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The New York Times lists Emmy winners. The AP has an overview story here.

New York Times: “Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Saturday in Norway, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale.... [Hvaldimir] was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St. Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount. Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale. If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one. The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas....” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Oh, Lord, do not let Bobby Kennedy, Jr., near that carcass. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: “There’s no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.... Police said that the Norwegian Veterinary Institute conducted a preliminary autopsy on the animal, which was become known as 'Hvaldimir,' combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'There are no findings from the autopsy that indicate that Hvaldimir has been shot,' police said in a statement.”

New York Times: Botswana's “President Mokgweetsi Masisi grinned as he lifted the diamond, a 2,492-carat stone that is the biggest diamond unearthed in more than a century and the second-largest ever found, according to the Vancouver-based mining operator Lucara, which owns the mine where it was found. This exceptional discovery could bring back the luster of the natural diamond mining industry, mining companies and experts say. The diamond was discovered in the same relatively small mine in northeastern Botswana that has produced several of the largest such stones in living memory. Such gemstones typically surface as a result of volcanic activity.... The diamond will likely sell in the range of tens of millions of dollars....”

Click on photo to enlarge.

~~~ Guardian: "On a distant reef 16,000km from Paris, surfer Gabriel Medina has given Olympic viewers one of the most memorable images of the Games yet, with an airborne celebration so well poised it looked too good to be true. The Brazilian took off a thundering wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti on Monday, emerging from a barrelling section before soaring into the air and appearing to settle on a Pacific cloud, pointing to the sky with biblical serenity, his movements mirrored precisely by his surfboard. The shot was taken by Agence France-Presse photographer Jérôme Brouillet, who said “the conditions were perfect, the waves were taller than we expected”. He took the photo while aboard a boat nearby, capturing the surreal image with such accuracy that at first some suspected Photoshop or AI." 

Washington Post: “'Mary Cassatt at Work' is a large and mostly satisfying exhibition devoted to the career of the great American artist beloved for her sensitive and often sentimental views of family life. The 'at work' in the title of the Philadelphia Museum of Art show references the curators’ interest in Cassatt’s pioneering effort to establish herself as a professional artist within a male-dominated field. Throughout the show, which includes some 130 paintings, pastels, prints and drawings, the wall text and the art on view stresses Cassatt’s fixation on art as a career rather than a pastime.... Mary Cassatt at Work is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Sept. 8. philamuseum.org”

New York Times: “Bob Newhart, who died on Thursday at the age of 94, has been such a beloved giant of popular culture for so long that it’s easy to forget how unlikely it was that he became one of the founding fathers of stand-up comedy. Before basically inventing the hit stand-up special, with the 1960 Grammy-winning album 'The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart' — that doesn’t even count his pay-per-view event broadcast on Canadian television that some cite as the first filmed special — he was a soft-spoken accountant who had never done a set in a nightclub. That he made a classic with so little preparation is one of the great miracles in the history of comedy.... Bob Newhart holds up. In fact, it’s hard to think of a stand-up from that era who is a better argument against the commonplace idea that comedy does not age well.”

Washington Post: “An early Titian masterpiece — once looted by Napolean’s troops and a part of royal collections for centuries — caused a stir when it was stolen from the home of a British marquess in 1995. Seven years later, it was found inside an unassuming white and blue plastic bag at a bus stop in southwest London by an art detective, and returned. This week, the oil painting 'The Rest on the Flight into Egypt' sold for more than $22 million at Christie’s. It was a record for the Renaissance artist, whom museums describe as the greatest painter of 16th-century Venice. Ahead of the sale in April, the auction house billed it as 'the most important work by Titian to come to the auction market in more than a generation.'”

Washington Post: The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., which houses the world's largest collection of Shakespeare material, has undergone a major renovation. "The change to the building is pervasive, both subtle and transformational."

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Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns


Tuesday
Feb132024

The Conversation -- February 14, 2024

Just the Sweetest Valentine's Day Message Ever. Miranda Nazzarro of the Hill: Donald "Trump wished former first lady Melania Trump a Happy Valentine's Day on Wednesday by thanking her for her support throughout his various criminal cases. In a campaign email sent Wednesday morning, Trump offered a 'letter' with the subject line, 'I love you, Melania!' 'Dear Melania, I LOVE YOU. Even after every single INDICTMENT, ARREST, and WITCH HUNT, you never left my side... You've always supported me through everything. I wouldn't be the man I am today without your guidance, kindness, and warmth.... You will always mean the world to me, Melania! From your husband with love, Donald J. Trump.'... Readers were then directed to a website where they could leave their own Valentine's Day message or donate to his reelection campaign." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Isn't it sweet, too, that Trump is thoughtful enough to realizes his wife may not remember who he is, so he identifies himself as her husband and includes his full name? Okay, it is rather unkind of him to blame her for making him the man he is. Still, it almost makes you feel like making a large campaign contribution -- though maybe not to Trump.

House Pines for My Kevin. Rachel Bade of Politico: "... in his fourth month in alleged power, Speaker Mike Johnson has accomplished what once seemed unthinkable: making [former speaker Kevin] McCarthy seem like a skilled strategist and master of the House. Interviews with multiple Republicans over the last few days across multiple House factions -- people who consider themselves on Johnson's team, as well as those who were never enthusiastic about his rise -- describe a speaker who seems to be winging it on major questions of strategy, messaging and basic vote-counting.... 'Kevin would have a strategy, he'd shop it around, then he'd make a play call,' a senior Republican lawmaker said. 'The more I'm around Johnson, the more it's clear to me he doesn't have a plan.'"

Lindsey's Surrender Is Complete. Liz Goodwin & Leigh Ann Caldwell of the Washington Post: "Last May, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, warmly embracing the embattled leader and later urging President Biden to 'do more' to help the nation as it fights off Russia's invasion. But this week, Graham voted repeatedly against sending $60 billion in aid to that nation as well as against other military funds for Israel and U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific.... 'I talked to President Trump today and he's dead set against this package,' Graham said on the Senate floor on Sunday.... 'He thinks that we should make packages like this a loan, not a gift,' Graham said.... The episode has also eroded Graham's credibility among colleagues who worked closely with him to shape a bipartisan package of border policy reforms that Republicans demanded be attached to the foreign aid in exchange for their votes -- only to backtrack and help kill it in the end."

Marie: In today's Comments, Patrick wondered if Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) had displaced Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) as the Stupidest Senator. I too was concerned, and I'm here to report that Johnson is holding his own: ~~~

     ~~~ Steve Benen of MSNBC: During an interview conducted over the weekend, "Johnson conceded that the Russian leader is a 'war criminal,' before saying, 'But an awful lot of what Vladimir Putin said was right.' [Johnson then] criticized U.S. sanctions before concluding, 'A lot of the points that Vladimir Putin made are accurate. They're obvious.'" Benen also cited Politico reporting that suggests Johnson voted against aid to Ukraine as a way of "helping" Ukraine, because letting Russia win will end the war faster.

Miranda Nazzarro of the Hill: "... just days after [Donald Trump] threw his support behind his daughter-in-law [Lara Trump] to serve as co-chair of the RNC[, she told Newsmax,] 'Every single penny will go to the No. 1 and the only job of the RNC --that is elected Donald J. Trump as president of the United States and saving this country.'" MB: The RNC's mandate is to aid all GOP candidates, not only its presidential* candidate.

Adam Reiss & Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "State Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over the $370 million civil fraud case in New York against ... Donald Trump and his company, is expected to issue his verdict in the trial by the end of the week, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told NBC News. 'It is currently anticipated the Engoron decision will be released on Friday, barring unforeseen circumstances,' the person said Tuesday."

Kate Conger of the New York Times: "X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, is potentially violating U.S. sanctions by accepting payments for subscription accounts from terrorist organizations and other groups barred from doing business in the country, according to a new report. The report, by the Tech Transparency Project, a nonprofit focused on accountability for large technology companies, shows that X ... has taken payments from accounts that include Hezbollah leaders, Houthi groups, and state-run media outlets in Iran and Russia. The subscriptions, which cost $8 a month, offer users a blue check mark -- once limited to verified users like celebrities -- and better promotion by X's algorithm, among other perks.... 'It's yet another sign that X has lost control of its platform,' [said Katie Paul, the director of the Tech Transparency Project.]"

~~~~~~~~~~

** Nicholas Fandos of the New York Times: "Tom Suozzi, a former Democratic congressman, won a closely watched special House election in New York on Tuesday, narrowing the Republican majority in Washington and offering his party a potential playbook to run in key suburban swing areas in November. His victory in the Queens and Long Island district avenged a year of humiliation unleashed by the seat's former occupant, George Santos, and stanched a trend that had seen Republicans capture nearly every major election on Long Island since 2021. Mr. Suozzi, 61, fended off the Republican nominee, Mazi Pilip, in a race that became an expensive preview of many of the fights expected to dominate November's general election, especially over the influx of migrants at the border and in New York City." The AP's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: With 93% of the voted counted, Suozzi was leading Pilip 53.9% to 46.1%. This was pretty much a blowout in a race that showed the candidates in close to a statistical tie. ~~~

~~~ Nicholas Fandos & Katie Glueck of the New York Times: "... Mr. Suozzi's campaign ... provided ... a playbook for candidates across the country competing on turf where President Biden and his party remain deeply unpopular. The strategy went something like this: Challenge Republicans on issues that they usually monopolize, like crime, taxes and, above all, immigration. Flash an independent streak. And fire up the Democratic base with attacks -- in this case, nearly $10 million in ads -- on the abortion issue and ... Donald J. Trump.... In both [this race & the race for a Pennsylvania state house seat (story linked below)], the Biden campaign released statements casting the Democratic victories as defeats of Trumpism.... Mr. Trump, for his part, distanced himself from Ms. Pilip, a registered Democrat who never fully embraced him as a candidate, deriding her as a 'very foolish woman' [because she wasn't MAGA enough]."

Can you imagine? A former president of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it. And the worst thing is he means it. No other president in our history has ever bowed down to a Russian dictator. Let me say this as clearly as I can -- I never will. For God's sake, it's dumb, it's shameful, it's dangerous, it's un-American. -- President Joe Biden, Tuesday, on Donald Trump ~~~

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "President Biden denounced ... Donald J. Trump on Tuesday for encouraging Russia to attack certain NATO allies ... as he implored House Republicans to defy their putative nominee and pass new security aid for Ukraine and Israel. In a televised statement, Mr. Biden said a $95 billion spending package that the Senate passed earlier in the day on a bipartisan vote was imperative to help defeat the 'vicious onslaught' of President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia against Ukraine. And he linked the legislative debate to Mr. Trump's campaign speech siding with Moscow over European allies that he deemed 'delinquent.'" More on the foreign aid package linked below. (Also linked yesterday.) An AP story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: It is rare -- in fact, this may be the first time -- for President Biden to criticize Donald Trump from the White House. But this wasn't a political speech so much as it was outrage where outrage was due.

Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "The United States House of Representatives voted narrowly on Tuesday to impeach Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, in a precedent-shattering vote that charged him with willfully refusing to enforce border laws and breaching the public trust. In a 214 to 213 vote, Republicans barreled past the solid opposition of Democrats and reservations in their own ranks to make Mr. Mayorkas the first sitting cabinet secretary in U.S. history to be impeached.... The charges against Mr. Mayorkas are expected to be rejected in the Democratic-led Senate, where conviction would require a two-thirds majority and even some Republicans have called the effort dead on arrival. It was not immediately clear whether senators would hold a trial to consider the articles, or vote to dismiss them.... The charges against him broke with history by failing to identify any such offense, instead effectively declaring the policy choices Mr. Mayorkas has carried out a constitutional crime." This is the pinned item in a liveblog. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Jacqueline Alemany of the Washington Post: "Breaking: House impeaches Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, succeeding on second try, in a rebuke of Biden's immigration policy. The resolution is non-binding, however, and may not go very far in the Senate because even some Republicans don't believe that Mayorkas's actions clear the bar for the high crimes and misdemeanors necessary for conviction. But Mayorkas is the first sitting Cabinet secretary to be impeached in 150 years. This story will be updated." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Lisa Mascaro of the AP: "The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after failing last week in a politically embarrassing setback." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: You should have seen the little satisfied smirk on Mike Johnson's face when he announced the impeachment vote. Manu Raju of CNN said the Senate, which is out of session for two weeks, probably would vote to dismiss the two impeachment charges without holding a trial. Viva Mayorkas! ~~~

~~~ President Biden's statement is here, via the White House: "History will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games."

Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: "The Senate passed a $95 billion national security package to aid Israel, Ukraine and other U.S. allies early Tuesday after a months-long debate that has deeply divided congressional Republicans. The bill passed 70-29, after 22 Republicans joined Democrats in approving the aid. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) preemptively rejected the legislation on Monday night, saying in a statement that the package's failure to address U.S. border security makes it a nonstarter in the House. 'In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,' Johnson said in a statement. 'America deserves better than the Senate's status quo.'" Politico's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Party of Putin, Ctd. Sky Palma of the Raw Story: "The House GOP's star witness in the Oversight Committee's investigation into Hunter Biden turns out to be connected to a Russian oligarch, The Daily Beast reported Tuesday. High-profile investor Tony Bobulinski has links to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, a Ukrainian-born energy magnate who's been a longtime close ally of Vladimir Putin's, according to the report. 'In 2017, Vekselberg reportedly funneled $500,000 to an LLC run by Donald Trump's former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, supposedly with the intention of influencing the new administration to let Russia illegally occupy parts of Eastern Ukraine,' The Beast's report stated. Vekselberg has been sanctioned more than once by U.S. law enforcement in regards to Russia's attempts to influence the 2016 election and the nation's aggression towards Ukraine, but Republicans are trying to ignore his links to Bobulinski. On Tuesday, Bobulinski will appear for a private interview with the House panel looking into impeaching President Joe Biden." (Also linked yesterday.)

Party of Putin, Ctd. Comrade Potatohead. Howard Koplowitz of Al.com: "Russian President Vladimir Putin is 'open to peace' but "D.C. warmongers' want to extend the conflict in Ukraine, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said in explaining why he opposes the $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. 'Vladimir Putin wants out of this -- you heard that on Tucker Carlson,' Tuberville told Fox Business' Larry Kudlow during an appearance on the network Monday to discuss the Senate bill that ties funding for Ukraine and Israel to border security provisions."

Annie Karni of the New York Times: "The racist discourse by Republican members of Congress, both in casual comments and in official statements, has become so commonplace that it now often slips by without any real condemnation from the G.O.P. Democrats frequently call for apologies but no longer expect any response, and those futile denunciations quickly disappear into a morass of polarized content on social media. The pattern is playing out as the Republican Party once again coalesces behind former President Donald J. Trump.... His approach has encouraged some Republicans to freely use rhetoric that denigrates people based on ethnicity, religion or nationality. 'The nature of Trumpism is to embolden extremism,' said Representative Ritchie Torres, a Black Democrat from New York.... Mr. Torres said the sad reality was that 'the extreme elements have concluded that racism might be bad morals but it's good politics.'" Read on. Karni provides sickening examples of what passes for GOP discourse." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Judy Kurtz of the Hill: "Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is blasting a politically charged episode of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' saying it 'lied' and painted conservatives in her state and supporters of former President Trump as 'racists and red necks.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Well, that's mighty peculiar, because here's part of what Annie Karni writes about Greene's Congressional performance (linked above): "When Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, stood on the House floor this month to announce her proposal to censure the only Somali-born member of Congress, she said she was seeking punishment for 'Representative Ilhan Omar of Somalia -- I mean Minnesota.'... Ms. Greene has been fund-raising off her proposed censure of Ms. Omar, which was written relying on a mistranslation of her remarks in Somali that spread virally on right-wing social media, and she has fed the loop by amplifying the hate and misinformation online."

A Valentine's Day Story for Our Time. Marie: Your intended give you a beautiful engagement ring. But he didn't buy it or inherit it. He acquired it as part of a bribe. Then he haggled over the value of the bribe. (Alledgedly!) ~~~

~~~ Tracey Tully & Benjamin Weiser of the New York Times: "A luxury Mercedes-Benz, gold bars, exercise equipment and stacks of cash featured prominently in a federal indictment that charged Senator Robert Menendez with accepting a sordid array of bribes. Now, prosecutors say a diamond engagement ring for the senator's future wife, Nadine Menendez, was also part of the elaborate bribery scheme -- and a source of infighting between co-defendants who are expected to stand trial together in May. Wael Hana, a longtime friend of Ms. Menendez's who is also charged in the alleged conspiracy, attempted to cheat her out of the full value of the ring, according to court documents filed late Monday by prosecutors in Manhattan.... [In the new filing,] there are snippets from secretly recorded conversations and details about where investigators found two bags filled with roughly $100,000 in cash each.... As part of the bribery plot, prosecutors said Mr. Hana arranged for carpet installation at Ms. Menendez's home." CNN's report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If you read through the details of this report, you might be thinking Senator Bob is going to jail.

Dan Lamothe of the Washington Post: "Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from his latest hospitalization Tuesday ... as he endures a difficult recovery from prostate cancer that included surgery in December and a lengthy stay in intensive care last month. Austin, 70, was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland about 3:30 p.m., the Pentagon said in a statement. He resumed his duties as defense secretary about 5 p.m. and is expected to continue his recovery from home and participate remotely in meetings Wednesday. Austin's doctors, John Maddox and Gregory Chesnut, said in the statement that he developed a bladder problem 'related to his December 2023 prostate cancer surgery' and that his condition when he returned to the hospital again Sunday 'indicated a need for close monitoring by the critical care team and supportive care.'" The NBC News story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ The DOD's statement is here.

Josh Gerstein & Kyle Cheney of Politico: "Chief Justice John Roberts is giving prosecutors a week to respond to ... Donald Trump's request to keep his federal criminal election-subversion trial on hold while he tries to persuade the Supreme Court to scuttle it entirely on the grounds of presidential immunity. A brief docket entry from the court Tuesday morning said special counsel Jack Smith has until next Tuesday at 5 p.m. to address the emergency application Trump's lawyers filed at the high court Monday." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times story is here.

Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering loosening its recommendations regarding how long people should isolate after testing positive for the coronavirus, another reflection of changing attitudes and norms as the pandemic recedes. Under the proposed guidelines, Americans would no longer be advised to isolate for five days before returning to work or school. Instead, they might return to their routines if they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without medication, the same standard applied to the influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses. The proposal would align the C.D.C.'s advice with revised isolation recommendations in Oregon and California. The shift was reported earlier by The Washington Post, but it is still under consideration, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions." (Also linked yesterday.)

Trisha Thadani, et al., of the Washington Post: In 2022, a "Tesla Model 3 barreled into a tree and exploded in flames, killing [Hans] von Ohain, a Tesla employee and devoted fan of CEO Elon Musk. [Passenger Erk] Rossiter, who survived the crash, told emergency responders that von Ohain was using an 'auto-drive feature on the Tesla' that 'just ran straight off the road.'... In a recent interview, Rossiter said he believes that von Ohain was using Full Self-Driving, which -- if true -- would make his death the first known fatality involving Tesla's most advanced driver-assistance technology.... Since federal regulators began requiring automakers to report crashes involving driver-assistance systems in 2021, they have logged more than 900 in Teslas, including at least 40 that resulted in serious or fatal injuries, according to a Post analysis. Most involved Autopilot, which is designed for use on controlled-access highways. No fatal crash has been definitively linked to the more sophisticated Full Self-Driving, which is programmed to guide the car almost anywhere...." (Also linked yesterday.)

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Georgia. A Win for Democracy. David Edwards of the Raw Story: "In a defeat for MAGA election crusaders, Georgia's Republican-controlled State Board of Elections voted down a measure that would have limited the use of absentee voting. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the board considered an effort from Republican member Janice Johnston to limit no-excuse absentee voting, which became more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, on Tuesday a majority of the Board of Elections voted to uphold no-excuse absentee voting."

Kansas. Julie Bosman of the New York Times: "A 45-year-old Kansas man has been charged in the theft of a life-size bronze statue of the baseball legend Jackie Robinson from a park in Wichita, Kan. The police in Wichita said on Tuesday that the motive for the crime was probably to sell the statue for scrap metal. The man, Ricky Alderete, was charged on Monday with felony theft, aggravated criminal damage to property and making false information, the police said. Lt. Aaron Moses of the Wichita Police Department said that an investigation was continuing, but that concerns that the theft of the statue might have been racially motivated had been put to rest." The chief of the Wichita Police said the department expected it would be making more arrests in the case. So I'm still thinking racism was an underlying factor.

Michigan. Edward Helmore of the Guardian: "A Republican Michigan politician has been stripped of his office staff and committee assignments after sharing a social media post about the racist 'great replacement' theory about a coordinated effort to diminish the influence of white people through immigration and low birth rates. The Republican state representative Josh Schriver had his privileges removed by the Michigan house speaker, Joe Tate, but will still be able to vote on legislation. The decision came a week after Schriver, a first-term lawmaker, uploaded a picture that depicted Black figures covering most of a map of the world, with white figures in small areas of Australia, Canada, northern Europe and the northern US. The bottom of the graphic read 'The great replacement!' The picture was originally posted by Jack Posobiec, a far-right pundit, and reposted on X by Schriver."

Pennsylvania State House Race. Adam Edelman of NBC News: "Democrats won a state House special election in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night, preserving the party's narrow majority in the closely watched battleground state, The Associated Press projected. In the race for the open seat in the 140th state House District, Democrat Jim Prokopiak, a school board member in Bucks County, defeated Republican Candace Cabanas. Prokopiak's victory gives Democrats a narrow 102-100 majority in the state House, preventing another tie in the chamber.... Republicans control the state Senate, while Democrats hold the governorship. The win in Bucks County -- a purple slice of the northern suburbs of Philadelphia -- was hailed as positive news by national Democrats...."

Texas. Natalie Contreras, a new U.S. citizen, writes in the Texas Tribune that even though she is an elections reporter, it took her three tries to get Texas to properly process her application: "... not everyone has the ability, the time, or the resources to ask questions, double-check their registration status, and make multiple attempts. Being able to participate in democracy should not be this hard."

Wisconsin. Wow! Another Win for Democracy. Alice Herman of the Guardian: "Wisconsin lawmakers voted on Tuesday to adopt legislative maps drawn by the Democratic governor, Tony Evers -- inching the state closer to undoing the extreme gerrymander that has ensured Republican control of the state for more than a decade. The pair of votes in the Republican-dominated state assembly and state senate are a sign that the years-long battle over Wisconsin's legislative maps may be finally drawing to a close, giving Democrats a chance to win control of the state legislature in upcoming elections for the first time since 2012. The vote is the result of a December ruling from the Wisconsin supreme court that the current state assembly and senate maps are unconstitutional, ordering the state to adopt new legislative maps before the 2024 election -- and setting a mid-March deadline. Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the governor and multiple third-party groups submitted revised maps to the court for consideration, and in a 1 February report, consultants hired by the court to review them said that the GOP-drawn maps maintained the partisan gerrymander and 'do not deserve further consideration'. The maps submitted by Democrats retained a Republican advantage, the consultants found, but to a much-reduced degree."

~~~~~~~~~~

Indonesia. Sui-Lee Wee & Muktita Suhartono New York Times: "Indonesia's defense minister, a feared former general who was removed from the army after he was found responsible for the kidnapping of political dissidents, appeared on track to winning the presidential election outright on Wednesday, casting doubts on the future of one of the world's most vibrant democracies. The candidate, Prabowo Subianto, had a commanding lead in the three-way race for president, with more than 58 percent of the vote, according to unofficial tallies that have a history of accurately predicting the final results."

Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Wednesday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continued to exchange fire across the border with Lebanon. On Wednesday morning, Israel's ambulance service said one woman was killed by rocket fire in the country's north. On Tuesday, Israel's military said it struck Hezbollah targets after two people were reported to have been seriously injured by a Hezbollah rocket attack." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Wednesday are here. CNN's live updates are here.

Vivian Yee, et al., of the New York Times: "Negotiators from multiple countries met in Cairo on Tuesday, struggling to reach an agreement to temporarily stop the war in the Gaza Strip, as international concern mounted over Israel's plan to press its ground offensive into the city of Rafah, where more than half of the territory's population has sought refuge. Talks involving lower-level officials will continue for another three days, according to an Egyptian and an American official briefed on the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. They described the negotiations on Tuesday as promising, but Israel and Hamas were still not close to a deal."

News Ledes

New York Times: "A shooting near Kansas City's Union Station on Wednesday left one person dead and at least 21 others [-- 9 of whom are children --] with gunshot wounds, turning a Super Bowl victory celebration into a scene of chaos as thousands of fans in red jerseys ran for safety. It was unclear who was responsible. Three people had been detained, the Kansas City police chief [Stacey Graves] said at a news conference. She did not name them and said that investigators had not identified a motive.... At least two of the people in custody had been armed, the police said, and a third person had also been detained, the chief said.... The chief asked the public to provide any video or other information that could help the authorities determine what had happened.... The celebration of the Chiefs' victory ended with a rally in front of Union Station, an Amtrak hub and tourist spot in downtown Kansas City, Mo. 'As soon as the rally concluded, there were shots fired on the west side of Union Station,' Chief Graves said, adding, 'I know one of the suspects was immediately pursued on foot.'" This is a liveblog. It is an update of a developing story linked earlier.

Washington Post: "Three D.C. police officers serving an arrest warrant related to animal cruelty were shot and wounded Wednesday morning near Benning Park in Southeast Washington, prompting a nearly 13-hour standoff that ended with police taking the suspect into custody, authorities said. The armed standoff in the 5000 block of Hanna Street SE finally ended just before 9 p.m., having disrupted schools and forced neighbors out of their homes along a street with small brick houses and plots of grass. A police spokesman confirmed Wednesday night the suspect was in custody. Authorities said the officers were not seriously injured."

Comments Off
Tuesday
Feb132024

The Conversation -- February 13, 2024

Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "The United States House of Representatives voted narrowly on Tuesday to impeach Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, in a precedent-shattering vote that charged him with willfully refusing to enforce border laws and breaching the public trust. In a 214 to 213 vote, Republicans barreled past the solid opposition of Democrats and reservations in their own ranks to make Mr. Mayorkas the first sitting cabinet secretary in U.S. history to be impeached.... The charges against Mr. Mayorkas are expected to be rejected in the Democratic-led Senate, where conviction would require a two-thirds majority and even some Republicans have called the effort dead on arrival. It was not immediately clear whether senators would hold a trial to consider the articles, or vote to dismiss them.... The charges against him broke with history by failing to identify any such offense, instead effectively declaring the policy choices Mr. Mayorkas has carried out a constitutional crime." This is the pinned item in a liveblog. ~~~

     ~~~ Jacqueline Alemany of the Washington Post: "Breaking: House impeaches Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, succeeding on second try, in a rebuke of Biden's immigration policy. The resolution is non-binding, however, and may not go very far in the Senate because even some Republicans don't believe that Mayorkas's actions clear the bar for the high crimes and misdemeanors necessary for conviction. But Mayorkas is the first sitting Cabinet secretary to be impeached in 150 years. This story will be updated." ~~~

     ~~~ Lisa Mascaro of the AP: "The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after failing last week in a politically embarrassing setback." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: You should have seen the little satisfied smirk on Mike Johnson's face when he announced the impeachment vote. Manu Raju of CNN said the Senate, which is out of session for two weeks, probably would vote to dismiss the two impeachment charges without holding a trial. Viva Mayorkas!

Can you imagine? A former president of the United States saying that? The whole world heard it. And the worst thing is he means it. No other president in our history has ever bowed down to a Russian dictator. Let me say this as clearly as I can -- I never will. For God's sake, it’s dumb, it's shameful, it's dangerous, it's un-American. -- President Joe Biden, Tuesday, on Donald Trump ~~~

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "President Biden denounced ... Donald J. Trump on Tuesday for encouraging Russia to attack certain NATO allies ... as he implored House Republicans to defy their putative nominee and pass new security aid for Ukraine and Israel. In a televised statement, Mr. Biden said a $95 billion spending package that the Senate passed earlier in the day on a bipartisan vote was imperative to help defeat the 'vicious onslaught' of President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia against Ukraine. And he linked the legislative debate to Mr. Trump's campaign speech siding with Moscow over European allies that he deemed 'delinquent.'"

Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: "The Senate passed a $95 billion national security package to aid Israel, Ukraine and other U.S. allies early Tuesday after a months-long debate that has deeply divided congressional Republicans. The bill passed 70-29, after 22 Republicans joined Democrats in approving the aid. Bu House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) preemptively rejected the legislation on Monday night, saying in a statement that the package's failure to address U.S. border security makes it a nonstarter in the House. 'In the absence of having received any single border policy change from the Senate, the House will have to continue to work its own will on these important matters,' Johnson said in a statement. 'America deserves better than the Senate's status quo.'" ~~~

Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "House Republicans will try on Tuesday for a second time to impeach Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, on charges of willfully refusing to enforce border laws and breaching the public trust, after their first attempt at the partisan indictment ended in a stunning defeat. Three Republicans joined all Democrats last week in rejecting the impeachment charges, leaving the G.O.P., which has a tiny margin, just one vote short of a majority in a humiliating spectacle on the House floor.... Republicans ... were confident on Tuesday that their second attempt would be successful.... But the charges Republicans have levied have broken with history by failing to identify any such offense, instead effectively declaring the policy choices of the Biden administration that he has carried out a constitutional crime."

Party of Putin, Ctd. Sky Palma of the Raw Story: "The House GOP's star witness in the Oversight Committee's investigation into Hunter Biden turns out to be connected to a Russian oligarch, The Daily Beast reported Tuesday. High-profile investor Tony Bobulinski has links to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, a Ukrainian-born energy magnate who's been a longtime close ally of Vladimir Putin's, according to the report. 'In 2017, Vekselberg reportedly funneled $500,000 to an LLC run by Donald Trump's former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, supposedly with the intention of influencing the new administration to let Russia illegally occupy parts of Eastern Ukraine,' The Beast's report stated. Vekselberg has been sanctioned more than once by U.S. law enforcement in regards to Russia's attempts to influence the 2016 election and the nation's aggression towards Ukraine, but Republicans are trying to ignore his links to Bobulinski. On Tuesday, Bobulinski will appear for a private interview with the House panel looking into impeaching President Joe Biden."

Annie Karni of the New York Times: "The racist discourse by Republican members of Congress, both in casual comments and in official statements, has become so commonplace that it now often slips by without any real condemnation from the G.O.P. Democrats frequently call for apologies but no longer expect any response, and those futile denunciations quickly disappear into a morass of polarized content on social media. The pattern is playing out as the Republican Party once again coalesces behind former President Donald J. Trump.... His approach has encouraged some Republicans to freely use rhetoric that denigrates people based on ethnicity, religion or nationality. 'The nature of Trumpism is to embolden extremism,' said Representative Ritchie Torres, a Black Democrat from New York.... Mr. Torres said the sad reality was that 'the extreme elements have concluded that racism might be bad morals but it's good politics.'" Read on. Karni provides sickening examples of what passes for GOP "discourse." ~~~

~~~ Judy Kurtz of the Hill: "Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is blasting a politically charged episode of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' saying it 'lied' and painted conservatives in her state and supporters of former President Trump as 'racists and red necks.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Well, that's mighty peculiar, because here's part of what Annie Karni writes about Greene's Congressional performance (linked above): "When Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, stood on the House floor this month to announce her proposal to censure the only Somali-born member of Congress, she said she was seeking punishment for 'Representative Ilhan Omar of Somalia -- I mean Minnesota.'... Ms. Greene has been fund-raising off her proposed censure of Ms. Omar, which was written relying on a mistranslation of her remarks in Somali that spread virally on right-wing social media, and she has fed the loop by amplifying the hate and misinformation online."

Josh Gerstein & Kyle Cheney of Politico: "Chief Justice John Roberts is giving prosecutors a week to respond to ... Donald Trump's request to keep his federal criminal election-subversion trial on hold while he tries to persuade the Supreme Court to scuttle it entirely on the grounds of presidential immunity. A brief docket entry from the court Tuesday morning said special counsel Jack Smith has until next Tuesday at 5 p.m. to address the emergency application Trump's lawyers filed at the high court Monday."

Apoorva Mandavilli of the New York Times: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering loosening its recommendations regarding how long people should isolate after testing positive for the coronavirus, another reflection of changing attitudes and norms as the pandemic recedes. Under the proposed guidelines, Americans would no longer be advised to isolate for five days before returning to work or school. Instead, they might return to their routines if they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without medication, the same standard applied to the influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses.The proposal would align the C.D.C.'s advice with revised isolation recommendations in Oregon and California. The shift was reported earlier by The Washington Post, but it is still under consideration, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions."

Trisha Thadani, et al., of the Washington Post: In 2022, a "Tesla Model 3 barreled into a tree and exploded in flames, killing [Hans] von Ohain, a Tesla employee and devoted fan of CEO Elon Musk. [Passenger Erk] Rossiter, who survived the crash, told emergency responders that von Ohain was using an 'auto-drive feature on the Tesla' that 'just ran straight off the road.'... In a recent interview, Rossiter said he believes that von Ohain was using Full Self-Driving, which -- if true -- would make his death the first known fatality involving Tesla's most advanced driver-assistance technology.... Since federal regulators began requiring automakers to report crashes involving driver-assistance systems in 2021, they have logged more than 900 in Teslas, including at least 40 that resulted in serious or fatal injuries, according to a Post analysis. Most involved Autopilot, which is designed for use on controlled-access highways. No fatal crash has been definitively linked to the more sophisticated Full Self-Driving, which is programmed to guide the car almost anywhere...."

