“The FBI has arrested a Donald Trump supporter who allegedly stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 while wearing the head of a panda costume,” NBC News reports.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“So apparently only those who’ve had careers entrenched in the machine that drove us into the ditch should possibly be considered ‘qualified’ to lead us out of it. (They’re done such a bang up job and all.) Squirm, darlings. We see you.”
— Marianne Williamson, on Twitter, taking a shot at critics of her Democratic primary challenge to President Biden.
Scott Adams Says He’s Been Canceled
The distributor of the long-running “Dilbert” comic strip, announced late Sunday that it was “severing” ties with creator Scott Adams after he went on a racist rant during his YouTube show, Axios reports.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports Penguin Random House has also dropped plans to publish Adams’ upcoming book.
Tweeted Adams: “My book agent canceled me too.”
Keisha Lance Bottoms Leaving White House Job
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) is leaving her temporary role as a senior official in the Biden administration, but she made clear Monday she intends to stay involved in public policy as she returns to Georgia, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
Said Bottoms: “It’s time for me to get back home, get back to my family and focus on the future.”
How to Make Trump the Insurgent Candidate Again
Jonathan Last: “Republican voters have shown over the last 7 years that they like insurgents. Trump’s problem in running for 2024 is that it’s hard to be an insurgent when you’re the former president.”
“But the entire Republican / conservative establishment congealing around DeSantis solves that problem. It makes DeSantis—who otherwise might be a fresh face—into the establishment behemoth. And it makes Trump into the insurgent fighting to purify the rigged Republican party.”
Chip Makers Seeking Funds Will Need to Provide Child Care
“The Biden administration plans to leverage the federal government’s expansive investment in the semiconductor industry to make progress on another goal: affordable child care,” the New York Times reports.
“On Tuesday, the Commerce Department will announce that any semiconductor manufacturer seeking a slice of nearly $40 billion in new federal subsidies will need to essentially guarantee affordable, high-quality child care for workers who build or operate a plant.”
Jeb Bush Endorses Ron Desantis
Former Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed Gov. Ron Desantis for president in 2024.
Will Trump will claim this as an in-kind donation for his campaign?
Mexican President Claims Proof of Mystical Elf
“Mexico’s president shared what he said was a photo of a mythical woodland elf that he claimed provided evidence of the existence of mischievous Mayan spirits,” The Telegraph reports.
Why Fox News Lied to Its Viewers
David French: “Fox isn’t just the news hub of right-wing America, it’s a cultural cornerstone, and its business model is so successful that it’s more accurate to think of the rest of the right-wing media universe not as a collection of competitors to Fox, but rather as imitators.”
“From television channels to news sites, right-wing personalities aren’t so much competing with Fox as auditioning for it.”
Justices to Hear Case on Biden’s Student Loan Program
“President Biden’s far-reaching initiative to forgive student loan debt will be debated this week before a Supreme Court that is skeptical of the administration’s bold claims of power — a nearly half-trillion-dollar showdown that could affect more than 40 million Americans,” the Washington Post reports.
“Tuesday’s oral arguments bring together a string of combustible issues: an ambitious program aimed at fulfilling a campaign promise for Biden’s political base; heightened suspicion by the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority about the ability of federal agencies to act without specific congressional authorization; and the power of Republican-led states to use the judiciary to stop a president’s priorities before they even take effect.”
GOP Lawmaker Admits Fudging His Resume
“Rep. Andrew Ogles (R-TN), who is facing allegations of embellishing his résumé, acknowledged Monday that he misstated the degree he received from Middle Tennessee State University, claiming he learned of the discrepancy only last week after requesting an official copy of his transcript,” the Washington Post reports.
“Ogles said he mistakenly stated that he received a degree in international relations. In a statement Monday, he said his degree was for liberal studies. That is a general education degree typically for those who cannot settle on a major.”
Is Trump’s Name-Calling a Good Debate Technique?
Rolling Stone: “The inconvenient truth is that to win any argument, and especially to win over a skeptical or divided audience, you need to establish your own authority and expertise while challenging your opponent’s. And for that, you do sometimes need to rely on ad hominem arguments — logical fallacies and politeness be damned!”
“To understand how to attack your opponent’s ethos, it’s best to start by understanding the three most common forms of the argumentum ad hominem—and why, in my view, they happen to be totally legit.”
Win Every Argument
Out this week: Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking by Mehdi Hasan.
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking
- Amazon Kindle Edition
Train Derailment Erupts Into Culture Battle
Washington Post: “Many of the accusations were made by Biden’s political adversaries, abetted by a spate of criticism on mainly right-wing social media accounts, not all of them accurate — including the charge that federal officials ignored the crash, when they sent personnel as they normally would.”
“Still, three weeks after the disaster, it seems clear that the administration was caught off guard, unprepared for the possibility that the nonfatal crash would become a prism for the country’s political battles.”
Peru Runs Out of Space to Keep its Jailed Ex-Presidents
“A Peruvian prison built specifically to host disgraced former presidents will soon run out of space if former leader Alejandro Toledo is extradited from the US as expected,” Bloomberg reports.
Iran’s Nuclear Program Advancing Rapidly
Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is more advanced than previously known and “if they chose to cross that line,” Tehran would only need a “matter of weeks” to enrich uranium capable of powering a nuclear weapon, CBS News reports.
Janet Yellen Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine
“One week after President Biden visited Kyiv to reaffirm an enduring commitment to helping defend against the Russian invasion, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Monday to emphasize that the United States would also continue to provide money Ukraine needs to keep its government operating as the war enters its second year,” the New York Times reports.
The Case for a Primary Challenge to Joe Biden
Mark Leibovich: “In private, of course, many elected Democrats say Biden is too old to run again and that they wish he’d step away—which aligns with what large majorities of Democrats and independents have been telling pollsters for months. The public silence around the president’s predicament has become tiresome and potentially catastrophic for the Democratic Party. Somebody should make a refreshing nuisance of themselves and involve the voters in this decision.”
“Yes, this would be a radical move, and would anger a bunch of Democrats inside the various power terrariums of D.C., starting with the biggest one of all, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There would be immediate blowback from donors, the Democratic National Committee, and other party institutions. But do it anyway. Preferably before Biden makes his final decision, while there’s an opening. If approached deftly, the gambit could benefit the president, the party, and even the challenger’s own standing, win or lose.”
