memeorandum: The Pied Pipers of the Dirtbag Left Want to Lead Everyone to Bernie Sanders (Nellie Bowles/New York Times)

6:10 PM ET, February 29, 2020

Top Items:

Man in Washington state first in US to die from new virus — A man has died in Washington state of COVID-19, state health officials said Saturday, marking the first such reported death in the United States. — State officials issued a terse news release announcing the death, gave no details and scheduled a news conference.

Discussion: Mediaite

Washington Post:

Live updates: New coronavirus cases indicate virus is spreading in U.S.; FDA expands testing — More coronavirus infections were reported from South Korea to France to Qatar on Saturday after health officials in Washington state, Oregon and California on Friday reported a worrying development …

Discussion: NBC News, The Daily Beast, Slate, Occupy Democrats, Vox, Associated Press, Twitchy, POLITICUSUSA, The Post Millennial, UPI, Raw Story, LiveScience, Fox News and New York Post

KIRO:

Department of Health confirms first coronavirus death in Washington state — The Washington Department of Health confirmed Saturday the first coronavirus-related death in Washington state, according to a press release. — Health officials said there are new King County cases in addition to the two new cases confirmed Friday evening.

Discussion: The Seattle Times, Breitbart, Fox News, Daily Kos, TheBlaze and New York Post

Ted Hesson / Reuters:

Exclusive: U.S. weighs restrictions at border with Mexico over coronavirus threat — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering imposing entry restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border to control the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, according to two U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.

Discussion: Political Flare and Raw Story

Nicole Acevedo / NBC News:

First coronavirus death in the U.S. happens in Washington state — The person who died was a man in his 50s who had underlying health conditions. — Health officials in Washington state said on Saturday a coronavirus patient has died. — The death is the first from coronavirus illness COVID-19 in the United States.

Discussion: Vox, Townhall, SFist, Mashable, The Week and Deadline

New York Times:

Coronavirus Updates: First Death in U.S. Confirmed In Seattle Area — The death comes as unexplained new cases in Washington State, Oregon and California suggest local, person-to-person spread of the virus in the United States. — RIGHT NOW A person in King County, Washington, near Seattle …

Discussion: Vox, CNBC, Mother Jones, The Daily Beast and Gothamist

Tara Lee / governor.wa.gov:

Inslee issues COVID-19 emergency proclamation — Gov. Jay Inslee today declared a state of emergency in response to new cases of COVID-19, directing state agencies to use all resources necessary to prepare for and respond to the outbreak. — “This will allow us to get the resources we need,” Inslee said.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Tony Romm / Washington Post:

Millions of tweets peddled conspiracy theories about coronavirus in other countries, an unpublished U.S. report says — The study, which said it excluded the United States, found early signs that some of the activity may have been coordinated and inauthentic

New York Times:
First U.S. Death in Coronavirus Outbreak Reported in Washington State

Discussion: The Wrap

Los Angeles Times: First U.S. coronavirus death reported in Washington state; California braces for virus' spread

Marisa Schultz / Fox News:
Trump assures nation after 1st American coronavirus death: ‘No reason to panic’

Discussion: The Guardian and Politico

ABC News: Coronavirus live updates: President Trump confirms 1st known death in US from coronavirus

Maegan Vazquez / CNN:
Trump says additional coronavirus cases ‘likely’ as US confirms first death

Discussion: Big League Politics, The Week and Redstate

Bloomberg: First Death Reported in U.S.; More Cases Likely: Virus Update

Matt Stevens / New York Times:

2020 South Carolina Primary: Live Coverage — The South Carolina Democratic primary, where 54 delegates are at stake, is here. It's the first time in the nomination process that a majority-black electorate will have their voices heard. — The polls open at 7 a.m. and close …

Discussion: PJ Media Home

Li Zhou / Vox:

Live results for the South Carolina Democratic primary — The state is critical for former Vice President Joe Biden. — The South Carolina primary will reveal which candidates can cut it with a key Democratic constituency — right before the race for delegates kicks into overdrive.

CBS News:
South Carolina primary election live updates

Discussion: Townhall, NBC News and CNN

Maggie Severns / Politico:
Biden gets a late burst of cash at a key moment

Discussion: The Hill, Axios and Washington Post

Steven Nelson / New York Post: Trump urges South Carolina Republicans to vote for Bernie Sanders

Astead W. Herndon / New York Times: 'We're the Base': Black Democrats in South Carolina Want to Send a Message

Marc Caputo / Politico: ‘Too much detail’: South Carolina holds firm for Biden despite rambling, graphic speeches

Nellie Bowles / New York Times:

The Pied Pipers of the Dirtbag Left Want to Lead Everyone to Bernie Sanders — Many listeners would never repeat what these podcast hosts say. So why do they desperately want to hear from them? — IOWA CITY — The people in the crowd were angry, and “Chapo Trap House” wanted them to stay that way.

TMZ.com:

Bernie Sanders Boards the Wrong Private Jet, Campaign Brain Fart — BERNIE SANDERS BOARDS THE WRONG PRIVATE JET ... Case Of Campaign Brain — Bernie Sanders is on the go all the time — which seems to have given him a momentary case of a campaign brain fart as he accidentally boarded the wrong jet.

New York Times:

Sanders Looks to Topple Warren in Her Home State — A victory in Massachusetts would not just give Mr. Sanders a significant share of the state's 91 delegates but also inflict a symbolic blow to his closest ideological rival. — SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Bernie Sanders landed …

Discussion: The Week, The Boston Globe, Politico, The Hill and Reason

Jim Geraghty / National Review:
The End of Elizabeth Warren?

Discussion: New York Times and The Gateway Pundit

Kevin Robillard / HuffPost:
Top Teachers Union Leader Is Endorsing Elizabeth Warren For President

Discussion: CNN

Mujib Mashal / New York Times:

U.S. Strikes Deal With Taliban to Withdraw Troops From Afghanistan — After more than a year of talks, the agreement lays out the beginning of the end of the United States' longest war. But many obstacles remain. — DOHA, Qatar — The United States signed a deal with the Taliban on Saturday …

Discussion: Associated Press, The Daily Beast, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, PJ Media Home, The Week, CNN, Vox, Daily Kos, Slate, UPI, ABC News and The White House

Rebecca Kheel / The Hill:
US, Taliban sign deal to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

Discussion: Reuters and The Guardian

Los Angeles Times:
U.S. and the Taliban sign accord to end war in Afghanistan, draw down American forces

Discussion: Washington Post and Task & Purpose

Martin Pengelly / The Guardian:

Republican mega-donor buys stake in Twitter and seeks to oust Jack Dorsey - report — Billionaire Paul Singer's Elliott Management has taken a ‘sizable state’ and intends to ‘push for changes’, reports Bloomberg News — A major Republican donor has purchased a stake in Twitter …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Deadline, Raw Story and Bloomberg, more at Techmeme »

Betsy Swan / The Daily Beast:

Jackie Speier's Question to DOJ on Epstein Raises Eyebrows in House Intel Committee — In a closed-door briefing to members of Congress on government surveillance, a senior Justice Department official was asked a surprising question. — In a closed-door briefing to members of Congress …

Discussion: New York Post and Raw Story

Ashe Schow / The Daily Wire:

Media Claims Trump Called Coronavirus A ‘Hoax.’ Here's What He Actually Said. — While speaking at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina, President Donald Trump brought up the coronavirus and Democrats' attempts to politicize the issue. — Trump called those attempts a new hoax …

Discussion: Redstate, NBC News, Fox News and Don Surber