Good Monday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today.
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• A racist photograph was discovered on the yearbook page of Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia. But after first apologizing, Mr. Northam later said it wasn’t him in the photo, and he defied calls from his fellow Democrats to resign.
• Since President Trump’s election, Democrats are speaking far more bluntly about issues of race and identity. In doing so, they have been giving no quarter to their own — something Mr. Northam learned this weekend.
• The concept of “Medicare for all” has become popular with Democrats. But voters may be resistant to surrendering the insurance they are used to. It’s a conflict Democrats running in 2020 are keenly aware of.
• Mr. Trump plans to keep United States troops in Iraq to monitor and maintain pressure on neighboring Iran, committing to an American military presence in the region’s war zones…
