by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Chicago Tribune
SEATTLE — Sam Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third TD pass of the game, and the Minnesota Vikings outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 on Sunday to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC.
After the Seahawks took the lead on Smith’s third TD pass, Darnold led a 30-second drive that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. He stepped up in a collapsing pocket and
just short of the goal line with two defenders closing in.
Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings (13-2) won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye.
Darnold threw for multiple touchdowns for the 11th time this season and more than 200 yards for the 10th. He finished 22 of 35 for 246 yards, helping Kevin O’Connell become the first Vikings coach with multiple 13-win seasons.
Not bad for a veteran who was signed to a one-year deal as a placeholder after the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
Smith threw for 314 yards and his 4-yard TD pass to AJ Barner gave the Seahawks a 24-20 lead with 4:41 left, but he couldn’t rally Seattle (8-7) after Jefferson’s TD catch. Jason Myers missed a 60-yard field goal try after the two-minute warning, and Theo Jackson picked off Smith with 49 seconds left to seal it.
The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
Smith also had scoring passes of 25 yards to DK Metcalf and 18 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was also intercepted twice. Smith-Njigba had eight receptions for 95 yards.
Minnesota improved to 8-1 in one-score games this season.
The Vikings ran a 12-play opening drive, consuming 6:54 on the way to a 7-0 lead on Darnold’s 5-yard pass to Jordan Addison, who was open in the middle of the end zone for his third catch of the series.
Smith found Metcalf in man-to-man coverage with Stefon Gilmore early in the second quarter in the right corner of the end zone. It was Metcalf’s first TD reception since Week 7.
Darnold responded two drives later to make it 14-7 on a 14-yard pass to Jefferson over Tre Brown, who was left in single coverage on the All-Pro’s corner route.
Joshua Metellus pressured Smith on the first play of Seattle’s ensuing drive and Dallas Turner stepped in front of a pass to Noah Fant for an interception that set up Minnesota at the Seattle 31. The Vikings settled for Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal after Boye Mafe sacked Darnold.
Smith drove the Seahawks 88 yards in 1:05 on five plays to cut the lead to 17-14 with 20 seconds left in the half. He found Smith-Njigba three times on the drive. The first, a 13-yard reception, put the second-year player over 1,000 yards receiving for the first time. The second, for 25 yards to the Vikings 18, drew a biceps flex from Smith-Njigba for the cheering crowd. And the third went for the score.
Receiving milestones
Metcalf shook off a long scoreless streak to catch his 47th career TD with the Seahawks. That helped him pass Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent and move to sixth on the team’s career touchdown list.
Smith-Njigba became the 10th Seahawks receiver to record a 1,000-yard season.
Injuries
Vikings: S Harrison Smith (foot) was inactive, missing a game for the first time since 2022.
Seahawks: Placed LB Trevis Gipson (ankle) on injured reserve. … RB Kenneth Walker III left the game with an ankle injury.
Up next
Vikings: Host the Green Bay Packers next Sunday.
Seahawks: At the Bears on Thursday.
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Washington Times
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen was injured Sunday after being bucked off a horse and is expected to be hospitalized for several days.
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Washington Times
President-elect Donald Trump announced Sunday that Katie Miller will be joining the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency.
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Washington Post
The choice of Stephen Feinberg of Cerberus Capital Management comes as Pete Hegseth continues to face questions in the confirmation process for the top Pentagon
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | ABC NEWS, Politics
President Joe Biden is expected to soon secure the 235th judicial confirmation of his presidency
by | Dec 22, 2024 | The Hill
President-elect Trump said on Sunday that Katie Miller, who served in Trump’s previous administration, will join the inaugural Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new advisory board headed by Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk that aims to slash excessive government spending and regulations.
Miller is also married to incoming deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, a long-time ally and backer of Trump’s.
“Katie Miller will soon be joining DOGE! She has been a loyal supporter of mine for many years, and will bring her professional experience to Government Efficiency,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“Katie is a deeply experienced communications professional respected by all. Congratulations to Stephen and Katie!” Trump continued.
Miller was former Vice President Pence’s press secretary and served as deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first administration.
She has
for Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) as press secretary and former Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) as her communications director.
by | Dec 22, 2024 | The Hill
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino shot back on Sunday after President-elect Trump suggested the Panama Canal return to U.S. control.
“As President, I want to express clearly that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone belongs to Panama, and will continue to do so,” Mulino said in
according to an English translation. “The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.”
“The Canal is not under direct or indirect control, neither by China, nor by the European Community, nor by the United States, nor by any other power,” Mulino said. “As a Panamanian, I strongly reject any manifestation that distorts this reality.”
“Panama respects other nations and demands respect,” he added.
Trump, on Sunday,
of his supporters that the Panama Canal be returned to U.S. control, vowing swift action over the matter after he takes office in less than one month.
“It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions. You got to treat us fairly and they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said at Turning Point’s “American Fest.”
“If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question,” Trump added.
When an audience member yelled, “take it back,” Trump replied, “That’s a good idea.”
Trump also accused the Central American country of charging excessive fees for ships that use the canal to cross between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
Panama charges tariffs for boats and ships to make use of the canal. Fees can vary based on the size and purpose of the vessels, ranging from $0.50 to $300,000. The U.S. handed Panama control of the canal in 1999.
“Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal?” Trump told the crowd at “America Fest.” “Because we’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else.”
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair,” Trump said.
In the video statement, Mulino pushed back at Trump’s attack on the fees, noting that the Panama Canal has grown since Panama has overseen its management and that the rates were fair.
“Rates are not a whim,” Mulino said. “They are established publicly and in an open hearing, taking into account market conditions, international competition, operating costs, and the maintenance and modernization needs of the interoceanic route.”
“This is how we achieved the expansion of the Canal in 2016, which today represents greater economic and commercial growth, generating more wealth and opportunities throughout the world and its trade,” he added.
Mulino said he hopes to maintain a strong relationship with the incoming Trump administration and noted several issues he hopes to collaborate on.
“With the new US government, I hope to preserve and maintain a good and respectful relationship. Security issues such as illegal migration, drug trafficking and organized crime must be a priority on our bilateral agenda, as they are a real threat that should concern us greatly,” he said.
He said the interests of his own country will always come first.
“We Panamanians may think differently on many issues, but when it comes to our Canal and our sovereignty, we all unite under a single flag, that of Panama,” he said. “We are a country open to dialogue, today and always, to investments and good relations, but with the clear motto that the country comes first.”
“That, for this Panamanian President, is not negotiable.”
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Washington Times
U.S. authorities arrested dozens of members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua during recent operations in two major American cities.
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Chicago Tribune
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Sunday they have signed Alex Caruso to a multiyear extension.
Caruso’s agent, Greg Lawrence, confirmed ESPN’s report that it is a four-year, $81 million deal.
The Thunder added the 30-year-old Caruso
that sent Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls. Caruso has fit in seamlessly, averaging 5.7 points and 2.4 assists and ranking sixth in the league with 1.9 steals per game. He has provided a veteran presence on one of the league’s youngest teams.
With Caruso and Lu Dort creating havoc against opposing backcourts, the Thunder have a Western Conference-best 22-5 record. Oklahoma City leads the league in defensive rating, opponent field-goal percentage, opponent 3-point percentage, opponent points per game, turnovers forced, steals and deflections.
Caruso established himself as an elite perimeter defender in four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and three with the Bulls before joining the Thunder. He was
in 2023 and the second team in 2024.
by dap | Dec 22, 2024 | Daily Kos
Conservative members of the House staged a rebellion over the past week, opposing bipartisan legislation meant to fund the federal government and avert a shutdown. The entire process has been a
, exposing fractures between the Republican Party’s narrow majority while also catapulting multibillionaire
to a position of enormous influence within the party.
Led by Musk, conservatives repeatedly complained about “pork” and “waste” in the bill. This argument was amplified by right-wing media, particularly Fox News. In one instance, Fox prepared a graphic purportedly showing unnecessary, exorbitant spending in the bill.
Fox described the bill as a “pork-packed Christmas spending spree” and listed items like a “feral swine eradication” program and paying for the repair of Francis Scott Key Bridge, near Baltimore, as offensive examples of Congress apparently going overboard.
But taking a step back from this manufactured outrage reveals the truth: A lot of this spending is for projects that will significantly help Americans and American business.
For instance, the March
of the Key Bridge, which crosses the Patapsco River in Maryland, was a major blow to an important shipping access point for the country.
the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, 12.4 million vehicles cross the bridge each year, and the loss of the bridge has negatively impacted access to the Port of Baltimore, creating a disruption for businesses along the Baltimore-Washington corridor. The Chamber estimates that Maryland alone is losing millions of dollars per day in revenue.
One would think conservatives, who have long claimed to be in favor of business and job creation, would support the rapid restoration of the bridge.
Meanwhile, feral hogs are a real problem. In Republican-led states, this has particularly been an issue. South Carolina crops and land
by an out-of-control population of feral hogs, and the state government has been struggling to find a solution. Texas is also contending with the hogs, which the Texas Farm Bureau
as “one of the most destructive invasive species” in the country. The bureau also notes that the hogs “pose risks for disease transmission among livestock, pets and humans.”
Don’t Republicans want to help out farmers in the “heartland” of the country anymore? Or is it easier to give in to Musk and Fox’s derision?
The root problem is that the conservative movement has for decades loved to demonize government spending outside of a few narrow areas as a frivolous pursuit. They cannot directly attack popular programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, so they instead demonize
and infrastructure projects as a way to build public support for cuts that end up hurting the public at large.
At the same time, conservatives make little mention of exorbitant defense spending on projects that are absolute failures. Figures like Musk and outlets like Fox say little about things like the over
—trillion—lifetime cost that the Department of Defense blew on the
F-35 fighter jet.
And almost needless to say, Musk has not gone on a posting spree about the
in government funds he has received through congressionally approved spending for his companies, like SpaceX.
Better to talk about hogs and bridges.
The cynical motive behind this right-wing demonization is clear. The goal is to whip the public up into a frenzy about the supposedly wrong type of federal spending, leading elected officials to implement cuts for things like
—while deflecting attention from spending that serves little to no public value, except as a pipeline to enrich billionaires that donate to elect Republicans.
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