Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Monday February 3, 2020.

THE DAILY SIGNAL

Feb 03, 2020

Good morning from Washington, where the Senate will hear closing arguments today in the impeachment trial of President Trump before taking a break Tuesday for his State of the Union address and reconvening Wednesday to render a verdict. It’s no mystery how most academics would vote, according to a study on higher education’s leftward tilt examined by Jarrett Stepman. On the podcast, Howard University’s president unpacks the future role of historically black colleges and universities. Plus: the roots of climate alarmism, the fight for school choice, and a bad new tax idea. On this date in 1944, U.S. forces capture the Marshall Islands, occupied by Japan since World War I.

	COMMENTARYStudy Reveals the Absurd Conformity of Higher EducationBy Jarrett Stepman A recently released study confirms the suspicion that American higher education has become ruthlessly monolithic in political ideology.MoreCOMMENTARYFaulty Assumptions Lead to Fake News About Climate ChangeBy Kevin Dayaratna Where did all this alarmist rhetoric about the climate come from? Well, faulty computer modeling is a big part of the explanation.MoreANALYSISThe Path Forward for Historically Black Colleges and UniversitiesBy Rachel del Guidice Dr. Wayne Frederick, president of Howard University, discusses how HBCUs are advancing higher education. He also shares his personal story of a dual career in medicine and academia.MoreCOMMENTARYFree to Succeed: A Brief History of School ChoiceBy Jack Rosenwinkel By the time Milton Friedman wrote “The Role of Government in Education,” state governments essentially had developed monopolies on education.MoreCOMMENTARYWhy We Shouldn’t Tax Savings as the Left ProposesBy Adam Michel Several ideas are under consideration in the Oval Office, including a proposal that would allow middle-class families to put as much as $10,000 each year into a tax-free savings account.MoreCOMMENTARY2 Gay Students Are Suing a Seminary. Here’s Why It Matters.By Nicole Russell If this lawsuit succeeds, it would set a new and worrisome precedent. It could strip Christian colleges and seminaries of the ability to be true to their convictions and foster a faithful Christian community.More

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THE EPOCH TIMES

Red Rock Secured—A Trusted Leader in Gold IRAs. Protecting Your Retirement: Our Mission is to protect our clients’ retirement through a safe and secure investment diversification “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.” PETER DRUCKERGood morning,  As the coronavirus continues to spread in China, more cities have been placed under quarantine.  In Wenzhou, located almost 600 miles from the epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, new travel restrictions have been imposed.  Under the new rules, only one person in each family is allowed to go outdoors, once every two days, to shop for basic necessities.  Read the full story here.  9th US Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Bay Area, California Trump Signs Executive Order to Prevent Online Sales of Counterfeit Goods New York City’s First Possible Coronavirus Patient Tested at Manhattan Hospital White House: US Has Reached Out to China Over Coronavirus Outbreak  CNN and the Des Moines Register canceled the release of a poll of likely Iowa voters, citing an issue that may have affected the results. Read morePresident Donald Trump is expected to lay out an agenda focused on the needs of working families during his State of the Union Address on Feb. 4 and propose optimistic solutions to address the issues that affect Americans’ quality of life, according to a senior administration official. Read moreAs the new coronavirus epidemic continues to spread across China, fears of reduced travel and a global economic slowdown sent oil prices plummeting over the past week. Read moreBillionaire currency speculator George Soros says he plans to spend $1 billion to found a global university to combat climate change and burgeoning nationalism in the world, two things he claims in a recent speech are “threatening the survival of our civilization.” Read moreNew York City health officials said Feb. 1 that a possible coronavirus patient is being treated at Manhattan’s Bellevue Hospital. Read moreAs locusts by the billions—yes, billions—descend on parts of Kenya in the worst outbreak in 70 years, small planes are flying low over affected areas to spray pesticides in what experts call the only effective way to control the insects. Read more  See More Top StoriesAfter a year of trade worries, market volatility, inverted yield curves, political upheaval, and soaring consumer debt uncertainty clouds the 2020 economic outlook. In 2020 retirement accounts, savings accounts, and financial portfolios will be at the mercy of global turmoil and dramatic political change. Amid all of this uncertainty, gold has once again become the center of the investing world. It is a universal hedge against unilateral risk and a coveted safe haven for central banks across the globe. Today we are giving away a special gift to all subscribers that have an IRA, 401(k) or Retirement Account. Protect your money with this Free Copy of The #1 Retirement Playbook. Get Your Free Copy: #1 Retirement Playbook   Misuse of Whistleblower Law Created Impeachment Farce By Roger L. Simon Who is the whistleblower, the man or woman who launched a thousand Schiffs? Okay, bad joke. In any case, anyone with the slightest interest already knows who he or she is, although some pretend they don’t, such as Chief Justice John Roberts and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Read moreTrump’s Peace Plan—The Best That Money Can Buy? By James Gorrie As every deal-maker knows, the best approach to making a deal is to know what the other side wants most and what they’re willing to do, or give up, to get it. Read more  See More OpinionsJamie Dimon Is Completely Delusional About What Is Fair and American By Valentin Schmid (January 15, 2015) “Money Honey” Maria Baritomo, back when she was hosting at CNBC, called it a “witch hunt.” Godfather Jamie Dimon himself said, “Banks are under assault,” from regulators, as he longed for the good old days when he could go about his illegal activities without anyone bothering him. Read moreJust how is Chinese communist disinformation playing into coverage of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak? How has the Chinese regime been ramping up its efforts to spread propaganda and shape news content globally, including in the US? And, what methods does Beijing use to systematically suppress dissenting voices and critical coverage?  From Coronavirus to the Hong Kong Protests: How China’s Leaders Manipulate News Globally—Sarah CookAdvertisement:

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DAYBREAK

Your First Look at Today’s Top Stories – Daybreak InsiderHaving trouble viewing this email? View the web version.SPONSORED BYDaybreakInsider.com  @DaybreakInsiderMONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 20201.Schiff: “Senators Have Already Admitted We’ve Proven Our Case” Rep. Adam Schiff goes Baghdad Bob on Face the Nation (Washington Times).  Hugh Hewitt calls the impeachment an “abuse of power by members of a partisan majority in the House to raise profiles and profits for themselves. This chapter leaves a constitutional scar. This behavior is not what impeachment was intended for. President Trump’s phone call did not include any offense, much less any impeachable one” (Washington Post).  Buttigieg complained “I don’t think it has the legitimacy of vindicating this president” (Washington Times).  Senator Ted Cruz believes Senator Elizabeth Warren’s classless question to Chief Justice Roberts helped push waning Senators to Trump’s side (Washington Times).  From the Wall Street Journal editorial board: Senate Republicans are taking even more media abuse than usual after voting to bar witnesses from the impeachment trial of President Trump. “Cringing abdication” and “a dishonorable Senate” are two examples of the sputtering progressive rage. On the contrary, we think it was Lamar Alexander’s finest hour (WSJ).  2.Iowa Chooses a Democratic Candidate Today The race is tight between Biden and Sanders (Fox News).  Philip Klein notes of Bernie Sanders: He’s been leading in recent Iowa polls, is drawing the largest and most passionate crowds, and has a deep organization that he’s been building since he nearly won the state four years ago. Should he win here, he’ll be the heavy favorite to take New Hampshire, which he won easily in 2016. Since the first caucuses in 1972, no Democrat who has won the first two states has ever lost the Democratic nomination (Washington Examiner).  As it is, Sanders’ people believe the DNC is working to shut him out (Washington Times).  ABC News notes “late Saturday, CNN and The Des Moines Register opted not to release the survey because of worries the results may have been compromised” (ABC News).  How the Iowa caucuses work (Politico).  Meanwhile, going into the weekend, a new poll has Sanders leading nationally (WSJ). Advertisement3.Bloomberg Blows $11 Million on Deceptive Super Bowl Ad From the story: Guns are an emotional issue, and Bloomberg is exploiting emotions here, not making a rational case for this or that regulation. (The ad also falsely states that 2,900 children die from gun violence every year; the shooting victim described in the spot, while young, was not a child, and the actual number is about half of that.) (National Review).  More on the misleading ad (Washington Examiner).  The NRA responded (Daily Wire).  4.9 Coronavirus Cases in United States Two in the Bay Area (Fox News).  From another story: China’s acting ambassador to Israel apologized on Sunday after comparing the closure of several national borders to Chinese citizens amid fears of a new virus from China to the turning away of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust (Washington Times).  5.Senator Warren: A Trans Child Will Pick My Secretary of Education  She told a crowd in Cedar Rapids, Iowa “I’m gonna have a secretary of education that this young trans person interviews on my behalf. And only if this person believes that our secretary of education nominee is someone who is committed to creating a welcoming environment, a safe environment, and a full educational curriculum for everyone, will that person actually be advanced to be secretary of education.” Daily Caller Advertisement6.Super Bowl Features Pole Dancing at Half Time In strange, sexualized performances (Page Six).  Karen Swallow Prior wrote about the sexualized Beyoncé dance from 2013 (Think Christian).  Beyoncé and Jay-Z were caught sitting during the National Anthem (Washington Times).  7.Joaquin Phoenix Wins Best Actor at BAFTA, Criticizes Awards Hollywood sees woke as a far more important quality than gratefulness.  Phoenix complained, when accepting the award, “I think that we send a very clear message to people of color that you’re not welcome here.” NY Times 8.TikTok Temporarily Bans Pro-Life GroupLive Action was later reinstated after TikTok received a lot of negative publicity over the move. National Review AdvertisementCopyright © 2020 DaybreakInsider.comSUBSCRIPTION INFO This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It is only sent to people who signed up from one of the Salem Media Group network of websites OR a friend might have forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. Unsubscribe from The Daybreak Insider OR Send postal mail to: The Daybreak Insider Unsubscribe 6400 N. Belt Line Rd., Suite 200, Irving, TX 75063 Were you forwarded this edition of The Daybreak Insider? Get your own free subscription Copyright © 2020 Salem Media Group and its Content Providers. All rights reserved.

POLITICO PLAYBOOK

POLITICO Playbook: What Democrats won’t say out loud

By ANNA PALMER and JAKE SHERMAN 

02/03/2020 05:51 AM EST

Presented by Amazon

DRIVING THE DAY

WHAT ELECTED DEMOCRATS THINK, BUT WON’T SAY OUT LOUD: If you are in single digits in the polls after this many debates, this many months in the public view and this many cable hits, you are not going to be the nominee and you should get out of the presidential race. Don’t complain about the process, but rather acknowledge the reality that people — the ones who are polled — don’t really think you should be the nominee.

WHY THE MARGIN TONIGHT MATTERS: If BERNIE SANDERS wins convincingly tonight and is pulling in huge money online, and JOE BIDEN does worse than expected, establishment Dems are going to freak out.

BERNIE IS THE SLIGHT IOWA FAVORITE … NYT’S ALEX BURNS: “The cancellation on Saturday night of a final pre-caucus poll from The Des Moines Register and CNN, because of a survey error, frustrated campaigns that had come to depend on the poll as a reliable omen of caucus results. But strategists for several campaigns said there was a deepening sense that Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont had an advantage ahead of Monday’s contest.

“Public polling has shown Mr. Sanders gaining ground, and he has outspent all of the other leading Democrats on television by a wide margin in recent weeks. A New York Times polling average found Mr. Sanders and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. tied for first place in the state, with each of them collecting support from about 22 percent of likely caucusgoers. Trailing them in third and fourth place were former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.” NYT

WAPO,via Chelsea Janes, Annie Linskey, Sean Sullivan and Cleve Wootson, with a Coralville dateline: “As they made closing arguments to Iowa’s voters, Biden and Buttigieg touted their ability to win voters in Republican-leaning districts as a sign they would have broader appeal in the general election. Buttigieg underscored that by citing at one of his last events his favorite Beatles song: ‘Come Together.’

“Sanders, whose brand of politics can border on uncompromising, made an overt appeal on Sunday to those who disagree with him and focused on the most unifying force coursing through the party: opposition to Trump. ‘No matter what your politics may be,’ he told a crowd in Cedar Rapids, ‘I think we all understand that that is not the kind of person who should remain in the White House.’”

HOLLY OTTERBEIN and ALEX THOMPSON in Cedar Rapids: “Sanders, Warren go separate ways in closing pitches”

— THE KNIVES ARE COMING OUT FOR BERNIE … “Sanders once likened poor whites to blacks under Apartheid,” by Marc Caputo and Laura Barrón-López: POLITICO

NATASHA KORECKI in Des Moines: “Kerry unloads on NBC after report he was overheard talking about 2020 bid”: “John Kerry is supposed to be stumping for Joe Biden. But the former Secretary of State caused a kerfuffle Sunday after NBC News published a story detailing a phone call Kerry had in a hotel lobby here. Kerry was overheard by an NBC analyst apparently strategizing how he could enter the presidential race now that there was ‘the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party — down whole.’

“In the conversation, which took place in the Renaissance Savery hotel downtown, Kerry reportedly said, ‘maybe I’m f—ing deluding myself here,’ then went on to explain the steps he would have to take if he jumped into the fray, including hitting up wealthy donors who might be frightened by Sanders’ rise.

“Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president and former secretary of State, emphatically denied he had renewed White House aspirations, tweeting ‘any report otherwise is f—ing (or categorically) false.’ He later deleted the tweet with the expletive and re-posted a full statement adamantly denying he had any interest in running and [saying] that he was fully behind Biden’s candidacy.

“‘As I told the reporter, I am absolutely not running for president. Any report otherwise is categorically false. I’ve been proud to campaign with my good friend Joe Biden, who is going to win the nomination, beat Trump, and make an outstanding president,’ he wrote.” POLITICO

DES MOINES REGISTER: “Pete Buttigieg asks likely caucusgoers: ‘Are you ready to make history one more time?’” by Barbara Rodriguez

ELENA SCHNEIDER: “Pete Buttigieg’s Iowa delegate play”

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE interviewed BIDEN on Sunday night in Iowa, and it will air this morning on NBC’s “Today” show.

RYAN LIZZA’S takeaways from Iowa … TIM ALBERTA says Democrats won’t play in Iowa in the general.

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LET’S SEE HOW THIS WORKS! … L.A. TIMES, by Melissa Gomez: “When Dean A. Genth tries to convince fellow Iowans at a caucus on Monday to join him in supporting Pete Buttigieg for president, it won’t be in his hometown on the icy Winnebago River; it will be in the balmy desert resort of Palm Springs. …

“The party will expand the reach of the caucuses to Iowa students attending colleges out of state and snowbirds like Genth who flee the state’s brutal winters. The 27 caucus locations out of state include Tucson and Gulf Breeze, a beach resort town on Florida’s Panhandle. Also on the list are Brown University in Providence, R.I., the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Marquette University in Milwaukee.

“As many as 140 Iowans are expected to attend the California sites — one in Palm Springs and another at Stanford University. Then there are some who will be caucusing abroad in Paris, Glasgow and Tbilisi, Georgia.” LAT

POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE … Three private airplanes left Des Moines for Washington on Sunday night. Two into Dulles, and one into DCA.

ALSO HAPPENING TODAY: Closing arguments in the impeachment trial.

Good Monday morning.

NEW: BEN HOWARD, deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs and deputy director of legislative affairs at the White House, is joining the Duberstein Group as VP. He served as the top liaison between the White House and the House — for both Republicans and Democrats — and played a key role in the passage of the USMCA. Howard also served in several senior roles on Capitol Hill, including working for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and as director of floor operations for House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.). …

… STEPHANIE CUTTER, founder partner of Precision and a former senior Obama adviser, will serve as the convention program executive for the upcoming Democratic National Convention. In this role, she will help design the convention’s program, including determining who should speak and how the DNC will structure the program.

Playbook PM

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NYT’S KATIE ROGERS in West Palm Beach, with a Mar-a-Lago Memo on A15: “Impeachment All but Behind Him, Trump Celebrates and Keeps Focus on Bloomberg”: “With his acquittal all but final, the president passed from table to table in the dining room of his golf club on Saturday quizzing his buddies on the 2020 election, at times lingering long enough to complain about his impeachment ordeal.

“‘What a waste,’ the president told a group of supporters, according to one guest who had such an exchange with him. ‘What a waste of time.’ By Saturday night, the president was in a more celebratory mood when he greeted the band of supporters gathered at Mar-a-Lago, his private club.”

WAPO: “Republican Sen. Susan Collins finds it’s lonely in the middle,” by Griff Witte in Waterville, Maine: “Here in Maine, where the famously independent Collins is locked in a tight reelection campaign, the choice elicited a wintry mix of cold shoulders and icy glares.

“Republicans quietly counseled that Collins could go no further without inciting a rebellion from the party’s Trump-loving base — perhaps even a primary challenge. Democrats, meanwhile, heaped scorn on the senator for making gestures toward standing up to the president but not doing so when it counts.

“‘She’s like Lucy with the football and we’re Charlie Brown,’ said Pam Cunningham, a 55-year-old Democrat who said she voted for Collins in 2014 but intends to knock on doors to defeat her this time. ‘How many times are we going to fall for the routine?’” WaPo

WSJ EDITORIAL BOARD: “Lamar Alexander’s Finest Hour”

DEPT. OF INTRIGUE … BLAKE HOUNSHELL: “‘Truly bizarre circumstances’: Anonymous book agents refute whisper campaign against Trump official”: “The agents for the senior Trump administration official who penned an anonymous New York Times op-ed and best-selling book are breaking their silence to swat down a whisper campaign pinning the unnamed writings on a top National Security Council aide — citing ‘truly bizarre circumstances’ that forced their hand.

“‘Over the past weeks and months, there has been continual speculation as to the identity of the author known as Anonymous,’ Javelin co-founder Matt Latimer, who brokered the book deal for ‘A Warning,’ plans to say in a forthcoming statement obtained by POLITICO. …

“In recent weeks, people in and outside the White House had suggested to reporters at multiple news outlets — including POLITICO — that the official, deputy national security adviser Victoria Coates, was Anonymous. Coates had begun to fear for job, according to several people close to her, even though she was recently promoted by national security adviser Robert O’Brien. …

“‘To be very clear so there is no chance of any misunderstanding: Dr. Coates is not Anonymous,’ Latimer will say.”

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THE PRESIDENT’S MONDAY — Trump will have lunch with VP Mike Pence at 12:30 p.m. in the private dining room.

PLAYBOOK READS

AL QAEDA claimed responsibility for the Navy base shooting in Florida, via NYT’s Declan Walsh in Cairo.

WHAT WOULD DRIVE TRUMP NUTS … AP/COPENHAGEN: “Teenage climate activist nominated for Nobel Peace Prize”

WUHAN CORONAVIRUS LATEST … WSJ: “Coronavirus Closes China to the World, Straining Global Economy,” by James Areddy in Shanghai:“China’s isolation amid the coronavirus outbreak, a rare freeze out for such a vital economic center, is rippling across the world.

“Uncertainty over the virus—which has infected more than 14,500 people— has disrupted worldwide trade and supply chains, depressed asset prices, and forced multinational businesses to make hard decisions with limited information.”

— MARKETS TUMBLING … WSJ: “Chinese markets dropped sharply on the first day of trading after the extended Lunar New Year break, because of heightened anxiety over the fast-spreading coronavirus and uncertainty about its impact on the global economy.

“The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 7.7% on Monday, shedding about 2.6 trillion yuan ($375 billion) in market value in its steepest one-day decline since August 2015. The Shenzhen Composite dropped 8.4%.”

— NYT: “Wuhan Coronavirus Looks Increasingly Like a Pandemic, Experts Say”

OUCH! … BLOOMBERG: “China said the U.S. ‘inappropriately overreacted’ to the deadly virus that originated there and hasn’t provided much help to counter the outbreak, disputing the Trump administration’s claim that it offered assistance.

“‘The U.S. government hasn’t provided any substantial assistance to us, but it was the first to evacuate personnel from its consulate in Wuhan, the first to suggest partial withdrawal of its embassy staff, and the first to impose a travel ban on Chinese travelers,’ Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters on Monday. The U.S. has offered its top public health experts to help China with the coronavirus outbreak but so far Beijing hasn’t responded, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said Sunday.”

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WHAT TEAM CORNYN IS READING … TEXAS TRIBUNE: “With a month to go, crowded Democratic primary to challenge Cornyn remains full of uncertainty,” by Patrick Svitek: “The crowded field has long been unsettled, but any prospects of at least some candidates breaking away from the pack are now running into the short timeline ahead of the March 3 vote. A trio of polls released in recent days found that large numbers of voters are undecided — 56% in one survey released Sunday — while most of the 12 candidates are clustered in the single digits, slightly led by MJ Hegar.”

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MEDIAWATCH — “After NPR dust-up, Pompeo defends press freedom abroad,” by AP’s Matthew Lee in Tashkent, Uzbekistan: “For the past four days, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been calling for authoritarian governments in eastern Europe and Central Asia to ease restrictions on press freedom despite criticism for his own treatment of journalists at home. In Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan over the weekend and again on Monday, Pompeo raised human rights issues, including freedom of the press, with his interlocutors and denied any double-standard was at play.

“Pompeo defended his unhappiness with a National Public Radio interviewer who asked him last month about the ouster of the former ambassador to Ukraine. Further, he said his conduct, which the journalist said included berating her with profanities once the interview was over, did not demonstrate a lack of respect for a free press.” AP

— POMPEO ADDRESSED the NPR dustup in an interview in Kazakhstan: “I didn’t have a confrontational interview with an NPR reporter any more than I have confrontational interviews all the time. We take hundreds and hundreds of questions. We talk openly. … With respect to who travels with me, I always bring a big press contingent, but we ask for certain sets of behaviors, and that’s simply telling the truth and being honest. And when they’ll do that, they get to participate, and if they don’t, it’s just not appropriate.”

PLAYBOOKERS

Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.

SPOTTED: Hope Hicks getting into an SUV in Miami’s South Beach on Sunday afternoon. … Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her family at the Super Bowl in Miami. Instapic, via Christine Pelosi… Eli Miller and Jeff Miller with Brad Parscale, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump at the Super Bowl on Sunday. Pic, via NYT’s Ken Vogel

IN IOWA … Bloomberg News hosted a political pregame and Super Bowl party at the Bloomberg News Hub at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. DNC’s Sam Cornale, Xochitl Hinojosa and David Bergstein briefed guests on Iowa and the battleground states. SPOTTED: Craig Gordon, Marty Schenker, Mike Schmuhl, Lis Smith, Hari Sevugan, Chris Meagher, Maureen Dowd, Joe Kahn, Sam Dolnick, Matthew Purdy, Patrick Healy, Greta Van Susteren, Hilary Rosen, Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, Tammy Haddad, Molly Ball, Karen Tumulty …

… SY Lee, TJ Ducklo, Adam Green, Michael Tatham, Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio, John Steinman, Marc Adelman, Richard Hudock, Ned Price, Matt Paul, Ali Zelenko, Donna Brazile, David Westin, Ben Smith, Katty Kay, Unjin Lee, Marie Harf, Jackie Alemany, Chris Stirewalt and Polson Kanneth.

TRANSITIONS — Callie Strock will be press secretary for the House Energy and Commerce Republicans. She previously was communications director for Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas). Along with SK Bowen, who’s being promoted to press secretary, she’s replacing Justin Discigil, who will be communications director for Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas).

WEEKEND WEDDING — Stephen Worley, senior director of communications at the International Franchise Association, and Morgan McKean, associate director of marketing and communications at the Children’s National Hospital Foundation, got married Saturday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, Ala. They met on Hinge. Pic

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Tim Burger, a freelance writer and consultant and also of counsel to Seven Letter, and Kiki Burger, a communications consultant at Sunshine Sachs, on Thursday welcomed Coco Grace Burger. “The ‘Rocky’ theme song was playing as she was born. She joins sister Dahl, 3 and 1/2 years old, who insisted on the name Coco from the moment she learned she was to be a big sister. Grace was the name of Tim’s late paternal grandmother.” Pic

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, is 62. A fun fact about him: “I had such an outstanding social life in college that I was a radio DJ every Saturday night from 9 p.m. until whenever I chose to turn off the transmitter.” Playbook Q&A

BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) is 46 … Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) is 61 … Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) is 5-0 … Matt Rhoades, co-CEO of CGCN Group, is 45 (h/t Tim Griffin) … former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt is 89 … Jose Antonio Vargas, founder of Define American, is 39 … Mieke Eoyang … Dana Thomas (h/ts Ben Chang) … Seth Lavin … Virginia Boney … former Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) is 87 … Anne Muscarella … John Hendren … Justine Turner, director of delegate operations for Elizabeth Warren’s campaign … Romen Borsellino … Kyle Tharp, VP of comms at Acronym … James Holm, executive producer of MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” is 48 … MaryAlice Parks of ABC News … Adam Baltner … Mike Ryan … Todd Sadowski …

… Ben Wikler, Wisconsin Dems chairman, is 39 … Fred Hochberg, former Ex-Im Bank chairman … Amy Chapman … Billy Shore … Mark Webster (h/ts Teresa Vilmain) … Lisa Boothe is 35 … Latia Curry … Adriana Gindlesperger … Kathryn Lyons … Brian Braiker … POLITICO’s Claritza Jimenez and Chris Price … Lys Mendez … Josh Lipsky, senior comms adviser at the IMF, is 34 (h/t Herbie Ziskend) … Dave Arnold, executive comms director at Facebook … Sean McCormick … NPR’s Neal Carruth is 44 … Lisa Francis … Steve Weiss … Tara Kutz … Chris DeRose … Dennis Cariello … Katina Niarchos … Diana Hartstein Beinart … Zaida Ricker … Alex Boian … Clay Hollis … Amal Clooney is 42 … Lawrence Kluttz … Rebecca Mark

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LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL

IN THIS ISSUE: – The Road to Milwaukee: How the Democratic Primary Will UnfoldThe Road to Milwaukee: How the Democratic Primary Will Unfold By Kyle Kondik Managing Editor, Sabato’s Crystal Ball

