by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, June 15.
- Hong Kong’s Leader, Yielding to Protests, Suspends Extradition Bill
- UK joins US in accusing Iran of tanker attacks as crew held
- Iran and the U.S. Are on a Collision Course (“The president needs to heed his deal-making reflex, not his hawkish advisers.”)
- Trump blames Iran for the tanker attacks. But let’s be skeptical of his administration’s pro-war bluster. (“The speed in which the U.S. government officially blamed Iran should give us pause, given our own history in the region.”)
- Trump has backed himself into a dangerous corner on Iran (“Both the U.S. and Iran should deescalate tensions after attacks on tanker ships, likely carried out by Tehran.”)
- U.S. Puts Iran on Notice and Weighs Response to Attack on Tankers (“Mr. Trump offered no details on how the U.S. might push back and suggested he was ready to engage with the Iranians, who denied responsibility for the attacks.”)
- Jeremy Corbyn: no ‘credible evidence’ of Iran role in tanker attacks
- Mexico releases copy of letter touted by Trump
- Trump remarks deepen distrust with intelligence community (“Trump’s declaration that he would accept dirt on his 2020 opponents from foreign governments is threatening his already strained relationships with the intelligence and law-enforcement communities.”)
- Trump’s willingness to accept help from foreign enemies could suppress black votes (“If you are going to target Democratic voters you are going to target African Americans”)
- The Republican Party Is Waging War Against Free and Fair Elections in This Country (“The Kris Kobach-led voter fraud commission is being exposed as a bigger scam with each passing day.”)
- As fears of war loom, Trump’s Iran policy, arms deals face challenges in Congress
- White House officials privately say Trump handling questions about foreign interference in elections poorly
- Under Fire, Trump Says He Would ‘Absolutely’ Report Foreign Campaign Help (Uh huh…)
- Justice Department backs Treasury on blocking Trump tax returns
- Trump spent 50 minutes of his birthday talking to Fox & Friends and spewed a lot of nonsense (“The gaslighting is so real.”)
- Emails Connect Census Official With GOP Strategist On Citizenship Question
- The World’s Most Insane Energy Project Moves Ahead (“Australia approves Adani coal mine, endangering the Great Barrier Reef and, well, civilization”)
- Where the Climate Change Action Is (“Hint: It’s not Washington.” It needs to be in Virginia – ASAP. That includes killing the fracked-gas Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline, and instead cranking up energy efficiency, solar and offshore wind power.)
- As Trump Touts Ethanol, Scientists Question the Fuel’s Climate Claims (Corn-based ethanol is a disaster.)
- President Trump’s internal polling data from March showed him far behind Joe Biden in key battleground states (“The polling data, revealed for the first time by ABC News, showed a double-digit lead for Biden in Pennsylvania 55-39 and Wisconsin 51-41 and had Biden leading by seven points in Florida. In Texas, a Republican stronghold, the numbers showed the president only leading by two points.”)
- NBC announces lineup of Democrats for each night of first 2020 debate (“To decide the matchups, candidates’ names were drawn manually at NBC News’ headquarters in New York.”)
- The Democratic Debate Lineups Are Set. Here’s What to Expect. (“The first night will be Elizabeth Warren’s to lose, while the second will be a four-way showdown between the rest of the top-tier candidates.”)
- 4 early takeaways from the Democratic debate lineups (“Biden vs. Sanders — but also Warren with a huge platform”)
- The DNC Tried To Avoid A Lopsided Debate. It Got One Anyway.
- The winners — and losers — of the Democratic debate draw (“Despite the Democratic Party’s efforts to avoid a ‘kiddie table,’ the first night lineup comes close.”)
- The real reason Trump won’t put Harriet Tubman on $20 bill (“Americans don’t need to scratch hard on the surface of this presidency to find the poorly concealed bigotry beneath. But who else knows this about the current occupant of the White House? The Russians. And this brings me to the most dangerous harm unleashed on our country by our white supremacist-in-chief — and it affects all of us. Intelligence reports describe Russian efforts to help elect Trump by targeting potential black voters to ultimately get them to stay away from the polls. White supremacy is a national security issue.”)
- Numerous TV affiliates across the country are promoting a campaign gimmick for Trump’s reelection campaign
- A Fox News anchor lied about immigrants during the town hall with Julian Castro
- New Jersey and Maine Head Towards 100% Clean Energy; Dominion-Dominated Virginia Left in the Dirty Energy Dust
- Nine contests in Richmond area will be key to fight for control of legislature
- Virginia health boards ban conversion therapy for minors, a move likely to face legal challenges
- Richmond Jewish leaders discuss anti-Semitism with Sen. Mark Warner
- McEachin has not yet spoken to Northam, says he’s ‘still feeling the pain’ from scandal
- Governor Northam makes a 5-day trade mission to France and Germany
- Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Says It’s Unlikely He’ll Testify Before Lawmakers About Sexual Assault Claims
- With Democratic primaries over in Fairfax, GOP candidates geared for battle (Yeah, good luck with that.)
- EDITORIAL: Virginia must protect its elections from foreign interference
- Koch Brothers Gives Virginia Dems a Handy Guide for Several Districts We Need to Focus Our Time, Attention and Money On This Year
- Leading Up to July 9 VA General Assembly Special Session, New Poll Finds “Virginians Want Action on Gun Reform”
- Good government wins in Fairfax (Seriously? The WaPo thinks it would have been BAD government with, let’s say, Alicia Plerhoples or Ryan McElveen or someone like James Miglicacio or Larysa Kautz or Shyamali Hauth or Phil Niezelski-Eichner – who they endorsed – or Edythe Kelleher or Erika Yalowitz or…? As usual, who knows what Lee Hockstader’s talking about.)
- Northern Virginia schools superintendent announces retirement (“He led the high-performing Arlington County Public Schools for a decade.”)
- Fredericksburg schools superintendent David Melton to retire
- Robers: Economic development for rural and Southwest Virginia
- Former Legislative Aide to Joe Morrissey Is on the Ballot as an Independent Candidate Against Morrissey. Should Dems Back Him?
- Editorial: What if Joe Morrissey is the ally rural Virginia needs? (Seriously? LOL)
- “Consolation in the chaos”: Virginia Beach Municipal Center memorial becomes place of pilgrimage
- Feeling more like June through the weekend, and turning unsettled into next week (“Today’s a winner. Tomorrow isn’t too bad, either.”)
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