WATCH: Historic moments from State of the Union addresses
The annual State of the Union address brings lawmakers together each year for an hour of remarks from the sitting president regarding the state of the nation, birthing some of Congress’ most unforgettable moments. With the 2024 SOTU address approaching on Thursday, March 7, past historical and shocking moments have been resurfaced. During President Biden’s address in 2023, he claimed that Republicans want to sunset Medicare and Social Security, prompting unusually loud shouts and heckling from Republican members. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., shouted, “Liar!” at Biden after the comment, while another Republican yelled, “It’s your fault!” after he addressed America’s fentanyl crisis. SOME LAWMAKERS ‘ACTIVELY TRYING’ TO PREVENT BIDEN’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS After President Donald Trump delivered his SOTU address in 2020, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stunned Americans when she stood up and tore a copy of the president’s speech in half. When asked why she ripped Trump’s speech, Pelosi told Fox that “it was the courteous thing to do considering the alternatives. I tore it up. I was trying to find one page with truth on it. I couldn’t.” Similar to Biden in 2023, President Obama was yelled at by a Republican congressman during his address to Congress in 2009. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted, “You Lie!” during Obama’s speech, after the president said, “There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false. The reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.” Wilson eventually apologized after being criticized by members on both sides of the aisle. ‘STATE OF MESS’: AHEAD OF STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, AMERICANS SAY COUNTRY IN ‘SAD STATE’ In 1986, President Ronald Reagan was scheduled to deliver the annual speech when the Challenger, a space shuttle carrying seven astronauts, exploded 73 seconds into its launch. Reagan instead delivered a speech from the Oval Office addressing the tragedy. During the SOTU in 2002, former President George W. Bush declared that Iran, Iraq and North Korea were an “axis of evil.” Bush’s statement was criticized by former President Jimmy Carter, who said it was “overly simplistic and counterproductive.” Biden will deliver the annual State of the Union address Thursday. The president’s speech is occurring much later than in previous years, as they are historically given in January or February. Fox News’ Emily Robertson contributed to this report.
Delaware Gov. Carney touts job growth, education funding in final State of the State address
Democrat John Carney touted job growth and increased school funding as being among the highlights of his two terms as Delaware’s governor in his final State of the State address Tuesday. Carney, who took office in 2017 and is barred from seeking a third term because of term limits, also noted record infrastructure plans in each of the past three years, and his focus on ensuring that budget growth is sustainable. “We’ve kept our fiscal house in order,” he said in a speech to the General Assembly in Dover. “We turned a $400 million dollar budget deficit in 2017 to $400 million in reserves. That’s a big deal.” COURT STRIKES DOWN EARLY VOTING LAW IN BIDEN’S HOME STATE: ‘A LITTLE BIT OF IRONY’ Affordable housing programs, green energy initiatives and gun control also made Carney’s list of achievements. “In this last year, I’m focused on leaving the state in a better place than I found it,” said Carney, who is eyeing a bid to become mayor of Wilmington. “I can confidently say that the state of our state is strong. And getting stronger by the day,” he added. Among the unfinished business Carney wants to address during his final months in office is legislation to permanently control growth in the operating budget, which has seen annual increases approaching 10% in recent years. In 2018, fellow Democrats refused to consider a constitutional amendment proposed by Carney that would have capped year-to-year spending growth based on a series of economic indicators. “Delaware can’t compete in the future if we don’t have our budget in order,” he said Tuesday. “Right now, a future General Assembly, or a governor, could lead us down a path of uncontrolled spending.” Carney boasted about huge growth in child care subsidies during his tenure, and $1.5 billion for new school construction during the past seven years. He also vowed that spending on economic development efforts, overseen by a public-private partnership he established, will continue. “We will not lose the competition with other states for good jobs,” he said. Meanwhile, Carney warned about health care cost inflation, with the state spending almost $2 billion annually on Medicaid and health insurance for state employees and retirees. “If we don’t get serious, health care spending will crowd out all the other investments,” he said. Carney also touted increased spending on public education during his tenure, including the establishment of weighted funding for low-income and disabled students, and English language learners. On Tuesday, he called for student mental health programs to be expanded to high schools, and for the hiring of more literacy coaches. While Delaware ranks near the top among states in per-pupil spending, only 40% of students in grades 3-8 scored proficiently in reading and writing last year. In mathematics, only 32% of students in grades 3-8 were proficient. Among high school students, 44% scored proficiently on the SAT reading test, while only 23% scored proficiently in math. “Here’s an uncomfortable truth,” Carney acknowledged. “Statewide, less than 40% of children are reading proficiently at third grade. And many schools fall short of that average. Imagine if your child went to a school with that kind of result.” Despite Democratic lawmakers banning several types of semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines under his watch, Carney said more restrictions on gun ownership are needed. He called for passage of a law requiring people to be fingerprinted and take training courses before being allowed to purchase handguns. At the same time, he acknowledged that “a very small number of people” are committing “the vast majority of gun violence” in Wilmington and Dover. Another threat, according to Carney, is climate change. He praised passage of a bill last year that calls for the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared to a 2005 baseline, and to have net zero emissions by 2050. Carney also noted that his administration is requiring that 82% of all new automobiles sold be zero-emission vehicles by 2032. He also wants Delaware to have a more active role in the offshore wind industry.
