February 6, 2022

Helene Cooper & David Sanger of the New York Times: "Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70 percent of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia's president, Vladimir V. Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks. During six hours of closed meetings with House and Senate lawmakers on Thursday, the officials warned that if Mr. Putin chose the most aggressive of his options, he could quickly surround or capture Kyiv, the capital, and remove the country's democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky. They also warned that the invasion could prompt an enormous refugee crisis on the European continent, sending millions fleeing." ~~~

~~~ Rachel Pannett, et al., of the Washington Post: "Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations has dismissed new U.S. military and intelligence assessments on a potential Russian invasion as alarmist, likening the reports -- which estimated Russia could seize Kyiv in days and leave up to 50,000 civilians killed or wounded -- to Moscow foreshadowing an attack by Washington on London. 'Madness and scaremongering continues.... what if we would say that US could seize London in a week and cause 300K civilian deaths?' Dmitry Polyanskiy tweeted Sunday."

** The Great American Criminal Investigation. Michael Schmidt & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The House select committee scrutinizing the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol is borrowing techniques from federal prosecutions, employing aggressive tactics typically used against mobsters and terrorists as it seeks to break through stonewalling from... Donald J. Trump and his allies and develop evidence that could prompt a criminal case. In what its members see as the best opportunity to hold Mr. Trump and his team accountable, the committee -- which has no authority to pursue criminal charges -- is using what powers it has in expansive ways in hopes of pressuring Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to use the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute them." Former federal prosecutors are running the investigation. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Ashley Parker, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump tore up briefings and schedules, articles and letters, memos both sensitive and mundane.... Interviews with 11 former Trump staffers, associates, and others ... reveal that Trump's shredding of paper was far more widespread and indiscriminate than previously known and -- despite multiple admonishments -- extended throughout his presidency, resulting in special practices to deal with the torn fragments.... The ripping was so relentless that Trump's team implemented a set of protocols to try to ensure that Trump was abiding by the Presidential Records Act. Typically, aides ... would come in behind Trump to retrieve the piles of torn paper he left in his wake.... Then, staffers from the White House Office of Records Management were generally responsible for jigsawing the documents back together, using clear tape.... One senior Trump White House official said he and other White House staffers frequently put documents into 'burn bags' to be destroyed, rather than preserving them, and would decide themselves what should be saved and what should be burned."(Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

If you'd like to see more of what the Republican party believes comprises "legitimate political discourse," CNN aired new LPD video which the House January 6 committee has just released. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "Former President Trump responded to former Vice President Mike Pence's remarks that he did not have the authority to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. 'Just saw Mike Pence's statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected' President as quickly as possible, Trump said in a statement through his Save America PAC late Friday night. 'Well, the Vice President's position is not an automatic conveyor if obvious signs of voter fraud or irregularities exist.'... Trump's remarks against Pence were uncharacteristically measured, avoiding a more harsh criticism of his former vice president." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Not Just a Covid Denier, But a Racist, Too. Ben Sisario of the New York Times: "As pressure has intensified on Spotify and its star podcaster Joe Rogan, listeners reported that the company had quietly removed dozens of episodes of his show, while Rogan apologized early Saturday for his use of a racial slur in past episodes. In an Instagram video, Rogan -- whose talk show, 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' is Spotify's most popular podcast, and has been available there exclusively for more than a year -- addressed what he called 'the most regretful and shameful thing that I've ever had to talk about publicly.' A compilation video showed Rogan using the slur numerous times in past episodes of his show...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ In case you were wondering just what "racial slur" Rogan used ~~~

     ~~~ Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "Joe Rogan apologized Saturday for the many previous instances in which the host used the n-word on his Spotify podcast." Just to clarify, Rogan said "he never used the n-word 'to be racist because, I'm not racist.'" MB: Good to know, Joe. The AP's story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Heart of Darkness. Contributor RAS adds (in yesterday's Comments), "Rogan's apology might be more believable if it wasn't just a week ago he was telling people who is really Black and who is not. His criteria is that only people from the 'darkest place' in Africa are actually Black. Race doesn't exist, so he can't be racist." MB: I would add that Rogan's concept of what it means to be Black is even more restricted: "like 100% African from the darkest place where they are not wearing any clothes all day and they've developed all that melanin to protect them from the sun." (See link.) Maybe instead of dismissing Rogan as a "stupid racist," we should be a little more charitable & recognize that he is a racist because he is very, very stupid.

Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: "Delta Air Lines has asked the Justice Department to help set up a national 'no-fly' list of unruly passengers that would bar them from boarding any commercial air carrier, amid a surge in 'air rage' incidents during the pandemic. In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday, the Atlanta-based company's chief executive, Edward H. Bastian, said such a list would reduce the number of future incidents involving disruptive passengers. It also would 'serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions,' he wrote." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here: "A trucker-led protest against pandemic measures that has paralyzed Canada's capital for a week was expected to expand on Saturday with the arrival of hundreds more trucks in Ottawa. Police forces and officials in Toronto, Canada's largest city, and Quebec City, that province's capital, braced for similar demonstrations. What began as a convoy of trucks and cars that set out from the province of British Columbia to protest a vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers has grown into a general protest against pandemic restrictions and a range of other political causes, including opposition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau." (Also linked yesterday.)

Canada. Nick Boisvert of CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) News: "The crowdfunding platform GoFundMe says it will stop payments to the organizers of Freedom Convoy 2022 and refund donors directly because the protest violates its rules on violence and harassment. The company announced its decision in a blog post on Friday evening, just two days after it froze disbursements of the fund.... Participants in the demonstration have displayed symbols of hate, including the Confederate flag and swastikas, while protesting.... Organizers of the protest were dealt another blow on Friday evening in the form of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of Ottawa residents who live near the protest. The statement of claim accuses the organizers of the protest of causing significant harm to residents due to their use of loud truck horns for '12 to 16 hours' daily." ~~~

     ~~~ Famous U.S. Statesman Intervenes to Smoothe Things Over. Brooklyn Neustaeter of CTV News: "... Donald Trump has issued a statement criticizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over vaccine mandates and expressing support for the trucker convoy protests happening across Canada.... 'The Freedom Convoy is peacefully protesting the harsh policies of far left lunatic Justin Trudeau who has destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates,' Trump said.... 'Facebook is canceling the accounts of Freedom Convoy USA, and GoFundMe is denying access to funds that belong to the Freedom Convoy. This is unacceptable and extremely dangerous in any country that values free expression,' the statement read."

Way Beyond the Beltway

Morocco. Vivian Yee, et al., of the New York Times: "A Moroccan boy trapped in a well for four days did not survive, Moroccan state-run media reported after rescuers pulled out his body on Saturday. The reports carried a statement from the royal court which said the king of Morocco called the boy's parents to express his condolences." (Also linked yesterday.)

U.K. Queen Camilla. Caroline Davies of the Guardian: "The Queen has expressed her 'sincere wish' that the Duchess of Cornwall becomes Queen Consort when Charles becomes king. In a candid message marking the 70th anniversary of her accession, the monarch made clear her desire, unambiguously paving the way for Queen Camilla. When the duchess married the Prince of Wales in 2005, it was made clear by Clarence House that she would carry the title of HRH The Princess Consort. It has long been speculated that this was a title of convenience at a time when the duchess was seen to be less popular in the polls, due to her relationship with Charles when he was married to Diana, Princess of Wales. Charles is understood to have long harboured a firm desire his wife should carry the title of Queen Consort, and be thus crowned and anointed, when he becomes king. The Queen made clear she supported this in a written message released on Saturday before Sunday's Accession Day. In it, the Queen thanked the nation for the 'loyalty and affection' she had received over her long reign." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If photos accompanying stories about Elizabeth's Queen Consort decision (like this one in the New York Times) are any indication, the Queen made her decision based entirely on Camilla's willingness to wear hats as silly as Elizabeth's.

News Ledes

The New York Times' live updates of Olympics events are here. The Washington Post's highlights blog is here. CNN's live updates are here.

February 5, 2022

Afternoon Update:

** The Great American Criminal Investigation. Michael Schmidt & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The House select committee scrutinizing the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol is borrowing techniques from federal prosecutions, employing aggressive tactics typically used against mobsters and terrorists as it seeks to break through stonewalling from... Donald J. Trump and his allies and develop evidence that could prompt a criminal case. In what its members see as the best opportunity to hold Mr. Trump and his team accountable, the committee -- which has no authority to pursue criminal charges -- is using what powers it has in expansive ways in hopes of pressuring Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to use the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute them." Former federal prosecutors are running the investigation.

Ashley Parker, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump tore up briefings and schedules, articles and letters, memos both sensitive and mundane.... Interviews with 11 former Trump staffers, associates, and others ... reveal that Trump's shredding of paper was far more widespread and indiscriminate than previously known and -- despite multiple admonishments -- extended throughout his presidency, resulting in special practices to deal with the torn fragments.... The ripping was so relentless that Trump's team implemented a set of protocols to try to ensure that Trump was abiding by the Presidential Records Act. Typically, aides ... would come in behind Trump to retrieve the piles of torn paper he left in his wake.... Then, staffers from the White House Office of Records Management were generally responsible for jigsawing the documents back together, using clear tape.... One senior Trump White House official said he and other White House staffers frequently put documents into 'burn bags' to be destroyed, rather than preserving them, and would decide themselves what should be saved and what should be burned."

If you'd like to see more of what the Republican party believes comprises "legitimate political discourse," CNN aired new video which the House January 6 committee has just released.

Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "Former President Trump responded to former Vice President Mike Pence's remarks that he did not have the authority to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. 'Just saw Mike Pence's statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected' President as quickly as possible," Trump said in a statement through his Save America PAC late Friday night. 'Well, the Vice President's position is not an automatic conveyor if obvious signs of voter fraud or irregularities exist.'... Trump's remarks against Pence were uncharacteristically measured, avoiding a more harsh criticism of his former vice president."

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Saturday are here: "A trucker-led protest against pandemic measures that has paralyzed Canada's capital for a week was expected to expand on Saturday with the arrival of hundreds more trucks in Ottawa. Police forces and officials in Toronto, Canada's largest city, and Quebec City, that province's capital, braced for similar demonstrations. What began as a convoy of trucks and cars that set out from the province of British Columbia to protest a vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers has grown into a general protest against pandemic restrictions and a range of other political causes, including opposition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau."

Not Just a Covid Denier, But a Racist, Too. Ben Sisario of the New York Times: "As pressure has intensified on Spotify and its star podcaster Joe Rogan, listeners reported that the company had quietly removed dozens of episodes of his show, while Rogan apologized early Saturday for his use of a racial slur in past episodes. In an Instagram video, Rogan -- whose talk show, 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' is Spotify's most popular podcast, and has been available there exclusively for more than a year -- addressed what he called 'the most regretful and shameful thing that I've ever had to talk about publicly.' A compilation video showed Rogan using the slur numerous times in past episodes of his show...." ~~~

     ~~~ In case you were wondering just what "racial slur" Rogan used ~~~

     ~~~ Timothy Bella of the Washington Post: "Joe Rogan apologized Saturday for the many previous instances in which the host used the n-word on his Spotify podcast." Just to clarify, Rogan said "he never used the n-word 'to be racist because, I'm not racist.'" MB: Good to know, Joe. The AP's story is here.

Andrew Jeong of the Washington Post: "Delta Air Lines has asked the Justice Department to help set up a national 'no-fly' list of unruly passengers that would bar them from boarding any commercial air carrier, amid a surge in 'air rage' incidents during the pandemic. In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday, the Atlanta-based company's chief executive, Edward H. Bastian, said such a list would reduce the number of future incidents involving disruptive passengers. It also would 'serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of not complying with crew member instructions,' he wrote."

Morocco. Vivian Yee, et al., of the New York Times: "A Moroccan boy trapped in a well for four days did not survive, Moroccan state-run media reported after rescuers pulled out his body on Saturday. The reports carried a statement from the royal court which said the king of Morocco called the boy's parents to express his condolences."

U.K. Queen Camilla. Caroline Davies of the Guardian: "The Queen has expressed her 'sincere wish' that the Duchess of Cornwall becomes Queen Consort when Charles becomes king. In a candid message marking the 70th anniversary of her accession, the monarch made clear her desire, unambiguously paving the way for Queen Camilla. When the duchess married the Prince of Wales in 2005, it was made clear by Clarence House that she would carry the title of HRH The Princess Consort. It has long been speculated that this was a title of convenience at a time when the duchess was seen to be less popular in the polls, due to her relationship with Charles when he was married to Diana, Princess of Wales. Charles is understood to have long harboured a firm desire his wife should carry the title of Queen Consort, and be thus crowned and anointed, when he becomes king. The Queen made clear she supported this in a written message released on Saturday before Sunday’s Accession Day. In it, the Queen thanked the nation for the 'loyalty and affection' she had received over her long reign."

~~~~~~~~~~

Marie: Democracy dies by a thousand cuts. On February 4, 2022, the Republican party officially dealt U.S. democracy a deep wound.

Josh Dawsey & Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post: "In an extraordinary rebuke, the Republican National Committee on Friday voted Friday to condemn Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), the two Republican members of a House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. The censure resolution passed overwhelmingly on a voice vote with no debate or discussion. It said the behavior of Cheney and Kinzinger 'has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic.'" This also is an update to a story by Josh Dawsey, linked earlier today. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Then there's this in the WashPo report: Ronna Romney "McDaniel said she was particularly upset when an elderly, recently widowed friend of hers was subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee after it was reported the friend was an alternate elector at the campaign's behest. She declined to name the friend." Marcy Wheeler got to wondering who the elderly widow might be: "It took me 3 Google searches to find [Kathy (& her deceased husband) Dean] Berden..., and unlike me, Dawsey has the support of an entire newsroom.... So Dawsey let McDanie's claim that she was taking action to censure (and possibly fund the opponent of) Liz Cheney because of some nice little old lady, without mentioning that that nice little old lady is by definition someone being criminally investigated by the FBI for her role in an effort to steal the election. Dawsey also didn't mention that that nice little old lady might also have information that would implicate McDaniel personally in that crime..., a 'multi-state conspiracy.'..." MB: Yeah, you can see where Ronna Romney's motives were totally compassionate. ~~~

     ~~~ Other reports, like this one from NPR, give Ronna the benefit of the doubt. Sweet.

The Party of Violent Traitors

WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaging in legitimate political discourse ... -- from the RNC's censure resolution

     ~~~ ** Jonathan Weisman & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "The Republican Party on Friday officially declared the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and events that led to it 'legitimate political discourse,' and rebuked two lawmakers in the party who have been most outspoken in condemning the deadly riot and the role of Donald J. Trump in spreading the election lies that fueled it." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) CNN's report is here. ~~~

~~~ Marie: This is extraordinary. We have not seen anything like it since the Civil War. What remains a national political party has embraced violent revolution against the federal government, murder of top officials -- "Hang mike pence" "Oh, Naaaaaaancy." -- battering of tens of police officers, destruction of federal property, all with the goal to overturn the results of a presidential election and keep the loser in power. Republicans describe all this as "legitimate political discourse." ~~~

~~~ As Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said on MSNBC Friday, rewriting the history of January 6 to be 'legitimate political discourse' is a fascist tactic.

Two weeks ago on @DeadlineWH I said the Republicans were no longer a party but a dime store front for the terrorist MAGA movement. They're publicly admitting it now. The question is will the administration pivot to address the GOP as an open threat to Democracy[.] -- Prof. Jason Johnson in a tweet (via a commenter on No More Mr. Nice Blog)

When somebody says something about Republicans that you think is an exaggeration, wait a few weeks. It won't take Republicans long to prove the allegation. -- Marie

Brett Wilkins of Common Dreams posts a few more tweet-o-pinions from politicians, pundits & organizations.

Sarakshi Rai of the Hill: "Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Friday criticized the Republican National Committee's (RNC) effort to censure Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), saying he considered the move by their fellow Republicans shameful. Romney ... said in a tweet that 'shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol.' He praised them for seeking answers despite the professional and personal consequences.... 'Honor attaches to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for seeking truth even when doing so comes at great personal cost,' he [said]. Romney's statements stand in stark contrast to those of his niece, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who spoke in favor of the resolution that was passed by the resolutions committee on Thursday. McDaniel has previously condemned her uncle for criticizing Trump." A Washington Post report is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

The Seer. Given my experience working for Mr. Trump, I fear that if he loses the election in 2020, that there will never be a peaceful transition of power. And this is why I agreed to appear before you today. -- Michael Cohen, testimony before the House Oversight Committee, February 27, 2019

Lisa Lerer of the New York Times: "Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday offered his most forceful rebuke of Donald Trump, saying that Mr. Trump is 'wrong' that Mr. Pence had the legal authority to change the results of the 2020 election and that the Republican Party must accept the outcome and look toward the future.... 'The truth is there's more at stake than our party or our political fortunes,' he said. 'If we lose faith in the Constitution, we won't just lose elections -- we'll lose our country.'" (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mariana Alfaro & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "Pence said the presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people alone, and appeared to suggest that calls for him to overturn the results of the election were 'un-American.' 'Frankly there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President,' Pence said." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) NPR's report is here.

     ~~~ Marie: There's nothing heroic about a guy who waits more than a year to tell the truth about an incident in which he could have lost his life. Moreover, he has scarcely told the whole truth, as he surely knows much more about the plot to overturn the presidential election, a plot that would have ensured he had his cushy job for at least four more years. And where was pence before the fact? Why didn't he notifiy the DOJ & other law enforcement authorities of the insurrection in the offing? He could have saved lives & limbs.

