THE LEDE

So...Tuesday’s contests changed quite a lot: Michael Bloomberg tanked (we’ll always have American Samoa), Joe Biden had an absolutely fantastic night (he was enjoying himself, and it showed), and Bernie Sanders had an OK night, likely winning California, but coming up really short in places he handily won in 2016. Biden’s decisive victory in South Carolina over the weekend, propelled by the black electorate, made a massive difference in how Tuesday played out — so much so that the Bloomberg campaign’s internal data swung to Biden so quickly that they “couldn’t even model it.”

The late-breaking Biden voters: Nidhi Prakash tracked down a few women in California last night who told her they decided very late in the game to vote for Biden. Their answers were really illuminating. "I saw all these people dropping out and they were all endorsing Biden, and I thought, Biden is the one who can be elected," one said. "So I did not mail in my ballot. I went to vote today, tore up my ballot, and voted for Biden."

72 hours: Because it all happened so fast, 72 hours is the exact and only amount of time that has seemed to matter this year. Here is chief space-time continuum correspondent Katherine Miller: “[Biden] leads Sanders in a two-person race, locked into place by Nevada and South Carolina, compounded by California and the South. Two expected outcomes took us back to where we were, a year ago, seemingly based on what’s happened in the immediate vicinity of people’s minds. The entire thing has the vibe of reaching out with your right hand somewhere offscreen, and tapping your own left shoulder.”

READ RECEIPTS

Addisu Demissie

Addisu Demissie (@ASDem on Twitter), a Democratic strategist who ran Sen. Cory Booker’s presidential campaign, was kind enough to text with me the Wednesday morning after Super Tuesday, even though this newsletter’s former author had previously bumped him. We had a great chat about the nature of where the race is right now, he made some predictions about next week, and we admired Jill Biden and Symone Sanders’ absolutely no-nonsense ability to fight off some protesters who stormed the stage.

KATE NOCERA: Addisu! It's Kate Nocera from BuzzFeed News how are you. ADDISU: *surprised emoji* That's basically been my face since 7pm last night. KATE NOCERA: Can you send me a selfie and tell me what your plans are for the day, besides making that face? Did you sleep at all?

IMAGE: Selfie of Addisu Demissie. ADDISU DEMISSIE: And no I didn't plan the Cory shirt. KATE NOCERA: I don't believe you but ok. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Sitting on my couch at home in Oakland, slept for maybe 5 hours? Least I've gotten since the campaign ended.

KATE NOCERA: So about last night! It was wild. What are your top two or three takeaways. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Completely wild. I think the speed with which the race changed was unprecedented. Sanders was on his way to a huge win a week ago today and the race flipped completely on its head by last night. A dramatic demonstration of just how fluid and late breaking the race has been over this first month of voting.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: I think my other big takeaway is the importance of black voters to the Democratic primary coalition. I wasn't sure they were going to coalesce and stick with Biden but they did and in doing so breathed life into his campaign. They (we!) are the path to victory. I have so much more...my God what a race. KATE NOCERA: Tell me a few more then! Or I personally have a terrible prediction track record. Tell me what you were wrong about.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Oh I do too. 2016 taught me not to make predictions. I was wrong about Klobuchar and Buttigieg getting out before Super Tuesday, let alone endorsing Biden immediately. Didn't think they would or could. But they did and it was a big deal. I was dead wrong the above, as well- I thought the coalescing process (for voters) around any non-Sanders candidate would take weeks. Didn't think people were paying attention like that. Well they were, and it took hours. And I still can't believe Biden took MA, MN, and apparently ME.

KATE NOCERA: Massachusetts was a total shock. Ok, now, what did the press get wrong. I sense you might have some feelings on that! ADDISU DEMISSIE: Nothing. You are all infallible. It's a good question - I think some of the coverage of Sanders NV win was a little too uncritical. He got 47% of the delegates but still only 34% of the vote, which was a little ominous. He wasn't growing his pie at all.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: I think there has also been a consistent underestimation of the power and importance of black voters to the delegate game - which is wild because black voters in South delivered the nominations the last two nominees. But the press got so caught up in IA/NH that that story was largely missed until last Saturday. KATE NOCERA: Ok so, obviously we've seen a lot of candidates drop out of the race recently (more may soon by the time this publishes who knows) What's ''The talk'' like with the candidate when it's time to leave the race?

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Well, first thing is it's usually not one conversation. I had several conversations with Cory about the path forward (or lack thereof) over the course of the fall and winter.. You may remember we even did it publicly in September! But ultimately, it's a few trusted advisers and maybe family and close friends weighing the political and personal pros and cons. You come with a recommendation but the candidate makes the choice. Then you go execute it. KATE NOCERA: And it's probably pretty wrenching I'm sure?

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Actually, I swear I'm not lying, it wasn't. Make no mistake I hated doing it, but I was very clear eyed about it and as the campaign manager, my job was to present the rational side of the argument. It was much, much harder to tell my staff and execute the exit. KATE NOCERA: I saw you quoted the other day talking about the big field operations, and how the value of having a big one has gone down. Break this down for me, especially vis a vis Warren.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Oh no! I think people are getting the wrong idea if they are making grand conclusions about the value of big field operations based on this race alone. I think it was field that delivered Iowa to Obama in the margin he needed to springboard forward, and Hillary would have lost Iowa and Nevada both (and maybe the nomination with it) without their brilliant field operations there. Pete and Bernie's ops contributed to their IA/NH./NV wins.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: But in THIS race - to many candidates, too many undecideds - media and momentum ended up being more important than field in the end. Field delivers on the margins but this was not a marginal election. Last night proved it. When massive numbers of people are making their decisions in the hours before voting, you can't really run.a get out the vote operation. KATE NOCERA: Just a few more questions if you are not bored yet! ADDISU DEMISSIE: I'm funemployed. And this is fun for me! KATE NOCERA: Speaking of, do you have any personal news to break?

ADDISU DEMISSIE: It depends on if you care what I'm having for lunch. KATE NOCERA: lol. So you won't tell me who you voted for yesterday then. I take this silence as a no. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Nope! This thing isn't over yet and whether it's Biden or Bernie, or Warren or someone else, who ends up the nominee, I don't want anyone out there to think because I voted or didn't vote for that candidate in the general that I can't get behind them 1000%. The barbarians are at the gate! They're inside the castle! I voted but now it's about beating Trump for me.

KATE NOCERA: Hahaha ok. I know we discussed predictions and how we hate them but you should make some anyway! Who wins Michigan next week? ADDISU DEMISSIE: Kate what are you trying to do to me!?! KATE NOCERA: You said this was fun! ADDISU DEMISSIE: That was then. FINE I'll do this but only because you asked: Think Biden wins MI, MO, MS; Bernie wins ND, ID, WA. St Patrick's day is gonna be big tho. No chance you get me to predict those states tho... WHAT ELSE YOU GOT?

KATE NOCERA: Super Tuesday 3: Tokyo Drift (next Tuesday is Super Tuesday, too fast too furious). Please react to this video of Symone Sanders absolutely tackling a vegan protestor at the Biden even last night. IMAGE DESCRIPTION: NBC News tweet showing video of Jill Biden stopping a vegan protestor and Symone Sanders bodily lifting her off the stage.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: The Falcons are looking for a LB. She came so correct. KATE NOCERA: It was an amazing video- but hopefully everyone gets some secret service soon. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Seriously. Also shouts to Dr. Jill. She wasn't having that mess lol. IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Jill Biden grappling with protestor. KATE NOCERA: Right?! Look at this!

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Princess emoji. KATE NOCERA: Ok so final question: where do you see campaigns needing to make in roads at this point, how do they grow their respective coalitions. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Sanders is in trouble - he has a rabid base of young people and Latinos (in the west at least) but Biden showed real strength in the suburbs yesterday. Suburbs + black voters is just more people and more delegates. So my gut here is that Sanders needs to double down on white working class Democrats and make sure they don't leak to Biden too. But even then, to win states as we come around to April and beyond, he can't surrender the suburbs. It's gonna be tough.

ADDISU DEMISSIE: Biden is the frontrunner now not just in delegates but in terms of his coalition. If he can hold on to what he did last night, he'll finish with the most delegates and win on the second ballot if not the first . But momentum is fleeting in this race... KATE NOCERA: Thanks so much for doing this Addisu! I think you were a great interview and better than whoever New York Times Ben bumped you for. ADDISU DEMISSIE: Who? KATE NOCERA: Exactly.

ON THE TRAIL WITH BUZZFEED NEWS

Ema O’Connor ended up riding the train down to DC with Andrew Yang on Tuesday. He told her that he’s looking at running for mayor of New York!

From Ruby Cramer and Molly Hensley-Clancy: Here’s the heartwarming tale of the unlikeliest friendship in politics — the one between Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders.

To know what Elizabeth Warren’s die-hard supporters were feeling in the lead-up to Super Tuesday, you really must read Molly’s piece on Jared Mollenkof, who has spent countless hours knocking on doors in Minnesota.

A familiar face may be coming back to Congress: Jeff Sessions is one step closer to winning his old Senate seat back, Kadia Goba reports.

From Addy Baird: Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar fended off a primary challenge from Jessica Cisneros, a 26-year-old immigration attorney, in Texas’s 28th district — a defeat for the progressive movement.

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