Marianne Williamson surprises by coming in second in multiple states, leapfrogging Dean Phillips
Marianne Williamson surprised Democratic insiders by coming in second behind President Biden in multiple states. Williamson unsuspended her Democratic primary campaign on Wednesday after coming in second ahead of Biden challenger Rep. Dean Phillips in Michigan. She managed to score second place in multiple states on Super Tuesday, including Arkansas, California, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Vermont. While Williamson failed to scoop up any delegates – and Biden dominated every election except American Samoa – her performance shows a notable base of support compared to Phillips. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON APOLOGIZES TO BILL MAHER FOLLOWING ‘PERSONAL’ SPAT ON HIGHER EDUCATION: ‘OKAY, I’M SORRY’ Williamson made the announcement in a video statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Williamson said she returned to the race because she believes Biden is a vulnerable candidate to put up against former President Donald Trump. Williamson has amassed an enthusiastic following on social media, something she believes can translate into real votes as she seeks to unseat Biden in the party’s primary. BIDEN’S DEMOCRATIC RIVAL AIMS FOR YOUNG VOTERS AHEAD OF CLASH WITH 80-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT “American politics is very unpredictable,” Williamson told Fox News Digital. “That’s part of what makes it exciting and what makes it kind of challenging at times. If you’re running, you run to win. You run to get your ideas out in front of the voters.” Williamson, who is making her second bid for president, is seen by most as a long shot to secure the Democratic nomination. The New York bestselling author’s first bid for president in 2020 saw her participate in two Democratic debates and generate some interest from voters who may not have known who she was previously. But Williamson ultimately fell short of gaining the traction she needed and dropped out of the race before the first nominating contest in Iowa. Her 2024 bid faces perhaps an even bigger test in attempting to keep an incumbent president from regaining his party’s nomination, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1884, well before voters were tasked with choosing the nominee. But there are signs Williamson can be more than just an also-ran in the 2024 race, with the latest Fox News polling data showing she has the support of 9% of Democratic primary voters. She’s also effectively leveraged social media, amassing an enthusiastic following on platforms such as TikTok. Williamson boasts a platform that places her firmly in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, supporting universal health care under a “Medicare-for-all” type model, an aggressive approach to combating climate change, and the forgiveness of all public and privately held student debt. Fox News’ Michael Lee and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Kentucky Senate passes bill for armed guardians, mental health training in schools
A bill meant to bolster school safety by allowing school districts to hire retired law officers or military veterans to work as armed guardians won passage in the Kentucky Senate on Tuesday. The measure is the latest attempt by Kentucky lawmakers to augment school security since the tragic 2018 shooting at Marshall County High School in western Kentucky, where two students were killed and more than a dozen others were injured when another student opened fire. The bill cleared the GOP-led Senate on a 28-10 vote and goes to the House. The proposal, sponsored by Republican Sen. Max Wise, is designated as Senate Bill 2 — reflecting its priority status in the Senate. UTAH BILL ENCOURAGING TEACHERS TO GET FIREARMS TRAINING, CARRY ON CAMPUS PASSES LEGISLATURE The Senate passed another bill that would allow Kentucky voters to choose who serves on the state’s board of education. The measure would strip governors of the authority to select most board members. The school safety bill would allow local school boards to hire and assign guardians at schools. Their hiring would be optional for local boards. Districts could employ as many guardians as administrators deem necessary. The guardian program would begin in the 2025-26 school year if the bill becomes law. Guardians could fill the void at schools lacking armed school resource officers — typically members of local law enforcement agencies — or they could serve alongside SROs. Hundreds of school campuses are without SROs due to insufficient funding or lack of available officers, Wise has said. “The school resource officer, though, is first and foremost the hiring goal that we want for our Kentucky public schools,” Wise said during the Senate debate. “But the guardian is a well-measured approach that may fit a school district’s need.” Wise said the bill in no way waters down or removes any previous actions by the legislature to bolster school security in the wake of the Marshall County shooting. Democratic Sen. Reginald Thomas said the bill won’t resolve the core problems leading to gun violence. “Rather than saying how can we deal with the gun problem that we have here in this state and in America, our answer is let’s put more guns in schools, not less,” he said. Those eligible to serve as guardians would include honorably discharged military veterans, retired state troopers, retired law enforcement officers and former federal agents. Their preparation would include the first level of school resource officer training, as well as training on firearms proficiency and how to respond to active shooter situations. They would be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds. Opponents of the bill also raised concerns about the level of training for guardians. Republican Sen. Stephen West, in supporting the bill, said time is crucial in active shooter situations. “What it came down to for me is, would I rather have a trained, armed veteran on site ready to act or would I rather have a highly trained SRO or law enforcement officer five minutes away,” he said. “That’s the choice we have.” Republican Sen. Whitney Westerfield said the focus should be on expanding the number of SROs. “I regret that we’re doing this instead of appropriating the money for the districts to hire the SROs they need,” he said. “I would like for us to do that.” Wise has expressed hope that additional funding to deploy school resource officers will be included in the next two-year state budget plan that lawmakers will finalize later in the legislative session. The bill also includes mental health segments. It would increase suicide prevention awareness and training for teachers and students and expand the scope of student support. It would foster a team approach among school psychologists, social workers, school resource officers and mental health providers. In other action Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would change the way members of the state Board of Education are selected. Instead of appointment by the governor with confirmation by the Senate, the board members would be elected by the voters. The measure cleared the Senate on a 24-14 vote to advance to the House. Under the bill, two state school board members would be elected from each of the state’s seven Supreme Court districts. “Senate Bill 8 gives the voters the chance to make important choices about who is making the broad policy decisions about the education of their children and all of Kentucky’s youth,” said Republican Sen. Mike Wilson, the bill’s lead sponsor. Democratic Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong opposed the measure, saying there’s no evidence that switching their selection to partisan elections would improve educational outcomes among students. “I believe that party politics have no place in our Kentucky classrooms,” she said.
