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Sarah Huckabee Sanders's State of the Union Response Proves the GOP Has Nothing New to Offer — From raging against the “woke mob” to belly-aching about left-wing “indoctrination,” the Arkansas governor revealed that the party is still hanging its hat on the culture war.
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Biden's State of the Union draws audience of 27.3 million — 1 of 2 — An estimated 27.3 million people watched President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on television, the second smallest audience for the annual event in at least 30 years, the Nielsen company said on Wednesday.

GOP divided over whether heckling Biden hurts them — House Republicans are divided on whether the raucous heckling of President Biden during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night was inappropriate — or whether it helped them effectively communicate their position to the American public.

Biden Heads to Florida With a Fresh Political Foil in House Republicans — President Biden plans to use his visit to the University of Tampa to warn about what he says are Republican proposals to cut Medicare and Social Security. — WASHINGTON — President Biden heads to Florida …

Biden talks economy, China, political division in exclusive interview with Judy Woodruff
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Libby Cathey / ABC News:
GOP leaders defend members calling Biden a ‘liar’ during State of the Union
GOP leaders defend members calling Biden a ‘liar’ during State of the Union
Matt Viser / Washington Post:
Biden-GOP exchanges at State of the Union forecast 2024 battle
Biden-GOP exchanges at State of the Union forecast 2024 battle
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Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
The Best Part Of Joe Biden's SOTU Address Happened After It Was Over
The Best Part Of Joe Biden's SOTU Address Happened After It Was Over
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The GOP Is Starting to Plot Against Donald Trump — “It is,” he said, “A five-alarm fire. And there is nobody coming to put it out.” — “It,” in this case, is the possibility that once again Donald Trump will prevail over a splintered Republican field, getting the same 30-40 percent …
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DeSantis, Trump Dominate Potential 2024 Republican Presidential Field in New Poll — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump are the clear top preferences among Republican voters for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, with no other potential candidate generating much support, a poll of the still-developing race shows.
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GOP hopefuls' past positions on Social Security loom over 2024 primary — Donald Trump is going after Ron DeSantis and other potential GOP rivals, seizing on the same divisions over federal spending President Biden is seeking to exploit — Donald Trump is going on the attack …
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Trump Put Nearly $1 Million Of Donor Money Into His Own Pockets Since Leaving Office
Discussion:
Hackwhackers and Political Wire

Chinese Balloon Had Tools to Collect Communications Signals, U.S. Says — China's surveillance balloons have flown over more than 40 countries and are directed by the Chinese military, the State Department said. — WASHINGTON — The Chinese spy balloon shot down by the U.S. military …
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Chinese Balloon Carried Antennas, Other Equipment to Gather Intelligence, U.S. Says — The U.S. preparing to take action against entities tied to Chinese balloon surveillance program, official says — WASHINGTON— The Chinese balloon that crossed the U.S. was outfitted with antennas likely capable …
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NJ councilman Russell Heller shot dead just a week after slaying of Eunice Dwumfour — A New Jersey municipal council member was shot dead in his car Wednesday, exactly a week after the unsolved slaying of Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. — Russell Heller, 51, was found dead just after 7 …
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Second Republican New Jersey Lawmaker Shot Dead Within a Week — A second Republican New Jersey council member was shot dead Wednesday, just a week after a first was gunned down outside her home. — Milford councilman Russell Heller, who also works as a supervisor at a utility company …
Discussion:
IJR and New Jersey Online

Audible reckoning: How top political podcasters spread unsubstantiated and false claims — IIn February 2021, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and his co-host Michael Knowles, a Daily Wire commentator, recorded a live episode of the Verdict With Ted Cruz podcast.1 In conversation about his former …
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Gizmodo
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Steve Bannon's Podcast Is Top Misinformation Spreader, Study Says
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Media Matters for America and ArkansasTimes
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill:
Bannon podcast top spreader of misinformation, researchers say

I Thought I Was Saving Trans Kids. Now I'm Blowing the Whistle. — There are more than 100 pediatric gender clinics across the U.S. I worked at one. What's happening to children is morally and medically appalling. — I am a 42-year-old St. Louis native, a queer woman, and politically to the left of Bernie Sanders.
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Washington Examiner, HotAir, RedState, The Daily Caller, Fox News and BROADVIEW with Lisa …

SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president — SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia, SpaceX's president said Wednesday.
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19,300 dead in Turkey, Syria earthquake: Death toll among worst in recent history, surpassing 2011 Japan disaster … The powerful earthquakes that shook Turkey and Syria this week are among the most devastating and deadliest quakes in recent history. — The death toll continued to climb …
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Pence Looks to Iowa as 2024 Looms … The former vice president will headline a grassroots rally and launch a statewide advertising campaign as part of a fresh foray into the key 2024 battleground. — Pence will begin next Wednesday in St. Paul, Minnesota, delivering a speech supporting Iowa parents suing …
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Thomas Beaumont / Associated Press:
Pence group to run ads in Iowa against school trans policies
Pence group to run ads in Iowa against school trans policies
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The Hill

Fetterman hospitalized after feeling lightheaded — Sen. John Fetterman was hospitalized Wednesday after feeling lightheaded, his staff said. — “Initial tests did not show evidence of a new stroke,” said Joe Calvello, the communications director for the Pennsylvania Democrat.
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Bill Chappell / NPR:
Sen. John Fetterman spends the night in the hospital after feeling lightheaded
Sen. John Fetterman spends the night in the hospital after feeling lightheaded
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Manchin ‘raising hell’ over White House handling of marquee Dem bill — President Joe Biden and Joe Manchin met at the White House about a month ago on a topic that's critically important to the West Virginia senator: implementing the sweeping tax, climate and health care law that both men shaped.
Discussion:
HotAir, Fox News and Washington Examiner

Scoop: Mitt Romney reveals hundreds of emails to book author … The emails and journal pages span Romney's 2012 campaign as the Republican presidential nominee. … - The book “will also show Romney himself reckoning with what he considers his party's slide toward authoritarianism and what role …
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The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story, The Guardian, Alternet.org and Deseret News

FOX News' Hillary Vaughn and Peter Doocy Welcome Baby Girl: 'Best Assignment I've Ever Had' — Hillary Vaughn and Peter Doocy are first-time parents after welcoming daughter Bridget, they share with PEOPLE — Hillary Vaughn and Peter Doocy are officially parents!
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The Hill, Trending Politics Conservative, Fox News and The Daily Caller

James Carville Attacks GOP, Marjorie Taylor Greene As ‘White Trash’ — The longtime Democratic operative told MSNBC's Ari Melber “the level of white trashdom in the Republican Party is staggering.” — Democratic political consultant James Carville on Wednesday described Republican lawmakers …

US and UK sanction Russian cybercriminal gang accused of infecting millions of computers worldwide — The US and UK governments on Thursday sanctioned six Russians and one Ukrainian for their alleged involvement in an infamous Russia-based cybercrime network that infected millions of computers worldwide …
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Hawley's departure from Armed Services draws speculation — Corrected 9:08 a.m. Feb. 9 | Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley was booted from his perch on the powerful Armed Services Committee last month as retribution for delaying the confirmation of numerous Defense Department nominees last year …
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Florida Politics

House Votes 419-0 to Pass Resolution Condemning China for Spy Balloon — Lawmakers also seek more information about balloon's entry into U.S. airspace, how decision was made to shoot it down — Video: U.S. Shoots Down Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon — Created with sketchtool.
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Congresswoman Assaulted In Her D.C. Apartment Building — Rep. Angie Craig, a Democrat representing Minnesota, was not severely injured in the attack. — Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) was assaulted in her Washington, D.C., apartment building Thursday, her office said in a statement.
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Washington Post