Nikki Haley vows to stay in Republican primary race
Nikki Haley will square up to Donald Trump in another Republican primary on Tuesday, this time in Michigan, and will be hoping to put in another respectable showing and run her rival close, even if she does not believe she can win, to justify her dogged insistence on staying in the contest for Super Tuesday on 5 March.
Ms Haley was beaten again in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday and suffered a further blow in its aftermath when she lost the support of Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), the political wing of the conservative donor network led by billionaire Charles Koch, which announced it would no longer be supporting her campaign and will instead focus on Senate engagement.
Mr Trump particularly relished the news, writing on Truth Social that “Charles Koch and his group got played for suckers right from the beginning”.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden is facing a protest vote on his administration’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Some Muslim-Americans – including congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American lawmaker in Congress – have chosen to vote “uncommitted” as a mark of protest over the president’s handling of the conflict.
Inside the chaotic Republican rivalry that could swing the 2024 election
Michigan residents will on Tuesday help decide whether Donald Trump or Nikki Haley will represent the Republican Party in this year’s presidential election.
After the public has its say, local Republican officials will meet at a party convention on Saturday 2 March to add their own votes in a two-stage primary process.
But this year, there will be not one but two duelling conventions, convened by two rival party leaders – both of whom claim they are the real one.
Such is the chaos that has engulfed the Great Lake State’s GOP since its disastrous showing in the 2022 midterm elections, which saw Democrats take both houses of the state legislature and the governor’s seat for the first time in decades.
Io Dodds takes a look at what’s happening:
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 23:00
Washington stares down the barrel of the first shutdown of 2024
With Congress under a 1 March deadline to reauthorise several major government programs, Washington is once again playing shutdown roulette. And all eyes are on the House of Representatives, where a two-vote GOP majority holds the chamber and Mr Johnson faces the constant threat of being ousted by his own colleagues.
On Friday, funding for a wide range of government programs under four major umbrellas will cease: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Energy and Water Development; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration. The immediate effects would not be devastating, though federal workers could see their paychecks suspended and many public-facing operations of government — like Veterans Affairs offices — would temporarily shutter.
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 22:15
Schumer says Ukraine will ‘lose the war’ if spending package isn’t passed
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday said Ukraine’s defence forces would ultimately be defeated by Russia’s invading army if the US fails to approve a supplemental defence spending bill which includes funds for Kyiv, as well as defence aid to Israel and Taiwan.
Speaking outside the White House following an Oval Office meeting with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Mr Schumer called the session “productive” and said he and his colleagues “are making good progress” towards a solution.
He added that Mr Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, “said unequivocally he wants to avoid a government shutdown”.
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 21:30
Does TSA still run if the government shuts down?
During federal shutdowns, government employees are told not to report for work and placed on furlough – although, since 2019, they are now paid retroactively when the impasse comes to an end, rather than forced to lose out on wages altogether.
What does that mean for the TSA and other public safety bodies?
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 20:45
Biden skewers Trump’s ‘old ideas’ as he defends own age
Meyers put forward a question to the 81-year-old president about his age, asking him how he can address many voter concerns over his seniority.
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 20:00
Why people are voting ‘uncommitted’ in Michigan’s Democrat primary
“Frustrated with the lack of response, we are now turning to a more traditional method of democratic expression: our voting power,” the group’s website reads.
Here’s what you need to know:
Mike Bedigan27 February 2024 19:30
Media accused of complacency over ‘moderate’ Nikki Haley
The Daily Show guest host Desi Lydic has called out the characterisation of Nikki Haley as a “moderate” Republican, arguing that she has long been a conservative through and through.
“When you actually take a look at her policies, they aren’t that different from Trump,” the comedian said of Ms Haley on Thursday.
Martha McHardy has the story:
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 19:15
White House readout of Biden and Harris’s meeting with congressional leadership
Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries in the Oval Office about the urgency of keeping the government open and passing the bipartisan national security supplemental. The President made clear that Congress must take swift action to fund the government and prevent a shutdown. A shutdown is unacceptable and would cause needless damage to hardworking families, our economy, and our national security. He emphasized that the only path forward is through bipartisan funding bills that deliver for the American people and are free of any extreme policies. The President also emphasized the urgent need for Congress to continue standing with Ukraine as it defends itself every day against Russia’s brutal invasion. He discussed how Ukraine has lost ground on the battlefield in recent weeks and is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies due to Congressional inaction. He underscored the importance of the bipartisan national security supplemental, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and would pass in the House if it was brought to a vote. He made clear that in addition to arming Ukraine and investing in America’s defense industrial base, the bill would help Israel defend itself against Hamas, and provide more humanitarian aid for those impacted by conflicts around the world, including Palestinian civilians who are experiencing dire humanitarian conditions.
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 18:53
Speaker Johnson says White House meeting was ‘frank and honest’
Speaking to reporters, Speaker Mike Johnson called the White House meeting “frank and honest”, adding that he also had a “one-on-one” meeting with Joe Biden in which he pressed the president on the need for a plan for the southern border.
“The first priority of the country is our border and making it secure,” he said.
Mr Johnson also said that the “House is actively pressing all the options” on Ukraine, adding it will get done in a “timely” but did not offer specifics.
He expressed optimism that they will agree to a plan to fund the government and avert a shutdown.
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 18:25
Watch: Schumer speaks to media after ‘intense’ White House meeting
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says the Big Four meeting was “one of the most intense” he’s ever been in because of how everyone impressed on House Speaker Mike Johnson the urgency of doing Ukraine aid now.
“This is an existential moment for the free world… we can’t say we won’t do Ukraine until we do border.”
Oliver O’Connell27 February 2024 18:20