Senate Republicans are optimistic about potential McConnell successors
Shortly after Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his surprise decision to step down from leadership, Senate Republicans appeared hesitant to line up behind any potential successors but expressed optimism in the conference’s ability to select a good replacement come November. A top contender to step into McConnell’s role took himself out of the running Tuesday, instead choosing to make a bid for the No. 2 position in the conference – Republican whip. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News Digital he was fully focused on his own race when asked about possible new Republican leaders. SEN KYRSTEN SINEMA ANNOUNCES SHE WILL NOT SEEK REELECTION The senator said, “time will tell,” whether several more Republicans will join the race for leader. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, announced his bid for leader the day after McConnell’s surprise announcement, saying in a statement: “I am asking my Republican colleagues to give me the opportunity to succeed Leader McConnell.” In a Monday interview, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., currently the Republican whip, said he is hoping to become the next Republican leader. “I hope to be, and I’m going to do everything I can to convince my colleagues,” he told local news outlet Keloland.com. SEN MENENDEZ CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IN ANOTHER SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT When asked on Tuesday who he would like to see succeed him, McConnell declined to say. However, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said there are “two excellent candidates.” “We’re not going to make a bad decision.” Tillis said that he has voted for both men in the past for different leadership roles. This sentiment was echoed by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, who told Fox News Digital, “We’ve got a great group of senators who are running for these leadership positions.” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., has been speculated as another potential contender for leader, given his past attempt to unseat McConnell in 2022, garnering the support of a notable faction of more anti-establishment Republican senators. SEN HAWLEY WANTS BIDEN TO HIKE TARIFFS ON CHINESE ENERGY IMPORTS However, Scott has not made his intentions known regarding the leadership race. In a statement following McConnell’s announcement, Scott said, “This is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters.” The Florida Republican’s office confirmed Scott met with former President Trump on Monday, and the two spoke about his potential bid. “I talked to him about the fact that I might run for leader, and if I did that, we would have the opportunity together to change the direction of this country for the better,” he said in a statement originally provided to the Palm Beach Post. Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, who has been vocal about his concerns about McConnell’s leadership and frequently aligns with Scott, told Fox News Digital, simply, “I like Rick. We get along,” and “he’s a good senator.” Vance said he is waiting for all candidates to announce and make their cases before he endorses anyone. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who has similarly butted heads with McConnell and shares some of Scott’s priorities, also said he is open-minded about a new leader. “We haven’t done this in 18 years – a long time ago,” he told Fox News Digital. “If people are interested, get out there and make your case, and I’m talking to everybody.” “I’m not committed to anybody,” he added. MCCONNELL IN TALKS TO ENDORSE TRUMP IN 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE: REPORT Several other Republican senators indicated they were undecided on a leader, pointing to the fact that an election for McConnell’s replacement will not take place for eight more months. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., predicted to Fox News Digital that Trump will likely get involved in the Republican leadership race since “he gets involved in everything.” But, he said, “I don’t lose sleep at night over this,” because Trump’s involvement is an inevitability as long as he is “running the party.”
Fox News Power Rankings: Trump leads a dissatisfied electorate
Frustrated by higher prices, an influx of illegal immigrants and global instability, and unconvinced that an elderly President Biden could fix these problems, voters cleared a path for former President Trump to return to the White House. Or, concerned about the perceived threat Trump poses to democracy, the rule of law and abortion rights, voters again rejected his “MAGA” movement at the ballot box, choosing four more years of Biden. These are currently the most likely outcomes of the next presidential election. In each case, the result has less to do with each candidate’s strengths than with their opponent’s weaknesses. BIDEN PLANS TO ‘TRIGGER TRUMP’ IN NEW ‘AGGRESSIVE’ ELECTION STRATEGY: REPORT That is because, according to a batch of recent surveys, the American electorate is miserable — 72% of voters think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Majorities view both of the leading candidates unfavorably. Additionally, voters are unusually excited about someone else leading the nation, with roughly one in five giving their support to a named third-party candidate. In the first Fox News Power Rankings for the presidential election, neither Biden nor Trump has enough electoral college votes to win the next election. Trump has a small lead, thanks to Biden’s weak support among key groups in the coalition that led him to victory in 2020. With so many voters feeling negatively about the country and its future, the winner of the next election is less likely to be the “best” candidate than they are the “least bad” option. Biden heads into the election with weak polling numbers. In a collection of polls released over the weekend, he trails Trump 49-47% (Fox News), 47-45% (WSJ), and 48-43% (New York Times/Siena). DEMOCRATS RUSH TO KEEP TRUMP OFF BALLOT AFTER SCOTUS DECISION BECAUSE ELECTION CAN’T BE LEFT TO VOTERS Those results all show a tight race. It is inside those polls where the bad news for Biden kicks in. Democrats