~~~~~~~~~~

Marie: Never mind that I wrote that last Tuesday was go-to-the-polls day in a special election to replace George Anthony Kitara Devolder Santos (Kicked-Out-of-the-House-N.Y.), today is election day on Long Island (or "Lawn Guyland," if you wish to pronounce it correctly). And there a problem (which would not have been a problem if the election had been held when I said it was): ~~~

~~~ Snowpocalypse! Nicholas Fandos of the New York Times: "... the special House election to replace George Santos in New York on Tuesday may come down to the most local of problems: an ill-timed Election Day snowstorm. Forecasters were calling for a half foot or more of snow to blanket parts of the Queens and Long Island district, with much of it falling during prime voting hours. Local leaders warned drivers to stay off the roads.... With the result expected to be exceedingly close, the most useful tools were suddenly old-fashioned shovels and snow plows -- which wary Democrats feared would be used by Nassau County Republicans to their voters' advantage."

Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "A bipartisan coalition of senators on Monday night pushed a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel to the brink of passage, as Republicans fractured bitterly over the bill, with opponents threatening to fight it until the very end. On a vote of 66 to 33, the measure cleared its last hurdle before a final vote, with 17 Republicans joining almost all Democrats to help advance it over the full-throated objections of the bulk of G.O.P. senators, Republican leaders in the House and ... Donald J. Trump. That put the bill on track to pass the Senate no later than Wednesday. But the measure's fate was uncertain as Republican foes of the legislation promised to delay Senate passage as long as possible, and as Speaker Mike Johnson suggested he had no intention of bringing it up in the House, where the majority of Republicans have opposed continuing to send aid to Ukraine." ~~~

     ~~~ The story has been updated to reflect the fact that the bill has passed the Senate. ~~~

~~~ This is what we need to see Biden do to Mikey. That's President LBJ exercising a little persuasion over Theodore Green (D-R.I.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Trials of Trump

Adam Liptak & Amy VanSickle of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to pause an appeals court's ruling rejecting his claim that he is absolutely immune from criminal charges based on his attempts to subvert the 2020 election. Unless the justices issue a stay while they consider whether to hear his promised appeal, proceedings in the criminal trial, which have been on hold, will resume. The filing was Mr. Trump's last-ditch effort to press his claim of total immunity, which has been rejected by two lower courts. The Supreme Court is now poised to determine whether and how fast his federal trial on charges that he tried to subvert the 2020 election will proceed. Unless the justices move quickly, the trial could be pushed into the heart of the 2024 campaign, or even past the election." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Delay, Delay, Delay, Voters' Rights, Ha Ha. Amy Howe of ScotusBlog: "Just as he did in [successfully] opposing Supreme Court review in December, Trump cautioned the justices against moving too quickly. He suggested that allowing him to first seek reconsideration of the panel's decision from the full D.C. Circuit would 'provide an opportunity' for 'thoughtful consideration in the lower court before this Court addresses the novel, complex, and momentous issues at stake in this appeal.' Trump's request will go first to Chief Justice John Roberts, who handles emergency appeals from the D.C. Circuit. Roberts almost certainly will direct [Jack] Smith to file a response to Trump's application. Once that response has been filed, Roberts and (again, almost certainly) the rest of the court could either treat Trump's request as an application for a stay of the D.C. Circuit's decision, as he has billed it, or they could treat it as a petition for review of the lower court's decision more broadly....

"Moreover, Trump added, if he is required to stand trial 'at the height of election season,' it would 'radically disrupt' his ability to campaign. Therefore, he concluded, the D.C. Circuit's ruling poses a threat to both his own First Amendment rights and those of 'tens of millions of Americans' -- who, he insisted, 'are entitled to hear' his 'campaign message as they decide how to cast their votes in November.'" MB: Now, that is ironic. The charges in this case are that Trump tried to deprive 80 million voters of the right to choose the next president. Now, all of a sudden, Trump is concerned about voters' rights to choose the president. ~~~

~~~ Ian Millhiser of Vox: "... Trump's lawyers formally sought an order from the Supreme Court on Monday that could indefinitely delay his federal criminal trial for attempting to steal the 2020 election -- potentially until after the 2024 election is over. This attempt to delay the trial arrives at the Court somewhat disguised as something else: a procedural motion in a dispute about whether presidents have a broad freedom to commit crimes.... It is exceedingly unlikely that the Supreme Court will buy this argument, which would be broad enough to immunize Trump from prosecution if he returned to the White House and promptly ordered the military to kill the justices themselves. Nevertheless, this broad immunity claim matters because it gives the justices a vehicle they can use to shut down Trump's most important criminal trial -- if they want to." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: That is, there are a number of way to guarantee Trump absolute immunity without writing it down in a Supreme Court opinion. One of those ways is to delay attempts to hold Trump accountable until it's too late to do so. 

Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "... Donald Trump ... >arrived for a hearing Monday in his classified documents case that is being held in a special secure facility due to the sensitive nature of the materials involved. The hearing, in Fort Pierce, Florida, is being held under seal in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility or SCIF -- a specially-equipped secure room for viewing highly classified materials. Trump's co-defendants in the case, aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, are not attending the hearing as they do not have clearance to access classified information. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ... is hearing arguments from attorneys for Trump and his two co-defendants on their 'defense theories of the case' and how 'any classified information might be relevant or helpful to the defense,' according to a court filing detailing the schedule.... Judge Cannon previously ruled that Smith's team must file a cache of documents on the public docket, but in a motion last week [Jack] Smith urged Cannon to reconsider her ruling, saying that doing so would, among other things, reveal the names of potential witnesses in the case, 'exposing them to significant and immediate risks of threats, intimidation, and harassment.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Two questions. (1) How come Loose Lips McDonald still has security clearance? (2) And didn't Trump show up at this hearing about witness intimidation in order to intimidate Judge Aileen? See also Patrick's response in yesterday's Comments.

Richard Fausset & Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "An Atlanta judge said on Monday that he would go forward with a hearing later this week [Thursday] delving into a romantic relationship between the two prosecutors leading an election interference case against ... Donald J. Trump and a number of his allies.... The defense is seeking to disqualify the two prosecutors -- Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, and Nathan J. Wade, who she hired to run the case. 'It's clear that disqualification can occur if evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of one,' the judge, Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court, said at a hearing on Monday afternoon." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Rachel Maddow said Monday night that the consequences of the hearing could be far more serious than the Times reporters let on. According to a Georgia law professor, if Willis takes a leave of absence now, the case can continue with an assistant DA taking the lead. However, if she does not step down, and if McAfee finds she is disqualified, then the entire case is over. IMO, unless Willis can prove her relationship with Wade does not present a conflict (and, no, one is not supposed to have to prove innocence), she should fall on her sword. Now. This case is far too important to be scuttled because of one woman's indiscretions. People will do what comes naturally, and I have nothing at all against that, but this is an instance in which the greater good should have come before her personal pleasure. ~~~

~~~ It's Showtime! Amy Gardner, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump plans to attend a Thursday hearing in Atlanta on allegations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) engaged in an improper personal relationship with the lead prosecutor on the election interference case.... His appearance would likely draw even more attention and perhaps chaos to the already highly anticipated hearing.... [Fulton County Judge Scott] McAfee said the hearing would focus on whether Willis benefited financially from hiring [Nathan] Wade, when their romantic relationship began and whether it continues." MB: I think the hearing will be televised.

Presidential Race

All in the ([Alleged!] Crime) Family. Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump said Monday night that he wants his daughter-in-law and one of his top aides to take prominent roles at the Republican National Committee as his team attempts to exert control over the party ahead of the November election. In a statement, Trump backed Michael Whatley, the chair of the North Carolina GOP, as the new chairman of the party to replace Ronna McDaniel, a longtime ally he has recently soured on, according to people familiar with the discussions. But Trump also said he would support Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, as co-chair of the party and Chris LaCivita, a top aide, as the top operating officer.... The moves come amid Trump's growing criticism of current RNC chair McDaniel, who is expected to leave her job after the Feb. 24 South Carolina primary amid Trump's unhappiness over lagging fundraising and other problems." Politico's story is here.

Here is some of the garbled gobbledygook the Stable Genius let fly just over this past weekend. And he had a teleprompter:

Rebecca Shabad of NBC News: "The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., said Monday that U.S. 'credibility is at stake' with each of its alliances, including NATO, which ... Donald Trump disparaged in recent remarks.... In a Truth Social post Monday afternoon, Trump appeared to double down on his earlier comments indicating he would let Russia do 'whatever the hell they want' to NATO countries that don't pay a specific amount of their gross domestic product toward defense spending. He said in all caps that NATO 'has to equalize,' adding, 'They will do that if properly asked. If not, America first!'" MB: Actually, Trump said he would "encourage" Russia to do whatever it wants, not "let" Russia do what it wants. There's a difference. The chairman of the joint chiefs has to appear to be apolitical; journalists are not required to water down and misquote Trump's dangerous statements.

Putin's Useful Idiots. Digby in Salon: "It is no coincidence that Trump made his biggest threat against NATO right after Tucker Carlson sat with Putin[.]... As it turns out the interview ended up mostly being a twisted history lesson from Putin with Carlson sitting there like a potted plant with a feigned fascinated expression on his face. The point of Putin's tutorial was to explain why Russia has every right to invade Ukraine and anywhere else he might fancy.... I find it hard to believe that Trump slogged through that tedious conversation or understood what Putin was talking about. But you can bet that Putin heard Trump and rubbed his hands together with glee. If only the American people heard him just as clearly." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ "Call and Response." Marcy Wheeler: "Over the weekend, Putin and Donald Trump seem to have come to public agreement that, if elected in November, Trump would help Putin pursue Greater Russia. In his session with Tucker Carlson, after all, Putin corrected the propagandist, informing him that, no, he didn't invade Ukraine because of concerns about NATO expansion, but because he considers Ukraine -- and much of Eastern Europe -- part of Greater Russia.... And then, within a day, Trump told a fabricated story that served to promise that not only wouldn't he honor America's commitment to defend NATO states, but would instead encourage Russia to do 'whatever they hell they want.'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

Marco Then. We must ensure we are protecting our national interests and protecting the security of our democratic allies. -- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), December 2023, co-sponsor of a bill that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress"

Marco Now: What? Me Worry? ~~~

~~~ Marie: Republican "leaders" this weekend made light of Trump's threat to abandon NATO (so why that legislation, Marco?). Don't let these geniuses convince you that Trump is kidding about encouraging Putin to invade NATO countries that Trump considers to be in arrears on some mythical payments he thinks are due. Ultra-conservative and former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton told Kaitlan Collins Monday night that Trump was dead serious. At a NATO meeting in 2018, Trump nearly did pull the plug. Just before he was about to address the NATO leaders, Trump asked Bolton, "Should I do it?" Bolton -- a national defense hawk -- advised him against it. But Bolton said he went back to his seat not knowing whether or not Trump would announce the U.S. was pulling out of NATO. As it turned out, Trump lost his nerve. But Trump would not have advisors like Bolton in a second administration. ~~~

     ~~~ Jim Sciutto of CNN: “A former senior US official told me that Trump issued orders to then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and then Defense Secretary Mark Esper for the US to withdraw from NATO. Despite vehemently opposing the move. They considered the president's direction a 'lawful order' and drew up plans to execute the withdrawal. Bolton recalls the 2018 summit with genuine fear. 'Honest to God, it was frightening because we didn't know what he was going to do up until the last minute. And I mean, I think, he all but said he was going to get out of NATO and then pulled back on it,' said Bolton." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: You would never know it from listening to Trump, but more-or-less as I wrote in yesteday's Comments, (1) NATO countries don't "pay" into some group protection fund, the way Trump expresses it. There aren't any dues. Rather, the countries agreed in 2006 to dedicate at least two percent of their GDP to defense expenditures. (2) NATO has activated Article 5 -- the "all for one" provision Trump plans to abandon -- exactly once in its history. It was for the United States, in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. ~~~

     ~~~ Derek Hawkins of the Washington Post: Donald Trump "shocked leaders on both sides of the Atlantic -- and mischaracterized how the 31-member alliance works. NATO member nations all make payments to cover the operating expenses of the organization, which was founded in the aftermath of World War II to help Western Europe counter the Soviet Union with help from Canada and the United States. But they don't pay membership fees to remain in the alliance, so there's no delinquency to speak of. Countries do, however, commit to spending at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense each year, with the goal of ensuring the alliance's military readiness and deterring any potential attacks. The commitment is a guideline, not a requirement, that has been in place for nearly two decades. Last year, 11 countries met or exceeded that target, according to NATO statistics. The rest spent smaller portions of their GDP on defense. (Iceland, the only member state with no armed forces, is omitted from the data set.)" Includes a chart of what percentage each member nation spends on defense. With explanation.

One of These Guys Is Way Worse Than the Other. Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "... Trump -- who ostensibly spent four years as president of the United States -- has little clue of what NATO is or what NATO does. And when he spoke on the subject at a rally in South Carolina over the weekend, what he said was less a cogent discussion of foreign policy than it was gibberish -- the kind of outrageous nonsense that flows without interruption from an empty and unreflective mind.... In contrast to the obsessive coverage of Biden's age, there is comparatively little coverage of Trump's obvious deficiencies in that department. If we are going to use public comments as the measure of mental fitness, then the former president is clearly at a disadvantage." Bouie recounts a number of Trump's battier remarks about changing the name of Pennsylvania, mixing up China and North Korea (that's mixing up, not misspeaking), and something-something about an Iron Dome: "And they calmly walk to us, and ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. They've only got 17 seconds to figure this whole thing out. Boom. OK. Missile launch. Whoosh. Boom." ~~~

~~~ Annals of "Journalism," Ctd.

On Saturday, the New York Times online featured at least two reports on the "Biden is Old" theme on its front page. As Nisky Guy pointed out in the Comments that day, the Times front page also featured four -- count 'em, four -- opinion columns on that "Biden is Old" theme. "What the FUCK!!!" wrote Nisky Guy. And "BUT THE EMAILS!!" ~~~

~~~ Comes Now Paul Krugman of the New York Times to take on his own employer: "... watching the frenzy over President Biden's age, I am, for the first time, profoundly concerned about the nation's future.... And the final blow won't be the rise of political extremism -- that rise certainly created the preconditions for disaster, but it has been part of the landscape for some time now. No, what may turn this menace into catastrophe is the way the hand-wringing over Biden's age has overshadowed the real stakes in the 2024 election. It reminds me, as it reminds everyone I know, of the 2016 furor over Hillary Clinton's email server, which was a minor issue that may well have wound up swinging the election to Donald Trump.... As anyone who has recently spent time with Biden (and I have) can tell you, he is in full possession of his faculties -- completely lucid and with excellent grasp of detail.... Most important is that Biden has been a remarkably effective president." ~~~

     ~~~ Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC elaborated last night. Well worth listening.


Why Republicans Are More Likely Than Democrats to Experience Hearing Loss. Andrew Van Dam of the Washington Post: According to a CDC report, "'those [Americans] living in rural areas experience higher rates of [hearing loss], perhaps due to potential noise exposure from outdoor work and recreation such as forestry, all-terrain vehicles, and recreational firearms.' Emphasis ours.... Americans who have fired 1,000 rounds or more face three times the rate of hearing loss as those who have never fired a weapon, according to an analysis of 2011 and 2012 observations from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. It's a bit lower once you adjust for age and other factors -- probably closer to 1.8 times the rate.... And gun ownership tilts heavily rightward."

~~~~~~~~~~

Finland. And Then Along Came Trump. Johanna Lemola & Erika Solomon of the New York Times: "Educated in the United States and deeply pro-American, Finland's president-elect, Alexander Stubb, looked perfectly poised to lead his nation into a stronger trans-Atlantic partnership and redefine its role in the global order as a newly minted NATO member. Instead, he will enter office next month at a time when U.S. politics has once again thrown the durability of that relationship -- and the wisdom of European nations counting on it -- into question. For weeks, the two candidates in Finland's runoff presidential elections, which Mr. Stubb won on Sunday, had played up their pro-NATO credentials and tough views on Russia. Then ... Donald J. Trump threatened that, if re-elected, he would let Russia 'do whatever the hell they want' against NATO allies that do not contribute sufficiently to collective defense.... [Finland] holds NATO's longest border with Russia.... Living in Russia's shadow, Finland has long had a conscription army and already spends on its defense more than the 2 percent of G.D.P. that NATO members pledge to spend."

Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Tuesday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "CIA Director William J. Burns and Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea are expected to meet Tuesday in Egypt to continue negotiations for a possible hostage-release deal. Many Gazans are attempting to flee Rafah, ahead of an expected full-scale Israeli military operation in the southern city where about 1.4 million people are sheltering.... U.S. officials are hopeful that Israel will have a counter to Hamas's latest proposal, and they believe that 'the shape' of an agreement 'is coming together,' a senior U.S. administration official said earlier."

