thedenverpost--2020-01-13--AP FACT CHECK: Trump says Pelosi, Dems defended Iran general

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ’ s relentless attacks on the impeachment investigation and Democrats ’ stance on Iran strained the truth on various fronts , from claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani to asserting that even Ukraine ’ s president said Trump did nothing wrong in withholding military aid .
In weekend tweets and interviews , Trump repeatedly left out important context or simply made stuff up .
To a core question — did the U.S. killing of an Iranian general avoid an imminent attack on U.S. interests ?
— there is no definitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flew .
Trump and his officials said the U.S. attack achieved that result but have yet to prove it .
Trump over the past week offered distortion across the breadth of public policy .
He declared clean-air achievements when the air has become dirtier .
He complained that he didn ’ t get the Nobel Peace Prize for peace in Ethiopia , when he had little or nothing to do with Ethiopia ’ s peace deal with neighboring Eritrea .
And in the midst of dangerous brinkmanship with Iran , Trump falsely accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treasury to Tehran and handing over a fortune .
A look at the claims and reality : TRUMP : “ Where have the Radical Left , Do Nothing Democrats gone when they have spent the last 3 days defending the life of Qassem Soleimani.
” — tweet Saturday .
TRUMP : “ You know what bothers me ?
When I see a Nancy Pelosi trying to defend this monster from Iran … When Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want to defend him , I think that ’ s a very bad thing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event on environmental regulations .
Pelosi and other Democrats have questioned the strategy behind Trump ’ s order to kill Iran ’ s general , which was made without prior approval from Congress , pointing to potential consequences of heightened tensions that could endanger U.S. troops and lead to war with Iran .
The Democrats haven ’ t defended Soleimani or spoken positively about him .
Following the military strike , Pelosi , for instance , called it a “ dangerous escalation of violence ” that put U.S. troops and diplomats at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions.
” She also criticized Trump ’ s “ lack of strategy.
” But Pelosi also made it clear at her news conference last Thursday that Democrats had “ no illusions about Iran , no illusions about Soleimani.
” “ He was a terrible person , did bad things , ” she said .
Similarly , there is no evidence the Democratic presidential candidates defended Soleimani .
Former Vice President Joe Biden said that “ no Americans will mourn Qassem Soleimani ’ s passing.
” Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, who questioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Soleimani a “ a murderer , responsible for the deaths of thousands , including hundreds of Americans.
” Pete Buttigieg , a former mayor of South Bend , Ind.
, said if the U.S. has no plan , “ taking out a bad guy is not necessarily a good idea.
” Last week , Rep. Doug Collins , R-Ga. , was forced to apologize after he made a similar assertion as Trump , claiming that Democrats were “ in love with terrorists.
” “ I left parts of my body in Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duckworth , a former Army pilot who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq , told CNN after hearing Collins ’ initial remarks .
“ I don ’ t need to justify myself to anyone.
” TRUMP : “ Iran ’ s hostility substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013 .
And they were given $ 150 billion , not to mention $ 1.8 billion in cash.
” — address Wednesday .
TRUMP : “ Iran now is not wealthy like it was when President Obama handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
TRUMP : “ They gave around $ 150 billion including $ 1.7 billion in the hard cold cash , can you imagine ?
No , no , can you imagine ?
$ 1.7 billion , $ 1.8 billion in cash.
” — Toledo rally .
THE FACTS : There was no $ 150 billion payout from the U.S. treasury or other countries .
The U.S. made a separate payment of roughly $ 1.8 billion to cover a decades-old IOU .
When Iran signed the multinational deal to restrain its nuclear development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it regained access to its own assets , which had been frozen abroad .
Iran was allowed to get its money back .
The deal actually was signed in 2015 , after a 2013 preliminary agreement .
Trump has taken the U.S. out of it .
As for the $ 1.8 billion : In the 1970s , Iran paid the U.S. $ 400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the Iranian government was overthrown and diplomatic relations ruptured .
After the nuclear deal , the U.S. and Iran announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. agreeing to pay the $ 400 million principal along with about $ 1.3 billion in interest .
The $ 400 million was paid in cash and flown to Tehran on a cargo plane , which gave rise to Trump ’ s previous dramatic accounts of money stuffed in barrels or boxes and delivered in the dead of night .
The arrangement provided for the interest to be paid later , not crammed into containers .
TRUMP : “ The foolish Iran nuclear deal financed Iranian aggression while allowing a quick path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it did .
And by the way it expires so soon .
They can have nuclear weapons.
” — Toledo , Ohio , rally Thursday .
TRUMP : “ It ’ s close to expiring .
In other words , if I didn ’ t terminate it , it expires in a very short period of time.
” — remarks at White House on Thursday .
THE FACTS : The 2015 agreement is not about to expire .
It imposes limits on Iran ’ s nuclear development for 15 years .
TRUMP : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.
” — address Wednesday .
THE FACTS : That accusation comes without corroboration .
The administration has offered no information supporting the contention that in regaining access to $ 150 billion of its assets that had been frozen abroad , Iran steered a chunk of that money to the missiles that hit the U.S. bases in Iraq .
“ I doubt anyone has the insight into Iran ’ s budgetary mechanisms to say that this money was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gerald Feierstein , a career U.S. diplomat who retired in 2016 as the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs .
“ It ’ s a funds-are-fungible kind of argument , ” he said .
“ I mean , if they have money , can you say that dollar went directly to buy a missile , as opposed to freeing up another dollar that went to buy a missile ?
” Joseph Votel , who retired from the U.S. Army in March as the top military commander for the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any specific intelligence on this question .
“ I don ’ t have anything that would particularly support that , ” he said .
“ I ’ m not saying it did or it didn ’ t , but I don ’ t have details to demonstrate it one way or the other.
” As President Barack Obama ’ s secretary of state , John Kerry said it was possible Iran would use some of the money being returned to it for malign activities .
Whether it did in this case has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources of revenue , despite the severe pinch of sanctions .
Oil sales to China and other countries dominate its exports .
It also sells chemicals , plastics , fruits and more abroad .
TRUMP , on the House Intelligence Committee chairman : “ He ’ s a corrupt politician , Adam Schiff .
He ’ s corrupt .
… He gave a sentence that he made up .
He made it up , and it was not — it was not what was said in the conversation .
That ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Ukraine.
” — remarks Thursday .
TRUMP , referring to Pelosi : “ Ask Crazy Nancy why she allowed Adam ‘ Shifty ’ Schiff to totally make up my conversation with the Ukrainian President & read his false words to Congress and the world , as though I said it ?
He got caught !
” — tweet Sunday .
THE FACTS : Trump is making up the timeline and exaggerating the episode .
Schiff , D-Calif. , delivered what he called a parody of Trump ’ s remarks in the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine ’ s leader .
Schiff did so after the White House released a rough transcript of the call , not before , as Trump states .
So people who read the official account knew Schiff was riffing from it , not quoting from it .
Though Trump took umbrage at having words put in his mouth by Schiff , the president routinely invents dialogue .
It ’ s a staple of his rhetoric when he mocks political rivals .
He did it Thursday night at a rally , making up a conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TRUMP : “ The President of Ukraine said I did absolutely nothing wrong , he said I had no pressure whatsoever .
He didn ’ t even know what we were talking about.
” — interview Friday with Fox News .
THE FACTS : That ’ s not an accurate representation .
While Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy initially said there was no discussion of a quid pro quo , he told Time last month that Trump should not have blocked military aid to Ukraine .
Zelenskiy also criticized Trump for casting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a concerning message to international allies .
On that call discussing military aid , Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate Trump ’ s political rivals in the U.S. “ Look I never talked to the president from the position of a quid pro quo , ” Zelenskiy said .
“ But you have to understand .
We ’ re at war .
If you ’ re our strategic partner , then you can ’ t go blocking anything for us .
I think that ’ s just about fairness.
” It ’ s true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters “ there was no pressure or blackmail from the U.S. ” But he did not state Trump had done “ nothing ” wrong .
In any event , Zelenskiy knew months before the call that much-needed U.S. military support might depend on whether he was willing to help Trump by investigating Democrats .
TRUMP , explaining why he initially held up military aid to Ukraine : “ Why is it that the United States pays ?
And it affects Europe far more than it affects the United States .
So why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany , and all of those countries in Europe that are so strongly affected , why aren ’ t they paying ?
” — remarks Tuesday with Greece ’ s prime minister .
THE FACTS : He ’ s incorrect that European countries weren ’ t putting up aid for Ukraine .
European Union institutions have provided far more development assistance than the $ 204 million from Washington .
Specific EU members , Japan and Canada also contribute significantly .
Since 2014 , the EU and European financial institutions have mobilized more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economy , counter corruption , build institutions and strengthen its sovereignty against further incursions by Russia after its annexation of Crimea .
The U.S. is a heavy source of military assistance .
But NATO also contributes a variety of military-assistance programs and trust funds for Ukraine .
In most such cases , the programs are modest and NATO countries other than the U.S. take the lead .
TRUMP : “ I ’ m going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize , I will tell you about that .
I made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country .
I said , what , did I have something to do with it ?
Yeah but , you know , that is the way it is .
” Toledo rally .
THE FACTS : Trump did not save Ethiopia .
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the prize in October after he fully accepted a peace deal ending a 20-year border war with neighboring Eritrea that saw some 80,000 people killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peace deal .
The prize also recognized Abiy , Africa ’ s youngest leader , for sweeping changes in Ethiopian society as he released tens of thousands of prisoners , welcomed home once-banned opposition groups , expanded freedom of expression and acknowledged his country ’ s past abuses .
Trump did agree to a request from Egypt ’ s president to mediate a dispute among Egypt , Ethiopia and Sudan over a proposed dam on the Nile River .
That mediation continues .
Trump is known to express pique when he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is deserved .
He mocked teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg when Time magazine named her person of the year last month .
TRUMP : “ America lost 60,000 factories under the previous administration , 60,000 .
You wouldn ’ t believe that ’ s possible but I know it ’ s true .
… No , it ’ s true .
No , it ’ s true .
… It ’ s 60,000 closed , gone .
They are all coming back .
They are all coming back.
” — Toledo rally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ factories but that ’ s since 2001 , the start of President George W. Bush ’ s administration .
It didn ’ t happen “ under the previous administration.
” And they ’ re not “ all coming back.
” Construction spending on factories has declined since a recent peak in 2015 during Obama ’ s presidency .
Factories cut 12,000 jobs in December , according to the jobs report Friday .
Growth in manufacturing jobs decelerated sharply in 2019 , to 46,000 , down from 264,000 added jobs in 2018 .
TRUMP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 years they try to get accountability .
… I said , you know … I have an idea , such a great idea .
You are going to go out private , you ’ re going to pick up a doctor , you are going to get yourself fixed up , we ’ re going to pay the bill , right ?
And you know what happened ?
And I said how — how brilliant is that ?
They say sir , we ’ ve been working on that for 48 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get it approved .
So I was very , very disillusioned but you know what I ’ m good at , getting things approved and we got it approved.
” — to cheers at Toledo rally .
THE FACTS : He did not think up the idea and get it approved .
Obama got it approved .
Obama signed into law the Choice program that lets veterans go to a private doctor at public expense under some circumstances .
Trump routinely ignores that and says presidents have tried to get it done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the program .
As for accountability , Trump claims that his law means bad VA employees are swiftly fired .
But a report released in October by the VA inspector general found “ significant deficiencies ” in the accountability office established by the law , such as poor leadership , shoddy training of investigators and a failure to push out underperforming senior leaders .
Also at the rally , Trump claimed that “ 44 years ” of failure preceded his success in getting the “ right to try ” initiative into law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill patients more access to unapproved drugs , only goes back five or so years .
TRUMP : “ U.S .
Cancer Death Rate Lowest In Recorded History !
A lot of good news coming out of this Administration.
” — tweet Thursday .
THE FACTS : The news came from the American Cancer Society , not the administration , and it does not reflect Trump ’ s record .
The group said the death rate from cancer has declined nearly 30 % since 1991 and took its sharpest one-year drop in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer-research spending under the Trump administration .
Trump proposed cutting spending at the National Institutes of Health but Congress ignored the effort and raised spending in a bill the president signed .
That is not reflected in the cancer society report .
TRUMP : “ We have some of the cleanest air and cleanest water on earth , and for our country the air is right now cleaner than it ’ s been in 40 years.
” — remarks Thursday .
THE FACTS : No , air quality has worsened under the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretch to say the U.S. is among the countries with the cleanest air .
Dozens of nations have less smoggy air .
Trump made the remarks as he proposed the latest enforcement rollbacks for the bedrock environmental acts credited with beginning the clean-up of U.S. air and water a half-century ago .
As to water quality , one measure , Yale University ’ s global Environmental Performance Index , finds the U.S. tied with nine other countries as having the cleanest drinking water .
But after decades of improvement , progress in air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % more days with unhealthy air in America in 2017 and 2018 than there were on average from 2013 through 2016 , the four years when the U.S had its fewest number of those days since at least 1980 , according to an AP analysis of EPA data .
A recent study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that deadly air particle pollution increased 5.5 % in the United States between 2016 and 2018 after declining by 24.2 % from 2009 to 2016 .
“ The increase was associated with 9,700 premature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Karen Clay and Nicholas Muller said .
“ At conventional valuations , these deaths represent damages of $ 89 billion.
” The Obama administration set records for the fewest air-polluted days .
Trump ’ s proposal would greatly cut back on the National Environmental Policy Act ’ s requirement that federal agencies consider whether a big construction project would hurt the environment before they approve the project .
Other Trump proposals would roll back restrictions on major sources of air and water pollution , including coal-fired power plants and autos.
” TRUMP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroying 100 % of ISIS and its territorial caliphate … ” — address Wednesday on Iran ’ s missile strike on two Iraqi bases .
THE FACTS : His claim of a 100 % defeat is misleading as the Islamic State group still poses a threat .
IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017 , then lost the last of its land holdings in Syria in March , marking the end of the extremists ’ self-declared caliphate .
Still , extremist sleeper cells have continued to launch attacks in Iraq and Syria and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings against local officials and members of the Syrian Democratic Forces .
U.N. experts have warned that IS leaders are seeking a resurgence .
This past week , Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the fight against the group was continuing in Syria .
TRUMP : “ We are independent , and we do not need Middle East oil.
” — address Wednesday .
THE FACTS : Trump ’ s declaration of energy independence is premature .
The U.S. still needs plenty of oil from the Mideast .
The volume of U.S. oil imports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million barrels in October – would not be easy to make up elsewhere , at least not without major changes in U.S. demand or production .
Technological advances like fracking and horizontal drilling have allowed the U.S. to greatly increase production , but demand remains brisk and the country still imports millions of barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia , Canada , Iraq and other countries .
Moreover , much of what the U.S. produces is hard for domestic refiners to convert to practical use .
So the U.S. exports that production and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American refineries to handle .
On energy more broadly , the U.S. is indeed close to parity on how much energy it produces and how much it consumes .
In some months , it produces more than it consumes .
But it has not achieved self-sufficiency .
In the first nine months of last year , it imported about as much energy as it exported .
TRUMP : “ The American military has been completely rebuilt under my administration , at a cost of $ 2.5 trillion.
” — address Wednesday .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerated a sharp buildup in defense spending , including a respite from what the U.S. military considered to be crippling spending limits under budget sequestration .
But a number of new Pentagon weapons programs , such as the F-35 fighter jet , were started years before the Trump administration .
And it will take years for freshly ordered tanks , planes and other weapons to be built , delivered and put to use .
The Air Force ’ s Minuteman 3 missiles , a key part of the U.S. nuclear force , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 1970s and the modernization was begun under the Obama administration .
They are due to be replaced with a new version , but not until later this decade .

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on the impeachment investigation and Democrats’ stance on Iran strained the truth on various fronts, from claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani to asserting that even Ukraine’s president said Trump did nothing wrong in withholding military aid.
In weekend tweets and interviews, Trump repeatedly left out important context or simply made stuff up.
To a core question — did the U.S. killing of an Iranian general avoid an imminent attack on U.S. interests? — there is no definitive answer more than a week after missiles flew. Trump and his officials said the U.S. attack achieved that result but have yet to prove it.
Trump over the past week offered distortion across the breadth of public policy. He declared clean-air achievements when the air has become dirtier.
He complained that he didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize for peace in Ethiopia, when he had little or nothing to do with Ethiopia’s peace deal with neighboring Eritrea.
And in the midst of dangerous brinkmanship with Iran, Trump falsely accused President Barack Obama of opening the U.S. treasury to Tehran and handing over a fortune.
A look at the claims and reality:
IRAN
TRUMP: “Where have the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats gone when they have spent the last 3 days defending the life of Qassem Soleimani.” — tweet Saturday.
TRUMP: “You know what bothers me? When I see a Nancy Pelosi trying to defend this monster from Iran … When Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats want to defend him, I think that’s a very bad thing for this country.” — remarks Thursday at event on environmental regulations.
THE FACTS: That’s a misrepresentation.
Pelosi and other Democrats have questioned the strategy behind Trump’s order to kill Iran’s general, which was made without prior approval from Congress, pointing to potential consequences of heightened tensions that could endanger U.S. troops and lead to war with Iran. The Democrats haven’t defended Soleimani or spoken positively about him.
Following the military strike, Pelosi, for instance, called it a “dangerous escalation of violence” that put U.S. troops and diplomats at risk “by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions.” She also criticized Trump’s “lack of strategy.” But Pelosi also made it clear at her news conference last Thursday that Democrats had “no illusions about Iran, no illusions about Soleimani.”
“He was a terrible person, did bad things,” she said.
Similarly, there is no evidence the Democratic presidential candidates defended Soleimani.
Former Vice President Joe Biden said that “no Americans will mourn Qassem Soleimani’s passing.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who questioned the timing of the military strike, called Soleimani a “a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans.” Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Ind., said if the U.S. has no plan, “taking out a bad guy is not necessarily a good idea.”
Last week, Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., was forced to apologize after he made a similar assertion as Trump, claiming that Democrats were “in love with terrorists.”
“I left parts of my body in Iraq fighting terrorists,” Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a former Army pilot who lost both her legs while serving in Iraq, told CNN after hearing Collins’ initial remarks. “I don’t need to justify myself to anyone.”
___
TRUMP: “Iran’s hostility substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013. And they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash.” — address Wednesday.
TRUMP: “Iran now is not wealthy like it was when President Obama handed him $150 billion..” — remarks Thursday.
TRUMP: “They gave around $150 billion including $1.7 billion in the hard cold cash, can you imagine? No, no, can you imagine? $1.7 billion, $1.8 billion in cash.” — Toledo rally.
THE FACTS: There was no $150 billion payout from the U.S. treasury or other countries. The U.S. made a separate payment of roughly $1.8 billion to cover a decades-old IOU.
When Iran signed the multinational deal to restrain its nuclear development in return for being freed from sanctions, it regained access to its own assets, which had been frozen abroad. Iran was allowed to get its money back. The deal actually was signed in 2015, after a 2013 preliminary agreement. Trump has taken the U.S. out of it.
As for the $1.8 billion: In the 1970s, Iran paid the U.S. $400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the Iranian government was overthrown and diplomatic relations ruptured. After the nuclear deal, the U.S. and Iran announced they had settled the matter, with the U.S. agreeing to pay the $400 million principal along with about $1.3 billion in interest.
The $400 million was paid in cash and flown to Tehran on a cargo plane, which gave rise to Trump’s previous dramatic accounts of money stuffed in barrels or boxes and delivered in the dead of night. The arrangement provided for the interest to be paid later, not crammed into containers.
___
TRUMP: “The foolish Iran nuclear deal financed Iranian aggression while allowing a quick path to nuclear breakout. That is what it did. And by the way it expires so soon. They can have nuclear weapons.” — Toledo, Ohio, rally Thursday.
TRUMP: “It’s close to expiring. In other words, if I didn’t terminate it, it expires in a very short period of time.” — remarks at White House on Thursday.
THE FACTS: The 2015 agreement is not about to expire. It imposes limits on Iran’s nuclear development for 15 years.
___
TRUMP: “The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.” — address Wednesday.
THE FACTS: That accusation comes without corroboration. The administration has offered no information supporting the contention that in regaining access to $150 billion of its assets that had been frozen abroad, Iran steered a chunk of that money to the missiles that hit the U.S. bases in Iraq.
“I doubt anyone has the insight into Iran’s budgetary mechanisms to say that this money was used for this purpose,” said Gerald Feierstein, a career U.S. diplomat who retired in 2016 as the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs.
“It’s a funds-are-fungible kind of argument,” he said. “I mean, if they have money, can you say that dollar went directly to buy a missile, as opposed to freeing up another dollar that went to buy a missile?”
Joseph Votel, who retired from the U.S. Army in March as the top military commander for the Middle East, said he was not aware of any specific intelligence on this question. “I don’t have anything that would particularly support that,” he said. “I’m not saying it did or it didn’t, but I don’t have details to demonstrate it one way or the other.”
As President Barack Obama’s secretary of state, John Kerry said it was possible Iran would use some of the money being returned to it for malign activities. Whether it did in this case has not been established.
Iran has many sources of revenue, despite the severe pinch of sanctions. Oil sales to China and other countries dominate its exports. It also sells chemicals, plastics, fruits and more abroad.
___
IMPEACHMENT
TRUMP, on the House Intelligence Committee chairman: “He’s a corrupt politician, Adam Schiff. He’s corrupt. … He gave a sentence that he made up. He made it up, and it was not — it was not what was said in the conversation. That’s why I released the transcript, got approval from Ukraine.” — remarks Thursday.
TRUMP, referring to Pelosi: “Ask Crazy Nancy why she allowed Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff to totally make up my conversation with the Ukrainian President & read his false words to Congress and the world, as though I said it? He got caught!” — tweet Sunday.
THE FACTS: Trump is making up the timeline and exaggerating the episode.
Schiff, D-Calif., delivered what he called a parody of Trump’s remarks in the president’s July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s leader.
Schiff did so after the White House released a rough transcript of the call, not before, as Trump states. So people who read the official account knew Schiff was riffing from it, not quoting from it.
Though Trump took umbrage at having words put in his mouth by Schiff, the president routinely invents dialogue. It’s a staple of his rhetoric when he mocks political rivals. He did it Thursday night at a rally, making up a conversation he pretended he had — with Schiff.
___
TRUMP: “The President of Ukraine said I did absolutely nothing wrong, he said I had no pressure whatsoever. He didn’t even know what we were talking about.” — interview Friday with Fox News.
THE FACTS: That’s not an accurate representation.
While Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy initially said there was no discussion of a quid pro quo, he told Time last month that Trump should not have blocked military aid to Ukraine. Zelenskiy also criticized Trump for casting the country as corrupt, saying it sends a concerning message to international allies.
On that call discussing military aid, Trump asked Zelenskiy to investigate Trump’s political rivals in the U.S.
“Look I never talked to the president from the position of a quid pro quo,” Zelenskiy said. “But you have to understand. We’re at war. If you’re our strategic partner, then you can’t go blocking anything for us. I think that’s just about fairness.”
It’s true that in early October, Zelenskiy had told reporters “there was no pressure or blackmail from the U.S.” But he did not state Trump had done “nothing” wrong.
In any event, Zelenskiy knew months before the call that much-needed U.S. military support might depend on whether he was willing to help Trump by investigating Democrats.
___
TRUMP, explaining why he initially held up military aid to Ukraine: “Why is it that the United States pays? And it affects Europe far more than it affects the United States. So why isn’t it that France, Germany, and all of those countries in Europe that are so strongly affected, why aren’t they paying?” — remarks Tuesday with Greece’s prime minister.
THE FACTS: He’s incorrect that European countries weren’t putting up aid for Ukraine.
European Union institutions have provided far more development assistance than the $204 million from Washington. Specific EU members, Japan and Canada also contribute significantly.
Since 2014, the EU and European financial institutions have mobilized more than $16 billion to help Ukraine’s economy, counter corruption, build institutions and strengthen its sovereignty against further incursions by Russia after its annexation of Crimea.
The U.S. is a heavy source of military assistance. But NATO also contributes a variety of military-assistance programs and trust funds for Ukraine. In most such cases, the programs are modest and NATO countries other than the U.S. take the lead.
___
PEACE PRIZE
TRUMP: “I’m going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize, I will tell you about that. I made a deal, I saved the country and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said, what, did I have something to do with it? Yeah but, you know, that is the way it is. ” Toledo rally.
THE FACTS: Trump did not save Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the prize in October after he fully accepted a peace deal ending a 20-year border war with neighboring Eritrea that saw some 80,000 people killed. Trump had no known involvement in the peace deal.
The prize also recognized Abiy, Africa’s youngest leader, for sweeping changes in Ethiopian society as he released tens of thousands of prisoners, welcomed home once-banned opposition groups, expanded freedom of expression and acknowledged his country’s past abuses.
Trump did agree to a request from Egypt’s president to mediate a dispute among Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over a proposed dam on the Nile River. That mediation continues.
Trump is known to express pique when he is not recognized in the manner he thinks is deserved. He mocked teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg when Time magazine named her person of the year last month.
___
JOBS
TRUMP: “America lost 60,000 factories under the previous administration, 60,000. You wouldn’t believe that’s possible but I know it’s true. … No, it’s true. No, it’s true. … It’s 60,000 closed, gone. They are all coming back. They are all coming back.” — Toledo rally.
THE FACTS: It’s not true.
The U.S. has indeed lost roughly 60,000 factories but that’s since 2001, the start of President George W. Bush’s administration. It didn’t happen “under the previous administration.” And they’re not “all coming back.”
Construction spending on factories has declined since a recent peak in 2015 during Obama’s presidency. Factories cut 12,000 jobs in December, according to the jobs report Friday. Growth in manufacturing jobs decelerated sharply in 2019, to 46,000, down from 264,000 added jobs in 2018.
___
VETERANS
TRUMP on the Veterans Administration: “For 44 years they try to get accountability. … I said, you know … I have an idea, such a great idea. You are going to go out private, you’re going to pick up a doctor, you are going to get yourself fixed up, we’re going to pay the bill, right? And you know what happened? And I said how — how brilliant is that? They say sir, we’ve been working on that for 48 years but we’ve never been able to get it approved. So I was very, very disillusioned but you know what I’m good at, getting things approved and we got it approved.” — to cheers at Toledo rally.
THE FACTS: He did not think up the idea and get it approved. Obama got it approved. Obama signed into law the Choice program that lets veterans go to a private doctor at public expense under some circumstances. Trump routinely ignores that and says presidents have tried to get it done for 44 years. He only expanded the program.
As for accountability, Trump claims that his law means bad VA employees are swiftly fired. But a report released in October by the VA inspector general found “significant deficiencies” in the accountability office established by the law, such as poor leadership, shoddy training of investigators and a failure to push out underperforming senior leaders.
Also at the rally, Trump claimed that “44 years” of failure preceded his success in getting the “right to try” initiative into law. That initiative, aimed at giving terminally ill patients more access to unapproved drugs, only goes back five or so years.
___
CANCER
TRUMP: “U.S. Cancer Death Rate Lowest In Recorded History! A lot of good news coming out of this Administration.” — tweet Thursday.
THE FACTS: The news came from the American Cancer Society, not the administration, and it does not reflect Trump’s record.
The group said the death rate from cancer has declined nearly 30% since 1991 and took its sharpest one-year drop in 2017. But the data did not reflect cancer-research spending under the Trump administration.
Trump proposed cutting spending at the National Institutes of Health but Congress ignored the effort and raised spending in a bill the president signed. That is not reflected in the cancer society report.
___
ENVIRONMENT
TRUMP: “We have some of the cleanest air and cleanest water on earth, and for our country the air is right now cleaner than it’s been in 40 years.” — remarks Thursday.
THE FACTS: No, air quality has worsened under the Trump administration. And it’s a stretch to say the U.S. is among the countries with the cleanest air. Dozens of nations have less smoggy air. Trump made the remarks as he proposed the latest enforcement rollbacks for the bedrock environmental acts credited with beginning the clean-up of U.S. air and water a half-century ago.
As to water quality, one measure, Yale University’s global Environmental Performance Index, finds the U.S. tied with nine other countries as having the cleanest drinking water.
But after decades of improvement, progress in air quality has stalled.
There were 15% more days with unhealthy air in America in 2017 and 2018 than there were on average from 2013 through 2016, the four years when the U.S had its fewest number of those days since at least 1980, according to an AP analysis of EPA data.
A recent study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that deadly air particle pollution increased 5.5% in the United States between 2016 and 2018 after declining by 24.2% from 2009 to 2016.
“The increase was associated with 9,700 premature deaths in 2018,” the study by Karen Clay and Nicholas Muller said. “At conventional valuations, these deaths represent damages of $89 billion.”
The Obama administration set records for the fewest air-polluted days.
Trump’s proposal would greatly cut back on the National Environmental Policy Act’s requirement that federal agencies consider whether a big construction project would hurt the environment before they approve the project. Other Trump proposals would roll back restrictions on major sources of air and water pollution, including coal-fired power plants and autos.”
___
ISLAMIC STATE GROUP
TRUMP: “Three months ago, after destroying 100% of ISIS and its territorial caliphate …” — address Wednesday on Iran’s missile strike on two Iraqi bases.
THE FACTS: His claim of a 100% defeat is misleading as the Islamic State group still poses a threat.
IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, then lost the last of its land holdings in Syria in March, marking the end of the extremists’ self-declared caliphate. Still, extremist sleeper cells have continued to launch attacks in Iraq and Syria and are believed to be responsible for targeted killings against local officials and members of the Syrian Democratic Forces.
U.N. experts have warned that IS leaders are seeking a resurgence. This past week, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the fight against the group was continuing in Syria.
___
ENERGY
TRUMP: “We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil.” — address Wednesday.
THE FACTS: Trump’s declaration of energy independence is premature. The U.S. still needs plenty of oil from the Mideast.
The volume of U.S. oil imports from the Persian Gulf alone — 23 million barrels in October – would not be easy to make up elsewhere, at least not without major changes in U.S. demand or production.
Technological advances like fracking and horizontal drilling have allowed the U.S. to greatly increase production, but demand remains brisk and the country still imports millions of barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia, Canada, Iraq and other countries. Moreover, much of what the U.S. produces is hard for domestic refiners to convert to practical use. So the U.S. exports that production and imports oil that is more suitable for American refineries to handle.
On energy more broadly, the U.S. is indeed close to parity on how much energy it produces and how much it consumes. In some months, it produces more than it consumes. But it has not achieved self-sufficiency. In the first nine months of last year, it imported about as much energy as it exported.
___
MILITARY
TRUMP: “The American military has been completely rebuilt under my administration, at a cost of $2.5 trillion.” — address Wednesday.
THE FACTS: That’s an exaggeration.
It’s true that his administration has accelerated a sharp buildup in defense spending, including a respite from what the U.S. military considered to be crippling spending limits under budget sequestration.
But a number of new Pentagon weapons programs, such as the F-35 fighter jet, were started years before the Trump administration. And it will take years for freshly ordered tanks, planes and other weapons to be built, delivered and put to use.
The Air Force’s Minuteman 3 missiles, a key part of the U.S. nuclear force, for instance, have been operating since the early 1970s and the modernization was begun under the Obama administration. They are due to be replaced with a new version, but not until later this decade.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--Lava gushes from Philippine volcano as ash spreads to Manila

TAGAYTAY , Philippines — Red-hot lava gushed out of a Philippine volcano Monday after a sudden eruption of ash and steam that forced villagers to flee and shut down Manila ’ s international airport , offices and schools .
There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage from Taal volcano ’ s eruption south of the capital that began Sunday .
But clouds of ash blew more than 100 kilometers ( 62 miles ) north , reaching the bustling capital , Manila , and forcing the shutdown of the country ’ s main airport with more than 240 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An alternative airport north of Manila at Clark freeport remained open but authorities would shut it down too if ashfall threatens flights , the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said .
The government ’ s disaster-response agency reported about 8,000 villagers have moved to at least 38 evacuation centers in the hard-hit province of Batangas and nearby Cavite province , but officials expect the number to swell with hundreds of thousands more being brought out of harm ’ s way .
Some residents could not move out of ash-blanketed villages due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visibility .
Some refused to leave their homes and farms , officials said .
“ We have a problem , our people are panicking due to the volcano because they want to save their livelihood , their pigs and herds of cows , ” Mayor Wilson Maralit of Balete town told DZMM radio .
“ We ’ re trying to stop them from returning and warning that the volcano can explode again anytime and hit them.
” Maralit , whose town lies along the coastline of Taal Lake surrounding the erupting volcano , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be deployed to stop distraught residents from sneaking back to their high-risk coastal villages .
After months of restiveness that began last year , Taal suddenly rumbled back to life Sunday , blasting steam , ash and pebbles up to 10 to 15 kilometers ( 6 to 9 miles ) into the sky , according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology .
The government volcano-monitoring agency raised the danger level around Taal three notches to level 4 , indicating “ an imminent hazardous eruption.
” Level 5 , the highest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could affect a larger area with high-risk zones that would need to be cleared of people , said Renato Solidum , who heads the institute .
Ma .
Antonio Bornas , the agency ’ s chief volcanologist , said lava spurted out in fountains out of the volcano early Monday while its ash and steam ejections eased .
It ’ s hard to tell when the eruption would stop , she said , citing Taal ’ s similar restiveness in the 1970s that lasted for about four months .
With the steam and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shovel away the few inches of ash that covered everything from homes to cars and trees in Tagaytay , a popular upland resort city on a ridge that overlooks the picturesque volcano in the middle of a crater lake .
Usually bustling with traffic and tourists , many of Tagaytay ’ s restaurants and coffee shops were closed , its main road covered in volcanic filth and mud .
The volcanology institute reminded the public that the small island where the volcano lies is a “ permanent danger zone , ” although fishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It stressed that the “ total evacuation ” of people on the volcano island and coastal areas “ at high risk to pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami within a 14-kilometer ( 8.7-mile ) radius from Taal.
” Aviation officials must advise airplanes to avoid flying at a certain distance from the volcano “ as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from the eruption column pose hazards to aircraft , ” it said .
Authorities continue to detect swarms of earthquakes , some of them felt with rumbling sounds , and a slight inflation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) volcano , officials said and advised residents to stay indoors and wear masks and goggles outdoors .
Government work and classes in schools in a wide swath of towns and cities were suspended Monday , including in Manila , to avoid health risks posed by the ashfall .
One of the world ’ s smallest volcanoes , Taal is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines , which lies along the so-called Pacific “ Ring of Fire , ” a seismically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storms each year also lash the Philippines , which lies between the Pacific and the South China Sea , making it one of the world ’ s most disaster-prone countries .