complain that Trump is also old and has shown signs of mental deterioration, but there is no equivalence in the polling. The former president has a 10-point advantage over Biden on mental soundness and a 21-point advantage on whether he is “too old.” His second in command, Vice President Kamala Harris, fares no better. Fifty-eight percent of voters disapprove of her performance in the latest Fox survey. That includes 30% of Black voters and 22% of Democrats. With no serious competition in the race, Biden has swept the Democratic primaries. However, according to the Times survey, 26% of voters in his party say they’re dissatisfied that he will become the nominee, and 6% are angry about it. Only 9% of Republicans are dissatisfied with Trump, with another 9% angry. Biden has bigger problems with the overall electorate, as the latest Fox survey revealed: All these groups were essential to Biden’s victory in 2020. Democratic strategists are skeptical that these groups will remain as supportive of Trump in November as they are now. They say their voters are worried about Biden’s weaknesses today, but they will “come back home” when they realize this election is a binary choice between him and Trump. That theory is supported by electoral history, but if they are wrong, the math for Biden gets very difficult. If Biden’s numbers are so weak, why is Trump’s lead not bigger? Primarily, it is because Trump brings a lot of baggage to the race. More voters remember the former president’s policies fondly than they think about Biden’s policies today; 40% say Trump’s policies helped them personally, while only 18% say the same about the current president (NYT/Siena). However, Trump also brought dysfunction to the White House, culminating in attempts to overturn the results of the last election and a riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Those factors are all “priced in” to Trump’s support, which is why he sits under 50% in most major polls. As Arnon Mishkin wrote last week, “About 47% (almost half) of the country supports Trump – and that number doesn’t move. The remaining roughly 53% (a bit more than half) are not supporting him – and there are few if any indications that they could move in his direction.” Trump is still dealing with these legal problems, and a conviction (or multiple convictions) would weaken his prospects of re-election. He also continues to direct money from his fundraising efforts toward his legal bills at a time when the Biden campaign and the DNC have significant cash advantages over Trump and the RNC. Polls that ask about Trump’s policies miss an important part of the Democratic platform in 2024 – the fall of Roe v. Wade. It happened under Biden, but it was a result of Trump’s appointments to the Supreme Court. Sixty percent of voters say abortion should be legal in all or most cases (WSJ). Division among Republicans about the role of the federal government in restricting abortion rights and state referenda will ensure that this issue remains in the conversation. As discussed, a majority of voters think Biden is too old and that Trump has committed serious crimes. What if Biden suffers from a serious health incident? What if Trump is convicted of a crime and cannot be pardoned? These are remote possibilities, but they have a greater-than-zero-percent chance of happening in an already unprecedented election cycle. There are also multiple declared third-party candidates, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who pulled double-digit support in the latest Fox survey with about eight months to go until the election. TAYLOR SWIFT HAS MESSAGE FOR SUPER TUESDAY VOTERS AS TRUMP, HALEY, BIDEN COMPETE A “No Labels” candidate could also pull votes from the major parties. Foreign conflict may also play a role. Voters were not thinking much about Ukraine or Israel before the last election, but they are now, and U.S. adversaries like China and Russia also loom over 2024. There are no guarantees about the shape of this race until Nov. 5. In the first Power Rankings for this presidential
Alabama Justice Sarah Stewart nominated to lead state Supreme Court
Republicans in Alabama chose Justice Sarah Stewart on Tuesday as their nominee to lead the state Supreme Court, after the justices vaulted into the national spotlight last month for their decision to recognize frozen embryos as children. Stewart defeated Bryan Taylor, a former state senator and legal adviser to two governors, to secure the GOP nomination. She will face Circuit Judge Greg Griffin, a Democrat from Montgomery, in November. The current chief justice is retiring due to age limits. Stewart was among the justices who ruled couples could pursue lawsuits for the wrongful death of a minor child and their frozen embryos were destroyed in a fertility clinic accident. PRIMARY ELECTION IN NEW ALABAMA US HOUSE DISTRICT GOES TO RUNOFFS The court’s decision touched off a furor and raised concerns about civil liabilities for fertility clinics. Women in Alabama saw their appointments canceled and their path to parenthood put in doubt after three major clinics paused IVF services in response to the decision. Nationally, Democrats sought to rally their base by portraying it as an example of extreme conservative positions in the aftermath Roe v. Wade being overturned. Alabama lawmakers have been debating legislation to shield clinics from legal liability, including legislation passed by Senate and House committees on the day of the primary. Stewart joined a concurring opinion written by Associate Justice Greg Shaw that the wrongful death law covers “an unborn child with no distinction between in vitro or in utero.” Shaw added that all three branches of state government are bound to follow a provision in the Alabama Constitution in 2018 saying it is state policy to recognize “the rights of unborn children.” By citing verses from the Bible and Christian theologians in his concurring opinion, Chief Justice Tom Parker alarmed advocates for church-state separation, while delighting religious conservatives who oppose abortion. In Alabama, the chief justice serves on the state’s highest court, and also serves as the administrative head of the state court system. Parker cannot run again because state law prohibits judges from being elected or appointed after age 70.
