Ben Sasse (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

THE BIG IDEA:

-- The Iowa caucuses are becoming a referendum on Donald Trump. The conversation in the closing days, like the whole campaign, is all about The Donald, especially after the Republican frontrunner declared last night he will boycott Thursday’s debate on Fox News.

-- Several well-known figures on the right are making clear that they prefer Trump over Ted Cruz, who is running neck-and-neck with him in polls of likely caucus-goers. Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., the son of the late television evangelist, and controversial Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio endorsed Trump yesterday. Over the past week, key figures from the establishment wing of the party have subtly tipped the scales in Trump’s favor.

[To get more must-read campaign news, sign up for The Daily 202 to be delivered directly to your email inbox]

-- Ben Sasse became worried enough about Trump’s lead that he went to Iowa yesterday to speak out against him. The freshman senator from Nebraska, who defeated a rival preferred by the establishment in a 2014 GOP primary, appeared with Cruz last night in Keosauqua and will appear this afternoon with Marco Rubio at a pub in West Des Moines. He’s not going to endorse either of them, and he may appear with a third candidate if his schedule permits, but he’s on the ground to make the case that rallying behind Trump is a very bad idea for the party.

Sasse is perturbed that party elders are making a calculation that Trump could be better in a general election than Cruz. There are too many Republicans in Washington, D.C., who like to cut deals and put points on the board, he complained during a phone interview with The Daily 202 late last night, as he drove around southern Iowa, with spotty cell service: “Of course there are lots of people for whom that’s their crack, but that’s not going to be what makes America great again,” he said.

-- After keeping a low profile for most of his first year in office, Sasse has been raising his visibility. This past weekend, he went to New Hampshire to fill in for Dick Cheney at a state GOP cattle call. Sunday night, he gained thousands of new followers by posting a stream of Tweets asking pointed questions. The one that drew the most attention noted Trump’s affairs with married women and asked if he has repented. But the real thrust of the stream of tweets was that Trump does not follow any oaths he takes and would certainly not follow the Constitution if elected president.

The Yale-educated historian, who was president of Midland University before entering the Senate, says Trump is running to be a sort of paternalistic “strong man” and doesn’t understand the essence of the American experiment. “He’s running with this claim that he’ll be the strong man that can take care of everybody,” Sasse said, adding that it’s “ironic” he is nervous to field questions from Fox moderator Megyn Kelly.

Asked about Cruz’s lack of support from other Senate colleagues, Sasse said: “Fundamentally, this is not a student council race.” He added later, “We’re in the midst of a Constitutional crisis.”

-- Sasse's comments speak to the growing sense that this is a watershed moment for the conservative movement. Just like with Barry Goldwater vs. Nelson Rockefeller in 1964 or Ronald Reagan vs. Gerald Ford in 1976, Republican leaders will likely be judged for decades to come on whether they were with Trump (even tacitly) or against him as he marched toward the nomination. Few politicians realize it yet, but no matter what the outcome of the coming primaries, their standing in the movement will be shaped by what they say – or don’t – right now. A rising star like Sasse, joining the conservative movement’s publications of record (National Review and the Weekly Standard) in sounding alarm bells about Trump's bona fides, is positioned to emerge as a thought leader on the right. And, at just 43 and in a safe Senate seat, he could be in the arena for decades.

THE TRUMP CARD

Donald explained why he's boycotting the debate: "Megyn Kelly is really biased against me. She knows that. I know that. Everybody knows that."

Thursday’s debate will go on without Trump – at 9 p.m. Eastern on Fox News – but it will feel very different. Rand Paul qualified to get back on the main stage; Carly Fiorina did not.

--The Trump campaign’s statement on his refusal to debate: “Unlike the very stupid, highly incompetent people running our country into the ground, Mr. Trump knows when to walk away. Roger Ailes and FOX News think they can toy with him, but Mr. Trump doesn’t play games. … He will … instead host an event in Iowa to raise money for the Veterans and Wounded Warriors, who have been treated so horribly by our all talk, no action politicians.”

--Fox News’ response: “Capitulating to politicians’ ultimatums about a debate moderator violates all journalistic standards, as do threats. … We can’t give in to terrorizations toward any of our employees.”

--Michael Moore, the liberal filmmaker, mocked Trump during an uncomfortably-flirty appearance on Megyn Kelly’s show last night. “What’s he afraid of? I’m sitting here. I don’t feel any fear,” Moore said. “You shouldn’t,” Kelly said. “I’m a pussycat.” Moore went on: “Donald — come down. Come sit beside me. I’ll hold your hand. She’s fine.” Moore even appeared to ask Kelly out. Watch the video:

--Flashback: Four years ago, Trump planned to moderate a debate on Newsmax, but only Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich agreed to participate. “Romney doesn’t look courageous,” Trump told The Post at the time. “Some of them don’t have the courage,” he told Imus in the Morning. (BuzzFeed)

--Cruz challenged Trump to a one-on-one debate. "I’m happy to go an hour and a half mano a mano, me and Donald with no moderators any time before the Iowa caucuses," the Texan said on The Mark Levin Show last night. Cruz said Trump can even name his own moderator, and Levin offered up his airwaves. (Katie Zezima)

-- But even boycotting the debate, Trump will continue to be the center of attention! He’s getting far more mentions online than any of the other candidates.

And all the other candidates are, again, talking about him:

.@realDonaldTrump Do you know who else is scared of tough qs from Fox & @megynkelly? Barack Obama. Enough whining. — Jeb Bush (@JebBush) January 26, 2016

Note to readers: Apologies for any glitches as we roll out a new experience for The Daily 202. Hopefully, they'll be fixed today. If not, or if you'd just like to give us feedback, we'd love to hear from you at powerpost@washpost.com. Michael Smith contributed to the newsletter.

Sgt. Tom Hutchison stands in front of an Oregon State Police roadblock on Highway 395. (Dave Killen)

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING:

--In Oregon: One of the armed protesters who took over the federal wildlife facility was fatally shot and eight others, including ringleaders Ammon and Ryan Bundy, were arrested by the FBI and state police. Authorities tracked down their vehicles about 20 miles away from the refuge center. Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, described by the Oregonian as the group's spokesman, was fatally shot by authorities, and Ryan Bundy suffered a minor gunshot wound. Five of the armed protesters were arrested at the scene, two others were arrested in Burns and one other person turned himself in to the police. (The Oregonian)

--Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agree that North Korea deserves fresh sanctions after its latest nuclear test, but appeared as far apart as ever on how far to push Pyongyang. “After Kerry and Wang talked for almost five hours, a session that continued over lunch, the two diplomats appeared before reporters with tension written across their faces,” Carol Morello and Simon Denyer report from Beijing. “Wang drummed his fingers on the side of his podium as a grim-faced Kerry excoriated the actions of North Korea and its erratic leader, Kim Jong-un.”

--Federal offices in Washington will reopen today after a three-hour delay.

The Metro's Silver Line is back in service, with trains running on all lines and at every stop. (Luz Lazo)

(Luz Lazo) D.C. circulator buses will run every 15 minutes. (Luz Lazo)

(Luz Lazo) The storm led to the loss of an estimated $570 million in economic activity. (Ashley Halsey III, Paul Duggan and Michael Laris)

(Ashley Halsey III, Paul Duggan and Michael Laris) A local woman who accepted a 4.4 surge price to go to the airport found herself paying $640 for an Uber trip. (Katherine Shaver)

(Katherine Shaver) As the dig out continues, there are tensions over parking. Many residents put props on the road to prevent other drivers from taking their parking spots that they spent hours digging. (Steve Hendrix and Perry Stein)

(Steve Hendrix and Perry Stein) An 83-year-old local man died of a heart attack after shoveling snow.

A 5-year-old Maryland girl was killed when an SUV hit her as she sledded drown her driveway in Sykesville. (Victoria St. Martin)

(Victoria St. Martin) “Watch out for some black ice, especially still on those sidewalks and neighborhood streets,” the Capital Weather Gang warns. “Wake-up temperatures in the low-to-mid 30s are slow to rise as cooler air filters in. Still, skies turning partly sunny and highs in the upper 30s to near 40 maintain some momentum to the melting process.”

-- Hillary Clinton’s national lead over Bernie Sanders is narrowing, according to fresh Washington Post/ABC News polling out this morning. Over the past month, Hillary’s edge shrunk by 12 points – she now tops Bernie among Democrats, 55 to 36 percent. Her lead is due to big support from non-white voters, where she retains a 67 to 28 percent lead over Sanders. Among whites, they are running basically even (45 to 43 percent). Pollster Scott Clement points out once the first contests are over in largely-white Iowa and New Hampshire, Clinton will be on more solid ground in states like South Carolina where the primary electorate consists of more minority voters.

-- But Iowa comes first, and a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning shows a close race between the two leading Democrats. Sanders edges Clinton by 4 points, buoyed by support from young people, men and the “very liberal.” The poll numbers haven’t changed much since last month, with only 2 percent of voters saying they’re undecided. A gender gap affects both Democrats: Men favor Sanders (63 to 32 percent) while women choose Clinton (54 to 40 percent); while voters between the ages of 18 and 44 back Bernie by a whopping 78 to 21 percent, compared to those over 65 who choose Clinton by a 71 to 21 percent margin.

This 2012 photo from the Ohio Attorney General shows a Chevy Malibu peppered by gunshots after a high-speed chase that ended in the deaths of two unarmed suspects. (AP Photo/Office of the Ohio Attorney General, File)

GET SMART FAST:​​

The two anti-abortion activists indicted by a Houston grand jury over their undercover videos targeting Planned Parenthood will fly from California to Texas so they can voluntarily turn themselves in. (Danielle Paquette and Sandhya Somashekhar) The Obama administration announced the lifting of additional trade and travel restrictions on Cuba, allowing U.S. banks to finance exports to the island and clearing remaining obstacles to the resumption of commercial air travel between the two countries. (Karen DeYoung) Six Cleveland cops were fired for their role in a 2012 chase that began with officers mistaking the sound of a car backfiring for gunshots and ended with police fatally shooting two unarmed people. Six more officers are being suspended without pay for between 21 and 30 days. Another officer retired last year. (Mark Berman) The amount of money spent on each American student from kindergarten through high school dropped again, marking the third year in a row of decreased investment in education, reversing a trend of steady increases from 1996-2008. (Emma Brown) About a dozen cases of the Zika virus have now been confirmed in the U.S., and the number is expected to rise. The CDC issued guidelines for testing infants. (Ariana Eunjung Cha) The FBI thwarted a would-be terrorrist attack in Milwaukee, where three men allegedly planned on using automatic weapons at a Masonic temple. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Five people were shot, including two fatally, at a homeless encampment in Seattle called The Jungle. Police said the evidence suggests the victims and attackers knew one another. (Seattle Times) Western-backed Syrian rebels lost control of the town of Sheikh Miskeen to Bashar al-Assad's forces, one of the rebels' most significant defeats since Russia intervened in the civil war. (Liz Sly) Denmark passed a bill that allows authorities to seize cash and assets from refugees. (Rick Noack) A Swedish asylum worker was fatally stabbed by a 15-year-old migrant she was helping get acclimated to the country. (Michael E. Miller) Mexico’s Supreme Court struck down a law that outlawed gay marriage in the province of Jalisco. Jalisco is now the third state in Mexico to allow gay marriage, joining Mexico City. (AP) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asked Pope Francis for his prayers during a visit to the Vatican. (Brian Murphy) An elementary school principal in Indianapolis saved several students by pushing them out of the way of a bus before it fatally struck her. (AP) The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force called on general doctors to begin screening all adult patients for depression, including pregnant women and those who recently gave birth. (Los Angeles Times) The "affluenza" teenager from Texas who fled to Mexico, Ethan Couch, dropped his effort to stop extradition and will return home to face criminal charges for violating his probation. (AP) Amherst College disassociated itself from its unofficial mascot, Lord Jeffrey, named after the 18th-century British lord who suggested using small pox as a way to kill Native Americans. (Nick Anderson)

Paul LePage (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

POWER PLAYERS IN THE NEWS:

Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) said he wants to use the guillotine to publicly execute drug dealers. His office clarified that he was joking. (AP) Jim Gray, the mayor of Lexington, announced he will run against Rand for Senate, giving the Democrats a top-tier recruit. (Lexington Herald-Leader) Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy (R) announced he will run for David Vitter's opening Senate seat. (David Weigel

MORE ON THE REPUBLICAN RACE:

Chris Christie called for a state takeover of Atlantic City because its economy has performed so poorly. (David A. Fahrenthold) Christie also said eliminating the U.S. Department of Education would be "on the table" if he's president. (The Hill) George Pataki came out for Rubio. (Sean Sullivan) Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, backed Cruz. (Watch.) Conservative radio host Dana Loesch backed Cruz. (Politico) The Concord Monitor endorsed Kasich. McCain 2008 alum Nicolle Wallace blasts Sarah Palin in a New York Times op-ed as the "Rage Whisperer" and says "she paved the way" for Trump. (Read.) Bush supporter Orrin Hatch, the senator from Utah, complained to CNN about the Right to Rise super PAC’s attacks on Rubio. “I don't think it's a wise thing to do,” he said.

Marco Rubio released a new ad: “Washington is broken and both parties are to blame, but it will never get better if we keep sending people to Washington who will say or do anything to get elected.”

While Jeb's super PAC, Right to Rise, attacked Rubio for his use of a Florida GOP credit card:

Here's that Right to Rise ad targeting Rubio on his use of the FLGOP credit card: https://t.co/k5pGvNBX2V pic.twitter.com/FQ1Xf34Ky6 — Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) January 26, 2016

MORE ON THE DEMOCRATIC RACE:

Private polling for both Sanders and Clinton shows Hillary with “a slight edge” in Iowa, the New York Times reports in a profile of each campaign’s state director. Sanders will go to the White House today for his first private meeting with Obama since December 2014 and only their second sit-down of his presidency. "The meeting, which White House press secretary Josh Earnest said will have 'no formal agenda,' could draw attention to a slightly awkward reality about the Obama-Sanders relationship: There really isn’t one," Paul Kane and Juliet Eilperin explain. "Beyond one session in the Oval Office, the senator’s only other White House meetings with Obama have come when the entire Democratic caucus has visited, or at even larger functions, including bill-signing ceremonies and the first family’s annual Hanukkah party. Earnest told reporters last week that Sanders visited with Obama 'at some point last year,' which appears to be a reference to chats the two have had on the sidelines of various White House events, including last month’s Congressional Ball. The two men also spoke by phone last year shortly before Sanders announced his support for the Iran deal, and they have consulted on issues such as veterans affairs." Ahead of today's meeting, Sanders announced that he intends to filibuster the president's nominee to lead the FDA, Michael Califf, citing his consulting work for pharmaceutical companies. MSNBC and the Union Leader announced an unsanctioned Democratic debate on Feb. 4 in New Hampshire, but Sanders said he will not attend. (New York Times) Sanders sought to downplay expectations in Iowa. He told reporters he doesn’t expect his turnout next week to match the record-setting numbers set by Obama in 2008. “It was a unbelievable campaign," he said. "Frankly, I don’t think we can.” (John Wagner) More than 20,000 Minnesotans came to see Bernie at a pair of events yesterday. (John Wagner)

THE DAILY CLINTON:

Hugging the president tighter, Hillary said in Iowa she "loves" the idea of appointing Obama to the Supreme Court. "I mean he’s brilliant, he can set forth an argument and he was a law professor," she said. "So he’s got all the credentials, but we would have to get a Democratic Senate to get him confirmed." (Abby Phillip and Anne Gearan) The group Feminist Majority endorsed Clinton. (Daily Kos) So did North Carolina Rep. Dave Price. (WNCN) Julian Castro, the HUD Secretary who wants to be VP, campaigned for Clinton in New Hampshire. (WMUR)

Hillary released an ad touting her record on children and families:

WAPO HIGHLIGHTS:

-- Quite the contrast in two stories that just posted --

Shot: Rubio is talking a lot more about God on the campaign trail. (Sean Sullivan)

Chaser: Sanders does not even try to present himself as religious. Frances Stead Sellers and John Wagner: “I am not actively involved with organized religion,” Sanders said in a recent interview. Sanders said he believes in God, though not necessarily in a traditional manner. “I think everyone believes in God in their own ways, “ he said. “To me, it means that all of us are connected, all of life is connected, and that we are all tied together.”

-- “Pursuing critics, China reaches across borders. And nobody is stopping it,” by Emily Rauhala and Simon Denyer: “China’s campaign against dissent is going global. Amid extraordinary moves to rein in criticism at home, Chinese security personnel are reaching confidently across borders, targeting Chinese and foreign citizens who dare to challenge the Communist Party line, in what one Western diplomat has called the ‘worst crackdown since Tiananmen Square.’ A string of incidents, including abductions from Thailand and Hong Kong, forced repatriations and the televised ‘confessions’ of two Swedish citizens, has crossed a new red line, according to diplomats in Beijing. Yet many foreign governments seem unwilling or unable to intervene, their public response limited to mild protests. The European Union is divided and appears uncertain about what to do. Hong Kong is in an uproar, with free speech under attack, activists looking over their shoulders and many people saying they feel betrayed by a lack of support from Britain.”

-- “Failures in handling unaccompanied migrant minors have led to trafficking,” by Abbie VanSickle: “Since 2011, more than 125,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America have been stopped at the border, many placed in shelters funded by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) has demanded a response from the Obama administration to whistleblower claims that thousands of those children have been released to sponsors with criminal records that include homicide, child molestation and human trafficking. Legal advocates for the children say many have wound up in abusive situations, where they have been forced to work to repay debts or living expenses. Some children simply stop showing up for immigration hearings and vanish.”

SOCIAL MEDIA SPEED READ:

— Pictures of the day:

Jeb! met the Elko High School Band in Nevada. (check out the taxidermy):

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) spied a possible toboggan run in these snowy Capitol steps:

Spotted in Des Moines by C-SPAN's Craig Caplan ... this intense Bernie Sanders sweater:

— Tweets of the day:

Trump also had this to say about infidelity as a campaign issue:

Trump on bringing up his infidelity: “It’s a cheap shot.”



Trump, 5 mins later, on bringing up Clinton infidelity: “It’s not a cheap shot." — Matt Viser (@mviser) January 26, 2016

Today in Trumplandia, The Donald went after Iowa evangelical activist, and Cruz supporter, Bob Vander Plaats:

Why doesn't phony @bobvanderplaats tell his followers all the times he asked for him and his family to stay at my hotels-didn't like paying — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2016

.@bobvanderplaats begged me to do an event while asking organizers for $100,000 for himself—a bad guy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2016

Cruz joked on the trail that "a gremlin" may have hacked Trump's account, and Vander Plaats responded like this:

@realDonaldTrump Still consider you a friend and you still can't have my endorsement. My friendship isn't phony. — Bob Vander Plaats (@bobvanderplaats) January 26, 2016

@realDonaldTrump you know that's not true. I gave you an introduction and opportunity and you charged the guy $100K. May work in NY not IA. — Bob Vander Plaats (@bobvanderplaats) January 26, 2016

Trump somehow seems to emerge from each of these fights stronger.

Trump is basically winning a multi-front war against every power center of the Republican Party. — Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) January 27, 2016

This tweet from former Labor Secretary Robert Reich is taking off on Facebook:

HRC is the most qualified to head the political system we have. Bernie is the most qualified to create the political system we should have. — Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 25, 2016

Meanwhile, Postie Karen Tumulty overheard this nugget:

OH while waiting at reception desk at Clinton HQ: "This gentleman is here for shredding." — Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) January 26, 2016

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer mourned the death of a hometown boy:

St. Peter, couldn't you have let Abe Vigoda off the hook, for old times' sake? #RIP one of Brooklyn's great actors. — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 26, 2016

Actor Rob Lowe critiqued Bernie Sanders' delivery during CNN's townhall Monday night:

Watching Bernie Sanders. He's hectoring and yelling at me WHILE he's saying he's going to raise our taxes. Interesting way to communicate. — Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) January 26, 2016

Here's how Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) spent the blizzard:

While DC continues to dig out from #snowzilla2016, I get to spend an extra day home with the grandkids. pic.twitter.com/3d9Ne950EZ — Senator Mike Rounds (@SenatorRounds) January 26, 2016

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R) wished Michigan a happy birthday:

A very happy birthday to Michigan - 179! #PureMichigan pic.twitter.com/J1CxIkUQ7v — Fred Upton (@RepFredUpton) January 26, 2016

— Instagrams of the day:

Sick of snow photos? Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) sends you this shot from Oldsmar, Fla.:

Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's staff gained another member from the snowstorm:

GOOD READS FROM ELSEWHERE:

-- "Cruz’s campaign is being tested as never before, and it is showing signs of strain under pressure," the New York Times reports. "Senior aides were reluctant to confront Trump through television ads ... But now they are moving quickly to halt Trump’s momentum with the kind of everything-at-the-wall approach that suggests a campaign under duress ... As Cruz struggles to stave off Trump, he has run up against the limits of the strategy that fueled his rise: He left himself precious little time for a new argument — much less several — after an election season spent embracing Trump and slipstreaming behind him. As late as last Thursday, senior aides were dithering ... The campaign waited ... in part because internal polling still showed Cruz ahead in Iowa."

-- Wall Street Journal, "Anxiety fueld Trump's supporters," by Michael M. Phillips: "The enduring candidacy of Trump ... revealed a seething slice of mostly white America, untethered from either political party, in search of a voice in the national debate. Trump 'cuts right to it,' said John Pohlmann, 37, a Pensacola musical-equipment salesman, who says he has never voted in a presidential election. 'He gives you a one-sentence answer. By the time a career politician gets to his third sentence, I’ve forgotten what the question was.' Pohlmann lined up early for the Pensacola rally but was behind Rick Snowden, a 64-year-old former restaurant and nightclub owner from Tennessee who was at his 17th Trump event. 'We all believe he’s the type of dynamic leader we need at this time,' Snowden said. Joey and Tina Ellis, for their part, are typical of Trump supporters, according to recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News polling. They say they believe in God but rarely attend church; Trump backers are less religious than other Republicans. The couple has a live-and-let-live view on contentious social issues; Trump supporters are less concerned about abortion than social conservatives backing Cruz.Some 62% of Trump supporters, including the Ellises, who don't have college degrees, compared with 45% of those backing Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio. More than 80% of Trump backers think immigration hurts the U.S. more than it helps, compared with 45% of Bush/Rubio supporters. And 55% of Trump supporters believe free trade—a GOP staple—is bad for the U.S., 27 percentage points higher than the Bush/Rubio wing."

-- The Atlantic, "Is Sanders really naive about Iran?', by Peter Beinart: In 2008, "Clinton wanted to fortify diplomatic efforts by pressuring Iran more effectively than George W. Bush had. Obama wanted to build a relationship with Iran that wasn’t built on pressure alone. Almost a decade later, the Clinton-Sanders debate is similar. Hillary supports the Iran nuclear deal but insists that it does not herald the beginning of a fundamentally different relationship with the Islamic Republic. In a speech on the agreement last September at the Brookings Institution, she declared that, 'This is not the start of some larger diplomatic opening.' In a debate last October she called the Iranians 'enemies.' Sanders, by contrast, sees the nuclear deal as a first step toward 'warm relations' between the United States and Iran. He doesn’t articulate the benefits of warmer relations particularly well, but they’re not hard to grasp. When Iran seized British sailors in 2007, it held them for 13 days. After American sailors strayed into Iranian waters earlier this month, Tehran released them after only 15 hours, in large measure because of the goodwill between John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who spoke five times during the crisis. A warmer relationship between the U.S. and Iran could also improve the chances of a settlement in Syria. Bashar al-Assad’s Sunni opponents cannot remove the Syrian president by force (nor is it clear that America would even want them to). Thus, the best hope for a resolution to Syria’s ghastly civil war is to convince Assad’s patrons, Iran and Russia, that they can ease him out of power in favor of a more legitimate government while retaining some influence in the country. ... Sanders could also note that moving toward normalizing relations with Iran might help that country’s dissidents."

HOT ON THE LEFT It’s bad for ratings when the Oscars lack diversity. From the Daily Beast: “Using ratings data provided by Nielsen that broke Oscars viewership down by race, stretching back to the 2004 telecast, we found that the largest percentage of black viewers and non-white viewers tuned in to the Academy Awards in years when the most nominees of color and films featuring protagonists of color were in contention.” HOT ON THE RIGHT Students at the University of Oregon debated removing a famous quote by Martin Luther King Jr. because some felt it was not inclusive. From the Daily Emerald: “Since 1986, the University of Oregon has housed a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. in the lobby of the Erb Memorial Union. … One of the students asked, ‘Does the MLK quote represent us today?’”

DAYBOOK:

At the White House: President Obama, along with Vice President Biden, will meet with Jack Lew at 11 a.m. Afterward, Obama has his private meeting with Sanders. In the afternoon, the president will be interviewed by local television anchors as part of the "Live from the White House" series. In the evening, POTUS heads to the Israeli embassy to speak at the "Righteous Among the Nations" ceremony on what is the 71st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

On the campaign trail:

Trump is campaigning in South Carolina at 7 p.m.

is campaigning in South Carolina at 7 p.m. Clinton hosts a "get out the caucus" event in Adel, Iowa.

hosts a "get out the caucus" event in Adel, Iowa. Sanders will be in Mason City, Iowa.

will be in Mason City, Iowa. Cruz holds a pro-life rally with Rick Perry in Clive, Iowa.

holds a pro-life rally with in Clive, Iowa. Rubio rallies in Des Moines.

rallies in Des Moines. Kasich speaks at a town hall in Davenport.

speaks at a town hall in Davenport. Christie holds a town hall in Dubuque.

holds a town hall in Dubuque. O'Malley is in Grinnell and Ames.

is in Grinnell and Ames. Huckabee visits Des Moines, Marshalltown and Boone.

visits Des Moines, Marshalltown and Boone. Fiorina campaigns in Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Des Moines and Waukee.

campaigns in Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Des Moines and Waukee. Santorum is in Lake Mills, Northwood, Mason City, Hampton, Iowa Falls and Ames.

On the Hill:

The Senate meets at 11:00 a.m. for voting.

The House is in recess. House Democrats meet in Baltimore starting this afternoon for their policy retreat.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Barack fooled around in high school," Michelle Obama said on the BET talk show "The Real.” “He didn't take school seriously in high school. He barely got his work done. He was a bum! And it took him a second. He had to grow up a little bit.” (CNN)

NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.:

-- Gov. Larry Hogan proposed legislation to help Maryland crack down on the opiod addiction epidemic by changing the state’s gang laws to be more like federal racketeering statutes and by eventually requiring doctors and ­pharmacists to use the state’s ­prescription-monitoring database to ensure they are not over-prescribing narcotics. (Ovetta Wiggins and Josh Hicks)

--The Toronto Raptors beat the Wizards 106-89. (Jorge Castillo)

--D.C. Council member Jack Evans is poised to become Metro’s next chairman of the board. (Robert McCartney)

--The D.C. metropolitan area added about 68,500 jobs in 2015, a 2.2 percent growth that outpaced the national growth rate of 1.9 percent. (Aaron Gregg)



VIDEOS OF THE DAY:

Watch this little girl cry with excitement when she learn's she's going to a Trump rally:

David Weigel walks us through what it takes to win the Iowa caucuses:

A new Jeb video talks about how much he loves towhalls:

Astronaut Scott Kelly demonstrated how to play ping pong in space with a sphere of water (click for video):

Conan O'Brien hung out with First Lady Michelle Obama at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar: