Tuesday morning news: February 27, 2024

Michigan preview » Voters in Michigan are set to head to polls this morning in the state’s presidential primary election.

TRUMP: If you want to save America, then you must vote. We need you to get out and vote to set the stage for November.

Donald Trump heard there in suburban Detroit where Nikki Haley also campaigned on Monday taking aim at the former president.

HALEY: If you have a candidate who can’t bring in Independents, if you have a candidate that is driving people out of our party, then that is a sinking ship.

Recent Michigan polls give Trump a 50-point lead heading into today’s vote.

But Matt Grossman with Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy said of Haley:

GROSSMAN: She does have the advantage that Michigan doesn’t have party registration, so anyone can show up and vote in either primary.

RNC chair to step down » And the head of the Republican National Committee is stepping down. Ronna McDaniel announced she’ll leave at the end of next week after 7 years on the job.

She said she’s stepping aside to “allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing.”

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called it a smart move, presuming Trump will be the nominee.

MCCARTY: I like who the president is supporting. I think this is retooling, rebuilding, and beginning that election that we’re going to have in November and beginning what we need right now in resources.

Trump is supporting Michael Whatley, the North Carolina GOP Chair, to replace McDaniel. He also wants his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to serve as committee co-chair.

Pentagon review of Austin secrecy » The Pentagon says it found no evidence that anyone intentionally withheld news of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization last month. Spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters:

RYDER: As the Office of the Director of Administration and Management conducted this review, they found nothing during the review that demonstrated any indication of ill intent.

But the 30-day review did spot holes in standard procedures that should be fixed.

Austin checked into Walter Reed Military hospital on January 1st due to complications after surgery for prostate cancer. But it was days before the White House found out.

SCOTUS social media » Do states have the authority to regulate how social media companies control or censor content? That’s the question before the U.S. Supreme Court right now.

Attorney Paul Clement argued Monday on behalf of social media companies.

CLEMENT: Content moderation to me is just editorial discretion in order to make it less offensive to users and advertisers.

ALITO: Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?

Justice Samuel Alito heard there.

Clement took aim at a Florida law that bans content discrimination. The state enacted it after users accused tech companies of censoring conservative views. He called the law unconstitutional.

A lawyer for the state argued that the law protects the constitutional rights of Floridians against Orwellian censorship.

But Justice Brett Kavanaugh responded:

KAVANAUGH: When I think Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals. Maybe people have different conceptions of Orwellian.

The justices also expressed some concern that the laws may be overly broad.

Israel Rafah plan » Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says the army has presented to the War Cabinet its plan for a ground operation in the city of Rafah.

NETANYAHU: A double plan, one for the evacuation and humanitarian assistance of the civilian population in Rafah, and second, the elimination of the remaining quarter, roughly, of the Hamas terrorists battalions that are in Rafah.

Netanyahu says Rafah is the last remaining Hamas stronghold.

But it’s estimated that more than a million people are sheltering there. And the White House has said it would only support a ground operation in Rafah if Israel presents a workable plan to protect them.

Palestinian Prime Minister resigns » Meantime, some world leaders are welcoming news of a major shakeup within the top ranks of the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asked for the resignation of Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and got it.

United Nations Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

DUJARRIC: A strengthened, empowered Palestinian government that can administer the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory is critical as part of a path to achieving the establishment of a fully independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state.

World leaders have called for reforms in the Palestinian Authority to better equip it to govern the Gaza Strip after the war.

The United States supports the authority leading Gaza, but Israel has not yet agreed to any such arrangement.

Shtayyeh is staying on as the Palestinian Authority’s caretaker until his replacement is found and a new government is formed.

California abortion travel anti-pro-life campaign » California Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking aim at pro-life states with a new ad campaign. One ad pictures a girl handcuffed to a hospital bed.

AUDIO: HELP! Trump Republicans want to criminalize young women who travel to receive the reproductive care they need.

The ad campaign is launching in Tennessee where lawmakers are weighing a bill that seeks to protect girls from being trafficked across state lines for abortions without their parents’ consent.

Tennessee Representative Jason Zachary filed that bill.

ZACHARY: As a Christ follower, it’s a mandate that I have to protect life. I was literally involved with that conversation with crying guardians that couldn’t stop what was being done to facilitate an abortion with a child under their care.

Audio courtesy WATE.

Newsom meanwhile has positioned himself as a potential replacement for Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket if Biden bows out for any reason.

Sweden NATO » Sweden is one crucial step closer to joining NATO.

Hungary’s Parliament has voted to ratify Sweden’s bid to join the alliance. That ends more than 18 months of delays as the Nordic nation worked to overcome the objections of Turkey and then Hungary.

U.S. State Dept. spokesman Matthew Miller said a few formal steps remain, but …

MILLER: We certainly do welcome the vote in the Hungarian Parliament today. We look forward to it being finalized and are ready to receive the instruments here and welcome Sweden as the 32nd member of NATO.

Sweden is ending a generations-long policy of remaining neutral on military matters. Neighboring Finland did the same, joining NATO last year after Russia invaded Ukraine.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: When unborn life begins in the laboratory. Plus, making a home in Eagle Pass, Texas.

This is The World and Everything in It.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.