Peru’s PM quits amid claims of influence peddling
Alberto Otarola denies allegations that he attempted to improperly influence government contracts to help love interest. Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola has resigned after audio recordings, allegedly featuring him using his influence to help his love interest get government contracts, were released by the media. Otarola tendered his resignation on Tuesday after television programme Panorama broadcast the recordings over the weekend. Announcing his resignation, Otarola told reporters in Lima he had been framed by political opponents. He claimed his rivals had manipulated and edited the recordings, which he said were made before he entered office in 2022. However, Otarola said on X that he was resigning “to give peace of mind to the president and recompose the cabinet”. He presentado mi renuncia al cargo de presidente del Consejo de Ministros para dar tranquilidad a la presidenta y recomponga el gabinete. Continúo al servicio del país, como ha sido durante toda mi vida profesional. pic.twitter.com/LfvQUFXhfR — Alberto Otárola (@AlbertoOtarolaP) March 6, 2024 In the audio recordings, Otarola, 57, appears to be speaking to Yazire Pinedo. The 25-year-old woman landed contracts worth $14,000 this year to do archive and administrative work for the government. In one of the recordings, he allegedly tells her: “Tell me, then, my love, so we can talk. You know these things are annoying, they are a pain, but you also know that I love you.” Ordered home from Canada by President Dina Boluarte after the scandal erupted over the weekend, Otarola has denied any violation of Peruvian labour laws or other wrongdoing. “I understand the gravity of the political circumstances, but I repeat that I did not do anything illegal,” he said on Monday on X. En relación al informe difundido por Panorama, que aclararé cuando pise suelo peruano, comunico que, como ha dispuesto la presidenta Dina Boluarte, adelanto mi regreso a Perú. Entiendo la gravedad de la coyuntura política, pero reitero que no he cometido ningún acto ilegal. — Alberto Otárola (@AlbertoOtarolaP) March 4, 2024 Pinedo said on Tuesday that the leaked conversations with Otarola, who is married and has five children, were from 2021. She acknowledged having had a brief “perhaps sentimental relationship” with him. The president’s office said in a statement that it would hear Otarola out before deciding what to do. Prosecutors said they will investigate him for possible conflict of interest and “illegal sponsorship”. With Otarola’s departure, the other 18 members of the cabinet must also resign, according to Peruvian law. The president can choose to reinstate each of them. Recent unrest Boluarte, 61, came to power in 2022 after then-President Pedro Castillo, a left-wing leader, tried to dissolve Congress and rule by decree, leading to his quick removal and arrest. Violent protests followed in several cities to demand Boluarte step down and for elections to be held. A woman gestures as demonstrators call for an indefinite nationwide strike during a march against the government of President Boluarte in Lima, on February 9, 2023 [Alessandro Cinque/Reuters] About 50 people were killed in the ensuing crackdown by security forces, according to an estimate by Human Rights Watch, which accused the authorities of extrajudicial and arbitrary killings. Multiple legal proceedings were launched after the crackdown to investigate if Boluarte bears any responsibility for the deaths. Adblock test (Why?)
Indigenous Bolivian women take up taekwondo against gender-based violence
A violent attack by would-be robbers steered Bolivian Lidia Mayta towards the martial art of taekwondo. Three years later, she helps train other Indigenous women to defend themselves against rampant gender-based violence in the South American country. Mayta says she would have died if neighbours had not come out of their homes to scare off the assailants choking her outside her front door as they tried to steal her wallet. After the attack, she pledged she would never feel so helpless again. She joined a woman-only class at the Warmi Power taekwondo studio in Bolivia’s second city El Alto. Warmi means “woman” in the indigenous Quechua language. Her enthusiasm was such that the founders soon asked her to join the training team, helping in particular to translate instructions into Aymara, another of Bolivia’s indigenous tongues. “I didn’t know how to defend myself, now I try to help other women lose that fear,” the 56-year-old shopkeeper and community health secretary said. “This is a job of violence prevention.” Government data shows that eight out of 10 women and girls in Bolivia suffer physical violence at least once in their lives. “This is a violent country for women,” said Lucia Vargas of Coordinadora de la Mujer, or Women’s Coordinator, a rights advocacy group. In 2023, more than 51,000 women reported falling victim to violence. Husbands or partners were the perpetrators in the vast majority of cases. Warmi Power was launched by Laura Roca and Kimberly Nosa – both taekwondo black belts – in 2015. “Violence is not solved with violence, but learning to defend ourselves can save our lives,” said Nosa, who has been practising the martial art for 18 years. Roca is a trained psychologist who said she took up the discipline despite her father insisting it was the preserve of men. Together, the pair have trained more than 35,000 women countrywide. At the class in El Alto, most of the women are Indigenous and engaged in informal trade. Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Jason Palmer, the only Democrat to beat Joe Biden on Super Tuesday?
EXPLAINER Palmer won against Biden in American Samoa, but had never visited the South Pacific territory before the caucus. President Joe Biden has won every Democratic contest on Super Tuesday – except for one; American Samoa. Of 91 ballots cast in American Samoa, a United States territory in the South Pacific, Palmer won 51 and Biden won 40. Here is what we know about Palmer’s victory and American Samoa. Who is Jason Palmer? As well as being a hopeful politician, Palmer, a resident of Baltimore, is an entrepreneur. He has been actively involved in numerous businesses and non-profit organisations, primarily focusing on matters related to technology and education. The candidate said he believes voters are seeking a presidential candidate who embodies a more 21st-century perspective than Joe Biden. In February, Palmer distanced himself from Biden on foreign policy and called for a ceasefire in Gaza in a video which was posted on X. “Israel’s unrelenting attacks on the people of Gaza is inhumane,” Palmer said. “We need to withhold all military aid from Israel until a ceasefire is adopted, we need to be pro-peace in that region,” he added. Did he ever have a hope of winning against Biden? Palmer launched his bid for the White House in November. On his official campaign website, he acknowledged he had a very low chance of winning. “I know I’m a longshot candidate with very little chance of winning,” Palmer said. “Incumbent Presidents almost always win re-nomination from their party. As a result, our campaign is less focused on winning, and more focused on ideas, solutions and changing the conversation,” he added. On his website, Palmer explains that he chose to run in the Democratic primary “because (1) I’m a Democrat, and (2) we don’t want to play a spoiler role in this election”. But Palmer, 52, also said he had never visited American Samoa before his win over Biden there. “I have been campaigning remotely, doing Zoom town halls, talking to people, listening to them about their concerns and what matters to them,” he said. According to campaign finance records, Palmer personally loaned his campaign more than $500,000. “You can’t take the money with you when you die,” he said. “But you can change the world while you’re here.” After Tuesday’s victory, he thanked the community for the support on X. “I found out that I had won because my phone started blowing up with friends and campaign staffers texting me,” he told the Associated Press. Honored to announce my victory in the American Samoa presidential primary. Thank you to the incredible community for your support. This win is a testament to the power of our voices. Together, we can rebuild the American Dream and shape a brighter future for all #VoteJasonPalmer pic.twitter.com/Txf771rhtI — Jason Palmer (@educationpalmer) March 6, 2024 Where is American Samoa? American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the US located in the South Pacific ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The territory is slightly larger than Washington, DC, and it consists of five main islands and two coral atolls. According to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) about 46,620 residents live on the islands. American Samoans have representation in the electoral college but don’t have voting rights in the national election in November — just like American citizens in other US territories, including the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. In all, 3.5 million Americans — 98 percent of whom are ethnic or racial minorities — lack the right to vote in presidential elections. Is this the first time that American Samoa has delivered a surprise result? No. In 2016, voters opted for uncommitted delegates instead of casting their ballots for either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. In 2020, Michael R Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, secured a victory in the region, representing his sole triumph in the campaign. Adblock test (Why?)