Ben White on US Elections & the Coronavirus Bill

Ben White on US Elections & the Coronavirus Bill | Dem Debates | US Politics In :60 | GZERO Media

Ben White, Chief Economic Correspondent for Politico, provides his perspective on the news in US politics:

What were the main takeaways from the first one on one Biden-Sanders debate?

Well, the takeaway is that Biden did just fine. No major blow-ups. Bernie Sanders needed to have a breakthrough moment to stop Biden's momentum. He didn't get it. It seems increasingly clear that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee for president, which is what we all thought from the start.

Is it possible that the coronavirus could delay the November elections?

Some rumors floating around about that, that President Trump could try to delay the election. He doesn't have the authority to do that. So that's not going to happen. It could be that the vote is spread out over a couple of days, if we're still in a bad virus situation and have social distancing and other measures could have to be taken, but the vote will happen in November.

What's in the current coronavirus bill before Congress?

Well, it's passed the House. Now before the Senate. It mainly focuses on sick leave and unemployment insurance. There are some questions whether the Senate might want changes. The White House and Treasury are already working on another bill that would be more directed towards bailing out businesses like airlines and hotels. So, we've got to get through this one and then we'll move to the next stimulus measure.

More from GZERO Media

Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to American manufacturing means two-thirds of the products we buy come straight from our backyard to yours. From New Jersey hot sauce to grills made in Tennessee, Walmart is stocking the shelves with products rooted in local communities. The impact? Over 750,000 American jobs - putting more people to work and keeping communities strong. Learn more here.

People gather at a petrol station in Bamako, Mali, on November 1, 2025, amid ongoing fuel shortages caused by a blockade imposed by al Qaeda-linked insurgents.
REUTERS/Stringer

Mali is on the verge of falling to an Islamist group that has pledged to transform the country into a pre-modern caliphate. The militant group’s momentum has Mali’s neighbors worried.

Last week, Microsoft released the AI Diffusion Report 2025, offering a comprehensive look at how artificial intelligence is spreading across economies, industries, and workforces worldwide. The findings show that AI adoption has reached an inflection point: 68% of enterprises now use AI in at least one function, driving measurable productivity and economic growth. The report also highlights that diffusion is uneven, underscoring the need for greater investment in digital skills, responsible AI governance, and public-private collaboration to ensure the benefits are broadly shared. Read the full report here.

- YouTube

At the 2025 Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan warns that without deliberate action, the world’s poorest countries risk exclusion from the AI revolution. “There is no way that trickle down will make the trick,” she tells GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis. “We have to think about inclusion by design."

- YouTube

In this Global Stage panel recorded live in Abu Dhabi, Becky Anderson (CNN) leads a candid discussion on how to close that gap with Brad Smith (Vice Chair & President, Microsoft), Peng Xiao (CEO, G42), Ian Bremmer (President & Founder, Eurasia Group and GZERO Media), and Baroness Joanna Shields (Executive Chair, Responsible AI Future Foundation).

A Palestinian Hamas militant keeps guard as Red Cross personnel head towards an area within the so-called “yellow line” to which Israeli troops withdrew under the ceasefire, as Hamas says it continues to search for the bodies of deceased hostages seized during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in Gaza City, on November 2, 2025.
REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas