FRIDAY 1/27/23
(GDP rose 2.9% for the fourth quarter of 2022. Scroll down to read the story.)
McDaniel Wins 4th Term as RNC Chair – After a fierce challenge by a fellow Friend of Donald J. Trump, Ronna McDaniel, niece of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney has snagged her fourth term as chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. McDaniel, who was first nominated to head the GOP’s election campaigns by then-President Trump in 2017, received 111 votes Friday at the RNC’s convention in Dana Point, California, to California GOP member Harmeet Dhillon’s 51 votes, according to The New York Times. “MyPillow Guy” Mike Lindell earned four votes, and Lee Zeldin, who unsuccessfully ran against incumbent New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) as the GOP nominee last year earned one vote.
McDaniel was considered unusually vulnerable in what is normally a “quiet” election after poor showings by the GOP in the 2018 and 2022 midterms, as well as the 2020 elections.
The NYT quoted Kansas Republican Party chairman Mike Kuckelman as responding, “We need continuity at this point in time.”
Note: Apparently “continuity” means not quite letting go of Donald J. Trump just in case he’s the guy in ’24?
--TL
MEANWHILE
THURSDAY 1/26/23
Real GDP +2.9% in Q4 – Real gross domestic product rose 2.9% in the fourth quarter of 2022, after a third-quarter increase of 3.2%, the Commerce Department reports. Real GDP fell for the first and second quarters last year.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis says last quarter’s real GDP was boosted by inventory investment and consumer spending, partially offset by a decrease in housing investment. Last quarter’s results beat expectations, including those from the Congressional Budget Office, according to CNBC.
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Missile Strikes in Ukraine – After the U.S. committed 31 M1 Abrams tanks and Germany agreed to send 14 of its Leopard 2A6s tanks to Ukraine, a Russian missile strike killed at least one person in Kyiv overnight, The Guardian reports. Ukraine says it shot down 47 of 55 Russian missiles in the attack.
You’ve Been Warned – ICYMI, former President Trump has been allowed back on Facebook and Instagram, after a two-year ban connected to the January 6th Capitol insurrection in support of his Big Lie.
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa