101,000 Michigan voters send Biden message by voting “uncommitted”

If it wasn’t clear before, it is now: President Biden has a big problem on his hands in Michigan. Yesterday, over 101,000 voters—a full 13% of the Democrats who voted—came out in an uncontested Democratic primary to vote “uncommitted” to protest a “progressive” president who has unequivocally supported Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

And that number could yet go up: As of 5 a.m. ET this morning, only 85% of precincts have their votes counted yet.

Israel’s genocidal campaign against and siege of Gaza is deeply unpopular within the Democratic party and with younger Americans. As we’ve reported before, the president can barely afford to lose any votes from the fragile democratic coalition he put together in 2020 thanks to the racist electoral college that keeps getting Republicans elected to the White House.

Trump won the state by 10k votes in 2016, which Biden won in 2020 with 155,000 votes. If Biden loses Michigan, Trump would only have to win two of the remaining five battleground states (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia) to reclaim the presidency.

But is the message getting through? Maybe not. In its initial statement last night, the Biden campaign—I kid you not—failed to mention Israel, Gaza, or anybody who voted against him.

On the Republican side: Nikki Haley continued to chug along, pulling in some 27% of the vote. She’s vowed to stay in the race until Super Tuesday (next week).

Meanwhile: CNN’s Anderson Cooper is taking heat for this clip, where he scolds Nina Turner, a Black woman, about not needing a “lecture” on the death and destruction in Gaza—while duly noting there is death and destruction “on both sides.” You can’t make this sh*t up.

Our government will murder this man on our behalf today

Despite a petition with over 100,000 signatures, pleas from Kim Kardashian, and his own continued assertion of innocence, barring any last-minute action, the state of Texas will execute 50 year old Ivan Cantu on our behalf later today. 

Ivan was convicted in 2001 of the murder of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancé, but in recent years, new evidence has spread doubt about that conviction. Among other things, a key witness admitted he lied while testifying and a watch that Ivan was accused of stealing also showed up.

The new evidence was enough to convince a judge to pause his earlier April 2023 execution date, but not enough for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. They subsequently dismissed Ivan’s request for a new hearing, despite his lawyers saying there’s more than enough evidence to warrant a new trial.

The context: As the Innocence Project has noted, exonerations over the last 30 years have exposed the very real shortcomings of the American legal system. Since 1973, at least 190 people have been found innocent after being sentenced to die. 

There’s more: And as the ACLU notes, the color of a defendant and victim’s skin plays a crucial (and unacceptable) role in deciding who receives the death penalty. People of color account for a disproportionate 43% of those executed since 1976.

The only thing that could save Ivan now is a last-minute intervention of Texas’ fascist Republican Governor Greg Abott. The “pro-life” governor has overseen 67 executions since taking office in 2015.

Meanwhile in Idaho: The state government there will execute Thomas Eugene Creech today, one of the longest-serving death row inmates in the U.S., at around 10 a.m. local time.

➡️ Question of the Day

Given that two states will murder two men on our behalf today, do you think the U.S. will abolish the death penalty in our lifetimes? Tell us why in the comments!

Yesterday’s results: Do you think a ceasefire will be reached in Gaza before an invasion of Rafah? Overwhelmingly you voted noe.

Tim voted yes and said: “I’m not sure if it will happen but everything in me wants to believe it will, that yes—this madness will come to an end soon.”

While dllpttn wrote in what we think a lot of people are feeling: “War is terrible. I feel the human race should have outgrown it by now. ”

🗞️ Also making news…

Here are some stories the algorithms may have kept out of your feed this week.

On politics…

• Congress is nearing a partial spending deal, but a ticking clock raises fears of a looming government shutdown.

• Hunter Biden will testify behind closed doors as part of a GOP impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden today.

• Georgia Republicans capitalize on horrific death, seek new laws to crack down on refugees after a nursing student was killed.

• Meanwhile, Latino rights groups are pleading against such anti-immigrant rhetoric.

On guns and policing…

• The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on whether the federal government can ban "bump stocks," a gun accessory that allows semi-automatic rifles to fire more quickly.

• New report reveals a stunning number of Californians have died while being held face down by police since 2016.

On business and the economy…

• Macy's is closing 150 stores nationwide and laying off thousands of workers.

• Also, PlayStation's Sony is cutting 900 jobs amid brutal year for the video game industry.

• This is gross: Mouse-infested warehouse lands Family Dollar Stores with record $41 million fine.

Good News: ‘Fetal personhood’ bill delayed after Alabama IVF ruling

Not that there’s a lot of good coming out of the Republican party’s continuing war on women, but this may be. The Guardian reports that state lawmakers in Florida have delayed legislation that attempts to define a fetus as an “unborn child” over concerns it could affect IVF treatments. This could be good news for people in other states. At least 14 states have introduced similar “fetal personhood” bills that could limit healthcare options for women and pregnant people.

Republicans have struggled with how to respond to the Alabama Supreme Court’s insane ruling. Sadly for them, they still have to answer to voters who overwhelming disagree with their stance on abortion, although they’re working hard on changing that.