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Yet large numbers of Americans believe the founders intended the U.S. to be a Christian nation, and many believe it should be one. The idea of a Christian America means different things to different people. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, said he doesn’t identify as a Christian nationalist, but does believe America was founded as a Christian nation. Six in 10 U.S. adults said the founders intended America to be a Christian nation, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey. About 45% said the U.S. should be a Christian nation.

Persons: Donald Trump, God, it’s, Trump, ”, Eric McDaniel, McDaniel, “, ” Trump, Mike Johnson, Thomas Jefferson, Johnson, Steve Bannon, Jerusalem ”, Charlie Kirk, Robert Jeffress, “ I’m, I’m, shouldn’t, John Jay —, —, ” Jeffress, doesn’t, ” Anthea Butler, Butler, John, Joe Biden, John Jay, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus, George Washington Organizations: U.S, Republicans, Constitution, Pew Research Center, University of Texas, America, Republican, Washington Metropolitan Area, Vocal, Trump, Kentucky Republican, Baptist Church of, Supreme, University of Pennsylvania, Blacks, Native, John Fea, Messiah University, Democratic, Religion Research Institute, Fea, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Independence, U.S, America, Washington, Jerusalem, ” Recent Texas , Oklahoma, Baptist Church of Dallas, Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania, Brookings

Many Americans believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and the idea is energizing some conservative and Republican activists. What does it mean to say America is a Christian nation? Was it only conservatives citing the idea of a Christian nation? Forty-five percent said the U.S. should be a Christian nation, but only a third thought it was one currently. ___Sources: Pew Research Center; Public Religion Research Institute/Brookings; “Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?” by John Fea.

Persons: ”, couldn't, Let's, It's, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus, deists, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr, Christ, John Organizations: Republican, Congregational Church, American, Christian, Soviet Union, National Council of, Pew Research Center, Pew, Constitution, Religion Research Institute, Public Religion Research Institute, Brookings, “, John Fea, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: United States, U.S, Connecticut, Massachusetts, America, Israel, Christianity, Rhode, Independence, Christian America, Soviet, USA, Brookings

“President Trump is leading on finding consensus, and this is where the nation is," aid SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser. Democrats and abortion-rights groups seized on the Times report, with President Joe Biden saying it showed abortion rights would be a central issue in the 2024 election. He said Trump was “running scared” by not publicly saying what he would do about abortion. “We’ve long known where Donald Trump stands on abortion and it’s at odds with the majority of Americans,” Lawson said in a statement. Voters in seven states — California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont — have previously sided with abortion rights supporters on ballot measures.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Roe, Wade, Susan B, Anthony Pro, ”, Marjorie Dannenfelser, ” Karoline Leavitt, Joe Biden, “ He’s, ” Biden, Jenny Lawson, “, ” Lawson, Ron DeSantis, ” Trump, Banning, it's, –, ” Kristan Hawkins, ___ Fernando, Will Weissert Organizations: White, Republican, U.S, Supreme, New York Times, “, Times, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, America, Trump, Florida Gov, Press, Fox News, Republicans, GOP, Life, AP Locations: America, U.S, Arizona , Arkansas, Florida , Missouri, South Dakota, Ohio, — California , Kansas , Kentucky, Michigan, Montana , Ohio, Vermont, Chicago, Washington

☆ Joel Belz, Trailblazer in Christian Journalism, Is Dead at 82
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Michael S. Rosenwald | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Joel Belz, the founder of World, a pioneering Christian magazine covering politics, culture and other topics through a biblical lens while occasionally drawing wider notice for its reporting on prominent religious figures behaving less than holy, died on Feb. 4 at his home in Asheville, N.C. His brother Andrew Belz said the cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease. Before World, a biweekly, was launched in 1986, religious periodicals were often cheaply mimeographed and filled with church news. Mr. Belz, a preacher’s son who grew up reading Time, wanted to replicate the journalistic ambition and crisp look of Henry Luce’s publication for an evangelical audience. Today, World News Group, which includes the magazine, website, children’s publications and podcasts, says it has an audience of about 500,000 people.

Persons: Joel Belz, Andrew Belz, Belz, Henry Luce’s, ” Mr Organizations: Gazette, World News Locations: Asheville, N.C, Cedar Rapids , Iowa

☆ Haley’s voters might decide Biden’s fate in November. Here’s why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Ron Brownstein | Analysis Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

In New Hampshire, more than 4-in-5 Haley voters said Trump would not be fit to serve again if convicted and that Biden had legitimately won. In that poll, two-thirds of Haley voters in Iowa said they would not vote for Trump in a general election; that number soared past three-fourths of her voters in New Hampshire. One key reason: fully 93% of all GOP-leaning voters said they disapproved of Biden’s performance as president. Madrid believes Biden’s record on immigration is the biggest obstacle to him harvesting support among the Republicans uneasy about Trump. Lake doesn’t agree that any single issue is critical for Biden with the kind of GOP voters who have rallied to Haley.

Persons: Nikki Haley’s, Donald Trump, Haley, Biden, Joe Biden, Haley –, Trump, ”, Smith, Michael Madrid, “ Trump, “, SSRS, “ Donald Trump, that’s, Alan Abramowitz, Ron DeSantis, it’s, Democratic pollster, Biden’s, ” Madrid, Haley herself, ” Jennifer Horn, MAGA …, ” Jim McLaughlin, Trump’s, McLaughlin, Bill McInturff –, –, Lake, Jean Carroll, ’, Taylor Swift, Chris Wilson, Republican pollster, Wilson, ” Wilson, Lake doesn’t Organizations: CNN, South Carolina Republican, Trump, White, GOP, Republican, Democratic, Trump Lincoln Project, Washington Post, University of Maryland, Capitol, CBS, Republicans, NBC News, Republican Party, South, Emory University, Florida Gov, Edison Research, Haley Iowa, Monmouth University, ”, Biden, New Hampshire Republican, NBC, AP Locations: Iowa, New Hampshire, California, Madrid, Washington, South Carolina, ” Madrid, McInturff, Lake, Trump

☆ The relentless focus on White Christian nationalism is spreading a racist myth
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

That’s how critics have described White Christian nationalism, a deviant strain of religion that has infected the political mainstream. But there is another cost to the spread of White Christian nationalism that no one mentions. The relentless coverage of White Christian nationalism is spreading a racist myth: that Whiteness is the default setting for evangelical Christianity. In a February 2023 survey, nearly two-thirds of White evangelical Protestants qualified as sympathizers or adherents to Christian nationalism. However, he rejects the political beliefs associated with White Christian nationalism.

Persons: CNN — It’s, ”, Pastor Peter Lim, ” Lim, he’s, “ It’s, It’s, White, Carolyn Chen, Ella Sophie Bessette, you’re, “, Walter Kim, Tom Lin, William Barber II, Chen, Trump, John Minchillo, browning, — it’s, John C, Richards, Jr, Jim Crow, Mark Noll, ” Richards, “ I’m, John Onwuchekwa, Lyndon B, Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Edward Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Onwuchekwa, ” Maria Antonetty, Tina Fineberg, don’t, Lim, William J, Barber, Oliver Contreras, We’re, John Blake Organizations: CNN, White, Christianity, of Atlanta, Berkeley Center, Republican, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Oral Roberts University, National Association of Evangelicals, InterVarsity, USA, Christian, MLK, Saint Mark Baptist Church, White Americans, Liberty, New, Southern Baptist Convention, Cornerstone Church, Primitive Christian, Washington Post, Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative Locations: America, White, American, Korean, Taiwanese, Asian, Africa, Silicon Valley, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, Little Rock , Arkansas, Georgia, New York, New York City, Crete, Atlanta, Asia, Washington , DC

☆ Opinion: French women got a wakeup call on abortion rights from their US sisters
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Opinion Jill Filipovic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —It’s a strange moment to be an American feminist who cares deeply about women’s rights beyond her own country’s borders. The news that the French National Assembly has passed a bill that would enshrine abortion rights in the country’s constitution evokes mixed emotions. But French feminists know better: They see rising right-wing movements around the world and understand how quickly circumstances can change. Hopefully, French women, and so many others whose countries are actually progressing on women’s rights instead of backsliding, see an easy victory. I’m glad French and other feminists are working overtime so that they don’t end up like American women.

Persons: Jill Filipovic, CNN —, ”, Mélanie Vogel, “, Wade, haven’t, Donald Trump, they’re, America –, Biden, codifying Roe, –, gunning, it’s, hadn’t Organizations: Twitter, CNN, French National Assembly, ” Conservatives, Court, Roe, Republican, Biden, Voters Locations: New York, American, France, French, America

☆ Trump's early organizing across the South is paying off as he faces off against Nikki Haley
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Trump campaign shrewdly worked to gain the backing of top Republicans early in the 2024 race. Former South Carolina Gov. AP Photo/Matt KelleyBy courting Republicans early, Trump essentially created a sense of inevitably around his campaign among many GOP voters, a significant impediment for Haley. DeSantis was once seen as a major threat to Trump's hold over the South, but the Florida governor didn't even make it to the South Carolina primary. Trump now leads Haley among potential GOP primary voters 81%-18%, according to the latest Morning Consult tracking poll.

Persons: shrewdly, Trump, Nikki Haley, —, Donald Trump, Henry McMaster, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Ron DeSantis, Graham, Haley, It's, Gov, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton, Wesley Hunt, Sid Miller, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden's, Trump's, Matt Kelley, DeSantis, didn't, House . Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, He's, They're Organizations: Trump, Service, South Carolina State House, GOP, Gov, Florida Gov, Former South Carolina Gov, McMaster, Texas ., Texas . Texas Republicans, Republican, AP, South, Alabama Republicans, House . Alabama Locations: Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Texas, Texas . Texas, California, South Carolina, Alabama , Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi

☆ Evangelical Christian voters say supporting Trump is all about abortion. It's more complicated than that.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Evangelical Christian voters often cite abortion as a key reaosn for supporting Trump. Experts say evangelical Christians appear to be motivated by their declining influence in the US. But increasingly, for those who identify as evangelical Christians, abortion is not at the top of the priority list, experts said. Even though, according to Burge, "immigration is as important as abortion for evangelical voters." AdvertisementWhen it comes to abortion, Trump did deliver on one of his biggest campaign promises: overturning Roe v. Wade.

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump, that's, Ryan Burge, Burge, Roe, Wade, it's, He's, he's, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Bob Vander Plaats, Michael Wear, Barack Obama, Tucker Carlson, RNS, Samuel Perry, Bruge Organizations: Evangelical, Trump, Service, Republicans, Eastern Illinois University, Supreme, Florida Gov, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Fox News, University of Oklahoma, NPR Locations: Florida, Iowa, America

☆ Independents helped Trump win New Hampshire in 2016, but they could power a Haley win in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Trump's 2016 primary win in New Hampshire was driven by his support among independents. The state's voting laws allow independents to vote in the GOP primary — which could give Haley a huge lift. And in the 2016 New Hampshire GOP primary, undeclared voters — or independents — largely ate it up. But while Trump led Haley among GOP voters 67%-23%, Haley bested him among undeclared voters 58%-30%. AdvertisementBut the distinct composition of the New Hampshire electorate has essentially allowed Haley to flip the script on Trump's 2016 playbook.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Nikki Haley, Haley, —, Donald Trump, Trump, David Goldman, Trump's, leery Organizations: South Carolina Gov, GOP, Service, Hampshire GOP, Sway Independents, Republican, New, AP, CNN, University of New, Trump, The Washington Post Locations: New Hampshire, Hampshire, It's, , New Hampshire, University of New Hampshire, Iowa, Washington

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado pastor for an online church who is accused of defrauding investors of more than $3.2 million through a cryptocurrency marketplace he ran with his wife says “the Lord” helped him orchestrate the venture. “What we're praying for, and what we're believing for still is that God is going to do a miracle," he added. Everyone that has come in for money is going to be able to receive money back,” said Regalado, who preaches for the online-only Victorious Grace Church. In an August 2022 update video for his investors and followers, Eli Regalado stated: “The Lord brought this cryptocurrency to me. The Regalados, who had no previous experience selling cryptocurrency, are accused of violating the anti-fraud, licensing and registration provisions of the Colorado Securities Act.

Persons: ”, Eli Regalado, Kaitlyn Regalado, INDXcoin, Jan, Investigators, Regalado, ’ Organizations: DENVER, Denver, Colorado Division, Securities, Wealth, Rover, Grace, Colorado Securities Locations: Colorado

☆ Lula's Approval Ratings Inch up Ahead of Brazil's Local Elections -Poll
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Those who consider Lula's administration as bad or terrible increased marginally to 27.9% from 27.2 four months ago, it showed. The rating of the leftist president's performance edged up to 55.2% from 54.9% in September, while disapproval also rose slightly to 39.6 from 39.0%, the MDA poll commissioned by the transport sector lobby CNT. Lula gets his best approval ratings among lower-income Brazilians and in poorer northeastern Brazil, his political bastion. He does badly among higher income groups and evangelical Christian voters, MDA said. MDA polled 2,002 people in person between Jan. 18-21 and the poll has a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da, Lula, Marcelo Souza, Anthony Boadle, Steven Grattan, Susan Fenton Organizations: Reuters, pollster MDA, MDA, CNT, Christian Locations: BRASILIA, Brazil

Myanmar sank into civil war after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. At least 107 religious buildings — including 67 churches and five Buddhist monasteries — have been destroyed by the military since the 2021 takeover in Chin state alone, the Chin Human Rights Organization said. Myanmar Witness cross-checks evidence such as photos, videos and witness accounts found on social media with satellite photo analysis and other methods to try to verify human rights abuses. Many human rights activists believe that the military aims for religious buildings. "I can think of 10 that I’ve already seen in ruins or big holes in them, direct airstrikes," Eubank said.

Persons: Chin, Aung, Suu Kyi, Matt Lawrence, ”, Benedict Rogers, Salai Mang, Lian, ” Lian, “, Ngun Thawng Lian, —, Karenni, Dave Eubank, I’ve, Eubank Organizations: Burman, United Nations, Assistance Association for Political, Information Resilience, Human Rights Organization, International Commission of Jurists, Myanmar Air Force’s, East Asia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “, Myanmar, Free Burma Rangers, U.S . Special Forces Locations: BANGKOK, Myanmar, Suu, United Kingdom, Chin, “, Rakhine, Bangladesh, Australia, Thantlang, Philippines, Philippine, Kayah, Demoso, Karenni

☆ Biden, Harris Target Republican Curbs on Abortion Rights on Roe Anniversary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Nandita BoseWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will spotlight Republican curbs on abortion rights this week, a galvanizing issue for Democrats that they hope will boost enthusiasm among their base, attract independent voters, and increase turnout in November. The Biden campaign is putting abortion rights front and center in 2024, and argues abortion access is a personal freedom that former President Donald Trump and Republicans are denying women. Democrats hope a threat of further curbs on abortion will bring voters to the polls in November. All seven statewide ballot initiatives to enshrine reproductive rights since 2022 have succeeded, including in conservative Ohio, Kansas and Kentucky. Abortion rights groups are collecting signatures in Arizona, Nevada and Florida to put a reproductive rights amendment on the ballot in 2024 as well.

Persons: Nandita Bose WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Roe, Biden, Harris, Jill Biden, Doug Emhoff, Donald Trump, Jeanne Mancini, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Austin Dennard, Wade, Nikki Haley, Trump, Timmaraju, Jennifer Klein, Nandita Bose, Heather Timmons, Richard Chang Organizations: Wade, White, Trump, OB, Reuters, U.S, Republicans, Republican, Former United Nations, Gender Policy Locations: Wisconsin, Virginia, Washington, Israel, Texas, Ohio , Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona , Nevada, Florida

☆ Opinion: The real problem the DeSantis withdrawal poses for Haley
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Opinion David Mark | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

And DeSantis himself is no longer around as a political deflector shield as Haley heads into Tuesday’s crucial New Hampshire primary. A CNN poll released Sunday, before DeSantis withdrew from the race, found he was the first choice of 6% of likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters. Another 3% of likely GOP primary voters said they’d vote for someone else. To them, DeSantis dropping out (and quickly endorsing Trump) wouldn’t make Haley look like the safer bet, but Trump. This rally-around-Trump message likely makes Haley supporters even more of an isolated minority in the GOP firmament.

Persons: David Mark, “, Ron DeSantis’s, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, David Mark DeSantis’s, Haley, DeSantis, Trump, DeSantis’s, DeSantis —, Chris Sununu, Neil Malhotra, David Rothschild, wouldn’t, “ We’re, ” Haley, Biden, it’s, Trump . Sen, Steve Daines, Joe Biden, ”, Daines Organizations: Washington, CNN, Florida Gov, Republican, South, Trump, New Hampshire GOP, University of New, GOP, New Hampshire, Granite State, Trump , New, Trump , New Hampshire Gov, Stanford, Microsoft Research, “, Palmetto State Republican, Trump ., Twitter, Facebook, Senate, National Republican, Committee Locations: crave, Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, University of New Hampshire, Florida, MAGA, New, Granite, Trump ,, Trump , New Hampshire, Trump, isn’t, Palmetto State, Montana

☆ Everything you need to know about the 2024 New Hampshire Republican primary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Polls show Trump still has a double-digit lead ahead of Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. AdvertisementNew Hampshire is only the second state to vote in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, but some of former President Donald Trump's foes already look desperate. Iowa's Republican caucuses were the first contest, but New Hampshire has gone to great lengths to ensure its primary election is always the first primary. The biggest difference is that unlike Iowa, New Hampshire has a more open primary system. New Hampshire also doesn't have anywhere near the number of white evangelical conservatives that vote in the Republican primary as Iowa does.

Persons: Nikki Haley's, —, Donald Trump's, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Trump, Haley, Chris Sununu, Joe Biden's, Sen, John McCain, It's, Chris Christie, DeSantis Organizations: Trump, Former UN, Service, Republican, UN, Press, Democratic National Committee, New, New Hampshire Democrats, New Jersey Gov Locations: Tuesday's, Hampshire, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Granite, Dixville, Iowa, Iowa ? New Hampshire, American, Iowa , New Hampshire, In Iowa, . New Hampshire, Granite State, New Jersey, — Iowa, New Hampshire , Nevada

☆ An Italian Town Full of the Elderly Wants to Feel Young Again
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jason Horowitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

As the traveling brass band ended San Giovanni Lipioni’s annual holiday concert with a rendition of Wham’s “Last Christmas,” the gray-haired villagers seated in the old church of the central Italian hill town gazed dotingly at the few young children clapping to the music. “Today there is a little movement,” Cesarina Falasco, 73, said from the back pew. It’s different.”San Giovanni Lipioni used to be known — if at all — for the discovery in its countryside of a third-century B.C. Samnite bronze head, a rare Waldesian Evangelical community and an ancient annual pageant with pagan roots that venerates a circular cane garlanded in wild cyclamen flowers. (“It represents the female genital organ,” said a tourism official, Mattia Rossi.)

Persons: Giovanni Lipioni’s, Wham’s, dotingly, Cesarina, Giovanni Lipioni, ”, Mattia Rossi Organizations: “

☆ DeSantis might be the worst presidential candidate in recent memory
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ron DeSantis ended his presidential campaign on Sunday, succumbing to the final realization of defeat in a candidacy that once held such promise. And yes, it was then-President Donald Trump whose endorsement powered DeSantis to that very general election in the first place. After pundits point out this a bold strategy for a historic swing state, DeSantis pulls off a historic reelection rout. Just like DeSantis, Walker ended up being doomed by the sheer rate at which his campaign burned through contributions. But in this reality, a week ago DeSantis lashed out at "worthless" Republicans who back Trump.

Persons: —, Mickey Mouse, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Trump, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Scott Walker, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, America's, Giuliani, Walker's, Walker, Iowans Organizations: Service, Florida Gov, Business, Biden White, Tallahassee Mayor, Democratic Party, Trump, Street Journal, Wisconsin Gov, Giuliani, Republican, Wisconsin Republican, Republicans Locations: Florida, Trump, America, Iowa, Wisconsin, DeSantis

Support for abortion rights drove women to the polls during the 2022 midterm elections, delivering Democrats unexpected success. Still, Democrats believe abortion will be a key motivator for base voters and help expand their coalition. Biden aides and allies point to recent elections that have overwhelmingly shown that, when voters can choose, they have chosen to safeguard abortion rights. According to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, among Democrats, nearly nine in 10 say abortion should generally be legal. But it also underscores a pervasive fear among Republican candidates and voters alike that vocalizing their desire to further restrict abortion rights in 2024 might be politically dangerous.

Persons: Donald Trump, Wade, “, Joe Biden's, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Roe, ”, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden, Harris, Jill Biden, Doug Emhoff, Trump, Bill Clinton's, Timmaraju, ’ ”, Benjamin Watson, “ Roe, Dobbs, Xavier Becerra, ” Becerra, Alanna Durkin Richer, Amanda Seitz, Linley Sanders Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican, Democratic, Democrats, AP VoteCast, Trump, Biden, Jackson, Health Organization, National Abortion Rights, League, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Republicans, NFL, Fox News, Health, Human Services Locations: Roe, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas, Dobbs v, Iowa, America, California, East Coast, Boston

☆ New Hampshire Primary: Wake-Up Call or Last Call?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Susan Milligan | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

Should Trump's lead hold, says Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire poll, Trump will become the first candidate – aside from sitting presidents – to win both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. "We're so far past the days when voters nationally were really just waking up" to the campaign debates in the early weeks of a presidential election year, says Dante Scala, a University of New Hampshire professor and author of the book "Stormy Weather: The New Hampshire Primary and Presidential Politics." New Hampshire GOP voters, however, are a different breed of Republicans, Smith says, focusing more on fiscal conservatism and small government. Haley has 36% support and DeSantis 6% backing among primary voters. Trump seems to think so, too: He has focused much of his vitriol in the waning days of the New Hampshire campaign on Haley.

Persons: Bill Clinton, Sen, John McCain's, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, aren't, isn't, Marianne Williamson, Dean Phillips, Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Andrew Smith, –, Haley, Williamson, Phillips, Biden, Dante Scala, Smith, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Christie, Ramaswamy, DeSantis, Michael Binder, Binder, He's, Barack Hussein Obama Organizations: Hillary Clinton Democratic, Democratic, Democratic National Committee, New Hampshire, Gov, Florida Gov, University of New, New, Biden, Trump –, GOP, New Hampshire GOP, Independents, Trump, New Jersey Gov, Saint Anselm College Survey Center's New Hampshire Institute of Politics, United Nations, Suffolk University, Boston Globe, University of North, Palmetto State, Republican Party, Social Security Locations: New Hampshire, New, University of New Hampshire, Iowa, Hawkeye, New Jersey, Boston, University of North Florida, South Carolina, Palmetto, Portsmouth

☆ The House Speaker Is Safe (for Now)
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday did exactly what got his predecessor fired last year: He pushed through legislation to keep the government open with mainly Democratic votes. Ultraconservative House members were sputtering mad that Johnson, the novice speaker, didn’t drive a harder bargain with Senate Democrats on a short-term funding bill to prevent a shutdown this weekend. But they aren’t yet ready to depose him as they did with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October. So they felt better about swallowing a spending agreement that seemed inevitable anyway — since it had to be negotiated with Senate Democrats and the White House. Because of the resistance from the hard right, Johnson faced a choice.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, Ultraconservative, Kevin McCarthy, They’re, McCarthy Organizations: Democratic, Democrats, Senate Democrats, White

And I think he’s right there with Reagan as far as his track record, what he did overall throughout his presidency. I think it really does set her up well as you do move on into some other states. nick corasanitiSo New Hampshire has a long history of really just going against Iowa, right? Those independents is where the question of the final results really, really come in. They were economic voters, taxation voters, pro-gun voters, not any of those kind of evangelical issues that we heard in Iowa.

Persons: I’m, We’ve, I’m Astead, ”, Iowans, Donald Trump, Trump, Nikki ”, Haley, it’s, Ames, Harrison Barnes, Doug McDermott, Troy Hill, Nikki Haley, Vivek, — he’s, wouldn’t, “, aren’t, Reagan, DeSantis, Nikki, Ramaswamy, Ron, he’s, Biden, Ron DeSantis, —, I’ve, who’s, It’s, hasn’t, caucusing, Roe, Astead Herndon, Aaron, it’s Trump, They’re, Mike Pence, you’ll, we’re, Anna, Teresa didn’t, Teresa, haven’t, Nikki Haley’s, Donald Trump’s, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nick Corasaniti, astead herndon, Nick, Trump’s, astead, There’s, they’re, Rand Paul, herndon, Bill Clinton, — astead herndon Isn’t, John McCain, George W, Bush, isn’t, They’ve, unquote, astead herndon It’s, He’s, Chris Christie, Christie, that’s, “ Trump, it’ll, she’s, I’d Organizations: Trump, The New York Times, Republican, CNN, Iowa, America, Iowa State University, NBA, Republicans, Republican Party, Associated Press, NBC, CBS, Iowa Republican, New, astead herndon, New Hampshire, Democrat, New Hampshire Republican, Prosperity Locations: Iowa, New Hampshire, I’m Astead Herndon, , Iowa, Ames , Iowa, Des Moines, Trump, Troy, Ukraine, Congo, , New Hampshire, COVID, Indiana, Ames, “, Hampshire, astead herndon, Portsmouth

☆ Mike Johnson says Biden's election 'must have been God's will' but that he's 'looking forward' to 'regime change' in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewAt the House GOP leadership's weekly press conference on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked whether he believes Joe Biden's presidency was "God's will." Johnson, an evangelical Christian whose religious views have been scrutinized more than prior speakers, greeted the question with some humor: "I know where you're going with this." AdvertisementQ: "Do you believe that Joe Biden's presidency is God's will?" @SpeakerJohnson: "Oh, I know where you're going with this...It must have been God’s will then. The phrase "regime change" is generally understood to refer to the forcible overthrow of an existing government through anti-democratic means.

Persons: —, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Johnson, Christian, Donald Trump's, Trump Organizations: Service, GOP, Business, Louisiana Republican, Biden

A Kenyan judge on Wednesday said that a doomsday cult leader who the authorities say directed his followers to starve themselves must undergo a mental health evaluation before prosecutors formally charge him with the murders of 191 children. Mr. Mackenzie had marketed Shakahola to his followers as an evangelical Christian sanctuary from what he claimed was the fast-approaching apocalypse. Mr. Mackenzie — who has denied the allegations — appeared in court on Wednesday in the Kenyan coastal city of Malindi. The judge, Mugure Thande, gave prosecutors until Feb. 6 to make sure that he and his co-defendants are fit to stand trial. The prosecutor’s office shared with journalists a list of charges that it intends to bring against Mr. Mackenzie and 30 of his followers, including 191 counts of child murder.

Persons: Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, Mackenzie, Shakahola, Mackenzie —, —, Mugure Thande Organizations: Kenyan, Mr Locations: Shakahola, Kenya, Malindi

☆ Opinion: Trump is a cultural phenomenon too
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump is a cultural phenomenon. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have been unable to shake the loyalty of voters to Trump. To understand Trump, however, it is also important to recognize that he has become a cultural phenomenon within large swaths of the GOP. To be sure, Trump is not the first president to command strong cultural currency with voters that goes beyond traditional political attachments. Yet there is no president who has devoted the same kind of attention to marketing himself as a cultural phenomenon as Trump.

Persons: Julian Zelizer, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Trump, don’t, Haley, denialism, Biden, Trumpians, Putin, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Shepard Fairey’s, Barack Obama’s, Jimmy Carter’s, Billy, Billy Beer ”, John F, Kennedy, It’s, MAGA Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, The New York Times, America, Republican, Trump, Biden, GOP, Trump Town USA, New England Patriots, Twitter, Facebook, Oval Office Locations: Iowa, Florida, China, November’s, Mill, Virginia, Trump, America

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