memeorandum: Russia-Ukraine outcome presents little upside for Biden, but ‘downside’ possible: Strategists (Peter Aitken/Fox News)

10:20 AM ET, February 20, 2022

Top Items:

Zelensky rips the West for inaction as shellings make Russia-Ukraine war seem increasingly imminent — MUNICH — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky forcefully demanded stronger actions from world leaders as the threat of full-scale attack by Russia intensifies amid increased shelling …

Discussion: HotAir, CNN and The Moderate Voice

John Harwood / CNN:

Former top Trump Russia adviser details the sharp contrast between the former President and Biden — Fiona Hill doesn't know whether President Joe Biden can lead Western allies to ward off Russia's threat to Ukraine. But unlike his predecessor, he's trying.

Peter Aitken / Fox News:

Russia-Ukraine outcome presents little upside for Biden, but ‘downside’ possible: Strategists — Strategists say voters tend to decide based on economic and domestic issues — Fox News Flash top headlines for February 18 — Political strategists on both sides of the aisle minimized …

Discussion: Politico

Karen Gilchrist / CNBC:
German Chancellor rejects calls to sanction Russia now — argues the West should keep Putin guessing

Discussion: The Daily Wire and CBS News

Sam Hall / Telegraph:
Ukraine crisis: Europe faces one of its most perilous situations since the early 20th century, Truss warns

Discussion: Metro.co.uk

New York Times:

A Press Tour Turns Frantic in Ukraine As Russia-Backed Shelling Intensifies — As shelling intensified in eastern Ukraine, a seemingly routine press tour turned into a frantic rush to safety. — NOVOLUHANSKE, Ukraine — “Be calm,” Denis, the 28-year-old driver said, after several mortar shells landed on the road behind us.

Discussion: One America News Network

Julia Davis / The Daily Beast:

Russian State TV Is So Ridiculous Right Now It Looks Like a Farce — The TV propaganda has taken a farcical turn with Kremlin insiders begging President Biden not to start a vicious war in Ukraine. No mention of the Russian tanks. — Anyone who might be watching exclusively Russian state television …

Discussion: Raw Story, Los Angeles Times and TASS

Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
Shelling Escalates in Ukraine as Thousands Flee, Fearing Attack

Discussion: Associated Press, GG Mano, Murray's Newsletter, Hennessy's View, One America News Network, WTOP News and Boston.com

Auswärtiges Amt / German Federal Foreign Office: G7 Foreign Ministers' Statement on Russia and Ukraine

Miami Herald:

Jeffrey Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel, ex-Miami modeling agent, found dead in Paris jail — Jeffrey Epstein's former business partner and alleged accomplice in trafficking and sexually abusing girls, Jean-Luc Brunel, was found dead Saturday in his French jail cell, according to French authorities.

Discussion: The Huxleyan, Townhall, New York Post, National Review and The Guardian

Angela Charlton / Associated Press:
Modeling agent close to Epstein found dead in French jail

Discussion: Sputnik International, Washington Post, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, HotAir, Slate and The Daily Caller

Peter Allen / Daily Mail:
Jeffrey Epstein's pimp Jean-Luc Brunel ‘hangs himself alone in Paris jail with no CCTV’: Ghislaine Maxwell's family ‘shocked and scared for her’ as man …

Discussion: Metro.co.uk, Small Dead Animals, Telegraph, The Daily Beast, Global Community Weekly, Addy's Newsletter, Breitbart, Conservative Brief, The Gateway Pundit, The Western Journal, Instapundit and RedState

Martin Goillandeau / CNN:
French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel found dead in prison cell

Discussion: Insider, The Gateway Pundit, New York Post and The Independent

Luc Chenier / KyivPost:

Ukrainian President Makes Historic Speech in Munich (English Translation) — President Zelensky delivered an impassioned and forthright speech at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 19 - one of the most important of his political career and in Ukraine's history as an independent state.

Discussion: Financial Times

New York Times:

Mass Shooting at a Portland Protest Against Police Violence Leaves 1 Dead — Five other people were wounded, the police said. Few details about the shooting were immediately released. — PORTLAND, Ore. — One person was killed and five others were wounded in a shooting on Saturday night during …

Discussion: OPB, Raw Story and WTOP News

Reuters:

EXCLUSIVE Trump's Truth Social app set for release Monday in Apple App Store, per executive … Donald Trump's new social media venture, Truth Social, appears set to launch in Apple's App Store on Monday, according to posts from an executive on a test version viewed by Reuters …

Discussion: The Hill, Raw Story and Insider, more at Techmeme »

Washington Post:

Trump properties in talks to host lucrative Saudi golf events … Former president Donald Trump's company is angling to host events at his golf courses for the controversial Saudi golf league, according to three people familiar with the matter, potentially handing Trump a lucrative business partnership …

Discussion: Insider, Mediaite, The Hill and Raw Story

Vimal Patel / New York Times:

Biden extends the national pandemic emergency first declared in March 2020. — President Biden said on Friday that he would extend the national emergency that was first declared in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The additional authority had been set to expire on March 1.

Discussion: BizPac Review and The Gateway Pundit

The White House:

Statement from Press Secretary Jen Psaki on President Biden's Briefings on Ukraine — President Biden continues to monitor the evolving situation in Ukraine, and is being updated regularly about events on the ground by his national security team. They reaffirmed that Russia could launch an attack against Ukraine at any time.

Discussion: Арм …, UPI, The Hill and Political Wire

David Siders / Politico:

Republicans wince at Wisconsin GOP crack-up — MILWAUKEE — Timothy Ramthun's entry into Wisconsin's gubernatorial primary last weekend was the car wreck no one could look away from. — His campaign is built around the preposterous idea the 2020 election could still be overturned …

Discussion: Associated Press, Raw Story and New York Times

Orange County Watch:

California NAACP Calls For Spitzer's “Immediate Resignation” — Earlier today, Rick Callender, President of the California State Conference of the NAACP, told OC Watch that the organization is calling for the “immediate resignation” of Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer …

Katherine Huggins / Mediaite:

GOP Rep. Will Introduce Bill to Provide Temporary Asylum to Canadian Trucker Protesters, Compares Trudeau's Actions to an ‘Authoritarian Regime Like Venezuela’ — Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-NM) compared Canada's handling of vaccine mandate protesters to “an authoritarian regime like Venezuela” …

Discussion: The Hill