PBC News & Comment: Trump Team Fumbles on Obamacare, Iran and Yemen

Key GOP senator shifts talk of Obamacare repeal to “repair”,  damage control initiated on botched attack in Yemen, Iran tensions….–Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) redefines goal from “repeal and replace Obamacare” to “repair it”
—NY Times gently probes the details of Trump’s first military raid in Yemen,  while Britain’s Guardian calls it “botched raid” and quotes unnamed critics in Pentagon
–in high-stakes mistake, Trump’s spinmeister Spicer claims that Iran attacked US naval vessel, but in fact Houthi fighters attacked a Saudi ship off Yemen coast
–journalist Joe Lauria shares blog comments critical of Trump’s moves on Iran
–Trump’s heavy-handed treatment of Australian PM in phone call led to abrupt end after Turnbull insists that US honor agreement to take 1,250 refugees
–poll shows public is split over Trump travel ban, 48-41%
—NY Times report defines Trump’s “dark view of Islam” and the people who stoke it
–to overcome Dem boycotts of confirmation hearings, GOP majority rewrites the rules to send controversial nominees to floor votes
–one of those is EPA pick Scott Pruitt, and climate denier Myron Ebell outlines his mission: abolish the EPA
–House Dems and Inspector General move to preserve records of Trump’s gag orders and travel ban order
–at UC Berkeley, peaceful protesters of right wing provocateur’s speech are overrun by a handful of “black bloc” agitators, drawing tweeted threat from Trump
–76 protesters who tried to set up new camp at Standing Rock are arrested, as native leader urges supporters to stay away
–in West Bank, illegal Jewish settlers resist eviction from Amona
–in Oakland court, prosecutors reveal their case against the widow of accused Orlando nightclub shooter
–San Francisco ends its 10-year agreement with Joint Terrorism Task Force
–at National Prayer Breakfast, Trump’s comments about Schwarzenegger and TV show aren’t quite as unhinged as they first appeared to be