Above the Fold

BLAGOJEVICH WAS ON “THE APPRENTICE”: Trump commutes sentence of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, grants clemency to 10 others (CNBC)

CLOSING ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE CAUCUS: The ninth Democratic presidential debate is set for Wednesday in Las Vegas, and it will feature a new billionaire on the stage (NBC News)

MEMO TO MICHAEL: Bloomberg School of Public Health says there’s no evidence “assault weapon” bans reduce mass shootings (The Daily Wire)

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Government & Politics

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO: Bernie Sanders says Bloomberg’s money is “offensive,” refuses to say if he would accept a donation from the billionaire (The Daily Wire)

FAKE NEWS: DOJ pushes back at reports William Barr considered quitting over Trump tweets (Fox News)

THE FIRST STEP TO RECOVERY: Trump acknowledges Barr’s complaint about his tweets: “I do make his job harder” (National Review)

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Culture & Heartland

NOT ISOLATED EVENTS: Plymouth Rock, other historic monuments vandalized on anniversary of Pilgrims landing (The Federalist)

LEFTISM FATIGUE: Secession in the Pacific Northwest? Some Oregon residents petition to join Idaho (USA Today)

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Other Notables

BUT HIS OPPONENT CLAIMS VICTORY TOO: President Ashraf Ghani named Afghan election winner after five-month dispute over the vote (The New York Times)

CRACKDOWN ON COMMUNIST RHETORIC: U.S. imposes new rules on state-owned Chinese media over propaganda concerns (Reuters)

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Closing Arguments

POLICY: The hammer and sickle should be treated like the swastika (Foundation for Economic Education)

POLICY: School vouchers improve public schools (National Review)

HUMOR: Bernie Sanders selects Bernie Madoff as running mate, citing experience in Ponzi schemes (Genesius Times)

For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights.

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