R.N.C. Signals a Pullout From Presidential Debates  —  The Republican National Committee says it will require candidates to pledge to not participate in debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates.  What would replace them, if anything, was unclear.

Former President Barack Obama: We need to follow John Lewis' example and fight for our democracy  —  “The world, and future generations, will be watching,” Obama writes as he calls on Senate to “do the right thing” and pass legislation to protect voting rights.  —  Barack ObamaSpecial to USA TODAY

The Doom Loop Of “Relevance”  —  Rich Lowry and I disagree about Liz Cheney and Ron DeSantis  —  “Trump and I, we've had a hell of a journey.  I hate it to end this way, oh my God I hate it. ...  All I can say is count me out.  Enough is enough.”  —  Lindsey Graham, Now: (January 12, 2022)

The Capitol Riot Really Was an Insurrection  —  A response to Jeffrey Scott Shapiro on the legal definition in the U.S. Code.  —  Jeffrey Scott Shapiro is correct that insurrection under 18 U.S.C. 2383 is a crime with specific elements ("Stop Calling Jan. 6 an 'Insurrection,'" op-ed, Jan. 6).

Is Omicron Peaking?  —  In parts of the Northeast, it seems to be.  —  The number of new Covid-19 cases in New York City rose more than twentyfold in December.  In the past few days, it has flattened.  —  In both New Jersey and Maryland, the number of new cases has fallen slightly this week.

‘Under Trump it was so much better’: The reality Democrats may be missing is that people are hurting right now  —  Reno, Nevada (CNN)Outside a Costco, Laura Godinez lifts meat, toothpaste, coffee, bottled water and bulk supplies of DayQuil from her cart — just the staples …

Republicans who falsified Michigan electoral college vote under scrutiny from Congress, Attorney General  —  1,204  —  Falsified documents claiming Michigan's electors voted for former President Donald Trump were given by state election officials to a congressional panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 riot.

Trump is eyeing the White House and wants a more compliant Senate for when he gets there  —  As Donald Trump charts out his midterm elections strategy, his focus has turned to the contest for the Senate, not just in hopes of getting it back under GOP control but of having more compliant lawmakers there should he become president again.

The latest Kamala Harris interview went as well as expected  —  How often do clips from an interview with a major politician genuinely make you laugh out loud?  —  Not in a spiteful performative sense, I mean, but in sincere amusement at the haplessness on display?

Loudoun Rapist Sentenced, Put On Sex Offender Registry For Life  —  LOUDOUN COUNTY, Virginia — The 14-year-old boy who raped a ninth-grader in a girls' bathroom while he wore a skirt and blouse was sentenced on Wednesday to residential treatment, as it emerged that he also allegedly attacked a third girl …

The past seven years have been the hottest in recorded history, new data shows … In the middle of a historically sweltering summer, a NASA researcher stood before Congress and declared the unvarnished, undeniable scientific truth: “The greenhouse effect has been detected,” James Hansen said.

Glenn Beck has Covid again after refusing vaccine: 'It's going into my lungs'  —  Right-wing talk radio personality Glenn Beck on Wednesday said he has contracted Covid-19 for the second time and complained about the disease's effect on his lungs.  —  “It's starting to go into my lungs today and a little disturbing.

U.S. Diplomats in Geneva, Paris Struck With Suspected ‘Havana Syndrome’  —  Mysterious neurological ailment has afflicted as many as 200 U.S. officials in diplomatic posts world-wide  —  WASHINGTON—Officials serving at U.S. diplomatic missions in Geneva and Paris are suspected …

How the Right's Rules of Rhetoric Create Racial Provocateurs  —  Anti-anti-racism can look a lot like ... racism … One of our nation's most important religious, cultural, and political projects is creating and sustaining a robust and just public policy aimed at repairing the harm inflicted …

Army offers up to $50k in enlistment incentives  —  The U.S. Army is offering its largest bonus ever for new recruits with up to $50,000 available to qualified individuals who sign on for a six-year active-duty enlistment.  —  The total incentive package for a new recruit is based …

Energy Department to announce Clean Energy Corps, hire 1,000 staffers to work on climate change  —  Good morning and welcome to The Climate 202!  Yesterday was a busy day for climate policy, but we've got you covered.  —  Biden's Energy Department to announce Clean Energy Corps, will hire 1,000 staffers to work on climate change

Biden claims yet another arrest for which there's little evidence  —  “I did not walk in the shoes of generations of students who walked these grounds.  But I walked other grounds.  Because I'm so damn old, I was there as well.  You think I'm kidding, man.  It seems like yesterday the first time I got arrested.”

Trump loyalists form alliance in bid to take over election process in key states  —  ‘Coalition of America First secretary of state candidates’ disclosed by Jim Marchant, who is running for secretary of state in Nevada  —  Extreme Republicans loyal to Donald Trump and his “big lie” …

No one reads the terms of service.  Lawmakers want to fix that with a new ‘TLDR’ bill.  —  Happy Thursday!  Below: The FCC proposes new data breach rules for telecom and the White House meets with tech leaders on cyber.  First:  —  If you've ever blown past a website's terms of service agreement, you wouldn't be the first.