2020 Democrats challenge Biden's call for calm at California gathering


Several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates took advantage of early front-runner former Vice President Joe Biden's absence from a California state party gathering on Saturday evening.
Biden was reportedly the only prominent candidate not in attendance, as he was campaigning in Ohio on Saturday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of 14 candidates at the event, seemingly took a jab at the former vice president who had previously preached calm in the Democratic Party and said once President Trump is out of office, the GOP may have an "epiphany," leading them to embrace bipartisanship. "Some say if we all just calm down, the Republicans will come to their senses," Warren said. "But this country is in crisis. The time for small ideas is over." South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was less direct than Warren, but also said "the riskiest thing we can do is play it safe."
Despite the veiled Biden criticism, most of the candidates united against President Trump, agreeing that the ultimate goal is driving him out of the Oval Office, The Los Angeles Times reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats