WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. to serve as his pick to lead the . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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After a bit of a wait to get to the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vasily Ponomarev’s first tryout is over. After three games in the NHL lineup, Ponomarev, 22, will take those lessons learned after a few rocky outings back the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. The Penguins sent Ponomarev back to WBS Saturday to make room for Kevin Hayes , whom the club activated later Saturday afternoon. Ponomarev didn’t record a point in his three games. Hayes, 32, has been on IR. In 14 games, the forward has four points (1-3-4), and coach Mike Sullivan officially termed him a game-time decision. Valtteri Puustinen remains on the NHL roster, so if Hayes is unable, Puustinen would get the 12th sweater, unless the team dresses seven defensemen. The Penguins face the Utah Hockey Club Saturday at PPG Paints Arena. Faceoff is set for 7:08 p.m. This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.Trump taps Rollins as agriculture chief, completing proposed slate of Cabinet secretaries

Lidia Thorpe and Ralph Babet (Image: AAP/Private Media) Racism and reverse racism. Misogyny and misandry. Homophobia and heterophobia. I have heard a lot of false equivalences touted in my time, yet none quite as stark as the false equivalency the federal government managed to manufacture earlier this week when they decided to censure both Senator Lidia Thorpe and Senator Ralph Babet concurrently for transgressions they claimed warranted such action. In the case of Thorpe, the censure was in relation to her infamous protest at a reception for King Charles III — an action which, while loud and confronting, was based in truth-telling with regards to both Indigenous sovereignty and the harm that had been committed in the name of the Crown. In the case of Babet, it was due to a tweet in which he used racist, homophobic and ableist slurs in order to dare “woke ass freaks” to come at him. In no way are these actions of equivalence. Lidia Thorpe sees her Senate spot as the Greens ‘paying the rent’ Read More Yet when Senator Penny Wong took to the microphone to introduce the censure motions, drawing that false equivalence was exactly what she did. Wong claimed both motions were about the “standards of respect” expected of senators, and that both wayward senators were engaging in actions to create social media storms while offering nothing of substance to improve people’s lives. While this may have been the case with Babet’s disgusting tweet, perhaps if Wong had stopped and actually considered the substance contained within Thorpe’s protest words, she may have realised that improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while educating the masses on some realities is exactly why she took that action. Disappointingly, but predictably, the champions of “free speech” that are the federal opposition appeared to forget this very core value, with the majority of them supporting both censure motions, and Senator Birmingham parroting Wong’s sentiments. To his credit, Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan was the lone Coalition voice to question the motions and he voted against them — not on the content, but rather on the basis of process. Due to flight delays, neither Thorpe nor Babet were able to be present to hear the motions and defend themselves should they have wished to. They had only been informed that morning they were being censured. The timing of the vote was not the only problem of process. As Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi rose to express her dissent in relation to the censure against Thorpe, she was repeatedly shut down by Senate President Sue Lines. Why? Because she dared to highlight the racism inherent in the chamber, while pointing out that it did not have the right to dictate to an Aboriginal woman, or indeed any other people of colour, how they should engage in protest. It was a fair point. Not only did Faruqi remind the chamber of the fact it had failed to censure Pauline Hanson for a racist tweet aimed at her, she also highlighted that this same tweet was later deemed to be racial vilification via court proceedings. What does Wong actually know about the art of protest? She’s not one to make a stand, even if it means she ends up voting against marriage equality despite being a lesbian woman who wished to marry her partner, and she certainly had no qualms in highlighting her compliance to the party line when, earlier this year, Senator Fatima Payman made a stance of unconditional support for the recognition of a Palestinian state while a genocide has been going on. Is this lack of discernment, and reinforcement of ignorance, just a given when it comes to accepting the modus operandi of our elected politicians? Will Senator Ralph Babet see censure for his slur-ridden posting? Read More What message are the four Indigenous senators who fell in lockstep with their party’s stance sending, not only to the many Indigenous people disenfranchised in this country who are looking for politicians to champion our issues, but also to the broader Australian public? First, that talking truth to power when it’s right there in front of you is unacceptable and warrants punishment, even though in the case of the federal government, they did commit to “truth-telling” when they promised to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full. Secondly, despite successive governments’ failures to listen to our more polite forms of protest such as petitions, consultative bodies, now-forgotten referendums and peaceful assemblies in parks, these tactics are the only ones we should be utilising. It’s more sinister than this though. Because truly, via their choice to censure Thorpe and Babet concurrently, while neither of them were there, they are stating there is no difference between an Aboriginal woman skilfully highlighting decades of injustice in the space of a mere minute in a House that was initially built to specifically exclude us, and a man using a bunch of disgusting and outdated slurs on a social media platform to rile progressives for fun. And so here we are, in the wake of the shambolic referendum process, finding the very issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to take to the streets for comparable to a disgusting and deliberately inflammatory tweet. Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au . Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.MISSOULA, Mont. , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pathlabs, a leading Media Execution Partner (MEP) specializing in end-to-end digital media solutions for agencies, is pleased to announce the appointment of JC Clarke as Vice President of Agency Growth. With over two decades of experience in driving client acquisition and revenue expansion strategies within digital marketing, Clarke has held senior leadership positions across the industry with companies such as Ogury, Big Village, Samba TV, Innovid, NBCUniversal Media, and more. Evan Ladensack , Chief Sales Officer at Pathlabs, expressed enthusiasm about Clarke's addition to the leadership team: "We are thrilled to welcome JC to Pathlabs. His extensive experience and strategic vision align perfectly with our mission to empower independent agencies with unparalleled media execution services. JC's leadership will be instrumental as we continue to expand our reach and deliver exceptional value to our partners." In his new role, Clarke will oversee the development and execution of growth strategies aimed at enhancing Pathlabs' agency partnerships. His focus will be on identifying new business opportunities, optimizing client engagement, and driving the company's expansion in the rapidly evolving digital advertising landscape. Clarke shared his excitement about joining Pathlabs: "Pathlabs has established itself as a dynamic force in the media execution space, and I am honored to join such a forward-thinking team. I look forward to leveraging my experiences and relationships to contribute to the company's growth and to support our agency partners in achieving their goals." This appointment comes at a pivotal time for Pathlabs, following its recent acquisition by MiQ, a leading programmatic media partner for marketers and agencies. With Clarke's leadership, Pathlabs is poised to further solidify its position as a trusted partner for independent agencies seeking comprehensive media execution solutions. For more information about Pathlabs and its services, please visit www.pathlabs.com . About Pathlabs Pathlabs is an end-to-end Media Execution Partner (MEP) built for independent agencies. The company specializes in planning, executing, optimizing, and reporting on performance-based paid advertising campaigns, enabling partners to concentrate on growing their agencies and driving performance. Pathlabs' primary objective is to empower its partners with the right people, workflows, and technology, allowing agency leaders to scale their businesses while Pathlabs manages the intricacies of their digital media execution. Contact Pathlabs Marketing Department Email: [email protected] Phone: (406) 552-1022 Website: www.pathlabs.com SOURCE Pathlabs

On December 18, 2024, Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act (the Bill) to restore vehicle owners’ control over their personal data. Representative Eric Burlison (R-MO) leads the companion bill in the House of Representatives. The text of the Bill outlines that the Bill is seeking to “prevent covered vehicle manufacturers from accessing, selling, or otherwise selling certain covered vehicle data, and for other purposes.” According to a Press Release from the Senators, connected vehicles are projected to make up 95% of all new vehicles on the road by 2030. The Bill provides vehicle owners with essential rights and protections by: Requiring Informed Consent: Mandating that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) establish opt-in features for vehicle data collection. Restricting Data Sharing: Prohibiting OEMs from sharing, selling, or leasing collected customer data without explicit consent, with narrow exceptions required by law. Protecting National Security: Barring data sharing with adversarial nations. Ensuring Transparency: Directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report to Congress on data collection practices. Empowering Owners: Allowing vehicle owners access to their vehicle’s data through technology-neutral standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Enabling Data Deletion: Giving owners the right to delete their data after connecting to a vehicle. Balancing Interests: Protecting OEM confidential business information while safeguarding consumer rights. The Bill also requires the FTC to submit a report (the Report), within 180 days after the date of enactment, on the current practices employed for "operator data" to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Pursuant to the Bill, ‘‘operator data’’ is defined as: The Report will require the FTC to outline: Within one year after the FTC submits the Report(s), the Bill would require the FTC, NIST director, vehicle manufacturers, vehicle owners, and other agencies, as necessary, to collaborate to establish one or more standards for a technology-neutral, standards-based, secure interface. The standards decided on would be reviewed in five years and then every five years thereafter.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay's surest path to the NFL playoffs is a division championship. The Buccaneers , but only if they first and foremost give themselves a chance. That means winning their remaining games at home against Carolina and New Orleans, while the Atlanta Falcons lose at least once in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (8-7) and Falcons share the best record in the division, however Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. Tampa Bay, which has won three consecutive division titles, is the only NFC team that has made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said after cost the Bucs control of the NFC South race. “This one, we've got to take it on the chin,” Mayfield added. “It's a short week. It's Christmas week. We've got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.” If Atlanta is able to maintain its lead, Tampa Bay could make the postseason as a wild card if the Bucs win out and the Commanders lose twice. Coach Todd Bowles sounds confident that his players understand the challenge ahead and will clean up mistakes that contributed to the end of their four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles said Monday. “We have to focus on us like we’ve been doing,” the coach added. “We have to correct the mistakes, and we have to go out and win Sunday, and we’ve got to win the next week, and then we’ll see what happens after that.” The offense, which ranks third in the NFL at 389.8 yards per game, isn't a fluke. Despite losing to the Cowboys, Tampa Bay finished with 410 yards total offense. It was the team's fifth straight game — as well as an NFL-high ninth overall — with 400-plus yards. The Bucs are seventh in rushing (143.7 yards per game) after ranking 32nd each of the past two seasons. The defense yielded 292 yards passing against the Cowboys, 226 of it in the first half when Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bowles said shoddy tackling was the biggest issue — not poor coverage. Lamb had one reception for 5 yards after halftime. Mayfield's chemistry with rookie WR Jalen McMillan, who has 27 receptions for 336 yards and five TDs, continues to grow. McMillan had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown — his fourth in the past three games — against Dallas. He was also the intended receiver on Mayfield's deep throw that CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted in the end zone to help the Cowboys hold off the Bucs in the closing minutes. Turnovers were costly against Dallas. The end-zone interception stopped the Bucs from cutting into a 26-17 deficit with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rachaad White's fumble with 1:31 left ended any hope for a last-minute victory. On both plays, defenders ripped the ball out of the grasp of the offensive player. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame," Bowles said. "We just have to have two hands on the ball, and we have to fight for it. We have to take better care of the football. That’s priority No. 1.” Bowles said it's too early to project the status of several starters for coming games, including S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), who has missed the past two games. TE Cade Otton (knee) and LB K.J. Britt (ankle) were inactive against the Cowboys, while reserve WR Sterling Shepard left during the game with a hamstring injury. 80. Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie RBs with 920 yards rushing. He needs 80 over the next two games to reach 1,000. He scored his seventh rushing touchdown against Dallas. That tied Errict Rhett and Lars Tate for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie running back in franchise history. Doug Martin set the record of 11 in 2012. Host Carolina on Sunday. NFL:

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DePaul 98, N. Illinois 52The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) should remain volatile during the first half of 2025, weighed down by renewed US-China trade tensions and a slowing global economy, particularly the two economic superpowers, says Bualuang Securities (BLS). Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, managing director of the research department, said BLS projects a SET index average of 1,485 points in 2025. If there are positive factors, such as interest rate cuts or increased foreign capital inflows, the index could climb to 1,585 points. The Thai economy faces additional pressure from weakened exports, notably declining demand from China and the US, said the brokerage. However, the second half of the year may see an economic recovery driven by government stimulus measures and a rebound in tourism, he said. The research team recommends investors adjust their portfolios, prioritising stocks with strong fundamentals and consistent dividend payouts, such as the retail, healthcare and tourism sectors. Diversification into bonds and international markets is encouraged to mitigate the effects of market volatility, noted the brokerage. Mr Chaiyaporn said the Thai stock market's recovery in the second half of the year would also hinge on interest rate reductions by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Thailand, as well as domestic economic stimulus measures. "Initiatives like the launch of an entertainment complex project to attract foreign tourists would provide a broader boost to the economy," he added. Meanwhile, headwinds for the Thai stock market include the nation's ageing population, less domestic spending and declining profitability of listed companies, while household and government debts are at the ceiling. Thai businesses are failing to adequately capitalise on new technologies to drive the economy and stock market. As much as 36% of the SET is weighted by highly cyclical stocks, such as companies in personal loans, hire-purchase, commodities, refineries, oil, petrochemicals, construction, construction materials, real estate development, agriculture and shipping. "We recommend investors diversify their portfolio to assets in the global market as they have higher growth potential and less volatility," he said. Investors seeking steady returns in a volatile market should consider financial tools such as structured notes, which offer potential returns of 6-10% annually. The brokerage recommends investing in equities for around 65-70% of the total portfolio, mainly those in the US, Vietnam and India, while Thai stocks should account for 10-15%, as overseas markets now offer better chances of a good return. BLS emphasises the importance of being prepared for volatility and closely monitoring market conditions in early 2025, a period fraught with uncertainties, said Mr Chaiyaporn.

NoneRams don't dominate, but they're rolling toward the playoffs with superb complementary football

The Michigan Wolverines shocked the nation by pulling off a huge upset victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 14. The latest edition of "The Game" ended with a 13-10 score in favor of Michigan, and they made sure to rub this victory in Ohio State's face as much as possible. Immediately after the game ended, chaos broke out when the Wolverines planted their flag at the center of Ohio Stadium. A massive brawl broke out between the two sides with the Buckeyes taking exception to that move, as Michigan successfully managed to get under their longtime rivals' skin. That wasn't all the Wolverines did, though, as the battle raged onto social media. After the Buckeyes official account on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted the final score of the game, Michigan responded by adding a subtle twist that will surely make an already bad day even worse for Ohio State and their fans. 〽️〽️〽️〽️ https://t.co/hmA8IauI6B Considering all the bad blood between these two teams after their huge fight, it shouldn't be much of a surprise to see Michigan ruthlessly trolling Ohio State in the wake of this huge win. Not much has gone right for the Wolverines this year, but they managed to upstage the No. 2 ranked team in the nation in a big way on Saturday. For the Buckeyes, this loss couldn't be more catastrophic. Not only are they getting relentlessly roasted for coming up short, but they could lose their spot in the Big Ten Championship Game if the Penn State Nittany Lions beat the Maryland Terrapins in their Week 14 contest. © Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Beyond that, their standing in the College Football Playoff rankings seems set to take a big hit. While they may not fall out of the rankings entirely, there's no doubt that Ohio State is going to tumble down the list considering how badly Michigan has struggled this year. Add that onto all this trolling, and it will only make this victory better for the Wolverines. While they may not have managed to meet preseason expectations, at least the team prevailed in "The Game," while also potentially blowing up the Buckeyes' season in the process. Related: Former Ohio State Player Doesn't Hold Back on Ryan Day After Michigan Loss

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Sunday at the age of 100 , the Carter Center confirmed. Though he served only one term in office, he went on to a distinguished second act of humanitarian work, and he lived long enough to become the oldest former president in U.S. history. No details on the cause of death were given. The former president had been receiving hospice care at his home for more than a year following a series of short hospital stays. According to a statement from The Carter Center in February 2023, the former president "decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention." Carter remained active well into his 90s , continuing his work with Habitat for Humanity and The Carter Center and teaching Sunday school at his church in Plains, Georgia, even as his health began to falter. Both in and out of office, Carter built a legacy as a tireless champion for peace and humanitarian causes. He brokered the landmark Camp David Accords in 1978, establishing a framework for peace in the Middle East, and he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of work in advancing international peace, democracy and human rights. While Carter had his share of accomplishments as president, his time in the White House, from 1977 to 1981, was tumultuous. His one term in office included the U.S. energy shortage and the Iran hostage crisis. Carter rose on the national stage after Watergate, at a time when voters were looking for a change in politics. "They didn't want Ed Muskie or Hubert Humphrey or Scoop Jackson or George Wallace," presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said. "They were tired of those people that had been in the national spotlight for so long. So, he came at America as a fresh new face." James Earl Carter Jr. was born on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains. The son of a peanut farmer, he loved books and his Baptist faith. At the U.S. Naval Academy, he studied nuclear science and graduated with distinction in 1946. That same year, he married a young woman named Rosalynn Smith — a marriage that would last for more than seven decades. They celebrated their 77th anniversary on July 7, 2023, the longest-married presidential couple in American history, and she died only months later , on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96. Carter completed submarine training and served in the Navy for seven years before moving home to Georgia to run the family peanut farm. He and Rosalynn raised four children while his career focus shifted from farming to politics. After eight years in state offices, Carter, a Democrat, was elected governor of Georgia in 1970. It was clear he was a new kind of Southern leader, one who emphasized racial equality and traditional values, at a time when the nation was in need of stability. In 1976 — America's bicentennial year — he defeated President Gerald Ford to become the 39th president of the United States. The Carters conveyed that they were of the people when they marched in the open air on the inaugural parade route. "His greatest asset as a candidate was his outsider status," Brinkley said. "And his greatest failing as a president was the fact that he remained an outsider, when you must be an insider in Washington if you're going to be an effective president." He struggled to cultivate relationships in Washington and feuded openly with Democratic leaders in Congress. As oil prices and inflation soared, his popularity sank. But there were accomplishments along the way. Carter created the departments of Energy and Education. He established formal diplomatic ties with China and returned control of the Panama Canal to the Panamanians. Perhaps his greatest achievement was a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, known as the Camp David Accords. "Let history record that deep and ancient antagonism can be settled without bloodshed and without a staggering waste of precious lives," Carter said at the signing of the peace treaty on March 26, 1979. On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. A U.S. military attempt to free them ended in disaster, with eight American servicemen killed in a crash. The crisis dominated Carter's reelection campaign, while the economy continued to struggle and inflation topped 18%. In the final days of his administration, the president and his team negotiated freedom for the hostages. They were released on Ronald Reagan's Inauguration Day. In the years after leaving the White House, the Carters established The Carter Center in Atlanta, with a mission to work toward advancing peace and global health. "We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes — and we must," he said in 2002 as he formally accepted the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of humanitarian work. He and Rosalynn built houses with Habitat for Humanity, dedicating their efforts to the group for more than 30 years, and he penned more than 20 books. He sparked controversy with his 2006 book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," in which he characterized Israel's treatment of Palestinians as oppression. He later issued an open apology to the Jewish community, saying that suggestions for improvement should not stigmatize Israel. In 2007, Carter spoke at the funeral of his former political rival turned close friend and confidante, former President Ford. "One of my proudest moments was at the commemoration of the 200th birthday of the White House, when two noted historians both declared that the Ford-Carter friendship was the most intensely personal between any two presidents in history," Carter said. Carter announced in August 2015 that he had been diagnosed with cancer , a form of melanoma that had spread to his liver and his brain. Though he curtailed his activities with The Carter Center, he continued to fundraise for the organization, and also continued teaching Sunday school classes in Plains, a tradition he started in his teens. Carter was treated with a new immunotherapy drug and made a remarkable recovery , sharing the news six months later that an MRI showed no signs of cancer . In May 2019, he suffered another health setback, falling and breaking his hip . He went home from the hospital to recover and was soon back to teaching his Sunday school class. Carter suffered two more falls in October 2019 and was hospitalized for a fractured pelvis . A month later, he was admitted to a hospital in Atlanta for a surgical procedure to relieve pressure on his brain. The Carter Center said in May 2023 that Rosalynn had been diagnosed with dementia ; she continued to live at home with her husband until her death that November. They are survived by their four children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. During his many years after the White House, Carter planted seeds of peace, and sometimes seeds of controversy. But as one of the most active former presidents in history, many believe he defined the role for those who would follow.Two Indian-Americans, a Cuban-American and even a Somoan-American are on tap to serve in the upcoming Trump administration. All will be racial firsts in their job titles, but you wouldn’t know it if you’ve been watching legacy media. The regularly racially-obsessed ‘news’ outlets don’t care for some reason. Check out these historic firsts. KIND OF WEIRD that Marco Rubio is named America's FIRST-EVER Cuban-American Secretary of State & the media hasn't celebrated this "historic first." No articles about his boyhood, favorite Cuban foods, photoshoots, magazine covers? Don't know what to make of it. pic.twitter.com/tLRZPoTrhI KIND OF WEIRD that Kash Patel is named America's FIRST-EVER Indian-American FBI Director & the media hasn't celebrated this "historic first." No articles about his boyhood, favorite Indian foods, photoshoots, magazine covers? Don't know what to make of it. https://t.co/rwx1BDUyks pic.twitter.com/I8BAPo8bbB KIND OF WEIRD that Jay Bhattacharya is named America's FIRST-EVER Indian-American NIH Director & the media hasn't celebrated this "historic first." No articles about his boyhood, favorite Indian foods, photoshoots, magazine covers? Don't know what to make of it. https://t.co/punrrPdj32 pic.twitter.com/D1tieoPkwR And Tulsi the first Samoan DNI, not hearing anything there either. The situation that gave the entire game away on things like this is when Trump appointed Richard Grenell to DNI, making him the first openly gay cabinet member in history. But because the media and Jake Tapper specifically didn't like him, they then anointed Pete Buttigieg as... https://t.co/qIEJj9g3D4 We all remember when ‘news’ outlets conveniently ‘forgot’ about openly-gay Ric Grenell being appointed by Trump. They were so desperate to lavish praise on their Democrat Party. It’s hurts to be slighted by ‘news’ outlets, but merit is all that matters anyway. These commenters get it. Republican party is the party of true diversity based on meritocracy not superficial skin color or superficial identity. When one is a real American... one is just American...😎 That’s the thing about meritocracy - it’s just about the work, your character & the results ‘News’ outlets conveniently get ‘minority amnesia’ when it comes to Trump and Republicans because they want to maintain the false perception that Democrats are the only inclusive party. Conservative and MAGA minorities don’t count to them. So, let ‘journalists’ and their fellow Dems keep their racism. Trump is picking his team based on merit and not skin color anyway.ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Contributors include former AP staffer Alex Sanz in Atlanta.