Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended1583365183

Super Tuesday: Bloomberg endorses Biden in bid 'to defeat Trump' as Sanders launches fresh attack on frontrunner

Follow the latest coverage, as it happened

Clark Mindock
New York
,Chris Riotta,Alex Woodward,Joe Sommerlad
Wednesday 04 March 2020 15:05 EST
Comments
Super Tuesday: Jo Biden talks about campaign turn-around

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to mock Michael Bloomberg after he dropped out of the Democratic 2020 race and to sow division among progressive candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren following the party’s Super Tuesday primaries, accusing the latter of splitting the vote and damaging her friend and rival’s chances in key regions.

Former US vice president Joe Biden was the big winner as 14 states went to the polls yesterday, completing the comeback he began at last weekend’s South Carolina primary by claiming at least nine key states including Texas, with Maine also projected to be confirmed in his favour.

Sanders did take home the top prize, the delegate-rich state of California, but otherwise secured only three others, an outcome that saw the moderate wing of the party come together emphatically to back Biden.

In the fallout of those contests, Mr Bloomberg held a rally in New York City where he announced he was endorsing Mr Biden.

Mr Sanders, meanwhile, opened fresh lines of attack on Mr Biden as the two gear up for a two-man race going forward.

And, Ms Warren's team suggested she is considering her path forward — with many believing that means she plans on dropping out of the race imminently.

Follow live updates

1583320800

An underrated moment from the California primary

Here's Bernie Sanders with Dick Van Dyke and Public Enemy for your viewing pleasure. 

While all manner of Hollywood luminaries took to Instagram yesterday to encourage fellow Californians to cast their vote - from Laura Dern to Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Biel and Sarah Michelle Gellar - most declined to say who they were voting for.

Not so Kirsten Dunst.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 11:20
1583322000

'Biden and Sanders are in a cut-throat fight for the right to face Trump - the last thing the Democrats wanted'

For Indy Voices, here's Chris Stevenson on what this all means for the party.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 11:40
1583323200

Trump spins Super Tuesday results into anti-Bernie conspiracy

The president is at it again.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 12:00
1583324400

‘Complete failure’: Bloomberg humiliated after winning zero states despite spending $559m on campaign ads

Chris Baynes has this report on one of the costliest and most futile vanity projects in human history.

Bloomberg did win five of the six delegates available in American Samoa, however, the Pacific island chain home to some 56,000 voters. Tulsi Gabbard (remember her?) won the other.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 12:20
1583325600

Amy Klobuchar congratulates Joe Biden after endorsement delivers Minnesota

The senator's decision to drop out and back Biden no doubt proved key in delivering a Midwestern state Bernie Sanders thought he had a good chance of claiming.

The same is probably true in Texas where another former presidential candidate, Beto O'Rourke, came out in support of Joe on Monday night.

Here's Klobuchar's verdict on what has just transpired. 

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 12:40
1583326800

Sky News Super Tuesday coverage interrupted by Bernie supporter dancing wildly in US flag shirt

Here's Conrad Duncan on one of the most joyously silly moments of the night you might have missed.

Pure Brent.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 13:00
1583327700

Trump savages Jeff Sessions as ex-attorney general faces runoff to win back old Senate seat

In the last hour, the president has hit out at his first attorney general, whom he has never forgiven for recusing himself from handling the Russia investigation in 2017, after it transpired he will have to face a runoff to regain his old Senate seat having failed to win a majority in the Alabama Republican primary contest.

Sessions had won 32.6 per cent with more than half of the votes counted in the race. His closest rival was Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville, who won 32.2 per cent. 

The pair will likely face each other in a March run-off, the winner of which will go up against Democrat senator Doug Jones, who won a special election in 2017.

Here's Chris Riotta's report.

 

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 13:15
1583328900

President says Elizabeth Warren 'selfish' to stay in 2020 race

Trump has also hit out at the Massachusetts senator for splitting the progressive vote.

"Will he ever speak to her again?" he says of Bernie, stirring the pot like gossiping smalltown neighbour.

Here's Sirena Bergman on Warren for Indy100.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 13:35
1583329800

US launches airstrike against Taliban hours after Trump claimed he had secured peace

After the giddy excitement of Super Tuesday, we're back to Nightmarish New Normal Wednesday as the US launches an airstrike against the Taliban in Afghanistan mere hours after the president talked to the terrorist organisation's leadership and claimed to have agreed a peace deal.

And there was Ivanka thinking hastily Googling a few choice lines of verse might have clinched it...

Danielle Zoellner has this breaking report.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 13:50
1583330700

Republican senator tells Trump to ‘let the professionals do the talking’ on coronavirus

Oh look, the president is being advised to listen to healthcare professionals about the coronavirus and try to be less ignorant by Lamar Alexander, the Tennessee senator who flirted with impeaching him before backing down in cowardly fashion just a month ago.

Here's Conrad Duncan's report.

Joe Sommerlad4 March 2020 14:05

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in