The Ledes

Monday, March 3, 2025

New York Times: “Pope Francis had two acute respiratory crises on Monday, the Vatican said, stoking further concerns about the health of the 88-year old pontiff, who has been hospitalized in Rome in serious condition for more than two weeks. The pope has been undergoing treatment for double pneumonia and a complex infection in a Rome hospital, and his condition has been alternating between improvements and setbacks.”

The Wires
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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.

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:

New York Times: “Chuck Todd, the former 'Meet the Press' moderator and a longtime fixture of NBC’s political coverage, told colleagues on Friday that he was leaving the network. A nearly two-decade veteran of NBC, Mr. Todd said that Friday would be his last day at NBC.... Mr. Todd, 52, is the latest TV news star to step aside at a moment when salaries are being scrutinized — and slashed — by major media companies. Hoda Kotb exited NBC’s 'Today' show this month, and Neil Cavuto of Fox News and CNN’s Chris Wallace departed their cable news homes late last year.”

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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Saturday
Mar122011

The Commentariat -- March 12

Gen. Wesley Clark, in a Washington Post op-ed: "... the basic requirements for successful intervention [in Libya] simply don't exist, at least not yet: We don't have a clearly stated objective, legal authority, committed international support or adequate on-the-scene military capabilities, and Libya's politics hardly foreshadow a clear outcome. We should have learned these lessons from our long history of intervention. We don't need Libya to offer us a refresher course in past mistakes." ...

... BUT. Lloyd Grove in the Daily Beast or Newsweek or whatever: former president Bill Clinton favors imposing a no-fly zone over Libya. Clinton said Thursday, "'We have the planes to make an appropriate contribution to this.' ... Clinton ... argued that Gaddafi himself has already internationalized the conflict by hiring foreign mercenaries 'at $2,000 a day,' to kill Libyans. 'It’s not a fair fight,' the former president said, under questioning by Newsweek and Daily Beast Editor in Chief Tina Brown. 'They’re being killed by mercenaries. I think we should support them.'”

The Sphinx Strategy. Jim Kuhnhenn of the AP: "... the White House sees no upside in outspokenness." White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer says the public wants President Obama to lead; "they don't want him serving as a cable commentator for the issue of the day."

CW: in his news conference yesterday, President Obama defended the exteme treatment WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning is receiving at Quantico. Not everyone in his Administration is on the same page. Philippa Thomas reports that in a public meeting held earlier this week about the news media's role in foreign policy, State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley said , "What’s being done to Bradley Manning by my colleagues at the Department of Defense is ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.'” Josh Rogin of Foreign Policy writes that Crowley has since confirmed he made those remarks but that they were his "personal opinion." He also said, "I defer to the Department of Defense regarding the treatment of Bradley Manning."

Suzy Khimm of Mother Jones: "A killer tsunami has devastated Japan and is now threatening Hawaii and the Pacific Coast of the US. But just last month, Republicans voted to gut funding for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center — a cut that would cripple the National Weather Service's ability to issue warnings about such disasters." Yeah, because who cares if we lose some of those elite West Coast libruls?

Killing Him Softly. Republican Joe Scarborough clearly is not a Mitt Romney fan. David Axelrod, on the other hand, says he loves Romneycare. All in all, a fine double-team schtick against Mitt:

Right Wing World

CW: I hadn't intended to link to Gail Collins' column because it's all about the Newt. It's a very fine column, of course, but I urge you also to read Gemli's comment (#1) on her column. Here's his closing graph -- a classic!:

These hypocrites always seem to find God just when it’s politically convenient to do so, and claim that He has embraced them. Personally, I wouldn’t embrace Gingrich if I were wearing a hazmat suit and a respirator. And it’s us humans who will have to vote for him and live with the embarrassing consequences, not some deity who is clearly undiscriminating about the company He keeps. Let's all say a prayer that we don't make a mistake we will certainly live to regret.

Andrew DeMillo of the AP: maybe those apparent gaffes of Mike Huckabee's -- about President Obama & actor Natalie Portman -- weren't gaffes at all. CW: the premises of all of them (several about Obama & two about Portman, if you consider it a gaffe to call a respected actor a "starlet" -- I do) would resonate with much of Huckabee's base. The attention Huckabee's remarks have drawn, though derisive, comes from the main stream and left; could be a campaign moneymaker for the Huckster.

In an interview with Robert Costa of the National Review, Rick Santorum explains why Newt Gingrich really isn't a hypocrite. Santorum likens his own smoking pot in college with Gingrich's multiple, long-lasting infidelities & his (Gingrich's) unceremonious dumping of his wives. Another example of why "santorum" should remain a generic noun. ...

... Speaking of santorum, James O'Keefe -- wait for this -- did a great deal of creative editing of his little sting operation against NPR. Ben Smith remarks, "It's either depressing or sort of wonderful that Glenn Beck's The Blaze was the one to catch some really serious, dishonest lily-gilding in the NPR sting; to-wit: 

      ... ** Scott Baker of The Blaze describes one edit of the O'Keefe tape: "the clip in the edited video implies [NPR exec Ron] Schiller is giving simply his own analysis of the Tea Party. He does do that in part, but the raw video reveals that he is largely recounting the views expressed to him by two top Republicans, one a former ambassador, who admitted to him that they voted for Obama." Baker's piece picks up on several other egregious edits that completely or partially change the meaning of Schiller's remarks. In one case, he appears to endorse extremist Islamic views; he's actually responding to a remark about the group's restaurant reservations. Schiller lost his job over this; so did the NPR CEO Vivian Schiller (no relation). When are real people ever going to learn that the Brietbart-O'Keefe-Tucker Carlson crowd are the santorum of Right Wing World and their breathless, game-changing "exposés" are never what they appear to be. (Think Shirley Sherrod here; think ACORN.)

Local News

Iowa Open Mic. Steve Benen: a couple of top Iowa Republicans are caught discussing a proposed carry law. One of the bill's supporters, the state House Speaker Pro Tem, describes the bill as "The crazy, give-a-handgun-to-a-schizophrenic bill." Includes video. CW: they know what they're doing; they just don't care about the consequences they foresee. P.S. Family-values legislators sure do swear a lot.

Casey Grove of the Anchorage Daily News: "Five people in the Fairbanks area were arrested Thursday by state and federal law enforcement on charges connected with an alleged plot to kidnap or kill state troopers and a Fairbanks judge, according to the Alaska State Troopers." Note to Peter King: as far as I know, these homegrown terrorists are not "radicalized" Muslims. How about conducting a hearing on "radicalized Second Amendment/sovereign citizen" groups.

News Ledes

Wisconsin State Journal: "For a fourth straight Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters opposed to the controversial budget repair bill Gov. Scott Walker signed into law Friday descended on the state Capitol calling for Walker's ouster, while some are calling for a general strike. The crowd swelled as the 3 p.m. rally started and a bitter wind picked up. Protesters from neighboring states joined locals in the slow march around the Capitol."

** New York Times: "An explosion at a nuclear power plant in northern Japan on Saturday blew the roof off one building, brought down walls and caused a radiation leak of unspecified proportions, Japanese officials said, after Friday’s huge earthquake caused critical failures in the plant’s cooling system." The Washington Post story is here: four other reactors are in peril. Los Angeles Times story here: as many as 1,700 may have perished in the quake & tsunami.

... New York Times: "The death toll from the tsunami and earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in Japan, was in the hundreds, but Japanese news media quoted government officials as saying that it could rise to more than 1,300, most of them drowned. About 200 to 300 bodies were found along the waterline in Sendai, a port city in northeastern Japan and the closest major city to the epicenter." ...

... AP Update: "Cooling systems failed at another nuclear reactor on Japan's devastated coast Sunday, hours after an explosion at a nearby unit made leaking radiation, or even outright meltdown, the central threat to the country following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. The Japanese government said radiation emanating from the plant appeared to have decreased after Saturday's blast, which produced a cloud of white smoke that obscured the complex. But the danger was grave enough that officials pumped seawater into the reactor to avoid disaster and moved 170,000 people from the area." ...

... Kyodo News Update: "The loss of life and destruction caused by Friday's catastrophic earthquake in Japan grew Saturday, with the combined number of people who have died or remain unaccounted for expected to exceed 1,800, while an explosion occurred at a nuclear power plant injuring four workers."

Washington Post: President "Obama's cautious commitment to the [Libyan] rebel movement, which he said is 'just getting organized' in its fight to end Gaddafi's 41-year rule, mirrored the stance taken Friday by European leaders, who until now had been speaking more boldly than Obama on how best to assist Libya's opposition. At an emergency European Union summit, leaders declared that Gaddafi can no longer be considered Libya's leader and must step down immediately. But they stopped short of formally recognizing the rebel movement or endorsing military action to support its armed struggle."

Los Angeles Times: "Rep. Gabrielle Giffords ... 'is making leaps and bounds in terms of neurological progress,' doctors said Friday, and there is 'a good possibility' she will be able to attend the final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, which her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, will command in April. Giffords' speech 'is getting very good' and she 'is starting to walk with assistance,' said Dr. Dong Kim, director of Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center...." Arizona Republic story here.

Politico: "Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has come out in opposition to the House’s attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, making her the first Republican senator to specifically support the beleaguered organization."

New York Times: "The Justice Department is investigating allegations that a mortgage subsidiary of Morgan Stanley foreclosed on almost two dozen military families from 2006 to 2008 in violation of a longstanding law aimed at preventing such action."

Washington Post: "National Football League team owners locked out the league's players Saturday, shutting down professional football for the first time in 24 years and plunging the nation's most popular and prosperous sport into a time of uncertainty."

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