Ten years ago: President Barack Obama convened a health care summit with Democrats and Republicans; after a day of debate and disagreement, the president concluded the talkfest with a bleak assessment that an accord might not be possible. In Vancouver, the Canadian women beat the United States 2-0 for their third straight Olympic hockey title. Americans Billy Demong and Johnny Spillane finished 1-2 in a Nordic combined race. Yuna Kim of South Korea won ladies’ figure skating.
Five years ago: Secretary of State John Kerry fielded dozens of questions from House Foreign Affairs Committee members worried about what Iran could get in a deal being negotiated to block its ability to make an atomic weapon.
One year ago: R&B star R. Kelly pleaded not guilty to allegations that he sexually abused four people dating back to 1998, including three underage girls. The Trump administration announced new sanctions on allies of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro as it struggled to find new ways to boost his opponent. Responding to director Spike Lee, who had used an Oscars acceptance speech to urge mobilization for the 2020 election, President Donald Trump tweeted that Lee did a “racist hit on your President.”