Or Maybe Bill Barr Did Know. Time to Find Out. Mike Lillis & Rebecca Beitsch of the Hill: "Democrats are amping up the pressure on William Barr to testify before the panel investigating the Capitol attack of Jan. 6, 2021, saying the former attorney general has a unique window into the thoughts and actions of former President Trump leading up to the violent siege. Barr has been in informal talks with the special investigative committee, according to the chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). But recent news reports have added layers of detail to Barr's one-on-one interactions with Trump in late 2020, as the former president sought ways to use the powers of the administration to overturn his election defeat. Those revelations have sparked new interest on Capitol Hill for Barr to brief the committee again -- this time in a more formal setting." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ AND Here's a Conspirator Who's Been Lying about His Part in the Coup Plot. Ryan Nobles, et al., of CNN: "The House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection is now in possession of White House records that provide new details about a phone call Donald Trump made to Republican Rep. Jim Jordan on January 6, 2021.... Two sources who have reviewed the call records tell CNN that Trump spoke on the phone at the White House residence with Jordan for 10 minutes on the morning of January 6. That afternoon, Jordan took to the House floor to object to the certification of President Joe Biden's Electoral College win, and pro-Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol.... Since Jordan acknowledged last summer that he spoke to Trump on the phone that day, the Ohio Republican and Trump loyalist has waived off questions about it or been inconsistent in his answers.... At a House Rules Committee hearing in October, Chairman Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, specifically asked Jordan when he spoke with Trump that day. 'I talked to the President after the attack,' Jordan said at the time. When McGovern pressed Jordan again and asked him to confirm that the call did not occur before or during the attack, Jordan replied: 'Right. And I've been clear about that.'" Jordan has since gone into I-can't-recall mode.

Hugo Lowell of the Guardian: "Weeks after the 2020 election, Donald Trump reviewed a draft executive order that authorized the national guard to seize voting machines and verbally agreed to appoint Sidney Powell, a campaign lawyer and conspiracy theorist, as special counsel to investigate election fraud.... Trump never followed through with issuing a formal executive order authorizing the seizure of voting machines or appointing a special counsel. But four sources with detailed knowledge of what transpired during the 18 December meeting described to the Guardian how close he came to doing so.... Trump was handed the document [-- which authorized the Department of Homeland Security to seize the voting machines --] when he sat down with four informal advisers -- Powell, Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn, former Trump aide Emily Newman and former Overstock chief executive Patrick Byrne -- who had arrived at the White House unannounced." Read on. There's lots more.

Alan Feuer of the New York Times: "On Friday..., one Jan. 6 defendant ... and his lawyer asked a federal judge for permission to subpoena the former president and several of his allies to testify as witnesses at his trial. 'It is anticipated that, when called as a witness, Donald J. Trump will testify that he and others orchestrated a carefully crafted plot to call into question the integrity of the 2020 presidential election and the validity of President Biden's victory,' the lawyer, Samuel H. Shamansky, said in court papers filed on behalf of his client, Dustin Thompson. 'Moreover, it will be established at trial that Mr. Trump and his conspirators engaged in a concerted effort to deceive the public, including defendant, into believing that American democracy was at stake if Congress was permitted to certify the election results,' the papers said.... At a hearing last month, the judge in Mr. Thompson's case, Reggie B. Walton of Federal District Court in Washington, expressed skepticism about the notion of a former president and members of his inner circle being placed by force on the witness stand." Read on.

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "President Joe Biden on Friday touted the January jobs report that was significantly better than what most economists had predicted, given the rapid surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. 'Our country is taking everything that Covid has to throw at us and we'v come back stronger,' Biden said, speaking from the White House." See related story linked under Friday's Ledes. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

Pick a White Man! Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post: "People keep saying that the point of a pledge of the kind President Biden made [-- to choose a Black woman for the Supreme Court --] is not to treat people differently because of the group they belong to but to stop treating people differently because of the group they belong to.... I'm disgusted that we would settle for anything less than picking the most qualified candidate for the job! And that's what I fear we're doing, because we aren't picking a White man. Astonishingly, every other possible selection is just there for reasons of enforced diversity, whereas White men are there because they deserve it!... We must pick the most qualified person, and the only way we can be sure we aren't influenced by traits is if this person is a formless mind floating in a void. Or the next best thing, a White man." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "Justice Neil M. Gorsuch is speaking to the conservative Federalist Society as part of a political lineup of former vice president Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Donald Trump's onetime press secretary [Kayleigh McEnany], an appearance that comes as his fellow justices repeatedly dismiss criticism that the Supreme Court is partisan.... While Gorsuch will not ... share a stage with the GOP leaders, his attendance with major figures close to Trump has stirred questions about the court's impartiality and the insistence of the justices that it remains nonpartisan." MB: Gorsuch cannot be doing anything wrong. He is not just a Supreme Court justice. He is a White Man. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Colin Moynihan of the New York Times: "After deliberations that stretched across three days and appeared at one point to be headed toward an impasse, jurors convicted [lawyer Michael] Avenatti of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, agreeing with accusations that he used a bogus letter to trick [his former client Stormy] Daniels's literary agent into sending him almost $300,000 in publisher's payments meant for her." Avenatti indicated he would appeal the verdict. An AP report is here.

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The Washington Post's live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) 

Julie Bosman & Mitch Smith of the New York Times: "More than 2,600 Americans are dying from Covid-19 each day, an alarming rate that has climbed by 30 percent in the past two weeks. Across the United States, the coronavirus pandemic has now claimed more than 900,000 lives. Yet ... the number of new coronavirus infections is plummeting, falling by more than half since mid-January. Hospitalizations are also declining, a relief to stressed health care workers who have been treating desperately ill coronavirus patients for nearly two years. All that has created a disorienting moment in the pandemic: Though deaths are still mounting, the threat from the virus is moving, for now, farther into the background of daily life for many Americans."

Send THIS to Your Freeedumb-Loving Friends. Emily Van de Reit of Gray News: "Unvaccinated people are 97 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated and boosted, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.... CDC Director Rochelle Walensky presented the data Wednesday at a White House COVID-19 response team meeting."

