Link: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/full-transcript-biden-sotu/index.html

Can't wait for the final edition.

Romney told Santos ‘You don’t belong here’ in tense exchange in House chamber before SOTU - CNN

CNN - Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told GOP Rep. George Santos of New York: “You don’t belong here,” according to a member who witnessed the tense exchange in the House of Representatives chamber Tuesday night.

Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, made the remarks as he walked into the chamber for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.

After the speech, Romney told CNN he criticized Santos for standing in the front aisle “trying to shake hands” with the president and senators “given the fact that he’s under ethics investigation.”

“He should be sitting in the back row and staying quiet instead of parading in front of the president and people coming into the room,” he said, noting that Santos may have responded to his remark but he “didn’t hear.”

Santos posted on Twitter after the speech: “Hey @MittRomney just a reminder that you will NEVER be PRESIDENT!”

Link: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/sotu-santos-romney/index.html

Sarah Huckabee Sanders trashed for claiming she felt like she was in the military on a trip with Trump - RawStory

Among the things that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR) said when giving her GOP response to the State of the Union address was a trip with then-President Trump to Afghanistan, claiming that she felt like she was in the military herself.

When MSNBC returned to their panel of commentators after the Sanders speech, host Rachel Maddow made it clear she was "not in the military."

But it was Nicolle Wallace that pointed out that touting former Donald Trump as some kind of savior to servicemen and women is against everything that has been reported about the ex-commander-in-chief.

"Just on a factual basis, which isn't where she's hanging, Donald Trump's known — and was reported extensively — in some of the most harrowing book reporting, to have believed that the men and women who served in the military, and died, were 'suckers and losers.' He was especially disgusted by men and women who had been injured, in the service of our country. Something that is so sadistic that I don't even like remembering it. So, to paint him as some historic, heroic commander-in-chief is appalling."

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/sarah-huckabee-sanders-not-military/

'A public beat down': Never Trumpers heap praise on Biden's handling of MAGA congress - RawStory

President Joe Biden endured many interruptions from the far-right during the State of the Union, but among those Republicans and former Republican allies, there was a shock seeing him go after the House GOP, "and win."

“Joe Biden sparring with the crowd and winning wasn’t something I expected," said former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).

"Whoa. It’s not often you see an 80-year-old man giving a public beat down to 222 grown adults, but my word. What a night," said former Rep. David Jolly (R-FL).

Posting a photo of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in one of her screaming fits from the back row, Kinzinger asked how she could possibly be the leader of his party.

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/state-of-the-union-never-trumpers/

It definitely was not a response to what Biden said tonight, right ???

'Liar!' Marjorie Taylor Greene screams through the State of the Union - RawStory

The State of the Union brought together a Democratic president and Senate along with a divided and far-right House of Representatives.

According to MSNBC's Garrett Haake, Rep. George Santos (R-NY) got to the House chamber earlier than anyone else, even reporters and set himself up on the aisle so he could shake hands with those who came in. Santos appeared to be trying to talk to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) but it appeared that Romney had no interest in speaking to him, turning his back.

There were concerns about whether Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) or Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) would "make a scene" as they had in the past, yelling back at President Joe Biden during the speech.

But it was Greene who was seated in the back row screaming and interrupting at every opportunity.

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/state-of-the-union-2659385976/

Minister warns Wisconsinites about 'destructive worldview' of white Christian nationalism - RawStory

For three days this week, the Rev. Jennifer Butler has toured Wisconsin, warning against the resurgence of white Christian nationalism in politics and religion alike.

White Christian nationalism is as old as the nation, says Butler. “It’s a deliberate attempt to conflate religious identity with ethnic and national identity,” she says, “to say that America is a nation that was founded by and for white Christians, and primarily for men to be in charge.”

It has resurfaced throughout U.S. history. It was emboldened by the presidency of Donald Trump, and it was embedded in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection that sought to prevent the peaceful transfer of power once Trump lost his reelection bid in 2020.

While the growth of this far right movement “has been shocking, and rightly so, to many Americans,” Butler adds, she cites research suggesting that as many as one in five Americans adhere to its underlying point of view. At the same time, the white Christian nationalist resurgence is being met by a growing number of faith groups, organizing in opposition...

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/white-christian-nationalism-2659382339/

Did Charles McGonigal sabotage the 2016 election? - RawStory

The chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee is pressing the Department of Justice for details about a former FBI agent who was indicted for working for a sanctioned Russian oligarch and laundering the proceeds.

Charles F. McGonigal retired as special agent in charge of counterintelligence for the FBI’s New York office in 2018. McGonigal allegedly began cooperating with an agent of aluminum baron Oleg Deripaska while he was still working for the FBI. Deripaska is under indictment for allegedly evading sanctions and obstructing justice.

Dick Durbin raised urgent questions in his open letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland. As Durbin noted, McGonigal was promoted to special agent in charge just before the FBI’s October 2016 announcement that it saw no ties between Trump and Russia.

Durbin is asking the questions that are on everyone’s mind:

Did McGonigal do anything to tip the scales of justice in favor of anyone he’s now linked to in the indictments? What roles did McGonigal play in the 2016 FBI’s Trump-Russia probe and the Mueller investigation? Is there any chance that McGonigal compromised sources, methods or evidence? How did one of the most elite counterintelligence operations not notice that one of its main guys was allegedly doing favors for a sanctioned Russian oligarch while he was still on the FBI payroll.

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/charles-mcgonigal/

From: The Merrick Garland You Don’t Know - Politico

Link: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/01/15/merrick-garland-donald-trump-00066769

Christianity 'has devolved into a rabid tribe': Lauren Boebert bashed for praying for Biden's death - RawStory

Speaking to a church audience, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) told the crowd to pray for Joe Biden: "May his days be few and another take his office.”

It isn't the first time she's made such a "prayer." She's been using the line "may his days be few" since 2022, when she spoke to the Charis Christian Center Family Camp Meeting in Colorado.

It once again caused an uproar among those on social media who saw the video.

"THIS is the self-proclaimed party of Jesus Christ," tweeted political commentator Lindy Li. "This is the self-appointed party of Christianity SHAME ON YOU! This is why church pews are emptying at a ferocious rate. Why increasing numbers of Americans now say they are religiously unaffiliated. Christianity in America has devolved into a rabid tribe of Talibangelicals and gun-totin Y’all Qaeda fanatics."

Link: https://www.rawstory.com/lauren-boebert-prays-biden/