by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, March 2.
- Sessions met with Russian envoy twice, contacts he did not disclose during hearing (Substitute “Eric Holder” for “Sessions” and imagine the response on Fox, in Congress, among right wingers in general, etc.)
- After a SEAL’s death in Yemen, questions persist on Trump’s decision-making process (If this had happened under Obama or Clinton, Republicans would be holding hearings, possibly talking about impeachment by now.)
- ‘Let’s not get fooled again’: Seth Meyers destroys claims Trump’s speech was a presidential pivot
- Trump Advocated White Nationalism With An “Indoor Voice,” And Pundits Loved It (Any pundit who praised Trump’s speech as “presidential” or whatever needs to be fired, immediately.)
- Democrats call for Sessions’s resignation and special prosecutor on alleged ties between Trump, Russia
- White House plan would cut EPA staff by one-fifth, shutter programs (This is wildly unacceptable, truly insane. But wait, Chris Cillizza and other substance-free imbecile pundits say that Trump’s tone in the SOTU address was “presidential,” so everything’s cool! Heh.)
- Do vigilantes see Trump giving them a wink and a nod?
- Where in the world is Secretary of State Rex Tillerson?
- Should the media boycott the White House?
- By Jeff Sessions’ Standard for Lying Under Oath, Jeff Sessions Lied Under Oath
- Trump is leaving the State Department mired in chaos (“The early reports leaking about the State Department under Trump are very ominous”)
- The State of Trump’s State Department (“Anxiety and listless days as a foreign-policy bureaucracy confronts the possibility of radical change”)
- Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election Hacking
- Donald Trump, Master of Low Expectations (“On Tuesday night, we are told, he looked sober and presidential, when all he actually did was read a speech from a Teleprompter without veering off into one of his incoherent rants.”)
- How the Internet Threatens Democracy (“In other words, just as the use of negative campaign ads and campaign finance loopholes to channel suspect contributions eventually became routine, so too will be the use of social media to confuse and mislead the electorate.”)
- House Republicans Announce Only Republicans Are Allowed to See New Health-Care Plan
- Trump Basks in the Approval of the ‘Enemy of the American People’
- Jeff Sessions said that people who commit perjury must be removed from office (Which he apparently did. Bye bye!)
- Trump’s green assault off to fast start (For anyone who thought there was no difference between Trump and Clinton, f*** you.)
- McMaster rolls back Flynn’s changes at NSC (“Trump’s new national security adviser is eliminating positions created by his ousted predecessor.”)
- With a single speech, Trump rattles 2018 landscape (“The idea that Democrats have to start taking the president more seriously as a political operator suddenly has more currency.”)
- Wake Up, Republicans: This Could Be the Democrats’ Tea Party (“When we showed up at town halls eight years ago, Democrats dismissed us and underestimated the power of protesters. They were wrong then, and the GOP is wrong now.”)
- A Virginia lawmaker rolls out the unwelcome mat (“It’s hard to know what use would be served by, in effect, surveilling refugees who were already exhaustively vetted before entering the country — unless Mr. Poindexter’s intent is to make them feel as unwelcome as possible in America by harassing and ostracizing them for their ‘otherness.’ If that is the goal, or the outcome, it is hard to think of legislation more blatantly anti-American.”)
- Sen. Kaine To Democrats: Trump’s ‘Not Impeachable’ (Agreed given that Republicans control Congress; disagree on the merits.)
- Goodlatte blocks Russia records request (This guy is truly BADlatte.)
- McAuliffe administration issues guidance to public schools in wake of Trump immigration actions
- Garrett’s Charlottesville town hall to be limited to 135 attendees (Coward.)
- Supreme Court revives challenge by black voters in Virginia
- Supreme Court says Virginia redistricting must be reexamined for racial bias (“The decision is a temporary win for black voters and Democrats who have challenged the General Assembly’s actions in drawing both legislative and congressional lines.” Would have been better of the SCOTUS had simply ordered the districts redrawn immediately.)
- Del. Rick Morris, facing domestic abuse charges, says he won’t seek re-election
- FBI director James Comey on opioid epidemic during Virginia visit: ‘We cannot arrest our way out of this problem’
- Peninsula a regular stop for presidents
- Undemocratic way of selecting Democratic Party nominees (Firehouse primaries are fine — they’re cheaper and they allow the parties to choose their own nominees in a state without party registration.)
- Dozens arrested, more than 50 illegal firearms seized in federal sting operation across Norfolk
- Virginia school board: Court should delay transgender case
- Democrats pick primaries for 8th, 17th House district races
- Editorial: Too long a silence on Mitchell’s death
- For first time, Norfolk bans hiring discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity
- Forecast: Wind-whipped chill today, possibly a bit of snow on Friday
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