TAGAYTAY, Philippines — Red-hot lava gushed out of a Philippine volcano Monday after a sudden eruption of ash and steam that forced villagers to flee and shut down Manila’s international airport, offices and schools.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage from Taal volcano’s eruption south of the capital that began Sunday. But clouds of ash blew more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) north, reaching the bustling capital, Manila, and forcing the shutdown of the country’s main airport with more than 240 international and domestic flights cancelled so far.
An alternative airport north of Manila at Clark freeport remained open but authorities would shut it down too if ashfall threatens flights, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.
The government’s disaster-response agency reported about 8,000 villagers have moved to at least 38 evacuation centers in the hard-hit province of Batangas and nearby Cavite province, but officials expect the number to swell with hundreds of thousands more being brought out of harm’s way. Some residents could not move out of ash-blanketed villages due to a lack of transport and poor visibility. Some refused to leave their homes and farms, officials said.
“We have a problem, our people are panicking due to the volcano because they want to save their livelihood, their pigs and herds of cows,” Mayor Wilson Maralit of Balete town told DZMM radio. “We’re trying to stop them from returning and warning that the volcano can explode again anytime and hit them.”
Maralit, whose town lies along the coastline of Taal Lake surrounding the erupting volcano, appealed for troops and additional police to be deployed to stop distraught residents from sneaking back to their high-risk coastal villages.
After months of restiveness that began last year, Taal suddenly rumbled back to life Sunday, blasting steam, ash and pebbles up to 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) into the sky, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
The government volcano-monitoring agency raised the danger level around Taal three notches to level 4, indicating “an imminent hazardous eruption.” Level 5, the highest, means a hazardous eruption is underway and could affect a larger area with high-risk zones that would need to be cleared of people, said Renato Solidum, who heads the institute.
Ma. Antonio Bornas, the agency’s chief volcanologist, said lava spurted out in fountains out of the volcano early Monday while its ash and steam ejections eased. It’s hard to tell when the eruption would stop, she said, citing Taal’s similar restiveness in the 1970s that lasted for about four months.
With the steam and ashfall easing, some residents began to shovel away the few inches of ash that covered everything from homes to cars and trees in Tagaytay, a popular upland resort city on a ridge that overlooks the picturesque volcano in the middle of a crater lake.
Usually bustling with traffic and tourists, many of Tagaytay’s restaurants and coffee shops were closed, its main road covered in volcanic filth and mud.
The volcanology institute reminded the public that the small island where the volcano lies is a “permanent danger zone,” although fishing villages have existed there for years. It stressed that the “total evacuation” of people on the volcano island and coastal areas “at high risk to pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami within a 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) radius from Taal.”
Aviation officials must advise airplanes to avoid flying at a certain distance from the volcano “as airborne ash and ballistic fragments from the eruption column pose hazards to aircraft,” it said.
Authorities continue to detect swarms of earthquakes, some of them felt with rumbling sounds, and a slight inflation of portions of the 1,020-foot (311-meter) volcano, officials said and advised residents to stay indoors and wear masks and goggles outdoors.
Government work and classes in schools in a wide swath of towns and cities were suspended Monday, including in Manila, to avoid health risks posed by the ashfall.
One of the world’s smallest volcanoes, Taal is among two dozen active volcanoes in the Philippines, which lies along the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
About 20 typhoons and other major storms each year also lash the Philippines, which lies between the Pacific and the South China Sea, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--Nikola Jokic, Nuggets hang on for impressive win over Clippers

So much for a Sunday hangover .
The Nuggets flushed their disappointing loss Saturday night and bounced back with an impressive 114-104 victory at the Pepsi Center against the Los Angeles Clippers , one of the presumed title favorites heading into the season .
Buoyed by Nikola Jokic ’ s monster game , Denver improved to 27-12 .
On the second night of a back-to-back set , it still counted as a notable victory even though the Clippers were without star wing Paul George .
“ Even though the defense overall wasn ’ t great , I thought it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been as of late , ” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said .
“ That team presents a lot of problems.
” Jokic carried the Nuggets with 20 points and 15 rebounds , but the 34 points from Denver ’ s backcourt tandem were a welcome addition .
Jamal Murray finished with 19 points , including 10 free throws , while Gary Harris chipped in 15 after a strong first half .
“ I give Gary and Jamal a lot of credit , ” Malone said .
“ I didn ’ t even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both battling their own different injuries , and for them to go out there and even try to play — Jamal was able to get through the game , Gary wasn ’ t — is a testament to how important this team is and how much they ’ re willing to sacrifice.
” Harris later said he was feeling tightness in his groin .
Kawhi Leonard managed a game-high 30 points but was slowed once the Nuggets made Jerami Grant his primary defender .
Grant blocked Leonard shots twice and disrupted him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stayed in the game after a vicious fourth-quarter screen from Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell sent him hurtling to the floor .
The Clippers closed the deficit to six points on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter , but Denver ’ s defense didn ’ t yield .
They held the Clippers to just 8-of-33 from 3-point range , while converting 11-of-25 of their own 3-pointers .
Unlike in some prior games this season , the Nuggets actually maintained their poise after they had already built a double-digit lead .
Their defense was sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 points , while their offense found a balanced inside-out attack .
Murray continued to tread a path to the free throw line , and super-sub Michael Porter Jr. energized the second unit with several rebounds and a transition bucket .
The Nuggets , who were up by as many as 20 points , took an 89-74 lead into the fourth quarter .
Porter was particularly impressive in the first half , when his off-ball cutting and his jump shooting proved a tough cover for the Clippers .
He had nine of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 13 points and four rebounds .
Following Saturday ’ s disappointing loss to the Cavs , Malone renewed the call for his team to approach each game with the right mentality , regardless of their opponents ’ record .
“ Whether it ’ s the Clippers , whether it ’ s us , finding a way to bring a mind-set every night that you have to bring your best , ” Malone said .
“ And I go back to a couple years ago when we were just dying to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we lost that came back to bite us .
It ’ s not always Game 82 , it ’ s games in the middle of January , December , whatever it might be .
It ’ s a challenge ( to stay focused ) for everybody.
” Rarely will any coach admit that any individual game is more significant , but Clippers coach Doc Rivers did concede that it was important to get a read on Denver considering what might lie ahead this spring .
“ This is a team that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll run into them at some point , ” Rivers said .
“ I think both teams want to win the game .
Both teams will learn from the game , for sure.
” • Nuggets “ might be putting pressure on ourselves ” after loss to Cavs • “ Culture is every day ” : How the Nuggets built one of the strongest locker rooms in the NBA Whatever inefficient offense took the court Saturday night against Cleveland wasn ’ t an issue during a sterling first half Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the tone as the Nuggets took a 66-52 lead into halftime .
He buried two of Denver ’ s seven 3-pointers , attacked in transition and finished a kiss-the-sky floater that had him mimicking the move on the way back up court .
Jokic and Murray played to their potential as well .
Jokic nearly secured a first-half double-double with nine points and nine rebounds , and Murray hunted for his shot , finishing with 11 first-half points .
Though he was slowed a bit by Grant , Leonard carried the Clippers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an array of tough jumpers .

So much for a Sunday hangover.
The Nuggets flushed their disappointing loss Saturday night and bounced back with an impressive 114-104 victory at the Pepsi Center against the Los Angeles Clippers, one of the presumed title favorites heading into the season. Buoyed by Nikola Jokic’s monster game, Denver improved to 27-12.
On the second night of a back-to-back set, it still counted as a notable victory even though the Clippers were without star wing Paul George.
“Even though the defense overall wasn’t great, I thought it was a big improvement from where it’s been as of late,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “That team presents a lot of problems.”
Jokic carried the Nuggets with 20 points and 15 rebounds, but the 34 points from Denver’s backcourt tandem were a welcome addition. Jamal Murray finished with 19 points, including 10 free throws, while Gary Harris chipped in 15 after a strong first half.
“I give Gary and Jamal a lot of credit,” Malone said. “I didn’t even think they were going to play tonight, both battling their own different injuries, and for them to go out there and even try to play — Jamal was able to get through the game, Gary wasn’t — is a testament to how important this team is and how much they’re willing to sacrifice.”
Harris later said he was feeling tightness in his groin.
Kawhi Leonard managed a game-high 30 points but was slowed once the Nuggets made Jerami Grant his primary defender. Grant blocked Leonard shots twice and disrupted him with his pesky length. Grant also stayed in the game after a vicious fourth-quarter screen from Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell sent him hurtling to the floor.
The Clippers closed the deficit to six points on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter, but Denver’s defense didn’t yield. They held the Clippers to just 8-of-33 from 3-point range, while converting 11-of-25 of their own 3-pointers.
Unlike in some prior games this season, the Nuggets actually maintained their poise after they had already built a double-digit lead. Their defense was sound in the third quarter, yielding just 22 points, while their offense found a balanced inside-out attack. Murray continued to tread a path to the free throw line, and super-sub Michael Porter Jr. energized the second unit with several rebounds and a transition bucket. The Nuggets, who were up by as many as 20 points, took an 89-74 lead into the fourth quarter.
Porter was particularly impressive in the first half, when his off-ball cutting and his jump shooting proved a tough cover for the Clippers. He had nine of his points in the second quarter and finished with 13 points and four rebounds.
Following Saturday’s disappointing loss to the Cavs, Malone renewed the call for his team to approach each game with the right mentality, regardless of their opponents’ record.
“Whether it’s the Clippers, whether it’s us, finding a way to bring a mind-set every night that you have to bring your best,” Malone said. “And I go back to a couple years ago when we were just dying to be a playoff team. The number of games that we lost that came back to bite us. It’s not always Game 82, it’s games in the middle of January, December, whatever it might be. It’s a challenge (to stay focused) for everybody.”
Rarely will any coach admit that any individual game is more significant, but Clippers coach Doc Rivers did concede that it was important to get a read on Denver considering what might lie ahead this spring.
“This is a team that will be in the playoffs, most likely you’ll run into them at some point,” Rivers said. “I think both teams want to win the game. Both teams will learn from the game, for sure.”
Whatever inefficient offense took the court Saturday night against Cleveland wasn’t an issue during a sterling first half Sunday. Harris played with a renewed confidence and set the tone as the Nuggets took a 66-52 lead into halftime.
He buried two of Denver’s seven 3-pointers, attacked in transition and finished a kiss-the-sky floater that had him mimicking the move on the way back up court.
Jokic and Murray played to their potential as well. Jokic nearly secured a first-half double-double with nine points and nine rebounds, and Murray hunted for his shot, finishing with 11 first-half points.
Though he was slowed a bit by Grant, Leonard carried the Clippers with 15 points in the first half on an array of tough jumpers.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--PHOTOS: Mexican Rodeo takes center stage at the National Western Stock Show

The 26th annual Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza 2020 was held in the Denver Coliseum during the 114th National Western Stock Show @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
This year ’ s Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza , featured Mexican-style bull riding @ @ @ @ @ roping , and Mariachis .
Two performances were held on Sunday .
The Extravaganza is @ @ @ @ @ a fourth-generation champion charro .
His wife Staci and son Nicolas perform each year alongside @ @

A Mexican charro leaps from his horse to another during the El Paso de la Muerte event at the during the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza at the National Western Stock Show on January 12, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. El Paso de la Muerte or "the pass of death" is where a charro riding bareback, with reins, attempts to leap from his own horse to another horse.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets host Los Angeles Clippers, Jan. 12, 2020

DENVER , CO - JANUARY 12 : Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers shouts in disbelief as Patrick Beverley ( @ @ @ @ @ Jerami Grant ( 9 ) of the Denver Nuggets was knocked to the floor after @ @ @ @ @ offensive foul from Montrezl Harrell ( 5 ) during the fourth quarter of Denver 's @ @ @ @ @ January 12 , 2020 .
( Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post )

AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post
Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers shouts in disbelief as Patrick Beverley (21) looks on after Jerami Grant (9) of the Denver Nuggets was knocked to the floor after absorbing an illegal pick and offensive foul from Montrezl Harrell (5) during the fourth quarter of Denver's 114-104 win on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--Packers hold off Seahawks to reach NFC championship game

GREEN BAY , Wis. — Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns , Green Bay ’ s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally , and the Packers held on for a 28-23 victory Sunday night to reach the NFC championship game for the third time in six years .
Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half scores for the Packers ( 14-3 ) , who will travel next weekend to take on top-seeded San Francisco .
Russell Wilson carried the Seahawks ( 12-6 ) on yet another comeback , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the Packers forced a punt just before the two-minute warning on the second sack of the game by Preston Smith .
That was Green Bay ’ s fifth of the game .
Za ’ Darius Smith , the other big-money free agent added to the defense last spring , had two sacks himself .
The Seahawks never got the ball again .
Rodgers sealed the win with two third-down throws : first a 32-yard pass to Adams on third-and-8 with 2:19 left and then 9 yards to Jimmy Graham on third-and-9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a Seahawks team that was 8-1 on the road this season entering the game .
Rodgers exacted some payback for five years ago , when the Packers blew a 16-0 halftime lead in the NFC championship game at Seattle and lost 28-22 in overtime .
The Seahawks haven ’ t been back to the conference title game since , let alone the Super Bowl .
Rodgers is running out of time faster than Wilson , though , nine years after his only championship .
The Seahawks had just a plus-seven scoring margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the habit of second-half rallies .
Wilson did some of the finest work of his eight-year career in 2019 , helping the Seahawks stay on track despite a steady stream of injuries , including the late setbacks in the backfield that prompted the emergency call for Marshawn Lynch .
Racking up 64 yards rushing on seven scrambles and completing 21 of 31 passes for 277 yards , Wilson directed touchdown drives of 69 , 84 , 79 right out of the gate after halftime .
Lynch finished two of them with scores , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other one .
Lynch ’ s second touchdown with 9:33 left cut the lead to 28-23 , but Jaire Alexander blew up the 2-point conversion attempt with a sack on an unblocked blitz .
The Packers gave the ball back to the Seahawks with a second consecutive punts , this time with 4:54 left at the Seattle 22 , but Wilson ran out of tricks in his seemingly bottomless bag of them .
The Seahawks brought their pass rush to life with seven sacks while grinding out a 17-9 win at Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Jadeveon Clowney making his presence felt including a hit that knocked Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz out of the game with a concussion .
The Packers mostly kept Rodgers much better protected , though .
The Packers had three touchdown drives of 75 yards apiece over the first three quarters , plus a 60-yard march preceded by a missed 50-yard field goal try from Jason Myers .
Rodgers hasn ’ t had much help beyond Adams and Jones this season , but he and coach Matt LaFleur did a masterful job of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ervin and Jimmy Graham mixed in .
On the opening possession , Adams and Geronimo Allison ran angled routes toward each other before faking the pick and zagging away .
Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers was caught in the confusion , allowing Adams to break free for the 20-yard score .
Seahawks fans have plenty of bad memories of their favorite team ’ s performances in Green Bay , with the losing streak at Lambeau Field now at nine straight games .
The last such win for Seattle was on Nov. 1 , 1999 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picked up Matt Hasselbeck ‘ s ill-fated boast during the overtime coin toss that the Seahawks would win , preceding his pick-six in the 2003 playoffs .
There was the blowout in the snow in the 2007 playoffs , which turned out to be Brett Favre ’ s final win for the Packers .
There were also the regular season losses with Wilson in 2015 , 2016 and 2017 .
Seahawks : LG Mike Iupati was out with a neck injury , and Jamarco Jones left in the second quarter with a concussion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action .
… Clowney , who has fought through a core muscle injury this season , was holding his midsection in the second quarter and briefly absent for the first TD run by Jones .
… Backup DEs Ziggy Ansah ( neck ) and L.J .
Collier were inactive , and DE Quinton Jefferson left with a foot injury in the third quarter .
Packers : RT Bryan Bulaga , one of six players the team reported this week as being limited by illness , was active for but did not play .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danny Vitale ( ankle/illness ) was inactive .
… WR Allen Lazard hurt his ankle in the second quarter after Jones collided with the back of his right leg .
Seahawks : head into the offseason , needing replenish their depth on the offensive line and on defense while Wilson remains in his prime .
Packers : advance to their third NFC championship game in six years .
They lost 37-8 on Nov. 24 to the 49ers , who beat Minnesota 27-10 on Saturday in their divisional round game .

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers connected with Davante Adams eight times for 160 yards and two touchdowns, Green Bay’s spruced-up defense fended off a spirited Seattle rally, and the Packers held on for a 28-23 victory Sunday night to reach the NFC championship game for the third time in six years.
Aaron Jones rushed for 62 yards and two first-half scores for the Packers (14-3), who will travel next weekend to take on top-seeded San Francisco.
Russell Wilson carried the Seahawks (12-6) on yet another comeback, this time from a 21-3 halftime deficit, but the Packers forced a punt just before the two-minute warning on the second sack of the game by Preston Smith. That was Green Bay’s fifth of the game. Za’Darius Smith, the other big-money free agent added to the defense last spring, had two sacks himself.
The Seahawks never got the ball again.
Rodgers sealed the win with two third-down throws: first a 32-yard pass to Adams on third-and-8 with 2:19 left and then 9 yards to Jimmy Graham on third-and-9 right after the two-minute warning to take down a Seahawks team that was 8-1 on the road this season entering the game.
Rodgers exacted some payback for five years ago, when the Packers blew a 16-0 halftime lead in the NFC championship game at Seattle and lost 28-22 in overtime. The Seahawks haven’t been back to the conference title game since, let alone the Super Bowl. Rodgers is running out of time faster than Wilson, though, nine years after his only championship.
The Seahawks had just a plus-seven scoring margin during the regular season, making quite the habit of second-half rallies. Wilson did some of the finest work of his eight-year career in 2019, helping the Seahawks stay on track despite a steady stream of injuries, including the late setbacks in the backfield that prompted the emergency call for Marshawn Lynch.
Racking up 64 yards rushing on seven scrambles and completing 21 of 31 passes for 277 yards, Wilson directed touchdown drives of 69, 84, 79 right out of the gate after halftime. Lynch finished two of them with scores, and Wilson threw to Tyler Lockett for the other one.
Lynch’s second touchdown with 9:33 left cut the lead to 28-23, but Jaire Alexander blew up the 2-point conversion attempt with a sack on an unblocked blitz. The Packers gave the ball back to the Seahawks with a second consecutive punts, this time with 4:54 left at the Seattle 22, but Wilson ran out of tricks in his seemingly bottomless bag of them.
FORCEFUL FIRST HALF
The Seahawks brought their pass rush to life with seven sacks while grinding out a 17-9 win at Philadelphia last week in the wild card round, with Jadeveon Clowney making his presence felt including a hit that knocked Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz out of the game with a concussion. The Packers mostly kept Rodgers much better protected, though.
The Packers had three touchdown drives of 75 yards apiece over the first three quarters, plus a 60-yard march preceded by a missed 50-yard field goal try from Jason Myers.
Rodgers hasn’t had much help beyond Adams and Jones this season, but he and coach Matt LaFleur did a masterful job of getting them the ball with some Tyler Ervin and Jimmy Graham mixed in. On the opening possession, Adams and Geronimo Allison ran angled routes toward each other before faking the pick and zagging away. Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers was caught in the confusion, allowing Adams to break free for the 20-yard score.
OH, NO, LAMBEAU
Seahawks fans have plenty of bad memories of their favorite team’s performances in Green Bay, with the losing streak at Lambeau Field now at nine straight games. The last such win for Seattle was on Nov. 1, 1999.
There was the hot mike that picked up Matt Hasselbeck‘s ill-fated boast during the overtime coin toss that the Seahawks would win, preceding his pick-six in the 2003 playoffs. There was the blowout in the snow in the 2007 playoffs, which turned out to be Brett Favre’s final win for the Packers. There were also the regular season losses with Wilson in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
INJURY REPORT
Seahawks: LG Mike Iupati was out with a neck injury, and Jamarco Jones left in the second quarter with a concussion. That forced rookie Phil Haynes into action. … Clowney, who has fought through a core muscle injury this season, was holding his midsection in the second quarter and briefly absent for the first TD run by Jones. … Backup DEs Ziggy Ansah (neck) and L.J. Collier were inactive, and DE Quinton Jefferson left with a foot injury in the third quarter.
Packers: RT Bryan Bulaga, one of six players the team reported this week as being limited by illness, was active for but did not play. Jared Veldheer replaced him. … FB Danny Vitale (ankle/illness) was inactive. … WR Allen Lazard hurt his ankle in the second quarter after Jones collided with the back of his right leg.
UP NEXT
Seahawks: head into the offseason, needing replenish their depth on the offensive line and on defense while Wilson remains in his prime.
Packers: advance to their third NFC championship game in six years. They lost 37-8 on Nov. 24 to the 49ers, who beat Minnesota 27-10 on Saturday in their divisional round game.


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--Trump, Pelosi square off ahead of impeachment trial

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi squared off Sunday ahead of his impeachment trial , as she said senators will “ pay a price ” for blocking new witnesses and he quickly retorted that she and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff should both testify .
The House plans to vote this week to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate for the historic trial on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over Trump ’ s actions toward Ukraine .
It will be only the third presidential impeachment trial in American history and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pelosi , the two most powerful party leaders in the nation , communicated as often happens in this presidency — with the president responding on Twitter to a television interview .
“ It ’ s about a fair trial , ” Pelosi told ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” “ We ’ ve done our job .
We have defended the Constitution of the United States .
We would hope the Senate would do that as well.
” She warned , “ Now the ball is in their court to either do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted right before and after Pelosi ’ s appearance , in both instances using derisive nicknames .
He said both she and Schiff should appear in the Senate for testimony .
“ He must be a Witness , and so should she !
” Trump tweeted .
Yet hours later Trump suggested almost the opposite , saying senators should do away with a trial completely .
Trump said “ many believe ” by holding a Senate trial “ it gives the partisan Democrat Witch Hunt credibility that it otherwise does not have .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pelosi ’ s suggestion that no matter what the Senate does , he will always be impeached .
Pelosi said the House vote last month means Trump will be “ impeached forever ” and “ for life.
” “ Why should I have the stigma of Impeachment attached to my name when I did NOTHING wrong ?
” Trump tweeted , calling the House action a “ totally partisan Hoax.
’ ” Voters are divided over impeachment much the way they are split along partisan lines and as the Senate prepares for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set the terms of the debate over high crimes and misdemeanors .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , is seeking a speedy trial to acquit the president and is reluctant to seek more witnesses .
The GOP leader has proposed a process similar to the last presidential impeachment trial of Bill Clinton in 1999 that would start the proceedings and then vote later on hearing new testimony .
One leading Republican , Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , has already predicted that the trial would end ” in a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Channel interview Saturday , Graham dismissed Pelosi ’ s tactics , saying the delay would have no effect on calling new witnesses or the expected outcome — acquittal by the GOP-controlled Senate .
“ The Senate should not reward this behavior by the House , ” said Graham , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee .
“ The Senate should end this trial as quickly as possible .
That ’ s what I intend to do .
He will be acquitted .
I hope and pray every Republican will reject what Nancy Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a few Democrats.
” Trump was charged with abuse of power for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate Democrats , specifically Trump political rival Joe Biden .
Trump was also charged with obstruction of Congress for trying to block the House investigation .
Trump was delaying nearly $ 400 million in aide as Ukraine battles Russia on its border while he pushed the country ’ s new president to investigate .
Trump follows a conspiracy theory pushed by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani about Biden and his son , Hunter Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gas company there while his father was vice president .
Neither is accused formally of any wrongdoing .
Some Republicans want to turn the impeachment trial away from the Democrats ’ case against Trump and toward Giuliani ’ s theory about Biden .
GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said Sunday he wants to hear from the Bidens “ and find out — get to the bottom of that.
” McConnell is reluctant to pursue any more witnesses at all , wary of dragging out the Senate trial .
He and joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes to dismiss the charges against Trump .
But at least one Republican up for reelection , Sen. Susan Collins of Maine , said last week she was in talks with GOP colleagues on a process that would allow them to hear more testimony as Democrats want .
The Democratic-run House is set to vote this week to send over the articles of impeachment after Pelosi ended a more than three-week delay .
Once the Republican-led Senate receives the charges , the trial is expected to begin swiftly .
The date is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed doors with House Democrats to decide next steps on Tuesday morning ahead of the party ’ s presidential primary debate that evening , the last before the Iowa caucus Feb. 3 .
While some Democrats have grumbled about the delay , Pelosi and other party leaders defended the strategy , saying it produced new potential evidence and turned public attention on the upcoming trial .
“ One of the things that holding on to the articles has succeeded doing is fleshing out McConnell and the president ’ s desire to make this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” “ If McConnell succeeds in making this trial a trial without witnesses… .
That ’ s not a fair trial .
That ’ s a sham , ” he said .
Pelosi said senators need to consider new witnesses , including former national security adviser John Bolton , who has said he would be willing to testify if he receives a subpoena .
Trump is blocking White House officials from appearing and reiterated last week he does not want his former top security adviser to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brash figure and his outspoken comments could cut different ways in testimony .
House Democrats , who did not issue a subpoena for Bolton last year , did not rule out doing so now .
“ Ït ’ s certainly something that we are considering , ” Schiff said .
Pelosi also left open the door to filing more articles of impeachment against Trump .
“ It ’ s Sunday morning — let ’ s be optimistic about the future… a future that will not have Donald Trump in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months from now we will have an election , if we don ’ t have him removed sooner , ” she said .
Right before Pelosi was set to appear for the Sunday interview , Trump tweeted against Pelosi , calling her a derisive nickname , “ Crazy Nancy.
” Asked about Trump ’ s tweet , Pelosi said , “ Every knock from him is a boost .
”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi squared off Sunday ahead of his impeachment trial, as she said senators will “pay a price” for blocking new witnesses and he quickly retorted that she and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff should both testify.
The House plans to vote this week to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate for the historic trial on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over Trump’s actions toward Ukraine. It will be only the third presidential impeachment trial in American history and could start this week.
Trump and Pelosi, the two most powerful party leaders in the nation, communicated as often happens in this presidency — with the president responding on Twitter to a television interview.
“It’s about a fair trial,” Pelosi told ABC’s “This Week.” “We’ve done our job. We have defended the Constitution of the United States. We would hope the Senate would do that as well.”
She warned, “Now the ball is in their court to either do that or pay a price.”
Trump tweeted right before and after Pelosi’s appearance, in both instances using derisive nicknames. He said both she and Schiff should appear in the Senate for testimony. “He must be a Witness, and so should she!” Trump tweeted.
Yet hours later Trump suggested almost the opposite, saying senators should do away with a trial completely.
Trump said “many believe” by holding a Senate trial “it gives the partisan Democrat Witch Hunt credibility that it otherwise does not have. I agree!”
The president rebutted Pelosi’s suggestion that no matter what the Senate does, he will always be impeached. Pelosi said the House vote last month means Trump will be “impeached forever” and “for life.”
“Why should I have the stigma of Impeachment attached to my name when I did NOTHING wrong?” Trump tweeted, calling the House action a “totally partisan Hoax.’”
Voters are divided over impeachment much the way they are split along partisan lines and as the Senate prepares for the landmark trial both parties are trying to set the terms of the debate over high crimes and misdemeanors.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is seeking a speedy trial to acquit the president and is reluctant to seek more witnesses. The GOP leader has proposed a process similar to the last presidential impeachment trial of Bill Clinton in 1999 that would start the proceedings and then vote later on hearing new testimony.
One leading Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, has already predicted that the trial would end ”in a matter of days.”
In a Fox News Channel interview Saturday, Graham dismissed Pelosi’s tactics, saying the delay would have no effect on calling new witnesses or the expected outcome — acquittal by the GOP-controlled Senate.
“The Senate should not reward this behavior by the House,” said Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “The Senate should end this trial as quickly as possible. That’s what I intend to do. He will be acquitted. I hope and pray every Republican will reject what Nancy Pelosi did, and we’ll pick up a few Democrats.”
Trump was charged with abuse of power for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate Democrats, specifically Trump political rival Joe Biden. Trump was also charged with obstruction of Congress for trying to block the House investigation.
Trump was delaying nearly $400 million in aide as Ukraine battles Russia on its border while he pushed the country’s new president to investigate. Trump follows a conspiracy theory pushed by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani about Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, who served on the board of a gas company there while his father was vice president. Neither is accused formally of any wrongdoing.
Some Republicans want to turn the impeachment trial away from the Democrats’ case against Trump and toward Giuliani’s theory about Biden.
GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said Sunday he wants to hear from the Bidens “and find out — get to the bottom of that.”
McConnell is reluctant to pursue any more witnesses at all, wary of dragging out the Senate trial. He and joined some Republicans in backing a proposal for votes to dismiss the charges against Trump.
But at least one Republican up for reelection, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, said last week she was in talks with GOP colleagues on a process that would allow them to hear more testimony as Democrats want.
The Democratic-run House is set to vote this week to send over the articles of impeachment after Pelosi ended a more than three-week delay.
Once the Republican-led Senate receives the charges, the trial is expected to begin swiftly.
The date is not yet certain and Pelosi will meet behind closed doors with House Democrats to decide next steps on Tuesday morning ahead of the party’s presidential primary debate that evening, the last before the Iowa caucus Feb. 3.
While some Democrats have grumbled about the delay, Pelosi and other party leaders defended the strategy, saying it produced new potential evidence and turned public attention on the upcoming trial.
“One of the things that holding on to the articles has succeeded doing is fleshing out McConnell and the president’s desire to make this a cover up,” Schiff said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“If McConnell succeeds in making this trial a trial without witnesses…. That’s not a fair trial. That’s a sham,” he said.
Pelosi said senators need to consider new witnesses, including former national security adviser John Bolton, who has said he would be willing to testify if he receives a subpoena.
Trump is blocking White House officials from appearing and reiterated last week he does not want his former top security adviser to testify before the Senate.
Bolton is a brash figure and his outspoken comments could cut different ways in testimony. House Democrats, who did not issue a subpoena for Bolton last year, did not rule out doing so now.
“Ït’s certainly something that we are considering,” Schiff said.
Pelosi also left open the door to filing more articles of impeachment against Trump.
“It’s Sunday morning — let’s be optimistic about the future… a future that will not have Donald Trump in the White House, one way or another, 10 months from now we will have an election, if we don’t have him removed sooner,” she said.
Right before Pelosi was set to appear for the Sunday interview, Trump tweeted against Pelosi, calling her a derisive nickname, “Crazy Nancy.”
Asked about Trump’s tweet, Pelosi said, “Every knock from him is a boost.”


thedenverpost--2020-01-13--Arena “gets to rocking” amid freestyle reining competition at National Western Stock Show

In the practice paddock at the National Western Stock Show ’ s freestyle reining competition , a cowboy shouted good luck to the Night King while Elton John rode warm-up circles .
By the end of the night , they ’ d be the top three finishers of the 25th anniversary Ram Invitational Freestyle Reining .
Elton John — a costumed Sharee Schwartzenberger , riding bridleless — took first place , followed by Dan James as the Night King from the hit series “ Game of Thrones , and Sharee ’ s father , Steve Schwartzenberger , took third as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two hours before her winning ride , 32-year-old Sharee Schwartzenberger was on her knees , slathering her horse ’ s tail with sparkles .
“ When you ’ re Elton John , you glitter , ” she said .
She ’ s been riding in the freestyle reining event at the stock show since 1999 , when she was 11 .
Her father and a few others launched the competition in 1996 and hoped then that the creative , off-beat event would introduce new people to the sport of reining .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Steve Schwartzenberger said .
“ It had a lot of crowd appeal .
Most horse events are a little boring , to sit there and watch run after run after run .
This helped showcase our horses , and people who didn ’ t know anything about the horses could watch and get a charge out of it.
” The 65-year-old veteran competitor saddled up once again after a few years off .
He returned this year to the event he won four times , along with almost all of the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Once I got started working on it , I got fired up again , ” he told the crowd at 4,700-seat Cinch Arena , where empty seats were hard to spot Sunday .
The arena wasn ’ t as full the first couple of years , said Marvin Witt , an event founder and who retired as vice president of operations for the stock show in 2014 .
Back then , the invitational pretty much took any rider it could get .
But now , the invitational is one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
“ That place gets to rocking , ” Steve Schwartzenberger said .
“ And you turn out the lights and put a spotlight on and it ’ s pretty darn exciting .
Even for me doing it ( so long ) , it gets you pumped up.
” Fog machines belched white clouds into the arena before Sharee Schwartzenberger ’ s ride ; she emerged in a sparkly orange jumpsuit , wearing orange sunglasses with bright wings strapped to her back .
The wings lost a few feathers as she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble seeing through the fog , which settled in the middle of the arena .
“ When I was going through the middle , I couldn ’ t see where the judges were , ” she said with a laugh .
The competition wasn ’ t always such a production .
In the early years , there might be a spotlight and not much else , she said .
This year ’ s routine was a late change — Sharee landed on the song and picked out a costume just a week-and-a-half ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday and were still being assembled Sunday morning .
But after finishing in second place four times over the years , securing a win seemed like a near impossible task and Sharee just wanted to have fun and entertain the crowd .
That crowd cheered and applauded every maneuver , rewarding the displays of horsemanship and skill .
Sometimes , when Steve Schwartzenberger is out and about in Longmont — where he , Sharee and the family run Schwartzenberger Equine — someone will approach him to ask why he hasn ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ’ s freestyle reining competition .
For Steve Schwartzenberger , those moments show that the event has achieved what he and the other founders had hoped for more than two decades ago — it ’ s brought reining to a wider audience , and to new generations .
Twenty five years ago , he won the first competition .
And Sunday , he watched his daughter win .

In the practice paddock at the National Western Stock Show’s freestyle reining competition, a cowboy shouted good luck to the Night King while Elton John rode warm-up circles.
By the end of the night, they’d be the top three finishers of the 25th anniversary Ram Invitational Freestyle Reining. Elton John — a costumed Sharee Schwartzenberger, riding bridleless — took first place, followed by Dan James as the Night King from the hit series “Game of Thrones, and Sharee’s father, Steve Schwartzenberger, took third as a cowboy, plain and simple.
Two hours before her winning ride, 32-year-old Sharee Schwartzenberger was on her knees, slathering her horse’s tail with sparkles.
“When you’re Elton John, you glitter,” she said.
She’s been riding in the freestyle reining event at the stock show since 1999, when she was 11. Her father and a few others launched the competition in 1996 and hoped then that the creative, off-beat event would introduce new people to the sport of reining.
“The biggest thing was it was different,” Steve Schwartzenberger said. “It had a lot of crowd appeal. Most horse events are a little boring, to sit there and watch run after run after run. This helped showcase our horses, and people who didn’t know anything about the horses could watch and get a charge out of it.”
The 65-year-old veteran competitor saddled up once again after a few years off. He returned this year to the event he won four times, along with almost all of the previous champions to mark the 25th anniversary.
“Once I got started working on it, I got fired up again,” he told the crowd at 4,700-seat Cinch Arena, where empty seats were hard to spot Sunday.
The arena wasn’t as full the first couple of years, said Marvin Witt, an event founder and who retired as vice president of operations for the stock show in 2014. Back then, the invitational pretty much took any rider it could get.
“I twisted their arms to ride 25 years ago,” Witt chuckled.
But now, the invitational is one of the most competitive and prestigious freestyle reining events in the country.
“That place gets to rocking,” Steve Schwartzenberger said. “And you turn out the lights and put a spotlight on and it’s pretty darn exciting. Even for me doing it (so long), it gets you pumped up.”
Fog machines belched white clouds into the arena before Sharee Schwartzenberger’s ride; she emerged in a sparkly orange jumpsuit, wearing orange sunglasses with bright wings strapped to her back.
The wings lost a few feathers as she nailed her routine, despite a little trouble seeing through the fog, which settled in the middle of the arena.
“When I was going through the middle, I couldn’t see where the judges were,” she said with a laugh.
The competition wasn’t always such a production. In the early years, there might be a spotlight and not much else, she said. This year’s routine was a late change — Sharee landed on the song and picked out a costume just a week-and-a-half ago. The wings arrived in the mail Saturday and were still being assembled Sunday morning.
But after finishing in second place four times over the years, securing a win seemed like a near impossible task and Sharee just wanted to have fun and entertain the crowd.
That crowd cheered and applauded every maneuver, rewarding the displays of horsemanship and skill.
Sometimes, when Steve Schwartzenberger is out and about in Longmont — where he, Sharee and the family run Schwartzenberger Equine — someone will approach him to ask why he hasn’t been competing, or to reminisce about past year’s freestyle reining competition.
For Steve Schwartzenberger, those moments show that the event has achieved what he and the other founders had hoped for more than two decades ago — it’s brought reining to a wider audience, and to new generations.
Twenty five years ago, he won the first competition. And Sunday, he watched his daughter win.


thedenverpost--2020-01-14--Pearl Jam, String Cheese Incident, Matchbox Twenty announce Denver shows

The earnest iconoclasts in Pearl Jam , who helped popularize the rock takeover of radio in the early 1990s , will headline the Pepsi Center on April 9 as part of the North American tour for new album “ Gigaton , ” out March 27 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 24 .
( $ 107.50 , altitudetickets.com ) Colorado-based jam titan The String Cheese Incident plotted five big Colorado shows this week , including a July 17-19 run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre , with openers Tower of Power ( July 17 ) , Papadosio ( July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 ) .
Tickets for those all-ages concerts are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 ( $ 52.50- $ 89.50 , axs.com ) .
Also on sale this week : String Cheese ’ s Red Rocks warm-up shows at Dillon Amphitheater July 14-15 , on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 .
( $ 53.50 , axs.com ) Pop-rock holdovers Matchbox 20 are back with a concert at the Pepsi Center , with the similarly lukewarm act The Wallflowers , on Sept. 10 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) South Korean boy group Monsta X , one of a handful of K-pop acts making inroads into the U.S. , is due to stop by the Pepsi Center on June 29 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 .
( $ 49.50- $ 149.50 , altitudetickets.com ) The Motet and Turkuaz — the latter with guests with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew — plan to co-headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 22 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 .
( $ 36.95- $ 65 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hits ( “ Waiting for a Girl Like You , ” “ Urgent , ” “ Juke Box Hero , ” “ Hot Blooded ” ) arrive at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 22 as part of the Juke Box Heroes 2020 Tour , with openers Kansas and Europe .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17 .
( $ 49.50- $ 350 , axs.com ) Industrial acts Ministry and KMFDM will co-headline the Ogden Theatre on July 20 with opener Front Line Assembly .
Tickets are on sale at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44.75- $ 48 , axs.com ) Australian electro-dance trio Rüfüs Du Sol and opener Jon Hopkins will play Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Aug. 12 , with tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 .
( Prices TBA , axs.com ) Yoga “ rock star ” Krishna Das ( the promoter ’ s words , not ours ) will bring musical call-and-response chanting out of the studio and into the Boulder Theater on June 25 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17 .
( $ 45- $ 55 , bouldertheater.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South African/Swiss DJ and producer Daniela Niederer , comes to the Ogden Theatre on March 14 .
Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17 .
( $ 30- $ 35 , axs.com ) Subscribe to our weekly newsletter , In The Know , to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox .

The earnest iconoclasts in Pearl Jam, who helped popularize the rock takeover of radio in the early 1990s, will headline the Pepsi Center on April 9 as part of the North American tour for new album “Gigaton,” out March 27. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 24. ($107.50, altitudetickets.com)
Colorado-based jam titan The String Cheese Incident plotted five big Colorado shows this week, including a July 17-19 run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with openers Tower of Power (July 17), Papadosio (July 18) and Leftover Salmon (July 19). Tickets for those all-ages concerts are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17 ($52.50-$89.50, axs.com). Also on sale this week: String Cheese’s Red Rocks warm-up shows at Dillon Amphitheater July 14-15, on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. ($53.50, axs.com)
Pop-rock holdovers Matchbox 20 are back with a concert at the Pepsi Center, with the similarly lukewarm act The Wallflowers, on Sept. 10. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. (Prices TBA, altitudetickets.com)
South Korean boy group Monsta X, one of a handful of K-pop acts making inroads into the U.S., is due to stop by the Pepsi Center on June 29. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. ($49.50-$149.50, altitudetickets.com)
The Motet and Turkuaz — the latter with guests with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew — plan to co-headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre on May 22. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. ($36.95-$65, axs.com)
Foreigner and its deep bench of hits (“Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Hot Blooded”) arrive at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 22 as part of the Juke Box Heroes 2020 Tour, with openers Kansas and Europe. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17. ($49.50-$350, axs.com)
Industrial acts Ministry and KMFDM will co-headline the Ogden Theatre on July 20 with opener Front Line Assembly. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. ($44.75-$48, axs.com)
Australian electro-dance trio Rüfüs Du Sol and opener Jon Hopkins will play Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Aug. 12, with tickets on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 17. (Prices TBA, axs.com)
Yoga “rock star” Krishna Das (the promoter’s words, not ours) will bring musical call-and-response chanting out of the studio and into the Boulder Theater on June 25. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17. ($45-$55, bouldertheater.com)
Nora En Pure, a.k.a. South African/Swiss DJ and producer Daniela Niederer, comes to the Ogden Theatre on March 14. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. June 17. ($30-$35, axs.com)
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.