memeorandum: Ursula von der Leyen announces bid for 2nd term (Politico)

10:00 AM ET, February 19, 2024

Top Items:

Nikki Haley says she would pardon Donald Trump if elected president — Presidential candidate Nikki Haley has vowed to pardon former US President Donald Trump should she defeat him in the Republican Primary and win against Joe Biden in November. — Speaking at a town hall in South Carolina on Sunday …

Discussion: The Hill, BizPac Review, Mediaite and Florida Politics

Katie Glueck / New York Times:

Anti-Trump Burnout: The Resistance Says It's Exhausted — Bracing for yet another election against Donald Trump, America's liberals are feeling the fatigue. “We're kind of, like, crises-ed out,” one Democrat said. — In 2017 they donned pink hats to march on Washington …

Discussion: Lord Ashcroft Polls, Scripting News, ABC News and New York Post

Zachary Halaschak / Washington Examiner:
Hillary Clinton claims Trump would pull US out of NATO

Discussion: The Hill, Fox News, RedState and NBC News

David Corn / Mother Jones: Why Trump's Sleaziest Criminal Case Is So Important

Ronald Brownstein / The Atlantic: The GOP Has Crossed an Ominous Threshold on Foreign Policy

William Kristol / The Bulwark:

Trump-Putin 2024 — Happy Presidents' Day—a quick missive today, and we'll let you get back to your holiday. — Hanging Putin Around Trump's Neck — Not to be a Debbie Downer on Presidents' Day, but I want to talk about Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Discussion: Reuters, The Free Press, Raw Story and Washington Examiner

Jack Forrest / CNN:
Cheney warns of Republican Party ‘Putin-wing’ after Navalny death

Discussion: HuffPost, The Hill, Twitchy, RedState, Mediaite, USA Today, Raw Story, DNyuz and Breitbart

Mariana Alfaro / Washington Post:
Trump remains silent on Navalny's death

Discussion: MeidasTouch, USA Today, The Hill, HuffPost, Hartford Courant, UPI, Trending Politics Conservative, Washington Examiner, BizPac Review and New York Times

Courtney Kube / NBC News:

Biden administration is leaning toward supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles — If Republicans continue to block U.S. military aid to Ukraine, the White House could turn to an ally to provide Kyiv with ATACM missiles capable of striking Russian-held Crimea.

Discussion: The Kyiv Independent and TASS

Riley Rogerson / The Daily Beast:

How Trump Is Killing Off the ‘Reagan Republican’ in Congress — Ukraine aid is showing how isolationist the new GOP is under Donald Trump. … Less than a decade ago, all but a few Republicans in Congress would have taken the title of “Reagan Republican” as a badge of honor.

Discussion: ABC News and Los Angeles Times

Sean L. McCarthy / The Daily Beast:

John Oliver Offers Clarence Thomas Millions to Resign Immediately — “Your move, Clarence,” the “Last Week Tonight” host said at the end of his 11th season premiere. “Your fucking move.” — There's a reason John Oliver and his Last Week Tonight crew keep winning Emmys …

Discussion: Deadline, Business Insider, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Crooks and Liars, PoliticusUSA, Mediaite and Balloon Juice

Politico:

Federal agencies scramble to finish Biden's rules — and protect his legacy from Trump — Green groups don't want regulations to fall prey to rollbacks as they did when Donald Trump won the presidency. — President Joe Biden's allies are getting antsy about his administration's pileup …

Karen Gilchrist / CNBC:

‘China has a lot more to lose’: U.S. considering sanctioning Chinese firms aiding Russia's war — The U.S. is considering slapping sanctions on Chinese companies it believes are helping Russia fuel its war in Ukraine, members of Congress told CNBC. — Lawmakers may “very soon” …

Discussion: Political Wire and Reuters

Associated Press:

Suspect dead amid shooting that claimed the lives of 2 officers, 1 first responder, group says — A desperate call for help from a home in suburban Minneapolis early Sunday turned deadly for two police officers and a first responder who were shot and killed, according to officials.

Doha Madani / NBC News:
Heavy police presence at ‘active scene’ in Minnesota neighborhood

Discussion: New York Times, DNyuz, Twin Cities, CBS News, MPR News, KARE-TV, Alpha News, UPI, Washington Examiner, DC News Now, Fox News and NBC 7 San Diego

Politico:

Ursula von der Leyen announces bid for 2nd term — One of Europe's most powerful leaders is poised for another 5 years running the European Commission. — BERLIN — She wants five more years. — After months of speculation, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced …

Discussion: Bloomberg, DNyuz, Reuters and New York Times

Michael Lee / Fox News:

New presidential rankings place Obama in top 10, Reagan and Trump below Biden — Some recent presidents were more likely to have a partisan divide in rankings — A new ranking of presidents by a group of self-styled experts determined that Abraham Lincoln is America's greatest president, while Donald Trump ranks last.

Discussion: Raw Story, Deseret News, DNyuz, HuffPost, The Hill, MeidasTouch, New Jersey Online, Los Angeles Times, PoliticusUSA and The Daily Beast

Elizabeth Findell / Wall Street Journal:

Lauren Boebert Tries to Convince New District She's Not All Drama — Colorado Republican has fundraising and recognition advantages but faces chilly reception from local groups in crowded primary race — KIOWA, Colo.—Campaign swag for one of the nation's most visible and controversial members …

Anderson Cooper / CBS News:

Wisconsin fake elector on why he signed phony electoral document for Trump — The month after the presidential election in 2020, Democratic and Republican electors representing the candidate who won the popular vote in their states gathered across the country to formally cast electoral votes for president.

Discussion: The Hill and Axios

Bloomberg:

US to Award $1.5 Billion to GlobalFoundries in Chips Act Grant — Funding would expand fab facilities in Malta and Burlington — Investment is expected to create more than 10,000 jobs — The US plans to award $1.5 billion to GlobalFoundries Inc., the largest domestic maker …