Buttigieg and Sanders remain in a dead heat going into the New Hampshire today. A large turnout will favor Sanders. Buttigieg is counting on depressed college student turnout, in both senses of the phrase, and a moderate voter base. Biden has to finish in the top three or he is in serious trouble. Warren has to just not get completely clobbered. Our call is Sanders. Then it’s on for them to savage Mike Bloomberg.

Coronavirus update

World Health Organization officials traveling in China today called the coronavirus “a very grave threat to the rest of the world.” Over 100 have died there from the virus and 43,000 others have fallen ill from it round the world. 99% percent of the cases are in China. There have been no U.S. deaths as of yet. International monitors speculate China’s rudimentary socialized health system is not capable of handling the crisis. But national pride stops them from asking for significant outside help.

Trump secures another judge

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The president gets another judge through the Senate. This time it’s the nomination of Judge Andrew Basher to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell got Basher his upcoming new job with a Monday 46-41 vote in favor. The official nod will be this afternoon.

Space war?

Two Russian satellites are tailing an American spy satellite, coming as close as 100 miles. In space, that’s nudging the guy next to you in the ribs. A U.S. Space Force ( so cool to write that) general says the Russian craft’s actions are “unusual and disturbing.” Not really, Just Vladimir Putin rattling his actually relatively puny sword a bit.

Could Roger Stone be pardoned?

President Trump is hinting he may pardon his former pal Roger Stone. In a tweet this morning he called Stone’s prosecution and upcoming sentencing “horrible and very unfair.”

Across the pond

Germany has been politically upended with the news that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hand-picked heir apparent, Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, has said no to moving into Merkel’s job. It’s like Mike Pence turning down the presidency after he won the 2024 GOP nomination for president. The Defense Minister made the move because she is upset that the political party of both she and Merkel, the Christian Democratic Union, allied with a hard core anti-immigration party, the AFD, in state elections.