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This weekend, first lady Jill Biden is traveling in Eastern Europe, meeting with Ukrainian refugees, humanitarian aid workers and others impacted by Russia's war in Ukraine. As the Biden administration continues to express its unwavering support for Ukraine's battle to preserve its independence, the first lady's trip is another opportunity to demonstrate America's commitment to Ukraine. It also will serve as an important reminder to all American and NATO allies that US commitment to Ukraine will extend well into the postwar period -- whenever that might be. Jill Biden's first ladyship is a long way from cookie bake-offs and state...

WSJ article on Ivermectin study

Reporters revolted and protested in the White House after Press Secretary Jen Psaki pulled the plug early on a briefing before others had a chance to ask questions. The press briefing lasted 40 minutes, but most of that time was taken up by just a few reporters in the first two rows who were allowed to ask Psaki multiple questions and follow-ups. During the Monday briefing, Associated Press reporter Josh Boak signaled to Psaki that time was up. “Thanks, Jen,” Boak shouted out as a reporter asked Psaki a question about whether the U.S. intended to get oil from Venezuela.

WASHINGTON — It is rare that a president can show he is living up to the mantle of "leader of the free world" — and even less common for him to do so against the backdrop of his main political rival praising an autocrat. But that's what President Joe Biden did during his first State of the Union address, highlighting how he has led the Western world in defending Ukraine against Russia's invasion. "Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundations of the free world, thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But...

Spend enough time scrolling through Twitter, and you’ll eventually come across it. A simple, three-word exhortation — Let’s go, Brandon! — that’s spread like wildfire across social media. This phrase quickly became a combination anti-Joe Biden “Let’s go, Brandon” meme as well as a conservative rallying cry of sorts. It’s also driven Biden supporters completely crazy. Here’s the scoop. You’ll generally find the phrase shared in posts written by critics of President Biden, but it’s also gone on to become a hashtag, a meme, it’s included in account names and handles — and it even now adorns merchandise. A Let’s...

A sweeping 2021 law drew a legal complaint from the Justice Department. Legislators in the state are considering several new measures focused on ballot access and fraud investigations. ATLANTA — Butch Miller, a Republican leader of the Georgia State Senate, is running for lieutenant governor and faces a tough fight this spring against a primary opponent backed by former President Donald J. Trump. So perhaps it is no surprise that Mr. Miller, a co-sponsor of a sweeping and restrictive state voting law last year, has once again jumped into the fray, promoting a new measure to prohibit the use of...

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis absolutely laced into President Joe Biden in a recent interview, even using the nickname “Brandon” to refer to him. “All the problems you see with our country, and there’s a huge amount of problems with Brandon in the White House,” he said in an interview this week. “I mean look, the guy is not clicking on all cylinders, he’s not had a very good year.” “We’re still strong in the state of Florida. We’re beating Brandon in Florida,” the governor said. “When I got elected, there were about 300,000 more registered Democrats in Florida than...

Biden offers rare praise of Trump during Covid speech Utah billionaire leaves Mormon church, donates $600K to LGBTQ group Michael Fanone, the District of Columbia police officer who was dragged into a mob and beaten by rioters during the U.S. Capitol attack last January, has resigned from the force and will take a job with CNN. --snip-- Fanone made many public appearances following the attack, repeatedly speaking out against lawmakers who downplayed the seriousness of the day's events and warning that the riot posed a legitimate threat to democracy.

Former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) on Monday, claiming her investigation into his business practices violates his constitutional rights, as the ex-president seeks to stem a growing trend of legal problems. * James has been overseeing a civil investigation into the Trump Organization to determine whether it purposely undervalued properties, according to reports. * James is reportedly set to subpoena Trump, asking him to appear for a deposition on January 7 as part of the investigation. * The suit was filed in federal court for the Northern District of New York,...

Journalists, other liberals agree: Press went easy on Trump, too critical of Biden White House officials have been hosting secret meetings with journalists in an effort to "reshape" coverage of the Biden administration that they view to be unfair. CNN reports: The White House, not happy with the news media's coverage of the supply chain and economy, has been working behind the scenes trying to reshape coverage in its favor. Senior White House and admin officials—including NEC Deputy Directors David Kamin and Bharat Ramamurti, along with Ports Envoy John Porcari—have been briefing major newsrooms over the past week, a source...

The Biden administration reportedly spoke to journalists and producers from major news outlets during the last week to influence reporting on the nation's economic woes in the Biden administration's favor. CNN Chief Media Correspondent Oliver Darcy said Monday in "Reliable Sources" that a source told him that the Biden White House "has been working behind the scenes" to "reshape coverage" on the economy "in its favor," according to a transcript of the show's December 6 episode. Throughout the past week, senior White House and Biden administration officials reportedly held briefings "discussing with newsrooms trends pertaining to job creation, economic growth,...

(CNN)As former President Donald Trump prepares for a potential comeback bid in 2024, his allies are flocking to election jobs all the way down to the local level in key battleground states, raising new concerns that the election officials who blocked Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election won't be there the next time around. Trump himself has endorsed candidates for secretary of state and attorney general -- statewide races that play a crucial role in administering elections -- who have spread his lies about 2020. But in addition to statewide roles, Trump's acolytes are pursuing local election posts, even...

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Matthew Hawn checked his phone to see if the wait was finally over. It had been five months since he was fired for teaching about White privilege at a high school in rural Tennessee. Two months since he had fought to regain his job at an emotional three-day hearing, becoming a symbol of the acrimonious debate over the way race, racism and history should be taught in America's schools. A lifelong resident of Kingsport, Hawn was well aware his liberal views made him an outlier in his overwhelmingly White, mostly conservative community. But that had never mattered...

So-called "ghost guns" are untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home, without background checks (and with the aid of YouTube videos). A homemade firearm that federal agents say was recovered on Feb. 6, 2020, from a home in Edmonds, Washington. © U.S. Attorney's Office via AP A homemade firearm that federal agents say was recovered on Feb. 6, 2020, from a home in Edmonds, Washington. Earlier this week, police said one such ghost gun was used in a shooting at a high school in Arizona. The guns' rise in popularity is a "fast-growing scourge" facing the...

Donald Trump raised several eyebrows with a double negative in a recent statement—which read as him taking aim at those supporting his ongoing election fraud claims. The statement from the former president, shared via email on Saturday, read: "Anybody that doesn't think there wasn't massive election fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election is either very stupid or very corrupt." Trump's comments were met with sarcastic tweets from several of his detractors, who were keen to point out the double negative read as him taking aim at those who supported his repeated fraud claims. NEW! President Donald J. Trump: "Anybody that...

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Electric bills are likely to increase next year for South Carolina customers served by Dominion Energy or two units of Duke Energy. The Post and Courier of Charleston reports the increases are likely to come after state regulators review how much the power companies have spent on coal and natural gas in 2021. South Carolina power providers estimate fuel costs annually, and then settle up differences between the estimate and what they actually paid. Fuel costs are passed through to customers on a dollar-for-dollar basis. If utilities collect too much, they issue refunds, but if they...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation is soaring, businesses are struggling to hire and President Joe Biden’s poll numbers have been in free-fall. The White House sees a common culprit for it all: COVID-19. Biden’s team views the pandemic as the root cause of both the nation’s malaise and his own political woes. Finally controlling COVID-19, the White House believes, is the skeleton key to rejuvenating the country and reviving Biden’s own standing. But the coronavirus challenge has proved to be vexing for the White House, with last summer’s premature claims of victory swamped by the more transmissible delta variant, stubborn millions...

Yesterday, Donald Trump further diminished the United States in the eyes of the world by expanding his travel ban, placing new restrictions on the residents of six more nations that limit who is allowed to come to the United States. Three years ago, he took aim at Muslim-majority nations. This time, he targeted primarily African nations — including Nigeria, the largest economy and the most populous nation on the continent, and Sudan, a country striving to transition to civilian rule after decades of dictatorship. The “Muslim Ban,” this new “African Ban,” Trump’s atrocious asylum and refugee policies — they are...

NANTUCKET, Mass. - The Biden administration has taken pains in recent days to show it is working to ease the pain of inflation for Americans. The emphasis comes after months of pleas from worried Democrats, who have pressed White House officials to do more to acknowledge inflation as a central concern for voters and toutwhat they are doing to combat it. Any suggestion that the White House focus on inflation is new is a "false narrative, to put it bluntly" said one top White House economic aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to...

(CNN)President Joe Biden said Friday he stands by the not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, saying the jury system of trial in the United States works and must be respected.