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE– At long last, the primary season begins tonight in Iowa.– The calendar is frontloaded, with the heart of the action coming from March 3-17.– If there is not a clear leader by St. Patrick’s Day, and especially by the end of April, the primary electorate may not actually be able to crown a clear winner.Our guide to the 2020 Democratic primaryThe voting in the Democratic presidential contest is finally upon us. Iowa begins the march to the July Democratic National Convention, followed by New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina in February.These early contests will get loads of attention throughout the month, although the dirty little secret is that, together, they only account for a pittance of the delegates that will be awarded in the primaries and caucuses. There are 3,979 of them up for grabs in 57 contests, with 1,991 required for a majority.Every year, there is a Super Tuesday, this year on March 3. But it may be more appropriate to look at the March 3-March 17 span as “Super Two-weeks.” A flood of contests bookended by two ethnic holidays — Illinois’ Casimir Pulaski Day (celebrated in honor of a Polish Revolutionary War hero the day before Super Tuesday on March 2) and St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 — may effectively decide the nomination.Or not.In some ways, the race has been stable. A year ago on this date, Joe Biden was the clear national polling frontrunner, with Bernie Sanders in second. That is still the case today. At the same time, several candidates who seemed like they could be very formidable contenders for the nomination — such as Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Beto O’Rourke — fizzled. They were surpassed in the pecking order by an unsurprising contender, Elizabeth Warren, and a surprising one, Pete Buttigieg, along with free-spenders Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer. It is remarkable and unusual that the vast majority of all the television ad spending so far has been spent by that latter pair. Other candidates lurk, such as Amy Klobuchar, who is hoping for a late break in Iowa. And lest we anger the #YangGang, Andrew Yang has proven more durable than much better known contenders who are out or barely hanging on.Biden has been a soft frontrunner this whole time, but no one should be shocked if someone else emerges instead. Sanders has reasserted himself as Biden’s top rival in recent weeks.It is possible, though not likely, that one candidate will essentially end the race quickly with a lightning strike that convinces the other candidates that they have no real path to the nomination. John Kerry’s victory in 2004 and John McCain’s in 2008 are examples of how this can work: It became clear to campaign observers and participants fairly early in those races that those candidates would be nominated. Even races that remain contested deep into the primary calendar are not always in doubt: Mitt Romney in 2012 and Donald Trump in 2016 were well-positioned early on, although their opponents kept fighting into the spring. In the 2008 and 2016 Democratic primary races, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, respectively, had major competition until the end of the primary calendar, although realistically they each had the nomination sewn up months prior.By the end of the Super Two-weeks, more than 60% of all the delegates will have been awarded. There may be a clear leader at that point who could be effectively impossible to catch given the Democrats’ proportional delegate allocation rules, or no clear leader at that time, making it hard for any candidate to capture a majority of the delegates by the end of the nomination season.What follows is a guide to the primary schedule, organized chronologically. First of all, remember a couple of ground rules:– All states award delegates proportionally, with a 15% threshold required to receive delegates at the statewide or sub-statewide level (sub-statewide delegates are typically awarded at the congressional district level, although some states use other methods). Of course, if only one candidate passes that threshold at a certain statewide or sub-statewide level, then that candidate is entitled to all the delegates. For instance, in 2016, Sanders beat Clinton in his home state of Vermont 86%-14%; Clinton fell short of the threshold, so she received no delegates there. The same thing happened to Sanders in, for instance, Mississippi’s Second Congressional District, where Clinton won 87%-12%. A much more crowded field makes the 15% cutoff significantly more challenging to attain than in a two-person race.– Superdelegates, those delegates who attain their position through holding certain offices and who can support anyone they want at the convention, cannot truly participate in the convention unless it goes to a second ballot, something that hasn’t happened since the 1952 Democratic convention. So they don’t have any bearing on the process — at least for now.We have broken the race down into eight stages: some are limited to just a single day, while some of them stretch over the course of several weeks.Whether the outcome of the primary prompts another set of stages — those of grief — will be in the eye of the beholder.We used several sources for this project: Ballotpedia, Frontloading HQ, the Green Papers, and our friends at Decision Desk HQ, with whom we’ll be tracking delegate counts throughout the primary season.February: The Sizzle Before the SteakFor all of the attention these contests will generate, the first four carve-out states only have less than 4% of the total pledged delegates. One can understand why Michael Bloomberg can skip them and still believe he has a path to the nomination: The big prizes come later.Recent polling has suggested Sanders may have an edge in Iowa and, particularly, New Hampshire (but Iowa at least remains very much in flux). He has also been very competitive in Nevada. There exists the possibility that Sanders could sweep the first three contests. Would this erode Biden’s support in South Carolina, the first state with a majority African-American electorate? It’s hard to know.Buttigieg has been polling well in lily-white Iowa and New Hampshire, but not so much in the other two states, which are much more diverse. While Buttigieg is well-funded, he likely wouldn’t have a real path to the nomination without some sort of major breakthrough in one of the first two states.If Warren finishes consistently behind Sanders and Buttigieg in the first two states, she might struggle to formulate a real rationale to continue. For Klobuchar, any small chance she has is probably predicated on winning Iowa or otherwise performing a lot better there than poll averages have suggested.The others need to prove something through actual performances to merit mention, although Tom Steyer has had some decent polling in Nevada and South Carolina.Super Tuesday, March 3: The National PrimaryNote: Democrats Abroad voting begins on Super Tuesday but does not end until March 10.This is the closest thing we have to a single, national primary. The two biggest states, California and Texas, vote this day, and a little over a third of all the delegates are awarded.If Sanders has a strong February, as seems possible, this day will test his true strength. Almost every kind of state and demographic group is represented. More than half of the old Confederacy votes on Super Tuesday (six of the 11 classically-defined Southern states), and many of them have large contingents of black voters. Will Biden do well in these states, as Hillary Clinton did four years ago? Or is there more of a muddled result? Depending on how strong Biden is with black voters, and how splintered the vote may become, the 15% delegate thresholds could be hard for non-Biden candidates to attain in certain congressional districts, or even at the statewide level.Much recent polling has shown Sanders leading with Hispanic voters — perhaps as a result, he has polled competitively in Texas and has often led in California. Can he win these big states, and actually get a substantial delegate edge in them if he does? And then there’s Bloomberg — here is where his well-funded campaign will be put to the test. Sanders’ rise may actually be what Bloomberg wants, because he may be able to pitch himself as the only one who can prevent the independent Vermont senator from winning the nomination if a “Stop Sanders” movement emerges.One important note: California typically takes weeks to finalize its voting, and the late-counted votes may very well alter the final results considerably (this is true in both primaries and general elections). Part of the reason for this is that California allows mailed ballots to be counted so long as they are postmarked by Election Day — meaning that some ballots actually arrive days after Election Day.Late-counted votes helped Sanders make up ground in 2016. One initial election night story about the primary noted that Clinton had been leading 62%-37%. By the time the vote was finalized a month later, Clinton’s actual margin was 53%-46%. Needless to say, it’ll take a while for the precise delegate counts to be calculated in California, too. Let’s also remember that, in a conspiracy-minded era, there will be nothing inherently surprising or nefarious about a vote count in California that takes a long time to finalize or that looks substantially different when fully tabulated than it did the morning after the election.Tuesday, March 10: Northern ExposureNote: North Dakota is holding a distinct delegate-selection event it is calling a “Firehouse Caucus.”It’s hard to tie these states together geographically, but the two biggest prizes, Michigan and Washington, are significant northern states that both produced intriguing results in 2016. In the Wolverine State, polls totally missed Sanders’ upset victory, which may have prolonged the race; in the Evergreen State, Sanders easily won a caucus, which awarded delegates, but Clinton won a subsequent beauty contest primary. Washington now will award its delegates via the primary as part of a broader shift away from caucuses in the Democratic race. As Rhodes Cook noted in the Crystal Ball last week, this is a change that could hurt Sanders, because he dominated in caucuses in 2016.Tuesday, March 17: Super Tuesday, Part DeuxIt will surprise no one to hear that both Arizona and Florida are in the top 10 for percentage of Hispanic residents, according to the census. It may be surprising to some that Illinois is also in the top 10.The Land of Lincoln was one of the closest battles between Clinton and Sanders in 2016, and it probably will again be competitive in 2020, as Illinois represents a great microcosm of the Democratic electorate: The state has significant dense urban and suburban areas, college towns, and rural bastions, as well as a racially and economically diverse electorate. Florida and Ohio also are big sources of delegates, and Arizona — another state where vote-counting will stretch many days after Election Day — is an important general election target for Democrats.This marks the end of the busiest two-week stretch of the primary. Even though the calendar extends into June, by the time the vote counts are finalized in these states, more than 60% of the pledged delegates will have been awarded. The race may effectively be over at this point; if it is not, there are not that many big prizes that lie beyond it.March 24-April 7: The Deep BreathThe pace following March 17 slows considerably. Georgia is a major contest the following week, and we might expect a preview of its eventual results in the other Southern contests held earlier in the month. That also applies to Louisiana on April 4.The respected Marquette University Law School and Fox News polls have shown Biden, somewhat surprisingly, narrowly leading in Wisconsin, an important general election battleground that will receive a ton of attention on April 7. But the state generally has a progressive/liberal (and largely white) primary electorate, and Sanders or Warren would be a natural favorite in Wisconsin if they are still around at this point.A three-week intermission follows Wisconsin. It’ll be up to us commentators and analysts to fill the void. Fortunately for us, we’ve had a lot of practice analyzing a presidential primary election with no voting: We’ve been doing it since at least the 2018 midterm.Tuesday, April 28: Acela-rationThis is really the last mega-primary date. A half-dozen states vote, all of which are located in the so-called “Acela Corridor,” named for the somewhat high-speed Amtrak train route that runs from Washington D.C. to Boston. It’s impossible to know what the race will look like at this point, but this was a strong group for Clinton in 2016, and it also includes the state Biden represented in the Senate (Delaware) as well as the one where he was born (Pennsylvania). Bloomberg seems like a natural candidate for parts of Acela-land, too, if he remains a factor at this point.Even though the primary continues into May and June, 87% of all the pledged delegates will have been awarded by the end of this night.May 2-19: May DaysThe May contests are generally in not-very diverse states that, with the exception of Oregon, are reliably Republican these days at the federal level. Sanders performed well in this group in 2016, and some of these states — West Virginia most notably — will feature a significant share of Trump general election voters participating in the primary thanks to vestigial Democratic party registration and identification. In the 2016 West Virginia Democratic primary, about 243,000 voters participated, but Clinton went on to win only about 189,000 votes in the general election.These kinds of conservative Democrats tended to vote against the frontrunner in both 2008 and 2016, benefiting Clinton in 2008 and Sanders in 2016. Where do they go this time?June 2-6: The End (?)The primary season wraps up, effectively, on June 2, with five contests. In 2016, California voted with this group, leaving a big prize for the end of the calendar. This time, New Jersey is the only state with a substantial number of delegates. The Virgin Islands closes the voting on June 6.The delegates will gather at the Democratic National Convention from July 13-16 in Milwaukee. The outcome of the primary will determine if it’s the usual coronation — or if it’s something livelier, perhaps livelier than any of us have seen in quite a long time.These nomination battles have a way of working themselves out, and this one probably will too. But if it doesn’t happen by St. Patrick’s Day — and especially by late April — the Democrats may have a long fight ahead of them.Read the fine printLearn more about the Crystal Ball and find out how to contact us here.Sign up to receive Crystal Ball e-mails like this one delivered straight to your inbox.Use caution with Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and remember: “He who lives by the Crystal Ball ends up eating ground glass!”

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AMERICAN MINUTE

View as Webpage ‌  ‌  ‌American Minute with Bill Federer Four Chaplains Day: Sinking of USAT Dorchester & Courageous SacrificeOn the frigid night of FEBRUARY 3, 1943, the overcrowded Allied ship U.S.A.T. Dorchester, carrying 902 servicemen, plowed through the dark waters near Greenland.At 1:00am, a Nazi submarine fired a torpedo into the transport’s flank, killing many in the explosion and trapping others below deck. It sank in 27 minutes.The two escort ships, Coast Guard cutters Comanche and Escanaba, were able to rescue only 231 survivors.In the chaos of fire, smoke, oil and ammonia, four chaplains calmed sailors and distributed life jackets:Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist;Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed;Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; andLt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish.When there were no more life jackets, the four chaplains ripped off their own and put them on four young men.As the ship went down, survivors floating in rafts could see the four chaplains linking arms and bracing themselves on the slanting deck.They bowed their heads in prayer as they sank to their icy deaths.Survivor Grady Clark wrote: “As I swam away from the ship, I looked back. The flares had lighted everything. The bow came up high and she slid under. The last thing I saw, the Four Chaplains were up there praying for the safety of the men. They had done everything they could. I did not see them again. They themselves did not have a chance without their life jackets.”In 1998, Congress honored them by declaring February 3rd “Four Chaplains Day.Miracles in American History-32 Amazing Stories of Answered PrayersPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt acknowledged Protestants, Catholics, and Jews working together for liberty in his address at Madison Square Garden, October 28, 1940: “Your government is working … with representatives of Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths. Without these three, all three of them … things would not be as … easy.”FDR stated January 31, 1938: “There has been definite progress towards a spiritual reawakening … I receive evidences of this from all our Protestant Churches; I get it from Catholic priests and from Jewish rabbis as well.”FDR stated December 6, 1933: “Government guarantees to the churches — Gentile and Jewish — the right to worship God in their own way.”In a Radio Address, November 4, 1940, FDR stated: “Democracy is the birthright of every citizen, the white and the colored; the Protestant, the Catholic, the Jew.”On February 3, 1951, President Harry S. Truman dedicated the Chapel of the Four Chaplains, currently located at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Truman said: “This interfaith shrine … will stand through long generations to teach Americans that as men can die heroically as brothers so should they live together in mutual faith and goodwill.”In 1984, the Chapel of the Four Chaplains gave an award recognizing the military chaplain team, made up of a Protestant minister, a Catholic priest, and a Jewish rabbi, who were present at the 1983 Beirut Bombing where fundamental Muslim terrorists blew up the U.S. Marine barracks, killing 241 U.S. Marines.President Ronald Reagan memorialized them in a speech at the Baptist Annual Convention, April 13, 1984: “On that October day when a terrorist truck bomb took the lives of 241 marines, soldiers, and sailors at the airport in Beirut, one of the first to reach the tragic scene was a chaplain, the chaplain of our 6th Fleet, Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff … He said, ‘Screams of those injured or trapped were barely audible at first, as our minds struggled to grapple with the reality before us – a massive four-story building, reduced to a pile of rubble; dust mixing with smoke and fire, obscuring our view of the little that was left …… Trying to pull and carry those whose injuries appeared less dangerous in an immediate sense than the approaching fire or the smothering smoke – my kippa was lost. (That is the little headgear that is worn by rabbis.) The last I remember it, I’d used it to mop someone’s brow. Father Pucciarelli, the Catholic chaplain, cut a circle out of his cap – a piece of camouflaged cloth which would become my temporary head-covering. Somehow he wanted those marines to know not just that we were chaplains, but that he was a Christian and that I was Jewish …”Reagan continued quoting Chaplain Rabbi Resnicoff: “The words from the prophet Malachi kept recurring to me – words he’d uttered some 2,500 years ago as he had looked around at fighting and cruelty and pain. ‘Have we not all one Father? ‘ he had asked. ‘Has not one God created us all?’ … To understand the role of the chaplain – Jewish, Catholic, or Protestant – is to understand that we try to remind others, and perhaps ourselves as well, to cling to our humanity even in the worst of times … We bring with us the truth that faith not only reminds us of the holy in Heaven, but also of the holiness we can create here on Earth … We have within us the power to reflect as God’s creatures the highest values of our Creator. As God is forgiving and – merciful, so can we be.'”Reagan stated January 31, 1983: “Let us come together, Christians and Jews, let us pray together … All of us, as Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, have a special responsibility to remember our fellow believers who are being persecuted in other lands. We’re all children of Abraham. We’re children of the same God.”On February 7, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower spoke from the White House for the American Legion ‘Back-to-God’ Program: “And we remember that, only a decade ago, aboard the transport Dorchester, four chaplains of four faiths together willingly sacrificed their lives so that four others might live …”Eisenhower continued: “Today as then, there is need for positive acts of renewed recognition that faith is our surest strength, our greatest resource. This ‘Back to God’ movement is such a positive act … Whatever our individual church, whatever our personal creed, our common faith in God is a common bond among us … Together we thank the Power that has made and preserved us a nation. By the millions, we speak prayers, we sing hymns-and no matter what their words may be, their spirit is the same – ‘In God is Our Trust.'”Another inspiring story of a Christian risking his life to save soldiers was combat medic Desmond Doss, as portrayed in the award-winning film Hacksaw Ridge (2016).Yet another inspiring story was that of Chaplain William Thomas Cummings, who served with the U.S. Army in the Philippines during World War II. He was captured by the Japanese and died when his unmarked prisoner ship was sunk sailing to Japan on January 18, 1945.Earlier, while serving with the American troops during the Battle of Bataan, January 7 to April 9, 1942, Chaplain Father Cummings gave a stirring field sermon in which he declared: “There are no atheists in the foxholes.”Eisenhower repeated these words in his address February 7, 1954: “As a former soldier, I am delighted that our veterans are sponsoring a movement to increase our awareness of God in our daily lives. In battle, they learned a great truth – that there are no atheists in the foxholes. They know that in time of test and trial, we instinctively turn to God for new courage and peace of mind. All the history of America bears witness to this truth … In the three centuries that separate the Pilgrims of the Mayflower from the chaplains of the Dorchester, America’s freedom, her courage, her strength, and her progress have had their foundation in faith.”DVD Collection – Miracles in American History – Amazing Stories of Answered Prayer in Times of Past CrisesSchedule Bill Federer for informative interviews & captivating PowerPoint presentations: 314-502-8924 wjfederer@gmail.comAmerican Minute is a registered trademark of William J. Federer. Permission is granted to forward, reprint, or duplicate, with acknowledgment.www.AmericanMinute.comhttps://www.themaven.net/americanminute/Click to shop AMERICAN MINUTE store   Donate to American Priorities. Thank you!Miracles in American History-Volume TWO (D.James Kennedy Ministry)Faith in History TCTArchivesMiracles in American History CTVN    CBN “Liberty” Special   Today’s Bible reading  View as Webpage ‌  ‌  ‌

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Sign up for this newsletterRead onlineThe morning’s most important stories, curated by Post editors.  (Reuters)China’s stock markets plunge as coronavirus nears pandemic statusThe decline reflected 10 days of unrelenting bad news since the Chinese markets were last open on Jan. 23. It came hours after 17,205 confirmed cases were reported in mainland China.By Washington Post Staff ●  Read more » Virus threatens U.S. companies’ supply of Chinese-made parts and materialsConsumer electronics makers are among the most vulnerable firms. Publicly, however, officials have downplayed the potential economic impact on the United States, with White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow saying it will probably only have “minimal” effect.By Jeff Stein ●  Read more » At end of Iowa campaign, competing visions of unity and electabilityThe final hours for the Democratic candidates before Monday night’s caucuses were riven by uncertainty over the results and where Iowa would send the campaign.Election 2020 | Iowa Caucuses ●  By Chelsea Janes, Annie Linskey, Sean Sullivan and Cleve Wootson ●  Read more » What happens when 4 Democratic candidates come to your city? There’s nowhere to park.On Saturday, the top-polling candidates made their way to Cedar Rapids for dueling events.Election 2020 | Iowa Diary ●  By Holly Bailey ●  Read more » Chiefs rally to defeat 49ers, win second Super Bowl titleKansas City’s high-powered offense, led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, mounted a late comeback against San Francisco to deliver Kansas City’s first NFL championship in 50 years.Super Bowl LIV ●  By Mark Maske ●  Read more »  The five best Super Bowl ads, from Google’s Loretta tribute to that guy’s Cheeto fingersPlus, a Lil Nas X dance-off and Snickers’ plan to save the world.Super Bowl LIV ●  By Maura Judkis and Sonia Rao ●  Read more » … and the five worst commercials, from Planters’ baby nut to Sabra’s celebrity paradeWe don’t feel good about #BabyNut.Super Bowl LIV ●  By Maura Judkis and Sonia Rao ●  Read more »  OpinionsI wish you’d never happened, Donald Trump. But I’m grateful for you, too.By Stephanie Wilkinson ●  Read more » Uncertainty hangs over Iowa — and the 2020 raceBy Karen Tumulty ●  Read more »  Trump is no friend of Israel, even if he says otherwiseBy Jackson Diehl ●  Read more » The (perplexing) state of the economyBy Robert Samuelson ●  Read more » Ukraine wouldn’t do Trump’s dirty work. So GOP senators are doing it instead.By Editorial Board ●  Read more » The Trump 51 and their challenge to Democrats — and democracyBy E.J. Dionne ●  Read more »  More NewsIran has ‘de-escalated,’ but threat of retaliation remains, general saysA month after a U.S. strike killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the United States continues to brace for attacks, according to a senior military official.By Missy Ryan ●  Read more » The Constitution says it’s okay to shoot socialists, a GOP state legislator contendsPeople often misunderstand the Treason Clause in Article III of the Constitution, interpreting it to justify punishment of political opponents, a law professor said of Montana state Rep. Rodney Garcia’s claim.By Katie Mettler ●  Read more » My dying dog helped teach me how to live in the momentAfter a terrible year, I finally learned to do what I saw Zoe do every day: noticing what was around, stopping to listen and just “being here now.”Perspective ●  By Steven Petrow ●  Read more »   We think you’ll like this newsletterCheck out The Trailer for news and insight on political campaigns around the country, from David Weigel. 435 districts. 50 states. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. Sign up »

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View this email in your browser Monday, February 3, 2020Iowa Caucuses PreviewOn Monday, the Iowa Caucuses, the first contest in the Presidential nomination contest, takes place. Polls give Bernie Sanders a narrow lead, followed by Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg. RealClearPoliticsFrom the LeftThe left is critical of Iowa’s role as the first primary state and divided about Sanders’s surge.“The Democratic Party is a collection of diverse groups — young people, liberal whites, conservative-leaning African Americans and Latinos, non-religious Americans, city-dwellers, and so on. By contrast, Iowa’s population is roughly 90 percent white, uncommonly old, and heavily rural. In other words, it doesn’t really look like America and isn’t representative of the Democratic base. And yet a 2007 study found that a voter in Iowa or New Hampshire (where the first primary is held) has about 20 times more influence than someone who votes in a later primary. That doesn’t seem fair by any standard.” Sean Illing, Vox Supporters of Sanders posit that “In Iowa, a vote for Warren is a vote for Biden… To prevent a Biden nomination, the time [for progressives] to unite is now. Warren had a chance: Sanders amassed more volunteers, got more donations and is doing substantially better in the polls. Now that the actual voting is starting, progressives cannot afford to split their bloc. They need to unify behind Sanders… We have an unprecedented opportunity to throw [Trump] out and replace him with something far, far better. How tragic would it be if that opportunity was destroyed because some clung to a losing candidate, dividing the movement and squandering precious votes?” Nathan Robinson, The Guardian   “If Sanders actually does win both [Iowa and New Hampshire], then the more mainstream wing of the Democratic Party may indeed go into full flip-out, panic-room mode, as advertised, and unleash its lab-grown clone hybrid of Biden, Hillary Clinton and Mike Bloomberg. But anything less than that — and perhaps even a narrow victory in one or the other state, accompanied by a ‘surprisingly strong’ result by someone else — and you can expect to hear a lot of chatter about how the ‘Bernie boomlet’ that absolutely nobody predicted is now over, and the natural order of politics that has conclusively been proven to no longer exist is reasserting itself… “As Dave Weigel of the Washington post recently observed on Twitter, you have to wonder about the viability of a political party that sleeps on the same outsider candidate two cycles in a row.” Andrew O’Hehir, Salon   Critics of Sanders write, “Give Sanders credit for moving public opinion along on a living wage, higher taxes on the rich and the need for immediate action to stem the immolation of the planet. Most great ideas start on the fringe and move to the middle… [But] just 39 percent of Americans view socialism positively, a bare uptick from 2010, compared with 87 percent who have a positive view of free enterprise, Gallup found last fall. What’s more, American confidence in the economy is now at the highest level in nearly two decades. That’s hardly the best condition for overthrowing the system…  “The United States has never been a socialist country, even when it most likely should have been one, during the robber baron tyranny of the Gilded Age or the desperation of the Great Depression, and it never will be… Bernie Sanders can’t win.” Timothy Egan, New York Times   Regarding the Democratic Party’s messaging, some note that “Sanders seldom talks specifically to nonwhite voters. His message to them is the same as his message to everyone: universal health coverage and student-debt relief, more redistribution from rich to poor, reducing the power of money in politics. The latest CNN poll showed Sanders erasing Biden’s lead among nonwhite voters—perhaps in spite of Sanders’s indifference to identity politics, or maybe, just maybe, because of that indifference…    “There are many ways to divide the Democratic field: by ideology, by gender, by ethnicity, by age. But perhaps the most important is this: For Buttigieg, for Bloomberg, as for me and very likely for you, reader of The Atlantic, one of the most decisive days of our lives was the day we received the fat envelope of acceptance from a selective educational institution. Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden speak to Americans for whom the fat-envelope/thin-envelope decision means little, if it means anything at all. It’s not accident or name recognition that explains why they lead the field. They are both being carried by something big and real. The challenge for the person who will succeed in beating Trump in 2020 is not merely to ride that force, but to guide it.” David Frum, The Atlantic Regarding Biden, many note that “Something about [his] Iowa presence feels soft, and his rival campaigns certainly feel it. His crowds can’t match those of his top rivals; he’s having trouble filling his precinct captain slots; he’s had to rely on paid canvassers rather than volunteers to knock on doors. His team is pitching schemes with other, less-viable candidates… perhaps this is another episode of the cyclelong pundit error of anticipating doom for Biden. But his campaign is giving off scrambling vibes.” Jim Newell, SlateFrom the RightThe right defends the caucuses and discusses Sanders’s surge.“The best argument for the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire and even South Carolina primaries, is that most of their campaign settings are focused on meeting candidates one-on-one… while most candidates for president are typically comfortable raising money at donors’ favorite wine caves, I’d argue that forcing them to share Jello salad with caucus attenders from Sioux City, or Apple Wine with voters from Franconia — voters who otherwise won’t get near the occupant of the Oval Office – is a necessary obstacle to throw in their way…  “[Furthermore] Iowa, New Hampshire, and even South Carolina provide the few opportunities for a candidate with a compelling message, but limited access to the money required to campaign nationally, to build a following and make a success of their campaign… In a political campaign that skips small states and starts either with large states, or regional primaries, the only candidates who will emerge will be incumbents or those who can arrive at the starting gate with access to the hundreds of millions of dollars that a modern national campaign requires. That’s why Iowa is important and will always matter.” Arnon Mishkin, Fox News “Sanders wins in Iowa and New Hampshire would make him hard to stop. Biden’s current national and Nevada poll leads could vanish overnight. His candidacy would depend on heavy support from blacks in the Deep South and industrial north. Democratic professionals who fear that Sanders’ liabilities — age, socialism — are too much to overcome may find it as difficult to defeat him as their Republican equivalents found it difficult to stop Donald Trump four years ago. Or as difficult as it was for Britain’s New Labour establishment to stop the left-wing Jeremy Corbyn from leading the party to a record defeat last month.” Michael Barone, New York Post “Bernie has a large, dedicated, loyal following, especially among Millennials, and tens of thousands more small-dollar donors than any other Democratic candidate. He is flush with cash. He has a radical agenda that appeals to the ideological left and the idealistic young. The rising star of the party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is campaigning alongside him. And say what you will, Sanders is no trimmer or time-server. He has consistently voted his values and views. He voted no to Bush 41’s Gulf War, no to Bush 43’s Iraq War, no to NAFTA, no to GATT…  “If… Bernie’s last chance at the nomination is aborted by an establishment piling on, party super PACs running attack ads against him, and major media taking time out from trashing Trump to break Sanders, the Democratic Party will have the devil’s time of it bringing Bernie’s backers home in the fall. Bernie’s believers might just conclude that the real obstacle to their dream of remaking America is neither the radical right nor Donald Trump, but the elites within their own party.” Patrick J. Buchanan, The American Conservative Some argue, “I don’t think Bernie is the Democrats’ most formidable general election challenger, but I think he can win… every single factor that caused reluctant Republicans to hold their noses and vote for Trump will apply to reluctant Democrats. ‘Binary choice,’ they’ll hear. ‘Judges,’ they’ll declare. And, unlike 2016, when a host of people on both sides of the aisle thought there was no way that Hillary Clinton would lose to Donald Trump, not a single member of the Democratic coalition will be complacent…  “We’ve reached a point in our national polarization when both parties can nominate previously unthinkable candidates and still enter the general election with a real chance for a win. Primary voters rule American politics, and the lesson many of them have learned from the last three presidential elections is clear—compromise loses. Devotion wins. And of all the Democratic candidates in the field, nobody inspires devotion quite like Bernie Sanders.” David French, The Dispatch Yet “Looming over them all is a candidate not even running in Iowa – Mike Bloomberg, the multibillionaire former New York City mayor. Bloomberg has focused his campaign on the 14 states that hold nominating contests on Super Tuesday, March 3 – including delegate-rich California and Texas… To win the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s national convention on the first ballot a candidate will need 1,990 delegates. Voters in the Iowa caucuses will select 41 Democratic delegates. But that’s a tiny number compared to the 1,357 delegates who will be selected by voters on Super Tuesday in the 14 states, plus American Samoa and Democrats abroad…  “If Biden performs poorly in the first four nominating contests – in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada – expect moderate Democrats to turn to Bloomberg to keep Sanders from winning the nomination.” Jessica Tarlov, Fox News  On the bright side… British police seek “rightful owner” of the One Ring. TorThe Flip Side team spends hours each night scanning the news, fact-checking, and debating one another, so your 5 minutes each morning can be well spent. If you’ve found value in our work, we welcome you to help sustain our efforts and expand our reach. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated!Were you forwarded this by a friend? Sign up hereOur ArchivesShareTweetForwardCopyright © 2020 The Flip Side, All rights reserved. You can unsubscribe from this list here.

THE SUNBURN

How ’bout them Chiefs? Kudos to lobbyist Gus Corbella for nailing the final margin of victory.We decided to turn the top of today’s Sunburn over to our good friend, David Johnson, who makes the case for why today should be a national holiday. Here are his thoughts:I’ve long been a proponent of moving the recognition of Presidents Day to the Monday after the Super Bowl. I think most of the Presidents would concur as its placement is totally artificial. It’s alleged that it needed to be in February for Washington and Lincoln’s actual birth dates, but the country has not celebrated those on the date thereof for around fifty years.Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant are honored before Super Bowl LIV. An argument can be made for the day after the Super Bowl to become a national holiday.There is always a discussion of well, gee, instead of that, let’s just move the Super Bowl to Saturday night. A resourceful grade-schooler has a petition this year. Social media is full of the logic of the move. Friends, you’d rather try to return the opening kick without a helmet and pads than to try to get the NFL owners to give up Sunday Super Bowls. Ratings. Money. Maximizing both. All that.I will once again take up the cause and sound the battle cry. Move the federal holiday, close the schools, shut it down and make the one thing left that 100 million Americans will watch at the same freaking time a festival unburdened by Monday morning responsibilities. It’s a simple action, sure, but it is requiring an Act of Congress. Given their approval ratings these days, I cannot imagine a more widely praised and easily promoted action Congress could take. The social media graphics alone would keep a campaign staffer busy from training camp through the NFL Draft.It’s estimated that 17 million Americans will not show up for work Monday. They’ll call in with some malady, winking and fake coughing over the phone, “Oh, it could be the coronavirus, because I drank a twelve-pack last night,” and millions upon millions more will drag their sad selves in, show up and be useless shells.It’s rare in these hyperpartisan times to find the One True Thing we can all get behind. This is it.Move the federal holiday, Congresspeople. From AOC to Matt Gaetz, from Chuck Schumer to Mitch McConnell, make it happen for the good of the economy, the psyche of the people, and so I don’t ever again have to go to a post-Super Bowl Monday morning breakfast meeting with some chipper person who “read a good book Sunday night” and who doesn’t know their Halas from their Lombardi.So ends the rant. Put in some Visine, take some aspirin, suck it up. Happy Monday!___The best news coming out of Super Sunday came via Samantha and James Blair, two top operatives (she is a top fundraiser with clients who include Attorney General Ashley Moody, he was a Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis,) Here’s what they posted to Facebook:___Here is a hot take I wrote during the Super Bowl: “No impeachment witnesses against Donald Trump? Blame Andrew Gillum.” And here’s a hot take from the weekend: “James Call, there are some things better left untweeted.“___Good news about good people — Lila Jaber is leaving Gunster Yoakley & Stewart for a position on the Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Board of Directors.“I’m excited about this professional transition to the Chesapeake Utilities Board, which will afford me an opportunity to learn more about the corporation for which I have so much respect and at the same time allow me to contribute my relationships, strategic development, and regulatory background,” she said.Congratulations to Lila Jaber for taking a new role on the Chesapeake Utilities Corporation Board of Directors.Jaber’s selection is a natural fit for Chesapeake given her in-depth knowledge of the industry — served two terms as both Commissioner and Chair of the Florida Public Service Commission, the state board that governs utilities.In an announcement, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation President and CEO Jeffry M. Householder said Jaber’s addition is a big get for the company.“In addition to her remarkable years in public service and civic engagement, Lila complements the Company’s culture of leadership, ethics, entrepreneurial passion and diversity,” he said.While she’ll no longer leading Gunster’s Florida lobbying practice, Jaber told Florida Politics she will still have plenty of contact with her former colleagues.“My loyalty to and friendship with Gunster will always remain a high priority, and I welcome our continued work together in the Florida’s Women in Energy Leadership Forum as well as other initiatives to be announced soon,” she said.One thing on the horizon: opening a new office for her solo practice, LilaJaber Consulting. The new space, set to open in late spring, will be next door to Cigars of Tally Lounge and Bar, which she said, “is not a coincidence.”

Today’s Sunrise Lawmakers are gearing up for an epic battle over abortion rights that will play out this week on the Senate floor — and the corridors outside the chamber.Also, on today’s Sunrise:— Some companies that help pay for Florida’s school voucher program are saying they will no longer contribute because many of the schools accepting those vouchers have anti-LGBTQ policies. Although there’s a bill to ban that sort of discrimination, Senate Education Committee chair Manny Diaz says it’s not going to pass. Diaz doesn’t see a need to change the program, either.— First Lady Casey DeSantis is opening the Governor’s Mansion to children who want to read, setting up a children’s section in the mansion’s library, and inviting kids to take part in storytime.— After years of neglect, state employees may actually get a pay raise this year. But the House and Senate have entirely different ways to make that happen.— Tampa Bay Times environmental reporter Craig Pittman talks about the fight to save the Florida panther from extinction.— More Florida Man madness: A 24-year-old man was busted for a slur (literally) and a Florida Woman who went Chuck Norris on a neighbor who refused to allow her children to attend a birthday party.To listen, click on the image below:

Situational awareness —@Molly_Struve: The EU now has 1 GB of free space—@Scott_Maxwell: DC pundits are so pathetically predictable. Early 2016: The polls show there’s no way [Donald] Trump can win! November 2016: Trump wins. December 2016: Pundits say they have learned their lesson. Early 2020: Pundits: Look! Look! Every poll shows every Democrat beats Trump!!—@MollyNagle3: Following @joniernst and @SenRickScott’s hits on [Joe] Biden, Chief Strategist Mike Donilon says “We welcome your panicked admission of who you know would win this battle for the soul of our nation, bring the country together, beat Donald Trump, and help Democrats win up and down …”Tweet, tweet:—@nikkifried: Applaud @MichelobULTRA for supporting our farmers!!!! If you eat or 🍺 you are part of Ag @freshfromFL @FlaFarmBureauTweet, tweet:Tweet, tweet:—@KevinCate: Some of y’all are wondering how really bad ads air during the #SuperBowlLIV — I assure you, they were written, edited, & approved by committee. Like most bad ads.Tweet, tweet:—@GrayRohrer: I was promised a Tom Brady-free Super Bowl. I want my money back.—@ChelseaLdH: You mean @POTUS ran a Super Bowl Ad about @AliceMarieFree?! CJ Reform WINS every day and twice on Super Bowl Sunday!! 🥳 #FlaPolTweet, tweet:—@DJTweets: Imagine if, going forward, everyone on social media considered Kobe’s last tweet before tweeting. Imagine if they asked themselves: If these are my last words, will they represent me well? Will they exhibit class and grace? Imagine if people posted, or didn’t post, accordingly.

Days until Eighth Democratic presidential debate in Manchester — 4; Capitol Press Corps press skits — 7; New Hampshire Primaries — 8; Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for MLB Spring Training — 8; South Beach Wine and Food Festival — 16; Ninth Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas — 16; Roger Stone’s sentencing — 17; Nevada caucuses — 19; “Better Call Saul” Season 5 premiers — 20; 10th Democratic presidential debate in Charleston — 22; South Carolina Primaries — 26; Super Tuesday — 29; Last day of 2020 Session (maybe) — 39; Florida’s presidential primary — 43; “No Time to Die” premiers — 63; Florida TaxWatch Spring Board Meeting begins — 72; TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards — 73; Florida Chamber Summit on Prosperity and Economic Opportunity — 102; “Top Gun: Maverick” premiers — 144; Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee begins — 161; Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” premiers — 165; 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo start — 172; Florida primaries for 2020 state legislative/congressional races — 197; First Presidential Debate in Indiana — 239; Republican National Convention begins in Charlotte — 203; First Vice Presidential debate at the University of Utah — 247; Second Presidential Debate scheduled at the University of Michigan — 255; Third presidential debate at Belmont — 262; 2020 General Election — 274.

Top story “Assault weapons ban misses deadline for Florida’s 2020 ballot” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — Instead, the organizers behind Ban Assault Weapons Now say they’ll focus on getting the amendment on the ballot in 2022. Chairwoman Gail Schwartz said in a statement that they’d continue gathering signatures “despite the best efforts of the NRA and politicians in Tallahassee.” “Hundreds of thousands of Floridians from all across the state are behind this critical movement, and it’s up to us to make sure we succeed where our so-called ‘leaders’ have repeatedly failed,” Schwartz said. To make it on the November ballot, organizers had to gather 766,200 verified signatures by today. The organizers fell well short with just 147,304.

Latest from Iowa “10 questions that will be answered on caucus night” via Brianne Pfannenstiel of the Des Moines Register — “Who will win? … What will ‘winning’ look like? … Where will candidates win? … How many ‘tickets’ will there be out of Iowa? … Is the ground game still king? … Is ‘Klomentum’ real? … What does ‘electability’ look like? … Will the satellite caucuses be successful? … Will the new rules streamline caucus night or create new hiccups? … Will Iowa keep its caucuses and stay first?”It’s finally here.“CNN and The Des Moines register will not release Iowa poll results, network says” via Kate Sullivan of CNN — “A respondent raised an issue with the way their interview was conducted, which could have compromised the results of the poll. We were unable to ascertain what happened during this respondent’s interview and cannot determine if this was a single isolated incident,” the network said in a tweeted statement. “CNN, The Des Moines Register and Selzer & Company aim to uphold the highest standards of survey research, and therefore the partners decided not to proceed,” the statement continued. A source familiar with the decision said that a respondent reported that an operator, during a telephone interview, did not name former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg when listing the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.“‘We’re flying blind’: Democrats floored by star-crossed caucus” via David Siders of POLITICO — It was a fitting coda to a star-crossed campaign — the scrapping late Saturday of the most highly-anticipated poll of Iowa caucus season. All last week, the Democratic presidential contest had been fixed in a state of suspended animation. Campaign strategists and reporters encamped at the Des Moines Marriott and around the white tablecloths at 801 Chophouse. Caucus tourists descended on Raygun for T-shirts and local parties prepared for an orderly caucus. The stunning, last-minute cancellation of the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom poll and its accompanying, hourlong CNN special deprived the political class of the eleventh-hour marker it was relying on to frame the final days of a campaign that is running unusually close.”Dear Iowans: Apologies for Sen. Rick Scott’s lack of decency” via Gwen Graham of The Hill — “While I fully support Joe Biden, I also respect those, from the right and left, who may disagree with him on policy or his record — but to smear his character with blatant misrepresentations, is beneath any candidate — and certainly beneath the dignity of a United States Senator. In attempting to influence your caucus vote with baldfaced lies, Iowans should respond to Scott with [Sen. Joseph] Welch’s words: ‘Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”’“How Iowa could decide Joe Biden’s fundraising future” via Shane Goldmacher of The New York Times — The movement of money and energy into Iowa is a sign of not only the opportunity that Biden’s campaign now sees here — he sits in second or first place in most polls — but also the acute risk for him, according to interviews with Democratic strategists, Biden fundraisers and allies. In Iowa, Biden is not just chasing votes and delegates. He’s chasing cash. A disappointing finish in the state, where there are four candidates bunched in the top tier in polls, could dampen his fundraising at a crucial juncture. Candidates need resources to build up their operations in delegate-rich Super Tuesday states like California, where campaigning and ad rates can be prohibitively expensive and early voting begins this week.“Donald Trump and Republicans join forces to attack Biden ahead of the Iowa caucuses” via Toluse Olorunnipa of The Washington Post — Republican lawmakers have used the spotlight of Trump’s impeachment trial to accuse Biden of corruption, [Scott] is running television ads against Biden in Iowa, and several Trump campaign surrogates have ramped up their attacks against the former vice president as they prepare to fan out across the state in support of Trump’s reelection bid. “There is a mountain of evidence to suggest the Bidens’ behavior was harmful to the United States,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said from the U.S. Capitol, where several GOP lawmakers used the impeachment trial’s question-and-answer session to insinuate wrongdoing by Biden. Trump’s campaign is dispatching Vice President Mike Pence and more than 80 other surrogates to Iowa ahead of caucus votes.“Biden advisers say he’s ‘anything but doomed’ ahead of Iowa vote” via Jennifer Epstein of Bloomberg — Top advisers to Biden sought to temper expectations for his performance in Monday’s Iowa caucuses, projecting a close result and insisting that any outcome won’t doom the former vice president’s campaign. “Joe Biden is anything but doomed,” former Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a longtime Biden friend who has endorsed his former colleague, said Sunday at a Bloomberg News reporter roundtable in Des Moines. Biden’s team has long played down the importance of Iowa to its strategy, arguing that contests later in February in Nevada and South Carolina, followed quickly by Super Tuesday, March 3, are critical to demonstrate that a candidate is capable of defeating Trump.Joe Biden speaks at a campaign stop at National Cattle Congress Pavilion in Iowa.“Bernie Sanders’ caucus target: Latino voters usually overlooked in mostly white Iowa” via Jenna Johnson of The Washington Post — Although Latinos make up just 6% of Iowa’s population — the vast majority of the state’s residents are white — they have more than doubled in number over the past two decades. There are more than 50,000 registered Latino voters in the state, plus thousands more eligible, making them a potential force in caucuses that campaigns expect to draw up to 240,000 voters. Sanders’s operation has done far more than his competitors in seeking the support of those voters, having belatedly realized in his 2016 campaign the growing heft of Iowa’s Latino voters — and their attraction to him. It estimates that fewer than 3,000 Latinos participated in the 2016 caucuses overall and hopes to increase that number this year dramatically.“Did Elizabeth Warren get her ad campaign wrong in Iowa?” via Natasha Korecki of POLITICO — From mid-August until late October, when her rivals were flooding the airwaves, Warren would remain dark on TV for 12 weeks. Her first ad on broadcast TV ran Oct. 26, long after she had risen to the top of the field. Beginning in mid-August, Buttigieg pretty much took the opposite approach. Since that, the race’s dynamics have shifted again and again, and heading into the last weekend before the Iowa caucuses, most observers consider it a four- or even five-way race that’s too close to call. The Warren campaign’s theory of the case is that caucusgoers make a decision late in the game, so spending early money on television would do little but waste valuable resources.“’Too blue to bother’: In Iowa, suburban Democrats are trying to stage a political takeover” via Robert Samuels of The Washington Post — Newcomers had helped reshape politics in the Des Moines suburbs in the 2018 vote, electing more Democrats to public office. And as the world descended on their state in the opening volley of the 2020 presidential campaign, newcomers would show that this flourishing group of Democrats wasn’t going away. Local Democrats are done playing “Iowa nice.” They are mounting aggressive recruitment campaigns, mocking opponents and organizing to try to push Republicans out of elected seats, including offices that are traditionally nonpartisan. Their strategy has upended the live-and-let-live atmosphere that often permeates the suburbs, where some Democrats said they used to be content to focus on their families and leave local politics to the other party.“South Floridians heading to Iowa to campaign for their favorite presidential candidates” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Christine Hunschofsky, Kevin O’Connor, Shevrin Jones and Kaitlin Walters, are all part of the quadrennial ritual, in which people who are passionate supporters of various presidential candidates head to early caucus or primary states to help their preferred choices. That’s essential in a state like Iowa. The caucuses are very different from primaries in states like Florida, where people go to the polls, or vote early, for their preferred candidate. In Iowa, candidate supporters have to turn out for events at which they’ll divide into groups of supporters for each candidate. The process can take hours, and it’s essential for campaigns to do everything they can to make sure their supporters actually turn out.“The graying of the American economy Is on display in Iowa” via Dionne Searcey, Alan Rappeport, Trip Gabriel and Robert Gebeloff of The New York Times — Like most campaign events held in daylight hours during the week, Buttigieg’s town hall in Dubuque recently was a sea of gray hair. With an impeachment reprieve over the weekend, all of the top Democratic presidential candidates were back in Iowa this weekend, seeking support in Monday’s caucuses from an electorate that is more white and more rural than most of the United States. Iowa’s outsized role in presidential politics is often criticized for precisely that reason. But Iowa mirrors the nation’s economy and demography in one very striking way — the state’s rapidly aging population and the myriad economic, political and social consequences that flow from it.“You had a nice run, Iowa, but it’s time to fade into the background for a while” via Charles Pierce of Esquire — Oh, Iowa, you had a nice run, but it’s time for you to fade into the pale background of the presidential nominating process. Seriously, will no one rid me of this turbulent process? On Saturday night, the Des Moines Register announced that, due to a glitch involving Buttigieg, it would not be releasing the results of its feverishly anticipated final poll before Monday’s caucuses. And good for all concerned. This is the correct decision, both ethically and politically. But what the hell is the sense in a system where one poll from a good mid-sized newspaper wields so much influence over the presidential nominating process that it throws into a panic a system that already is complicated — and undemocratic — in the extreme?—“Caucus crunch time” via Amie Rivers of The Courier (Ankeny, Iowa)—“10 questions Iowa caucuses will answer his cycle ends” via Brianne Pfannenstiel of the Des Moines Register—“Picking a favorite still elusive for some Democrats” via Erin Murphy of The Gazette (Cedar Rapids)—“Dems make final pitch” via Graham Ambrose and Sarah Hayden of the Quad-City Times—“Hoops or caucus? Game changer: caucus prompts schools to rethink plans” via Nick Hytrek of the Sioux City Journal—“We better not screw this up” via Patrick Condon of the StarTribune

Dateline: Tally “Ron DeSantis, Clarence Thomas share Federalist Society judicial doctrine” via Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times — Supreme Court Justice Thomas said he participated in a new documentary about his life to counter “libelous, slanderous propaganda” that’s been made against him over the last four decades. During a talk at the Federalist Society’s Florida State Conference at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, the 71-year-old justice said he hadn’t seen “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.” He said it wasn’t his idea to participate in it, either. DeSantis introduced Thomas with effusive praise, calling him the “greatest living justice.” If Thomas is on one side of a Supreme Court case, DeSantis said, “99% of the time — maybe more — you figure that must be the right side of the case to come out on.”Clarence Thomas dispenses wisdom at a meeting of the Federalist Society in Orlando. Image via Twitter/@iypmgt.“Fight refueled over gas pump stickers” via Jim Turner of the News Service of Florida — Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried’s office would have to replace stickers that display her smiling face on gas pumps by mid-September under a House budget proposal. The directive is tied to the House’s proposed $91.37 billion budget. The budget also would require placing in reserves more than $19.7 million for other programs until plans are offered to replace the stickers, a process that Fried’s spokesman said is already underway. The issue, which isn’t in the Senate’s budget outline, comes after a decision last year by the Republican-dominated Legislature to limit what could be shown on gas-pump inspection stickers posted by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.“After shunning Medicaid expansion, Florida Republicans see the political power of tackling health care” via John Kennedy of the USA TODAY network — House Speaker José Oliva is promoting wide-ranging changes to the state’s medical landscape that may cause a possible side effect. Republicans hope they help at the ballot box in the nation’s biggest presidential swing state. With polls showing health care access and cost among the top issues for voters, Oliva is among a chorus of Florida Republicans getting behind Trump’s promise last spring to make the GOP “the party of health care.” But in a state where Republican leaders’ opposition to the Affordable Care Act also has left it among the few not to expand Medicaid coverage for lower-income residents, some think the Miami Republican is more interested in the optics and political messaging of reform.

Legislation “House counters Senate across-the-board pay raise for state workers with targeted increases” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — The Senate budget grants a 3% raise. The House would boost the pay of those making less than $50,000 by $1,800 — about a 4% hike for the average state worker who makes around $38,000, according to state records. Both plans give workers a toehold in budget negotiations that begin now that DeSantis, the House and the Senate have revealed their proposed bottom lines for the 2012-21 fiscal year. Going into budget talks “with pay raise language on both sides … is a great starting point,” said Rep. Loranne Ausley after the House released its plan. “I am very grateful that House and Senate leadership have recognized our hardworking state employees,” she added.“Both chambers of Florida Legislature arming different proposals in gun control debate” via James Call of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida lawmakers had filed more than 30 gun-related bills to consider during this year’s legislative session. Still, as they prepare for week No. 4 of their nine-week gathering, just four bills have been heard in committee. The measures in play reflect a deep divide within the ruling Republican Party in how to ensure public safety. While the House remains on the hunt for opportunities to repeal regulations on who can carry guns where, the Senate aims to tighten current laws to restrict access. House bills, which sailed through their first committees, would allow concealed-weapon permit holders to carry guns into places of worship that also have schools, and into meetings of city councils, county commissions and school boards.“Evictions would be easier under proposed changes to mobile-home laws, advocates warn” via Carolyn Glenn of the Orlando Sentinel — Sen. Ed Hooper, who introduced Senate Bill 818, said the changes are necessary to modernize the current statutes and will increase the availability of affordable and workforce housing. Sen. Travis Hutson filed a separate bill mirroring 818′s language. However, opposing groups, including the Federation of Manufactured Homeowners of Florida, which represents a portion of the 2 million Floridians living in mobile home parks, fear the changes would strip homeowners of some of their basic rights and hinder their access to affordable housing. “They’re trying to chip away at renters’ rights and make it easier to evict them — that’s pretty clear,” said Esther Sullivan, assistant professor at The University of Colorado Denver.Some say Ed Hooper’s mobile home bill could open the door to more evictions.“Forget hurricanes and sea rise. This bill could lead to a building boom in the Keys” via David Goodhue and Alex Harris of the Miami Herald — An amendment slipped into a House bill this week seeks to extend the hurricane evacuation time on the archipelago from 24 hours to 30 hours — a move that would effectively bump up the amount of development allowed in the Keys. Emergency managers, environmentalists, and a key Monroe County lawmaker called it irresponsible to cram more people and homes in an area where tidal flooding already lasts for months in some pockets and is expected to become worse and more frequent in the future. “This is foolishness,” said Craig Fugate, Florida’s former director of emergency management and head of FEMA. “First of all, 24 hours is a fantasy anyway.”“Walton organizers encourage grassroots effort to repeal HB 631” via Tom McLaughlin of the NWF Daily News — About 60 people gathered on a Thursday evening to discuss taking their fight for a repeal of the law that wiped out the county’s customary use ordinance to the Florida Legislature. “Tonight is a very important night, it is a call to action,” said Dave Rauschkolb, chair of Florida Beaches for All, who co-hosted the event with fellow activist Samantha Herring. Rauschkolb and Herring were recruiting help from the community to assist them in convincing legislators to repeal the 2018 law created through passage of the infamous HB 631. They want to round up a crowd to travel with them to the state’s capital Feb. 10 to participate in a noon rally to repeal the law.”Legislature to consider ending puppy mills for good” via Drew Wilson of Florida Politics — SB 1698 and HB 1237, known as the “Florida Pet Protection Act,” would set up licensing requirements for pet stores to ensure they don’t engage with breeders who have been flagged by the USDA for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The bills, sponsored by Sen. Manny Diaz and Rep. Brian Avila, would also require pet stores to adhere to standards aimed at fostering a safe, clean and comfortable environment for their animals. In the proposed rule book: Pet enclosures must be kept between 67 degrees and 78 degrees at all times; puppies must be afforded at least 30 minutes of exercise and socialization at least twice a day, and a copy of each breeder’s most recent USDA report must be kept on hand. A licensed veterinarian would drop in three times a week to ensure stores are up to snuff. The bills come as counties and municipalities around the state have struggled to root out bad actors in the pet business — several dozen have taken the nuclear option of banning pet stores altogether. While that can get bad breeders out of town, it doesn’t do much good if they can set up shop a few miles down the road.

Today in Capitol The House Ways & Means Committee meets to consider HB 637 from Rep. Nick DiCeglie, which seeks added restrictions on local governments for collecting impact fees, noon, Morris Hall, House Office Building.The Senate Education Committee meets to consider confirmation of four members for the state university system’s Board of Governors and trustees, 1:30 p.m., Room 412, Knott Building.The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee meets to consider several bills, including SB 1146 from Sen. Jeff Brandes, which seeks to add juvenile detention officers and juvenile justice detention supervisors to the special risk class of the Florida Retirement System, 1:30 p.m., Room 301, Senate Office Building.The Senate Innovation, Industry and Technology Committee meets to consider SB 810 from Sen. David Simmons, which seeks to strengthen tobacco and vaping regulations, as well as put the age to purchase smoking, chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes to 21, 1:30 p.m., Room 110, Senate Office Building.The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee meets to consider HB 955 from Rep. Jason Shoaf, which seeks to prevent doctors from referring patients to hospitals in which the doctors have investments, 2 p.m., Room 404, House Office Building.The House Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee meets to consider HB 1275 from Rep. Sharon Pritchett, which seeks to make changes to regulations of amusement rides, 3 p.m., Morris Hall, House Office Building.The House Health Quality Subcommittee meets to consider HB 1289 from Rep. Evan Jenne, which seeks to mandate written consent for health care providers to perform pelvic examinations if the patient is anesthetized or otherwise unconscious, 3 p.m., Room 212, Knott Building.The House Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs Subcommittee meets to consider HB 183 from Rep. Mel Ponder, which seeks to allow local elected officials to carry concealed weapons to public meetings, 3 p.m., Room 12, House Office Building.The House Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee meets to consider HB 971 from Rep. Michael Grant, which seeks to create regulations for electric bicycles, 3 p.m., Reed Hall, House Office Building.The Senate Community Affairs Committee meets to consider SB 1302 from Chair Anitere Flores, which seeks to increase the potential liability of government agencies in lawsuits, 4 p.m., Room 301, Senate Office Building.The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee meets to consider SB 688 from Sen. Tom Wright, which seeks additional penalties for people who kill bears during closed seasons, 4 p.m., Room 37, Senate Office Building.The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee meets to consider SJR 1216 from Sen. Joe Gruters, which seeks term limits on school-board members, 4 p.m., Room 412, Knott Building.The Senate Infrastructure and Security Committee meets to consider SB 7040 from Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., which seeks to bolster security measures at public schools, 4 p.m., Room 110, Senate Office Building.The Senate Special Order Calendar Group will meet 15 minutes after the end of other committee meetings.Happening today — Members of the Film Florida Board of Directors will be at The Capitol through Tuesday to meet with legislators about the state’s film, television and digital media industry.

Statewide “Florida to debut high school civics test” via Jeffrey Solochek of the Tampa Bay Times — In a memo to school district superintendents, K-12 Chancellor Jacob Oliva announced that the test would be available in the spring for schools to pilot on a voluntary basis. “Pilot exam results will not affect graduation requirements or school accountability,” Oliva wrote. “The department will report on which districts and schools participate in the pilot, and on student participation and pass rates.” Although not required at this point, the department is encouraging students taking U.S. government or economics courses to take the test. The department would provide the exam to the districts and allow them to offer it either via computer or paper. The test would take 100 minutes and could be spread over two sessions.Chancellor Jacob Oliva is introducing a new Florida high school civics test.“Wyndham, ABC wine join other companies halting donations to scholarships that go to anti-LGBTQ schools” via Leslie Postal and Annie Martin of the Orlando Sentinel — The announcements come after the Orlando Sentinel reported that more than $105 million from the tax credit program, which pays for low-income children to attend private schools, went to more than 150 Christian schools with anti-LGBTQ policies last year. Wyndham Destinations, which sent a rainbow-decked float to Orlando’s gay pride parade in October, released a statement saying it would not support the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program until changes are made. It has contributed $6.75 million since 2011, most recently in December 2018. ABC Fine Wines and Spirits said this week it too was halting donations to the program until schools that discriminate are prohibited from receiving scholarships.

Hospital Days This week, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) welcomes representatives of member hospitals to The Capitol for its annual Hospital Days. For two days, there will be meetings with lawmakers to discuss the importance of hospitals in the community and efforts to improve access to high-quality care.Events begin Monday with a gathering in the House Chamber to hear from state leaders, including DeSantis’ Chief of Staff Shane Strum, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Mary Mayhew, Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, and House Speaker pro tempore MaryLynn Magar, on FHA priorities for Session.“This year, FHA is proud to support legislation that will accomplish these goals by expanding the capacity of our health care workforce and increasing transparency around patient safety culture in hospitals,” said FHA interim president Crystal Stickle.It’s a big day for FHA interim president Crystal Stickle.On Tuesday, FHA members will visit legislators, including a meeting between FHA Board members and Senate President Bill Galvano. Also, President-Designate Wilton Simpson will address the Board at their morning meeting.

Mother nature “The battle over Lake O levels: toxic algae, water supplies at forefront” via Kimberly Miller of the Palm Beach Post — South Florida water leaders are concerned about keeping faucets flowing to homes and farms as interests clashed over how high to keep Lake Okeechobee — a key to Everglades restoration and water supply, but also a breeder of toxic algae. A massive rewrite of lake management rules is the impetus for the ongoing skirmish, which played out in West Palm Beach during a meeting of a 175-member committee working to develop the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM). While Treasure Coast residents and some Lake Worth Lagoon advocates want a lower lake to avoid summer discharges that can trigger blue-green algae blooms in estuaries, others want a higher lake to ensure spigots don’t go dry during a drought.The battle over Lake O levels rages on. Image via NASA Earth Observatory.“Every little bit helps” via Karl Schneider of the Naples Daily News — Florida has millions of acres protected in federal and state preserves. But across fast-growing Southwest Florida, thousands of acres are also preserved in presumed perpetuity behind the gates of private communities. Alone, 80 acres here and 100 acres there might not have much of an environmental effect, but taken together, the tracks provide water recharge areas, stormwater systems and habitat for wildlife ranging from raccoons and foxes to nesting birds and alligators.

Coronavirus “Coronavirus infections predicted to grow exponentially; first death outside China; outbreak becomes political” via Washington Post — The Philippines and New Zealand have joined the list of countries that have sharply restricted entry to people traveling from or through China, as the number of cases confirmed outside the mainland continues to grow. Meanwhile, inside China, the number of reported cases has grown rapidly, and scientists predict that exponentially more have been infected.>>>There are nearly 14,500confirmed cases of coronavirus in China, including 10 on the self-governing island of Taiwan, with more than 300 dead. A new study says that as many as 75,815 people in Wuhan may have been infected.>>>Doctors say the virus can be spread by fecal matter, as well as droplets from the mouth and nose.Coronavirus infections are expected to grow exponentially.“China could increasingly walled off as countries seek to stem coronavirus” via Alexandra Stephenson of The New York Times — Vietnam became the latest country to try to close itself off from the world’s most populous country, barring all flights from and to China. Overall, nearly 10,000 flights have been canceled since the outbreak. Australia joined the United States in temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who have recently traveled to the country. There are officially eight confirmed cases in the United States, including one person connected to the University of Massachusetts-Boston. Japan also said it would bar foreigners who had recently been in the Chinese province at the center of the outbreak, or whose passports were issued there. Major businesses have started to acknowledge the effect that the virus — and China’s near shutdown — is having on their bottom lines.”Keeping an eye on the Coronavirus, what it means for Florida residents” via Gretchen Kernbach of WJHG — Gulf Coast Regional Chief Medical Officer Dr. George Helmrich said the alarm has been overstated. “We know the number of deaths, and it’s actually not that great,” Dr. Helmrich said. … Helmrich reminds folks that number doesn’t compare to the amount of flu-related deaths. “I would tell you the same thing about this virus as I would about another virus,” Dr. Helmrich said.“White House seeks to calm U.S. fears over Wuhan coronavirus” via Sarah Cammarata of POLITICO — White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien Sunday sought to quell fears over the Wuhan coronavirus, saying the outbreak poses “low risk” now in the United States. “Right now, there’s no reason for Americans to panic. This is something that is a low risk, we think in the U.S.,” O’Brien said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” The virus is a “top priority. We’re taking steps to keep Americans safe,” he added. O’Brien is a member of Trump’s coronavirus task force along with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and others, and the National Security Council is coordinating the administration’s response. The administration took dramatic actions Friday to contain the virus, which has jolted financial markets and led to widespread airline cancellations.”South Florida doctors trying to stop anxiety over coronavirus” via Cindy Goodman of the Sun-Sentinel — The efforts come as people have begun to panic over flu symptoms, convinced they have coronavirus, even though they haven’t been anywhere near Wuhan, where the virus originated and is spreading rapidly. So far, six of the eight people in the U.S. who are confirmed to have the virus had traveled to Wuhan, and one is the spouse of someone who did. “People are nervous,” said Dr. Daniel Perez, a Plantation infectious disease specialist and attending physician at Westside Regional Medical Center. “Ultimately, it’s going to happen. We will get it here. We just need to be prepared and ready, so it’s not a major thing.”

2020 “Trump mocks Mike Bloomberg’s height in Sean Hannity pre-Super Bowl interview” via Renzo Downey of Florida Politics — “Mini Mike” is Trump’s tagline for his newest challenger, former New York Mayor Bloomberg. The quip came in a tweet, ahead of the interview’s premiere, but after its recording. “Very little. I just think of little,” he said on Fox News. “Now he wants a box for the debates to stand on. OK, it’s OK. There’s nothing wrong. You can be short. Why should he get a box to stand on, OK? He wants a box for the debates. Why should he be entitled to that, really? Then does that mean everyone else gets a box?” Bloomberg’s campaign denied the accusation and called the President a “pathological liar.”“Iowa is first on the calendar, but Florida is already voting for President” via David Smiley of the Miami Herald — Though the Sunshine State won’t officially vote for presidential candidates until March 17, thousands of ballots have already been mailed to voters stationed overseas. On Friday, Broward County’s supervisor of elections will ship out some 3,000 ballots, followed Saturday by another 2,300 sent from Miami-Dade County. And starting Feb. 6, the state’s 67 local election offices will begin sending massive numbers of mail ballots to Florida voters in the states, kicking off a one-week stretch in which 1.6 million ballots will be sent through the mail — all of which can be immediately filled out and returned. “You could easily say the election has already begun,” said Tammy Jones, the head of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections.“Democrats may be blowing their chance” via Rahm Emanuel for The Wall Street Journal — Both Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have come under withering criticism — not from conservatives but from Democrats arguing they were insufficiently progressive while in office. Set aside the unforced error of attacking fellow Democrats at a moment when retiring Trump ought to be our singular goal. The underlying critique fundamentally misunderstands how we should judge any given leader’s stewardship of our agenda. Yet their criticism belies their conviction that progressives simply need to nominate a standard-bearer with a message robust enough to drive legions of disaffected liberal voters to the polls. What’s the evidence that this theory will work, or that it will drive the sorts of results we saw in 2018 and 2019? The answer is elusive.Democrats are trashing the legacies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, keeping their eyes off the prize — defeating Donald Trump.“DNC overhauls debate requirements, opening door for Bloomberg” via Zach Montellaro, Sally Goldenberg and Christopher Cadelago via POLITICO — Candidates will need to earn at least 10% in four polls released from Jan. 15 to Feb. 18, or 12% in two polls conducted in Nevada or South Carolina, in order to participate in the Feb. 19 debate in Las Vegas. Any candidate who earns at least one delegate to the national convention in either the Iowa caucuses or New Hampshire primary will also qualify for the Nevada debate. The new criteria eliminate the individual-donor threshold, which was used for the first eight debates, including the debate in New Hampshire. Bloomberg has refused to take donations from other individuals, which has thus far precluded his participation in any of the debates since he joined the race late last year.“$375,000 salaries, furnished housing and a lot of sushi: Inside Bloomberg’s spending spree” via Sally Goldenberg and Christopher Cadelago of POLITICO — The staggering sums demonstrate the trademark lavish spending that has characterized Bloomberg’s late-in-life political career: a virtually bottomless wallet that fills in when campaign customs don’t appeal to him. The former New York City Mayor’s determination that the traditional Iowa-centric presidential primary calendar doesn’t suit him simply wouldn’t work for another candidate. But it’s perfectly compatible with Bloomberg’s reality — when that reality includes $140 million spent on TV and digital ads, $3.3 million on polling alone, and nearly $1 million to crisscross the country in pursuit of delegates in Super Tuesday states other candidates can’t yet afford to focus on.“Elizabeth Warren campaign open second office in Florida, becomes 1st Dem candidate with office in Orlando” via Cristóbal Reyes of the Orlando Sentinel — The office had been in the Warren campaign’s plans since September when it announced its official presence in Florida as part of its strategy. The campaign’s first state office opened in Miami last year. The Orlando office features several training and workrooms for volunteers looking to phone bank and canvass on behalf of the campaign, which has been slipping in the polls following what appeared to be an early surge. Orange County Vice Mayor Emily Bonilla, who endorsed Warren and is a surrogate for the campaign, said while any of the current Democratic candidates for President are preferable to Trump, she feels she is more “empathetic” to the plight of the average person.“Pardon Trump? Andrew Yang says he might” via Rishika Dugyala of POLITICO — A President Yang might pardon Trump. One of the entrepreneur’s 2020 rivals, U.S. Sen. Warren, has suggested she would appoint a task force to investigate Trump’s wrongdoing if she won the presidential election. But Yang Sunday said that would make moving forward difficult. “You suggested … that President Yang might pardon President Donald Trump, why?” “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos asked the candidate. Yang responded that he would listen to the guidance of his attorney general, but added, “You have to see what the facts are on the ground. If you look at history around the world, it’s a very, very nasty pattern that developing countries have fallen into, where a new President ends up throwing the President before them in jail,” Yang said on ABC’s This Week.

Insta of the day

Peachy “A new John Bolton revelation ties Donald Trump to Rudy Giuliani’s early efforts in Ukraine — and loops in other Trump allies” via Philip Bump of The Washington Post — New reporting suggests that then-national security adviser Bolton was asked by Trump to call Ukraine’s then-President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy to encourage Zelenskiy to meet with Trump’s personal attorney, Giuliani. That report, detailed in Bolton’s upcoming book, would be a direct demonstration of Trump leveraging his office to advocate for investigations that would benefit himself personally — as Giuliani himself has indicated. “President Trump directed John R. Bolton, then his national security adviser, to help with his pressure campaign to extract damaging information on Democrats from Ukrainian officials, according to an unpublished manuscript by Mr. Bolton,” Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt report.The hits keep coming from John Bolton.“Americans stuck to their views on Donald Trump through impeachment trial” via Aaron Zitner of The Wall Street Journal — A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found some 46% of voters in the survey said the Senate should remove Trump from office at the end of the impeachment trial, while 49% said he should serve out his term. By an 11-point margin of 52% to 41%, voters said they believe Trump asked Ukraine to investigate a political opponent to influence the coming presidential election to his advantage. And by a 16-point margin of 53% to 37%, voters said Trump obstructed Congress by directing officials not to comply with subpoenas for testimony and otherwise not cooperating with the impeachment inquiry. Those two accusations form the basis of the impeachment charges.“Marco Rubio’s mind-blowing explanation of his impeachment vote” via Chris Cillizza of CNN — Key lines from Rubio‘s statement: “Just because actions meet a standard of impeachment does not mean it is in the best interest of the country to remove a President from office. I will not vote to remove the President because doing so would inflict extraordinary and potentially irreparable damage to our already divided nation.” What Rubio is saying is this: 1) Trump did the things in regard to Ukraine that have been alleged. 2) Partisan impeachment is bad. 3) He is voting against removing the President. So, and just hear me out on this, what if Rubio, who says he takes as true the allegations against Trump, voted to remove Trump. Wouldn’t that make the impeachment bipartisan?“Lamar Alexander just gave Democrats what they wanted” via David Graham of The Atlantic — By condemning Trump’s behavior, even as he dashed the hopes for witnesses, Alexander seems to have created a safe space for some of his fellow Republicans to label Trump’s extortion of Ukraine wrong. With the notable exception of Mitt Romney of Utah, most Republicans declined to even tut-tut the President’s behavior, scared of either his wrath or that of his supporters. Alexander broke that stasis. His statement split the difference, acknowledging Trump’s error while also concluding that it didn’t meet the standard for removal. Notably, he said he didn’t think there was a need to call witnesses, because the Democrats had already proved the facts of their case against Trump.

D.C. matters “Trump to tout school choice as a big part of State of the Union speech” via Bianca Quilantan and Michael Stratford of POLITICO Florida — Trump is expected to urge Congress to pass a $5 billion tax credit proposal aimed at “school choice” and championed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, as Trump courts evangelical and religious voters. DeVos took to the campaign trail in Wisconsin with Vice President Mike Pence to tout the Education Freedom Scholarships she backs that would help more students attend private schools. Senior administration officials confirmed that first reported Trump’s plans to use the speech to talk about school choice. It would be a major component of Trump’s remarks.Scott meets with interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó in Miami — Scott joined Guaidó and South Florida lawmakers at a rally to promote freedom in Venezuela. The discussed how the U.S. can continue to help the fight for freedom and democracy and end Nicholás Maduro’s regime. “We will never stop fighting for an end to Nicolas Maduro’s brutal regime, and the United States will always stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights,” Scott said.Rick Scott meets with interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó to discuss the continued fight for democracy.“Matt Gaetz: Protecting Eglin Gulf Test Range from oil and gas exploration is critical” via Jim Thompson of the NWF Daily News — Eglin Air Force Base is now in “a golden era of funding” as the United States shifts its national defense focus from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations to defending against “near-peer” adversaries. “We are no longer going to be treed by the Chihuahuas in the Middle East,” Gaetz said to a crowd of hundreds of military contractors, military personnel and economic development professionals. The Congressman delivered the keynote address to the Defense Leadership Forum’s 2020 Air Force Contracting Summit. Instead, Gaetz said, the country’s military focus is shifting toward the development of “hypersonic” weapons that can travel at multiple times the speed of sound, countering similar efforts in Russia and China. Eglin AFB is heavily involved in that research.“Brian Mast raises $2.2 million in 2019; takes oil money but denies any influence on him” via Joshua Solomon of TCPalm — The Palm City Republican pushed back against questions over accepting donations from oil and mining industries and touted his paramount issue — the environment, with an unwavering defense of the Everglades and a long-standing, public fight against toxic discharges from Lake Okeechobee — as reason why the money has no significant influence on him. “Congressman Mast has made stopping toxic discharges his top priority because it is the right thing to do,” his campaign spokesman Brad Stewart said in a statement. “It is ridiculous that out of more than 33,000 individual donations, TCPalm has chosen to focus on just 21 donors to try to create some false narrative that does not exist.”

The trail While most of the country had their eyes glued to the TV, federal candidates posted their fourth quarter fundraising numbers. Now that the big game is over, here’s a recap of where things stand in Florida’s congressional races.The Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho is crowded, but most of the field filed after the new year. Among the early entrants, Judson Sapp is the leader with nearly $160K raised and $112K on hand at the end of the year. Second place goes to Kat Cammack, who raked in $104,000 and has nearly all of it in the bank.In the crowded race to replace Ted Yoho, Judson Sapp takes an early money lead.Though CD 15 is a lean-Republican, incumbent U.S. Rep. Ross Spano is doing everything he can to make GOP voters lean the other way, and his finance reports reflect it. He raised just $109K in Q4. Meanwhile, Democratic Rep. Adam Hattersley pulled $160K and fellow Democrat Alan Cohn added $117K. They also have the benefit of not having to play catch-up thanks to illegal loans.Democrats say CD 16 is on the table, but Democratic Rep. Margaret Good is already starting to show cracks. She raised $365K for the quarter while Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan cleared $424K. He also has $929K banked to Good’s $576K.There’s another red-hot Republican primary in CD 19, the Southwest Florida seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney. Who’s on top depends on how one interprets the reports — Rep. Dane Eagle leads in true fundraising with $422K, while Naples physician William Figlesthaler rolled out the best report, $536K, thanks to a $410K candidate loan. They have $375K and $507K banked, respectively.After the fold: Ford O’Connell with $310K; former Minnesota state Rep. Dan Severson with $108K; Randy Henderson with $68K; and Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen with $32K.There were a couple of incumbents who got caught snoozing in the fourth quarter, though the delegation mostly fared well.— In CD 4, Democrat Donna Deegan outraised Republican U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, $204K to $124K.— In CD 6, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz raised $308K in Q4 and started 2020 with $564K in the bank.— Democratic U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala tacked on $600K and has nearly $1.3 million banked in CD 27. Republican Maria Elvira Salazar reeled in $365K and has $875K in her campaign account.— Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy received $388K in Q4 and has a fivefold lead over her closest challenger in CD 7.— Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings picked up $208K for her CD 10 reelection bid.— Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist added $372K and has $2.8 million banked in CD 13.— Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast added another $764K last quarter, giving him just over $2.3 million raised for his CD 18 reelection bid.— In CD 21, right-wing activist Laura Loomer topped incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel for the second quarter in a row month, though Frankel still holds a commanding lead with $1.1 million banked to Loomer’s $155,000.

Local “Aramis Ayala yanked from case by second GOP Governor, this time DeSantis” via the News Service of Florida — Ayala has been caught up in a high-profile dispute with Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson over her decision to not file criminal charges against two suspects in the October murder of Nicole Montalvo. Montalvo, a 33-year-old mother, was dismembered and her remains were found on two properties in Osceola County. In the executive order, DeSantis said Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecutor found that based on the available evidence in the case, criminal charges “could be filed” against Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera. DeSantis said Gibson believed Ayala’s “opposition to the death penalty has interfered with the appropriate pursuit of homicide charges.”Aramis Ayala gets dropped from another high profile murder case.“Headless chickens don’t concerned neighbors. But nuisance gators do” via Amy Bennett Williams of the Fort Myers News-Press — Nuisance alligator removals are pretty routine in Southwest Florida, once the coldblooded reptiles get too close or become too bold for the comfort of nearby humans. But there was an unusual element in the recent case of an eight-footer taken from the Orange River: Buckingham residents blame floating animal sacrifices for drawing the beast to their neighborhood on the eastern, upstream and of the 12-mile creek that empties into the Caloosahatchee near Interstate 75. The result is an only-in-Florida mashup of rural homeowners, religious practitioners and wildlife, as livestock carcasses dumped into the slow-moving stream following religious rituals attracted hungry gators to the new — and easy — food source.“Howey Mayor, council member ask DeSantis to remove each other from office” via Martin Comas of the Orlando Sentinel — It’s no secret that Howey-in-the-Hills Mayor Martha MacFarlane and Town Council member Matt McGill are not the best of friends. McGill, who has caused a tizzy by demanding $1 million from Howey for “civil rights violations,” sent a letter to DeSantis asking him to remove MacFarlane from office because, he claims, she broke the law by holding a council meeting without a quorum. A day later, MacFarlane responded by sending a similar missive requesting that McGill be suspended from office “for willful neglect of his duties” for refusing to attend Howey’s two most recent council meetings. “I’m at a loss at how to get him to fulfill his duties as a public official,” MacFarlane said.“Guaidó rallies Venezuelan expats in Miami at end of tour” via Gisela Salomon and Scott Smith of The Associated Press — Venezuela’s Guaidó told cheering expatriates in Miami that he will soon make his return to Caracas from an international tour, bringing with him the “world’s backing” to oust President Maduro. “We have a plan. We have a strategy,” Guaidó said. “We’re not alone, and we’re going to restore democracy.” The opposition leader bent on unseating the socialist president, presented few details for executing this plan upon returning, referring to additional sanctions as a major strategy available. Guaidó’s visit rounds out a two-week world tour that took him first to Colombia, then across Europe and Canada, where he held meetings with a list of world leaders.“After $1.5 million gift to NFL, Miami Beach expected a free concert. It never came” via Martin Vassolo of the Miami Herald — When the Super Bowl Host Committee came before the Miami Beach City Commission in 2018, the committee told the city it planned to hold a free concert on the beach after requesting about $1.5 million in waived fees and sponsorship dollars. The money was approved. The concert — billed as a “public benefit” to the city for hosting the Super Bowl — never happened. The only public benefit that went directly to residents is 15% off tickets to the NFL Experience at the Miami Beach Convention Center. That’s $3 off $20 tickets, and $6 off $40 tickets. Those who went Thursday to Saturday paid the higher price.“Here’s how Tampa Bay has changed since its last Super Bowl” via Richard Danielson of the Tampa Bay Times — By kickoff Feb. 7, 2021, a decadelong construction boom will have delivered more than $2 billion worth of new hotels, airport renovations, destination parks and ambitious food halls to the bay area. There’s a wholly updated Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the new Armature Works, a redesigned and renamed Sparkman Wharf and — most important — the Tampa Riverwalk. “The continued transformation of our community since 2009 has been truly incredible,” said Rob Higgins, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee. From renovations to Raymond James Stadium to new hotels and entertainment options, “this will be a totally new experience from the last time we hosted.”

Top opinion “Privatization: Coming to a beach near you” via Bob Lotane and Daniel Uhlfelder for Florida Politics — Beachfront property owners, aided by high-priced lobbyists, have stripped local governments’ power to oversee your ability to enjoy the beach. In 2016 Walton County adopted a customary use ordinance recognizing the public’s long time use of its coast for traditional fishing and recreation while safeguarding the ability of residents and tourists to continue to do so. Wealthy beachfront property owners, however, rebelled by lobbying the Legislature into passing HB 631 in 2018, making it easy for beachfront owners to tie up the courts to block-the-beach. Bottom line: Insurance ratepayers in Florida and taxpayers nationwide have, and will continue to, subsidize Florida coastal owners. In return, they can be told to stay the heck off the beach.

Opinions “Florida legislators putting their LGBTQ bigotry into law. Don’t let them do it” via the Miami Herald editorial board — Consider the school voucher program. It started small in the late 20th century under former Gov. Jeb Bush. Today, it weighs in at nearly $1 billion in public money and has spawned a less-than-public outfit called Step Up For Students, which “encourages philanthropy” by big players with business before the Legislature and state regulators. In an exhaustive report, the Orlando Sentinel recently revealed how the voucher program operates to allow, and in some cases, to encourage, the ugliest and most retrograde forms of discrimination against LGBTQ children and their families. Meanwhile in Tallahassee, the Legislature is shamelessly sticking to its anti-gay guns and, worse, has even attracted support from some Democrats.“Floridians shouldn’t have to ask for permission to succeed” via Skyler Zander for the Naples Daily News — Thanks to occupational licensing laws, asking permission is exactly what Americans across the country are forced to do. Through these laws, state governments determine whether we can work in a given profession. These policies are obstacles that hinder us from achieving our hopes and dreams. In Florida, licensing laws require us to pay an average of $318 in fees, pass an exam, and have 693 days of education and experience. Because these requirements often apply to jobs sought by those at lower-income levels, the burden falls hardest on those least able to afford it. This all raises the question; do we need these laws? The answer, very often, is no.“Term limits for school board members? Eight is not enough” via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel editorial board — Since lawmakers are forced to live under the “eight is enough” system, the Florida Legislature’s Republican majority wants school board members to live under it, too. In truth, imposing term limits on school boards is just another Tallahassee power-grab. It’s partly payback to boards that have resisted charter schools, vouchers and arming teachers. It could also be payback for a certain school board’s failure to suspend a certain Broward school superintendent who DeSantis wants gone. Capitol politicians should acknowledge the obvious: Term limits sound great as a concept, but they’ve had terrible real-life consequences in the Legislature. Because of the turnover, longtime lobbyists and staffers have excessive influence.“Extending deadline on Save Our Homes portability makes sense” via the Tampa Bay Times editorial board — Pinellas County Property Appraiser Mike Twitty proposes extending the Florida deadline to three years, a common-sense fix that state lawmakers should ask voters to approve. To transfer the Save Our Homes exemption, Florida law says a homeowner must have “received a homestead exemption as of Jan. 1 of either of the two immediately preceding years.” Someone could easily miss out by selling a home late in the year and then building a new home that isn’t finished by New Year’s of the year after next. SB 148 and HB 369, sponsored respectively by Sen. Jeff Brandes and Rep. Rick Roth, would place a constitutional amendment that would add a year to the period when homeowners can transfer their accumulated benefits.

Movements Appointed — Gene Prescott and Leonard Boord (reappointed) to the Florida International University Board of Trustees; Aubrey Edge and H. Wayne Huizenga, Jr. (reappointed) to the Board of Governors of the State University System; Candace Falsetto to the Florida Commission on the Status of Women; Jeanette Rubio to the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.New and renewed lobbying registrations:Josh Aubuchon, Holland & Knight: WawaRonald Brise, Julie Fess, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart: Raymond James FinancialCharles Cliburn, New Capitol IT: YoungWilliamsMichael Flanagan, American Hotel and Lodging AssociationJeffrey Johnston, Amanda Stewart, Anita Berry, Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies: Florida Pet RetailersToni Large, Large Strategies: Sunfest HerbsPaul Mitchell, The Southern Group: Federal EngineeringAndre Parke, Sachs Sax Caplan: Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Miami, Independent Colleges & Universities of FloridaJennifer Platt: International Council of Shopping CentersKatia Saint Fleur, KSF and Associates: City of North Miami, Florida Beer Wholesalers Association, Florida Pet RetailersWilliam Scherer, Michael Dutko Jr., Conrad & Scherer: NUCO CITRUSMatthew Ubben, Confianza Consulting: CAP Government

Aloe “Viral TikTok video shows 3 guys playing Uno at Cape Coral intersection” via Jennifer Sangalang of the Fort Myers News-Press — “Dylan” — user name @driftydilly — posted the video with the caption, “Florida back at it with the long lights,” with hashtags and tags: #redlightchallenge #Florida #redlight #floridaredlight #fyp #foryou #foryoupage @paxten @rs3laz @angeliandrew. People quickly swarmed the comments and awarded thousands of hearts. Many comments reference a young boy watching the game from the back seat of the car in front of the card players. Others wondered who won the game and whether the trio of young men playing cards were the Jonas Brothers (it wasn’t). As of Friday, the video had more than 985,000 likes, almost 4,200 comments and more than 33,000 shares.Florida’s red lights can be pretty long.

Happy birthday Celebrating today are former everything Tom Gallagher, former Sen. Arthenia Joyner and Jodi Stevens, director of government affairs for PACE Center for Girls and Monte’s better half.

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By Mike Allen

🗳️ Good Monday morning. 2020 finally begins for real: We’ll get the election year’s first result tonight! Iowa caucuses begin at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. local.

• Get quick-read results and pithy, illuminating reaction all night with our smart screen at the top of Axios.com.

1 big thing: Bernie surges, Biden worries

Ahead of tonight’s Iowa caucuses, Bernie Sanders’ momentum is forcing his rivals to try to lower expectations, and is feeding the Democratic establishment’s fears, Axios’ Margaret Talev and Alexi McCammond report from Des Moines.

• In advance of possible disappointments tonight, advisers to Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg are already insisting that Iowa isn’t everything.
• “We view Iowa as the beginning, not the end,” Biden adviser Symone Sanders said.
• Buttigieg aides say he doesn’t have to win Iowa to be the nominee. (Flashback to the N.Y. Times in October: “Buttigieg Bets His Campaign on a Breakthrough in Iowa.”)
• And John Kerry, a Biden supporter and the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, was overheard by NBC News (in the busy lobby restaurant of the Renaissance Savery hotel in Des Moines!) sounding the alarm on a phone call about “the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party.”

Reality check: Iowa wins propelled long-shot Democrats like Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008, and showed how enthusiasm can turn into lasting momentum for close seconds, like Sanders in 2016.

• But Donald Trump in 2016 and Bill Clinton in 1992 won the presidency without winning Iowa.

What we’re hearing/seeing: Biden’s team is anxious and defensive about the polling and narrative leading into tonight.

• Biden looked tired at closing rallies. The crowds are older. There’s a sense from people who know him that the impeachment focus on his son Hunter has taken a toll.
• The questions that reporters ask his aides and surrogates often assume that he won’t win, and that it will be worse than expected.

The bottom line: The conventional wisdom is that tonight is Bernie’s to lose.

• But, as always with politics in this combustible era, no one really knows.

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2. What to watch tonight

Graphic: AP

Three results will be reported tonight: raw vote totals, delegates, and turnout.

• Further muddling the crazily complex system, Iowa officials for the first time will release tallies from the caucuses’ first and second rounds (“alignments”).

Wait! What?

• At tonight’s more than 1,600 caucus sites, voters will begin the night by declaring their first choice.
• If your top choice falls short of 15% and is eliminated, you can make a second choice after a frantic round of lobbying by the surviving campaigns.
• Caucuses can last a few hours!
• The Associated Press will declare a winner based on the number of state delegates each candidate wins.

The intrigue: The frontrunners — Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden — have strategies to win over supporters of lower-tier candidates for the second round, Axios’ Margaret Talev and Alexi McCammond report.

• Rivals fear that Sanders, if his numbers look high, will declare victory before the caucusing is complete, impacting attendance and preferences.

Pundit cheat sheet: 6% of Iowans are Latino. Sanders has worked, more than any other candidate, to court them and prepare them to caucus for him.

• Share this story.

3. Virus poses global economic threat

The coronavirus could be as damaging to the global economy as the U.S.-China trade war, economists tell Axios’ Dion Rabouin and Joann Muller.

• Why it matters: China, the epicenter of the virus, is the world’s top trading nation, the largest commodity buyer and the largest vehicle market.

The big picture: A swath of industriesalready have felt the sting, with giant American companies shutting down operations in China or halting production and banning employee travel.

• Hotels, airlines, luxury retailers and cruise lines also have been hard hit as much of China — home to some of the world’s biggest spending tourists — is locked down until further notice.
• Automakers — already coping with lower sales in China — are now bracing for further declines due to lost production.

Share this story.

4. Pic du jour

Photo: @SenatorDole/Twitter

Former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, 96, tweeted this photo of himself at the Super Bowl in Miami with his wife, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, 83: “I’m all Chiefs!”

• Dole told USA Today he was at the Chiefs’ last Super Bowl — Super Bowl IV in 1970, when Kansas City beat the Minnesota Vikings, 23–7, in New Orleans: “Had a good time, as I remember. But this is more exciting.”
• “I looked the teams over very closely and decided to go with the Chiefs,” joked the man from Russell, Kansas.

5. Epic week

Screenshot via Fox News

President Trump told reporters at a Super Bowl watch party that he plans “a very, very positive message” in his State of the Union address.

• Tomorrow’s speech will be sandwiched between tonight’s Iowa caucuses and a final vote at his impeachment trial, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will give Democrats’ SOTU rebuttal.

6. A debate secret

Photo: Fox News

President Trump used his Super Bowl interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, taped at Mar-a-Lago, to accuse Michael Bloomberg, rising in the Democratic race, of wanting “a box for the debates to stand on”:

• “You can be short. Why should he get a box to stand on, OK? He wants a box for the debates. Why should he be entitled to that? Really. Does that mean everyone else gets a box?”
• Bloomberg’s campaign said Trump was “lying.”

But here’s the thing: TV networks routinely offer a riser to debate participants.

• Check out former HHS Secretary Julián Castro, who has since dropped out, at September’s Democratic debate in Houston:

Photo: Heidi Gutman/Disney via Getty Images

7. As Congress talks climate policy, carbon price gets no love

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

New lobbying urging Congress to support a price on carbon emissions isn’t convincing lawmakers to warm up to the policy, Axios’ Amy Harder writes in her “Harder Line” column.

• Why it matters: A carbon price is widely considered one of the most economically efficient ways to tackle climate change. But its politics remain deeply unpopular.

House Democrats recently introduced legislation that relies on mandates that could put an indirect — and thus less efficient — price on CO2.

• After a decade of mostly dismissing climate change, Republicans have begun to engage on policies, but House GOP leadership is pushing far narrower policies.

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8. Best Super Bowl ad

Via @TomBrady

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady may not have been in the Super Bowl, but he lit up Twitter with what seemed like a retirement announcement during the commercials:

• “They say all good things must come to an end, but the best just know when to walk away. So to my teammates, my family and, most of all, my fans, you deserve to hear this from me…”
• It ended up being an ad for Hulu, and Brady declared that he’s “not going anywhere.”

9. Andy Reid gets his Super Bowl

Photo: John Bazemore/AP

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is doused on the sideline after locking in his first Super Bowl win — coming from behind to top the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20 — after 22 seasons.

• “You get one, you want to go get another one, but we’ve got to backpedal for about a minute here and enjoy this one. And [then] we’ll get busy on the next one.” (Kansas City Star)

10. 1 fun thing

Screenshot via NBC

The “Saturday Night Live” cold open was “Impeachment Fantasy … The Trial You Wish Had Happened,” including Pete Davidson as Hunter Biden, entering on a hoverboard.

• YouTube.

THE DISPATCH

The Morning Dispatch: Iowa Upon Us

Plus, we talked to a doctor about the coronavirus.

The Dispatch Staff

9 min

Happy Monday! Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes (whom the Bears could have drafted), Andy Reid, and all the Kansas City Chiefs (of Missouri) on their come-from-behind victory over the 49ers in the Super Bowl last night.

We’re still digesting comical amounts of chili, pizza, and buffalo chicken dip (and it’ll be another busy week of this), so we’ll try to keep today’s TMD short.

Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories

• HHS Secretary Alex Azar officially declared a public health emergency to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. Delta, United, and American Airlines announced they are pausing flights to mainland China through at least the end of March as well.
• After nearly four years of debate, the United Kingdom officially left the European Union on Friday. “Our job as the government—my job—is to bring this country together and take us forward,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
• Ambassador James Jeffrey—special representative for Syria engagement and special envoy to the global coalition to defeat ISIS—said last week “we are seeing ISIS come back as an insurgency, as a terrorist operation, with some 14- to 18,000 terrorists between Syria and Iraq.”
• The Trump administration will officially suspend immigrant visas for citizens of Nigeria, Myanmar, Eritrea, and Kyrgyzstan. The executive order will also ban Sudanese and Tanzanian people from the U.S. diversity visa program.
• The Democratic National Committee removed individual donor requirements from its debate qualification threshold, opening the door for Mike Bloomberg to join other top-tier candidates on stage in Nevada on February 19.
• John Delaney—the businessman and former congressman from Maryland who had been running for president since the summer of 2017—dropped out of the Democratic primary on Friday, urging the remaining candidates to “stop the nonsense of unrealistic and divisive campaign promises.”
• Randy Feenstra—the Republican running to unseat disgraced Iowa Rep. Steve King—has 15 times more cash on hand than King.
• Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was named NFL MVP on Saturday night. Saints receiver Michael Thomas was the Offensive Player of the Year, and New England Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore took home Defensive Player of the Year honors. In other NFL news, Troy Polamalu, Steve Hutchinson, Edgerrin James, Isaac Bruce, and Steve Atwater were elected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Iowa’s Big Day

It’s genuinely unbelievablehow front-loaded this week is: The Super Bowl last night, the State of the Union address tomorrow night, and at long last, the Iowa caucuses today.

Yes, yes, we know: We media types go way overboard with Iowa, which tends not to be a particularly strong predictor of final primary results. But we can’t help it! For the first time in more than a year that we get to get some concrete information from the American public about who they actuallysupport and don’t support rather than having to rely on public polling, quotes from consultants, reading the entrails of cattle, etc.

The latest polls show Bernie Sanders maintaining his slight but respectable lead over the pack. Given that a substantial chunk of the Democratic party still holds a grudge against Sanders from 2016, for Sanders to win tonight may bode ill for the appearance of solid party unity that the 2020 field has until now done a decent job of maintaining. Writing for the site today, Andrew Egger has a piece examining how some prominent Democrats have grown more publicly critical of Sanders as he has crept up the polls in recent weeks, and how the Sanders campaign has at times struggled to strike a consistent tone in pushing back:

Hillary Clinton has spent a good chunk of the past month sounding off about Sanders—telling The Hollywood Reporter that “nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him” and blaming him for party disunity on the “Your Primary Playlist” podcast.

Then, just yesterday, former Secretary of State John Kerry, a leading Biden surrogate in Iowa, was overheard talking on the phone about the worrisome possibility of “Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic party—down whole.” We’re not to open war yet, but we’re getting there.

All this has left the Sanders campaign in a bit of a bind. On the one hand, talking straight with supporters is a huge part of the brand, and both staffers and supporters are indignant that Hillary would take potshots from the sidelines. On the other, they suspect that they’re being baited by establishment types who want to put the battle of the primary back on their own home turf: away from policy issues like free public college and single-payer health care, where the rest of the pack has been playing catch-up to Bernie, and back toward questions of civility and decorum that cast him as a party outsider.

This tension has resulted in some mixed messaging from Sanders surrogates. On the one hand, you’ve got Moore railing against “corporate Democrats” and Clinton and the DNC, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who encouraged a Des Moines crowd to boo Clinton on Friday night. (Tlaib later apologized, saying she “allowed my disappointment with Secretary Clinton’s latest comments about Senator Sanders and his supporters [to] get the best of me.”)

On the other, you’ve got surrogates like Rep. Mark Pocan—the Wisconsin congressman who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and who spoke at Sanders’ Super Bowl party in Des Moines on Sunday night. In his speech, Pocan characterized Trump’s takeover of the Rust Belt in 2016 as a cautionary tale of what can happen when Democratic candidates fail to energize their base, but avoided mentioning Clinton by name. And when asked about Moore’s rhetoric specifically, Pocan was dismissive: “I think people at the doors in Iowa aren’t talking about that,” he said. “They’re talking about the need for health care, the need for good-paying, family-supporting jobs, talking about the Green New Deal, talking about those kinds of ideas. And that’s why they’re going to go caucus. And I think the rest is just a lot of chatter.”  

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What to Do About the Coronavirus

On Sunday, officials confirmed that the 2019-nCoV strain of coronavirus killed its first victim outside of China: a 44-year-old man in the Philippines. While New York City awaits confirmation of its first potential coronavirus patient, the total number of confirmed cases in the United States stands at 11. Worldwide, that number is closer to 15,000 across 23 countries—despite late efforts by the Chinese government to lock down Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated. The death toll has now passed 300. 

But what do any of those numbers actually mean for you and your family? We reached out to Dr. Lauren Larue Walker, a pediatrician in Houston, to get a sense of how worried parents (and others) should be right now. 

First, she acknowledged that coronavirus is a “legitimate concern,” especially if you have recently been to China or been around someone who has. But, she added, the flu is still “a more real and present virus that can kill you as well.” While she has seen many parents over the last week who are worried about the coronavirus, all were false alarms, including one who was concerned after eating at a Chinese restaurant for dinner.

Although the coronavirus’ current estimated 2.1 percent fatality rate may be greater than the flu (though significantly lower than SARS’), at this early stage it’s unclear whether the data is over- or underestimating the true threat it poses. On one hand, the coronavirus’ long incubation period could mean the fatality rate is lagging behind. On the other, there’s a very real chance the total number of cases is being underreported—many with milder symptoms may not have sought medical treatment.

Even so, Dr. Walker is seeing “flu out the wazoo” this time of year, and the risk from the seasonal flu is still “astronomically higher” for American children because it is so much more prevalent. During the 2017-2018 winter, for example, the flu killed 80,000 Americans, including 180 children. But up to 90 percent of children who die from the flu are not vaccinated. The vaccine, she said, doesn’t just prevent the flu, but can also make symptoms milder and reduce complications if you do happen to contract the virus. 

So what advice is she giving at this point? The usual: Use good judgment and common sense. And get vaccinated.

Worth Your Time

• In honor of the caucuses tonight, check out this piece from Aaron Calvin in Buzzfeed News on Fong’s Pizza, the oldest Chinese restaurant in Iowa that has become “one of the weirdest places in Des Moines.” Your Morning Dispatchers can confirm the crab rangoon pizza is deserving of the hype.
• As a Navy flight surgeon, James Mazzuchelli was in the business of saving lives. And he did so even in death. He was 32 when a helicopter accident took his life, but his heart saved leukemia-survivor Mike Cohen. For Bicycling Magazine, A.C. Shilton has the story of how Cohen paid tribute to the man who gave him a new lease on life.

Pop Culture Recommendation

One of your Morning Dispatchers finally got around to watching The Peanut Butter Falcon, a delightful Mark Twain-style adventure starring Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and Zack Gottsagen. Come for the masterfully delivered “you are not invited to my birthday party!” line, stay for the Gregory Alan Isakov-infused soundtrack. Available for download wherever fine movies are downloaded.

Toeing the Company Line

• In Friday’s G-File, Jonah discusses the “intellectual wet market” the internet has created, affording bad ideas the ability to spread quickly. He then turns his attention to the idea that conservative media exists solely to promote the Republican party. Give it a read here!
• Regular TMD readers might remember we referenced some recent comments from Paula White, director of the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative, in Presented Without Comment last week. “We command all satanic pregnancies to miscarry right now,” she said in a video clip that quickly went viral. David’s Sunday French Press provides the context necessary to adequately understand the Pentecostal tradition White was drawing from. “Translating White, she seeks to liberate the animal and marine world of demonic influences, and when she speaks of ‘satanic pregnancies’ or ‘satanic wombs,’ she is referring not to human pregnancies and human wombs, but rather of satanic ideas and plans ‘birthed’ in the spiritual realm.”
• Declan published a Dispatch Fact Check over the weekend, taking a closer look at the fuzzy claim that kicked off the entire impeachment saga: Did Joe Biden abuse his power as vice president to shield his son from legal scrutiny in Ukraine? (Spoiler: No.)
• On the website today, Brian Reidl explains why $1 trillion deficits are here to stay. (Spoiler: Social Security and Medicare.)

Let Us Know

The football was pretty great last night, but so were the commercials. Which was your favorite?

• Google’s Loretta: Because who doesn’t want to cry while stuffing your face with mini hot dogs in front of all your friends?
• The Halftime Show: We assume that was a very extravagant ad for Shakira and J.Lo’s exercise regimen?
• Cheetos’ Can’t Touch This: Another excuse not to do things!
• Snickers’ #FixTheWorld: What problem can’t be solved by excavating a massive hole and throwing stuff into it?
• Hyundai’s Smaht Pahk: Accents are fun.

Reporting by Declan Garvey (@declanpgarvey), Andrew Egger (@EggerDC), Sarah Isgur (@whignewtons), and Steve Hayes (@stephenfhayes).

Photograph of the Chiefs giving Andy Reid a Gatorade bath by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.

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• A Clunker of a Democratic DebatePlus, Justin Amash asks: “Is there any better time to have a president who might be not from either party?”The Dispatch StaffJan 151813
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THE HILL

© Getty Images  Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. February arrived, and it’s Monday! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the daily co-creators, so find us @asimendinger and @alweaver22 on Twitter and recommend the Morning Report to your friends. CLICK HERE to subscribe! DES MOINES, Iowa — Caucus day has arrived in Iowa, and it is still anybody’s race as Democratic contenders look to draw first blood in the battle for the party’s nomination.  For months, Democrats have jockeyed for position in the state. The race, however, remains unpredictable, triggering outpourings of energy at candidate events across the state and some nail-biting inside candidates’ headquarters. Over the weekend, top-tier candidates found themselves mobbed by enthusiastic Iowans (and news media, including The Hill’s journos) at packed events across the Hawkeye State, many of which needed overflow rooms to handle the crowds. This has raised the stakes for Monday, and there are predictions of a record turnout.  According to recent polls, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is the slight favorite, with attention showered on other front-of-the-pack aspirants in the race. But no one has brought more attention to the contest than the person not competing in it: President Trump. During interviews with caucus-goers, Iowans again and again say they’re focused on the idea of defeating Trump and are tailoring their choice with that goal in mind.  “I keep coming back to that,” said Kim Darr, 60, a supporter of former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg from Granger, Iowa, speaking about the electability issue, which she elevated above concerns such as addressing mental illness and immigration reforms.  “There are many, many issues,” said Merron Hart, 68, of Ankeny, Iowa, before coming back to the theme of electability and the party’s need to support the candidate who can win. “But that is my top priority. I want my vote to count, and I don’t want the other person to win.” RealClearPolitics final Iowa polling average: Sanders, 24.2 percent; former Vice President Joe Biden, 20.2 percent; Buttigieg, 16.4 percent; Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), 15.6 percent; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), 8.6 percent. The Associated Press: In Iowa, anxiety and unpredictability cloud caucus finish. For many caucus goers, there is a conflict between who they believe can beat Trump and the values they care about. The state’s first-in-the-nation status also plays a role, though, with some arguing that it’s not time for them to acquiesce to another candidate at this point. “That’s the tough question. Ultimately, I want someone who’s going to beat Trump,” said Des Moines voter Stacy Kausalik, 34, who supports Warren. “But at this point, we’re the first state to vote so I don’t want to settle when I could vote for who I really stand behind and maybe help push her forward and convince other people to look into her, too.” © Getty Images  Candidates, in turn, have tailored their messages to the voters. At events on Saturday, staffers and volunteers at Klobuchar’s events handed out shirts prominently featuring the words, “Amy Klobuchar will beat Donald Trump.” The argument is the main crux of Biden’s pitch to voters. He has repeatedly said the reason the Trump campaign has 80 surrogates roaming the state today is that the president sees him as a threat. “I’ve been the object of their affection for a while,” Biden told a crowd in Burlington, Iowa, on Friday, noting that Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) went out of his way to purchase airtime in Iowa against him recently. At Buttigieg’s final event on Sunday, the loudest cheer the Midwestern mayor received during his remarks was when he described “when the sun comes up” on the day Trump is no longer president. “The No. 1 thing I’m hearing about now is we’ve got to make absolutely sure that we win in November,” Buttigieg told a crowd of more than 2,000 people at Lincoln High School.  Niall Stanage: The Memo: Trump threatens to overshadow Democrats in Iowa.  The Washington Post: Candidates power to end of Iowa campaign with competing visions of unity and electability. Matt Flegenheimer, The New York Times: Democrats had a 2020 vision. This isn’t quite what they expected. Despite his front-runner status, voters at multiple events expressed concern about Sanders, specifically over his age and demeanor. In the final days, Buttigieg used specific lines to ding the Vermont Independent (along with Biden), but notably didn’t mention Sanders by name at his final event of the day on Sunday. On Monday night, all eyes will watch where supporters for non-viable candidates line up on caucus night. As Reid Wilson writes while on the ground in Iowa, candidates must receive 15 percent of the vote in an initial alignment in order to stay viable. Supporters of those who do not reach the threshold for viability are then free to migrate to a viable candidate’s team.  “Speeches ensue, arms are twisted, friendships tested, and hours can tick by,” as Reid puts it. MORE from Reid: Iowa poll snafu leaves Democrats guessing on eve of caucuses. How the candidates shake out Monday night (or Tuesday morning, depending on how close the race is) will have a profound effect on the rest of the early voting schedule. The New Hampshire primary will take place only eight days after the Iowa result. Sanders is the clear favorite there, polls show.  After the first four states weigh in, a big fish awaits the primary field as former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg deploys what he hopes will be a shock and awe strategy on Super Tuesday. Since his late entrance in November, Bloomberg has embarked on a quixotic bid to snag the Democratic nomination. According to his end-of-year Federal Election Commission report, his self-financed campaign spent $200 million in the first five weeks.  The Hill: Sunday shows — Spotlight shifts to Iowa caucuses. The Associated Press: Everything you need to know about the Iowa caucuses. The Hill: The key questions facing top Democrats in Iowa. © Getty Images  LEADING THE DAYIMPEACHMENT & CONGRESS: The Senate today will hear closing arguments from House impeachment managers and Trump’s defense team, with each side permitted up to two hours to speak, according to a resolution adopted Friday. The Senate will then adjourn the trial until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, when senators will weigh final votes on two House-passed articles of impeachment. Trump is accused of abusing his power and obstructing Congress after trying to use U.S. military assistance and the authority of his office as leverage to get Ukraine to dig up dirt about Biden, a political rival. Trump says he did nothing wrong. It is all but certain the president will be acquitted at the conclusion of the third presidential impeachment trial in American history. Voters will cast their first ballots today in the 2020 contests that will select a Democratic nominee. Trump, who touts a “stay the course” economic message in his bid for a second term, will address the nation during his State of the Union address in the House chamber on Tuesday night. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released on Sunday reaffirmed the country’s divide over the impeachment drama, as well as the remarkable stability Trump has shown in polls during the controversy. Majorities of voters believe he abused his power and obstructed Congress but are split, largely along party lines, over whether those actions justify removing Trump from office, especially in an election year, the poll found. House Democrats — who cheered when several Senate Republicans said they proved their case about Trump’s actions with Ukraine — are leery about the president’s strong hold over the Republican Party and the power of incumbency this year. Some say they will boycott the State of the Union speech, while others plan to bring special guests who embody progressive policy priorities. Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii said she plans to attend Trump’s speech to “bear witness” on Tuesday night without standing or applauding him (The Hill). > Authorization for the use of military force: A pair of House-passed bills seeking to rein in the president’s military power when it comes to Iran are dead on arrival in the Senate, but the fight in Congress is not over. Senate war power legislation and the annual defense policy bill are new battlegrounds where lawmakers will try to reassert the sway of the legislative branch over Trump’s ability to take the United States to war with Iran (The Hill). > Leafy shield: House Republicans are drafting legislative cover to respond to voters’ assertions Congress should battle climate change. Legislation is expected to be unveiled this week that would support the planting of new trees as a way to respond to rising carbon emissions. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) backs a measure that would commit the United States to plant 3.3 billion trees each year over the next 30 years. The approach has not reassured climate scientists, who say resolving the climate crisis takes more than trees (The Hill).  > Medicaid politics: House Democrats believe the Trump administration is politically vulnerable when it comes to the federal-state health care program for the poor. Following an announcement last week that the administration plans to help states shrink Medicaid benefits under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, lawmakers have vowed to fight. Bottom line: Court challenges are the predicted response (The Hill). IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKESCORONAVIRUS: The coronavirus has killed 362 people worldwide and the number of cases has risen to 17,485, according to the latest data. Eleven patients have been diagnosed in the United States as of Sunday night, and the first new coronavirus death recorded outside of China was reported over the weekend in the Philippines, where a man from Wuhan traveled before dying on Saturday (Reuters). At the epicenter of the outbreak in China, Wuhan is overwhelmed as the city functions in lockdown, the government completed construction of a new hospital to treat the surge in patients, and health care personnel struggle to care for the ill while dealing with supply shortages (The New York Times). People who are asymptomatic carriers of the new coronavirus, coupled with a long incubation period before infection produces symptoms has meant that controlling the spread is a significant challenge. Researchers are trying to learn how the virus is changing as it moves from person to person (The Associated Press). China, the second largest economy in the world, is being walled off as countries introduce travel restrictions, airlines suspend flights and governments evacuate their citizens. During a Fox News interview broadcast on Sunday, Trump described the travel controls the administration imposed and hinted more actions are possible. CNN: U.S. restrictions went into effect Sunday evening for travelers including U.S. citizens. The coronavirus is officially a U.S. public health emergency, according to the government.  “Well, we’ve pretty much shut it down, coming in from China. We have a tremendous relationship with China,” the president told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. “We’re offering them tremendous help,” Trump said. “But we can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem, the coronavirus. So, we’re going to see what happens.” The administration over the weekend announced military housing for returning travelers who flee China and may need to be temporarily quarantined and screened for infection. They can reside on four military bases under the supervision of the Health and Human Services Department, the Pentagon announced (The Hill). Although Trump mentioned the medical and expert assistance to China offered by the United States, Beijing has not accepted the offer or responded to the administration, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said during an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” (Reuters). Major American companies that do business in China are pulling out. Apple has temporarily closed 42 stores in mainland China because of the virus (The Associated Press). © Twitter  *** WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: It won’t surprise anyone that the president plans to use his State of the Union speech to talk up his record and the strength of the U.S. economy. He was advised by Republican senators and pundits over the weekend to ignore the entire impeachment saga and rise above the scarlet “I.” They want to hear the president lay out a GOP agenda for a second term, one that can boost Republican candidates nationwide for months to come. Trump’s aides tell reporters he will focus on Tuesday night on delivering an optimistic message that stresses economic opportunity and America’s strength in the world (The Associated Press). The Hill’s Sylvan Lane and Naomi Jagoda report on the U.S. economic record three years into the Trump presidency and economists’ view that growth has slowed slightly heading toward November. During an interview with Hannity broadcast before the Super Bowl on Sunday, Trump celebrated historically low U.S. unemployment statistics and “the good stuff” in the economy that he said the news media paid less attention to while reporting on impeachment. The president warned Americans that the “radical left” and Democratic presidential candidates want to control the White House and Congress, which he suggested would jeopardize U.S. economic gains.  © Getty Images  OPINIONIowa and New Hampshire haters should think twice, by Albert Hunt, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2RRl268  Democrats need a “dark horse,” not a front-runner, to win in November, by Lara M. Brown, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/37Ru20N  WHERE AND WHEN📺 Hill.TV’s “Rising” program is devoted to Iowa news today: Paul Steinhauser, political reporter and New Hampshire primary specialist; Republican National Committee spokeswoman Liz Harrington; Jennifer Holdsworth, surrogate advocate with the Buttigieg campaign; and Chuck Rocha, senior adviser for the Sanders campaign. Coverage at http://thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10:30 a.m. ET at Rising on YouTube. The House meets at 1:30 p.m.  The Senate convenes at 11 a.m. The president will have lunch with Vice President Pence at 12:30 p.m. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Uzbekistan where he met this morning with Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Tashkent, and then held a joint press conference with him. Later, the secretary met with staff and family at the U.S. Embassy. This afternoon, Pompeo will participate in a ministerial gathering in Tashkent, after which he will meet with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. ELSEWHERE➔ London: A man wearing a fake explosive device stabbed two people in south London on Sunday before he was shot and killed by police officers in what authorities called a terrorist attack. Police said Sudesh Amman, 20, recently released from prison, had served a sentence for “Islamist-related terrorism” offenses, including charges of possessing terrorist documents and disseminating terrorist publications (The Washington Post). Police were tracking Amman at the time of the stabbings but said they were unable to prevent the attacks outside a pharmacy (The Associated Press). ➔ Brexit: Two days after Great Britain left the European Union, British officials called on the European Union to strike a Canada-style free trade arrangement that imposes few tariffs while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares for an address to lay out the British stance in negotiations. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that while they want to minimize tariffs, they will not seek to align regulations with the EU. The prime minister’s goal is to have a deal in place by the end of 2020 (The Associated Press).  ➔ Nigeria: The Nigerian government announced Saturday that it will push to rectify security concerns cited by the Trump administration when it revealed plans against handing out visas to Nigerian immigrants. The White House announced Friday that immigrants from Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan and Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, will not be eligible for visas allowing them to remain in the U.S. permanently. The new policy will take effect on Feb. 21 (The Associated Press). THE CLOSERAnd finally … Both Trump and billionaire Bloomberg featured black women in their expensive Super Bowl ads on Sunday at a time when both face major challenges in building support among African American voters. It cost their campaigns more than $10 million apiece to reach the giant audience during the most-watched television broadcast all year, the exciting NFL championship game in which the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20.  Bloomberg’s 60-second spot featured Calandrian Kemp, a Texas mother whose son George was shot to death. In the ad, she mourned her loss and says the gun lobby has good reason to fear Bloomberg, whose long fight for gun control is a central plank of his campaign. Trump ran two 30-second ads. One featured Alice Johnson, who was released from a prison in Alabama under a law Trump signed that eased mandatory sentencing for nonviolent crimes. Her case was championed by reality TV star Kim Kardashian West. Trump’s other Super Bowl ad said America is “stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before” (The Los Angeles Times and CNN). The president’s campaign team worked to capitalize on the football excitement with a fundraising email to supporters, with reprises of Trump’s ads: “My team just launched the Official Trump Super Bowl Ad Blitz Fund to make sure EVERY Patriot gets the chance to see our Super Bowl ads and to finally know the FACTS that the Left is trying to cover up. I’ve set a goal of raising $1,000,000 by MIDNIGHT TONIGHT to flood the airwaves with our ads and to show the Democrats that they cannot silence me and my administration.” Bloomberg’s campaign, leaving no ad space unexplored, also invested in a “talking dogs” endorsement for “Mike” during Animal Planet’s popular Puppy Bowl program on Sunday (Ad Week). The Hill: Trump shares, then deletes tweet praising Chiefs for representing the “Great State of Kansas.” © Getty Images  The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@thehill.com and aweaver@thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE! TO VIEW PAST EDITIONS OF THE HILL’S MORNING REPORT CLICK HERETO RECEIVE THE HILL’S MORNING REPORT IN YOUR INBOX SIGN UP HEREMORNING REPORT SIGN UPFORWARD MORNING REPORTPrivacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  UnsubscribeEmail to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other NewslettersThe Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

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Democratic White House Contenders Face First Test in IowaBy Reuters, Monday, February 3, 2020 7:15 AMIowa is the first test in the state-by-state battle to pick a Democratic nominee to face Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election. More Comments » Verbal Fireworks Likely at Trump’s State of the Union SpeechBy Reuters, Monday, February 3, 2020 7:14 AM“Let’s KEEP AMERICA GREAT!” More Comments » After Controversial Trial, U.S. Senate Poised to Acquit TrumpBy Reuters, Monday, February 3, 2020 7:12 AMThe Senate is almost certain to acquit the president. More Comments » Super Bowl Advertisers Upstage Politicians With Gags, CelebritiesBy Reuters, Monday, February 3, 2020 7:11 AMAdvertisers spent as much as a record $5.6 million for a 30-second spot. More Comments » Trump Says U.S. Has ‘Shut Down’ Coronavirus Threat; China Shuns U.S. HelpBy Reuters, Monday, February 3, 2020 7:10 AM“We can’t have thousands of people coming in who may have this problem – the coronavirus.” More Comments » RNC Chair: Polling Suggests Trump Is in ‘Good Shape’ to Win Re-ElectionBy Bradley Cortright, Sunday, February 2, 2020 2:27 PM“The president in very good shape in all of these states.” More Comments »

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Share with a friend you think would love this!Monday, February 3, 2020 All Eyes on Iowa Today the Democratic presidential nominees will find out who gets the first win. The Iowa caucus votes will see if Democrats are ready to embrace Bernie’s socialism, overlook Biden’s angry outbursts against voters, play along with two billionaires’ ego campaigns, and remember who the rest are. From the Philadelphia Inquirer: “The results won’t settle the Democratic nomination, but they could establish a clear front-runner, cull some high-profile hopefuls, or vault an underdog upward.Or, with several candidates bunched near the top of the polls and a new, potentially confusing method of reporting results, Iowa could also create a jumble that presages a long, drawn-out fight.Seven of the last 10 Democrats to win Iowa have gone on to become the party’s nominee, including every winner since 2000. But Iowans can remember few parallels to the number of options and level of uncertainty this year, all amplified by an overriding desire to unseat Trump.Or, with several candidates bunched near the top of the polls and a new, potentially confusing method of reporting results, Iowa could also create a jumble that presages a long, drawn-out fight.Seven of the last 10 Democrats to win Iowa have gone on to become the party’s nominee, including every winner since 2000. But Iowans can remember few parallels to the number of options and level of uncertainty this year, all amplified by an overriding desire to unseat Trump.” As Bernie leads in recent polls (include a problematic one that left off a candidate), some old school, establishment Democrats are getting worried. BRIGHT Tuesday editor Erielle Davidson has no sympathy. She tweeted, “I don’t feel sorry for establishment Dems who fear a Sanders candidacy. You all played footsie with these avant garde Marxists for too long. We warned you they were taking over institutions of learning. You didn’t believe us. They’re crazy. Enjoy.” SOTU Preview On Tuesday, President Trump will deliver the State of the Union and many think he’ll make a pitch for unity. From the New York Post: “President Trump’s aides are writing a “positive” and “unifying” State of the Union speech despite Trump’s recent fiery rally remarks against Democrats who impeached him.A senior administration official told reporters Friday that the speech in the House of Representatives will have a ‘very optimistic tone,’ despite likely occurring just after a final vote to acquit in his Senate impeachment trial.The official denied a reporter’s suggestion it could morph into a campaign rally-style address, saying: ‘I think the speech will be unifying in part because the president is focused on opportunity for all Americans.’” If so, a very good idea. The Epoch Times also reported that the speech would be a “vision of relentless optimism”:  “The theme of the president’s speech will be ‘The Great American Comeback,’ the official told reporters on Jan. 31. Trump is expected to focus on five areas during the speech: the booming economy, efforts to support working families, health care, immigration, and national security.’He will encourage Congress to work with him to continue to building an inclusive economy where the least well-off are making some of the fastest gains and where people of every background are finding new opportunities,’ the official said.” Did You Watch the Super Bowl? If not, we have everything you need to know. Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to comeback victory over 49ers in Super Bowl LIV (Fox News) Team Fluff wins Puppy Bowl 2020 (New York Post) The NFL had the best ad thanks to a moment remembering Pat Tillman (YouTube) Kansas City Chiefs Defensive End Frank Clark Wears Pro-Trump Swag To Super Bowl Press Conference (True Pundit) These Are the Best Super Bowl 2020 Commercials (Time) and a 9-minute compilation of all the ads (YouTube) Alice Johnson tweets the Trump campaign’s ad during the Super Bowl (Alice Johnson via Twitter) What I’m Reading This Week This week I’m reading Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. I’m a little late to the game on this one since it’s already been a New York Times bestseller and is being made into a movie! From the description:  “Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. She was beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers. She and her boyfriend made a teenaged golden couple. She was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her. And then she was gone. Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away. Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie.” A Case of the Mondays More highlights from Puppy Bowl 2020 (Bleacher Report) He saved a girl from abduction. Now this NC man will get free Biscuitville for a year (Charlotte Observer)  On Friday, the First Lady left the White House in a fantastic camel and blue poncho. From John Binder’s Fashion Notes: “Melania Trump walked and waved across the South Lawn wearing a color-blocked wool-blend cape by French fashion house Chloé. The cape — blocked in camel, heather grey, and navy — is sold out but retailed for about $600. Mrs. Trump kept the rest of the look fairly basic. A pair of black skinny jeans and her knee-high suede Christian Louboutin stiletto boots are all that’s necessary for this dramatic cape.” Here are some capes (or ponchos) to get the look. Women’s Turtleneck Pullover Poncho Wrap Jacket from Target, $27.99  Sabrina Poncho from Talbots, $35.99 Colorblock Poncho Wrap from Loft, $64.99  Mondays with Melania is a weekly feature that highlights what the First Lady is doing and wearing.    BRIGHT is brought to you by The Federalist.Copyright © BRIGHT, All rights reserved. www.GetBRIGHTemail.com Want to change how you receive these emails? 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ColumnistsDemocrats’ Total Failure and Utter Humiliation Delights All Real Americans Kurt SchlichterImpeachment Diary – Iowa Caucuses and State of the Union Overshadow the Whimpering Finale Mark DavisWhy Do Democrats Not Trust (Even Their Own) Voters? Kevin McCulloughBill Kristol Reveals His True Colors, And Nobody Is Surprised Scott MorefieldMike Bloomberg is running two misleading gun control ads during the Super Bowl John R. Lott, Jr.Surprise Medical Bill Legislation Opens Door to Medicare for All Rachel AlexanderSaint Valentine: Man of God Jack KerwickADVERTISEMENTVideoGov. Evers: Saying Abortionists ‘Execute Babies’ Is ‘Blasphemy’Trump blasts Schiff as ‘political hack’Pelosi’s condescension offers some laughsPelosi open to border infrastructureINVESTINGThe Christian Origins Of Austrian EconomicsWill Trump Be Defeated In 2020?How Do We Rescue Young People From Socialism?

TipsheetWATCH: Andrew Yang Releases Awkwardly Hilarious Ad With Dave Chappelle Ahead of Iowa Caucuses  Beth BaumannShifty Schiff: We Successfully Proved Our Case and GOP Senators Know It Beth BaumannWATCH: President Trump Gives His Hot Takes on the Bidens, Sanders, Warren and Others Bronson StockingUkraine’s Zelensky Unhappy With Small Amount Iran Offered After Shooting Down Plane  Bronson StockingKushner Calls USMCA ‘One of the Greatest Trade Deals of All Time’ Bronson StockingMcCarthy Puts Pelosi on Notice Over Impeachment Acquittal Beth BaumannButtigieg: I Know 63 Million People Voted for Trump But They’re Still Racist Beth BaumannKlobuchar Pressed About that ‘Questionable Evidence’ in Case Where She Prosecuted a Teen Cortney O’BrienAnother Knife-Wielding Terrorist Attack in London Bronson StockingA Family Is Out Thousands of Dollars Thanks to the Coronavirus and It’s Not Due to Medical Bills  Beth BaumannADVERTISEMENTPolitical CartoonsBearing ArmsHawaii Gun Owners Face Tidal Wave Of Anti-2A Bills | Cam EdwardsPA Judge Blocks New Anti-Gun Policy From Being Enforced | Cam EdwardsHundreds Rally In KY, NM To Protest “Red Flag” Legislation | Cam Edwards

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From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Carrie Dann. FIRST READ: Tonight’s stakes for Biden are enormousDES MOINES, IOWA – No one has more at stake tonight than Joe Biden. A first-place finish in the Iowa caucuses here could put him the driver’s seat to win the Democratic nomination; a fourth-place finish could end his political career.Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty ImagesNo other Top 4 Democrat has that wide range of possibilities tonight. Pete Buttigieg admitted on “Meet the Press” yesterday that he needs a strong showing to vault him to the later states, but finishing fourth wouldn’t end his political career (he’s just 38 years old). Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren could very well win tonight, but that wouldn’t put them in the driver’s seat for the nomination – at least not yet. And while Warren really can’t afford to finish behind Biden and Sanders, both of the progressive senators have the money to sustain a worse-than-expected showing. When he was trying to convince Biden NOT to run for president in 2015-2016, former top Obama adviser David Plouffe reportedly told the former vice president: “Do you really want [your career] to end in a hotel room in Des Moines, coming in third to Bernie Sanders?” Well, Biden’s back in Des Moines. Does he come in third (or worse) to Bernie Sanders? Or does he finish first – which is doable if a “Stop Bernie” effort coalesces around him in the caucus realignment process? (More on that process below.) We’ll find out later tonight.Answering the E-word The reason that Biden has so much at stake tonight is that he’s branded himself as the most “electable” Democrat. But how electable are you if you finish fourth – in Iowa? Tonight, we’re also going to get our first answer at what “electability” means to Democratic primary voters. Does it mean the Dem candidate who consistently outperforms the others in national and battleground polls? (If so, that’s Biden; check out our latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.) Does it mean the candidate who gets the biggest crowds and support from young voters? (That’s Sanders.) Does it mean the candidate who might have the best ability to unite the Bernie-versus-Biden factions? (That’s Warren.) Does it mean the candidate who’s the freshest face and the biggest Washington outsider? (That’s Buttigieg.) Or does it mean anyone who can’t legitimately be labeled a socialist? (Once again, check out our NBC/WSJ poll on capitalism versus socialism.) Iowa voters, what say you? We have two more questions: Are there really only two tickets out of Iowa – with Michael Bloomberg purchasing the third? Think about it: The only realistic third-place finish that would be a positive story for that candidate is Amy Klobuchar’s. And if Sanders really does win Iowa, does he start acting like a frontrunner? HOW he declares victory, if he wins, will matter.GOP’s Alexander: Trump won’t try to do it againTurning to the impeachment story, the Senate is on the verge of acquitting President Trump on Wednesday – after enough GOP senators voted NOT to hear from witnesses. One of those senators was Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who argued that, yes, Trump did ask Ukraine to investigate the Bidens – but that he doesn’t deserve impeachment over it. That decision, Alexander said, should be up to the voters in the next election. But as we asked on Friday: What’s to stop Trump from doing it again? Well, Alexander got to answer that question on “Meet the Press.” CHUCK TODD: Are you at all concerned, though, when you seek foreign interference, he does not believe he’s done anything wrong, that what has happened here might encourage him that he can continue to do this? ALEXANDER: I don’t think so. I hope not. I mean, enduring an impeachment is something that nobody should like. Even the president said he didn’t want that on his resume. I don’t blame him. So, if a call like that gets you an impeachment, I would think he would think twice before he did it again. CHUCK TODD: What example in the life of Donald Trump has he been chastened? ALEXANDER: I haven’t studied his life that close. But, like most people who survive to make it to the presidency, he’s sure of himself. But hopefully, he’ll look at this and say, “Okay, that was a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have done it that way.” And he’ll focus on the strengths of his administration, which are considerable. Meanwhile, after Trump’s lawyers argued that impeachment has become too commonplace and weaponized in our politics, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, warned that Biden could be impeached over Ukraine and Burisma if he wins the White House.2020 VISION: Everything you wanted to know about the caucuses (but were afraid to ask)The individual 1,679 caucus sites in Iowa close at 8:00 pm ET (7:00 pm CT). Unlike primary contests, caucuses work with Democrats moving around the event site – Joe Biden supporters, for instance, gathering in one corner of a gymnasium; Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren backers in another. At most locations, a candidate must get support from at least 15 percent of attendees to achieve viability. If that threshold isn’t met, a candidate’s supporters must realign to a different viable candidate or join with other non-viable groups to form a viable one. In a change from past Democratic caucuses, the party will release three different sets of results: 1) “first expression of preference” before the realignment; 2) “final expression of preference” after the realignment; and 3) State Delegate Equivalents (the number used to determine the “winner” in past Iowa caucuses. All of the numbers will be released at the same time. Bottom line: The first two numbers are a TRANSPARENT way to describe how you arrive at the third number that determines the winner.On the campaign trail today: In Iowa, the candidates and their surrogates hold multiple canvass kickoffs throughout the state… Elsewhere, Michael Bloomberg stumps in Fresno, Calif… And Deval Patrick is in New Hampshire.Dispatches from NBC’s campaign embeds: On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, the candidates made their final pitches to Iowans yesterday: NBC’s Marianna Sotomayor on Joe Biden’s final message: Biden’s rally cry centered on five points – “Democracy begins in Iowa”, “Charlottesville as the pivotal moment”, “the need to unite the country”, “refuse to believe” America is the country President Trump has made it, and “hope over fear.” Per NBC’s Gary Grumbach, Bernie Sanders said he was looking forward to victory: “Sanders held his final canvass launch of the Iowa Caucus this afternoon in Newton, IA, said, ‘I want to thank all of my volunteers and staff,” Sanders said. ‘Tonight I’m getting on a plane back to Washington. Tomorrow I’m coming back to Iowa, and I’m looking forward to a victory tomorrow night.’” For Warren, women win – NBC’s Deepa Shivaram reports: “Right now across in America in competitive races, women are outperforming men,” Warren said. “So here’ how I see this – our number one job is to beat Donald Trump. Women win.”TWEET OF THE DAY: We’re not in Kansas anymore DATA DOWNLOAD: And the number of the day is…  47 percent47 percent. That’s the share of registered voters who agree with the statement “we need to keep shaking things up and make major changes in the way the government operates,” according to the latest NBC/WSJ survey release. Forty-five percent choose the statement “we need more competence and a steady approach” instead. Among Republicans, a majority — 59 percent — choose the “shake things up” option, while just 33 percent prefer a “steady” approach to government. But among Democrats, it’s almost a mirror image, with about six-in-10 saying competence is their top choice.THE LID: IO-wayDon’t miss the pod from Friday, when two of us went through a variety of caucus scenarios in a special edition of The Lid.ICYMI: News clips you shouldn’t miss Here are the key counties to watch tonight in Iowa. And NBC’s Benjy Sarlin looks at the five policy fights that have defined the Dem race. Elizabeth Warren is talking a lot about “unity” in her closing argument. There’s a mathematical reason why. Pete Buttigieg hopes a rural focus on Iowa pays off in the delegate count. New Hampshire voters feel a little left out this cycle — particularly because of impeachment.   Our latest NBC/WSJ poll shows just how divided Americans still are over the Senate trial.   POLITICO notes that: “Whoever wins Iowa, they won’t be back” in a state that’s trending red. Thanks for reading. If you’re a fan, please forward this to a friend. They can sign up here. We love hearing from our readers, so shoot us a line here with your comments and suggestions. Thanks, Chuck, Mark and Carrie.

THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Washington Examiner’s Examiner Today NewsletterView this as website ADVERTISEMENT HIGHLIGHTS‘Let’s see Bernie do that’: Andrew Yang shows off agility in IowaButtigieg says he does not regret claiming Trump supporters ignore racism ‘at best’RNC chairwoman says she’s ‘not concerned about any’ 2020 Democrats posing threat to Trump reelection Tax season kicks off with IRS short on staff Tax season kicked off Monday, and the biggest question on most taxpayers’ minds is how quickly they will get their refunds. Receiving a refund can normally take up to six weeks, but staffing issues at the agency might make that turnaround time much longer.  ‘He’s a communist’: Trump trashes Sanders ahead of Iowa caucuses President Trump called Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders a “communist” during his pre-game Super Bowl interview.  GOP senator warns Republicans could ‘immediately’ push to impeach Biden if he won presidency Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst said Republicans may not waste any time trying to impeach Joe Biden if he wins the White House.  Trump Iowa goal: Win general election while Democrats struggle through caucuses In February 1984, President Ronald Reagan, assured of his party’s nomination for re-election, nevertheless decided to fly to Iowa to hold two rallies, one in Waterloo and the other here in Des Moines, on the day Democrats held their presidential caucuses. ADVERTISEMENT  Joe Biden: Joni Ernst impeachment warning shows Republicans ‘don’t want to face me’Joe Biden dismissed GOP Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst’s warning that Republicans could impeach him if he wins the presidency.  Editorial: Psssst, Democrats – your authoritarianism is showing You’re not supposed to abuse power, or talk about how you plan to abuse power, before you even have it.  Delegates, realignment, viability: How Iowa’s Democratic caucuses work and what its results mean Democratic presidential hopefuls have crisscrossed Iowa for months, some for more than a year, in hopes of winning support on Monday evening’s Iowa caucuses.  ‘Sanders taking down the Democratic Party’: John Kerry overheard talking about potential 2020 bid Former Secretary of State John Kerry was overheard talking about the potential steps he would have to take to enter the 2020 presidential race.  John Kerry says report he will run for president ‘is f—ing (or categorically) false’John Kerry blasted a report from NBC News claiming that he is considering launching a 2020 bid for president.  US troops who recently traveled to China quarantined in South Korea amid coronavirus outbreakU.S. troops who traveled to China in the last two weeks were ordered to self-quarantine amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to American military officials in South Korea.  Denver distributes 1,200 free gun locks to help reduce youth violence The city of Denver gave out 1,200 free gun locks at various churches throughout the state as part of an effort to curb gun violence.  Jake Tapper jabs Joe Biden for not appearing on Sunday shows ahead of Iowa caucuses CNN host Jake Tapper ripped Joe Biden for skipping the Sunday talk show circuit throughout the primary race. THE ROUNDUPTrump focuses in on BloombergTrump’s impending acquittal could have profound ramifications for future presidentsPete Buttigieg’s Iowa delegate playADVERTISEMENT

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CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS

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Connect: Facebook Twitter YouTubeView this email in your browser“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth,” (Job‬ ‭19:25‬, ESV‬‬).Watch: Amy Klobuchar’s Makes Final Appeal in Des MoinesBy Shane Vander Hart on Feb 02, 2020 11:03 pm U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., held her last rally in Des Moines on the final weekend before the Iowa Caucus. Read in browser »   Buttigieg Could Surprise in IowaBy Shane Vander Hart on Feb 02, 2020 04:15 pm Shane Vander Hart: Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg reports some impressive numbers at rallies in the final weekend before the Iowa Caucus. Read in browser »   Yang Discusses Economic Shift in Final Pitch to IowansBy Shane Vander Hart on Feb 02, 2020 03:21 pm Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang warned about the fourth industrial revolution and said Iowans are the ‘wave’ needed to make D.C. address it. Read in browser »   Pro-Life Commercial Blocked From Running During Super BowlBy Kelvey Vander Hart on Feb 02, 2020 03:09 am Kelvey Vander Hart: Fox TV has refused to air a Super Bowl commercial that shows the survivors of the pro-choice movement. Read in browser »   Trump Will Have More Than 80 Surrogates in Iowa on Caucus NightBy Shane Vander Hart on Feb 01, 2020 12:01 pm President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign announced that they would have over 80 surrogates in Iowa on Monday night for the caucuses. Read in browser »   Recent Articles: Iowa Caucus Polls Are All Over The Place U.S. Senate Votes Down Calling Witnesses In Trump Impeachment Trial What Makes The Iowa Caucuses Unique? The State of Pro-Life Legislation in Iowa Is Precarious Supreme Court Considers Big School Choice CaseLaunched in 2006,  Caffeinated Thoughts reports news and shares commentary about culture, current events, faith and state and national politics from a Christian and conservative point of view. Caffeinated Thoughts P.O. Box 57184 Des Moines, IA 50317 (515) 321-5077 Editor, Shane Vander Hart Connect: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.ShareTweetShareForwardCopyright © 2020 Caffeinated Thoughts, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

CONSERVATIVE DAILY NEWS

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CDN’s Daily News Blast delivers the day’s news first!View this email in your browserCDN Daily News Blast02/03/2020Excerpts:President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Monday, February 3, 2020By R. Mitchell -President Donald Trump will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence. Keep up with Trump on Our President’s Schedule Page. President Trump’s Itinerary for 2/3/20 – note: this  page will be updated during the day if events warrant All Times EST 12:30 PM Lunch with the Vice President – Private …President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Monday, February 3, 2020 is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Just Imagine…By Dave King -Just imagine an America without Donald Trump in charge to demonstrate to the world how a president should behave. No president has been so successful in sparking the economy and attending to the security, liberty and finances of American citizens as President Trump. Imagining another Obama, or even another George …Just Imagine… is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Alleged Al Qaeda Leader Arrested In Arizona, Where He Taught Driving SchoolBy Chuck Ross -A man who the Iraqi government says was the leader of an Al Qaeda cell who took part in the murders of two Iraqi police officers arrested on Wednesday in Phoenix, Ariz., where he reportedly taught driving school. Federal prosecutors said on Friday that Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, 42, was …Alleged Al Qaeda Leader Arrested In Arizona, Where He Taught Driving School is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Will Hillary Sneak In And Run Again?By Jim Clayton -When Hillary Clinton was First Lady, Rush Limbaugh used to play a parody song about her called “The little First Lady with megalomania” sung to the tune of the Beach Boy’s song “Little old lady from Pasadena.” In that song it described her as “hidden underneath that thin veneer is …Will Hillary Sneak In And Run Again? is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » The Politics of Authoritarianism, Starring Elizabeth Warren And Sacha Baron CohenBy Jeffrey Lord -Call it the new authoritarianism. You recall Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren? She of the disinformation campaign that featured herself in a starring role as a Cherokee Indian — for which, caught out by a DNA test, she had to apologize? The same Elizabeth Warren who falsely claimed she was fired …The Politics of Authoritarianism, Starring Elizabeth Warren And Sacha Baron Cohen is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on »    See all breaking news, conservative commentary, political cartoons and more posted to CDN at our Home Page.    Follow on TwitterFriend on FacebookAdd on Google PlusCopyright © 2020 Conservative Daily News, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

THE BLAZE

View this email in your browser February 3, 2020Trending now  Never Trump Republican Bill Kristol comes out of the ‘political closet’ and declares he’s a Democrat for now  Major airline to sever ties with chocolate supplier over the owner’s pro-life, Christian viewsMore from TheBlaze  Impeachment again? GOP senator warns what will happen if Joe Biden wins presidency  GOP lawmaker claims Constitution allows for jailing, shooting of socialists: ‘Enemies of the free state’  Conspiracy theories abound after Des Moines Register refuses to publish critical last-minute poll  New poll finds Trump at record highs and more liked than Biden, Pelosi, and SchiffListen live to Blaze RadioTune in to the next generation of talk radio, featuring original content from hosts like Glenn Beck, Pat Gray, Stu Burguiere, Steve Deace and more!Start listeningOne last thing …Ted Cruz explains how a Democratic ‘stunt’ backfired and helped cement Trump’s acquittalSen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has revealed how a Democratic “stunt” ensured that new witnesses would not be called during President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast “The Verdict,” Cruz explained that Democrats sought to compromise the integrity of the Supreme Court via a question from Sen. Elizabeth Warr … Read moreYou might like …Got friends?FORWARD THIS EMAIL  © 2020 Blaze Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive emails from Blaze Media.Privacy Policy | Manage your preferences | Unsubscribe8275 S. Eastern Ave, Ste 200-245Las Vegas, Nevada, 89123, USA

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Sign up for this newsletterRead onlineStories from all over.  Colombian singer Shakira performs Sunday during the Super Bowl halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.‘It’s not a turkey call’: The cultural significance behind Shakira’s meme-worthy ‘tongue thing’ at the Super BowlTo some, it sounded like a zaghrouta, an Arabic expression of joy and celebration. Others believed it was a reference to a traditional dance that takes place during Colombia’s Carnaval de Barranquilla.By Allyson Chiu ●  Read more » An aspiring rapper sought fame and fortune. So he had a hit man kill his mom to inherit her savings, prosecutors say.Before being sentenced to 99 years, the judge asked if Qaw’mane Wilson had anything to say. He said nobody loved his mom more than he did.By Meagan Flynn ●  Read more »  These lawmakers voted to protect abortion rights, so a priest says he’ll deny them Communion“If they think this is a good and wholesome and holy thing,” the West Warwick, R.I. pastor said, “they should be proud of it, and why should I hide that from my parishioners?”By Teo Armus ●  Read more » A youth baseball team planned to raffle off three guns for a fundraiser. A backlash changed that.After days of controversy, the team announced it was no longer raffling off the guns, which included a semiautomatic rifle.By Susan Berger ●  Read more » Feds arrested Phoenix man for allegedly killing two Iraqi cops in al-Qaeda-linked attacksFederal officials arrested a Phoenix-area man who is accused of killing two police officers in Iraq before coming to the United States as a refugee.By Katie Shepherd ●  Read more »  A man got thrown out of his wheelchair for reminding an able-bodied SUV driver not to park in the handicapped space, police sayPhilip Kinstler asked a woman not to park in the handicapped spot illegally. Her partner tracked him down in Target and threw him onto the ground, police say.By Meagan Flynn ●  Read more »   We think you’ll like this newsletterCheck out Plant Powered by Voraciously for our 12-week guide to cooking more plant-forward meals. Recipes, techniques and tips on Tuesdays. Sign up »

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AMERICAN THINKER

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View this email in your browserRecent ArticlesThe Winter of NeverTrump DiscontentFeb 03, 2020 01:00 am It’s bad and getting worse for the recalcitrant and arrogant NeverTrumpers. Read More… It Is All Fake NewsFeb 03, 2020 01:00 am Good luck finding a single true statement about President Trump from the mainstream media. Read More… The Factions of the Right and How They FightFeb 03, 2020 01:00 am If the Right doesn’t figure out a way to overcome our divisions and work together, our house will fall. Read More… The Economic Education of Joe ScarboroughFeb 03, 2020 01:00 am Is Joe Scarborough economically illiterate, or has this former conservative Republican congressman sold his soul for the almighty dollar?  Read More… Is the Coronavirus Outbreak China’s Chernobyl?Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Just as with the Chernobyl cover-up, there are indications that the outbreak of the coronavirus is much more severe than has been admitted to by the communist government.  Read More… The Ghostly Hands of the 1930sFeb 03, 2020 01:00 am Are the dead despots of the 20th century making a return? The New Yorker thinks so. Read More…  Recent Blog Posts Steve Bannon lays out a shocking scenario of the real reason behind Bloomberg’s investment of $2 billion in politics Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am If Steve Bannon is correct (and I think he probably is), Michael Bloomberg has no intention of occupying the Oval Office; his real plan is far more devious and frightening.  Read more… Joe Biden continues to prove to America that he is a deeply weird man Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am His latest act of weirdness is kissing his 19-year-old granddaughter on the lips, something that’s not typical for American families.  Read more… The Super Bowl LIV Halftime show was polished, highly produced – and vulgar Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Once upon a time, the Super Bowl halftime show was family-friendly. In the last few years, though, it’s no longer safe for traditional family viewing.  Read more… Film and the new sexism Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Hollywood dreams of the new feminist tomorrow.  Read more… The Super Bowl half-time Show proves all is not lost in America Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Not a trace of woke political correctness in Shakira’s and J-Lo’s exuberant Super Bowl half-time show. That’s a good thing.  Read more… Fake Indian, fake crowds: Elizabeth Warren artificially crowds her campaign room Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am The funny part was, she didn’t even need to.  Read more… Check out Nightmare in Paradise Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am A film that checks all the boxes — entertaining, succinct, and packed with information while spreading truth.  Read more… In response to the ‘Hymn for the 81%’ Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Drawing a line is when an individual chooses to paint an entire segment of faith with the same brush or in a light that simply isn’t true.  Read more… “Mini” Mike Bloomberg starts making a name for himself in the campaign Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Bent rules, big boxes, and lies about gun control in America are all in a day’s work for the Democrats’ great new hope, Mayor Michael Bloomberg  Read more… Boys and girls today Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am We are in a bad shape when boys think that they are entitled to compete with girls.  Read more… The knife attack in London: What happens in Israel doesn’t stay in Israel Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am As the Met Police say Sunday’s attack in London was definitely “terrorist-related,” it’s time to remember the terrible knife intifada in Israel – and what finally limited its effects.  Read more… A Reminiscence from the Iowa Democrat Caucuses of 2004 Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Democray in action in Iowa.  Read more… Socialist theory versus the ugly reality Feb 03, 2020 01:00 am Sanders doesn’t appeal to critical thinkers.  Read more… Take a bow, Pocahontas: Murkowski hints that Warren’s disrespectful question to Justice Roberts punked impeachment for Democrats Feb 02, 2020 01:00 am Democrats had one job…  Read more… Buh-bye: Bill Kristol finally crosses to the Democrats Feb 02, 2020 01:00 am The former editor of the Weekly Standard says we’re all Democrats now.”  Read more… View this email in your browserAmerican Thinker is a daily internet publication devoted to the thoughtful exploration of issues of importance to Americans.

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DESERET NEWS

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View this email in your browserMonday, Feb. 3, 2020‘He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time’: Andy Reid finally gets Super Bowl win as head coach in Kansas City Chiefs’ comeback victoryWhy you should get your 8-year-old a smartphoneUtah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney will give floor speeches before rendering impeachment verdictOne system for all Utah colleges? ‘We need everybody under 1 umbrella,’ lawmaker saysNo comeback this time as Utes fall to Bruins in another road lossHow Utahns rate Donald Trump, Mitt Romney, Mike Lee and Gary HerbertMORE NEWSMan set apartments ablaze after girlfriend broke up with him, police sayUniversity of Utah football player charged with raping, kidnapping teenTwitter reacts to Super Bowl LIV, Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs’ win  Copyright © 2020 Deseret News, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

THE FEDERALIST

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Your daily update of new content from The Federalist Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray February 3, 2020 Democrat Candidates Make Their Last Pitches To Undecided Iowa VotersBy Chrissy Clark and Tristan Justice Des Moines — Iowa Democrats are kicking off the presidential primary Monday with 11 candidates vying for the chance to challenge President Donald Trump this fall. Full articleThe Myth Of Pete Buttigieg, ‘Moderate’By Christopher Bedford From health care and abortion to guns and immigration, and from the Supreme Court to the Electoral College, the man is decidedly a radical. Full articleThe Democratic Establishment Still Fears An Open Socialist Winning The NominationBy Erielle Davidson The Democrat Party’s donor class has openly courted and even supported socializing medicine, college, child care, and more. Now that Sen. Bernie Sanders might win Iowa, they’re worried he’s too radical, too soon. Full articleTonight In Iowa, The Dark Art Of Caucusing Launches The 2020 ElectionBy John Daniel Davidson The Iowa caucus has always been confusing, but this year new rules and a surge of new voters will make it more confusing than ever. Full articleU.K. City Cancels Franklin Graham For His Crime Of Believing The BibleBy Will Maule If Britain keeps letting political movements suffocate the exchange of ideas and right to free speech, it will start going downhill very quickly. Full articleImpeachment Protestors Call For ‘Nonviolent Revolution’ To End U.S. ‘Fascism’By Krystina Skurk A lot of the people who have gathered day in and day out to protest against the Trump administration don’t just hate Donald Trump, they hate America. Full articleImpeachment Opened With Primal Screams, And Died With A WhimperBy Adam Mill The Get-Trump forces have deflated. Like a primal scream ending in soft whimpers, the impeachment charade has been a bust. Full articleInside Social Media’s War Against Pro-Life InformationBy Peter Hasson Big Tech’s hostility to pro-lifers isn’t terribly surprising in light of how close it is with Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry. Full articleNow That Brexit Is Complete, It’s Time To Strengthen The AnglosphereBy Sumantra Maitra A new world order demands new geopolitical thinking and new leadership. An informal trade, research, and defense bloc that values national sovereignty would be a good start. Full articleNo, $400 In Routine Kid Health Costs Is Not A Reason To Socialize MedicineBy Christopher Jacobs Making health coverage portable would allow individuals to take their insurance from job to job. This change would eliminate the friction people like Elizabeth Bruenig face between jobs. Full articleInside Coronavirus Epicenter Wuhan, Chinese Fight For LifeBy Helen Raleigh It is heartbreaking to see the millions of Wuhanese who are being cut off from the outside world as the result of the Chinese government’s unprecedented lockdown procedure. Full articleMillions Of People Are Still Slaves Across The World, Including In The United StatesBy Christina Villegas and Vicki Alger More than three-fourths of all modern slavery victims worldwide are exploited in their countries of residence—this is particularly true of victims of non-sexual forced labor. Full article THE SAD END TO IMPEACHMENT It is important to pause and appreciate how pathetic this end to the impeachment process turned out to be. Adam Schiff’s personal political ambitions ended up taking over everything. There was no microphone too small for him to want to dominate it. The arguments he advanced from the floor yesterday included dire warnings about President Trump rigging the election in 2020, advancing as fact that he had rigged the election in 2016, and repeatedly using the word “coup” to describe a democratic election. Read more of The Transom by signing up for a free trial today.  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2020 The Federalist, All rights reserved.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

NOQ REPORT

NOQ Report Daily

---

• Google’s Super Bowl commercial, Loretta, is a prelude to the dystopian future
• Celebrities are why the Super Bowl commercials sucked
• Senate Republicans should NOT acquit the President. Vacate the charges instead.
• Bloomberg’s Jennifer Epstein grossly misrepresents Senator Joni Ernst’s statement about Joe Biden
• #WalkAway town hall became free speech rally after Women’s Building canceled hours before event
• Canceled ‘gold standard’ Iowa poll: Mishap or another CNN/DNC anti-Bernie ploy?
• Yes, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is different and more dangerous than past scares

Google’s Super Bowl commercial, Loretta, is a prelude to the dystopian futurePosted: 02 Feb 2020 11:43 PM PSTWhen Google first hit the scene, it offered a solution. Just one. It found things on the internet, and at the time it did it better than anyone else. Better than Yahoo. Better than Alta Vista. Better than Ask Jeeves. Its algorithm and web-crawling strategies were years ahead of the competitors. It’s no wonder that it continued to be an innovator until it no longer needed to be.Things changed for Google when they realized they no longer had to beat the competition to the punch when it came to creation and innovation. Thanks to their second big breakthrough, the mastery of online ads, they were able to accumulate so much money that they simply bought those who did the innovation and creation for them. That’s the point that many people attribute to their final transcendence from a search company to a true tech giant, but there was one more mountain to climb, and they started their ascent ahead of most.They are still climbing the mountain today. It’s the longest, hardest mountain they or any other tech giant has ever had to climb. It’s tied into nearly all of their current ambitions, from being the hub of everything that pertains to human health to creating the first true artificial intelligence that is not only self-expansive but also self-serving. Today, all of their endeavors require one thing for fuel: data. Specifically, they need your data, the ideas that cannot be calculated with vast equations or solved with faster quantum computers. Our personal data is the skeleton key to the future.And we’re giving it to them willingly as if this isn’t the company that dropped the mantra of “don’t be evil” from their employee handbook a couple of years ago. It should have been huge and terrifying news to know that a company would literally wipe their only prevailing moral value to open the door to what they’re becoming today.That’s an awfully long setup for a very short conclusion. The Super Bowl ad they ran, “Loretta,” is another example of how Google wants to collect as much data about us as possible for… something. This isn’t just a convenience, though. They may have all the money in the world, but they aren’t known for doing stupid things very often to waste it. This ad space could have been used to promote any number of profitable products. Instead, it was used for something much more valuable. They planted a seed, one that was intended to prepare people for a future that is already here in the present, a future in which we start giving them more information than we give to our family members. It’s more than we give to anyone, even Facebook.There are two possible reactions from people who truly understand what Google is doing. Those who see it as the convenience it’s being sold as will love it. Those who realize their end goal is to become Big Brother are quite concerned.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Google’s Super Bowl commercial, Loretta, is a prelude to the dystopian future appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Celebrities are why the Super Bowl commercials suckedPosted: 02 Feb 2020 11:10 PM PSTSuper Bowl commercials were once some of the greatest advertisements seen on television, but now it’s clear that March Madness has far exceeded the Super Bowl commercials. The reason why the commercials are less funny then they used to be is simple: celebrities.The high budget over the top flashy commercial appeals to few and is generally terrible at conveying the message advertisers want. For instance, Coca-Cola’s commercial featuring Martin Scorsese and Jonah Hill relied on people first caring about two people they (in all likelihood) do not care about, because it relies on their credibility. Thus this commercial was so bad it invalidates Scorsese’s argument that Marvel movies aren’t cinema.Contrast this with Jeep and Bill Murray. They rehashed the movie Groundhog Day, on Groundhog Day. This could have been painfully done. But the focus of this commercial was not on the celebrity. It was on the car. Each repeated day, he went for the Jeep, and each day he had a different experience. It would not have been as good without Bill Murray, but this is an instance of celebrity enhancing an already well written commercial rather then being the commercial.Charlie Day is a hilarious actor, but every time a Tide commercial came on the scene was a flat, unoriginal, half-rehash of a good commercial they did in the past. This half-parody, half-repeat was repeated ad nauseum.Then there were several ones relying on multiple celebrities, but because they are simply celebrities the normal viewer cannot put a name to, acting as though they mean something proved both cringy and elitist.What was missing in several commercials was a story. For instance, Bill Murray relives Groundhog Day and has a different experience each day. Charlie Day doesn’t know where the laundry room is. One’s a story; the other isn’t. Sabra brought the extra cringe with their celebrity commercial. I could go Don Drapier on all of these celebrity reliant commercials, but the Super Bowl commercials came off as lazy attempts to be cool, almost all of them. It’s 2020, and in the last decade we’ve seen award show ratings tank, indicating people care less about celebrity endorsements than perhaps ever before. And for celebrities to make the commercial simply by being themselves is simply a reminder that the actual game is the only reason to watch the Super Bowl in the first place. Anything else, other than food and company of course, is a waste of time.If you were wondering why the commercials aren’t nearly as good as they used to be, it’s all the celebrities. It used to be that the Super Bowl would be the pinnacle of good impactful advertisements, but we’ve since delved into a parody of a parody of what good advertising is and ought to be.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Celebrities are why the Super Bowl commercials sucked appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Senate Republicans should NOT acquit the President. Vacate the charges instead.Posted: 02 Feb 2020 03:18 PM PSTSenate Republicans blocked additional witnesses from the President’s Impeachment trial. While this is good, it leaves open the argument that when the final vote acquits him, the trial will have been a sham. Of course, the Left’s lapdogs in the drive-by media will trumpet this from the rooftops. We don’t need this sort of slanderous outcome. There is a better way.First, let us make it clear that Donald Trump neither exceeded his lawful foreign policy authority in the cause of re-election, nor obstructed Congress in the pursuit of its lawful prerogatives. But an acquittal presumes that the charges Princess Pelosi, Pencil Neck Schiff, and Jerry Waddler so thoughtfully considered and tenderly carried across the Capital are actually “high crimes or misdemeanors.”Article 2 of the Congressional stillbirth is the easier issue. As Alan Dershowitz pointed out, the House does not have an unlimited right to see Presidential documents and interview Presidential staff. As in Nixon’s case, until the Supreme Court has rendered a final opinion, the President may restrict the House’s access. Only after the Court has ruled against him is it possible for him to obstruct Congress by withholding documents or staff. Anything else would place the Congress above the Executive Branch, destroying the separation of powers inherent in our Constitutional design.If the Senate acquits Trump on this Obstruction count, it will present to the House the presumption that their essential idea is valid, but that Trump didn’t do what they allege. This is horrible. Instead, it is essential that the Senate rebuff the legal basis for the House’s complaint. Anything less would leave the House open to bring another set of articles for Obstruction the very next time Trump says they can’t have something. They wouldn’t even need to subpoena documents or witnesses. A simple request would become a command, under penalty of impeachment.The proper action for the Senate to take is to Vacate Article 2 because it fails to state a high crime or misdemeanor. In legalese, “it fails to state a Constitutionally recognized cause of action.” A vote to vacate would say that the House has utterly failed in its Constitutional duty. It would strike the Article from the Impeachment, leaving only Article 1.Article 1 is somewhat more involved, but the same issue applies. Again, Alan Dershowitz carefully explained that the term “Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors” is an inclusio, where all “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” are acts of a similar degree and criminality as “Treason and Bribery.” We should note with Dershowitz that the terms do not necessarily refer to offenses against statutes. After all, bribery was not defined in US law until after the Constitution was adopted. Thus, in this clause, criminality is not exactly identical to illegality. Instead, the degree of criminality is inherent in the action, and must be notably similar to “Treason and Bribery.”Uncontroverted testimony showed that there was no criminality in the actions to which the House objected. There were no fact witnesses that even identified horse trading. Thus, the House’s Articles put forward hundreds of pages of supposition, hearsay, and outright fabrication, while failing to identify a single act with inherent criminality. There is not a single documented piece of evidence having anything to do with election interference, the House’s prime concern. The only possible complaint has to do with Trump mentioning Joe Biden, who, incidentally, only decided to run for President four days after Zelenskiy was elected on an anti-corruption platform. Did he think being a candidate would insulate him from legal liability?In short, Article 1 is as deficient as Article 2. It fails to state a Constitutional crime of Impeachment degree. As a result, the Senate should vote to vacate Article 1. And this leaves the Senate in an interesting position.If both Articles of Impeachment are vacated by the Senate, the Impeachment will be voided. With a voided Impeachment, the Senate will have no Articles to vote on to either convict or acquit. In a sense Trump won’t be vindicated, because there are no charges from which to be vindicated. In a way, Trump will be “unimpeached” and the House will be reprimanded — told in no uncertain terms that only truly valid Constitutional charges will be considered by the Senate. They got one bite at the apple, and got a face full of cold water rather than sweet fruit. Should similarly deficient articles be submitted, they will also be rejected out of hand.It is very important to respect the standards of criminality understood by the Founders. The House has made a mockery of Impeachment in its headlong rush to find an excuse to remove this President. If the Senate does not vacate these Articles, we will see a parade of Impeachments from the Democrats in the House. If the Senate does vacate them, the House will have no option but to consider doing a more comprehensive evaluation of any charges against the President before presenting them to the Senate.Impeachment was always intended to be a remedy for the rare President who paints waaaay outside the lines into manifest criminality. It is inherently political, but it isn’t partisan. The House’s Impeachment push is extremely partisan, and we must prevent such a travesty from happening again.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Senate Republicans should NOT acquit the President. Vacate the charges instead. appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Bloomberg’s Jennifer Epstein grossly misrepresents Senator Joni Ernst’s statement about Joe BidenPosted: 02 Feb 2020 02:36 PM PSTIt’s getting harder and harder to blame progressive news outlets for their biased reporting. Now that they’ve come out of the closet as unrepentant supporters and propagandists for the Democratic Party, many Americans have come to be suspicious of their headlines. But Bloomberg.com has been relatively fair with their coverage, at least when compared to other outlets of similar size. The allure of a “gotcha” hit piece on a Republican was too much for them to pass up as they contorted the words of Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA).The first-term lawmaker has been in the news lately after “spilling the beans” on former Vice President Joe Biden. It wasn’t intended to be a smear, but considering how Biden is falling in the polls, one can hardly fault him for trying to paint himself as a victim.‘A Political Hit Job’: Biden Rips Sen. Ernst, Says She ‘Spilled the Beans’ That Trump is Using Trial to ‘Smear’ HimBloomberg’s Jennifer Epstein added fuel to the fire against Ernst by misrepresenting something she said today: “I think this door of impeachable whatever has been opened. Joe Biden should be very careful what he’s asking for because, you know, we can have a situation where if it should ever be President Biden, that immediately, people, right the day after he would be elected would be saying, ‘Well, we’re going to impeach him.’”This is an accurate statement. It wasn’t a threat. It wasn’t a call to go after Biden. It wasn’t even an insinuation that she would support such a concept. Nevertheless, the headline and story by Bloomberg was inflammatory, suggesting she indicated the GOP would “push” for impeachment if he were to win.NEW: Joni Ernst tells me that there would “immediately” be a Republican push to impeach Biden over Ukraine if he’s elected https://t.co/vt38fewQxE— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) February 2, 2020This is a gross misrepresentation of the Senator’s comments that was designed to stir up calls of “hypocrites” from Democrats. And it worked. The bulk of comments and retweets seemed to take Epstein’s Tweet at face value, attacking Ernst and the GOP for something she never actually said. This is how the left often operates.Conservatives were mixed in their response. Most called Epstein out for her deception. Some cheered Ernst on in the hypothetical (and highly unlikely) scenario in which Biden became president.Joni Ernst is correct. If we are going to use impeachment as a weapon, if that standard has been set, and it has, then it is going to be a weapon. https://t.co/tEJVpwwnmH— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) February 2, 2020You’re a liar, that’s not what she saidErnst was being speculative and did not make a definitive statementYour own report does not even match your tweet, stop lying and spreading disinformation https://t.co/Le1ptjMaXF— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 2, 2020Yep! Enjoy it. https://t.co/u6yrc1VRyq— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) February 2, 2020Spoiler Alert: That’s not what Joni actually said https://t.co/xJ21ZEPXCZ— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) February 2, 2020Jennifer Epstein… you’re being transparently dishonest.Your headline doesn’t even state what your tweet claims; it says that “could” be the case”There would ‘immediately’ be…” is definitive”There could ‘immediately’ be…” is speculativeStop being so dishonest. https://t.co/FlGpZ3MB2X— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) February 2, 2020It’s a shame that mainstream media continues to operate as the propaganda wing for Democrats. It’s time for Senator Ernst and other Republicans to take the McSally-approach: Treat them like the propagandists they are and refuse to answer questions.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Bloomberg’s Jennifer Epstein grossly misrepresents Senator Joni Ernst’s statement about Joe Biden appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

#WalkAway town hall became free speech rally after Women’s Building canceled hours before eventPosted: 02 Feb 2020 10:23 AM PSTPro-Trump activists Scott Presler and Brandon Straka were doing what they do best yesterday in San Francisco. Presler organized another successful clean up in the much-maligned downtown area and Straka was preparing to hold another #WalkAway LGBT Town Hall event. But the Women’s Building in one of San Francisco’s most progressive neighborhoods alerted them hours before the event that they were canceling their contract. Their reason: The clean up, which greatly benefits the neighborhood and those living on the streets, was deemed to be “disparaging” of the homeless people it was trying to help.“Last night #WalkAway came to San Francisco to help clean up the city earlier in the day with Scott Presler, then host a #WalkAway town hall for the LGBT community in the evening,” Straka told NOQ Report. “The venue for the town hall cancelled our contract hours before the event, citing that our participation in the cleanup was a ‘disparagement of the homeless community’.”Instead of packing up and going home, event organizers turned the town hall into a free speech rally held outside of the Women’s Building. Over 100 supporters, many of whom traveled from out of state to be at the event, rallied in support of President Trump and against the leftist movement they say is harming the nation and the LGBT community.Counter-protesters gathered near them, and while there was plenty of yelling as well as pushing and shoving, no real violence broke out. Law enforcement was nearby, prepared to step in if things got out of hand.Earlier in the day, Presler’s now-famous inner-city clean ups hit the streets with 150 volunteers.“I organized a cleanup in San Francisco, just like I’ve done in Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles,” Pressler told NOQ Report. “We picked up trash and listened to the homeless community on how we can work together.”While the cleanup was going on, Presler and others posted videos to social media of them talking to homeless people in the area about what their city was doing (and more importantly, not doing) for them. It was shortly after these videos were live that leadership at the Women’s Builder were apparently “triggered” into canceling the contract.I met Osiris, a homeless American living on the streets of San Francisco,& he has a message for our politicians:Take care of us, not illegal immigrants.Please share this with the world. pic.twitter.com/E2oik44sbh— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) February 1, 2020“After the cleanup, we were supposed to have a #WalkAway town hall with Brandon Straka and members of the LGBT community,” Presler said. “The venue canceled the day of the event. The truth is that there are people in society who don’t want to hear the truth. The movement Brandon has built is real, with people walking away from the Democrat Party.”The #WalkAway Campaign “encourages and supports those on the Left to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the Democratic Party of today.” Last night’s event in far-left San Francisco was intended to focus on a LGBT audience and featured four of the most outspoken Trump-supporting members of the community, including Blair White and Mike Harlow.For those of you registered to attend tonight’s #WalkAway LGBT Town Hall, SF, the name of venue and location have been sent to you in an email. Please check! See you tonight! FREE TIX: https://t.co/Q8sn2odHSO pic.twitter.com/cpo9H9NLy5— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) February 1, 2020Straka received word via email that the venue had cancelled less than five hours before it was scheduled to begin.RETWEET: #UNSILENT Our venue for tonight’s #WalkAway Town Hall JUST CANCELED us, citing: our “disparagement of the homeless” bc this was a duel event w/ @ScottPresler’s cleanup. WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN. Meet tonight at 6:30pm outside the Women’s Building for a FREE SPEECH RALLY pic.twitter.com/8sKndaMcHu— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) February 1, 2020The Women’s Building of SF has caved to extremist leftists who have labeled #WalkAway “anti-homeless community” and CANCELLED tonight’s #WalkAway LGBT Town Hall. WE ARE FIGHTING BACK. JOIN US TONIGHT!!! https://t.co/k5ThMn1zsr— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) February 1, 2020As Straka noted, this cancellation was not an isolated occurrence.“4 out of 5 #WalkAway LGBT Town Halls have been cancelled by venues citing that #WalkAway is a hate group,” Straka said. “But, my team and I don’t go down without a fight. In each case we found a new venue and the show went on and the community got its message: it’s time for LGBT people to leave the Democrat Party.”Unlike past cancellations, they were informed too late to book another venue and inform those planning to attend, so Straka and his team decided to turn it into a “Freedom Rally” just outside of the Women’s Building.“But last nights last minute cancellation in San Francisco led to the formation of a free speech rally outside of the canceling venue: the Women’s Building,” he said. “Over 100 patriots showed up to fight for freedom and to stand up to the liberal left. Dozens of deranged leftist protesters showed up in an attempt to shut down the free-speech rally. But in the end, #WalkAway’s people were stronger, smarter, and much more loving, tolerant, and resilient. Freedom won in San Francisco last night.”While the town hall was canceled, the subsequent Freedom Rally may end up being a blessing in disguise. Though no major media outlets have picked up the story yet, it will almost certainly make headlines this week as word of the attempted stifling and subversion reach the right ears.Presler concluded by saying, “I’m a conservative gay man who is cleaning up inner cities across America. What the left fears most is other people seeing that we exist.”American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post #WalkAway town hall became free speech rally after Women’s Building canceled hours before event appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Canceled ‘gold standard’ Iowa poll: Mishap or another CNN/DNC anti-Bernie ploy?Posted: 02 Feb 2020 09:12 AM PSTOn Monday, hundreds of thousands of Iowa Democrats are expected to caucus for their preferred nominee for president. Many will end up with their second or third choices, as only candidates who meet the 15% threshold will have their caucus votes counted. It’s an odd process to those who have never participated, but supporters of the caucus system swear by it.CNN and the Des Moines Register normally put out the “gold standard” poll ahead of the caucus that is supposed to be the most accurate in weighing support for each individual candidate. But its release was canceled at the last minute after reports of someone who claimed South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s name was not included in the list of preferences when he was called for the poll.The voter was an Iowa City area man who says the Iowa Poll polltaker didn’t name Buttigieg when asked which candidate he preferred.Voter said when she read a new list, she mispronounced Buttigieg’s name. https://t.co/MHRPktNkJy— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 2, 2020While most are taking it at face value, there are some who believe this was a ploy by CNN (and possibly the DNC) to subvert Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign. He has been surging in recent weeks, including topping the previous CNN/DMR poll. If the results of this poll showed him with a strong lead, which many expected, could their decision to scrap it based on one complaint be based on an anti-Bernie bias?Some believe this is the case.Breaking: The will be no more polls because they all show @BernieSanders crushing the rest of the field.https://t.co/LiqMSJvuMT— Webstir Leftist Lawyers for #Bernie2020 (@TheRealWebstir) February 2, 2020A single Buttigieg supporter claims Buttigieg’s name wasn’t given as an option during a phone poll, and now CNN is refusing to release the poll results.A cynic would have to be forgiven for wondering how big Bernie Sanders’ lead in the poll is. https://t.co/h9ja3WVRFd— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) February 2, 2020Bernie Screwed Again – CNN/Des Moines Register Refuse To Publish Final Poll Showing Bernie Sanders Leading Iowa… https://t.co/0oyjCdGSz7 pic.twitter.com/kPNKdtOrJf— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) February 2, 2020Let me guess, this poll had #socialist @BernieSanders winning #Iowa again; so the @DMRegister, @CNN, & @MediacomCable pulled the plug on it? The @DNC fix, is in again. Monday should be interesting.  #IowaPoll #DNCRigging #IowaCaucus #2020election #SocialismIsTyranny #IA01#KAG https://t.co/uQeP2tzUgB— Hansen for Congress (IA-01) (@Hansen4Congress) February 2, 2020After trashing Bernie Sanders endlessly, WHY do you suppose CNN is scrapping the Iowa Poll?Here, I’ll help #ReleaseThePoll. Here’s the most recent poll, and I can’t IMAGINE why the Turner Industries CNN AT&T .001%er rich crew would want to HIDE this…(psst, Bernie hates greed) https://t.co/ySarB3QBd3— Christine (@Gumdrop1956) February 2, 2020CNN has recently seemed to be reporting unfavorably about Sanders for several weeks. They released an article from information leaked by Senator Elizabeth Warren’s campaign that claimed Sanders said a woman couldn’t beat President Trump. Then, they ambushed him at the last debate, asserting that he was lying when he denied the claim.Bernie Sanders supporters finally starting to realize CNN is fake newsA big win for Sanders in Iowa could turn this into a three-person race very quickly. Vice President Joe Biden is holding out for South Carolina to be his first big win following expected victories for Sanders in Iowa and Vermont. Meanwhile, billionaire Mike Bloomberg is banking (literally) on Super Tuesday a month after the Iowa caucus. He needs the race to stay close, though, as his real play is for the convention.Michael Bloomberg isn’t just trying to buy voters. He’s signaling delegates.Either CNN and the DNC were fortunate that this Buttigieg thing derailed their poll or they orchestrated it. Either way, their efforts to stall Bernie Sanders’ campaign seem to be backfiring. The more they hate on him, the higher his numbers go.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Canceled ‘gold standard’ Iowa poll: Mishap or another CNN/DNC anti-Bernie ploy? appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

Yes, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is different and more dangerous than past scaresPosted: 02 Feb 2020 07:12 AM PSTThere are three general narratives being pushed to keep Americans calm about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. The first is that there are only 8 cases so far in the United States. The second is that it’s not nearly as deadly as the flu which has killed 8200 so far this season alone. The third is that officials have taken the proper precautions to keep it from spreading, such as stopping foreign travelers who have been in China in the last two weeks.All of these are partially true. The part that should scare people is that the conspicuous lack of emergency-level warnings have not been issued. In fact, we were given more warnings in the early days of SARS in 2002, swine flu in 2009, and Zika in 2016 than we’re getting now with the coronavirus.It’s silly to think there are only 8 cases in the United States. Yet media reports aren’t explaining the real risks this virus poses or the reasons it’s certain there are many more cases than we’re being told, reasons I’ll describe below.The “less-deadly-than-the-flu” narrative is especially heinous because it’s a disingenuous statistic. Yes, 8200 have died from flu this season, but that’s against 15,000,000 reported cases. That means only one out of every 1829 cases are fatal. The coronavirus has an estimated fatality rate of between 2%-3%. This is lower than SARS which had a fatality rate of nearly 10%, but there’s a reason even this statistic makes the 2019 Novel Coronavirus much more dangerous. I’ll cover that below as well.The third “keep calm” narrative is both hopeful and concerning. It’s hopeful because it’s clear the Trump administration is taking this seriously. It’s concerning because enough has not been done to warn and prepare the population for what’s really going on.This coronavirus has some extremely alarming traits. It’s slow to manifest with incubation rates of up to two weeks. There’s as much as a week from the time the disease becomes contagious to the time the carrier starts feeling symptoms. It is an airborne contagion that can infect through the eyes. All of these traits combine for a recipe of total disaster for any nation, including the United States, that has many travelers to and from China in general and Wuhan in particular. It’s rare for a virus to be contagious when the carriers are asymptomatic for such an extended period of time. Diseases like this were made to circumvent modern-day preventative measures.Last week we posted a video showing the real numbers at that point of Chinese infection rates may be 10x higher than they’re reporting. The communist nation’s penchant for secrecy and disinformation make the conspiracy theory estimates seem realistic. Even if those estimates are exaggerated, they’re still terrifying.But let’s not get too wrapped up in conspiracy theories, as the bulk that are floating around now are simply untrue. Some are saying this was manufactured for population control. Others are saying it was a bioweapon that was accidentally unleashed on the population. These and other conspiracy theories are distractions from the reality that it’s a virus borne from someone consuming an unclean meat from an animal that is known to carry these types of diseases. It happened in a highly populated area with many travelers in and out. There are times when stirring up fears of government conspiracies is necessary. This is not one of them.What’s important to understand is that Americans must take proper precautions. These are the same precautions we should be practicing at all times anyway, especially during flu season. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, ears, or mouth with unwashed hands. Limit exposure to contagious surfaces and wash your hands if you do touch them. Did I mention washing your hands?We must address this with increased diligence. The fact that it spreads so rapidly before symptoms are present is why reports that there are only 8 confirmed cases are misleading. The death rate being lower than other diseases like SARS is good, but there’s a negative side effect as a result. Since people aren’t getting as sick as quickly, the spread of the disease is much higher. I’m not suggesting it’s a bad thing that a lower percentage of people are dying from it, but it does make it easier to spread. The government needs to start issuing warnings and educating people on proper actions to be taken. Telling people to wash their hands more often than usual would go a long way to slowing the spread.The first thing they say when situations like this arise is, “Don’t panic.” 99 times out of 100, this is great advice. The 2019 Novel Coronavirus appears to be the 1 in a 100 times when calls for calm are misplaced. We must take precautions for this one immediately.American Conservative MovementJoin fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. We have two priorities until election day: Stopping Democrats and supporting strong conservative candidates. We currently have 7500+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.First Name  Last Name  Email Address  Comments  SubmitMixi.Media NewsThe post Yes, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus is different and more dangerous than past scares appeared first on NOQ Report – Conservative Christian News, Opinions, and Quotes.

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Impeachment Trial: Mark Levin Nailed It     READ STORY    Holy Cow: The Latest South Carolina Poll Is a Total Disaster for Joe Biden as His Firewall Crumbles     READ STORY    Beyoncé, Jay-Z Sit Out the National Anthem, But Here She is in 2013 Asking People to Stand When She Sings it     READ STORY    ‘Well, Son of a B*tch’: Ukrainian Prosecutor Biden Demanded Be Fired Files Federal Complaint in Kiev     READ STORY

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NATIONAL REVIEW

WITH JIM GERAGHTYFebruary 03 2020The 2020 Iowa Democratic Caucus Preemptive Spin ScorecardToday’s Morning Jolt is sort of like a choose-your-own-adventure book. Figure out who you’re pulling for in the Democratic primary — if none, just read all the way down — and then see where your preferred candidate finishes, and voila — your victory or defeat spin for tonight is ready to go.If you are a fan of Joe Biden, and . . .Joe Biden finishes first: “Everyone has been writing this campaign’s obituary since last spring, and all Biden does is lead the pack. All cycle long, this campaign has been mis-covered by woke left twentysomething correspondents who have no sense of history and who are wildly out of touch with real-life Democrats outside of the cities. Joe Biden connects with these people and because of that connection, he’s in the driver’s seat. Biden didn’t win the primary tonight, but he’s in good shape for the next three early states. For all the hullaballoo of the past year, this thing might be effectively over by Super Tuesday.”Joe Biden finishes second or third: “This is fine, and I don’t mean in the dog-in-a-burning-house kind of way …   READ MORE

ADVERTISEMENTTRENDING ON NATIONAL REVIEW1. In the New Hampshire Senate Race, Corky Messner Looks to Beat the Odds2. Why American Scientists Take Chinese Money3. Sister Calling My Name May Just Restore Your Hope for HumanityTOP STORIESNR PLUS   MICHAEL BRENDAN DOUGHERTYHow Beauty Could Help Solve the Housing CrisisThe late Roger Scruton’s ideas about architecture are, like so much of his thought, worth considering. NEWSYang Accuses DNC of Changing Debate Criteria to Benefit Bloomberg“The fact is, Mike Bloomberg could have gotten himself on the debate stage any time he wanted,” Yang said. NEWSJohn Kerry Denies Considering 2020 Bid after Being Overheard Discussing Saving Party from…Kerry was overheard by NBC News in the lobby of an Iowa restaurant, discussing the steps to make a possible …WHAT NR IS READINGThe Case for Nationalism: How It Made Us Powerful, United, and FreeBY RICHARD LOWRY“Makes an original and compelling case for nationalism . . . A fascinating, erudite—and much-needed—defense of a hallowed idea unfairly under current attack.” — Victor Davis HansonLEARN MOREPODCASTSEpisode 70: Are We Nearing the End?   Episode 188: Everyone’s in Iowa . …. PHOTOSGroundhog Day   Brexit Day VIDEOCoronavirus Looks…   Elizabeth Warren… NRPLUS ARTICLESWhat the Democratic Primary…   The Comedy of Decline Ready for Election Season?National Review subscribers get the most out of National Review. Don’t miss out.SEE MY OPTIONSADVERTISEMENTFollow Us & Share19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY, 10036, USA Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser.

REALCLEARPOLITICS

02/03/2020Share:      Carl Cannon’s Morning NotePresented by Partnership for America’s Health Care Future: Iowa Pitches; 2020 Ads; K.C. and Casey Good morning. It’s Monday, Feb. 3, 2020. The 54th Super Bowl — or as the NFL likes to call it, Super Bowl LIV — is in the books. It was a big game for Kansas City’s beloved coach, Andy Reid, and his family, who have been through a lot. It was memorable for the Cannon clan, too, especially 3-year-old Liv Trygstad, who doesn’t know her Roman numerals just yet; all she knows is that the National Football League named its 2020 championship game in her honor.Not that young kids on the East Coast can watch the entire Super Bowl — it starts too late — but the NFL is not the only entity guilty of dubious planning this week. Whose idea was it to schedule the Super Bowl, a presidential impeachment, Iowa caucuses, and the State of the Union address essentially at the same time?I’ll have a further observation on the intersection of sports and politics in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors, including the following:*  *  *At Sanders’ Iowa Rally, No Fear of the S-Word. Phil Wegmann has this report from Cedar Rapids, where the mostly young audience embraced the candidate’s brand of socialism.In Iowa, Buttigieg Presses His Moderate Message. Phil’s story is here.Biden the Brawler? Bring Him On, Some Dems Urge. Nice guys finish last, party centrists worry. Phil, who spent the weekend traversing Iowa, has this story too.Why There Are No Great 2020 Ads. Bill Scher writes that the lack of hipster buzz appears to be a strategic choice rather than a failure of imagination.The Heartland Strikes Back. Frank Miele observes that Democrats are portraying Middle America as a hotbed of institutional racism, even tarring such candidates such as Pete Buttigieg with the same broad brush.Updated “Duverger’s Law” Gives Independents Hope. Jim Jonas continues our Smith Project series with a look at a now-modified theory that could boost the chances of third-party candidates.Alaska Gov. Dunleavy: Recall Efforts Weaken Democracy. Policy disagreements are terrible reasons to overturn elections, argues the 49th state’s embattled chief of state.China’s E-Gambling Boom Doesn’t Require Travel. In RealClearInvestigations, Richard Bernstein spotlights Philippines-based virtual gaming, in which mainland Chinese let their keyboard fingers do the wagering. Walton Foundation Taps Wall Street to Fund Charter Schools. RealClearEducation editor Nathan Harden reports on WFF’s efforts to remove some of the barriers to securing adequate physical space for alternative schools*  *  *The result of Super Bowl LIV was rewarding for everyone in the Kansas City area, whichever state the geography-challenged First Football Fan thinks they live in. It’s actually a metropolis spanning two states on both sides of the Missouri River. The region has produced one president (Harry Truman), numerous musicians (including Burt Bacharach, Charlie Parker, and Melissa Etheridge), film stars (from Jean Harlow to Paul Rudd) and more famous professional athletes than I can count, including the immortal Casey Stengel.Stengel has entered the American memory in a way similar to Truman. In their time, each man was hated as much as he was loved. Truman left office in 1953 with abysmal approval ratings; Democrats didn’t even want him campaigning for them. Several decades ago, however, he entered the post-partisan sweet spot for retired (or deceased) politicians: As Americans remembered Truman’s virtues, not his flaws, he became a patron saint of beleaguered presidents, Republican or Democrat.Casey Stengel ascended to similar status, mainly by outliving most of his critics. He was needled at his own funeral — I kid you not. At that ceremony, USC Trojans baseball coach Rod Dedeaux, a Stengel family friend, quoted Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Murray as saying, “Well, God is certainly getting an earful tonight.”As I think of it, the president whom Casey Stengel reminds me of is not really Harry Truman, but instead the current occupant of the White House. Stengel’s critics, like Donald Trump’s, tended to think of “the Old Perfesser” as something of a clown with an oversized ego and a propensity for taking credit for the accomplishments of others. On occasion, though, they’d find themselves wondering whether his antics and verbal miscues masked an innate cunning that explained his success.A few Stengelisms remind me of things Trump has said. Remember that odd comment Candidate Trump made in regard to John McCain — when he suggested that true war heroes don’t get captured? Stengel made a remark in that same vein in 1955, with Americans still in harm’s way in Korea. When a soldier on active duty sent a telegram complaining about Stengel’s managing, the skipper responded, “If you’re so smart, let’s see you get out of the Army.”Asked about the prospect of female umpires, Stengel gave a family-friendly version of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape. “The trouble with women umpires,” he said, “is that I couldn’t argue with one. I’d put my arms around her and give her a little kiss.”Stengel also had a bit of advice that is apropos of politicians and coaches alike — and maybe all those in positions of authority. It certainly would be a useful strategy at tonight’s Iowa caucuses. “The secret of managing,” he once quipped, “is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided.” Carl M. Cannon  Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com Studies show that paying for an unaffordable Medicare for All system would “require the equivalent of tripling payroll taxes or more than doubling all other taxes.” American families can’t afford a one-size-fits-all new government health insurance system.  Click here to read more of this message, brought to you by Partnership for America’s Health Care Future.

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MANHATTAN INSTITUTE

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February 3, 2020Featuring the latest analysis, commentary, and research from Manhattan Institute scholarsEDUCATIONPhoto: maroke/iStockCharter School Advocates Will Have to Ditch Bipartisanship for Success“Democratic politicians frequently style themselves as ‘evidence based’ policymakers prioritizing the best interests of historically marginalized persons of color. But the 2020 primary has demonstrated that when it comes to charter schools now, nothing could be further from the truth.” By Max Eden The Hill January 31, 2020 Based on an Issues 2020 issue brief Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesQueens Is Seeing Through Richard Carranza’s Bull“Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza has a vision of social justice — one in which classroom order and discipline are a form of oppression and those in need can only be helped by tearing down the privilege of the advantaged. But parents aren’t into boutique ideologies.” By Ray Domanico New York Post February 3, 2020 Photo: FatCamera/iStockIn an Age of Extreme Individualism, Catholic Schools Are More Important Than Ever“While this age of tolerance and individualism has driven much good and much progress… it has not been without downsides.” By Kathleen Porter-Magee America January 31, 2020 Based on a recent report HOUSING POLICYPhoto: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesCalifornia Says No to the FutureThe Golden State rejects a bill that would address its crippling housing crisis. By Phillip Sprincin City Journal Online January 31, 2020 ECONOMY & FINANCEPhoto: RichVintage/iStockNo Need for Nihilism on Personal Savings“Knowledge and the belief you have control over your finances are critical for success in the modern economy. Pushing back on financial literacy’s core message in order to push a political agenda is what’s irresponsible.” By Allison Schrager Economics21 January 31, 2020 ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTPhoto: TebNad/iStockFundamentals of Energy Regulation: 3rd EditionManhattan Institute’s Jonathan Lesser and coauthor Leonardo Giacchino provide a complete introduction to the world of energy regulation. INFRASTRUCTURE & TRANSPORTATIONPhoto: Harry How/Getty ImagesKobe Bryant Tragedy a Sign of How Even Rich Can’t Escape Transit Woes“Kobe Bryant’s horrific death isn’t just a tragedy for his family and for hoops fans. It’s a sign of the times: Not even the rich and famous can avoid the traffic hellscape that American cities have created for their residents and commuters.” By Nicole Gelinas New York Post February 3, 2020 PUBLIC HEALTHPhoto: Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesFlu Remains the Real DangerSeasonal or pandemic influenza poses a much more significant public health problem than coronavirus. By Joel Zinberg City Journal Online February 2, 2020 POLITICSPhoto: Jeff Swensen/Getty ImagesThe Pennsylvania Valley That Became A Bellwether For TrumpIt’s working class versus suburbanites, left behind versus upwardly mobile. And it’s made 2020 unclear. By Charles F. McElwee The American Conservative January 31, 2020 CULTURE & SOCIETYPhoto: Filmmaker Ken Burns (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)Country Music and the Limits of NostalgiaKen Burns’s latest documentary evokes a past unfamiliar to many core PBS viewers. By Jonathan Clarke City Journal Online January 31, 2020 Photo: Alex Wong/Getty ImagesClarence Thomas: the MovieDon’t miss this new documentary. By Myron Magnet City Journal Online January 31, 2020 PODCASTPhoto: adrian825/iStockParenting in the CityKarol Markowicz joins Kay Hymowitz to discuss raising young children in New York City. CIVIL SOCIETY AWARDSNominations are open for the Manhattan Institute’s 2020 Civil Society Awards. This fall, four winners will each receive a $25,000 award for their efforts to keep our social fabric from fraying, assist those who need it most, and help people change the course of their lives. Nominate an outstanding nonprofit by March 20, 2020. Learn more at civilsocietyawards.com.SUBMIT A NOMINATIONFEATURED BOOKPhoto: Manhattan InstituteDigital CathedralsToday’s global Cloud is society’s first foundationally new infrastructure in nearly a century. It is comprised of thousands of warehouse-scale computers and history’s biggest network of “information superhighways.” Powering this data behemoth consumes more energy than all global aviation. Yet, as disruptive as the Cloud has already become, we are only at the end of the beginning of what digital masons are building for the 21st century. In Digital Cathedrals, Mark Mills explores this new infrastructure through the lens of energy demand, and the implications for policymakers and regulators, who will be increasingly tempted—or enjoined—to engage issues of competition, fairness, and even social disruptions, along with the challenges of abuse of market power, both valid and trumped up.Buy NowManhattan Institute is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.  52 Vanderbilt Ave. New York, NY 10017 (212) 599-7000SUPPORT MICopyright © 2020 Manhattan Institute, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Manhattan Institute52 Vanderbilt Ave.New York, NY 10017 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list  View this email in your browser

CENTER FOR SECURITY POLICY

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Highlighted Articles/InterviewsUnderstanding the deal of the century from a Muslim perspectiveFleitz to Newsmax TV: You can’t impeach on ‘thought crime’Did Wuhan coronavirus escape from a lab in China?The “Deal of the Century”: The first viable peace planFleitz: Ambassador Bolton, withdraw your bookHarvard professor’s arrest shows Chinese spying via US universitiesEspionage against America’s universities surfaced again when the FBI arrested a prominent Harvard professor as an alleged part of a Communist Chinese spy operation.The recent arrests of Harvard Professor Charles Lieber, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army officer, and a second Chinese national in Boston, show that Beijing – among others – uses American academic institutions to steal technology and more. Read the article by Center Vice President for Government Affairs, J. Michael Waller.Americans are rightly worried about China — and want a president who is, tooOne of the nation’s most perceptive pollsters has just conducted a national survey of likely voters to assess their knowledge of, and concerns about, China. John McLaughlin’s findings are riveting and affirm a central reality about the upcoming election:The next Commander-in-Chief – irrespective of party or political philosophy – is going to find that contending with the Chinese Communist Party is Job #1 in the national security, the economic and probably the public health portfolios. What do candidates for the job know of the myriad threats posed by China – and what would they do about them?Fortunately, by a seventy-seven point margin, those polled want the presidential candidates to answer such questions. And majorities in every tested demographic would support a candidate who offered a more robust response to the China threat.This is Frank Gaffney. Check out The China Poll at PresentDangerChina.org.With Dakota Wood and Robert Charles  DAKOTA WOOD, Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at the Heritage Foundation, Twenty-year career in the USMC, Former Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, Recently served as a strategist for the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Command:An overview of the Index of US Military PowerHow well-equipped is the US military to win a war?Is US military equipment out of date?(PART TWO):What is the condition of the US Navy?China’s expanding navyHow plausible is retro-fitting the US Air Force?ROBERT CHARLES, Former Assistant Secretary of State at the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in the Bush Administration, Author of Eagles and Evergreens:The current state of the impeachment processDissecting the witness vote in the Senate(PART TWO):The attitude of the Iranian people in the wake of the death of SoleimaniWhy the US can’t let the Iranians get nuclear weaponsWhy Trump’s peace plan “acknowledges reality”TWEET OF THE DAYRetweet, like, and comment!DONATEView this email in your browser Copyright © 2020 Center for Security Policy, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 2020 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 189 Washington, D.C.  20006 (202) 835-9077 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

PJ MEDIA

The Morning Briefing: Trump Wins the Super Bowl

 BY STEPHEN KRUISER FEBRUARY 3, 2020CHAT COMMENTS

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

#WINNING

Sunday’s Super Bowl contest was unique in that it occurred on the first palindrome day (02/02/2020) in 909 years and that it was the first time in the history of the contest that two teams whose primary uniform colors were red met. The game also featured two winners: the Kansas City Chiefs won the on-field game, while President Donald Trump took the off-field prize.

It may not seem like much amid all of the Big Game hoopla, but the president’s campaign ad that ran during the first quarter was money well spent by his campaign.

There is a reason that incumbent presidents win more often than not. The power of incumbency is great, especially if the incumbent has a record to be proud of.

President Trump could have run an ad just about the economy and it would have been difficult for the Democrats to push back against. Instead, the campaign decided to highlight his achievements in criminal justice reform which, as the ad points out, is one of those things that is always talked about by politicians but never acted upon.

The understated tone of the ad is what struck me most. The president is known for his bombast. I’m a big fan of that too. This ad, however, didn’t have the “rah-rah” rally feel. It was quiet, to the point, and quite impressive.

Democrat Michael Bloomberg also ran a Super Bowl ad. His was all about what he is against — the “gun lobby.” The president’s ad, in contrast, was about what he is for. That’s a subtle, but poignant difference.

Trump has the attitude that he had in 2016, and now he has the full machinery of the Republican Party backing him up, which most definitely wasn’t the case the first time around. In one thirty-second ad, he’s signaled that he will be a formidable incumbent to deal with.

PJM Linktank

Yeah…no. John Kerry Overheard Discussing a Run for President as Democratic Angst Over Sanders Comes to a Boil

Purge the MSM. NYT Reporter Doxxes Brown University Football Coach for Criticizing Media in Private Message

Less drunk, but yeah. Protester Taunts Biden in Iowa: ‘You Could be the Hillary of 2020’

[WATCH] Massive Brexit Celebration Destroys Years-Long Media Gaslighting

But open borders or something. Man Arrested in Arizona Accused of Being a Leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq

Rival Campaigns Say Sanders Is Planning to ‘Declare Victory’ in Iowa Before Results are In

Cruz Says Flailing Fauxcahontas’s Question to Roberts Killed Any Hope of Impeachment Trial Witnesses

Do FEC Records Prove Michael Bloomberg Bought His Way onto the Democrats’ Debate Stage?

Impeachment Has Brought a Massive Wave of Donations to the Trump Campaign

Rep. Omar Paid Her Boyfriend’s Company $215,000 For Services Rendered

China Angry at U.S. Coronavirus Virus Travel Restrictions: ‘Not a Gesture of Goodwill’

Sore Loser Stacey Abrams Plans to Be President by 2040

Google Is Cloaking Monopoly Power in the Guise of Virtue to Gain More Control Over Users’ Data 

Is Schumer Trying to Take Sanders Out by Agreeing to Hold Acquittal Vote AFTER the Iowa Caucuses?

VIP

Treacher: Why Is Mike Bloomberg Running for President?

From the Mothership and Beyond

Schlichter: Democrats’ Total Failure and Utter Humiliation Delights All Real Americans

Surprise Medical Bill Legislation Opens Door to Medicare for All

McCarthy Puts Pelosi on Notice Over Impeachment Acquittal

Area diversity hire remains clueless. Buttigieg: I Know 63 Million People Voted for Trump But They’re Still Racist

Hundreds Rally In KY, NM To Protest “Red Flag” Legislation

Hawaii Gun Owners Face Tidal Wave Of Anti-2A Bills

I like this guy. Students Demanded Divestment From Fossil Fuels, A Professor Offered To Turn Off The Gas Heating

FCC To Punish Carriers For Selling Your Location Data

The Mystery Of CNN’s Disappearing Iowa Poll

Um…Maher: What Democrats Need Is A Fighter Like… Avenatti

Michael Moore Goes Berserk On DNC: Why Are They Changing The Rules To Let Billionaire Mike Bloomberg Into The Debates?

Holy Cow: The Latest South Carolina Poll Is a Total Disaster for Joe Biden as His Firewall Crumbles

CNN’s Newest Hire Doubles Down on Republican “Confederate States” Smear, Still Gets the History Wrong

‘THIS is cinema’: Martin Scorsese is getting dunked on for that dumb Coca-Cola commercial with Jonah Hill

NBC’s Kasie Hunt lost her elite flight status with Delta and it’s somehow Trump’s fault

The global economic threat of the coronavirus

2020 Democrats Are Bringing Butter Knives to a Gunfight

Boris Johnson’s Post-Brexit To-Do List

Smells Like Onion

The Onion✔@TheOnion

Victorious Patrick Mahomes Thanks Bears For Drafting Mitchell Trubisky https://trib.al/B4UBiBC 

7,66110:33 PM – Feb 2, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy1,891 people are talking about this

The Kruiser Kabana

41 Strange@41Strange16K1:38 AM – Jan 25, 2020Twitter Ads info and privacy4,423 people are talking about this

If flossing was a lie how can we believe anything?

___

Kruiser Twitter

Kruiser Facebook

PJ Media Associate Editor Stephen Kruiser is the author of “Don’t Let the Hippies Shower” and “Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage,” both of which address serious subjects in a humorous way. Monday through Friday he edits PJ Media’s “Morning Briefing.”FACEBOOKSHARE TWITTERTWEET EMAILEMAIL

TWITCHY

BUSTED: Mike Bloomberg is using footage of illegal immigrants in cages from 2014 to bash President TrumpRead Story#FREESMUG! @ComfortablySmug’s account has been LOCKED and all he did was ask Joe Biden’s campaign a simple questionRead StoryDEFENSIVE much? Joe Biden highly annoyed by ‘Today’ show host’s questions about his son and Burisma Read Story‘Keep doing EXACTLY what you’re doing’: Jim Treacher mocks CNN’s laughable Bloomberg chyron and Brian Stelter can’t DEAL Read StoryRep. Ilhan Omar asks if a president has ever delivered the SOTU address amid an impeachment trial Read Story‘That’s not principled, that’s juvenile’: Former Never Trumper takes The Bulwark crowd apart in GLORIOUS thread Read StoryJoe Lockhart warned Dems last year that impeaching Trump could help him. Turns out, he was right!Read Story‘Did you clap?’: Jeb Bush weighs in on the J Lo-Shakira Super Bowl halftime showRead Story‘THIS is cinema’: Martin Scorsese is getting dunked on for that dumb Coca-Cola commercial with Jonah HillRead StoryTom Brady’s cryptic social media post revealed as a Hulu Super Bowl adRead Story‘I just threw up in my mouth’: President Trump’s Super Bowl ad featuring Alice Johnson is not going over well with blue-checksRead StoryBill Kristol has been a Dem for only one day and he’s already soured on socialismRead StoryNBC’s Kasie Hunt lost her elite flight status with Delta and it’s somehow Trump’s faultRead StoryUm, Dems running for POTUS? New poll shows capitalism is very popular and socialism is very unpopularRead Story‘Wake the f*ck up America’: Gun owners in Kentucky trigger Beto O’Rourke (and other libs)Read Story________SUBSCRIPTION INFO________ This email is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this email on the Twitchy.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately. Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions You can unsubscribe by clicking here. Or Send postal mail to: Twitchy Unsubscribe P.O. Box 9660, Arlington, VA 22219* Copyright Twitchy and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. ReplyForward

HOT AIR

ADVERTISEMENTTwitter suspends 8 year old’s account over post on ThunbergKaren TownsendNew plan: If Biden wins, impeach him immediately over UkraineJazz ShawNBC: Are you ready for … John Kerry’s save-the-party-from-Bernie 2020 campaign?Ed MorrisseyNBC/WSJ poll: Socialism is box office poison, you know Ed MorrisseyADVERTISEMENTElizabeth Warren’s history with oil and gas is more than “complicated”Jazz ShawThe growing imperial presidency and how Congress can stop itTaylor MillardNFL open thread, the Super Bowl “Tickets as low as $5,531!” editionEd MorrisseyDenver’s “gun court” wouldn’t punish teen gun crimes as strictlyJazz ShawMaher: What Democrats need is a fighter like… AvenattiKaren TownsendFCC to punish carriers for selling your location dataJazz ShawLiberation from our own chains: Sunday reflectionEd MorrisseyUK to crack down on Islamic terrorists after latest stabbing attackJazz ShawLATEST HEADLINESPeter Wehner The downfall of the Republican PartyMediaite “It’s Missouri, you stone-cold idiot”Politico Joni Ernst: Trump’s learned his lesson on foreign interferenceThe Hill Schiff mum on House subpoena of BoltonDavid Faris How Bernie Sanders could both win and lose in IowaPolitico Pardon Trump? Yang says he mightPhilip Klein Democrats have a Bernie Sanders problemAxios John Kerry on NBC report: I am absolutely not running for presidentNYT Wuhan coronavirus increasingly looks like a pandemic, experts sayBloomberg Biden could be impeached by GOP over Ukraine if he wins, says Joni ErnstShay Khatiri America is doing so much better than you thinkKevin Williamson Isn’t Bloomberg exactly the kind of guy progressives and independents always say they want?CNN The people of Wuhan are outcasts in their own countryPeter Hamby Why Bernie’s message and media machine could be potent against TrumpGeorge Soros Mark Zuckerberg should not be in charge of FacebookWaPo Why Democrats who oppose abortion rights are finding it harder to remain in the partyBret Stephens Every time Palestinians say “no,” they loseDavid Harsanyi Warren’s plan to control online speech is straight out of OrwellMichael Goodwin Hillary Clinton ended the practice of humble concessionsGuardian “How do you fall for the Bernie Sanders scam?”ADVERTISEMENT__________________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO__________________________ WERE YOU FORWARDED THIS EDITION OF THE HOT AIR DAILY? You can get your own free subscription to the #1 blog delivered to your email inbox early each morning by visiting: http://www.hotair.com This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on Hot Air OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately. Visit the Townhall Media Preference Center to manage your subscriptions You can unsubscribe by clicking here.. Or Send postal mail to: Hot Air Daily Unsubscribe P.O Box 9660, Arlington, VA 22219* Copyright Hot Air and its Content Providers. All rights reserved.

BERNARD GOLDBERG

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A new post from Bernie.Who Will the Impeachment Trial Hurt More?By Bernard Goldberg on Feb 03, 2020 02:01 am Below is a sneak peek of this content! In a few days the impeachment trial will be over.  We all know how it will end.  We knew before the trial began. What we don’t know is how voters will react, not only to the verdict but also to the whole… CONTINUE Read More »   More to read:Bernie’s Q&A: Don Lemon, Katie Pavlich, Bernard Shaw, Bernie Sanders, and more! (1/31) — Premium Interactive ($4 members) Off the Cuff: The Dems Who Cried Wolf …On Impeachment Bernie and Donald – Not As Different As You May Think Bernie’s Q&A: Jeff Zucker, Warren vs. Sanders, NFL Concussions, and more! (1/24) — Premium Interactive ($4 members) Off the Cuff: A Democratic Impeachment Conspiracy to Hurt Sanders?Become A FanFollow on TwitterForward to a FriendWant emails sent directly to you?SIGN UP NOW In this issue:Who Will the Impeachment Trial Hurt More? Want to Help Spread the Word? Forward this Email!About BernieBernard Goldberg, the television news reporter and author of Bias, a New York Times number one bestseller about how the media distort the news, is widely seen as one of the most original writers and thinkers in broadcast journalism.  He has covered stories all over the world for CBS News and has won 13 Emmy awards for excellence in journalism.  He won six Emmys at CBS, and seven at HBO, where he now reports for the widely acclaimed broadcast Real Sports. [Read More…] Bernie’s Amazon Page   follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2020 BernardGoldberg.com, All rights reserved.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences