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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. None reported. 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThe decision by President Joe Biden to pardon his son, Hunter, despite previously suggesting he would not do so, has reopened debate over the use of the presidential pardon. Hunter Biden will be spared potential jail time not simply over his convictions for gun and tax offenses, but any "offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period Jan. 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024." During his first tenure in the White House, Donald Trump issued a total of 144 pardons. Following Biden's move to pardon his son, Trump raised the issue of those convicted over involvement in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, raising expectations that he may use the pardon in their cases – something Trump has repeatedly promised to do. But should the pardon power be solely up to the president's discretion? Or should there be restrictions on who can be granted a pardon? As a scholar of ethics and political philosophy, I find that much of the public debate around pardons needs to be framed within a more fundamental question: Should there be a presidential pardon power at all in a democracy governed by the rule of law? What, after all, is the purpose of a pardon? From royal roots... Black's Law Dictionary, the go-to book for legal terms, defines the pardon power as, "an act of grace...which exempts the individual on whom it is bestowed from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed." Although the power to pardon is probably as old as politics, the roots of the presidential pardon in the U.S. can be traced back to English law. The English Parliament legally placed an absolute pardon power in the hands of the monarch in 1535 during the reign of King Henry VIII. In the centuries that followed, however, Parliament imposed some limitations on this power, such as preventing pardons of outrageous crimes and pardons during an impeachment. The Founding Fathers followed the English model in establishing the powers of the executive branch in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. Section 2 of that article specifically grants the president the "power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States" and acknowledges one limitation to this power "in cases of impeachment." But the anti-democratic roots of the pardon power were a point of contention during the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. In a 1788 debate, Virginia delegate George Mason, for example, said that the president "ought not to have the power of pardoning, because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself. It may happen, at some future day, that he will establish a monarchy, and destroy the republic." Mason's concern clearly identifies this vestige of the absolute powers of the English monarchy as a potential threat to the new democracy. In reply, based on the assumption that the president would exercise this power cautiously, James Madison contended that the restriction on the pardon power in cases of impeachment would be a sufficient safeguard against future presidential abuse. ...to religious reasoning The political concept of pardon is linked with the theological concept of divine mercy or the charity of an all-powerful God. Pardon, as Supreme Court Justice Marshall noted in the 1833 United States v. Wilson ruling, is defined as "an act of grace." Just as in the Abrahamic faiths – Islam, Judaism and Christianity – God has the power to give and to take life, kings wield the power to take life through executions and to grant life through the exercise of pardons. Echoing the command of the Lord's Prayer "to forgive the trespasses of others," English philosopher Thomas Hobbes' book "Leviathan" asserts that the sovereign ought to display grace by pardoning the offenses of those who, repenting those offenses, want pardon. Yet, this analogy with divine mercy for all individuals collides with the legal principle of treating different cases differently. If all trespasses were forgiven, pardon would be granted to all crimes equally. There would be no need for distinctions between the wrongly and the rightly convicted or the repentant and unrepentant criminal. All would be forgiven equally. Universal pardon thus violates the legal principle that each individual should receive their due. In the eyes of law, it is impossible to pardon everything and everyone. The incognito of pardon What Hobbes recognized, if imperfectly, is that the power of pardon is just as essential to political life as to our personal lives. It helps to overcome the antagonisms of the past and opens a path to peace and reconciliation with others. The act of forgiving, as political theorist Hannah Arendt puts it, allows us "to begin again" and to create a new future together. But how can we reconcile this need for pardon with the impossibility to forgive everything? One answer can be found in the work of French philosopher Paul Ricoeur. Ricoeur talks about the "incognito of forgiveness" – "forgiveness" literally translates to "pardon" in French. Acknowledging the difficulty of turning pardon into a universal legal rule or norm, Ricoeur suggests that pardon can exist only as an exception to legal rules and institutions. Pardon, in Ricoeur's words, "can find refuge only in gestures incapable of being transformed into institutions. These gestures...designate the ineluctable space of consideration due to every human being, in particular to the guilty." In other words, it has to fly under the radar of rules and institutions. This insight is alluded to by Justice Marshall in his Wilson ruling. Marshall states that pardon is "the private, though official act of the executive magistrate, delivered to the individual for whose benefit it is intended, and not communicated officially to the Court." The pardon remains incognito, or under the radar, in the sense that it is an extra-legal act that does not pass through legal institutions. In these last days of the Biden administration, this incognito of pardon offers an important reminder of the need for pardon as well as its limitations. The democratic transfer of power always involves an implicit act of pardon that remains incognito. It allows for a fresh start in which society can acknowledge the past transgressions of an outgoing administration, but move on with the hope to begin again. Though critics of the president may reject individual acts of pardon, especially involving family members, society should not give up on the power of pardon itself: It brings a renewal of hope to democracy. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)Retiring Naeher is proud of her achievements and looking forward to USWNT's next generationwinph99 com m home login app 。

