Every Saturday morning, we’re publishing “This Week in the 2020 Race”: a quick way to catch up on the presidential campaign and the field of 24 candidates for the Democratic nomination.
One way to respond to Mueller? Print T-shirts
In testimony before two House committees on Wednesday, Robert S. Mueller III, the former special counsel, reiterated his findings on Russian interference in the 2016 election and President Trump’s efforts to stop his investigation. Despite sharp questions, he confirmed nothing beyond what was in his report, but he did say unequivocally that Mr. Trump was wrong to claim exoneration.
The Democratic presidential candidates, more than half of whomsupport either impeachment or an impeachment inquiry, largely described the hearing as confirmation of “what we already knew,” as Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota put it in an email to supporters. If anything, Mr. Mueller’s dry testimony made impeachment before the next election even less likely.
But Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts reiterated her belief that the report amounted to an impeachment referral.
“Some things are above politics, and one of them is our constitutional responsibilities to do what is right,” Ms. Warren said. “And the responsibility of the Congress of the United States of America, when a president breaks the law, is to bring impeachment charges against that president.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Representatives Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and Tim Ryan of Ohio, and the former housing secretary Julián Castro also called for impeachment proceedings. Ms. Klobuchar promoted the Election Security Act, a bipartisan bill she introduced that would require states to use backup paper ballots and conduct postelection audits, among other measures. Gov. Steve Bullock of Montana … well, he added a “limited edition” T-shirt to his campaign store to remind voters that six Trump associates had been indicted
The candidates courted black voters
Many of the 2020 Democrats took turns this week speaking to mostly black audiences about their plans to support black communities — first at an N.A.A.C.P. forum and later at theNational Urban League’s annual conference.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont promised to stand up to developers seeking to “come in and build expensive condominiums” that displace residents.
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey said his identity as a black man living in Newark gave him a unique perspective that no president has had before.
And Senator Kamala Harris of California noted that she had sponsored a marijuana decriminalization bill aimed at eliminating racial disparities in sentencing.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., who is seeking to shed his reputation as a candidate supported mainly by white elites, pointed to his recently released “Douglass Plan” to address racial inequality as evidence of his campaign’s growth.
“I invite you to watch me talk about systemic racism not only when I’m talking to mostly black audiences, but when I’m talking to mostly white audiences,” Mr. Buttigieg said.