The Ledes

Saturday, March 8, 2025

New York Times: “Officials said [actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa] died of natural causes, he of heart disease and she of a rare viral infection. But it was Ms. Arakawa — the caregiver, lover, protector — who died first, perhaps on Feb. 11, leaving Mr. Hackman, 95 years old with advanced Alzheimer’s, alone in the house for days. He is believed to have died a week later, on Feb. 18. Their decomposing bodies were not discovered for yet another eight days, when a maintenance worker called a security guard to the house after no one came to the door.... Ms. Arakawa died of hantarivus, which is contracted through exposure to excrement from rodents, often the deer mouse in New Mexico.”

The Wires
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Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Democrats' Weekly Address

Marie (Feb 23): As far as I can tell, there isn't any. I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Democrats are so screwed up, they can't even put together a couple of minutes of video to tell us how screwed we are.

Back when the Washington Post had an owner/publisher who dared to stand up to a president:

Prime video is carrying the documentary. If you watch it, I suggest watching the Spielberg film "The Post" afterwards. There is currently a free copy (type "the post full movie" in the YouTube search box) on YouTube (or you can rent it on YouTube, on Prime & [I think] on Hulu). Near the end, Daniel Ellsberg (played by Matthew Rhys), says "I was struck in fact by the way President Johnson's reaction to these revelations was [that they were] 'close to treason,' because it reflected to me the sense that what was damaging to the reputation of a particular administration or a particular individual was in itself treason, which is very close to saying, 'I am the state.'" Sound familiar?

Out with the Black. In with the White. New York Times: “Lester Holt, the veteran NBC newscaster and anchor of the 'NBC Nightly News' over the last decade, announced on Monday that he will step down from the flagship evening newscast in the coming months. Mr. Holt told colleagues that he would remain at NBC, expanding his duties at 'Dateline,' where he serves as the show’s anchor.... He said that he would continue anchoring the evening news until 'the start of summer.' The network did not immediately name a successor.” ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “MSNBC said on Monday that Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary who has become one of the most prominent hosts at the network, would anchor a nightly weekday show in prime time. Ms. Psaki, 46, will host a show at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, replacing Alex Wagner, a longtime political journalist who has anchored that hour since 2022, according to a memo to staff from Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president. Ms. Wagner will remain at MSNBC as an on-air correspondent. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s biggest star, has been anchoring the 9 p.m. hour on weeknights for the early days of ... [Donald] Trump’s administration but will return to hosting one night a week at the end of April.”

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the political analyst and anchor’s prime time news show."

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

     ~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

As we watch in horror the rapid destruction of our democratic form of government, it is comforting to remember there is life outside politics. I took a break a while ago to enjoy a brief lesson in the history of the moonwalk: ~~~

But it may go back even further:

And this chronological account is helpful:

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

 

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The Commentariat -- April 22

While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings. For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great.
-- Sen. John Ensign, in a statement announcing his resignation

Yes, if there's one thing John Ensign worries about, it's putting his family through a difficult ordeal. -- Steve Benen

Paul Krugman: "... the budget proposal from the Congressional Progressive Caucus is not going to happen — but then neither is the Ryan plan. And unlike the Ryan plan, it actually makes sense."

"Patients Are Not Consumers." Paul Krugman: "The idea that ... doctors are just 'providers' selling services to health care 'consumers' — is, well, sickening. And the prevalence of this kind of language [coming from Republicans] is a sign that something has gone very wrong not just with this discussion, but with our society’s values." See comments from Kate Madison, Karen Garcia & me others (held back on the Times site but not here!) on the Off Times Square page.

Brooks Does Broadway. David Brooks sees the musical/satirical comedy "The Book of Mormon." "The religions that thrive have exactly what 'The Book of Mormon' ridicules: communal theologies, doctrines and codes of conduct rooted in claims of absolute truth." He goes on to extol the virtues of "rigorous theology" and "rigorous codes of conduct." We need rules!

Tim Egan compares Donald Trump to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who currently on trial for a sex scandal involving underage prostitutes.

Robert Reich: "... the center of America isn't near halfway between the two sides. It's overwhelmingly on the side of the President and the Democrats. I'd wager if Americans also knew two-thirds of Ryan's budget cuts come from programs serving lower and moderate-income Americans and over 70 percent of the savings fund tax cuts for the rich -- meaning it's really just a giant transfer from the less advantaged to the super advantaged without much deficit reduction at all -- far more would be against it. And if people knew that the Ryan plan would channel hundreds of billions of their Medicare dollars into the pockets of private for-profit heath insurers, almost everyone would be against it. The Republican plan shouldn't be considered one side of a great debate. It shouldn't be considered at all." Read Reich's whole post.

Lori Montgomery of the Washington Post: "President Obama’s deficit-reduction plan 'falls short' of targets set by House Republicans and Obama’s own fiscal commission and would be unlikely to stabilize borrowing, according to a new independent analysis. The analysis, by the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, found that the plan Obama unveiled in a speech last week would require the nation to borrow another $7 trillion during the next decade, compared with about $5.5 trillion under the House Republican [Ryan] budget and about $5.3 trillion under the recommendations offered in December by Obama’s fiscal commission." CW: in other words, all of the plans raise the deficit over the next decade. CW: bottom line -- eliminating Bush tax cuts on the rich won't do it. Solution -- raise taxes on the rich & eliminate all the corporate loopholes. The Congressional Progressive Caucus budget does this and more. ...

     ... CW Update: Oh, good. Here's Michael Tomasky -- who covers U.S. politics for the Guardian -- agreeing with me. He calls the CPC budget "the only responsible budget in town." ...

... Or, as Ezra Klein explains it, "House Republicans voted to make the Ryan budget law. But the Ryan budget includes $6 trillion in new debt over the next 10 years, which means that to become law, the Ryan budget would require a substantial increase in the debt ceiling. But before the Republicans agree to increase the debt ceiling so that the budget they passed can become law, Republicans are demanding the passage of either a balanced budget amendment that would make the Ryan budget unconstitutional or a spending cap that the Ryan budget would, in certain years (and if you’re using more realistic numbers, in all years), exceed.” ...

... Howard Gleckman of the Tax Policy Center adds: "... any lawmaker who voted for the budget deal that funds the remainder of this fiscal year or who opposed the measure because it cut spending by too much ought to be impeached if he does not also vote to increase the debt limit.... Having voted to run up the bill, it is utterly irresponsible to prohibit the government from borrowing the money to pay it. More importantly, there is no fiscal plan now on the table that would balance the 2012 budget, and thus stop adding to the debt."

Dana Milbank: Andrew "Breitbart’s criticism of fellow conservatives is part of a new wave of infighting on the right. Three months after gaining control of the House, cracks have begun to appear in the conservative coalition.... This loss of discipline in the conservative movement is the natural byproduct of its rise to power."

Nate Silver: Republican "Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada is expected to appoint Dean Heller, currently the Republican incumbent in the state’s Second Congressional District, to replace Senator John Ensign, who is resigning.... Nothing about today changes" Mr. Heller's odds of winning the election. He remains "a modest favorite in the race, just as he was before."

Here's a handy little graphic showing how George W. Bush's policies created the deficit. That little dark line way down at the bottom of the chart shows what the deficit would have been without Bush's "help." Via Jonathan Capehart the Washinton Post:

Right Wing World *

Justin Elliott of Salon writes that he interviewed half-a-dozen reliable sources, each of whom had reason to believe that Sarah Palin was pregnant in early March 2008 and is therefore the mother of Trig. One source was then-AP journalist Steve Quinn who said Palin showed him her expanded abdomen some weeks before Trig's birth, & he observed she was pregnant. CW: okay, there's the evidence I was looking for & haven't seen printed anywhere. So I stand corrected.

Steve Benen: the Republican health insurance plan is still "go to the emergency room." How do we know? Because they keep saying so, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour being the latest advocate of that "plan." Benen calls it "the most inefficient system of socialized medicine ever devised" because of course "it's extremely expensive to treat patients this way, and it would be far cheaper, and more medically effective, to pay for preventative care so that people don't have to wait for a medical emergency to seek treatment."

NEW. While concurring with Andrew Sullivan's criticism that Republican Washington "elites" who are aghast at Donald Trump's popularity among their base have only themselves to blame for it, Driftglass also lets Sullivan have it for his selective amnesia. This 2006 post by Driftglass, which he cites in the current post, is quite worth reading, & the five intervening years haven't changed the general tenor & thrust of Right Wing World tactics. ...

... The Birth of Birtherism by Ben Smith & Byron Tau of Politico: "... as Obama marched toward the presidency, a new suggestion emerged: That he was not eligible to serve.... That theory first emerged in the spring of 2008, as Clinton supporters circulated an anonymous email questioning Obama’s citizenship."

... Kirk Johnson of the New York Times: "Around the country, the [birther] issue has proved to be a sure winner for the conservative base, with bills popping up in more than a dozen state legislatures to force future presidential candidates to prove their citizenship." CW: in case you think some of the backers of these bills might be stupid, take a look at the twisted logic of this Georgia state legislator whose birther bill didn't pass:

If one state passes, and the Obama administration basically ignores the requirement and does not qualify for the ballot in that state, that would send a very strong signal that we have a situation in the United States where someone who is not eligible is occupying the White House.
-- Mark Hatfield, Georgia Republican legislator

     ... Here's some similar logic: If I ignore a lunatic's demand to take off my shoes & show him my toes, then I must have twelve toes. ...

... Donald Trump takes a page out of Joe McCarthy's playbook and, discussing his "birther" investigation in Hawaii, tells CNN hosts, "I have people that have been studying it and they cannot believe what they're finding.... We're looking into it very, very strongly. At a certain point in time I'll be revealing some interesting things":

... The Best-Laid Schemes.... Michael O'Brien of The Hill: "If Donald Trump's flirtation with running for president is a bid to boost ratings for his reality TV show, it doesn’t appear to be working. Trump ... has been surging in polls measuring support for the GOP presidential hopefuls. But the ratings for the 11th season of NBC’s 'The Apprentice,' which is featuring celebrity contestants, hit their lowest point for the season last Sunday, even as Trump was enjoying prominence in a slew of presidential headlines." CW: maybe Trump is running for president as a back-up plan for when NBC fires him.

Alex Seitz-Wald of Think Progress: "Fracking is a relatively new and untested technique, but [Sen. Jim] Inhofe insisted that there’s nothing to worry about, as he claimed fracking has 'never poisoned anyone” nor ever contaminated groundwater.' ... Just yesterday, a blowout at a Pennsylvania natural gas well engaged in fracking spilled thousands of gallons of toxic chemical-laced water, 'contaminating a stream and forcing the evacuation of seven families who live nearby as crews struggled to stop the gusher,' the AP reported. Inhofe referenced the Pennsylvania spill in his interview, but said that it has 'nothing to do with fracking' because it was a stream, not groundwater that was contaminated."

* Where facts never intrude.

News Ledes

President Obama releases a statement on the violence in Syria (Full statement on the White House site):

The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of force by the Syrian government against demonstrators. This outrageous use of violence to quell protests must come to an end now. We regret the loss of life and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims, and with the Syrian people in this challenging time.

New York Times: "Senator John Ensign’s resignation letter allows him to leave office just one day before he was to have to answer questions under oath about whether a $96,000 payment to the family of his former lover was illegal, designed to keep the affair from becoming public, according to people familiar with an investigation of Mr. Ensign’s activities.... Two leaders of the Ethics Committee — both the top Democrat and the top Republican — ... are likely to take the unusual step of issuing a statement that details evidence of wrongdoing uncovered in a 22-month investigation that was the largest in more than a decade...."

New York Times: "As Syrian security forces unleashed a deadly crackdown on demonstrators, protests on Friday remained peaceful elsewhere in the Middle East with tens of thousands of protesters taking to the streets following noon prayers."

New York Times: "Syria deployed police officers, soldiers and military vehicles in two of the country’s three largest cities on Thursday ahead of a call for nationwide protests that will test the popular reception of reforms decreed by President Bashar al-Assad as well as the momentum that organizers have sought to bring to a five-week uprising." ...

     ... New York Times Update: "Security forces in Syria met thousands of demonstrators with fusillades of live ammunition after noon prayers on Friday, killing at least 73 people in the bloodiest day of the five-week-old Syrian uprising, according to protesters, witnesses and accounts on social networking sites."

New York Times: "The secretary general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council traveled to the Yemeni capital, Sana, on Thursday to offer the embattled president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, a deal to solve Yemen’s current political crisis. A Yemeni government statement promised an official response within 24 hours. The arrangement calls for the president to hand over power immediately and step down in 30 days, and sets up new presidential elections 60 days later, a Yemeni official said...."

Los Angeles Times: "President Obama sought to bolster California supporters Thursday by arguing that his administration has achieved a number of key goals, from healthcare reform to tax cuts, while acknowledging that delivering on the promises he made in 2008 has been more difficult than he had expected."

Washington Post: "BP will make a $1 billion down payment on the costs of restoring ecosystems damaged by last year’s 87-day oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst in U.S. history, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Interior Department announced Thursday."

Securing the Tipper Gore Vote. AP: "The Obama administration asked the Supreme Court Thursday to reinstate a policy that allows federal regulators to fine broadcasters for showing nudity and airing curse words when young children may be watching television. The administration is seeking the high court's review of appeals court rulings that threw out the Federal Communications Commission's rules against the isolated use of expletives as well as fines against broadcasters who showed a woman's nude buttocks on a 2003 episode of ABC's 'NYPD Blue.'"

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