Virginia. Hannah Natanson, et al., of the Washington Post: "An Arlington judge on Friday barred enforcement of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's [R] mask-optional order for schools -- a major victory for the seven school boards that sued to stop it, and a sharp rebuke for the new governor. In her 10-page order, Arlington Circuit Court Judge Louise DiMatteo offered a check to Youngkin's assertion of gubernatorial authority, writing that the Virginia Constitution gives authority to local school boards to make safety and health decisions -- including masking -- for their students. She also wrote that a state law passed over the summer requiring school districts to comply with federal health guidance makes Youngkin's mask-optional order impossible to carry out, because it, too, delegates authority over decisions such as masking to local school boards." DiMatteo issued a temporary restraining order against Youngkin, whose office said he would appeal. The AP's report is here.

Beyond the Beltway

Minnesota. Jesus Jiménez & Amanda Holpuch of the New York Times: "Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis on Friday announced a moratorium on no-knock warrants one day after the Police Department released body camera footage of its SWAT team fatally shooting a man who was lying on a couch under a blanket during an early-morning raid. The man who was killed, Amir Locke, 22, had a gun in his hand, but it is unclear whether he was aware that police officers had entered the apartment shortly before 7 a.m. Keith Ellison, the attorney general of Minnesota, who led the prosecutions of former police officers in the killings of George Floyd and Daunte Wright, said his office would join a review of the police shooting.... [Police] Chief [Amelia] Huffman said that officers had a warrant for three locations in the apartment complex, and that Mr. Locke was not named in the original warrant." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I would not have picked Minneapolis as having one of the worst police departments in the nation, but the cops there sure do kill Black men.

North Carolina. Michael Wines of the New York Times: "The North Carolina Supreme Court on Friday upended Republican efforts to lock in political dominance in the state, saying that congressional and state legislative maps were partisan gerrymanders that violated the State Constitution. The ruling requires the Republican-controlled legislature not only to submit new maps to the court, but to offer a range of statistical analyses to show 'a significant likelihood that the districting plan will give the voters of all political parties substantially equal opportunity to translate votes into seats' in elections.... The justices' 4-3 decision, split along party lines, not only sets a precedent for judging the legality of future maps in the state, but could play an important role in the struggle for control of the House of Representatives in elections this November. The Republican-drawn maps had effectively allotted the party control of at least 10 of the 14 House seats the state will have in the next Congress, even though voters statewide are roughly equally divided between the two parties." Politico's report is here.

News Ledes

The New York Times' live updates of Olympics events are here. The Washington Post's highlights blog is here. CNN's live updates are here.

February 4, 2022

Afternoon Update:

Lisa Lerer of the New York Times: "Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday offered his most forceful rebuke of Donald Trump, saying that Mr. Trump is 'wrong' that Mr. Pence had the legal authority to change the results of the 2020 election and that the Republican Party must accept the outcome and look toward the future.... 'The truth is there's more at stake than our party or our political fortunes,' he said. 'If we lose faith in the Constitution, we won't just lose elections -- we'll lose our country.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Mariana Alfaro & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "Pence said the presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people alone, and appeared to suggest that calls for him to overturn the results of the election were 'un-American.' 'Frankly there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President,' Pence said."

Kate Sullivan of CNN: "President Joe Biden on Friday touted the January jobs report that was significantly better than what most economists had predicted, given the rapid surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. 'Our country is taking everything that Covid has to throw at us and we've come back stronger,' Biden said, speaking from the White House." See related story linked under today's Ledes. ~~~

Sarakshi Rai of the Hill: "Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Friday criticized the Republican National Committee's (RNC) effort to censure Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), saying he considered the move by their fellow Republicans shameful. Romney ... said in a tweet that 'shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol.' He praised them for seeking answers despite the professional and personal consequences.... 'Honor attaches to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for seeking truth even when doing so comes at great personal cost,' he [said]. Romney's statements stand in stark contrast to those of his niece, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who spoke in favor of the resolution that was passed by the resolutions committee on Thursday. McDaniel has previously condemned her uncle for criticizing Trump." A Washington Post report is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Josh Dawsey & Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post: "In an extraordinary rebuke, the Republican National Committee on Friday voted Friday to condemn Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), the two Republican members of a House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. The censure resolution passed overwhelmingly on a voice vote with no debate or discussion. It said the behavior of Cheney and Kinzinger 'has been destructive to the institution of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican Party and our republic.'" This also is an update to a story by Josh Dawsey, linked earlier today. ~~~

The Party of Violent Insurrection

WHEREAS, Representatives Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaging in legitimate political discourse ... -- from the RNC's censure resolution

     ~~~ ** Jonathan Weisman & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "The Republican Party on Friday officially declared the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and events that led to it 'legitimate political discourse,' and rebuked two lawmakers in the party who have been most outspoken in condemning the deadly riot and the role of Donald J. Trump in spreading the election lies that fueled it." ~~~

~~~ Marie: This is extraordinary. We have not seen anything like it since the Civil War. What remains a national political party has embraced violent revolution against the federal government, murder of top officials -- "Hang mike pence" "Oh, Naaaaaaancy." -- battering of tens of police officers, destruction of federal property, all with the goal to overturn the results of a presidential election and keep the loser in power. Republicans describe all this as "legitimate political discourse."

Calling Bill Barr. Mike Lillis & Rebecca Beitsch of the Hill: "Democrats are amping up the pressure on William Barr to testify before the panel investigating the Capitol attack of Jan. 6, 2021, saying the former attorney general has a unique window into the thoughts and actions of former President Trump leading up to the violent siege. Barr has been in informal talks with the special investigative committee, according to the chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). But recent news reports have added layers of detail to Barr's one-on-one interactions with Trump in late 2020, as the former president sought ways to use the powers of the administration to overturn his election defeat. Those revelations have sparked new interest on Capitol Hill for Barr to brief the committee again -- this time in a more formal setting."

Pick a White Man! Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post: "People keep saying that the point of a pledge of the kind President Biden made [-- to choose a Black woman for the Supreme Court --] is not to treat people differently because of the group they belong to but to stop treating people differently because of the group they belong to.... I'm disgusted that we would settle for anything less than picking the most qualified candidate for the job! And that's what I fear we're doing, because we aren't picking a White man. Astonishingly, every other possible selection is just there for reasons of enforced diversity, whereas White men are there because they deserve it!... We must pick the most qualified person, and the only way we can be sure we aren't influenced by traits is if this person is a formless mind floating in a void. Or the next best thing, a White man." ~~~

~~~ Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "Justice Neil M. Gorsuch is speaking to the conservative Federalist Society as part of a political lineup of former vice president Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Donald Trump's onetime press secretary [Kayleigh McEnany], an appearance that comes as his fellow justices repeatedly dismiss criticism that the Supreme Court is partisan.... While Gorsuch will not ... share a stage with the GOP leaders, his attendance with major figures close to Trump has stirred questions about the court's impartiality and the insistence of the justices that it remains nonpartisan." MB: Gorsuch cannot be doing anything wrong. He is not just a Supreme Court justice. He is a White Man.

The Washington Post's live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Katie Glueck, et al., of the New York Times: "Amid a rise in murders in cities across the nation, and intense Republican efforts to paint Democrats as hostile to law enforcement, President Biden on Thursday traveled to New York City to assert his party's public safety credentials, affirming his support for law enforcement and detailing his administration's plans to work with the city to confront gun violence. Flanked by elected officials including Mayor Eric Adams -- a former police captain whose messaging around crime and justice has been embraced by some national Democrats -- Mr. Biden highlighted his calls to increase federal investments in policing and pledged that the Justice Department would focus on so-called ghost guns, firearms that are easily assembled from kits but are not regulated by federal gun laws." A related story by Matt Viser of the Washington Post is here.

~~~ Eric Schmitt & Ben Hubbard of the New York Times: "A risky predawn raid by U.S. Special Operations forces that resulted in the death of the Islamic State's leader on Thursday was set in motion months ago with a tip that the top terrorist was hiding out on the top floor of a house in northwest Syria. In brief remarks at the White House, President Biden said the decision to send about two doze helicopter-borne commandos to capture or kill the leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, was made to minimize the risk of civilian harm. Military officials said attacking with a bomb or a missile would have been safer for the troops but could have endangered more than a dozen civilians in the house, including several children."

** When the President gave a briefing & the President* gave a "briefing" on military takedowns of ISIS leaders. MB: I doubt anyone has forgotten what an ignorant dolt Trump is, but this juxtaposition of briefings on similar operations is stunning:

Julian Barnes of the New York Times: "The United States has acquired intelligence about a Russian plan to fabricate a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine using a faked video that would build on recent disinformation campaigns, according to senior administration officials and others briefed on the material. The plan -- which the United States hopes to spoil by making public -- involves staging and filming a fabricated attack by the Ukrainian military either on Russian territory or against Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine." (Also linked yesterday.)

Katelyn Polantz of CNN: "The National Archives decided on Tuesday that it will turn over former Vice President Mike Pence's records to the House Select Committee early next month, after ... Donald Trump said he wanted to keep secret more than 100 documents. This is the first set of records related to Pence's office that the Archives has cleared for release after House investigators sought them and comes as top officials around Pence on January 6 testify to the panel." (Also linked yesterday.)

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: "In a body full of MAGA sycophants and Ivy League-educated senators spewing anti-elite rhetoric, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) manages to stand out. From his fist-pumping approval of the Jan. 6 mob to his whining that his canceled book deal amounts to censorship, Hawley has specialized in inflammatory stunts and victimhood to shove himself to the front of the line of wannabe MAGA cult leaders who seek to follow defeated ... Donald Trump. So no one can be surprised when Hawley adopts the talking points of Trump's favorite dictator, Russian President Vladimir Putin. As President Biden draws a tough stance against Putin's designs on Ukraine and deploys troops to our NATO allies, Hawley has taken Putin's side in the central dispute. Does Ukraine have a right to determine its alliance? Hawley's answer: Nyet!" (Also linked yesterday.)

S. V. Date of the Huffington Post: "Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday is expected to rebut, again, claims by Donald Trump that Pence 'could have overturned the election' to let Trump remain in power despite having lost in 2020 by more than 7 million votes. Pence had already been scheduled to speak at the conservative Federalist Society's conference in Florida, and advisers have indicated in recent days that he is likely to respond there to Trump's latest attacks." MB: Gosh, will pence say Trump is a lying, whining loser or that uninformed sources misled the Greatest President* Ever?

Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "Republican leaders forged an agreement this week to potentially fund a challenger to Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming, and party members are expected to formally condemn her for her work on the Jan. 6 committee Friday, an unprecedented rebuke of an incumbent member of Congress. As the party met in Salt Lake City this week, the leaders of the Wyoming GOP privately signed a special letter that would allow the national party to financially support Harriet Hageman, Cheney's primary challenger. The letter officially recognizes Hageman as the presumptive nominee for the seat."

Old Generals Never Die; They Just Fade Away Waging Fake Wars. Robert Draper in the New York Times Magazine: When Donald Trump granted Michael Flynn a full pardon, Flynn was already deep into pushing military-backed plans to overturn the 2020 presidential election. "One year since Trump's departure from office, his Make America Great Again movement has reconstituted itself as a kind of shape-shifting but increasingly robust parallel political universe, one that holds significant sway over the Republican Party but is also beyond its control. It includes MAGA-centric media outlets...; well-attended events...; its own personalities and merchandise; and above all, its shared catechism -- central to which is the false claim that Trump was the legitimate victor in 2020. In this world, Flynn is probably the single greatest draw besides Trump himself.... In the year since Flynn sought to enlist the military in overturning the election, he has continued to fight the same battle by other means. He has been a key figure in spreading the gospel of the stolen election."

Coral Marcos of the New York Times: "Stocks on Wall Street tumbled on Thursday, with Meta, the parent company of Facebook, leading the way with a drop of 26.4 percent, its worst one-day loss ever and one that erased more than $230 billion off its market value."

Sarah Ellison of the Washington Post: "... the trial that opened on Thursday morning, pitting the [New York] Times against former Alaska governor Sarah Palin in a high-stakes showdown over First Amendment principles, could put [media legal] protections to the test.... In his opening statements to the jury, an attorney for the New York Times tried to turn down the temperature of the debate, casting the matter as a simple error in presentation that the paper's editors moved 'as quickly as possible' to correct."

Michael Grynbaum & John Koblin of the New York Times: CNN on-air personalities met Wednesday with Warner Media CEO Jason Kilar after Kilar fired CNN CEO Jeff Zucker. The stars were not aligned with Kilar. "It was as if a year's worth of frustrations and pressures had came pouring out: unease over CNN's corporate ownership; the firing of the anchor Chris Cuomo in an embarrassing ethics scandal; a looming merger with Discovery Inc.; and now the sudden exit of a leader who had remade the network, to some praise and some criticism, over his nine-year tenure.... [Jake] Tapper asked about the perception that Mr. Cuomo had successfully used Mr. Zucker's relationship to force him to resign. 'Jeff said we don't negotiate with terrorists, and Chris blew the place up,' Mr. Tapper said.... 'For a lot of us,' [Dana Bash] said, 'the feeling is that, for Jeff, the punishment didn't fit the crime.'" MB: This is just big boys with marbles and no morals playing keepsies. When all the players are bully boys, some will be losers. ~~~

~~~ ** Remembering Zucker. Margaret Sullivan of the Washington Post: Jeff "Zucker's relationship with Donald Trump will define his legacy. Zucker, as much as any other person in the world, created and burnished the Trump persona -- first as a reality-TV star who morphed into a worldwide celebrity, then as a candidate for president who was given large amounts of free publicity.... Zucker created Trump the TV sensation, which was the necessary foundation for Trump the candidate.... CNN infamously took his campaign speeches live, sometimes going so far as to broadcast images of an empty lectern with embarrassing chyrons such as 'Breaking News: Standing By for Trump to Speak.'... Zucker also brought on the air Trump surrogates who should have had no place on a national news network: ... Corey Lewandowski..., Jeffrey Lord and Kayleigh McEnany...." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Paul Campos in LG&$: "Margaret Sullivan points out that Jeff Zucker played a crucial role ... in transforming Donald Trump from a washed up bit of cultural detritus from the least appetizing parts of 1980s celebrity culture into an utterly fake tycoon, who was given a media launching pad he would use to eventually destroy democracy in America[.]... The most perverse aspect of the infotainment world that [Paddy Chayefsky's film] Network foresaw and that we're living through now is that it destroys any sense in the public that running a government actually requires some real expertise...." Campos goes on to look at why people would vote for a complete incompetent like Trump, and Campos' take is interesting. Also, a short read.

News You Can Use. Maybe. Rachel Lerman of the Washington Post: "Amazon is raising the price of its Prime membership in the U.S. from $119 to $139 annually, the first time the company has boosted the price of its popular subscription service since 2018. The new prices will go into effect Feb. 18 for new members, and beginning after March 25 for people who already have a membership. The monthly cost will also jump, from $12.99 to $14.99."

The Pandemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here.

Sheryl Stolberg of the New York Times: "A broad and bipartisan group of senators is coalescing around legislation to create a high-level independent commission, modeled after the one that examined the Sept. 11 attacks, with broad powers to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and the response across the Trump and Biden administrations. Under a plan proposed by the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Health Committee -- Senators Patty Murray of Washington and Richard M. Burr of North Carolina -- a 12-member panel would have subpoena power to 'get a full accounting of what went wrong during this pandemic,' Ms. Murray said in an interview, and make recommendations for the future." MB: Let's have Sens. Ron Johnson & Rand Paul co-chair the commission.

Beyond the Beltway

Courts Likely to Undo Some GOP Gerrymandering. Ally Mutnick of Politico: "The redistricting wars are shifting into a new arena: the courtroom. Most states have finished their maps already, but state and federal courts will direct the drawing of some 75 congressional districts in at least seven states in the coming months, marking a new phase in the process before the first 2022 primaries begin. In the next few weeks alone, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania courts are likely to impose new maps blocking Republican legislators' attempts to relegate Democrats to small slivers of those congressional delegations.... So far, the decisions have validated the [Democratic] party's state-by-state legal strategy and, critically, offered a surprising reprieve from several Republican gerrymandering attempts before a single election could be held under the new lines."

Alabama. Noam Scheiber & Karen Weise of the New York Times: "On Friday, the National Labor Relations Board will mail out ballots to workers at [Amazon's Bessemer, Ala.,] warehouse in a so-called re-run election, which the agency ordered after finding that Amazon behaved improperly during the last campaign.... For this election, which runs through March 25, the labor movement is pulling few punches. Several national unions have collectively sent dozens of organizers to Bessemer to help rally workers. And organizers and workers have spent the past several months going door-to-door to build support for the union.... Turnover at Amazon is high -- over 150 percent a year even before a recent surge of quitting nationwide -- and could introduce uncertainty because it';s unclear how new workers will respond to arguments on either side."

Arizona. Andy Rose and Veronica Stracqualursi of CNN: "A Republican bill that would have overhauled elections in Arizona -- including giving the state legislature the power to reject election results -- proved to be too much even for state GOP leaders this week. Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican, quietly doomed House Bill 2596 on Tuesday with an unusual parliamentary maneuver. The speaker assigns all new bills to a committee for consideration before they can have full House votes, a choice that often has a great effect on a measure's chance of success. But on Tuesday, Bowers took the unprecedented step of ordering all 12 House committees to consider the elections bill, virtually ensuring it will never reach the floor. The bill's lead sponsor, Republican state Rep. John Fillmore, referred to the move as a '12-committee lynching' in an interview with CNN affiliate KPHO/KTVK." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Charming the way the sponsor of a bill designed to deprive minority voters of their rights describes the bill's defeat as a "lynching." Co-opting words designed to describe real atrocities is a GOP specialty.

Florida. Madison Czopek of Politifact: "After the Biden administration announced that the new bipartisan infrastructure law would provide $1.1 billion to protect and restore the Everglades in South Florida, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., visited the region to celebrate the investment. '... [I] am proud that Senator Rubio and I were able to help secure an unprecedented $1 billion for Everglades restoration, the largest single amount ever allocated by the federal government.' But Scott didn't vote for the law that's funding the Everglades project. Neither did Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida colleague he shared the credit with.... That makes Scott part of [a] growing political tradition: lawmakers claiming credit for things made possible by legislation they opposed." Thanks to Forrest M. for the lead.

Maryland AG Race. Ovetta Wiggins of the Washington Post: "A former Anne Arundel County Council member who once had ties to the League of the South, an Alabama-based organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified as a hate group, is running to become Maryland's next attorney general. Michael Anthony Peroutka, an attorney, served on the council from 2014 to 2018 and was elected chairman in his final year on the board. During his 2014 run, Peroutka said he opposed same-sex marriage, believes in creationism and favors the dismantling of public education, which he has called 'a plank in the Communist Manifesto.' At a League of the South conference in 2012, he sang 'Dixie,' calling it 'the national anthem.'" MB: Look for a Trump endorsement any day now.

New Jersey. Matt Friedman of Politico: "A Republican challenge to the new congressional district map has failed. The New Jersey Supreme Court on Thursday voted 5-0 to side with Democrats and dismiss a GOP lawsuit that asked the court to remand the map to the redistricting commission for further consideration and require the tie-breaker commissioner, former Supreme Court Justice John Wallace, to recuse himself. The state's highest court ruled that for all the Republicans' complaints about the process, the lawsuit did not challenge the map itself as unlawful or unconstitutional."

Texas Voting Restrictions Law Is "Already a Clusterfuck." Sam Levine of the Guardian: "Officials in Texas are rejecting thousands of mail-in ballots ahead of the first 2022 midterm primary votes next month, raising serious alarm that a new Republican law is going to disenfranchise droves of eligible voters. The state's 1 March primary is being closely watched as the first important test of one of the dozens of voting restrictions GOP-controlled state legislatures enacted in 2021. Last August, Texas Republicans passed a sweeping new voting law, SB 1, that imposes new identification requirements in the mail-in voting process, prohibits election officials from soliciting mail-in ballots, provides partisan poll watchers with more autonomy at the polls and outlaws 24-hour and curbside voting.... 'It's already a clusterfuck,' said Charlie Bonner, a spokesperson for Move Texas, a group that works on voter mobilization in Texas."

Way Beyond

China/Russia, etc.. Andrew Jeong & Emily Rauhala of the Washington Post: "Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Friday on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics in a show of solidarity amid a spiraling crisis over the Kremlin's military buildup around Ukraine that could further complicate the diplomatic standoff. In a rambling joint statement to mark the occasion, Moscow and Beijing espoused shared views on a range of geopolitical issues but avoided mentioning the crisis by name. Instead they expressed opposition to NATO enlargement and called out 'forces representing a minority on the world stage' who 'continue to advocate unilateral approaches to solving international problems.' Xi, who has not met another foreign leader in person in almost two years, said the two sides 'firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests,' according to a summary of the meeting by the state news agency Xinhua." ~~~

     ~~~ An AP story is here. The New York Times has a liveblog of the meeting, & presumably, of reactions to it.

U.K. Bye-Bye Boris. Mark Landler & Stephen Castle of the New York Times: "An exodus of senior officials from 10 Downing Street on Thursday deepened the crisis engulfing Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as he fought to hold on to power in the wake of a scandal over get-togethers that breached lockdown restrictions. Mr. Johnson's chief of staff, private secretary, communications chief, and head of policy all resigned, leaving the top of British government rudderless at a time when Mr. Johnson is struggling to avert a mutiny in the ranks of his Conservative Party. About a dozen party lawmakers have called publicly for a no-confidence vote in the prime minister. Some of the departures fulfilled Mr. Johnson's promise to overhaul the Downing Street operation, following the release of a government report on Monday that criticized the office for 'excessive' workplace drinking, citing 16 social gatherings.... But ... his policy chief, Munira Mirza..., sent the prime minister a sharply critical letter...." A related AP story is here; the headline describes Johnson as being in "a weakened position."

U.K. Danica Kirka of the AP: "The woman who became Queen Elizabeth II will mark 70 years on the throne Sunday, an unprecedented reign that has made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. From her early days as a glamorous young royal in glittering tiaras to her more recent incarnation as the nation's grandmother, the queen has witnessed the end of the British Empire, the advent of multiculturalism, the rise of international terrorism, and the challenges posed by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. In a world of relentless change, she has been a constant -- representing the U.K.'s interests abroad, applauding the nation's successes and commiserating in its failures, and always remaining above the fray of politics." Includes a short history of her reign, with photos.

News Ledes

CNBC: "Payrolls rose far more than expected in January despite surging omicron cases that seemingly sent millions of workers to the sidelines, the Labor Department reported Friday. Nonfarm payrolls surged by 467,000 for the month, while the unemployment rate edged higher to 4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Dow Jones estimate was for payroll growth of 150,000 and a 3.9% unemployment rate. The stunning gain came a week after the White House warned that the numbers could be low due to the pandemic."

New York Times: "A tenacious winter storm that has already canceled flights, closed schools and created slick roadways across the South and the Midwest was expected on Friday to dump snow, sleet and ice upon the Northeast. Heavy snow is projected in northern parts of New York and New England, with ice the primary concern farther south, said Rich Otto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's prediction center." ~~~

~~~ Washington Post: "More than 300,000 customers from Texas to Pennsylvania were without power Thursday night as a major winter storm continued moving east across the United States, bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain to Midwest and eastern U.S. The National Weather Service warned of 'impossible' travel conditions, and local authorities urged drivers to stay off the roads."

The New York Times has live updates of the Winter Olympics here: "With seamless footwork and high-flying quadruple jumps, Nathan Chen, the gold medal favorite in figure skating's men's singles event, easily finished first on Friday in the men's short program of the team event, giving the U.S. team an edge to win an early medal at the Beijing Games." The Washington Post's liveblog is here. ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times also is liveblogging the Olympics opening ceremonies.