Top Republicans stand up for Rounds after Trump's attack: He ‘told the truth’  —  (CNN)Senior Republicans are closing ranks behind Sen. Mike Rounds after he endured a scathing attack from former President Donald Trump for acknowledging the reality that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

Biden's speech on voting rights was full of soaring rhetoric.  It may not matter.  —  President Biden traveled to Georgia on Tuesday to call on the Senate to do whatever is necessary, including changing the Senate's filibuster rule, to protect voting rights and secure our democracy.

Trump Rips ‘Gutless’ Politicians Who Won't Say If They've Had Vaccine Booster: ‘Say It’  —  Former President Donald Trump said that politicians who don't disclose their booster shot status when asked in interviews are “gutless.”  —  He made the remarks on One America News in an interview aired on Tuesday night.

NPR hosts' departures fuel questions over race.  The full story is complex  —  In the wake of a trio of departures, news stories and private messages shared among NPR staffers reflected the concern that Black and Latina stars are leaving the network in droves.

Biden-Cheney 2024?  —  As I've noted before, one reason I pay very close attention to the Israeli-Palestinian arena is that a lot of trends get perfected there first and then go global — airline hijacking, suicide bombing, building a wall, the challenges of pluralism and lots more.

California hospitals find that Omicron causes fewer hospitalizations and shorter stays.  —  A new study of nearly 70,000 Covid patients in California demonstrates that Omicron causes less severe disease than other coronavirus variants.  The new research, posted online Tuesday …

Hillary Clinton's 2024 Election Comeback  —  Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have become unpopular.  It may be time for a change candidate.  —  A perfect storm in the Democratic Party is making a once-unfathomable scenario plausible: a political comeback for Hillary Clinton in 2024.

FAA's Statement On Mysterious Air Traffic Halt Leaves More Questions Than Answers  —  The Federal Aviation Administration has finally put out an official statement regarding a still very mysterious ground stop order that it issued to all aircraft in the western U.S. and Hawaii yesterday around 2:30 PM PST.

A marketing firm that works with Jewish groups, Big Duck, has nixed a potential client because of its Israel ties  —  (JTA) — A marketing firm that has worked extensively with Jewish nonprofits has declined to work with one because of growing concerns among its staff members about groups with “significant programming in Israel.”

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Trump Jr. advisers, Trump speechwriter  —  The select panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection is homing in on Donald Trump Jr.  —  The committee issued subpoenas for two close advisers, Andrew Surabian and Arthur Schwartz, to former President Donald Trump's eldest son on Tuesday …

Gov. Northam says he's ‘99% sure’ of identity of man in blackface  —  Who was the mystery man in blackface?  —  Gov. Ralph Northam told The Washington Post that he is “99% sure” of the identity of the man who donned blackface in a photograph included on his medical school yearbook page ― …

The Trailer: San Francisco's school board recalls are tearing Democrats apart  —  In this edition: The school board battle in San Francisco, a special election in Florida and the continuing Democratic retirement party.  —  The only newsletter that promises never to use a “devil went down to Georgia pun”: This is The Trailer.

The Biden sit-down that split PBS  —  Welcome to POLITICO's West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration.  With Allie Bice.  —  Networks and news outlets are used to jockeying with each other for coveted presidential interviews.

The Times hires five staffers to cover Sacramento, Los Angeles and Northern California  —  The following message was sent on behalf of Deputy Managing Editor Shelby Grad:  —  I am pleased to announce the hiring of new staffers for Metro in Sacramento, Los Angeles and Northern California.

Djokovic Scrambles to Explain Test Result and Public Events  —  Facing criticism for appearing in public after testing positive for the coronavirus, the tennis star issued a statement defending his actions.  —  In an interview room at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, an Australian immigration officer sat …

How Should Republicans Talk About Jan. 6?  —  The answer seems to be: Minimize it when we need votes, but denounce it when we want praise.  —  Last year I lost a congressional primary race on a platform that explicitly criticized former President Trump's behavior after the 2020 election …

‘I hate to use this language:’ Marjorie Taylor Greene suggests it's time to use ‘Second Amendment’ on Democrats  —  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) on Tuesday floated resorting to using the “Second Amendment” to deal with Democrats who are imposing what she described as a “tyrannical” government.

Ye Planning Russia Trip to Meet Putin and Perform Sunday Service, Says Advisor  —  He also intends to grow his business in the country with billionaire developer Aras Agalarov, sometimes known as the Trump of Russia, and Agalarov's musician son, EMIN.  —  Kanye West is looking east — to Russia.

Supreme Court clears way for liberal group to depose Assembly Speaker Robin Vos  —  MADISON - The Wisconsin Supreme Court slammed down Assembly Speaker Robin Vos' attempt to avoid a deposition late Tuesday, setting the stage for him to take questions under oath Wednesday over whether he has followed the state's open records law.

Violence inequality shames America  —  Mahmood Ansari, a Pakistani immigrant who came to the United States four decades ago, used to own City Souvenirs along the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  One night in April 2021, he was working late when a 12-year-old boy with a knife and 14-year-old girl decided to rob the store.

Inflation isn't Biden's fault.  And he can't solve it, either.  —  President Biden's finger-pointing at big business for price hikes has drawn stinging criticism.  But this criticism is a straw-man argument.  In truth, Biden has not claimed corporate greed or consolidation caused inflation …

This Is Very Serious  —  A new publication from Josh Barro  —  A lot of writers write about people they disagree with.  I think part of what makes me different — and has made me different through my career — is that I try to write for people I disagree with.

Biden Administration Approves 5 More Guantánamo Releases  —  Nearly half of the last 39 detainees have now been approved for transfer, and the challenge for U.S. officials is to find countries to receive them.  —  WASHINGTON — A U.S. government review panel has approved the release …

Hot mic catches Fauci calling GOP senator ‘a moron’  —  White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci was caught on a hot mic Tuesday calling Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) “a moron” during his testimony before the Senate Health Committee on the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Biden's agenda disconnected from voters' everyday reality  —  The president's partisan election-reform push is a distraction from the biggest challenges the White House faces: the economy, COVID, and crime.

Ted Cruz grills FBI on Ray Epps, asks if FBI had informants on Jan. 6  —  Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday grilled a top FBI official on whether bureau informants were present at the Jan. 6 riots — zeroing in on a man named Ray Epps.  —  Jill Sanborn, the FBI's executive assistant director …

Adams Economic Czar Likely Pick Had Secret Sideline Securing City Real Estate Deals  —  Carlo Scissura, the mayor's reported choice as Economic Development Corporation CEO, promised “friend” he'd influence officials on school site sales — without registering as a lobbyist.

Justice Dept. forms new domestic terrorism unit to address growing threat  —  The Justice Department is forming a new domestic terrorism unit to help combat a threat that has intensified dramatically in recent years, a top national security official said Tuesday.

BREAKING: Biden Administration Making Lists of Religious Vaccine Objectors  —  A tiny administrative agency in the District of Columbia announced a new policy Tuesday that will likely serve as a model for a whole-of-government push to assemble lists of Americans who object on religious grounds to a COVID-19 vaccine.

Americans Reading Fewer Books Than in Past  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans say they read an average of 12.6 books during the past year, a smaller number than Gallup has measured in any prior survey dating back to 1990.  U.S. adults are reading roughly two or three fewer books per year than they did between 2001 and 2016.