Beacon Extra 1/31/20

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IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump is still President of the United States .
NON-DENIAL DENIAL … `` Koch Institute Calls Anti-Semitism Charge ‘ Absurd , ’ Stands by Scholar Who Called American Rabbis Israel ’ s ‘ Fifth Column ’ , '' by WFB ’ s Eliana Johnson : Will Ruger , the vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment about whether the foundation considers a series of statements from Quincy Institute fellows bigoted or anti-Semitic .
Those statements include a 2013 accusation from Lawrence Wilkerson , a nonresident fellow at the institute , that Syria ’ s use of chemical weapons on innocent civilians `` could ’ ve been an Israeli false flag operation . ''
Wilkerson … also argued in 2007 that `` the Jewish lobby in America '' had been the primary driver of the Bush administration ’ s decision to invade Iraq in 2003 .
VC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : U.S .
Actions in Vietnam ‘ Almost as Bad as What Hitler Did ' , '' by WFB 's Adam Kredo : Speaking to a class of ninth graders during his 1972 gubernatorial run in Vermont , Sanders accused the United States of committing atrocities the students would not believe and defended the communist North Vietnamese fighters , according to reporting in the Rutland Herald , a Vermont newspaper .
Sanders compared U.S. actions in Vietnam to those of Adolf Hitler , who murdered some six million Jews .
THE FIRST STAGE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ You can not be acquitted if you do n't have a trial ' , '' via WT : `` You can not be acquitted if you don ’ t have a trial .
You don ’ t have a trial if you don ’ t have witnesses and documentation and all of that , '' the California Democrat said … '' I hope and I pray that the senators can handle the truth and will listen to not only other witnesses but John Bolton as well .
And we ’ ll see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` The fate of our nation is riding on how this is resolved . ''
CHIEF PANDER BEAR … `` Warren Says Her Education Secretary Must Meet Trans Child ’ s Approval , '' via DAILY CALLER : [ Sen. Elizabeth ] Warren added that because it was a young trans person who had asked her about a `` welcoming community , '' she will also require that young trans person to interview the future education secretary .
`` I ’ m gon na have a secretary of education that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Warren said .
`` And only if this person believes that our secretary of education nominee is someone who is committed to creating a welcoming environment , a safe environment , and a full educational curriculum for everyone , will that person actually be advanced to be secretary of education . ''
SUFFRAGE FOR PSYCHOS … `` Sanders ’ s Support for Racist Killer Dylann Roof ’ s Right to Vote Could Pose Challenge in Crucial S.C. Primary , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : Sen. Bernie Sanders 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extending voting rights to violent felons such as Dylann Roof , the racist gunman who murdered nine people at a black church in South Carolina , could prove problematic as the Democratic presidential candidates set their sights on the Palmetto State primary … Sanders confirmed that he would extend voting rights to `` terrible people , '' including those convicted of violent crimes , as part of his mission to create a `` vibrant democracy '' in America .
NOT BARACK … `` In Iowa 's small black community , little love for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via REUTERS : Residents here , in two dozen interviews , said they felt overlooked by the Democratic candidates , a troubling sign for a party that will need the support of African-American voters for its eventual nominee in the Nov. 3 presidential election … Contrary to national polls that show Joe Biden is the most popular Democratic candidate among African Americans , only two of the 24 interviewed said they preferred former President Barack Obama ’ s vice president .
WHY SO SERIOUS ?
… `` AP-NORC poll : GOP more fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' via AP : On the verge of the first votes being cast in a primary contest with no clear leader , 66 percent of Democrats report anxiety about the election , compared with 46 percent of Republicans .
Democrats are also more likely to feel frustration .
Republicans , meanwhile , are more likely than Democrats to declare excitement about the race , and the share of enthusiastic Republicans appears to be rising .
SEND THE BOMBERS … `` Trump Admin Again Grants Iran Pass to Conduct Nuclear Work , Angering GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adam Kredo : Multiple lawmakers and former administration officials … told the Washington Free Beacon that senior officials in the administration continue to undermine President Donald Trump 's `` maximum pressure '' campaign on Iran … '' Sanctioning Iran 's Atomic Energy Organization is n't effective if we keep their program on life support through waivers for international assistance , '' Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
said … `` Do n't reward the ayatollahs for their nuclear blackmail . ''
AND THE MISSILES … `` Here ’ s why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iraq yet , '' via MILITARY TIMES : According to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , there ’ s a legal hurdle the military must overcome to deploy those systems there .
`` One of the things we have to do is make sure we have permission from the host government , and that ’ s one of the matters we have to work on and work through , '' Esper said at a news conference Thursday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s one issue .
There may be others with regard to the placement , things like that , more tactical , operational—it ’ s a combination of things . ''
LET ’ S HEAR HIM OUT … `` MSNBC Pundit : If Acquitted , Trump Will ‘ Shut Down Voting ’ in California , '' via MRC : During MSNBC ’ s special coverage of the Senate impeachment trial on Thursday , Jason Johnson , a favorite pundit of the left-wing cable channel , went on a tirade and warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would embolden him to `` shut down voting '' in the entire state of California ahead of the 2020 election .
LIBS HARASS FEMALE SENATOR … `` ‘ F—ing Traitor ’ : Sen. Collins Releases Abusive Voicemails Ahead of Impeachment Vote , '' by WFB ’ s Cameron Cawthorne : `` You 're going to lose , Susan Collins .
You 're going to lose .
You 're just a little b—h for Donald Trump , '' a woman said … Collins and her staff received various abusive and threatening voicemails in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , including a call from someone wishing Collins 's 25-year-old staffer would be raped and impregnated .
NEXT , THEY ’ LL PUNISH THEM WITH GIRL SCOUT COOKIES … `` Brooklyn bakers tried to send cakes to 53 GOP senators asking them to let John Bolton testify in Trump 's impeachment trial , '' via CNN : Colin Bishopp , the executive director for the environmental nonprofit PACE Foundation , worked with Brooklyn-based Butter & Scotch to send what they 're calling `` impeachment cakes '' to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , cakes have only been delivered to the offices of Republican Sens .
Rob Portman of Ohio and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi .
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz 's office turned his cake away .
FIELD OF BORES … `` Whatever Happened to the Democratic Primary ?
, '' by WFB ’ s Matthew Continetti : The trial of President Trump hasn ’ t just overshadowed the campaign .
It 's stopped it .
Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren , and Amy Klobuchar , who are in the game in Iowa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not , have been strapped to their chairs .
Think of all the selfies Warren has missed out on .
She must be despondent … [ Joe ] Biden 's troubles suggest another reason for the lack of excitement .
The candidates are weak and uninteresting .
Biden is barely comprehensible .
[ Pete ] Buttigieg has all the pizzazz of a PowerPoint .
Warren reminds you of your least favorite professor .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,146 .
Come back , Joe !
`` You know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Joe Biden . ''
—Former President Barack Obama Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump is still President of the United States.
NON-DENIAL DENIAL … "Koch Institute Calls Anti-Semitism Charge ‘Absurd,’ Stands by Scholar Who Called American Rabbis Israel’s ‘Fifth Column’," by WFB’s Eliana Johnson: Will Ruger, the vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch Institute … did not respond to a request for comment about whether the foundation considers a series of statements from Quincy Institute fellows bigoted or anti-Semitic.
Those statements include a 2013 accusation from Lawrence Wilkerson, a nonresident fellow at the institute, that Syria’s use of chemical weapons on innocent civilians "could’ve been an Israeli false flag operation." Wilkerson … also argued in 2007 that "the Jewish lobby in America" had been the primary driver of the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
VC BERNIE ... "Bernie Sanders in 1972: U.S. Actions in Vietnam 'Almost as Bad as What Hitler Did'," by WFB's Adam Kredo: Speaking to a class of ninth graders during his 1972 gubernatorial run in Vermont, Sanders accused the United States of committing atrocities the students would not believe and defended the communist North Vietnamese fighters, according to reporting in the Rutland Herald, a Vermont newspaper. Sanders compared U.S. actions in Vietnam to those of Adolf Hitler, who murdered some six million Jews.
THE FIRST STAGE OF GRIEF … "Nancy Pelosi: 'You cannot be acquitted if you don't have a trial'," via WT: "You cannot be acquitted if you don’t have a trial. You don’t have a trial if you don’t have witnesses and documentation and all of that," the California Democrat said …
"I hope and I pray that the senators can handle the truth and will listen to not only other witnesses but John Bolton as well. And we’ll see what happens after that," she said. "The fate of our nation is riding on how this is resolved."
CHIEF PANDER BEAR … "Warren Says Her Education Secretary Must Meet Trans Child’s Approval," via DAILY CALLER: [Sen. Elizabeth] Warren added that because it was a young trans person who had asked her about a "welcoming community," she will also require that young trans person to interview the future education secretary.
"I’m gonna have a secretary of education that this young trans person interviews on my behalf," Warren said. "And only if this person believes that our secretary of education nominee is someone who is committed to creating a welcoming environment, a safe environment, and a full educational curriculum for everyone, will that person actually be advanced to be secretary of education."
SUFFRAGE FOR PSYCHOS … "Sanders’s Support for Racist Killer Dylann Roof’s Right to Vote Could Pose Challenge in Crucial S.C. Primary," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) support for extending voting rights to violent felons such as Dylann Roof, the racist gunman who murdered nine people at a black church in South Carolina, could prove problematic as the Democratic presidential candidates set their sights on the Palmetto State primary …
Sanders confirmed that he would extend voting rights to "terrible people," including those convicted of violent crimes, as part of his mission to create a "vibrant democracy" in America.
NOT BARACK … "In Iowa's small black community, little love for the caucuses or Joe Biden," via REUTERS: Residents here, in two dozen interviews, said they felt overlooked by the Democratic candidates, a troubling sign for a party that will need the support of African-American voters for its eventual nominee in the Nov. 3 presidential election …
Contrary to national polls that show Joe Biden is the most popular Democratic candidate among African Americans, only two of the 24 interviewed said they preferred former President Barack Obama’s vice president.
WHY SO SERIOUS? … "AP-NORC poll: GOP more fired up for 2020, Democrats anxious," via AP: On the verge of the first votes being cast in a primary contest with no clear leader, 66 percent of Democrats report anxiety about the election, compared with 46 percent of Republicans. Democrats are also more likely to feel frustration. Republicans, meanwhile, are more likely than Democrats to declare excitement about the race, and the share of enthusiastic Republicans appears to be rising.
SEND THE BOMBERS … "Trump Admin Again Grants Iran Pass to Conduct Nuclear Work, Angering GOP Hawks," by WFB’s Adam Kredo: Multiple lawmakers and former administration officials … told the Washington Free Beacon that senior officials in the administration continue to undermine President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran …
"Sanctioning Iran's Atomic Energy Organization isn't effective if we keep their program on life support through waivers for international assistance," Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) said … "Don't reward the ayatollahs for their nuclear blackmail."
AND THE MISSILES … "Here’s why Patriot missile defense systems aren’t in Iraq yet," via MILITARY TIMES: According to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, there’s a legal hurdle the military must overcome to deploy those systems there.
"One of the things we have to do is make sure we have permission from the host government, and that’s one of the matters we have to work on and work through," Esper said at a news conference Thursday. "We need the permission of the Iraqis. That’s one issue. There may be others with regard to the placement, things like that, more tactical, operational—it’s a combination of things."
LET’S HEAR HIM OUT … "MSNBC Pundit: If Acquitted, Trump Will ‘Shut Down Voting’ in California," via MRC: During MSNBC’s special coverage of the Senate impeachment trial on Thursday, Jason Johnson, a favorite pundit of the left-wing cable channel, went on a tirade and warned viewers that an acquittal of President Trump would embolden him to "shut down voting" in the entire state of California ahead of the 2020 election.
LIBS HARASS FEMALE SENATOR … "‘F—ing Traitor’: Sen. Collins Releases Abusive Voicemails Ahead of Impeachment Vote," by WFB’s Cameron Cawthorne: "You're going to lose, Susan Collins. You're going to lose. You're just a little b—h for Donald Trump," a woman said …
Collins and her staff received various abusive and threatening voicemails in September 2018 ahead of the confirmation vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, including a call from someone wishing Collins's 25-year-old staffer would be raped and impregnated.
NEXT, THEY’LL PUNISH THEM WITH GIRL SCOUT COOKIES … "Brooklyn bakers tried to send cakes to 53 GOP senators asking them to let John Bolton testify in Trump's impeachment trial," via CNN: Colin Bishopp, the executive director for the environmental nonprofit PACE Foundation, worked with Brooklyn-based Butter & Scotch to send what they're calling "impeachment cakes" to the offices of 53 GOP senators.
So far, cakes have only been delivered to the offices of Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz's office turned his cake away.
FIELD OF BORES … "Whatever Happened to the Democratic Primary?," by WFB’s Matthew Continetti: The trial of President Trump hasn’t just overshadowed the campaign. It's stopped it. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Amy Klobuchar, who are in the game in Iowa, as well as Michael Bennet, who is not, have been strapped to their chairs. Think of all the selfies Warren has missed out on. She must be despondent …
[Joe] Biden's troubles suggest another reason for the lack of excitement. The candidates are weak and uninteresting. Biden is barely comprehensible. [Pete] Buttigieg has all the pizzazz of a PowerPoint. Warren reminds you of your least favorite professor.
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW: 1,146. Come back, Joe!
"You know who really doesn’t have it? Joe Biden." —Former President Barack Obama
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-02-01--Continetti: DNC Boosting Bloomberg to Be Backup Nominee

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti on Friday said that the Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) is opening the door for Michael Bloomberg if other establishment candidates fail to defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) in early primary states .
On Friday , the DNC eased requirements to qualify for future debates , despite a crowded primary field .
Continetti said the gambit shows that the party is looking to the billionaire as Plan B if former vice president Joe Biden continues to struggle .
`` If Bernie wins Iowa , he ’ s already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That will set the Democratic party on fire , '' Continetti said during Fox News ’ s Special Report .
`` And that ’ s why I think you ’ ve had this rule changed to allow Mike Bloomberg into the debates .
This is their insurance policy if the Biden campaign collapses . ''
Under the new rules candidates will no longer need to meet a minimum donor threshold , but will face steeper polling requirements—either reaching a 10 percent share of the vote in four polls , or 12 percent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former New York City mayor , who has risen in polls after flooding the airwaves during primetime events in 2020 .
Bloomberg has already committed $ 200 million of his $ 60 billion fortune to the campaign .
He has said repeatedly that he wants to debate , but will not reverse his pledge to self-fund his campaign .
`` I want to participate in the debates , I always said I 'd like to participate in the debates , '' he told reporters .
`` But the rules are the rules and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set those rules . ''
The changes have angered some of his 2020 rivals .
`` The DNC didn ’ t change the rules to ensure good , diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage , '' Warren said in a tweet .
`` They shouldn ’ t change the rules to let a billionaire on .
Billionaires should n't be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage , in our democracy , or in our government . ''
The DNC has failed to address complaints from other candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti on Friday said that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is opening the door for Michael Bloomberg if other establishment candidates fail to defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) in early primary states.
On Friday, the DNC eased requirements to qualify for future debates, despite a crowded primary field. Continetti said the gambit shows that the party is looking to the billionaire as Plan B if former vice president Joe Biden continues to struggle.
"If Bernie wins Iowa, he’s already very well positioned in New Hampshire. That will set the Democratic party on fire," Continetti said during Fox News’s Special Report. "And that’s why I think you’ve had this rule changed to allow Mike Bloomberg into the debates. This is their insurance policy if the Biden campaign collapses."
Under the new rules candidates will no longer need to meet a minimum donor threshold, but will face steeper polling requirements—either reaching a 10 percent share of the vote in four polls, or 12 percent in two. The revision will help the former New York City mayor, who has risen in polls after flooding the airwaves during primetime events in 2020. Bloomberg has already committed $200 million of his $60 billion fortune to the campaign. He has said repeatedly that he wants to debate, but will not reverse his pledge to self-fund his campaign.
"I want to participate in the debates, I always said I'd like to participate in the debates," he told reporters. "But the rules are the rules and it's up to the Democratic Party to set those rules."
The changes have angered some of his 2020 rivals.
"The DNC didn’t change the rules to ensure good, diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage," Warren said in a tweet. "They shouldn’t change the rules to let a billionaire on. Billionaires shouldn't be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage, in our democracy, or in our government."
The DNC didn’t change the rules to ensure good, diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage. They shouldn’t change the rules to let a billionaire on. Billionaires shouldn't be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage, in our democracy, or in our government. — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 31, 2020
The DNC has failed to address complaints from other candidates about stringent debate requirements in the past.


freebeacon--2020-02-01--Bloomberg Drops $200 Million on Campaign in First Five Weeks

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg spent nearly $ 200 million of his own money in the first five weeks of his campaign in 2019 .
The former New York City mayor , who is worth more than $ 60 billion , spent about as much in the final weeks of 2019 as the combined third-quarter spending of all his Democratic rivals , the Wall Street Journal reports .
Bloomberg has flooded the airwaves with an estimated total of $ 300 million in TV , radio , and digital advertising between November and January , according to the campaign analysis group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s filing represents a down payment and commitment in all 50 states to defeat Donald Trump , and it shows we have the resources and plan necessary to take him on , '' Bloomberg ’ s campaign manager Kevin Sheekey said .
Bloomberg , who is bypassing the first four nominating states to compete in the states holding primaries in early March , only had 150 staffers on his campaign through Dec. 31 , but now employs 1,000 people on his campaign across 35 states .
He spent $ 315,000 on meals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 161,000 for hotels in 2019 , according to his latest Federal Election Commission filing .
His campaign has also paid millions of dollars to digital and research firms , the Journal reports : Mr. Bloomberg made a $ 14 million prepayment to his company , Bloomberg LP , for costs including the use of its private plane and employees who moved over to work for the campaign .
The campaign also shelled out $ 12 million to Hawkfish LLC , a data and digital company Mr. Bloomberg created months before announcing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3.2 million on polling research , including $ 1.2 million before he announced his 2020 run .
He spent another $ 3.2 million renting voter-contact information from the group Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund , which he has bankrolled for years .

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg spent nearly $200 million of his own money in the first five weeks of his campaign in 2019.
The former New York City mayor, who is worth more than $60 billion, spent about as much in the final weeks of 2019 as the combined third-quarter spending of all his Democratic rivals, the Wall Street Journal reports. Bloomberg has flooded the airwaves with an estimated total of $300 million in TV, radio, and digital advertising between November and January, according to the campaign analysis group Kantar/CMAG.
"Our first month’s filing represents a down payment and commitment in all 50 states to defeat Donald Trump, and it shows we have the resources and plan necessary to take him on," Bloomberg’s campaign manager Kevin Sheekey said.
Bloomberg, who is bypassing the first four nominating states to compete in the states holding primaries in early March, only had 150 staffers on his campaign through Dec. 31, but now employs 1,000 people on his campaign across 35 states. He spent $315,000 on meals, $106,000 on staff recruiting, and $161,000 for hotels in 2019, according to his latest Federal Election Commission filing.
His campaign has also paid millions of dollars to digital and research firms, the Journal reports:
Mr. Bloomberg made a $14 million prepayment to his company, Bloomberg LP, for costs including the use of its private plane and employees who moved over to work for the campaign. The campaign also shelled out $12 million to Hawkfish LLC, a data and digital company Mr. Bloomberg created months before announcing his run.
Bloomberg's campaign also dropped $3.2 million on polling research, including $1.2 million before he announced his 2020 run. He spent another $3.2 million renting voter-contact information from the group Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, which he has bankrolled for years.


freebeacon--2020-01-31--U.S. Senate Votes Against Calling Witnesses in Trump Impeachment Trial, Clearing Way for Acquittal

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – The U.S. Senate on Friday voted against calling witnesses and collecting new evidence in President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial , clearing the way for Trump ’ s almost certain acquittal in the coming days .
By a vote of 51-49 , the Republican-controlled Senate stopped Democrats ’ drive to hear testimony from witnesses like former national security adviser John Bolton , who is thought to have first-hand knowledge of Trump ’ s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate a political rival , former Vice President Joe Biden .
Those actions prompted the Democratic-controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December .
That made Trump only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached .
He denies wrongdoing and has accused Democrats of an `` attempted coup . ''
The Senate is almost certain to acquit Trump of the impeachment charges , as a two-thirds Senate majority is required to remove Trump and none of the chamber ’ s 53 Republicans have indicated they will vote to convict .
In Friday ’ s vote on witnesses , two Republicans , Mitt Romney and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and voted with Democrats .
Trump is seeking re-election in a Nov. 3 vote .
Biden is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face him .
The timing of that final vote was unclear .
Senators said it could take place any time between late Friday and Wednesday .
Republican senators had said it could come late on Friday or on Saturday .
The vote on witnesses came hours after the New York Times reported new details from Bolton ’ s unpublished book manuscript in which the former aide said Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pressure campaign to get Ukraine to pursue investigations that would benefit Trump politically .
Democrats said the news illustrated the need for the Senate to put Bolton under oath .
`` A trial is supposed to be a quest for the truth .
Let ’ s not fear what we will learn , '' said Adam Schiff , the lead Democratic prosecutor .
But Republicans said they had heard enough .
Some said they did not think that Trump did anything wrong , while Senators Lamar Alexander and Rob Portman said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impeachable conduct .
Republican Senator Marco Rubio said impeachment would be too divisive for the country , even if a president engaged in clearly impeachable activity .
Lisa Murkowski , a Republican moderate who Democrats had hoped would vote with them to extend the trial , said the case against Trump was rushed and flawed .
`` I don ’ t believe the continuation of this process will change anything .
It is sad for me to admit that , as an institution , the Congress has failed , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard Cowan , David Morgan , Karen Freifeld , Mark Hosenball , Susan Heavey , Susan Cornwell , Patricia Zengerle , Lisa Lambert and Mohammad Zargham ; Writing by Andy Sullivan ; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall

By Richard Cowan, Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Friday voted against calling witnesses and collecting new evidence in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, clearing the way for Trump’s almost certain acquittal in the coming days.
By a vote of 51-49, the Republican-controlled Senate stopped Democrats’ drive to hear testimony from witnesses like former national security adviser John Bolton, who is thought to have first-hand knowledge of Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate a political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Those actions prompted the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives to formally charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December.
That made Trump only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached. He denies wrongdoing and has accused Democrats of an "attempted coup."
The Senate is almost certain to acquit Trump of the impeachment charges, as a two-thirds Senate majority is required to remove Trump and none of the chamber’s 53 Republicans have indicated they will vote to convict.
In Friday’s vote on witnesses, two Republicans, Mitt Romney and Susan Collins, broke with their party and voted with Democrats.
Trump is seeking re-election in a Nov. 3 vote. Biden is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face him.
The timing of that final vote was unclear. Senators said it could take place any time between late Friday and Wednesday. Republican senators had said it could come late on Friday or on Saturday.
The vote on witnesses came hours after the New York Times reported new details from Bolton’s unpublished book manuscript in which the former aide said Trump directed him in May to help in a pressure campaign to get Ukraine to pursue investigations that would benefit Trump politically.
Democrats said the news illustrated the need for the Senate to put Bolton under oath.
"A trial is supposed to be a quest for the truth. Let’s not fear what we will learn," said Adam Schiff, the lead Democratic prosecutor.
But Republicans said they had heard enough. Some said they did not think that Trump did anything wrong, while Senators Lamar Alexander and Rob Portman said his actions were wrong but did not amount to impeachable conduct.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio said impeachment would be too divisive for the country, even if a president engaged in clearly impeachable activity.
Lisa Murkowski, a Republican moderate who Democrats had hoped would vote with them to extend the trial, said the case against Trump was rushed and flawed.
"I don’t believe the continuation of this process will change anything. It is sad for me to admit that, as an institution, the Congress has failed," she said in a prepared statement.
Reporting by Richard Cowan, David Morgan, Karen Freifeld, Mark Hosenball, Susan Heavey, Susan Cornwell, Patricia Zengerle, Lisa Lambert and Mohammad Zargham; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall


freebeacon--2020-01-31--Democrats: Trump’s Acquittal Doesn’t Count

Leading Democrats have already said President Donald Trump 's pending acquittal in his impeachment trial is not legitimate due to Friday 's vote against admitting new witnesses .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) said Thursday Trump will `` not be acquitted '' if his trial does n't have witnesses , and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) has repeatedly said Trump 's acquittal will have `` zero '' value .
Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) said Friday , `` You can not have a true acquittal if you 've not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks she made in other interviews this week .
Sen. Chris Murphy ( D. , Conn. ) said Friday he agreed with Pelosi , telling MSNBC 's Morning Joe it would not be a `` real acquittal , '' and Sen. Jeff Merkley ( D. , Ore. ) told CNN 's New Day Friday `` it 's not an exoneration . ''
`` He may get an acquittal but he 's not going to get an exoneration , '' House impeachment manager Rep. Zoe Lofgren ( D. , Calif. ) told MSNBC on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hakeem Jeffries ( D. , N.Y. ) , said on CNN Friday `` how can the American people conclude justice was done '' without witnesses , and leading manager Rep. Adam Schiff ( D. , Calif. ) said last week that Trump would n't benefit from an acquittal if it did n't appear fair .
Sen. Angus King ( I. , Maine ) , who caucuses with Senate Democrats , told Fox News on Thursday his acquittal would always have an `` asterisk , '' and Sen. Ben Cardin ( D. , Md @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` questioned '' without witnesses .
Sen. Lamar Alexander ( R. , Tenn. ) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski ( R. , Alaska ) announced late Thursday and Friday , respectively , they would vote against any motions to subpoena additional witnesses and documents to the trial , which assured the defeat of the Democratic effort .
Murkowski , a moderate who voted down an Obamacare repeal effort in 2017 and against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 , cited a `` rushed and flawed '' impeachment process by House Democrats in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guaranteed , with the only remaining suspense being how a few moderate Democrats and Republicans decide to vote .

Leading Democrats have already said President Donald Trump's pending acquittal in his impeachment trial is not legitimate due to Friday's vote against admitting new witnesses.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Thursday Trump will "not be acquitted" if his trial doesn't have witnesses, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) has repeatedly said Trump's acquittal will have "zero" value.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) said Friday, "You cannot have a true acquittal if you've not had a fair trial," echoing remarks she made in other interviews this week.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) said Friday he agreed with Pelosi, telling MSNBC's Morning Joe it would not be a "real acquittal," and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.) told CNN's New Day Friday "it's not an exoneration."
"He may get an acquittal but he's not going to get an exoneration," House impeachment manager Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D., Calif.) told MSNBC on Sunday. Another impeachment manager, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.), said on CNN Friday "how can the American people conclude justice was done" without witnesses, and leading manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) said last week that Trump wouldn't benefit from an acquittal if it didn't appear fair.
Sen. Angus King (I., Maine), who caucuses with Senate Democrats, told Fox News on Thursday his acquittal would always have an "asterisk," and Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.) said any acquittal would be "questioned" without witnesses.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) announced late Thursday and Friday, respectively, they would vote against any motions to subpoena additional witnesses and documents to the trial, which assured the defeat of the Democratic effort.
Murkowski, a moderate who voted down an Obamacare repeal effort in 2017 and against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, cited a "rushed and flawed" impeachment process by House Democrats in her decision.
Trump's acquittal is virtually guaranteed, with the only remaining suspense being how a few moderate Democrats and Republicans decide to vote.


freebeacon--2020-01-31--U.S. Declares Coronavirus a Public Health Emergency

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – The Trump administration on Friday declared a public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak and said it would take the extraordinary step of barring entry to the United States of foreign nationals who have traveled to China .
Starting on Sunday , U.S. citizens who have traveled to China ’ s Hubei Province within the last 14 days will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine , Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a media briefing at the White House on Friday .
The administration will also limit flights from China to seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The actions we have taken and continue to take complement the work of China and the World Health Organization to contain the outbreak within China , '' Azar said .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said there were six confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States .
He said there were 191 individuals under investigation for the disease .
Redfield said the risk to the U.S. public from the outbreak is low .
The flu-like virus , which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and was first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 213 deaths in China .
More than 9,800 people have been infected in China and more than 130 cases reported in at least 25 other countries and regions , with Russia , Britain , Sweden and Italy all reporting their first cases on Thursday or Friday .
The U.S. State Department warned Americans on Thursday not to travel to China because of the epidemic .
Reporting by Jeff Mason ; Writing by Eric Beech ; Editing by Sandra Maler ; editing by Diane Craft

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Friday declared a public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak and said it would take the extraordinary step of barring entry to the United States of foreign nationals who have traveled to China.
Starting on Sunday, U.S. citizens who have traveled to China’s Hubei Province within the last 14 days will be subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a media briefing at the White House on Friday.
The administration will also limit flights from China to seven U.S. airports, he said.
"The actions we have taken and continue to take complement the work of China and the World Health Organization to contain the outbreak within China," Azar said.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said there were six confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States. He said there were 191 individuals under investigation for the disease.
Redfield said the risk to the U.S. public from the outbreak is low.
The flu-like virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and was first identified earlier this month, has resulted in 213 deaths in China.
More than 9,800 people have been infected in China and more than 130 cases reported in at least 25 other countries and regions, with Russia, Britain, Sweden and Italy all reporting their first cases on Thursday or Friday.
The U.S. State Department warned Americans on Thursday not to travel to China because of the epidemic.
Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Sandra Maler; editing by Diane Craft


freebeacon--2020-01-31--Sanders Pushed Legalization of All Drugs in First Senate Run

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) in his first-ever campaign for the Senate made the legalization of all drug use one of the cornerstones of his policy platform .
Recruited in a 1972 special election as the Senate candidate for Vermont 's Liberty Union Party , Sanders promised that if elected , `` All laws relating to prohibition of abortion , birth control , homosexual relations , and the use of drugs would be done away with , '' the Rutland Daily Herald reported in December 1971 .
`` In a free society , individuals and not government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best for their own lives , as long as their actions do not harm others , '' Sanders said during the campaign for the seat he would eventually win in 2006 .
These latest comments come as Sanders takes the lead in national polling of the 2020 Democratic primary and looks poised to sweep the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire .
They offer yet another example—like his 1972 claim that U.S. involvement in Vietnam was `` almost as bad as what Hitler did '' —of the youthful radicalism Sanders exemplified at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's premier socialist .
In fact , the position is so radical that not only do the overwhelming majority of voters oppose it , but even Sanders himself has since shied away .
As a candidate with the Liberty Union Party—today Vermont 's fourth-largest party—Sanders and fellow House candidate Doris Lake pushed a platform well outside the mainstream of American thought , even in the 1970s .
For Sanders and Lake , the drug issue came down to personal autonomy : `` All the issues are really related to individual rights—the right of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or her own life , '' Lake told the Daily Herald .
Sanders 's left-lean on drugs persisted into his gubernatorial campaign the following year , when he drew applause from students at Mount Anthony Union High School with a plug for `` the British system of hard drug treatment , '' under which people with a history of severe , otherwise untreatable opioid addiction are given diacetylmorphine—i.e.
, heroin—by the government .
( The idea , the nonpartisan RAND Institute argued in 2018 , has experimental evidence backing it up but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in surrounding communities . )
Since his halcyon days as the winner of a mere 2,000 votes in his first Senate run , Sanders has stepped back on full legalization .
His 2020 presidential campaign includes a promise to legalize marijuana within his first 100 days in office , an end-run around Congress justified on the basis of mistruths about a link to mass incarceration .
In August , however , Sanders explicitly ruled out legalizing other drugs , telling radio host and endorser Joe Rogan that he would not support full legalization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference in support may come down to simple polling .
Two-in-three Americans support legalizing marijuana , including a majority of Republicans .
But for most other substances , fewer than 1-in-10 support recreational legalization of drugs like methamphetamine , cocaine , or heroin , a Vox/Morning Consult poll found in 2016 .
At the same time , Sanders 's youthful idealism may have been eroded by the reality of what CDC data recently confirmed—the country is experiencing the worst drug crisis in American history .
That same drug crisis , research has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sale of potent , but legal , prescription opioids .
Sanders has repeatedly pushed to hold the dealers in these legal drugs criminally liable for their actions .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) in his first-ever campaign for the Senate made the legalization of all drug use one of the cornerstones of his policy platform.
Recruited in a 1972 special election as the Senate candidate for Vermont's Liberty Union Party, Sanders promised that if elected, "All laws relating to prohibition of abortion, birth control, homosexual relations, and the use of drugs would be done away with," the Rutland Daily Herald reported in December 1971.
"In a free society, individuals and not government have the right to decide what is best for their own lives, as long as their actions do not harm others," Sanders said during the campaign for the seat he would eventually win in 2006.
These latest comments come as Sanders takes the lead in national polling of the 2020 Democratic primary and looks poised to sweep the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire. They offer yet another example—like his 1972 claim that U.S. involvement in Vietnam was "almost as bad as what Hitler did"—of the youthful radicalism Sanders exemplified at the start of his career as Vermont's premier socialist. In fact, the position is so radical that not only do the overwhelming majority of voters oppose it, but even Sanders himself has since shied away.
As a candidate with the Liberty Union Party—today Vermont's fourth-largest party—Sanders and fellow House candidate Doris Lake pushed a platform well outside the mainstream of American thought, even in the 1970s. For Sanders and Lake, the drug issue came down to personal autonomy: "All the issues are really related to individual rights—the right of a man or woman to control his or her own life," Lake told the Daily Herald.
Sanders's left-lean on drugs persisted into his gubernatorial campaign the following year, when he drew applause from students at Mount Anthony Union High School with a plug for "the British system of hard drug treatment," under which people with a history of severe, otherwise untreatable opioid addiction are given diacetylmorphine—i.e., heroin—by the government. (The idea, the nonpartisan RAND Institute argued in 2018, has experimental evidence backing it up but also has a low chance of being popular in surrounding communities.)
Since his halcyon days as the winner of a mere 2,000 votes in his first Senate run, Sanders has stepped back on full legalization. His 2020 presidential campaign includes a promise to legalize marijuana within his first 100 days in office, an end-run around Congress justified on the basis of mistruths about a link to mass incarceration. In August, however, Sanders explicitly ruled out legalizing other drugs, telling radio host and endorser Joe Rogan that he would not support full legalization "at this point."
The difference in support may come down to simple polling. Two-in-three Americans support legalizing marijuana, including a majority of Republicans. But for most other substances, fewer than 1-in-10 support recreational legalization of drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin, a Vox/Morning Consult poll found in 2016.
At the same time, Sanders's youthful idealism may have been eroded by the reality of what CDC data recently confirmed—the country is experiencing the worst drug crisis in American history. That same drug crisis, research has repeatedly shown, was primed by the marketing and sale of potent, but legal, prescription opioids. Sanders has repeatedly pushed to hold the dealers in these legal drugs criminally liable for their actions.


freebeacon--2020-01-31--TikTok Bans Pro-Life Group For Innocuous Baby Video

TikTok banned pro-life group Live Action for nearly a day over an innocuous video featuring mothers and babies that the social media platform now acknowledges did not actually violate its community guidelines .
In a press release , Live Action wrote that it posted the video Thursday afternoon , only for moderators to remove it an hour later .
A half hour after the group appealed the removal , Live Action 's account was banned entirely by the video-sharing service for `` multiple Community Guidelines violations . ''
Based on a popular TikTok meme , the offending video depicts a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Be pro-abortion '' and `` Be pro-life and help save babies . ''
After choosing the pro-life candy , the video shows pictures of happy babies and testimonials of women who chose to carry their pregnancies to term .
`` This is blatant viewpoint discrimination and an egregious attempt to silence pro-life voices , '' said Alison Howard Centofante , Live Action director of external affairs , in a statement .
`` TikTok should reinstate our account in full and allow all voices on the platform . ''
TikTok , a video-sharing app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Chinese government , reversed its decision after being reached for comment by the Washington Free Beacon .
`` TikTok is a platform for creative expression that welcomes diversity of users and viewpoints , '' the app said in a statement .
`` Following a review , we have determined that there were no violations of our Community Guidelines , and the issue was the result of a human error by a moderator .
We apologize for the mistake and have reactivated the account . ''
Last Friday , Twitter flagged a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` sensitive content , '' making it more difficult for users to view .
After harsh criticism from the campaign , Twitter said the video was flagged `` in error '' and removed the tag .
In 2017 , Twitter likewise blocked the announcement video for Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn for what it called `` an inflammatory statement that is likely to evoke a strong negative reaction . ''
Blackburn had posted a video saying abortion providers engage in `` the sale of baby body parts , '' in reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` donating '' body parts in exchange for financial compensation .
Twitter said Blackburn would be allowed to repost the video if she removed the line .

TikTok banned pro-life group Live Action for nearly a day over an innocuous video featuring mothers and babies that the social media platform now acknowledges did not actually violate its community guidelines.
In a press release, Live Action wrote that it posted the video Thursday afternoon, only for moderators to remove it an hour later. A half hour after the group appealed the removal, Live Action's account was banned entirely by the video-sharing service for "multiple Community Guidelines violations."
Based on a popular TikTok meme, the offending video depicts a woman choosing between two candies labeled "Be pro-abortion" and "Be pro-life and help save babies." After choosing the pro-life candy, the video shows pictures of happy babies and testimonials of women who chose to carry their pregnancies to term.
"This is blatant viewpoint discrimination and an egregious attempt to silence pro-life voices," said Alison Howard Centofante, Live Action director of external affairs, in a statement. "TikTok should reinstate our account in full and allow all voices on the platform."
TikTok, a video-sharing app owned by a company with close ties to the Chinese government, reversed its decision after being reached for comment by the Washington Free Beacon.
"TikTok is a platform for creative expression that welcomes diversity of users and viewpoints," the app said in a statement. "Following a review, we have determined that there were no violations of our Community Guidelines, and the issue was the result of a human error by a moderator. We apologize for the mistake and have reactivated the account."
Last Friday, Twitter flagged a pro-life video from the Donald Trump campaign as "sensitive content," making it more difficult for users to view. After harsh criticism from the campaign, Twitter said the video was flagged "in error" and removed the tag.
In 2017, Twitter likewise blocked the announcement video for Tennessee Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn for what it called "an inflammatory statement that is likely to evoke a strong negative reaction." Blackburn had posted a video saying abortion providers engage in "the sale of baby body parts," in reference to her investigation into Planned Parenthood allegedly "donating" body parts in exchange for financial compensation. Twitter said Blackburn would be allowed to repost the video if she removed the line.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Dem Senate Candidate Threatens Tracker With Lawsuit

Kimberly Graham , an Iowa Democratic Senate candidate , confronted a tracker from America Rising over the weekend and threatened to serve her with a lawsuit for harassment .
`` Where 's the best place to serve you with a lawsuit ? ''
Graham said after storming up to the tracker , according to video obtained from the conservative group .
`` Is that your home or do you have an office ? ''
The confrontation occurred after Graham and her supporters attended a climate change parade in Des Moines , Iowa .
The tracker had been recording Graham as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard campaign practice from political groups on both sides of the aisle .
Graham told the tracker she planned on suing for `` harassment . ''
Graham had already confronted the tracker earlier in the day , putting her phone in the tracker 's face and asking her repeated questions about the environment .
Video of that interaction shows the tracker asked Graham to take a step back during the confrontation , which was initiated by Graham .
`` If you could take a step back—I was n't getting in your personal space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the tracker said after Graham reached especially close with her phone .
Graham threatened to call the police after the tracker declined to stop recording .
`` I 'd like you to put the camera away , '' Graham said toward the end of the first interaction .
`` That 's okay , it 's a free country , '' the tracker replied .
`` That 's alright , I 'll just call the police because there are plenty of them around , '' Graham said .
`` Okay , great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the tracker replied before Graham walked away .
Graham 's campaign did not respond to emailed questions on whether it will be filing any lawsuits .

Kimberly Graham, an Iowa Democratic Senate candidate, confronted a tracker from America Rising over the weekend and threatened to serve her with a lawsuit for harassment.
"Where's the best place to serve you with a lawsuit?" Graham said after storming up to the tracker, according to video obtained from the conservative group. "Is that your home or do you have an office?"
The confrontation occurred after Graham and her supporters attended a climate change parade in Des Moines, Iowa. The tracker had been recording Graham as she marched in the parade, a standard campaign practice from political groups on both sides of the aisle.
Graham told the tracker she planned on suing for "harassment."
Graham had already confronted the tracker earlier in the day, putting her phone in the tracker's face and asking her repeated questions about the environment. Video of that interaction shows the tracker asked Graham to take a step back during the confrontation, which was initiated by Graham.
"If you could take a step back—I wasn't getting in your personal space, but you were getting in mine," the tracker said after Graham reached especially close with her phone.
Graham threatened to call the police after the tracker declined to stop recording.
"I'd like you to put the camera away," Graham said toward the end of the first interaction.
"That's okay, it's a free country," the tracker replied.
"That's alright, I'll just call the police because there are plenty of them around," Graham said.
"Okay, great, they'll talk to you," the tracker replied before Graham walked away.
Graham's campaign did not respond to emailed questions on whether it will be filing any lawsuits.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Heartland, Chronicled: A Political Journalist’s Reflections on Iowa, U.S.A.

DES MOINES — The best part about being a journalist on a plane is knowing that , if the plane crashes , your death would be among the most tragic and would be reported as such by your colleagues in the journalism community—after they 'd contacted your relatives to confirm how brave you were to cover politics in Donald Trump 's America .
The equation changes , of course , when that plane is flying to Iowa just days before the Democratic caucuses .
Odds are , most of the people on the plane are journalists rushing to the scene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready .
Why else would the plane be full ?
Who else in their right mind would take a public flight to Iowa in February ?
Democratic strategists , that 's who .
We can ignore them , though .
They get paid 10 times more than journalists for what is essentially the same job .
And no strategist has ever risked it all the way Jim Acosta does on a daily basis .
Fortunately , the plane does n't crash .
More importantly , it departs and arrives on time .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with journalists aboard—out of respect for the profession , of course , but also out of fear .
Their public relations teams must tremble at the thought of a verified journo rage-tweeting a travel delay to thousands of followers .
And if that does n't work , we can always blame Trump .
That 's only the first of many perks to being a political journalist .
There are also a lot of free drinks to be had if you do n't mind chatting and exchanging contact info with an assortment of psychopaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you stuffed pony with its logo on it .
If you 're lucky , a Democratic president will give you a job .
What we political journalists—so often accused ( very unjustly ) of being self-righteous elites—fail to realize is this : Sometimes , we are the perk .
The benefits of visiting a state that regularly plays host to large quantities of political journalists become increasingly clear the more time one spends in Des Moines , the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Iowa , according to Wikipedia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political journalism in the abundance of Acela-corridor accouterments provided when we come to town : riverside lofts , artisanal bakeries , bespoke cafés , waxing boutiques , quirky thrift shops , buses .
`` Welcome Media , '' reads a large banner hanging from a street lamp on Locust Street , and you know the sentiment is sincere .
After all , what better way to assess the quality of your people and products than by exposing them to the discerning tastes of highly educated professional fact-finders ?
`` Iowa Nice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observant reporter , is trending here in the heartland .
( Irony alert : Trump won the state by almost 10 percentage points in 2016 . )
It 's a little obnoxious , quite frankly .
The hotel receptionist takes her sweet time before asking me what I do .
I had to restrain myself ; though tempting , it would be foolish to waste a business card so soon upon arrival .
My Uber driver did n't even bother to ask , but at least he was an immigrant .
Later in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Bernie Sanders rally in the suburbs .
Of course .
The venue is crawling with Chapo Trap House understudies .
It 's surrounded on all sides by strip malls and churches .
This is why the Europeans do n't like us .
The concession stand has run out of hot dogs and there 's no truffle oil for the loaded nachos .
Michael Moore takes the stage and starts dropping F-bombs .
I miss Beto .
Bernie never showed .
He had to call in from Washington , D.C. , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way , and world-class cuisine , but is n't even a state .
Like most journalists , I agree with everything he says , but I also trust the New York Times and consequently have pre-written a synopsis on the `` moral victory '' of Elizabeth Warren 's fourth-place finish .
My second Uber driver , a white male , is `` pretty pro-Trump '' and wonders why Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ( D. , Hawaii ) has n't gotten more traction .
Guess they have Facebook here in Iowa .
Thanks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show up to the following morning 's Climate Crisis Parade , but the marchers do n't care .
They came for one reason and one reason only : The media is also here .
`` Des Moines will be swarming with national and international media during the days leading up to the Caucuses on February 3 , giving Iowans a unique opportunity to take our message about the urgency of climate change to the media and the general public , '' the organizers announced prior to the march .
Urgency ?
Check .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching a man dressed as a pope , and another as a pilgrim , pull a Conestoga wagon emblazoned with `` colonialism '' and impaled by giant `` reparations '' arrows , I am overcome with a vague sense of poignancy .
Most of all , I ca n't help but conclude the media will play a crucial role in combating the climate crisis .
Just then , an emission-spewing SUV drives by and honks its horn .
But to everyone 's surprise , it is not a racist Trump supporter .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the back window to offer a gesture of solidarity with the marchers , as well as the reporters covering the event .
One young participant ca n't believe his luck .
`` That 's so cool , '' he says , dressed as the Grim Reaper .
`` I was just listening to one of his lectures on the economy . ''
But being a political journalist in Iowa can be an exhausting and disorienting experience too .
Fortunately , Tammy Haddad is here to help .
Haddad , who in 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends from New York and LA who were in Washington for the annual White House Correspondents ' Dinner , '' is hosting a `` Snowflake Garden Brunch '' at the Tea Room in downtown Des Moines .
The brunch , co-hosted by Democratic strategist and corporate communications consultant Hilary Rosen , promises to be `` the central gathering of leaders in government , politics , media , business , and celebrities who are in town for the kickoff of the country 's presidential cycles '' and will take place in Iowa 's `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Being handed press credentials to attend a brunch and sliding up to a full open bar at 11 a.m. , one almost forgets how far away Georgetown really is .
The event is sponsored , naturally , by Wells Fargo , the banking giant many leading Democratic presidential candidates have attacked by name .
Its logo is featured in a Bernie Sanders campaign ad that will run during the Super Bowl .
Another sponsor is Anthem , one of the largest companies in an industry ( health insurance ) much of the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels good to be home .
But only for so long .
The crowd grows bored and restless during the `` charity '' portion of the brunch when a Wells Fargo executive talks about the company 's support for military families .
Journalists and strategists huddle toward the back of the room , networking .
Regrettably , the promised `` celebrities '' are nowhere to be found .
Former A-list anchor Greta Van Susteren interviews guests upon arrival .
Mid-tier CNN host John Berman makes an appearance , as does Jim Acosta 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a White House Correspondents ' brunch , exactly , but the wall of donuts , patriotic parfaits , and bovine ice sculpture do lend a charming `` heartland '' vibe to the gathering .
Hilary Rosen extends warm thanks to the people of Iowa on behalf of `` those of us who visit every four years . ''
There 's news to report , which is probably why the top-tier reporters could n't make it .
At this very moment , for instance , CNN 's Brian Stelter is reporting there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's claim that former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is trying to secure a box to stand on during the next Democratic debate .
Jim Acosta is tweeting his Google search results about the heights of the Founding Fathers .
There is , arguably , news happening here too .
Candidates are addressing supporters throughout the state , making their final pitches ahead of the big day .
At Lincoln High School in Des Moines , supporters of Pete Buttigieg await the candidate 's appearance while the loudspeakers blare Tim McGraw 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fact check : Buttigieg turned 38 in January ) .
It 's a cleaner , more articulate crowd than Bernie 's .
Buttigieg takes an audience member 's question about his favorite Beatles song and just knocks it out of the park .
`` It 's tough to pick this one , '' he said .
`` But I feel like at a moment like this the right answer 's got to be ‘ Come Together . '
'' The crowd goes wild , proving once and for all it 's definitely not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fourth largest city in Indiana should be the next president of the United States .
In conclusion : No , the state of Iowa probably does n't deserve a star on the American flag .
But that does n't mean it 's not a place where stars are born .

DES MOINES — The best part about being a journalist on a plane is knowing that, if the plane crashes, your death would be among the most tragic and would be reported as such by your colleagues in the journalism community—after they'd contacted your relatives to confirm how brave you were to cover politics in Donald Trump's America.
The equation changes, of course, when that plane is flying to Iowa just days before the Democratic caucuses. Odds are, most of the people on the plane are journalists rushing to the scene of the fire, hoses at the ready. Why else would the plane be full? Who else in their right mind would take a public flight to Iowa in February?
Democratic strategists, that's who. We can ignore them, though. They get paid 10 times more than journalists for what is essentially the same job. And no strategist has ever risked it all the way Jim Acosta does on a daily basis.
Fortunately, the plane doesn't crash. More importantly, it departs and arrives on time. The airlines know to give priority to flights with journalists aboard—out of respect for the profession, of course, but also out of fear. Their public relations teams must tremble at the thought of a verified journo rage-tweeting a travel delay to thousands of followers. And if that doesn't work, we can always blame Trump.
That's only the first of many perks to being a political journalist. There are also a lot of free drinks to be had if you don't mind chatting and exchanging contact info with an assortment of psychopaths. Occasionally, a corporation will gift you a stuffed pony with its logo on it. If you're lucky, a Democratic president will give you a job.
What we political journalists—so often accused (very unjustly) of being self-righteous elites—fail to realize is this: Sometimes, we are the perk. The benefits of visiting a state that regularly plays host to large quantities of political journalists become increasingly clear the more time one spends in Des Moines, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Iowa, according to Wikipedia.
One can see the great import of political journalism in the abundance of Acela-corridor accoutrements provided when we come to town: riverside lofts, artisanal bakeries, bespoke cafés, waxing boutiques, quirky thrift shops, buses. "Welcome Media," reads a large banner hanging from a street lamp on Locust Street, and you know the sentiment is sincere. After all, what better way to assess the quality of your people and products than by exposing them to the discerning tastes of highly educated professional fact-finders?
"Iowa Nice," a term presumably coined by an observant reporter, is trending here in the heartland. (Irony alert: Trump won the state by almost 10 percentage points in 2016.) It's a little obnoxious, quite frankly. The hotel receptionist takes her sweet time before asking me what I do. I had to restrain myself; though tempting, it would be foolish to waste a business card so soon upon arrival. My Uber driver didn't even bother to ask, but at least he was an immigrant.
Later in the evening, Bon Iver plays at a Bernie Sanders rally in the suburbs. Of course. The venue is crawling with Chapo Trap House understudies. It's surrounded on all sides by strip malls and churches. This is why the Europeans don't like us. The concession stand has run out of hot dogs and there's no truffle oil for the loaded nachos. Michael Moore takes the stage and starts dropping F-bombs. I miss Beto.
Bernie never showed. He had to call in from Washington, D.C., which has plenty of top-notch music venues, by the way, and world-class cuisine, but isn't even a state. Like most journalists, I agree with everything he says, but I also trust the New York Times and consequently have pre-written a synopsis on the "moral victory" of Elizabeth Warren's fourth-place finish. My second Uber driver, a white male, is "pretty pro-Trump" and wonders why Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) hasn't gotten more traction. Guess they have Facebook here in Iowa. Thanks, Russia.
None of the presidential candidates show up to the following morning's Climate Crisis Parade, but the marchers don't care. They came for one reason and one reason only: The media is also here. "Des Moines will be swarming with national and international media during the days leading up to the Caucuses on February 3, giving Iowans a unique opportunity to take our message about the urgency of climate change to the media and the general public," the organizers announced prior to the march.
Urgency? Check. Message? Inconclusive. That said, watching a man dressed as a pope, and another as a pilgrim, pull a Conestoga wagon emblazoned with "colonialism" and impaled by giant "reparations" arrows, I am overcome with a vague sense of poignancy. Most of all, I can't help but conclude the media will play a crucial role in combating the climate crisis.
Just then, an emission-spewing SUV drives by and honks its horn. But to everyone's surprise, it is not a racist Trump supporter. It's Dr. Cornel West, who leans out the back window to offer a gesture of solidarity with the marchers, as well as the reporters covering the event. One young participant can't believe his luck. "That's so cool," he says, dressed as the Grim Reaper. "I was just listening to one of his lectures on the economy."
But being a political journalist in Iowa can be an exhausting and disorienting experience too. Fortunately, Tammy Haddad is here to help. Haddad, who in 1993 started the Garden Brunch "to gather friends from New York and LA who were in Washington for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner," is hosting a "Snowflake Garden Brunch" at the Tea Room in downtown Des Moines.
The brunch, co-hosted by Democratic strategist and corporate communications consultant Hilary Rosen, promises to be "the central gathering of leaders in government, politics, media, business, and celebrities who are in town for the kickoff of the country's presidential cycles" and will take place in Iowa's "most historic and iconic venue." Being handed press credentials to attend a brunch and sliding up to a full open bar at 11 a.m., one almost forgets how far away Georgetown really is.
The event is sponsored, naturally, by Wells Fargo, the banking giant many leading Democratic presidential candidates have attacked by name. Its logo is featured in a Bernie Sanders campaign ad that will run during the Super Bowl. Another sponsor is Anthem, one of the largest companies in an industry (health insurance) much of the Democratic field has promised to disrupt. It feels good to be home.
But only for so long. The crowd grows bored and restless during the "charity" portion of the brunch when a Wells Fargo executive talks about the company's support for military families. Journalists and strategists huddle toward the back of the room, networking.
Regrettably, the promised "celebrities" are nowhere to be found. Former A-list anchor Greta Van Susteren interviews guests upon arrival. Mid-tier CNN host John Berman makes an appearance, as does Jim Acosta's sidekick, Jeff Zeleny. It's not a White House Correspondents' brunch, exactly, but the wall of donuts, patriotic parfaits, and bovine ice sculpture do lend a charming "heartland" vibe to the gathering. Hilary Rosen extends warm thanks to the people of Iowa on behalf of "those of us who visit every four years."
There's news to report, which is probably why the top-tier reporters couldn't make it. At this very moment, for instance, CNN's Brian Stelter is reporting there is "no evidence" to support Trump's claim that former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is trying to secure a box to stand on during the next Democratic debate. Jim Acosta is tweeting his Google search results about the heights of the Founding Fathers.
There is, arguably, news happening here too. Candidates are addressing supporters throughout the state, making their final pitches ahead of the big day. At Lincoln High School in Des Moines, supporters of Pete Buttigieg await the candidate's appearance while the loudspeakers blare Tim McGraw's "My Next Thirty Years" (Fact check: Buttigieg turned 38 in January).
It's a cleaner, more articulate crowd than Bernie's. Buttigieg takes an audience member's question about his favorite Beatles song and just knocks it out of the park. "It's tough to pick this one," he said. "But I feel like at a moment like this the right answer's got to be 'Come Together.'" The crowd goes wild, proving once and for all it's definitely not insane to think a former mayor of the fourth largest city in Indiana should be the next president of the United States.
In conclusion: No, the state of Iowa probably doesn't deserve a star on the American flag. But that doesn't mean it's not a place where stars are born.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Bernie Trounces Biden in Iowa Fundraising Down Stretch

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) has a narrow lead in funds raised in Iowa going into Monday evening 's pivotal caucus in the Hawkeye State .
Sanders raised nearly $ 120,000 from donors in Iowa in the last three months of 2019 , federal election records released Friday show .
His fundraising haul in the first-in-the-nation caucus state runs neck and neck with former mayor Pete Buttigieg , but the septuagenarian senator counted nearly 50 percent more donors than the boy wonder from South Bend , Ind .
Both substantially outpace Democratic frontrunner and former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buoy the Sanders campaign , widely expected—but not guaranteed—to win in Iowa on Monday evening .
At the same time , it bodes ill for Biden , whose prospects between now and March 's Super Tuesday primaries look increasingly grim .
Sanders 's precise fundraising total in Iowa for the fourth quarter of 2019—the most recent period for which campaigns have released data—ran to $ 118,654 among itemized contributions .
( Note : the FEC only requires the disclosure of itemized contributions from individuals who have given in excess of $ 200 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is therefore almost certainly higher . )
That figure is almost indistinguishable from Buttigieg 's $ 118,622 .
The next tier , Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, raised on the order of $ 64,000 .
The candidate who saw the fewest Iowa contributions was self-funder Tom Steyer , who took in just $ 1,007 .
While Sanders and Buttigieg had similar overall receipts , the Vermont senator 's funds came from substantially more donors .
Nearly 800 Iowans gave Sanders $ 200 or more , compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 2.4 times as many itemized donors as Warren and nearly 3.5 times as many as Biden .
There are clearly limits to the applicability of these data which are , necessarily , about a month out of date .
Data from the last four contested Iowa caucuses , however , suggest that there is at least some reason for Sanders supporters to take heart .
In both of the most recent meaningfully contested Democratic caucuses , the top fundraiser in December of the preceding year clinched the victory—Barack Obama in 2008 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 .
The record for Republicans is more mixed , but end-of-quarter fundraising may have indicated the support that allowed Ted Cruz to pull out a tight victory in 2016 , as well as Mike Huckabee 's success in 2008 .
Sanders 's lead in fundraising confirms what polls have increasingly shown going into the caucus on Monday .
He is currently up by 3.7 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average , while betting markets give him a 69 percent chance of victory as of the time of publication .
The widely expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news for Biden .
Long considered the frontrunner , Biden is nonetheless expected to take a hammering in New Hampshire next Tuesday .
His chances among South Carolina 's black voters , once expected to lead him to victory in the Palmetto State , now also look increasingly dim—a poll released Sunday showed Sanders and Steyer closing the gap , with the latter having picked up much of Biden 's support among African Americans .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) has a narrow lead in funds raised in Iowa going into Monday evening's pivotal caucus in the Hawkeye State.
Sanders raised nearly $120,000 from donors in Iowa in the last three months of 2019, federal election records released Friday show. His fundraising haul in the first-in-the-nation caucus state runs neck and neck with former mayor Pete Buttigieg, but the septuagenarian senator counted nearly 50 percent more donors than the boy wonder from South Bend, Ind. Both substantially outpace Democratic frontrunner and former vice president Joe Biden.
That fundraising total may buoy the Sanders campaign, widely expected—but not guaranteed—to win in Iowa on Monday evening. At the same time, it bodes ill for Biden, whose prospects between now and March's Super Tuesday primaries look increasingly grim.
Sanders's precise fundraising total in Iowa for the fourth quarter of 2019—the most recent period for which campaigns have released data—ran to $118,654 among itemized contributions. (Note: the FEC only requires the disclosure of itemized contributions from individuals who have given in excess of $200 in total. Sanders's true fundraising haul is therefore almost certainly higher.)
That figure is almost indistinguishable from Buttigieg's $118,622. The next tier, Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), raised on the order of $64,000. The candidate who saw the fewest Iowa contributions was self-funder Tom Steyer, who took in just $1,007.
While Sanders and Buttigieg had similar overall receipts, the Vermont senator's funds came from substantially more donors. Nearly 800 Iowans gave Sanders $200 or more, compared with Buttigieg's 513 donors. Sanders had 2.4 times as many itemized donors as Warren and nearly 3.5 times as many as Biden.
There are clearly limits to the applicability of these data which are, necessarily, about a month out of date. Data from the last four contested Iowa caucuses, however, suggest that there is at least some reason for Sanders supporters to take heart.
In both of the most recent meaningfully contested Democratic caucuses, the top fundraiser in December of the preceding year clinched the victory—Barack Obama in 2008 and Hillary Clinton by a narrow margin in 2016. The record for Republicans is more mixed, but end-of-quarter fundraising may have indicated the support that allowed Ted Cruz to pull out a tight victory in 2016, as well as Mike Huckabee's success in 2008.
Sanders's lead in fundraising confirms what polls have increasingly shown going into the caucus on Monday. He is currently up by 3.7 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average, while betting markets give him a 69 percent chance of victory as of the time of publication.
The widely expected victory, then, would be bad news for Biden. Long considered the frontrunner, Biden is nonetheless expected to take a hammering in New Hampshire next Tuesday. His chances among South Carolina's black voters, once expected to lead him to victory in the Palmetto State, now also look increasingly dim—a poll released Sunday showed Sanders and Steyer closing the gap, with the latter having picked up much of Biden's support among African Americans.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Range Time: Here’s What Happens at the World’s Largest Gun Trade Show

Machine guns , flamethrowers , a Humvee rolling down the Strip , and a wedding .
It was all there @ @ @ @ @ world 's largest gun show : SHOT Show 2020 .
At this year 's show @ @ @ @ @ writer Stephen Gutowski explores the showroom floor , interviews industry leaders and gun-rights activists , @ @ @ @ @ eats the best steak in Vegas , and watches Elvis marry a couple of gun-rights @ @ @ @ @ through the insanity that is the gun industry 's annual trade show and answers many @ @ @ @ @ the latest offering from Glock ?
What do reform activists think of the NRA 's @ @ @ @ @ is John Correia of Active Self Protection , one of the largest YouTubers out there @ @ @ @ @ training ?
How far can a $ 3,200 flamethrower shoot ?
Watch the video and @ @ @ @ @ all these questions and more !

Machine guns, flamethrowers, a Humvee rolling down the Strip, and a wedding. It was all there in Las Vegas at the world's largest gun show: SHOT Show 2020.
At this year's show, Washington Free Beacon staff writer Stephen Gutowski explores the showroom floor, interviews industry leaders and gun-rights activists, shoots a freaking minigun, eats the best steak in Vegas, and watches Elvis marry a couple of gun-rights activists. He takes you through the insanity that is the gun industry's annual trade show and answers many pressing questions. What is the latest offering from Glock? What do reform activists think of the NRA's newest policy position? How is John Correia of Active Self Protection, one of the largest YouTubers out there, trying to improve firearms training? How far can a $3,200 flamethrower shoot?
Watch the video and find out the answers to all these questions and more!


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Warren Supporter Blames Lagging Poll Numbers on Democrats’ Sexism

An Iowa supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
blamed Warren 's lagging poll numbers on sexism , saying the Democrats ' sexism was hurting the candidate .
`` Some supporters believe sexism has played a role in Warren 's recent struggles , '' WMUR political director Adam Sexton said in a report from Iowa .
`` Oh absolutely , absolutely .
From both the sides , both Democrat and Republican , '' a supporter told Sexton .
`` A big part of the allure for Iowans who have pledged to caucus for Warren is making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sexton continued .
`` I 'm glad to say that I support her not just because she 's a woman , though , '' another supporter said .
`` But I think that it would really show a lot of young girls what they can do and what they can achieve . ''
At the last Democratic debate , Warren accused her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) of saying that a woman could not win the presidency during a private dinner in 2018 .
Sanders denied he made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her a liar .
Warren blamed her recent struggles on the impeachment trial .
`` I 've been in Washington for , it feels like years , and I have n't been able to get out and talk to as many folks in Iowa , '' Warren told an Iowa crowd .
Sexton said Warren is trying to sell a message of unity as the Democratic candidates enter the Iowa caucuses .
`` We may have had some different ideas , we may have had some different ways of going about it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have one goal .
And we better come together to meet that goal .
We are going to beat Donald Trump , '' Warren said .
Recent polling indicates that the Iowa caucuses will be tightly contested as the top four candidates are separated by single digits .
A Washington Post analysis found Warren in fourth place after leading the pack at the beginning of November .

An Iowa supporter of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) blamed Warren's lagging poll numbers on sexism, saying the Democrats' sexism was hurting the candidate.
"Some supporters believe sexism has played a role in Warren's recent struggles," WMUR political director Adam Sexton said in a report from Iowa. "Oh absolutely, absolutely. From both the sides, both Democrat and Republican," a supporter told Sexton.
"A big part of the allure for Iowans who have pledged to caucus for Warren is making her the first woman president," Sexton continued. "I'm glad to say that I support her not just because she's a woman, though," another supporter said. "But I think that it would really show a lot of young girls what they can do and what they can achieve."
At the last Democratic debate, Warren accused her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) of saying that a woman could not win the presidency during a private dinner in 2018. Sanders denied he made the comment. Warren accused Sanders of calling her a liar.
Warren blamed her recent struggles on the impeachment trial. "I've been in Washington for, it feels like years, and I haven't been able to get out and talk to as many folks in Iowa," Warren told an Iowa crowd.
Sexton said Warren is trying to sell a message of unity as the Democratic candidates enter the Iowa caucuses.
"We may have had some different ideas, we may have had some different ways of going about it, but in the end, we all have one goal. And we better come together to meet that goal. We are going to beat Donald Trump," Warren said.
Recent polling indicates that the Iowa caucuses will be tightly contested as the top four candidates are separated by single digits. A Washington Post analysis found Warren in fourth place after leading the pack at the beginning of November.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--TRUMP WINS AGAIN: Heartland Chiefs Humiliate Colin Kaepernick’s Former Team in Super Bowl

America 's greatness continues to advance under the commanding leadership of President Donald J. Trump , whose first term in office already ranks among the most successful in our country 's history .
American values scored a huge win Sunday night when the Kansas City Chiefs bested the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV , overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to claim a 31-20 victory in Miami .
For the Chiefs , a franchise based in Missouri—a state Trump won by nearly 20 points in 2016—it was their first NFL championship in 50 years .
Nice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Democratic state and a feces-infested city represented by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) , the outcome was almost as disappointing as that of Super Bowl XLVII .
In that 2013 contest against the Baltimore Ravens , then-quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw three consecutive incompletions from the opponents ' five-yard line , resulting in a turnover on downs with less than two minutes to play .
The 49ers went on to lose 31-34 .
Kaepernick , a frequent Trump critic who stirred controversy in 2016 by taking a knee during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , quit the team in March 2017 and has not played in the NFL since .
The 49ers , meanwhile , managed to return to the Super Bowl less than three years after shedding Kaepernick from the roster .
President Trump congratulated the Super Bowl victors with an elegantly worded post to his 72 million followers on Twitter , a popular social networking website .
`` Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game and a fantastic comeback under immense pressure , '' Trump wrote .
`` We are proud of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You are true Champions ! ''
Trump will invite the Super Bowl champs to a celebratory gathering at the White House later this year .
Richard Sherman , the 49ers cornerback and 2014 Free Beacon Man of the Year winner ( rescinded in 2015 ) , recently expressed `` doubt '' as to whether he 'd attend a Super Bowl celebration at the White House .
He will not be invited .

America's greatness continues to advance under the commanding leadership of President Donald J. Trump, whose first term in office already ranks among the most successful in our country's history.
American values scored a huge win Sunday night when the Kansas City Chiefs bested the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to claim a 31-20 victory in Miami. For the Chiefs, a franchise based in Missouri—a state Trump won by nearly 20 points in 2016—it was their first NFL championship in 50 years. Nice!
For the Niners, based in a Democratic state and a feces-infested city represented by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), the outcome was almost as disappointing as that of Super Bowl XLVII. In that 2013 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, then-quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw three consecutive incompletions from the opponents' five-yard line, resulting in a turnover on downs with less than two minutes to play. The 49ers went on to lose 31-34.
Kaepernick, a frequent Trump critic who stirred controversy in 2016 by taking a knee during the pregame performance of the national anthem, quit the team in March 2017 and has not played in the NFL since. The 49ers, meanwhile, managed to return to the Super Bowl less than three years after shedding Kaepernick from the roster.
President Trump congratulated the Super Bowl victors with an elegantly worded post to his 72 million followers on Twitter, a popular social networking website.
"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game and a fantastic comeback under immense pressure," Trump wrote. "We are proud of you and the Great State of Missouri. You are true Champions!"
Trump will invite the Super Bowl champs to a celebratory gathering at the White House later this year. Richard Sherman, the 49ers cornerback and 2014 Free Beacon Man of the Year winner (rescinded in 2015), recently expressed "doubt" as to whether he'd attend a Super Bowl celebration at the White House. He will not be invited.