Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, December 12. Also see President Obama's weekly address, on "standing strong in the face of terrorism."
- Final Draft of Climate Change Accord to Be Released on Saturday (Regardless of whatever's agreed to in Paris, we -- countries, states, localities, businesses, faith groups, etc, etc. -- need to rapidly accelerate our switch to clean energy.)
- How Trump has brought fringe news into the mainstream (Trump's almost certainly NOT the first Republican to do this, but he's taken it to another level.)
- Facts, R.I.P. ("Fewer elected officials now follow the sequence of gathering objective information and then reaching a decision; usually they follow ideological or partisan signals to reach decisions and then seek talking points to support them.")
- Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric echoes the Red Scare era
- Goose-Steppers in the G.O.P. ("Well, he’s got the Hitler vote. The neo-Nazi website, Daily Stormer, was out and proud earlier this week: 'Heil Donald Trump — the Ultimate Savior.'")
- The end of the Trump-Cruz bromance? Not if Cruz has his way. (Two extremist nuts, eventually they're going to go after each other.)
- Ted ‘Carpet-Bomb’ Cruz ("In Syria and Iraq, mass bombing would kill hundreds of innocent civilians and fuel radicalization. That’s why military leaders utter the term 'carpet-bomb' only while laughing at Mr. Cruz.")
- The GOP’s Greatest Fears ("The only thing more disastrous for Republicans than a convention floor fight is a Donald Trump nomination. ")
- The Brutal Delegate Math That Could Allow The GOP To Steal The Nomination From Trump
- Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham proposes ban on all immigration, boasting “I guess I’m even worse than Trump” (Note that Ingraham will be speaking at the Virginia GOP "Advance," mentioned below. What does that say about Virginia Republicans?)
- Mark Warner warns against attacks on Muslims’ religious freedom
- LISTEN: Sen. Tim Kaine On Authorizing Use Of Military Force Against ISIS
- Va. GOP to talk unity, presidential buzz and 2017 governor’s race at retreat ("Cuccinelli hasn’t ruled out a second bid for the governor’s mansion." Run Cooch Run!)
- Rubio's Virginia team includes Cox, Reeves, Byron ("Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on Friday announced more than 60 additional Virginia backers of his presidential bid and named three Virginia legislators as co-chairs of his state campaign.")
- McAuliffe's budget plan supports veterans, school breakfasts
- Hopeful signs on redistricting reform in Virginia, advocates say
- Three 2015 state Senate races among costliest ever
- Johnson’s defense fires back at ABC motion to dismiss lawsuit
- Virginia Islanders Could Be U.S. First Climate Change Refugees ("Flooding and erosion may not allow island to stay above water")
- Archaeologists uncover Native American artifacts in Virginia Beach's Great Neck
- Fed workers get half-day on Christmas Eve
- Record-breaking warmth possible this weekend and into Monday (Hey, James "It's snowing in the winter so that means there's no global warming" Inhofe, you going to go on the Senate floor in a bathing suit or whatever now to prove that there IS global warming?)
