memeorandum: Russia amplifies calls for civil war in the U.S. (Caroline Orr Bueno/Weaponized)

8:55 PM ET, February 4, 2024

Top Items:

Senators unveil bipartisan bill to impose tougher asylum and border laws — The deal is the result of months of negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Biden administration. It's not clear it will pass Congress. — WASHINGTON — Senators released …

Discussion: The Hill, NPR, The Texas Tribune, Pennsylvania Capital-Star, CBS News, DNyuz, Associated Press, New York Post, Political Wire and Bloomberg

Stef W. Kight / Axios:

Senate releases new $118 billion package for Ukraine, Israel, border — The Senate appropriations committee released on Sunday the text of their sweeping $118.3 billion emergency spending package, which combines foreign aid with restrictive policy changes for the U.S.-Mexico border.

Discussion: CNN, USA Today, ABC News, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Guardian, HotAir, Associated Press and Washington Examiner

Andrew Solender / Axios:

Mike Johnson faces internal GOP dissent on Israel bill — House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing criticism from both the right flank of his party and Ukraine hawks for the standalone Israel aid package the House plans to vote on this week. … - Mills and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) …

Discussion: Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, TASS, Political Wire, Breitbart, USA Today, CBS News, The Guardian, CNBC and Roll Call

ABC News:
‘This Week’ Transcript 2-4-24: White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. JD Vance

Discussion: Bloomberg, New York Daily News, RedState, CBS News, PoliticusUSA, DNyuz, The Daily Caller and Fargo | KFGO

Lauren Sforza / The Hill:
Jeffries on House Republicans: ‘Wholly owned subsidiaries of Donald Trump’

Discussion: Business Insider, Axios, The Gateway Pundit, PoliticusUSA, Rolling Stone and Breitbart

Axios:

Trump floats ousting RNC chair after brutal 2023 — Former President Trump, in a stunning public rebuke of a longtime ally, suggested on Fox News today that Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel should get the boot. … Trump's comments are a sign of him flexing muscle …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, RedState, NBC News, The Hill, Chicago Tribune, The Daily Caller, Sun-Sentinel, Washington Times, Mediaite, Fox News, Florida Politics, Associated Press and New York Times

Asher Notheis / Washington Examiner:
Nikki Haley targets Trump during Saturday Night Live appearance for refusal to debate

Discussion: USA Today, NPR, IJR, Mother Jones, Associated Press, CBS News, Al Jazeera, One America News Network, Bloomberg, RedState, The Atlantic, ABC News, DNyuz, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, The Hill, Fox News, Politico, Instapundit, Deadline, CNBC, PoliticusUSA, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, TMZ.com and Page Six

Shauneen Miranda / Axios:
Trump name drops Tim Scott, Kristi Noem while discussing VP contenders

Discussion: Washington Examiner, National Review, RedState, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, The Hill, Political Wire and Washington Times

Sophia Cai / Axios:
Trump's team worries about a hollow victory in Nevada

Discussion: MUTH'S TRUTHS, The Guardian, The North State Journal, New York Post and Politico

Mark Murray / NBC News:

Poll: 20-point deficit on handling economy highlights Biden's struggles against Trump — The president's approval rating has fallen to a new low in NBC News polling, as Trump narrowly leads in a 2024 general election matchup. — Despite a growing economy and little opposition for his party's nomination …

Discussion: The Message Box, Mediaite, Boston Herald, Axios, RedState, Wide World of News, Twitchy, New York Post, The Gateway Pundit, National Review, Progress Pond, Washington Examiner and Breitbart

Jonathan Martin / Politico:
Forget No Labels. Biden's Third-Party Peril is on the Left.

Discussion: Mediaite and New York Post

Mark Murray / NBC News:
How a Trump conviction changes the 2024 race in our latest poll

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Fox News, The Hill, Breitbart, RedState, Mediaite, USA Today, New York Post, Forbes, WBTW-TV and Political Wire

Gerry McGovern:

When the tech bros come for me — First, the tech bros came for the warehouse workers, and I said nothing. Paying them terrible wages, working them to the bone, tracking their every second, injuring them at record levels, all in the pursuit of customer obsession and profit.

Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast:

George Stephanopoulos Cuts Off GOP Senator After He Suggests Trump Could Defy SCOTUS — Senator, thanks for your time this morning," George Stephanopoulos said before Sen. Vance's mic was cut off. — ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos would not tolerate another word from Sen. J.D. Vance …

Discussion: Raw Story, ABC News, The Gateway Pundit, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Fox News, HuffPost, Breitbart, DNyuz, Newsbusters, Politico, Mediaite, Crooks and Liars and Political Wire

Ellie Cook / Newsweek:

Tucker Carlson Being Spotted in Moscow Sparks Frenzied Speculation — The reported appearance of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in the Russian capital has sparked intense speculation over the purpose of the conservative media personality's visit to Moscow.

Discussion: Vanity Fair, Politico, RedState, Mediaite, Crooks and Liars, The Gateway Pundit and Political Wire

Alia Shoaib / Business Insider: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene defends the prospect of Tucker Carlson interviewing Putin amid rumors he is in Moscow

Caroline Orr Bueno / Weaponized:

Russia amplifies calls for civil war in the U.S. — The ongoing controversy at the border in Texas has dominated the headlines recently — not only in U.S. newspapers, but also in Russian propaganda outlets, which have published dozens of inflammatory articles calling the border dispute a …

Amanda Yen / The Daily Beast:

Ann Coulter: Best Thing Trump Could Do for America Is ‘Die’ — The one-time MAGA supporter became a born-again anti-Trumper in recent years, admitting she was “a very stupid girl” to support Trump in the early days of his ascendance. — Ann Coulter didn't mince her words when asked …

Discussion: DNyuz and UPROXX

Erin Doherty / Axios:

Scoop: Nikki Haley's fundraising takes off while GOP tries to end her campaign — Nikki Haley had an eye-popping month of fundraising in January, hauling in almost as much cash as the prior three months combined, Axios has learned. — Why it matters: The Haley campaign has the money to keep …

Discussion: The Hill and Political Wire

Russell Contreras / Axios:

House Dems say Texas' Greg Abbott inciting potential border violence — Democratic U.S. House members are accusing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) of inciting violence at the U.S.-Mexico border by using bigoted language about a border “invasion” and encouraging a rightwing convoy to come to the region.

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times, The Hill, CBS News, New York Post, NBC News, NewsNation, Political Wire, Mother Jones and Reuters

Trisha Ahmed / Associated Press:

South Dakota tribe bans governor from reservation over US-Mexico border remarks — A South Dakota tribe has banned Republican Gov. Kristi Noem from the Pine Ridge Reservation after she spoke this week about wanting to send razor wire and security personnel to Texas to help deter immigration …

Discussion: USA Today, Fox News, UPI, Axios, The Hill, New York Post and RedState

Elizabeth Weise / USA Today:

They hoped solar panels would secure the future of their farm. Then their neighbors found out — GARDNER, Kansas − Donna Knoche made her way up to the podium at the Johnson County Commission hearing on June 6, 2022, her new yellow shirt crisp and her voice steady.

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo