Friday News: Pres. Obama Speaks in Orlando; “Trump’s poll ratings in a historic hole”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, June 17.

• Watchdog: Suspect in slaying of British lawmaker linked to U.S.-based neo-Nazis (“The suspected killer in the fatal stabbing and shooting of Jo Cox has been a longtime supporter of the National Alliance extremist group, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.”)
• President Obama keeps focus on guns in Orlando: “Why it is they think our liberty requires these repeated tragedies”
• A round of applause for Chris Murphy: The Connecticut senator brilliantly filibusters to end Republican obstructionism on gun control
• Republicans in denial: They still can’t accept that years of festering racism made Trump 2016 possible (And lack of respect for the truth, civility, science, etc, etc.)
• The NRA is wrong: This is exactly the right time to talk about guns
• The GOP is learning the hard way that character matters (“The presumptive Republican nominee’s instincts are on full view in the wake of Orlando.”)
• I gave out ‘baskets of money’ in Iraq. Trump is completely wrong about what our Army did there.
• The challenges in covering Trump’s relentless assault on the truth (“There are no rules for evaluating a candidate who routinely says things that are not true.”)
• Trump’s war on the media carries chilling echoes of Nixon (“The men share a desire to undermine the journalists whose attention they crave.”)
• Bernie Sanders Officially Announces He Will Run for President Forever
• Pelosi: Trump is unifying Dems
• Our view: Trump’s gay outreach at odds with Cuccinelli (Also, “Trump’s gay outreach” is not in any way serious.)
• John McCain follows Trump’s lead: President Obama is “directly responsible” for Orlando shooting (I mean, this is the same guy who chose friggin’ Sarah Palin as his running mate, so…)
• Trump’s poll ratings in a historic hole
• Sanders loses convention leverage (“Bernie’s summer was supposed to be about strengthening his hand for the Democratic convention. But since the California primary, his position has gotten weaker.”)
• Paul Krugman: Fear, Loathing and Brexit (“Not to be coy: I would vote Remain. I’d do it in full awareness that the E.U. is deeply dysfunctional and shows few signs of reforming. But British exit — Brexit — would probably make things worse, not just for Britain, but for Europe as a whole.”)
• Sen. Warner said he’s not in the running to be Hillary Clinton’s vice president
• Swecker: Virginia Democrats’ Convention: It’s go time
• McAuliffe loses another top lieutenant on economy (“Va. commerce secretary Jones to leave, following economic development chief’s exit.”)
• Trump’s Va. chairman tapped to help shape RPV strategy for November (That says it all about the RPV!)
• Maryland quits fight against Dominion plan to dump coal-ash water into Potomac
• Cigarette trafficking figure pleads guilty
• Advisory Firm Agrees to Invest $15.7 Million, Add 348 Jobs in Arlington
• More than 170k without power in region; NWS says worst of storm may be over
• Norfolk’s PrideFest will come with bigger police presence to assure safety
• Showers depart as sunshine returns for a several day stay