REALITYCHEX.COM - Constant Comments - The Commentariat -- April 29

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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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."

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."

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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Thursday

Apr282011

The Commentariat -- April 29

President Obama delivered the commencement address at Miami Dade College this evening:

... President Obama delivered the commencement address at Miami Dade College this evening. Miami Herald Update: "Pledging his support for immigration reform — and describing the American ideal as a place “where you can make it if you try” — President Barack Obama delivered Miami Dade College’s commencement address Friday night to a standing-room-only-crowd of more than 5,000." Here are the President's full remarks on immigration reform.

Law Prof. Randall Kennedy in The New Republic: "Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer should soon retire. That would be the responsible thing for them to do. Both have served with distinction on the Supreme Court for a substantial period of time; Ginsburg for almost 18 years, Breyer for 17. Both are unlikely to be able to outlast a two-term Republican presidential administration, should one supersede the Obama administration following the 2012 election."

Bill Barnhart, in The Atlantic, reports on a brief but substantive interview of former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

Law Prof. Dale Carpenter writes a New York Times op-ed on the history of American law and gay rights, beginning in 1961 when not even the ACLU would defend astronomer Frank Karmedy, who lost his federal job solely because he was gay.

Ben Bernanke's Big Bust. Paul Krugman: "The only way to make sense of Mr. Bernanke’s aversion to further action is to say that he’s deathly afraid of overshooting the inflation target, while being far less worried about undershooting — even though doing too little means condemning millions of Americans to the nightmare of long-term unemployment.... My interpretation is that Mr.Bernanke is allowing himself to be bullied by the inflationistas: the people who keep seeing runaway inflation just around the corner and are undeterred by the fact that they keep on being wrong.... I’d say that the Fed’s policy is to do nothing about unemployment because Ron Paul is now the chairman of the House subcommittee on monetary policy." Here's the word cloud from Bernanke's press which Krugman refers to in his column:

... The comments pages on Krugman and Brooks are open on Off Times Square. Since Brooks is duller than dirt today, feel free to use his page for any political subject you'd like. I've posted my comments on both Krugman & Brooks. ...

... Update: a couple of great comments on Brooks' column which you won't see in the New York Times as it appears the moderators have rejected them. Akhilleus does a fine job of contrasting Brooks' fawning treatment of fantasy Republican numbers and his skepticism about real Democratic data. The comments are a lot better than the column. ...

... Update 2: Winnie Regressivita has commented on Krugman. She is so astute! Be sure to recommend her comment at #141.

Jonathan Chait of The New Republic: for Washington elites, "the economic crisis is over," so -- tough luck, America; we've got deals to make & parties to attend.

Jed Lewison of Daily Kos: the public isn't moved by discussions of fiscal policy, no matter how eloquent. "There's probably nobody better than Barack Obama at winning a debate that somebody else started, but eventually letting your opponents define the debate will catch up with you. It won't be easy, but over the course of the next few months, President Obama and his political team are going to need to come up with a strategy to go on offense and retake control of the debate." ...

... Ron Brownstein of the National Journal agrees with Lewison: "The continued strain on the groups at the core of Obama’s coalition underscores the practical stakes in his recent turn toward deficit reduction....Many liberal strategists fear that Obama could win this battle and lose the war in 2012. These critics argue that the tactical benefits of embracing greater deficit reduction come at a high cost: By agreeing that Washington must tighten its belt, the president has essentially precluded additional large-scale government efforts to stimulate growth and create jobs."

Digby, in response to a new Washington Post poll that shows 81 percent of respondents now say the deficit is a major problem: "now that the entire village has convinced everyone that the deficit is going to kill us all in our beds, when it fails to correct the economic malaise, people will lose faith in government even more! It's a twofer! How long will it take to unwind this one? I'm not sure. But it could take a very long time. And the damage it's going to create is immeasurable.

Ruth Simon of the Wall Street Journal: "Under orders from U.S. regulators, 14 financial institutions have until mid-June to lay out plans to clean up their mortgage-servicing operations — and another 60 days to make the changes. It will be a daunting, expensive chore despite the work done since the foreclosure mess erupted last fall. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. said it would take a $1.1 billion charge related to the consent order and other servicing-cost increases."

Brian Stelter of the New York Times: "Lara Logan thought she was going to die in Tahrir Square when she was sexually assaulted by a mob on the night that Hosni Mubarak’s government fell in Cairo. Ms. Logan, a CBS News correspondent, was in the square preparing a report for “60 Minutes” on Feb. 11 when the celebratory mood suddenly turned threatening. She was ripped away from her producer and bodyguard by a group of men who tore at her clothes and groped and beat her body.... She estimated that the attack involved 200 to 300 men."

Mark Sherman of the AP: this year none of the Supremes is planning to retire.

Trump's Popularity Is Nothing to Laugh about. The New Republic Editors: "What Trump actually stands for is an exaggerated sense of victimhood.... His foreign policy views in essence consist of a pledge to bully other nations.... Trump’s thinly veiled accusation that President Obama benefited from affirmative action when he applied to college derives from the same theme. This time the victims aren’t Americans as a whole, they are white Americans; but the message—of anger, resentment, and victimhood—is identical.... Donald Trump has appointed himself spokesman for some of the nastiest impulses in American politics, and he seems to have a following."

Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post: "What happened yesterday — from the release of Obama’s long-form birth certificate to Trump’s taunts about the president’s academic achievement — should show everyone that we do not live in a post-racial America. Not when even the White House can’t be a refuge from racism. And not when someone who proclaims to have 'a great relationship with the blacks' gleefully proves every day that that’s a lie." ...

... Justin Elliott of Salon has been plumbing the history books lately. Today he reprises an old episode of Donald Trump's problem with "the blacks." It was a big problem. In the early 1970s, "his New York real estate company was sued by the federal government for discriminating against potential black renters. After a lengthy legal battle, it ultimately agreed to wide-ranging steps to offer rentals to nonwhites.... In 1978, the government filed a motion for supplemental relief, charging that the Trump company had not complied with the 1975 agreement." ...

... AND Karen Garcia wants to know why the Washington Post hasn't disinvited racist Birther-in-Chief Donald Trump from being their guest at Saturday's White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Right Wing World *

... It's hard to recall a political figure who says so many things that are concretely checkably, false; the press is mostly keeping up. -- Ben Smith of Politico, referring to Donald Trump

I only regret I had but five deferments to get out of serving my country, none of which is worth mentioning. The Smoking Gun: "Despite Donald Trump’s claim this week that he avoided serving in the Vietnam War solely due to a high draft number, Selective Service records show that the purported presidential aspirant actually received a series of student deferments while in college and then topped those off with a medical deferment after graduation that helped spare him from fighting for his country, The Smoking Gun has learned. With documents. CW: read the whole story. Imagine a presidential contendah lying about his serial draft-dodging!

We’re saying: Save Medicare by reforming it for people who are 54 and below by working like a system just like members of Congress and federal employees have. -- Rep. Paul Ryan ...

... Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler calls this a key Republican applause line that for a number of reasons is simply not true.

"Watch the 2012 'Fiscal Conservatives' Do the Ethanol Dance." Michael Scherer of Time: "The CBO reports that this [federal corn] subsidy bills taxpayers about $1.78 for every gallon of gasoline that is replaced by ethanol. What’s more, the evidence is clear ... that 'Corn ethanol, always environmentally suspect, turns out to be environmentally disastrous.'[Michael Grunwald, Time] And yet, candidates have been going to Iowa to sing the praises of ethanol for decades. As 2012 approaches, self-styled fiscally conservative candidates, who want to cut the waste and fat out of the federal budget, have once again begun to justify a $1.78 per gallon federal taxpayer subsidy.”

If You Didn't Vote for Me, I Don't Represent You. Ashley Parker of the New York Times: Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) comes home to a rowdy townhall meeting. "When Ms. Devane [a constituent] said Mr. Grimm was supposed to be representing her, he added: 'You wouldn’t vote for me, and I know that. I respect that. So don’t pretend you voted for me. You didn’t.'” Grimm also was flabbergasted at the idea that George W. Bush had anything to do with the deficit:

I want the press to document this. The reason that the Democratic House, the Democratic Senate and the president, who’s a Democrat, and his name was President Barack Obama, not President George Bush, they didn’t pass a budget or pass any plan to stop our debt crisis because of George Bush? It was because of George Bush?”

* Where facts never intrude.

News Ledes

Orlando Sentinel: "A last-minute technical issue forced NASA officials to scrub the launch of space shuttle Endeavour at about noon on Friday, a move certain to disappoint President Obama, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and hundreds of thousands of spectators who flooded to the Space Coast. The next launch opportunity will be 2:34 p.m. on Monday." ...

... Politico: "The scrub, announced while the president was in Alabama..., didn’t stop [President] Obama from bringing his family to tour the facility. He met with the astronauts, and Endeavour Commander Mark Kelly thanked him for coming. In a more private moment, Obama visited Kelly’s wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.)...." CW: this story, BTW, is a good example of how to make what should be a straight news story into an anti-Obama "report."

President & Mrs. Obama will view some of the storm damage in Alabama, meet with Gov. Bentley, other state & local officials & families affected by the storm, beginning at 11:10 am ET. NBC News story here. Washington Post story here. ...

... The New York Times has coverage of the storms here, with links to multimedia pages. ...

... Washington Post Update: "President Obama walked through a tornado-ravaged neighborhood in Tuscaloosa on Friday and promised 'maximum federal help' to the survivors of a series of deadly twisters that carved paths of destruction and claimed nearly 300 lives in six Southern states. 'I’ve never seen devastation like this,' Obama said as he toured the Alberta section of the city with first lady Michelle Obama and gazed at crumpled houses, uprooted trees and destroyed cars. 'It is heart-breaking.'” ...

... White House Update: here are remarks by the President, made in Alberta, Alabama, released by the White House.

President Obama meets with participants in the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike at 8:00 am ET.

AP: "The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday replaced three top managers in the nation’s air traffic control system following embarrassing incidents of controllers sleeping on the job and making potentially dangerous mistakes."

AP: "Opponents of taxpayer-funded embryonic stem cell research lost a key round in a federal appeals court Friday. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the U.S. court of appeals in Washington overturned a judge’s order that would have blocked federal financing of stem cell research. The judges ruled that opponents are not likely to succeed in their lawsuit to stop the government funding."

Washington Post: "The death toll soared to near 300 Thursday as rescuers dug through rubble from Mississippi to Virginia in the nation’s deadliest natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina."

The Hill: "As the country's largest oil companies report near-record profits, the office of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) rejected on Thursday Democratic calls to consider legislation eliminating billions of dollars in tax breaks for the same corporations."

McClatchy News: "Amazon all but told South Carolina goodbye Wednesday after the online retailer lost a legislative showdown on a sales tax collection exemption it wants to open a distribution center that would bring 1,249 jobs to the Midlands. Company officials immediately halted plans to equip and staff the one million-square-foot building under construction at I-77 and 12th Street near Cayce."

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