Sanders selects Scott: It's finally 2020, the year we nominate a Democrat who can save the soul of our nation. Or, at the very least, not start wars via Twitter. Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign publicly announced members of his Washington state campaign team today, hiring Edmonds School Board member Carin Chase as the Washington state director and former Seattle City Council candidate Shaun Scott as the state field director. Scott, you will remember, lost to Alex Pedersen by a little over 4 points. That was an impressive margin, considering Scott was a long shot and received a shameful lack of support from traditional Democrats and labor. ("Scott has secured no labor assistance at all," The Seattle Times noted last July.) What could have been... The Washington state presidential primary is March 10.
Shaun Scott only lost by 1,472 votes as of today's count. Egan Orion meanwhile lost by 1,693 votes. Imagine if the media hyped the young Black socialist chances as much as the White chamber-picked neoliberal candidate... #seaelex https://t.co/sWaNfjmQU5
— The Urbanist 🌎🚇🌏 (@UrbanistOrg) November 13, 2019
Well, we knew this was coming... American military officials have confirmed that Iran launched more than 12 ballistic missiles (one outlet is reporting more than 30 ballistic missles) at two American bases in Iraq. This news is still breaking. It is early Wednesday in Iraq.
Attacks were timed around 1.20 am exact same time the US assassinated Gen. Soleimani.#Iraq #AlAssadBase #Iran
— Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) January 7, 2020
Closely monitoring the situation following bombings targeting U.S. troops in Iraq. We must ensure the safety of our servicemembers, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence. America & world cannot afford war.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 8, 2020
Some not great updates from The Guardian:
Iran’s Tasnim news agency is now quoting Iranian officials warning that if the US retaliates to these strikes in Iraq, Hezbollah will fire rockets at Israel — a threat to widen the conflict and bring Iran’s regional allies into play.
It is "confirmed" that Trump will be doing a "possible address" from the White House tonight: Just what we need.
Confirmed: The WH is planning for a possible address from President Trump tonight. Plans could change but I’m told aides are working on it.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) January 8, 2020
This is obviously breaking and will, probably dramatically, evolve overnight: But I think we can all agree with ICE T.
Iran just launched some missiles? Shits officialy Popin Off… Wow! Smh
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) January 8, 2020
Let's pivot away from terror abroad to terror at home: Matt Shea. Will he stay in the Washington state Legislature after being accused of engaging in domestic terrorism? We haven't decided, apparently. Two Democratic House leaders said the findings are grounds for Shea's removal from the House, but Republicans are on the fence. “At this point, I have yet to be convinced that there should be an expulsion,” House Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox told Crosscut's Melissa Santos.
Every person shortlisted for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) acting award this year is white: #BAFTAsSoWhite is trending on Twitter in response. One egregious example: Margot Robbie received two of the five nominations for Supporting Actress. One for Bombshell, and one for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, a film she was good in but famously spoke very little in. They couldn't think of anyone else for the fifth nominee? Robbie really had to be nominated twice? #Justice4JLo. #Justice4NaiNai. #Justice4GrizabellaTheGlamourCat.
You all were so committed to not nominating any actors of color that you actually nominated Margot Robbie twice in the same category. #EEBAFTAs #BAFTASSoWhite https://t.co/PPFAlw7LLu
— Lisa Bee (@leebee4life) January 7, 2020
Don’t EVER say you didn’t have “options”. @BAFTA #BAFTASSoWhite pic.twitter.com/bS1QIadShu
— Zach Gilbert (@zachbgilbert) January 7, 2020
The new year has brought many changes to light rail service in Seattle: Including a new voice. "The voice of [Sound Transit special] announcements used to be a quiet, automated female voice. Now the PSAs are a bit louder—and male," writes KUOW. Sound Transit explained the change by saying it gets the attention of riders. "The agency plans to go back to the female voice when construction concludes in spring."
Elizabeth Warren visited The View today: and gave everyone a lesson in ignoring Meghan McCain.
Elizabeth Warren on The View expertly pitches her wealth tax and explains how she'll pay for universal childcare, $800B into public education, etc. without increasing middle-class taxes. The cherry on top is Liz not even acknowledging Meghan McCain's rude interruption attempts. pic.twitter.com/HKs0HXY7qL
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) January 7, 2020
The Federal Trade Commission chair says the commission could conclude its antitrust probes into Big Tech this year: Google, Facebook, and Amazon are among the Big Tech companies "under the microscope" of the FTC for potential antitrust violations. How will the whole probe end? We may get an answer before the end of the year, reports Geekwire:
In a fireside chat Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, FTC Chair Joseph Simons suggested that the agency could conclude its antitrust probes into Facebook and other tech companies this year. Simons brought up the high tech investigations when asked what would make 2020 a successful year for the FTC.
“This is such an important area,” he said. “We want to make sure these investigations are done thoroughly, that they’re done properly, and they’re done efficiently, and we either decide to bring an enforcement action or not. We want to do that in the best timeframe possible.”
California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter has resigned: He pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy for misusing campaign funds last month. He'll probably still get his congressional pension.
Okay, let's get back to Iran because that's all anyone can think about tonight: Remember how it was "confirmed" that Trump will do a "possible address" tonight? That's no longer possible, per CNN:
President Trump will not deliver an address Tuesday night following a missile attack on two Iraqi bases that house US troops, a White House official said.
Aides had been making preparations for a possible address to the nation after Iran fired missiles at US forces in Iraq.
But an official now says Trump won't appear before cameras tonight.
Which only gives Trump more time for Twitter... So far, no tweets from the commander-in-tweets. Iran, however, is hot with the updates:
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in its Telegram channel that, in the event Iranian soil is bombed, it will target the cities of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Haifa, Israel, in the third wave of operations.
Oh, they'll also attack inside the US if we respond: Sleep tight, kids. More from CNN:
In its Telegram channel, Iranian Revolutionary Guard says the “Pentagon reports that the US will respond to Iran’s attacks.”
IRGC then says in a footnote, “This time we will respond to you in America”