Wednesday News: Trump Says His “Button” Is Bigger; “New year, same Trump”; “Questions remain as 94th District tiebreaker nears”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, January 3.

• 8 Takeaways From Trump’s Tweet Bragging About the Size of His ‘Nuclear Button’ (“Speaking of metaphors, yes, it seems that intentionally or not, the president’s nuclear threat has something to do with penises.”)
• 2018 Will Be a Fight to Save Democracy
• North Korea Reopens Border Hotline With the South
• President to North Korea’s Kim: My ‘nuclear button’ is ‘much bigger & more powerful’ (Bonkers. And very dangerous. Also, can someone get Trump into therapy for his deep-seated psychological/emotional issues?)
• Trump takes hard line on ‘dreamers’ but remains willing to deal
• New year, same Trump (“You expected something different from the insulter in chief?”)
• Trump publicly insulted Pakistan. What was the point? (The guy’s demented, that’s the point.)
• Please, Baby Jesus, Let This Happen (“Michele Bachmann eyes a run for Senate.”)
• The Republicans’ Fake Investigations (“The attack on our firm, Fusion GPS, is a diversionary tactic by Republicans who don’t want to investigate Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.”)
• Trump is nakedly fragile (“His lack of mercy makes him weak.”)
• Laura Ingraham criticizes actresses who are “flaunting their bodies” while also fighting sexual harassment (This lunatic/extremist is a big Barbara Comstock supporter, by the way…)
• The Trump Brand (“Donald Trump’s historic unpopularity will define his presidency.”)
• Romney Changes Location on Twitter as Utah Senate Seat Opens (“As of 3:12 p.m. East Coast time, it read ‘Massachusetts,’ where Romney formerly served as governor. By 5:45 p.m., it was tweaked to Holladay, Utah. Romney is thought to be a potential contender for that Senate seat.”)
• Michele Bachmann Is Asking God Whether She Should Run For Al Franken’s Senate Seat
• What Trump didn’t do in 2017 (“Imagine if we had spent 2017 with a competent White House working to solve America’s hardest problems.”)
• Paul Krugman debunks his own paper’s praise of Trump’s war on environmental regulation (The NY Times has jumped a long line of sharks, sad to say.)
• Trump-Romney rivalry set to take center stage again (“The former Republican nominee is poised to become the president’s chief GOP foil if he’s elected to the Senate, as many now expect.”)
• Iran protests could move Trump to kill nuclear deal (“Many critics say canceling it would exploit Tehran’s moment of weakness, but supporters warn against playing into clerical leaders’ hands.”)
• Police arrested 63 people at a house party after finding less than 1 ounce of marijuana (If that’s not an example of racism and double standards, what is? Also, can we at long last decriminalize marjuana???)
• ‘There was only one white male in the room’: Trump defender’s racist attack on Mueller’s grand jury (And more racism…)
• Fox News’ favorite sheriff locked out of Twitter for posting violent tweets (“Nothing gets a bully like LYING LIB MEDIA’S attention better than to give them a taste of their own blood.”)
• Itching for a fight, Dems vow to hold the line
• Dem, Republican leaders meet in search of budget deal, DACA fix
• How bad is the Republican coverup on Trump and Russia? We may soon find out.
• Lawmakers seeking input Wednesday on McAuliffe’s final proposed state budget (“On Wednesday, Virginia’s House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees will hold regional public hearings on Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s final proposed spending plan.”)
• Editorial: Advice for Republicans (“For Democrats, this new political order opens up a new world of opportunities. Issues that once were dead on arrival now actually might get passed — Medicaid expansion, gun laws, you name it. For Republicans, this opens up a Pandora’s box of horrors. This year’s General Assembly session merits an adjective rarely applied to the Virginia legislature: Unpredictable.”)
• Schapiro: Fresh challenges for Va.’s frosh governor (“Control of the House of Delegates and, by extension, the tone of state government in the opening days of Democrat Ralph Northam’s governorship could be dramatically shaped by the state Board of Election’s mini-lottery Thursday that will decide a Newport News seat.”)
• Several new delegates form caucus to reduce corporate money in Virginia politics (Nice job!)
• Questions remain as 94th District tiebreaker nears (“Courts were closed Tuesday. An aide to Newport News Circuit Court Chief Judge Bryant L. Sugg, one of the three judges on the recount court, confirmed that the judges had not yet issued a response to Simonds’ motions.”)
• In young Arlington County, a millennial takes the helm as board chairman (“Democrat Katie Cristol, who has been on the board for two years, said she wants emphasize regional cooperation in addition to child care, Metro funding and housing affordability.”)
• Women’s March on Roanoke inspires a new wave of leadership for a second rally
• Charlottesville rally costs topped half a million dollars
• Walker chosen as next mayor of Charlottesville (“Heather Hill was elected vice mayor following a tense two-hour discussion that saw councilors openly share grievances with each other.”)
• Nikuyah Walker elected Mayor of Charlottesville and Heather Hill elected Vice Mayor (“Walker is the first African-American woman to be Mayor of Charlottesville”)
• Potentially massive winter storm brewing off the coast (“The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for the entire East Coast, with snow totals for northeastern North Carolina, southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to be anywhere from 3 to 6 inches.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Light coating of snow possible tonight, then punishing cold and wind