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Biggest Super Tuesday takeaway: Do not mess with Jill Biden or Symone Sanders

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In the midst of all the exit polling and ballot counting during the Super Tuesday primary race, an unlikely set of heroes (or sheroes, if you will) has emerged.

As Joe Biden delivered his victory speech at a rally in Los Angeles, two vegan protesters stormed the stage, one right after the other. Holding signs and shouting "Let dairy die!" they got frighteningly close to the former vice president, who at this point in the race does not have a Secret Service detail.

Security immediately took the first protester away. But as the second one jumped up on stage, Biden's wife Jill, who was standing by his side, leapt into action. Before anyone even knew what was happening, she'd physically blocked the second protester from her husband.

Photojournalist Patrick Fallon managed to capture her badass bodyguard move:

As if that wasn't impressive enough, as the photo was being taken, Symone Sanders, senior advisor to Joe Biden, sprung up out of nowhere to tackle the protester and drag her off stage. In the video, she looks like a lineman just after the ball was snapped—no hesitation, no fear, just pure, instinctual "NOPE, NOT TONIGHT, LADY," as she hurdled up to the stage.

No matter who your preferred candidate or what your political affiliation is, you've got to hand it to these women for their immediate fearlessness. They didn't know if those protesters was armed. They didn't know if they themselves would be harmed, and it didn't even appear to cross their minds. They didn't wait for security (which was where, by the way?) to act. They saw danger and pounced. This is what heroes do.

And neither has made a big deal out of it. Dr. Biden hasn't mentioned the incident on social media at all. And Sanders simply shared what might be the most perfect tweet for a civilian woman springing up to do the job of a Secret Service agent. So understated. So fierce.

If we're going to continue the trend of choosing old white dudes as presidential candidate, we should at least make sure they're surrounded by strong, courageous women. Well done, ladies.

Watch the whole scene here, including Dr. Biden going back to clapping for her husband like nothing even happened:

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Marco Rubio's emotional tirade against Donald Trump is required viewing for every voter.

Update 3/16/2016: Last night, Rubio suspended his campaign for president. While it came too late to rescue his candidacy, his searing indictment of Trump was perhaps his campaign's rawest, most important moment.

On Saturday, March 12, a visibly distraught Marco Rubio stood in front of the press and slammed Donald Trump for inciting violence.

Image via Marco Rubio/YouTube.

The Florida senator, who has been criticized for giving pre-programmed answers to tough questions, finally got real about the Republican frontrunner — and he didn't hold back.

"This boiling point that we have reached has been fed, largely, by the fact that we have a frontrunner, in my party, who has fed into language that basically justifies physically assaulting people who disagree with you," a clearly shaken Rubio said, referring to events at Trump rallies in Chicago, St. Louis, and elsewhere last week.

Rubio laid into Trump for denigrating Muslim Americans...

"How are you going to be the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces when you have men and women of the Muslim faith who serve us in uniform? Who could be killed in action?" Rubio said.

...called the billionaire out for his reckless, irresponsible leadership...

"Leaders cannot say whatever they want," Rubio explained. "Because words have consequences. They lead to actions that others take. And when the person you're supporting for president is going around saying things like, 'Go ahead and slap him around, I'll pay your legal fees,' what do you think is going to happen next? Someone is actually going to literally believe it."

...and expressed fear for the future of American politics.

"We're going backwards here. This is a frightening, grotesque, and disturbing development in American politics," Rubio warned.

A reporter asked Rubio if he'd still support Trump if he became the Republican nominee.

Remarkably, the senator replied:

GIFs via Marco Rubio/YouTube.

And then, later...

You don't have to agree with Rubio on policy or politics to applaud his candid warning about Trump.

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

Rubio certainly hasn't been perfect. Not only did he wait to issue his condemnation of Trump until the billionaire was already the odds-on favorite for the nomination, but in some cases, Rubio's own rhetoric has been nearly as divisive as Trump's. He's suggested that, as president, he'd be open to shutting down not only mosques but "any place where radicals are being inspired." He's even implied that President Obama is doing deliberate damage to America (several times in the same debate, no less).

With his latest comments, however, the Florida senator finally drew a distinction between his disagreements with President Obama and the dangerous rhetoric coming from Trump.

And that matters.

The fact is: When a leading presidential candidate tacitly encourages his supporters to assault protesters and then stands back — or even offers to financially support them — when they act on his suggestions, a line has been crossed.

This is bigger than Republican versus Democrat. This is about standing up for the idea that a political candidate who inspires their supporters to commit acts of violence against people who disagree with them is dangerous for democracy — and America.

Even though Rubio certainly isn't the first person to say this about Donald Trump's campaign, his condemnation — while late — gets it exactly right.

Watch the full interview below.

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Donald Trump won big on Super Tuesday. There's a reason what you're feeling is familiar.

When tycoon and self-proclaimed "good-looking guy" Donald Trump threw his hairpiece in the race for the White House, so many people never thought we'd reach this point.

"Sticking with my prediction," conservative analyst Bill Kristol tweeted in December 2015. "Trump will win no caucuses or primaries, and will run behind Ron Paul 2012 in IA and NH."