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Javon Small scored five of his 31 points in overtime and Tucker DeVries added key free throws late in regulation and finished with 16 points as West Virginia beat No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday. Small's layup with under 2 minutes left in OT gave West Virginia a 79-75 lead. After a Gonzaga miss, Sencire Harris hit two free throws to make it a six-point lead. With 27.1 seconds left, Harris made a steal and scored on a dunk for an eight-point lead, putting the game out of reach. Amani Hansberry scored a career-high 19 points and Toby Okani added 10 for West Virginia (3-2). Braden Huff scored 19 points and Khalif Battle 16 for Gonzaga (5-1). Gonzaga showed its depth, outscoring the West Virginia bench 30-2. West Virginia’s only loss was by 24 points at Pitt, but the rebuild under Darian DeVries is showing promise. Gonzaga turned it over at midcourt late in regulation when Tucker DeVries poked it away from Nolan Hickman and raced the other way before getting fouled. DeVries made two free throws with 5.9 seconds left to tie it at 71-all. Battle inbounded the ball and got it back, but lost control on a drive as time expired. The shorter Mountaineers outrebounded Gonzaga 42-36 and shot 50% in the second half, battling the Zags to a draw in the paint. Nembhard had 12 assists and just one turnover in 43 minutes, but was 1 of 10 from the field. West Virginia will play Louisville on Thursday in the winner's bracket. Gonzaga faces No. 14 Indiana on the consolation side. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballPhoto shows the logo and theme for Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship 2025, unveiled by the Foreign Ministry at Wisma Putra late October this year. — Bernama photo WHILE the officials at Wisma Putra are busily preparing Malaysia for assuming the chairmanship of Asean next year, I have several matters of interest for the consideration by our leaders. I’m wondering if any of my suggestions will draw their attention at all. These are just passing thoughts as I’m keeping abreast with developments in terms of our foreign policy. Principle of non-interference Should the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of a member country be somewhat relaxed, if not removed altogether? I’m of the opinion that the toppling of an elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi by a military junta in Myanmar could have been avoided if Asean had had the necessary power in its Charter. As a group, acting in concert should have been able to directly influence the military leaders who were stepping out of line to think twice before staging a coup d’état. The communication between the Asean Secretariat in Bangkok was one way – with Suu Kyii only. Sure, the lady was internationally well-known, and generally seen as the symbol of Myanmar. But ignoring the generals with the guns was not clever. Worse, the junta leader was not even invited to attend any meeting of Asean; it was the mother of all insults as far as the armed forces were concerned. The generals were in actual power, however obtained, like it or not. Even if the great powers didn’t like them (they didn’t!), it was international etiquette to give them a seat at the table! Whether or not Malaysia, as the Chair of the group, will take the initiative to sound out to the member countries the importance of giving Asean some teeth, remains to be seen. However, Asean will be in good hands if it focuses on the policy of people-centred development. By this, I mean the principle of equitable distribution of wealth to reduce extreme poverty and the closing of the yawning gap between the rich and the poor in each member country. By this, I mean controlling privatisation of basic services such as healthcare, education and distribution of water and electricity. Equally important is the conservation of the forests and the protection of the people who live in them; they rely on the forests as their primary source of food and materials for their survival. All Asean countries must recognise the spirit and the intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP 2007). Within this context, I am banking on Malaysia, my country, to lead the way and set an example. It is incumbent on Malaysia to impress upon the other member countries that they must consider enacting legislation to recognise the legal rights to lands, territories and resources of the indigenous peoples of their respective states. Not forgetting maritime resources within each country’s exclusive economic zone! Asean Community Vision 2025 In November 2015, Asean adopted a vision of development supported by three pillars: Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), Political-Security Community (APSC), and Economic Community (AEC). For the past decade, I have been attending seminars of all descriptions. At every seminar, the subject of poverty has always dominated heated discussions. One criticism of AEC has been that “the AEC Blueprint is focused on economic progress, with no explicit concern regarding respect for human rights and accountability for redress in cases of human rights violations” (extracted from Page 601 of ‘The Indigenous World 2018’ – published by IWGI, Copenhagen). It is my hope that the Chair will have time to check these sources out and initiate discussions among member countries to address this issue. At the time of the creation of Asean in 1967, the founders Tun Abdul Razak Hussein of Malaysia, Thanat Khoman of Thailand, Adam Malik of Indonesia, and Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, were so engrossed with groping for ideas with which to address the multifaceted problems facing their countries that the relations between states came first. Now the problems are people- centred. Since Asean’s inception in 1967, social and political conditions have changed a lot in all the member countries. The current Asean leaders must empower their organisation in terms of issues relating to human rights violations committed in any member country. Cases of enforced disappearances of persons such as the sad cases of Pastor Koh, of Amri Che Mat, of Joshua Helmy and of his wife, may be seen as ‘internal problems’, but they are of universal importance. A crime against humanity. Malaysia will set a good example to others if human rights violations in the member countries will be part of the Asean Agenda for 2025. That may involve wider participation by the ordinary citizens of the member countries. Hopefully, one or two seminars will take place in Sarawak or Sabah. Equally hopefully, the seminars won’t just be ‘talk, talk, talk...’ – yes, you’ve correctly read my thought! You know what I am getting at. Above are my thoughts of the day, for what they are worth. Give Malaysia the chance to prove that we will do justice to our tenure of office for the next 12 months. * The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist’s own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper.

(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he would sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all products coming in to the United States from Mexico and Canada. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries clamp down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border illegally. (Reporting by Jasper Ward)

Buccaneers are back to .500 and in position to control their playoff hopes down the stretchImmediate 05 Atarax Review 2024: Scam Or Legit Trading Platform? – Honest Reports!Wake Forest keeps Detroit Mercy at arm's length for winAlberta premier tables sovereignty act motion challenging federal emission cap

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The Counting Crows’ melancholy song “A Long December” isn’t about the college football calendar, but the title is an apt description for overworked staffs across America. The coaches at Colorado State and Miami (Ohio) have been multitasking all month long leading up to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl on Saturday. The early signing period for high school and junior college players ran from Dec. 4-6 — relatively convenient for those whose seasons ended the preceding Saturday, Nov. 30. Miami was not one of those teams. The RedHawks played in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on Dec. 7. Nine league titles were decided that weekend. “For the 18 teams playing that weekend, that was a little bit challenging,” Miami coach Chuck Martin said. “Everyone else is just getting ready for the portal and watching kids. So you're a week behind. But I hope I'm a week behind every year.” Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin tries to get a call during the first half of last year's Mid-American Conference Championship against Toledo on Dec. 2, 2023, in Detroit. 'Tis the season ... of tradeoffs. Under different circumstances, the following day might have been a rare day off for Martin and his staff. But the transfer portal opened the next day, Dec. 9. “I'd say I probably worked 16 hours (that) Sunday,” Martin said. “You think maybe (it’s) your first day off since July. But the portal was opening the next day. And other people had been doing that all week.” Miami, Colorado State and every other program in the country lined up visits with potential transfers from Dec. 9-22. It didn’t matter whether they were playing in a bowl game, a College Football Playoff Game or, as was the case with Arizona, their season was over. It had to be done. “Starting that Tuesday (Dec. 10), we've had kids in every day, seven days a week, for the last two weeks,” Martin said Monday. “The fewest was two, and the highest was nine in one day. And it’s every day. “A recruiting weekend is pretty busy. Well, we had a recruiting weekend nonstop for two weeks. Plus, at the same time, you're getting ready for a bowl game. Plus, at the same time, you gotta watch all these kids. Colorado State coach Jay Norvell gives instructions during the first half of a game on Oct. 14, 2023, in Fort Collins, Colo. Norvell is about to coach in his second Arizona Bowl after leading Nevada to a victory in Tucson in 2018. “We probably watched over 2,000 kids on tape. As my wife said, ‘I've been married to you for 30-some years; this is the busiest I've ever seen you.’” Colorado State coach Jay Norvell recalled something colleague Jeff Traylor, the head coach at UTSA, recently said about the December calendar : “This is not the kids’ fault; this is the adults’ fault.” The powers-that-be moved the early signing period up two weeks so recruits could sign their paperwork before the portal floodgates opened. It helped alleviate the logjam, but only to a degree. “We created this schedule, and there's a lot of problems with it,” Norvell said during a pre-Arizona Bowl news conference in Fort Collins on Monday. “I saw Coach (Nick) Saban say we have to align the football transfer portal with the end of the semester for kids. We're putting kids in a bad situation where they are making decisions about leaving a school before their season is over.” This season is the first that ends with the expanded version of the CFP. The national championship game is Jan. 20. Last season’s game took place Jan. 8. The latest it’s ever been is Jan. 13. Top seed Oregon operates on the quarter system. Its winter term begins Jan. 6. Current rules prohibit “midseason” transfers ... for now. “We're looking at scenarios where a kid could play for one school, get in the transfer portal, enroll in school and play for another school in the playoffs. That's not far-fetched,” Norvell said. “If they keep pushing the championship game back, there's gonna be kids that could do that, and that's insane. “There's just so many scenarios that people didn't think about. We’re forced to live with them, and we'll do the best we can. But there's a lot of things that need to be considered and fixed ... so we can put some sanity back into college football. I'm hopeful that we'll adjust and we'll get there. But right now, we're not there.” Some form of normalcy arrived this week. Dec. 23-31 is a “dead period” — i.e., no in-person recruiting or on-campus visits. Nevada tight end Reagan Roberson, right, dives over the line in overtime to give the Wolf Pack a 16-13 win over Arkansas State in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 29, 2018, at Arizona Stadium. “It's game week,” Norvell said. “We're all dialed in to play football now. We’re not hiring coaches. We're not worried about the transfer portal. We're worried about winning the game.” Miami held its last on-campus practice Monday morning and boarded a plane for Tucson on Tuesday. As much as Martin would like to focus solely on the Arizona Bowl, he knows that’s not possible. Transfers are allowed to visit again from Jan. 1-5. “We filled a lot of needs in the portal, but we're not done yet,” Martin said. “I'll be talking to kids tonight, probably, on the phone. I'll be talking to them tomorrow, the next day and the next day. “You got to. You cannot not do it and say, ‘Hey, I want to take time off and relax after the season.’ Well, see where that gets you.” Not new for Norvell This isn’t Norvell’s first rodeo in the Old Pueblo. Norvell was the head coach at Nevada when the Wolf Pack played in the 2018 Arizona Bowl. Nevada defeated Arkansas State 16-13 in overtime . Colorado State running back Avery Morrow, left, runs for a short gain as Nevada linebacker Marcel Walker-Burgess defends in the first half of their game Nov. 18, 2023, in Fort Collins, Colo. Tight end Reagan Roberson scored the winning touchdown — the only TD of his college career. Walk-on receiver Ben Putnam, who never had caught a pass at Nevada, had four receptions for 114 yards. After the game, Norvell awarded Putnam a scholarship . “I just remember me and Matt Mumme (Norvell’s top offensive assistant then and now) hugging as that ball was going in the end zone. Special, special memories of the Arizona Bowl,” Norvell said. “We love the Arizona Bowl. There’s not another bowl we’d rather be in unless we were playing in the Playoff. We’re really excited to be coming.” Wouldn’t that be grand? Fifth-year senior Avery Morrow has a chance to accomplish something in the Arizona Bowl that hasn’t happened at CSU since 2017. Morrow needs 44 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. The last Rams running back to reach quadruple figures was Dalyn Dawkins seven years ago. “I don’t really want to talk about it too much, but it’s been on my mind a lot,” Morrow said. “It’s been a while since there’s been a 1,000-yard back. That’s always been a personal goal.” Morrow played for Norvell at Nevada before transferring to CSU. Morrow recalled their first meeting. Norvell asked him to write down his goals. They included Morrow becoming the first 1,000-yard back under Norvell, who’s never had one as a head coach. “It’d be really cool to check that off my checklist,” Morrow said. What : Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Who : Colorado State vs. Miami (Ohio) When : Saturday 2:30 p.m. Where : Arizona Stadium Watch : The CW Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com . On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @ michaeljlev.bsky.social Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Reporter/Columnist

Social media firms raise 'serious concerns' over Australian U-16 banATLANTA — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats grappled Monday with President Joe Biden's pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of federal crimes his son might have committed. The president said in a statement his son's prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. She, along with Biden and other White House officials, insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon. That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden's reversal could make it harder to take on Trump, who argues that multiple indictments and a conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on social media. "Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President's son." Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on social media: "This wasn't a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers." Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden "put personal interest ahead of duty" with a decision that "further erodes Americans' faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all." Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was "an improper use of power" that erodes faith in government and "emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests." Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon "understandable" if viewed only as the "action of a loving father." But Biden's status as "our nation's Chief Executive," the senator said, rendered the move "unwise." Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump's use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump's campaign and first administration. "Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law's father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France," wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on social media. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there "is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden." Harrison pointed to Trump's apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP's pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. "Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right," Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, "Of course I support the pardon of my son." But Biden’s decision to go back on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son was a surprise that wasn't all that surprising. Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden's first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death of his older son, Beau, from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — raised new questions about his already teetering legacy. Biden aides and allies were already resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn't see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump's win. The president's supporters have long viewed Biden's commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter's personal conduct and tangled business dealings were seen as a persistent liability. Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Before beating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump faced his own legal troubles, including two cases that stemmed from his efforts to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Those cases, including Trump's sentencing after being convicted on New York state business fraud charges, have either been dismissed or indefinitely delayed since Trump's win on Nov. 5, forcing Democrats to recalibrate their approach to the president-elect. In June, President Biden firmly ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case: "I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him." As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump's win, Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying: "We've been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no." Get local news delivered to your inbox!NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans keep proving that for every step forward, they always find ways to take two back. The Titans (3-9) clinched a third straight losing record to mark first-year coach Brian Callahan's debut season in an ugly 42-19 loss to Washington. Yet another slow start, more turnovers, sacks, penalties ruined their chance at stringing together consecutive wins for the first time in more than two years. Callahan said Monday they're trying to build consistency. “In the NFL, a lot of it is about not losing the game first, and we do right now with the amount of penalties and turnovers we’ve had,” Callahan said. "We put ourselves in position to lose games and not win them. And so, yes, there is a there is an element of learning how to win.” Tennessee had 11 of 12 penalties before halftime, trailing 28-7. The Titans also were the previous NFL team to be flagged for at least 11 penalties and trail by 20 or more points at halftime in Week 17 of 2005 against the Jaguars. Only Baltimore has been penalized more than Tennessee this season. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said after the loss that the Titans need to learn how to deal with winning better coming off a 32-27 win at Houston. Simmons said they were "hungover from our own success." Callahan said Monday he didn't see any hangover issues. “You have a performance like that and you're sort of grasping for an explanation on why and there really wasn't one other than we made too many errors early in the game and put ourselves in a hole,” Callahan said. What’s working Quarterback Will Levis' development over the four games since his return from a sprained, right throwing shoulder at least gives the Titans promise for the future. The second-year quarterback made some nice throws and limited yards lost on two sacks Sunday. He threw two TD passes for 212 yards. Since his return, he is completing 61.7% of his passes for 960 yards with seven touchdown passes and only two interceptions with a 101.3 passer rating in that span. What needs help Now the defense is struggling after going into Washington second in the NFL in yards allowed, ninth against the run and first defending the pass. They gave up a season-high 267 yards rushing after giving up just 40 a week ago. The Titans also gave up 28 points within the first 20 minutes, becoming only the third team to do that in the past five seasons . The Titans also did that in Week 8 earlier this season after being routed by the Lions in Detroit. Washington did it against Dallas in Week 16 of 2021. Stock up WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Originally undrafted out of Indiana, Westbrook-Ikhine is tied for fourth in the NFL with eight TD catches entering Monday. That's despite starting only five games this season and not having a pass thrown to him the first month of the season. He has earned a multi-year deal with his performance. He had three receptions for 61 yards against Washington and was targeted a season-high eight times. Stock down Rookie Jha'Quan Jackson. A sixth-round pick out of Tulane and nephew of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Ed Reed has fumbled five times as the punt returner recovering only two of those. That got him benched against Washington. His fumbles have come in the past six games, including one in each of the past two. His fumble against Washington led to an early touchdown. Injuries LT JC Latham hurt a quadriceps muscle but finished the game. Callahan said they will see how CB Roger McCreary (shoulder) and LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (strained hamstring) recover during the week. Key number 36 — The number of games since the Titans have had consecutive victories. Next steps The Titans at least are home with their best focus trying to improve their standing inside the AFC South with four divisional games down the stretch. They have two games remaining against Jacksonville (2-10) starting Sunday with Trevor Lawrence likely out. But their biggest question now is how high does this franchise draft in April. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl