Mike Bloomberg, three-time mayor of New York City, was not on the Democratic debate stage last night, but his senior advisor Tim O'Brien told Cheddar Friday that Bloomberg's time governing a major metropolis will help him moving forward.
"He has a long list of policy prescriptions that are not only promises but are based on the fact that he's governed and delivered on solutions to voters in the past," he said.
Bloomberg, whom O'Brien said is "nipping at Pete Buttigieg's heels," did not qualify for last night's debate because his campaign is self-funded. He is relying on a different approach in what he hopes is his path to success, already outspending his Democratic opponents on television and online ads.
The candidate has spent at least $24 million on Google and Facebook already, nearly matching President Trump's $31.6 million in ad spending on the platforms this year.
The other 2020 Democratic candidates have also sparred over the subject of experience, and the sixth Democratic debate last night was no different. Senator Amy Klobuchar challenged Mayor Pete Buttigieg for the South Bend mayor's lack of time spent in national governance.
"The last time we debated, you, basically, mocked the 100 years of experience on the stage," Klobuchar told Buttigieg. "I just think you should respect our experience when you look at how you evaluate someone who can get things done."
California Governor Gavin Newsom is projected to keep his job. Around two-thirds of the votes have been reported, and roughly 64% of those votes are in favor of keeping Newsom as their governor.
Daniel Strauss, senior political correspondent at The New Republic, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more about what Newsom's win means to both political parties moving into Midterm elections season.
The Department of Justice is suing Texas over the state's new abortion law that prohibits abortions after six weeks, well before many women even know they're pregnant. The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional under long-standing Supreme Court precedent. It was filed last week in federal court in Texas, but could go all the way to the high court within weeks. Josh Blackman, a constitutional law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, discusses the DOJ lawsuit and what it could mean for other abortion laws across the country.
26 states have now fully vaccinated more than half of their population with Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts fully vaccinating at least two-thirds of their residents. These three states are among the ones with the lowest new Covid-19 cases per capita, but in states with low vaccination rates, hospitals are filling up again.
Dr. Rob Davidson, ER doctor and executive director of Committee to Protect Health Care, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss more.
The Biden Administration has officially extended a ban on a Trump-era policy that prohibits traveling with a U.S. passport to North Korea. The extension is expected to last until August 2022. The ban was initially enforced after the death of Otto Warmbier, who entered a vegetative state while in North Korean custody. Advocates against the ban argue that it has caused crippling impacts on Korean Americans who have not been able to reunite with their families back home. Senior Fellow at The Foundation For Defense of Democracies Anthony Ruggiero joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss more.