"Trump is generating a lot controversy, but he is not taken seriously as a potential president," a New Hampshire Republican insider told Politico in August. "I have heard from many people who say 'I love him! Love what he’s saying!' But when I ask if they would really vote for him, they say, 'hell no.'"

Yet ... we've watched together in shock as Donald Trump has said the most inexplicable things and continued his unfathomable rise to GOP frontrunner. Now, with his landslide victory on Super Tuesday, we've all been riding the same emotional roller coaster.

Deep down, you probably recognize this pattern of feelings. You don't like it, but you know it all too well.

It's called the five stages of grief:


Photo via iStock.

Don't worry. It's normal to have these feelings.

The saving grace? You're definitely not alone.

And despite how it may seem after Super Tuesday, there's actually a serious, honest-to-goodness light at the end of the tunnel! For real!

Let's do this:

1. First, we were in denial.

Photo by Mark Walheiser/Getty Images.

When Donald Trump descended the gold escalator in a gold building adorned with his own name to declare his candidacy, we thought it was all a big joke.

It had to be a joke, right?

(This has to be a joke.)

Donald Trump couldn't really be running for president.

Donald Trump isn't really leading in the polls. No way. It's just a mirage.


He'll be gone in a month, we told ourselves.

Once they (whoever they are) figure out what a terrible businessman he actually is, he'll go away. After all, we're talking about the guy who sold his brand of steaks (steaks!) exclusively through a retailer best known for free massage chairs at the mall. The guy who could have been worth $10 billion more if he'd just taken the money he inherited and invested it in basic index funds instead of plowing it into failed real estate deal after failed real estate deal. The guy who is, according to some reports, exaggerating his own net worth by a full 100% — in part by valuing his own name at $3 billion.

Once they hear all the horrible things he's said about women, he'll disappear. Like the time he suggested Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had "blood coming out of her wherever" after the first Republican debate. Or when he said his favorite part of the movie "Pulp Fiction" was when a male character told his girlfriend to shut up.


Once they hear all the horrible things he's said about minorities, we told ourselves, there's no way anyone would vote for him. This is a guy who tweeted a graphic that claimed 81% of white homicide victims were killed by black perpetrators — a totally baseless, pants-on-fire lie.

Once they hear about his fraudulent university — currently being investigated by the state of New York for scamming students — he'll slink away in disgrace.

Everyone within 50 miles of Manhattan knows what a joke this guy is, we told ourselves at night. The rest of the country will wise up soon enough once they get to know him.

We comforted ourselves with the knowledge that Nate Silver didn't think he had a chance, and that Nate Silver almost always get it right.


There is no way anyone could actually vote for Donald Trump in real life. No way in hell. The American people are rational and smart, we repeated to ourselves like a mantra. They won't be fooled. They'll get it.

We went back to sleep.

2. Then, we got angry.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images.

Donald Trump won New Hampshire, and we were pissed. Royally pissed.

"Donald Trump won New Hampshire?" we asked incredulously. "Like, won won?"

(What the hell?)

Moderate, libertarian New Hampshire just voted for a racist who wants to ban Muslims from entering the United States — as if the First Amendment is just a suggestion? For a con man who wants to build a wall along the border and promises — without a shred of evidence or logic — that Mexico will pay for it? For a preening narcissist who talks relentlessly about how nice his own hands are? (His own hands!)

How could anyone believe this obvious BS? How could anyone vote for him? It's infuriating! Why isn't everybody pissed off about this? We wanted — no, needed — to know.

"Wait, did Uncle Jim vote for him? He did, didn't he? Uncle Jim voted for Donald Trump?! Screw him forever," we said indignantly. "His invitation to the wedding just got lost in the mail!"

Donald Trump isn't qualified to run a Wendy's, we told each other. And yet, despite how many people lost money in his ill-conceived, often sketchy real estate ventures, despite launching a mortgage company in 2006 — just two years before the housing bubble burst — despite four of his businesses filing for bankruptcy, thousands of people actually believe he's a good businessman? Why? Because he fired Meat Loaf and Lil Jon on "Celebrity Apprentice"?

How could America be so blind?

That's it — if he wins again, we're moving to Canada.

3. Next, we started bargaining.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images.

This was when we realized: Donald Trump wasn't funny anymore.

There had to be a way to stop him.

There ... has to be. Right?

Sure, Trump won South Carolina by 10 points. So what if he won Nevada by even more? That's just three states. Three out of 50. This thing isn't over yet. Can't somebody stop him?

Take him out, conservative billionaires! Ad blitz him into the ground, RNC! Destroy him, John Oliver!

Please? Anyone? We're not actually about to put Donald freaking Trump — former "Miss USA" pageant owner — in charge of our country, right? Right?!

We started to feel pretty desperate. "Just tell us what we need to do!" we said to ourselves. "If we're Republicans, we'll donate to whoever can beat him. If we're Democrats, we'll change our registration! We'll vote for John Kasich. We'll vote for Ted Cruz. We'll vote for a guinea pig!"

Make the cage full of wood chips great again. Photo by Jean/Flickr.

Just let it be a dream, we hoped.

Just make it go away.

4. Then, depression set in.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images.

"Oh God," we thought.

This is happening, isn't it? It's really happening. Look at his numbers. Look how many states Trump just won on Super Tuesday. It's undeniable now.

"Donald Trump is probably going to be the Republican nominee for president of the United States," we realized, as a giant, gaping pit of despair opened up in our stomachs. "There is now a 50-50 chance that Donald Trump is going to be the most powerful person in the most powerful nation on Earth."

Donald Trump. The man who called Mexicans who come to the U.S. "rapists." The man who refused to denounce the KKK when he had a chance. The KKK!


It is possible — likely, even — that a guy who was too incompetent and racist to successfully manage a beauty pageantcould be in charge of hundreds of nuclear weapons less than a year from now.

Who can even stop him?

Hillary can't beat him, we worried. Too many people hate Hillary.

Bernie can't beat him either, we panicked. Sure, Bernie's numbers might look good now, but if he wins, it's going to be: "Socialist socialist raise taxes Stalin communist raise taxes USSR atheist socialist," 24/7.

It's over. It's all over.

Nothing left to do but go back to bed. Forever.

5. And lastly, we had to accept reality.

Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

Now, with the dust settling on yet another massive Trump victory on Super Tuesday, only one question remains: Could we be OK with a Trump candidacy? Like, actually OK?

Yeah. Sure. Why not. It's not the end of the world, right?

Donald Trump might be president for the next four years? Fine. We can handle it. We can accept a lot of things. We can accept disappointment. We can accept the inevitability of our own deaths. We can accept Iggy Azalea—

But ... no. You know what?

No.

We don't have to accept this.

Not in a million years.

That's right. Backing this train up. Back to anger. Before anger. Before denial.

Back to hope. Pure, blind, possibly naive hope. If there's one thing Americans do better than anyone else, it's hope, dammit.

Donald Trump is not America. Lots of people may seem to support him — for now, at least. But he's not you. He's not me. He's not even Uncle Jim, no matter what Uncle Jim thinks.

He can't be.

You know why?

America is still a country that doesn't discriminate against anyone because of religion.

Photo by Mandel Ngan/Getty Images.

America is still a country that allows everyone to marry the person they love.

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.

America is still a country that believes in the words on the Statue of Liberty — a country that welcomes immigrants and refugees with open arms.

Photo by Jewel Samad/Getty Images.

America is a country that doesn't have to be made great again. Because it already is great.

Photo by Toru Yamanaka/Getty Images.

It's true. Today, Donald Trump is one step closer to the Oval Office than he was yesterday. There's no denying that.

Photo by Mark Walheiser/Getty Images.

But from now until November, the rational majority of us — Republican, Democrat, Independent — can work our asses off to make sure he never, ever, ever gets there.

Let's go.

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Nebraska has made voting a lot better for everybody. It's a model for the country.

True
Open Primaries

The primary system we use to choose candidates in the United States is broken, but there's a proven way to make it better.

A tiny fraction of possible voters get to choose who is actually running for office. It's what happens in most state and federal elections across the country; if you're a registered Republican, you get to vote in the primaries for that party. Democrat? Same.

But what if you're among the more than 40% of voters (and half of all millennials) who are independent?

In many states, you have to actually register as a member of a party in order to vote in the primary.

If registering as a member of a party you don't necessarily agree with on many issues rubs you the wrong way, join the club.

Image of the George W. Norris chamber via Nebraska Legislature.

Are there any solutions to this problem?

Some states, like Nebraska, have taken a different approach — and it's working much better.

John Opdycke, the president of Open Primaries, explained in a recent Atlantic interview, how this alternative system truly breaks the mold.

"[The primaries] don't just determine party nominees," he said. "They determine the shape and the tenor and tone of the campaign, the issues that are on the table, the coalitions that are on the table."

How so? Let's explore 3 ways they do that.


1. Open primaries, where anyone can vote for any candidate regardless of party registration

It means that candidates have to appeal to all voters, not simply the ones in their party, to end up on the final ballot.

This leads to...

2. A general election ballot without party affiliation where voters choose between the top two candidates.

It also means that the people get things they want accomplished by their lawmakers — despite political affiliations of the parties. In the case of Nebraska, a legislature comprised of 35 Republicans, 13 Democrats, and 1 independent accomplished a raise in the minimum wage, immigration reform, abolishing the death penalty, and raising the gas tax, among other things.

Imagine that happening in a state where the primaries are like they are for most of the country?

3. A non-partisan unicameral legislature where politicians work together

A unicameral legislature is something that rather flips the traditional voting narrative on its head, and it's opening some eyes. Definitively, unicameral legislature means one chamber of house, rather than two divided ones.

With no formal party alignments or caucuses, it allows coalitions to form issue by issue. This way, every bill gets an open and public committee hearing regardless of the member's party status.

GIF from Open Primaries/Why America Needs Nonpartisan Elections.


Here's a short clip with some sound reasons why it's working for Nebraska.

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