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PBC News & Comment: As Primaries Start, DNC Changes Rules to Favor Bloomberg

Bloomberg has dropped cash to buy support from mayors and DNC, which changes debate rules mid-cycle to stop Sanders…

--Hillary Clinton’s not subtle, but NY Times reported Tlaib’s boos and barely mentioned Clinton’s attack on Sanders for 2016

--another failed Dem candidate, John Kerry, is slamming Sanders in Iowa

Technical note: Some listeners have podcast systems that are sensitive to the file name.  An astute listener in Holland noted that the last 4 digits were not correct.  It seems I started with the wrong number in early January.  It's corrected now, and this is podcast number 2746.

Program note: your humble host is taking a winter break, and will return on February 13.

--last-minute withdrawal of Iowa poll raised concerns among Sanders supporters, who were

--in sign of desperation, NY Times had 2 Bernie bashing columns in the Saturday edition, plus a news article that reports Sanders’ strong support from Latinos and blacks

--and WashPost declares Sanders the winner in Dem donor race so far

--at The Guardian, former Clinton supporter Emma Brockes says she is warming to Bernie

--to confront the threat of Russian disinformation, DNC hires former staffer of “Correct the Record”, David Brock’s 2016 online troll operation

--and the first confrontation is with right wing Judicial Watch, which tweeted false info about voter fraud in Iowa

--Dems are also geared up to fight Cozy and Fancy, the Russian bear brothers blamed for hacking DNC in 2016

--Senate trial hears final arguments leading to predictable vote to acquit on Wednesday

--Democratic group called The Indivisible Project will target 9 GOP senators up for re-election this fall

--after weeks of negotiation, Iraqi leaders name new prime minister, who is immediately rejected by protest leaders

--when Boris Johnson tried to exclude reporters he finds unfriendly from press briefing, all reporters walked out; but American journos did nothing to support NPR after Pompeo’s attacks