A New DNC Chair, the Same Old Corbyn, Old News in Russia: The Weekend Behind, the Week Ahead

The U.S. Democratic Party has a new leader to face President Donald Trump. Tom Perez, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, was elected the new chair of the Democratic National Committee. Shortly after his selection, he asked his stiffest competition for the role, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Min.) to be his second in command. Ellison accepted, and urged the Democratic party to unite. “We don’t have the luxury, folks, to walk out of this room divided,” Ellison said.

Across the pond, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn vowed to Sky News he would not step down as head of the fledgling party before 2020. While doing so, he made this face:

The opposition in Russia, meanwhile, was marking the two year anniversary of the murder of assassination of prominent anti-Vladimir Putin activist Boris Nemtsov. Thousands marched in Moscow and elsewhere, holding up signs. Some looked like Russian flags riddled with bullet holes; others were adorned with Nemtsov quotes such as, “For Russia, without Putin.”

Prominent Russian television host Dmitri Kiselev conspicuously forgot to mention the protests during his broadcast. He did, however, find time to note, “The whole of America smacks of a madhouse.”

Back in the so-called madhouse, the State Department slammed Russia for its military antics in Ukraine amid escalating violence. Meanwhile, Trump again pushed back on allegations of improper ties between his White House and Moscow. “Russia talk is FAKE NEWS put out by the Dems, and played up by the media, in order to mask the big election defeat and the illegal leaks!” he tweeted.

Perhaps that indicates there will be more “Russia talk” in the week ahead.

Photo credit: OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP/Getty Images