Iran test-fires 2 long-range missiles possibly capable of hitting Israel

Obama's Mess.

TEHRAN, Iran –  Iran reportedly test-fired two ballistic missiles Wednesday with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" written in Hebrew on them, a show of force by the Islamic Republic as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel.

Such phrases have been emblazoned on missiles fired before by Iran, but this test comes as the country recently signed a nuclear deal with world powers, including America, and conducted another test the day before. Hard-liners in Iran's military have fired rockets and missiles despite U.S. objections since the deal, as well as shown underground missile bases on state television.

There was no immediate reaction from Jerusalem, where Biden was scheduled to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposed the nuclear deal.

The semiofficial Fars news agency offered pictures Wednesday it said were of the Qadr H missiles being fired. It said they were fired in Iran's eastern Alborz mountain range to hit a target some 870 miles away off Iran's coast into the Sea of Oman.
The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols that region, declined to comment on the test.

Fars quoted Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division, saying the test was aimed at showing Israel that Iran could hit it.

"The 1,240-mile range of our missiles is to confront the Zionist regime," Hajizadeh said. "Israel is surrounded by Islamic countries and it will not last long in a war. It will collapse even before being hit by these missiles."

Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to immediately comment. Iran has threatened to destroy Israel in the past. Israel, which is believed to have the only nuclear weapons arsenal in the Mideast, repeatedly has threatened to take military action against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Hajizadeh stressed Iran would not fire the missiles in anger or start a war with Israel.

"We will not be the ones who start a war, but we will not be taken by surprise, so we put our facilities somewhere that our enemies cannot destroy them so that we could continue long war," he said.

The firing of the Qadr H missiles comes after a U.S. State Department spokesman on Tuesday criticized another missile launch that day, saying America planned to bring it before the United Nations Security Council.

A nuclear deal between Iran and world powers including the U.S. is now underway, negotiated by the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani. In the time since the deal, however, hard-liners in Iran's military have made several shows of strength.

In October, Iran successfully test-fired a new guided long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile. It was the first such test since Iran and world powers reached a landmark nuclear deal last summer.

U.N. experts said the launch used ballistic missile technology banned under a Security Council resolution. In January, the U.S. imposed new sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the ballistic missile program.

Iran also has fired rockets near U.S. warships and flown an unarmed drone over an American aircraft carrier in recent months.

In January, Iran seized 10 U.S. sailors in the Gulf when their two riverine command boats headed from Kuwait to Bahrain ended up in Iranian territorial waters after the crews "misnavigated," the U.S. military said. The sailors were taken to a small port facility on Farsi Island, held for about 15 hours and released after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke several times with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Donald Trump triumphs in Michigan and Mississippi. Onward, reality show junkies

Donald Trump has absorbed more attacks in the last two weeks from his opponents, their super PACs and the Republican establishment than any candidate I've seen in my five decades around presidential politics.
The "shock and awe" attack of unfriendly fire seems to have had minimum impact on his candidacy as he won two big victories Tuesday night in Mississippi and Michigan. Big Don is still standing and the establishment favorite, little Marco got routed -- finishing out of money in both contests.
Ted Cruz, who came in second in both races in Michigan and Mississippi and won Idaho, keeps fighting to remain relevant. He is having a tough time reaching beyond the evangelical base which he splits with Trump. But the finals of this election cycle could come down to Trump versus Cruz.
John Kasich came in a distant second to Trump in his neighboring state which may bode poorly for his showdown next week in Ohio, the state he governs.
Rubio is on death watch and life support and can't survive if he doesn't win his home state of Florida. Tuesday night's poor showing is not going to encourage the money guys to bet more on him and he faces a real uphill battle to beat Trump in the billionaire’s adopted state of Florida.
Trump’s battle cry "I love Florida and they love me!" will be tested in seven days in the first of the winner take all states. There will be no more second place finishes or silver medals. Win or lose is now the rule of the game.
We have now seen the travelogue of the Trump properties and golf courses, suffered through a full display of all his products from vodka to steaks and the men's accessories made in China.
Tuesday’s night’s Trump victory speech/press conference was like a lengthy sales pitch on Home Shopping Network.
I've never before seen a press conference in which the press is hollering "Stop, please stop! No mas, no mas!" No more questions, please!!”
Donald's hour long tirade and rambling speech was his revenge for the assault on him by the billionaires and their political consultants who have puffed and puffed but can't blow Donald's house down.
Onward, reality show junkies. This show is a long way from being over!
Maybe the only thing that can slow the Donald down is "House of Cards" Frank Underwood. Of course his presidency is in trouble, too. But this reality show is stranger than fiction!
There’s a debate coming Thursday, America!  And another big week coming…
Stay tuned!

Sanders upsets Clinton in Michigan; Trump notches three more wins

Bernie Sanders pulled off a shocking upset in Michigan's Democratic primary Tuesday night, beating Hillary Clinton in a race that most polls had him trailing by double digits and eclipsing the front runner's earlier win in Mississippi.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump, meanwhile, regained any momentum lost last weekend against challenger Ted Cruz, sweeping to convincing victories in Michigan and Mississippi while sending a message to the Republican establishment to jump on board — or get out of the way.
Cruz was projected to pick up a win in the Idaho GOP primary, while Trump was projected to easily win the Hawaii Republican caucus.
But Trump's earlier victories were more valuable in terms of delegates. And Tuesday's results may also seal the fate of Marco Rubio, who appeared once again to finish the night failing to gain any delegates.
Cruz appeared to have beaten John Kasich for second place in Michigan by approximately 8,000 votes. Kasich is counting on a win in his home state of Ohio next week to salvage his campaign.
On the Democratic side, Clinton easily won Mississippi’s primary earlier Tuesday, thanks in part to her overwhelming support from black voters, and likely will pick up more delegates in Tuesday’s contests than Sanders.
But the Vermont senator’s surprising Michigan win could give him a bounce as he and the rest of the candidates charge into the vital March 15 primaries in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina.
Michigan is the ninth and largest state that Sanders has won so far in the Democratic presidential campaign. All 15 pre-election polls in Michigan this year showed Clinton leading Sanders by double digits.
Sanders chief strategist John Weaver blasted out a memo touting the Michigan performance, saying the state “provides a springboard into the races on March 15, the day the race will officially reset."
For his part, Trump is looking to March 15 to sideline the rest of the GOP field for good – something he tried to start doing Tuesday night. At a press conference at his golf club in Juniper, Fla., he said of his remaining rivals, “They’re pretty much all gone.”
Michigan was the biggest prize of the four states that voted Tuesday.
On the Republican side in Mississippi, Trump defeated Cruz by 47 percent to 36 percent of the vote, with Kasich a distant third at 9 percent and Rubio garnering just 5 percent of the vote.
Trump celebrated his wins at a lengthy press conference Tuesday night, teasing the “special interests” and others that ran ads against him.
“It shows you how brilliant the public is, because they knew they were lies,” Trump said.
He started his victory talk with a subdued and conciliatory tone, appearing to take the first steps to patch up any differences with the party brass. He noted House Speaker Paul Ryan recently called him.
“He could not have been nicer,” Trump said.
But he soon slipped into his standard fare, making cracks about his remaining rivals. He took a shot at Cruz, noting the Texas senator positions himself as the only candidate who can beat him, “but he never beats me.”
Both Trump and Clinton had a mixed performance this past weekend where they effectively split the delegate field with their top rivals.
The stakes on Tuesday arguably were higher for Trump, whose delegate lead over Cruz shrunk on Saturday as they each won two contests. Cruz has been pushing to consolidate conservative support on the heels of those races, arguing Trump is not the candidate he claims to be.
“He is pretending to be an outsider,” Cruz told Fox News.
But Trump used his wins Tuesday to downplay the chances for his remaining rivals, as he and the rest of the field look ahead to next week’s vital winner-take-all contests in Ohio and Florida.
“I think we’re going to do really well in Florida,” he said. “It’s my second home.”

Presidential Primaries to Date and Upcoming Contests | InsideGov

Kasich, who campaigned in Michigan Tuesday, told Fox News he was focusing on the Midwestern states – and repeated his vow to win Ohio.
Rubio, too, is looking for a comeback win in his home state next week, all the while battling calls from his rivals to drop out. But Trump leads in the Florida polls, and Rubio endured another disappointing night in Tuesday's contests.
Looking ahead, Rubio rallied a home-state crowd Tuesday evening, saying: “I believe with all my heart that the winner of the Florida primary next Tuesday will be the nominee of the Republican Party. ... And I need your help. I need your vote.”
Clinton, meanwhile, is still trying to regain her footing as Sanders has demonstrated his grassroots support in several recent contests. Over the weekend, he claimed three victories to Clinton’s one.
Thanks in part, though, to so-called “superdelegates” – party leaders and officials free to support whomever they want – Clinton maintains a huge delegate lead over Sanders. She had 1,221 to Sanders’ 571, as of early Wednesday morning.
Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri stressed Tuesday that their campaign’s strategy focuses on winning delegates, and told Fox News they’ll pick up more delegates than Sanders from Tuesday’s contests regardless of the Michigan results.
On the GOP side, Trump leads Cruz in the delegate count 446 to 347, with Rubio trailing at 151 and Kasich at 54, as of early Wednesday morning.

Clinton Server Setup Cartoon

Senators again request State Department staffer testify about Clinton server setup

Senate lawmakers are renewing their request to question the State Department staffer who helped set up Hillary Clinton's private email server following revelations that he has been granted immunity by the Justice Department, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Monday.

Republican senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin have asked Bryan Pagliano to appear before them to discuss the server and to provide documents and communications about Clinton's personal email account.

Pagliano last year invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in declining to answer questions from the lawmakers about the server and email setup.

But in their letter to Pagliano, the senators argue that the immunity grant from the Justice Department -- which is investigating the potential mishandling of sensitive information on the server -- means that the "Fifth Amendment privilege is no longer applicable."

"Because the Department of Justice has granted you immunity from prosecution in this situation, there is no longer reasonable cause for you to believe that discussing these matters with the relevant oversight committees could result in your prosecution," wrote Grassley and Johnson, who respectively serve as chairmen of the Senate committees on the judiciary and homeland security and governmental affairs.

The letter is dated March 3, the day after news broke about Pagliano's immunity offer.

The senators have also asked Pagliano and the Justice Department for copies of the immunity agreement, and they told Pagliano that he holds "unique information about this matter that is otherwise unavailable."

Mark MacDougall, a lawyer for Pagliano, declined to comment to the AP on Monday evening.

Clinton and her campaign have said that they are pleased that Pagliano was cooperating.

Israel's Netanyahu cancels US visit, catching White House off guard

Obama SUCKS.

The Obama administration said Monday that it was "surprised" to learn that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had canceled a planned visit to Washington later this month, and denied an Israeli media report that claimed the White House was unable to arrange a meeting between President Obama and Netanyahu. 
Netanyahu's visit had been planned to coincide with the American-Israel Political Affairs Committee's annual conference. The White House said Israel had proposed for the two leaders to meet on either March 17 or 18 and the U.S. had offered to meet on March 18.
"We were surprised to first learn via media reports that the Prime Minister, rather than accept our invitation, opted to cancel his visit," National Security Council spokesman Ned Price told reporters Monday. "Reports that we were not able to accommodate the Prime Minister's schedule are false."
A report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited sources close to Netanyahu who claimed "no appropriate time" could be found to hold the meeting.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Tuesday that Israel's ambassador to the U.S. informed the White House last week there was a "good chance" Netanyahu would not make the trip.
An Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, told the Associated Press Netanyahu wanted to avoid meetings with presidential candidates.
The unusually pointed pushback from the White House was the latest signal of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and its closest Mideast ally, which have never fully recovered since Obama incensed Netanyahu's government by pursuing and then enacting a nuclear deal with Iran. The flare-up comes just days before Vice President Joe Biden is set to meet with Netanyahu during a visit to Jerusalem.
This isn't the first time Obama had been caught off guard by Netanyahu's travel plans. Last year, the White House accused Netanyahu of a breach of longstanding diplomatic protocol when he announced plans to speak to a joint session of Congress without consulting or notifying the president. Netanyahu used that speech to implore U.S. lawmakers to reject the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel sees as emboldening its archenemy.

FOX NEWS TOWN HALL: Sanders, Clinton in Michigan battle over auto bailout; Clinton unveils free tuition plan

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders laid out some of their key differences Monday in a Fox News Channel town hall event in Michigan -- including Clinton springing a surprise alternative to Sanders' millennial-friendly, free-college-tuition plan.

Please click here to watch the Democratic Town Hall Live
Sanders opened by defending his auto-bailout vote, which Clinton hit him on during their debate the night before.
“What I did not vote for was the bailout of Wall Street. … She did vote for that,” Sanders said, referring to Clinton’s time as a New York senator.
The front-running Clinton and the Vermont senator made their cases in Detroit on the eve of Michigan’s Democratic and Republican presidential primaries.
Most polls show Clinton with a double-digit lead in Michigan, as she enters the primary with 1,130 delegates, compared to 499 for Sanders. Either needs 2,383 delegates to win the party nomination. The two will also compete in the Mississippi Democratic primary Tuesday.
Sanders on Monday night also hammered his message of economic equality and prosperity.
“There is no candidate in this race who has talked more about poverty than I have,” he said. “In the richest country in the history of the world, we have more income and wealth inequality than any other major country. We have too many people living in poverty. We have got to change our national priorities.”
He also repeated his calls for helping roughly 29 million Americans without health care, arguing the problem is in part the result of pharmaceutical companies gouging the country.
“We have many more (Americans) who are underinsured,” Sanders said. “And we are getting ripped off big time by the pharmaceutical industry, which are charging us the highest prices in the world.”
Clinton, meanwhile, was asked at the outset of the event about the ongoing classified email investigation being conducted by the FBI, claiming once again that she was not notified that she is a subject of that investigation.
“Absolutely true,” Clinton responded to the question by Fox News’ “Special Report” host Bret Baier.
Clinton also said neither she nor her lawyers have been informed that any members of her staff or former staff are targets of the investigation, which focuses on her use of a private email server while secretary of state.
Clinton also stood by decision, as part of the Obama administration, to remove Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011. But she acknowledged the “deeply regrettable” aftermath, in which the Islamic State terror group has flourished in parts of that country.
“If there had not been that intervention … we would be looking at something much more resembling Syria now,” Clinton said.
She also argued that the United States and its allies saw more turmoil in “leaving a dictator in place,” like Russia has done with Syrian leader Bashar al Assad. And she said the Libyan people have since had two fair elections to "get themselves a better future."
Clinton also used the forum to introduce her answer to Sanders’ popular free-tuition college proposal, unveiling the outlines of a plan in which students will no longer have to borrow money to attend a public college or university.
She said the New College Compact plan would also help with non-tuition costs.
“It is absolutely imperative that we make college affordable,” Clinton said.
Both candidates also explained their position on abortion, amid continuing debate about stopping the procedure after five months of pregnancy, with the exceptions for the life and health of the mother and baby.
“I am very strongly pro-choice,” Sanders said. “That is a decision to be made by the woman, her physician and her family.”
Clinton said she objects to the recent effort in Congress to pass a law saying no such exceptions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
“Because although these (exceptions) are rare, they sometimes arise in the most complex, difficult medical situation,” she said.

Clinton, Trump eye Michigan wins as candidates face first big Midwest test

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump look to rebound from weekend setbacks with victories in Tuesday's Michigan primary, the first big industrial state to be contested in the 2016 presidential race. 
Squeezed between high-profile Super Tuesday and high-stakes primaries next week in Florida and Ohio, Tuesday's contests are unlikely to dramatically reshape either party's primaries. But with 150 Republican and 179 Democratic delegates at stake, the races offer an opportunity for the front-runners to pad leads and rivals to catch up.
In addition to Michigan's primaries, both parties will hold their primary in Mississippi Tuesday, with Republicans also caucusing in Idaho and voting in the Hawaii primary.
But Michigan is the night's crown jewel in terms of delegates. Fifty-nine are at stake in the Republican race, while 147 will be awarded on the Democratic side.
While Trump has stunned Republicans with his broad appeal, he's forged a particularly strong connection with blue-collar white voters. With an eye on the general election, he's argued he could put Midwestern, Democratic-leaning industrial states such as Michigan and Wisconsin in play for Republicans.
A Monmouth University poll released Monday showed Trump winning 36 percent of likely GOP primary voters, 13 percentage points ahead of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who said Michigan was part of his "home court" last week, polled a close third with 21 percent of the vote, while Florida Sen. Marco Rubio placed fourth with 13 percent of the likely vote.
Victories by Cruz in Kansas and Maine have threatened to make the Republican race a two-man sprint to the finish. But Kasich and Rubio are holding out hope they can win their winner-take-all home states March 15.
Entering Tuesday, Trump leads the Republican race with 384 delegates, followed by Cruz with 300, Rubio with 151 delegates and Kasich with 37. Winning the GOP nomination requires 1,237 delegates.
"It's not just the whole country that's watching Michigan — now the world's beginning to watch," Kasich said Monday during a campaign stop in the state. "You can help me send a message about positive, about vision, about hope, about putting us together."
Rubio sought a boost in Tuesday's contests from Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP nominee. Romney has recently become an outspoken critic of Trump and recorded a phone call on Rubio's behalf in which he warns Republicans that if the real estate mogul wins the nomination, "the prospects for a safe and prosperous future would be greatly diminished."
Romney has not endorsed a candidate in the GOP primary, but clearly says in the phone recording that he's speaking on behalf of the Rubio campaign. A Romney spokeswoman said the former Massachusetts governor has offered to help Rubio, Kasich and Cruz in any way he can.
During a stop at a catfish restaurant on Monday in Mississippi, Cruz said the current vacancy on the Supreme Court means Republicans can't take a chance on Trump.
"He's been supporting left-wing politicians for 40 years," Cruz said.
On the Democratic side, Clinton boosted her delegate lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders over the weekend, as a win in Saturday's Louisiana primary canceled out wins for Sanders in the Kansas, Nebraska and Maine caucuses. The Monmouth University poll gave Clinton a 13-percentage point lead over the self-described democratic socialist among likely voters.
Ahead of Tuesday's two Democratic contests, Clinton had accumulated 1,130 delegates and Sanders 499, including superdelegates. Democrats need 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.
In an effort to boost his standing in Michigan, Sanders has repeatedly accused Clinton of of being disingenuous when she asserted that he opposed the bailout of carmakers General Motors and Chrysler during the Great Recession.
Sanders defended his voting record on the issue again during a Fox News town hall in Detroit Monday night.
"What I did not vote for was the bailout of Wall Street. … She did vote for that,” Sanders said, referring to Clinton’s time as a New York senator.
Sanders and Clinton both voted in favor of a bailout bill in 2008, but it failed to clear the Senate, prompting then-President George W. Bush to announce about a week later that the federal government would step in with $17.4 billion in federal aid to help the carmakers survive and restructure. The last $4 billion was contingent on the release of the second installment of the Wall Street bailout funds.
Sanders did vote for a 2009 motion to block the release of those funds, though the measure was defeated by 45 Democrats, including Clinton, and a handful of Republicans.