Friday News: Trump vs. Cruz, the Death Match (Hopefully); Journalists Rip (and Write Limericks About) Tommy Norment

by Lowell 

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, January 15.

• Obama Deserves Huge Credit for Iran’s Quick Release of U.S. Sailors
• A terrifying GOP debate: Amid all the fearmongering and lies, Donald Trump came out on top (“The Fox Business debate was the worst one yet, and it was all to the benefit of the loudmouth GOP frontrunner”)
• Trump and Cruz Set an Ugly, Nasty Tone (“The trajectory of the Republican primary has been one of growing pessimism, intensifying acrimony and abundant pettiness, and it reached its ugly nadir on the stage in North Charleston, S.C…The only sane response was sorrow—that this is a presidential election in the greatest democracy on earth, and that blowhards like Trump and Cruz are, for now, setting the pace and the terms in one of our two major political parties.”)
• The Republican Deficit Hypocrisy (“The G.O.P. presidential candidates’ fantasy budget math would wreck America’s fiscal house.”)
• The detente between Trump and Cruz is definitely over
• In Climate Move, Obama to Halt New Coal Mining Leases on Public Lands (Great, although should have done this a looong time ago.)
• Iran says it has removed core of reactor, key to nuke deal (As usual, it looks like the hysterical prophecies of right wingers are failing to come true. Shocker.)
• Finally, Hillary Clinton has a battle on her hands (“Hillary Clinton can no longer write off the Vermont socialist’s candidacy.”)
• Tea partyers love the Constitution so much — they want to blow it up
• Cruz pounds on Trump in GOP debate free-for-all
• Mr. Cruz’s Wall Street hypocrisy (“The Texan failed to disclose loans made during his campaign for the Senate.”)
• House, Senate GOP going separate ways in an election year
• The 9 Best Moments From Thurday’s GOP Debate (“Birthers, internet commenters, and the ‘mantle of anger’ take their places on stage.”)
• Fox’s miserable debate night: How Trump & Cruz ran wild while the network looked out of its depth (“The debate moderators couldn’t have looked more amateurish if they tried. The result: A deeply unsettling spectacle”)
• Marco Rubio Pushes Conspiracy Theory On Obama And Guns
• Planned Parenthood Sues Group Behind Video Smear Campaign (Good!)
• Candidates and rumors of candidates emerge in wake of Rigell announcement
• Editorial: A bipartisan accord needed on education
• Pat Robertson to interview Donald Trump during forum at Regent University (Wow, you don’t get any crazier than that!)
• Virginia’s hypocritical legislators don’t want to enforce their own gun laws
• Scott Rigell will not seek re-election to Congress (“The decision by Rep. Scott Rigell, a three-term congressman from Virginia Beach, sets the stage for a competitive contest to replace him during an election cycle in which Hampton Roads and the rest of Virginia will be a main focus of presidential candidates who must win the state to win the White House.”)
• Journalism associations criticize Norment’s move to boot press off Virginia Senate floor
• Editorial: Five limericks on Tommy Norment’s attack on the media (Norment is a corrupt slimeball, which explains both his opposition to ethics reform and to the press watching what he and his colleagues are up to.)
• Senate press move draws criticism
• Trump supporters lose round 1 vs. Republican Party of Virginia
• Virginia Uranium eyes U.S. appeal on state mining ban
• Chill, White Virginia Delegate Rick Morris Compares Abortion to Slavery
• Two GOP gubernatorial hopefuls visit Capitol (“Ed Gillespie, who nearly knocked off Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., in 2014, visited the state Capitol on Wednesday and Rep. Robert J. Wittman, R-1st, caught up with lawmakers on Thursday.”)
• Va. board OKs permits for dewatering Dominion Va. Power’s coal ash ponds (“Dominion Virginia Power’s plan to drain water from its coal ash ponds into the James and Potomac rivers won state approval Thursday despite opposition from environmental groups, a state senator and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.”)
• Mayor Jones asks Va. State Police for review of church-city ties
• Roanoke County board will submit to background checks
• Editorial: Open the doors in Portsmouth City Hall
• Coastal storm delivers rain tonight; Mild to seasonable weekend before the next Arctic blast