Yasmeen Abutaleb & Matt Viser of the Washington Post: "President Biden and Jordan's King Abdullah II, speaking jointly at the White House on Monday, warned against an indiscriminate Israeli invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, resulting in an event that had not occurred since the Israel-Hamas war began -- the president standing alongside an Arab leader to voice reservations about the Israeli onslaught in the Palestinian enclave. 'The major military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan to ensure the safety and support of more than 1 million people sheltering there,' Biden said, referring to Israel's publicly announced plans to invade the city. 'Many people there have been displaced -- displaced multiple times, fleeing the violence to the north. And now they're packed into Rafah, exposed and vulnerable. They need to be protected.' Abdullah was more direct. 'We cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah. It is certain to create another humanitarian catastrophe,' the king said.... He added: 'We cannot stand by and let this continue. We need a lasting ceasefire now. This war must end.'"

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "President Biden, perhaps the most emotionally pro-Zionist president in history, last week used his immense reserve of goodwill and credibility on Israel to do something no other president had: He laid down strong conditions on use of military aid. However, he deftly did not single out Israel for special treatment. 'U.S. President Joe Biden issued a memorandum on Thursday requiring allies who receive military aid from the U.S. to provide "credible and reliable written assurances" of their adherence to international law including international human rights law,' the Times of Israel reported. Israel will need to supply written assurances within 45 days or risk loss of aid.... No one should underestimate the impact of the decision. The Associated Press explained, Democratic senators on Friday called Biden's directive -- meant to bring breadth, oversight, deadlines and teeth to efforts to ensure foreign governments don't use U.S. military aid against civilians -- historic.'" Thanks to Ken W. for the link.

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Monday
Feb122024

The Conversation -- February 12, 2024

Richard Fausset & Danny Hakim of the New York Times: "An Atlanta judge said on Monday that he would go forward with a hearing later this week delving into a romantic relationship between the two prosecutors leading an election interference case against ... Donald J. Trump and a number of his allies.... The defense is seeking to disqualify the two prosecutors -- Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, and Nathan J. Wade, who she hired to run the case. 'It's clear that disqualification can occur if evidence is produced demonstrating an actual conflict or the appearance of one,' the judge, Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court, said at a hearing on Monday afternoon."

Adam Liptak & Amy VanSickle of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to pause an appeals court's ruling rejecting his claim that he is absolutely immune from criminal charges based on his attempts to subvert the 2020 election. Unless the justices issue a stay while they consider whether to hear his promised appeal, proceedings in the criminal trial, which have been on hold, will resume. The filing was Mr. Trump's last-ditch effort to press his claim of total immunity, which has been rejected by two lower courts. The Supreme Court is now poised to determine whether and how fast his federal trial on charges that he tried to subvert the 2020 election will proceed. Unless the justices move quickly, the trial could be pushed into the heart of the 2024 campaign, or even past the election."

Here is some of the garbled gobbledygook the Stable Genius let fly just over this past weekend. And he had a teleprompter:

Putin's Useful Idiots. Digby in Salon: "It is no coincidence that Trump made his biggest threat against NATO right after Tucker Carlson sat with Putin[.]... As it turns out the interview ended up mostly being a twisted history lesson from Putin with Carlson sitting there like a potted plant with a feigned fascinated expression on his face. The point of Putin's tutorial was to explain why Russia has every right to invade Ukraine and anywhere else he might fancy.... I find it hard to believe that Trump slogged through that tedious conversation or understood what Putin was talking about. But you can bet that Putin heard Trump and rubbed his hands together with glee. If only the American people heard him just as clearly." ~~~

~~~ "Call and Response." Marcy Wheeler: "Over the weekend, Putin and Donald Trump seem to have come to public agreement that, if elected in November, Trump would help Putin pursue Greater Russia. In his session with Tucker Carlson, after all, Putin corrected the propagandist, informing him that, no, he didn't invade Ukraine because of concerns about NATO expansion, but because he considers Ukraine -- and much of Eastern Europe -- part of Greater Russia.... And then, within a day, Trump told a fabricated story that served to promise that not only wouldn't he honor America's commitment to defend NATO states, but would instead encourage Russia to do 'whatever they hell they want.'"

Katherine Faulders, et al., of ABC News: "... Donald Trump has arrived for a hearing Monday in his classified documents case that is being held in a special secure facility due to the sensitive nature of the materials involved. The hearing, in Fort Pierce, Florida, is being held under seal in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility or SCIF -- a specially-equipped secure room for viewing highly classified materials. Trump's co-defendants in the case, aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, are not attending the hearing as they do not have clearance to access classified information. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ... is hearing arguments from attorneys for Trump and his two co-defendants on their 'defense theories of the case' and how 'any classified information might be relevant or helpful to the defense,' according to a court filing detailing the schedule.... Judge Cannon previously ruled that Smith's team must file a cache of documents on the public docket, but in a motion last week [Jack] Smith urged Cannon to reconsider her ruling, saying that doing so would, among other things, reveal the names of potential witnesses in the case, 'exposing them to significant and immediate risks of threats, intimidation, and harassment.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Two questions. (1) How come Loose Lips McDonald still has security clearance? (2) And didn't Trump show up at this hearing about witness intimidation in order to intimidate Judge Aileen?

~~~~~~~~~~

The Athletic: "The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII -- just like [as!] the President jokingly claims he planned. United States President Joe Biden posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, following the conclusion of overtime: 'Just like we drew it up.' The post was a reference and contained an image from a TikTok posted earlier in the day by Biden's campaign where he joked about rigging the Super Bowl in favor of the Chiefs. In the clip, Biden was asked if he rigged the Super Bowl or if the Chiefs were just that good. He replied: 'I'd get in trouble if I told you.'" MB: The Athletic is a NYT publication and is firewalled. ~~~

     ~~~ Ted Johnson of Deadline: "The X/Twitter post was a reference to a Super Bowl conspiracy theory involving game-rigging and a Taylor Swift endorsement. ~~~

Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: "President Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday that a ground offensive in southern Gaza should not proceed without a plan to protect the more than 1.4 million Palestinians clustered there, the latest sign of frustration by the White House over rising civilian deaths from Israel's military assault. During the call on Sunday, according to a description from the White House, the two leaders also discussed ongoing negotiations with Hamas to release Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for a cease-fire and the release of Palestinians being held in Israeli jails. Last week, Mr. Netanyahu bluntly rejected as 'ludicrous' a response from Hamas in the negotiations that called for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages in Gaza. But both American and Israeli officials have said subsequently that there is still room for compromise in the negotiations."

Yasmeen Abutaleb, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Biden and his top aides are closer to a breach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than at any time since the Gaza War began, no longer viewing him as a productive partner who can be influenced even in private, according to several people familiar with their internal discussions. The mounting frustration with Netanyahu has prompted some of Biden's aides to urge him to be more publicly critical of the prime minister over his country's military operation in Gaza, according to six people familiar with the conversations.... The president, a staunch supporter of Israel who has known Netanyahu for more than 40 years, has been largely reluctant to take his private frustrations public so far, according to the people. But he is slowly warming to the idea, they said, as Netanyahu continues to infuriate Biden officials with public humiliations and prompt rejections of basic U.S. demands." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Bibi, Joe wants you to read this "leaked" report. More on the Israel/Hamas war linked below.

Edward Wong of the New York Times: "The Pentagon announced on Sunday that Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III had been taken to a military hospital to be treated for 'symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue,' and doctors at the hospital later said it was not clear how long he would remain there. Mr. Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., at 2:20 p.m., a Pentagon spokesman, Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, said in the military's initial statement. He added that the deputy defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been notified, as well as the White House and members of Congress. In a second statement on Sunday evening, General Ryder said that Mr. Austin, 70, had 'transferred the functions and duties' of his office to the deputy defense secretary, Kathleen H. Hicks, at about 4:55 p.m. Another statement, issued late Sunday by two senior doctors at Walter Reed, said that Mr. Austin had been admitted to the hospital's critical care unit that night after a series of tests."

Karoun Demirjian of the New York Times: "The Senate on Sunday pushed a $95 billion emergency aid bill for Ukraine and Israel past a critical hurdle, with a bipartisan vote that kept it on track for passage within days. The vote was 67-27 to move forward on the package, which would dedicate $60.1 billion to helping Kyiv in its war against Russian aggression, send $14.1 billion to Israel for its war against Hamas and fund almost $10 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in conflict zones, while addressing threats to the Indo-Pacific region. In a rare Sunday session, 18 Republicans joined Democrats to advance the measure, which leaders hope the Senate will approve as early as Tuesday.... But steep hurdles still remain for the bill in the Republican-led House, where it faces staunch opposition fueled by the 'America First' stance of ... Donald J. Trump." ~~~

     ~~~ Katherine Tully-McManus & Ursula Perano of Politico: "Donald Trump spent the weekend telling senators they should not pass more unconditional U.S. foreign aid. More than a dozen Republicans ignored him Sunday, moving forward on a bill to send $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.... 'From this point forward, are you listening U.S. Senate (?),' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'No money in the form of foreign aid should be given to any country unless it is done as a loan, not just a giveaway.'... 'I know it's become quite fashionable in some circles to disregard the global interests we have as a global power. To bemoan the responsibilities of global leadership,' [Senate Republican leader Mitch] McConnell said. 'This is idle work for idle minds. And it has no place in the United States Senate.'"

The Report

In case you missed it yesterday: Andrew Weissmann & Ryan Goodman in Just Security on the "Real" Hur report: "The Special Counsel Robert Hur report has been grossly mischaracterized by the press. The report finds that the evidence of a knowing, willful violation of the criminal laws is wanting. Indeed, the report, on page 6, notes that there are 'innocent explanations' that Hur 'cannot refute.' That is but one of myriad examples we outline in great detail below of the report repeatedly finding a lack of proof. And those findings mean, in DOJ-speak, there is simply no case. Unrefuted innocent explanations is the sine qua non of not just a case that does not meet the standard for criminal prosecution -- it means innocence. Or as former Attorney General Bill Barr and his former boss would have put it, a total vindication (but here, for real)."

Marie: Contributor Patrick spent a part of his Super Bowl Sunday editing the nearly-400-page special counsel Robert Hur's report on President Biden's retention of a few classified documents. As a public service, I am republishing Patrick's entire edition of the report. Do read it in full:

There is no evidence that improper storage of these documents was not sloppy filing. We could obtain no evidence showing who did that. Case closed. -- Full Report on President Biden's Retention of Classified Documents, Patrick's edition

The most important thing to remember, though, is the president was found to have been engaged in no wrongdoing. Unlike President Trump, [who] has 91 felony counts pending against him. And, by the way, in over all the depositions that President Trump has taken in those cases, it says he doesn't remember or doesn't know, over 1,000 times. -- Mitch Landrieu, Biden campaign co-chair, Sunday on "Meet the Press"

Zolan Kanno-Youngs of the New York Times: "White House officials and Democrats fanned out to defend President Biden's mental fitness on Sunday, reflecting the rising anxiety in the president's administration over a special counsel report that fueled concern about his age. 'This is a report that went off the rails,' Bob Bauer, Mr. Biden's personal lawyer, said on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' 'A shabby work product.'... Democrats have gone on the offensive to discredit what they say is a partisan hit that potentially violated Justice Department policy, specifically taking issue with the descriptions questioning Mr. Biden's memory."

... at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. -- Robert Hur, Special Counsel

At trial, Mr. Trump would likely present himself to a jury, as he does every day, as an unsympathetic, narcissistic, vicious, elderly man with a poor memory, poor judgment, no morals, no impulse control, and as a danger to democracy and international stability. -- Marie, Special Report

Charles Pierce of Esquire: Merrick Garland "needs to be thanked for his service and then shown the door. He is not equipped to use all the tools god gave the Department of Justice to thwart the genuine threat to the Republic that is El Caudillo del Mar-A-Lago, and the dangerous political climate he has created. The former president* should have been charged federally with insurrection literally years ago.... The DOJ should have gone hammer-and-tongs after all the members of Congress who had the slightest connection with the insurrection. Somebody higher than the bear spray crowd should have been arrested and held until trial.... This business ... should have been the very first item on Garland's plate when he walked in the door.... Thursday was the end for me. Appointing a Republican hack like Robert Hur to 'investigate' the non-crimes of the president was bad enough, but then to allow Hur to pile on a political hit piece about the president's memory, thereby normalizing one of the former president*'s attack lines on DOJ stationery, is not admirably fair-minded, it's constitutionally suicidal." (Firewalled.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: And let's not forget that it is very unlikely Merrick the Unready ever would have brought charges against Trump if not for the January 6 committee, which put the DOJ to shame by gathering and presenting enough evidence to prove to most of us that Trump was guilty of fomenting and leading the insurrection. Congress embarrassed Garland into appointing a special counsel to investigate and charge Trump. And so far, there's no sign the DOJ has investigated other participants in the coup plot: Mark Meadows, Jungle Gym Jordan, etc.

Presidential Race

Marie: It is not only our democracy that is on the line in the upcoming presidential election. It's all of them. Even Peter Both-Side Baker has the sense to be alarmed: ~~~

Peter Baker of the New York Times: Donald Trump "took [his antipathy to NATO] to a whole new level over the weekend, declaring at a rally in South Carolina that not only would he not defend European countries he deemed to be in arrears from an attack by Russia, he would go so far as to 'encourage' Russia to do whatever the hell they want' against them. Never before has a president of the United States -- even a former one aspiring to reclaim the office -- suggested that he would incite an enemy to attack American allies.... Mr. Trump's rhetoric foreshadows potentially far-reaching changes in the international order if he wins the White House again in November with unpredictable consequences. What's more, Mr. Trump's riff once again raised uncomfortable questions about his taste in friends. Encouraging Russia to attack NATO allies ... is a stunning statement that highlights his odd affinity for President Vladimir V. Putin, who has already proved his willingness to invade neighboring countries that do not have the protection of NATO.... Just the suggestion that the United States could not be depended on would negate the value of [U.S.] alliances, prompt longtime friends to hedge and perhaps align with other powers and embolden the likes of Mr. Putin and Xi Jinping of China." ~~~

David Sanger of the New York Times: "Long before Donald J. Trump threatened over the weekend that he was willing to let Russia 'do whatever the hell they want' against NATO allies that do not contribute sufficiently to collective defense, European leaders were quietly discussing how they might prepare for a world in which America removes itself as the centerpiece of the 75-year-old alliance.... The larger implication of his statement is that he might invite President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to pick off a NATO nation, as a warning and a lesson to the 30 or so others about heeding Mr. Trump's demands.... [Trump's] statement stunned many in Europe, especially after three years in which President Biden, attempting to restore the confidence in the alliance lost during Mr. Trump's four years in office, has repeatedly said that the United States would 'defend every inch of NATO territory.' Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, which comprises Europe's heads of government and defines their common policies, wrote that 'reckless statements' like Mr. Trump's 'serve only Putin's interest.'... In a statement on Sunday, [outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens] Stoltenberg said, 'Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the U.S., and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk.'" A related BBC News report is here. And another BBC News report is here. ~~~

~~~ Party of Putin. Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: "Republican Party elites have become so practiced at deflecting even Mr. Trump's most outrageous statements that they quickly batted this one away.... The defense of Mr. Trump by several Republican officials such as [Sen. Lindsey] Graham reflected the trajectory of a party that the former president has largely bent to his will.... Several former national security and foreign policy officials in the Trump administration declined to speak about the anecdote that Mr. Trump told about threatening a NATO member nation's head of state with encouraging Russian aggression. But they said they recalled no such meeting actually taking place. Mr. Trump is fond of outright falsehoods in relaying stories to make himself look like a tough negotiator."

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine, et al. The Washington Post's live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel's military said it rescued two hostages from the southern Gazan city of Rafah early Monday morning while carrying out a wave of strikes, which Gaza's Health Ministry said killed at least 67 people. Hamas condemned Monday's strikes as 'horrific massacres against defenseless civilians' as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would use 'continued military pressure' to return the remaining hostages.... Gazans reported violent bombardment overnight from all directions in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter to escape intense fighting. The situation is so dire that families are sleeping on streets and eating grass to survive, aid groups say. The two rescued hostages, Fernando Simon Merman, 60, and Luis Har, 70, both dual Israeli-Argentinian citizens, were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on Oct. 7. Israel's military said both were in 'good medical condition' and were taken for further medical examination in Israel." ~~~

     ~~~ CNN's live updates for Monday are here.

News Lede

NPR: "Bob Edwards, the veteran broadcaster and longtime host of Morning Edition who left an indelible mark on NPR's sound, has died. He was 76 years old. NPR's Susan Stamberg says Edwards' voice became part of the morning routine for millions of Americans. 'He was Bob Edwards of Morning Edition for 24 1/2 years, and his was the voice we woke up to,' she says." Edwards' New York Times obituary is here.

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