Tuesday News: President Obama on Russian Hacking, Hillary’s Emails; “Flawed Choices for the State Department” (and Every Other Agency)

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, December 13. Also check out President Obama on Russian hacking and Hillary’s “not very interesting emails that didn’t have any explosive information in them,” but that the media was obsessed with (Lowell’s note: FU Chris Cillizza, Washington Post, NY Times, etc.).

• Trump picks Tillerson for State despite concerns about Russia ties (Trump’s entire Cabinet is unacceptable, but this one takes the cake.)
• Trump is assembling an anti-government. Did Russia help get him here?
• What is the Russian Order of Friendship, and why does Rex Tillerson have one?
• ‘Real America’ is its own bubble (“It’s condescending — and absurd — to suggest that a vote for Trump is a sign of wisdom.”)
• Trump is already antagonizing the intelligence community, and that’s a problem (“His disregard for the CIA’s insights on Russian hacking and the election raises serious questions of trust.”)
• Trump’s dangerous diss of the CIA (“Mutual trust between the president and American intelligence services is essential — that relationship has already been seriously damaged.”)
• I was EPA administrator. Advice for the next one: Don’t walk back environmental progress. (Christie Todd Whitman: “The EPA’s rules on climate change and clean air and water protect the public and the planet and are based on science.”)
• When all news is ‘fake,’ whom do we trust? (“The Trump team aims to make all news and facts open to disbelief.” This is a facet of dictators, authoritarians and fascists everywhere.)
• Who’s to blame for fake news? America’s real newsrooms. (“I suspect one of the chief reasons so many Americans prefer harrowing Internet rumors to mainstream news is that they’ve grown impatient with journalists’ pretense that their assertions involve only truth, only facts unmediated by opinion or partiality.”)
• The big problem isn’t that Russian hackers tried to influence our election — it’s more that we let them(“Media lameness, a gullible public, useful idiots on the left and the GOP all helped enable Russian propaganda” “Mainstream media outlets are more interested in appearing fair than actually being fair…Most people don’t really read the news, but just glean general themes from headlines and cable TV…Most Republican politicians put party before country.”)
• How the U.S. Could Respond to Russia’s Hacking (“Each strategy has its problems, but the future of democracy is at stake.”)
• Republicans launch plan to annihilate Social Security (“Trump said he’d oppose his own party to stop Social Security cuts. Time to find out if he meant it.”)
• Offshore wind, which Trump fought in Scotland, is finally up and running in the U.S.
• Trump postpones press conference on business conflicts until after Electoral College meets()(“Bait and switch.”)
• 5 roadblocks that might trip up Tillerson
• GOP leaders shield Trump from expanded Russia probe (“Despite calls for expanded investigations, Republicans are content with their existing oversight of alleged Russian misdeeds.”)
• Dispute over Russia reflects growing GOP resistance to Trump (It supposed GOP “resistance” to Trump really “growing?” I’m highly skeptical, particularly given the previous story. Washington Compost fails again?)
• Trump Picks Energy Department Opponent Rick Perry for Energy Secretary: Sources (Crazy/unacceptable, just as pretty much all of Trump’s Cabinet picks are.)
• Flawed Choices for the State Department (“Donald Trump has apparently chosen for the top post an apologist for Russia and for deputy a past diplomat with dangerous policies.”)
• Labor Secretary Thomas Perez Is Said to Plan Run to Lead D.N.C. (We have some excellent candidates for DNC Chair – good to see!)
• Editorial: Declassify the Senate Torture Report (This should have happened a long time ago.)
• Nominees to Face Financial Scrutiny That Trump Didn’t
• Donald Trump Interviewed Mitt Romney to ‘Torture’ Him, Roger Stone Says
• Harry Reid: The Trump Campaign ‘Was In On’ Russia’s Election Hacking
• Outgoing attorney general urges American Muslims to have faith (“Lynch said during an interfaith gathering at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Sterling, Va. ‘I know that some are also wondering if the progress that we have made, at such a great cost, and over so many years, is in danger of sliding backwards.'”)
• Clinton campaign backs intelligence briefing for Electoral College electors
• Trump Staff: Corey Stewart a “net negative” to the effort in Virginia
• Speaker Howell’s commission wants to restore raise for state workers
• Justice Dept. sues a Virginia county over denial of a permit to build a mosque
• South Hampton Roads’ congressional delegation shifts from GOP to Democratic tilt
• McAuliffe wants to overhaul Virginia’s economic development agency (“Governor says agency needs better management, accountability”)
• McAuliffe calls for more executive branch control over Virginia business grant program
• Justice Department announces investigation into the Hampton Roads Regional Jail (You can bet this type of investigation wouldn’t be happening in a DOJ led by Jeff Friggin’ Sessions.)
• Report recommends that Va. consider cap on profits for insurance companies managing care in Medicaid program
• Editorial – Virginia’s ham-fisted approach to driver’s license suspension
• Two council members call for Norfolk Treasurer Anthony Burfoot to resign
• Turning colder today, then the Arctic air invasion arrives Thursday (“Thursday and Friday will be our coldest December days in at least three years.”)