02/19/2020 05:12 CDT

PRESIDENT TRUMP PARDONS ROD BLAGOJEVICH AND OTHERS AS BERNIE SANDERS PULLS INTO CLEAR NATIONAL LEAD AMONG DEMOCRATS; OBAMA JUDGE TURNS DOWN STONE REQUEST

TODAY’S TOP TEN

TRUMP GOES ON PARDON SPREE

PRESIDENT TRUMP SHORTENS PRISON SENTENCE of former IL governor Rod Blagojevich, and pardons Edward DeBartolo Jr., Michael Milken, and Bernard Kerik. National Review.

• “Everlasting gratitude” to President Trump. CBS 2 Chicago.
• Slippery Durbin slams commutation after favoring it two years ago. Breitbart.

SANDERS OPENS UP A NATIONAL LEAD AMONG Democrats in new poll as Bloomberg moves into second. NPR.

CHRIS MATTHEWS PREDICTS 49-STATE LANDSLIDE for Trump if Sanders is nominated. Daily Wire.

FBI RAIDS BUSINESS TIED TO JAMES BIDEN influence-peddling. ZeroHedge.

BARR TAPS U.S. ATTORNEY TO OVERSEE MATTERS that “potentially relate to Ukraine.” Daily Caller.

OBAMA JUDGE REJECTS BID TO DELAY ROGER STONE sentencing because of biased juror. Washington Times.

CONSERVATIVE GROUP OPENS UP NEW LINE of attack on Google. Daily Caller.

LEFT-WING GROUPS MASSIVELY OVERREPRESENTED in media, study finds. Breitbart.

PRETENDERS SINGER CHRISSIE HYNDE PRAISES Trump for Limbaugh honor because she believes in the “right to disagree.” TheBlaze.

BASEBALL’S SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS DISINVITE one of key players to reunion because of his pro-Trump views. Daily Caller.

First Right is your conservative alternative to beltway groupthink

COMMENTARY WORTH READING

• Sometimes a “consensus” is manufactured. Rob Natelson.
• A dialogue with two secular conservatives I adore. Dennis Prager.
• Who’s complaining about investigations now? Byron York.

VIDEO WORTH WATCHING

• New Trump ad: “New Heights.” Real Clear Politics.
• Buttigieg: We’re “all lifted up” with abortion stories. Media Research Center.
• Mark Penn: Last hope for accountability on Obama Spygate. Real Clear Politics.

OFFBEAT BEAT

• New study indicates adults over 55 happier, less stressed than Millennials. Study Finds.

TWEETS OF NOTE

• (@RyanAFournier) It’s ironic that that two angriest people on TV are named Whoopi and Joy. Tweet.
• (@ThomasSowell) The strongest argument for socialism is that it sounds good. The strongest argument against socialism is that it doesn't work. But those who live by words will always have a soft spot in their hearts for socialism because it sounds so good. Tweet.

MOST CLICKED ITEM YESTERDAY

• DEMOCRAT SENATOR HELD SECRET MEETING in Munich with Iranian foreign minister. Mollie Hemingway.

DRUDGE LEAD AT TIME OF EMAIL 

• BARR WARNS TRUMP; I'LL WALK IF YOU KEEP TWEETING! SHOWDOWN AT JUSTICE Drudge.