Iowa caucuses imminent; Obama will visit mosque to 'send a message' (a Sunday open thread)

**Written by Doug Powers

Iowans go to the caucuses tomorrow in the first test of the presidential season, so here's our Sunday open thread to talk about that or anything else you'd like. A few things to get it started...

Check out the New York Times editorial board's description of Hillary Clinton in its endorsement of her for the Democrat nomination:

Voters have the chance to choose one of the most broadly and deeply qualified presidential candidates in modern history.

Her other unique quality is that she's the only one under FBI investigation.

On the GOP side, the Times endorsed John Kasich for the nomination, which comes as wonderful news for Republicans not endorsed by the New York Times. 

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For what it's worth, the final Iowa polls:

https://twitter.com/bpolitics/status/693580927155490817

https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/693580711597477888

Martin O'Malley comments:

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This kind of thing has to be included in the time capsule of stories that will help best represent the Obama era:

For more than two years, the Navy’s intelligence chief has been stuck with a major handicap: He’s not allowed to know any secrets.

Vice Adm. Ted “Twig” Branch has been barred from reading, seeing or hearing classified information since November 2013, when the Navy learned from the Justice Department that his name had surfaced in a giant corruption investigation involving a foreign defense contractor and scores of Navy personnel.

Worried that Branch was on the verge of being indicted, Navy leaders suspended his access to classified materials.

If the Navy's intel chief wants to see classified information he'll have to ask Hillary if he can borrow her server.

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Deadly attacks by Islamic terrorists in Paris, San Bernardino and elsewhere combined with the spread of ISIS have Americans on edge when it comes to national security. So with that in mind, President Obama will visit a U.S. mosque for the first time ever as president to attempt to alleviate their concerns:

Pesident Barack Obama will visit a mosque in Baltimore County on Wednesday amid growing concern about hostility directed toward Muslim Americans. It will be Obama's first visit to an American mosque as president.

Obama will deliver remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, located in Catonsville, and will meet with community members there to discuss religious freedom, White House officials said Saturday.

[...]

Administration officials hope the visit will send a message at a time when Muslim leaders are increasingly anxious about reactions following the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

Another one for the Obama era time capsule.

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This morning, Hillary again tried to make everybody believe that the FBI is part of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy against her:

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says the hubbub over whether she had secret emails on her server is "very much like Benghazi," a politically motivated scandal that's likely not as serious as Republicans suggest.

Clinton told ABC's "This Week" that "it's pretty clear" that Republicans are "grasping at straws" in their response to the latest release of emails from Clinton's private home server.

Hillary's claim that she had no classified material in her private email could be verified, but the Obama administration (which is also apparently part of the VRWC) won't release dozens of emails because the material in them is way too classified.

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Elizabeth Warren fires a couple of arrows across Hillary's bow:

https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/693097354140975104

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Finally, does it get any more "Trump" than a fly-by of the crowd while the theme from the movie "Air Force One" plays on the PA system?

https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/693521009190764544

Have a "yuge" Sunday all!

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe