice-president scores much-needed primary victory
- Biden tells cheering supporters: ‘We just won and we won big’
- Follow the latest results in our live South Carolina tracker
4.02am GMT
That’s it from me in Columbia, South Carolina. Here’s how tonight’s primary shook out:
3.52am GMT
There will be considerable debate over the next few days about what Joe Bi...
Bernie Sanders comes under attack as latest Democratic debate kicks off – live
- Opponents seek to slow Sanders’ momentum before Super Tuesday
- Bloomberg needs strong showing after last week’s poor performance
- Full story: Sanders braced for onslaught from rivals
Asked about his declining support among African American voters, Joe Biden expressed confidence he would win Saturday’s South Carolina primary.
Biden noted polls indicate he still leads the Democratic field with black voters. “I’ve worked like the devil to earn the vote of the African American community,” Biden said.
Elizabeth Warren has taken aim at Bernie Sanders tonight. It’s not the first time she’s tried to contrast herself with him, but it’s definitely her sharpest rebuke of the senator yet. And it hasn’t gone unnoticed:
That’s the most direct criticism @ewarren has ever laid at @BernieSanders: “I dug in, did the work, and Bernies team trashed me for it.”
Warren has had to figure out how to deal with Sanders for the entire length of the campaign — contrast without alienating mutual supporters. This answer tonight is the first true, direct attempt at that. This was a huge moment, no question. #DemDebate
Wow. Big moment.
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Elizabeth Warren has seemed to drop her truce with Bernie Sanders. She just said she did the work to fight banks and figure out how to pay for Medicare for all and Bernie’s supporters “trashed me for it.”
“I would be a better president than Bernie,” she said.
Nevada caucuses: crucial ‘first in the west’ Democratic contest kicks off – live
Saturday’s vote could be a make-or-break moment for candidates in the first state with a diverse electorate
- Bernie Sanders has invested big in Nevada. Will it pay off?
- Health, heat and deportations: the issues voters care about
At Sparks high school outside Reno, a group of Sanders supporters were the first to arrive hours before the caucus, encouraging voters to back the Vermont senator as they lined up.
Essie Richard, 73, one of the first voters to arrive. Supporting @JoeBiden. “I’m Biden all the way. He was Vice President for eight years. He has the experience.” Protecting social security and Medicare are most important to her: “I’m barely surviving.” pic.twitter.com/Ibb8YF6fVb
Naomi Zamarripa, 18, high schooler voting for first time: “I love his commitment. He’s been around for so long, he keeps fighting + stays true to his beliefs.” @BernieSanders will win, she said: “Nevada is the first state that has a diverse makeup, he appeals to a lot of groups” pic.twitter.com/btVEPFiCV6
As the caucuses get underway, social media streams are starting to fill with “first alignment” results from individual caucus sites. But what about the actual, official results?
Tom Perez, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, told reporters today that results will be released as soon as possible, but that the priority is, “first and foremost, to get it right,” according to the AP.
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Trump and Bloomberg trade insults ahead of Democratic debate – live
- President had accused candidate violating campaign finance laws
- ‘Gloves will be off’: Nevada debate could be pivotal for Democrats
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5.32pm GMT
Secretary of state Mike Pompeo condemned China for expelling three Wall Street Journal reporters over a critical op-ed published by the newspaper.
The United St...
Democrats go on the offensive ahead of New Hampshire primary – live
- Sanders campaign to ask for ‘partial recanvass’ of Iowa results
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12.05pm GMT
President Donald Trump is due to present his $4.8 trillion budget proposal for the fiscal year 2021 later today which includes plans to slash spending on foreign aid, social safety net programs like Medicaid, housing assistance and disability insurance and provide billions of ...
Iowa caucus: Democratic race in shambles as results are delayed – live coverage
- Full story: Democratic race off to disastrous start
- Iowa caucuses results – live updates
- What is the smartphone app at centre of Iowa debacle?
- Analysis: Trump campaign jubilant as Dems’ big night implodes
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11.57am GMT
Donald Trump has given his verdict on the Iowa controversy, which he calls an “unmitigated disaster”.
Joe Biden used to be a progressive Democrat. What happened? | Bhaskar Sunkara
Social security and Medicare are the two most popular programs ever developed by the Democratic party. But Biden joined Republicans to try to cripple them
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren supporters not looking forward to a potential Joe Biden nomination might want to time-travel back to 1972.
That year, Biden was an underdog Senate candidate running against a popular incumbent. With his sister, Valerie, as campaign manager and limited resources, he knocked on hundreds of do...
Democratic debate: Warren challenges Sanders over electability – live
- ‘The only people on this stage who have won every single election that they’ve been in are the women,’ Warren says in final debate before Iowa caucuses
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After the first commercial break of the debate, Bernie Sanders had spoken more than any other candidate, taking up about twice as much time as Tom Steyer.
DEBATE AIR TIME: Who’s spoken the most? Here’s the @CBSNews tally through the first commercial break of the #DemDebate: pic.twitter.com/AoDQhVpZjb
The Democratic debate has returned from a commercial break, and the conversation has turned to healthcare.
Bernie Sanders defended his Medicare for All proposal, which he has centered his presidential campaign around.
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