It’s Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. Let’s start here.
1. Caucus chaos
After coming under fire for a glitchy voting app, the Iowa Democratic Party released their preliminary results from the caucuses late Tuesday.
On today’s “Start Here,” ABC News Deputy Political Director MaryAlice Parks talks about the debate over whether Iowa should be the first state in the country to weigh in on picking the presidential nominee.
“Now with this just epic failure of a reporting system, it is hard to imagine that Iowa is able to go on like this going forward,” she says.
2. State of the Union
“The state of our union is stronger than ever before.”
President Donald Trump delivered his state of the union address on Tuesday night, touting his record on the economy, immigration and more, while steering clear of the impeachment trial, which is expected to end with his acquittal today.
“He did seem to stick much more to the teleprompter speech, but in a way by avoiding the impeachment talking, creating all of these dramatic who’s going to come in next, what’s under your seat moments, the president was able, I think, to push impeachment aside just for about an hour and a half,” ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers says.
When the president finished his speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was seen ripping up a copy of his address behind him.
3. Racism meeting outrage
There’s growing outrage in a Michigan community after video captured a man making a racist comment toward another parent at a meeting focused on diversity concerns in their schools.
A Latino father is heard sharing a story about his son being bullied in school when another parent responds, “Then why didn’t you stay in Mexico?”
In a statement on Tuesday, the Saline, Michigan school district, which is predominantly white, called the remarks made at their forum “racist,” and said they’re working to ensure an inclusive environment for all their students and families.
“This incident sort of speaks to a larger debate that’s happening countrywide and that, of course, ties in to the political climate that we are in the middle of today,” ABC News’ Steve Osunsami tells the podcast.
“Start Here,” ABC News’ flagship podcast, offers a straightforward look at the day’s top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn or the ABC News app. Follow @StartHereABC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for exclusive content and show updates.
Elsewhere:
‘Wrong apartment’: A painter is in critical condition after being sent to the wrong house and getting shot by the occupant who thought someone was trying to break into his home.
‘Knife-type wound to the head’: A murder mystery is unfolding in one of the world’s most mysterious wildlife spots after two nature activists who worked at Mexico’s El Rosario monarch butterfly sanctuary were discovered slain just days apart, authorities said.
‘Very large puzzle’: A neighbor of a missing 11-year-old Colorado boy says home security footage shows the child’s stepmother leaving the house with him the day he went missing and returning hours later without him.
‘Flavor ban’: Executives from some of the largest e-cigarette companies are set to face questions about their role in the rising rates of e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction among young people in a congressional hearing on Wednesday.
From our friends at FiveThirtyEight:
‘Buttigieg and/or Sanders are going to win Iowa. What happens next?’: If the split verdict holds, it will be an appropriately weird outcome for a weird-as-hell Iowa caucus.
Doff your cap:
This Kentucky newborn’s birthday is one for the history books.
Charlee Rose Masters was born on Feb. 2, 2020 at 20:02 in St. Joseph East Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.
She arrived on a rare global palindrome day, meaning the date is the same both forward and backward. It’s the first palindrome date in 909 years since Nov. 11, 1111.
