REALITYCHEX.COM - Constant Comments - The Commentariat -- May 10

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....”

Page Links

Monday

May092011

The Commentariat -- May 10

The Final Editon. A fabulous parody. Be sure to watch the Last Timescast. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO GO TO THE SITE. Thanks to David H.

I have opened a comments page on Off Times Square for David Brooks, where you may also comment on other political issues. Karen Garcia & I have read Brooks and have posted our comments on his column. Now I must shower. Update: looks like my comment on Brooks got the axe, so you'll have to read it here. Update 2: Do read today's comments. They are so far superior to Babbling Brooks that there is really no comparison. ...

... AND thanks to commenter Denis Neville for liberally excerpting this article by U.S. labor lawyer Thomas Geoghegan in a July 2010 post to In These Times, which is itself an excerpt from Geoghegan's book Were You Born on the Wrong Continent? The answer to the question is yes, if you're an American worker. You would be better off in Europe. And the U.S. economy would be better off if we followed the example of some European countries.

Peter Wallsten & Perry Bacon, Jr. of the Washington Post: "... in using a speech in El Paso to highlight his enforcement record, [President] Obama will signal that he intends to try turning the immigration debate into a political winner among conservative swing voters who back tougher immigration policies. The president is expected to reel off what his aides say is evidence of an unprecedented focus on border security.... The result, aides say, has been a steep decline in illegal incursions and plummeting crime rates in U.S. border communities from Texas to California." (This story is also linked in today's Ledes.)

Paul Kane & Lori Montgomery of the Washington Post: "House Speaker John A. Boehner defined the GOP’s terms for raising the legal limit on government borrowing Monday, demanding that President Obama reduce spending by more than $2 trillion in exchange for an increase big enough to cover the nation’s bills through the end of next year.... Democrats immediately rejected Boehner’s approach as reckless. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said Monday that the speaker is 'playing with fire' by not telling the captains of Wall Street that he would definitely approve an increase in the debt ceiling, no matter how far along the fiscal negotiations are. Schumer mocked Boehner’s long-running call for an 'adult conversation' with the American public about the nation’s debt. 'Speaker Boehner needs to have an adult moment right here and now,' the senator told reporters." CW: The New York Times story, which I also linked under yestdays Ledes, is here. And Schumer is right. Boehner is completely irresponsible. ...

... BUT. Jonathan Chait of The New Republic: "John Boehner ... is bluffing.... The obvious bluff is his supposed willingness to permanently hamper the Treasury's ability to borrow money, something he's been privately assuring Wall Street he won't really do.... Boehner says he wants to cut trillions, which would have to entail cutting Social Security and Medicare.... Oh, sure, he wants them to be cut. But he does not want to be the one who cuts them. He wants a bipartisan agreement in which President Obama provides him with cover.... Obama's play here is clear: He needs to ask Boehner to spell out his demands." ...

... Joshua Green of The Atlantic: "The current debt ceiling fracas stems from one thing, and it's not spending. It's the pointless, silly, and potentially very costly, two-step process by which the United States, and no other country, goes about budgeting and spending money. First, Congress passes a budget resolution that determines how much will be spent. Then it raises the debt ceiling to accommodate that spending. The fight now is being driven by Republicans, and some Democrats, who don't want to do the second part, even though the spending decisions have already been made." Years ago, Rep. Dick Gephardt fixed this problem by making the raising of the debt ceiling part of the budget bill, after which Republicans unfixed the fix.

Alexander Bolton of The Hill: "A deep rift is opening wider and wider in the Republican Party over controversial proposals to cut Medicare. Senate Republicans have decided to avoid jeopardizing their chances of capturing the upper chamber in next year’s elections and will not echo the House GOP’s call for a major overhaul of the popular health entitlement for seniors." ...

... Because here's what Democratic ads will look like in 2012. This is an ad running in New York's 26th District special Congressional election. Democrat Kathy Hochul's opponents are a Tea Partier & a Republican:

wmode="transparent"

Eric Schmitt, et al., of the New York Times: "President Obama insisted that the assault force hunting down Osama bin Laden last week be large enough to fight its way out of Pakistan if confronted by hostile local police officers and troops, senior administration and military officials said Monday.... Senior officials also said that two teams of specialists were on standby: One to bury Bin Laden if he was killed, and a second composed of lawyers, interrogators and translators in case he was captured alive."

The Washington Post Editors go all liberal soft-on-defense-y: "Even if waterboarding or extreme sleep deprivation produced some pieces of the bin Laden intelligence puzzle, the program wasn’t justified — and it still did America far more harm than good.... President Obama was right to dismantle the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program."

Right Wing World *

Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times profiles Callista Gingrich, the "blond bombshell" who had a long affair with the Newt that broke up Newt's second marriage during the Clinton impeachment episode; now Newt plans to use his marriage to Callista as evidence of his "family values." According to Stolberg, Newt will use his wife "as a character witness." CW: apparently Newt is assuming reporters will find it too unseemly to question Mrs. Newt's character.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) knows more about economics than some ole MIT Nobel laureate. Victoria McGrane of the Wall Street Journal: "The Senate Banking Committee is slated to vote Thursday on the nomination of Peter Diamond to join the Federal Reserve Board, but his confirmation by the full Senate still remains doubtful.... Sen. ... Shelby..., the top-ranking Republican on the banking panel, continues to lead the fight against the nomination, arguing that Mr. Diamond doesn't have any direct monetary policy experience.... Senate Republican leaders are deferring to Mr. Shelby on the matter, meaning Mr. Diamond's Fed nomination is almost certain to remain frozen in the Senate as long as the Alabama Republican continues to oppose him."

Norm Ornstein in The New Republic: Republicans were all for full disclosure of campaign contributions before they were dead-set against it.

Well, you know, when it comes to racism and racists, I am the least racist person there is.... I’ve had great relationships. In fact, Randal Pinkett won, as you know, on The Apprentice a little while ago, a couple of years ago. And Randal’s been outstanding in every way. So I am the least racist person. -- Donald Trump ...

... Alex Seitz-Ward of Think Progress has the story & video. Randal Pinkett, who is black, won "The Apprentice" contest six years ago. So there's your proof. ...

... BUT. Benjy Sarlin of TPM on Trump's handling of another black contestant, Kevin Allen. "Allen, a Wharton Business School grad, Emory MBA, and University of Chicago law graduate, was 'fired' from the show after Trump criticized his 'unbelievable education,' and numerous degrees from elite universities.... Allen was fired shortly after a controversial episode in which he was ordered to sell chocolate bars outside of New York City subway stops, a job stereotypically associated with African-American high school students. Entertainment Weekly's Mark Harris bluntly labeled Trump's handling of race tone-deaf at the time and said that the show 'humiliated itself in regards to Allen.'" Allen said to TPM recently, when asked about Trump's attacks on President Obama, "Apparently he doesn't like educated African-Americans very much." ...

... Update. Oh, dear. The least racist person is also the least popular. According to Frank Newport of Gallup,

Trump ... has the unenviable distinction of receiving a Positive Intensity Score of 0, the lowest for any of the 13 candidates measured.... Last week, when Trump's numbers were first reported, his Positive Intensity Score was 4, suggesting he lost ground after a week in which he was the butt of jokes that comedian Seth Meyers and President Barack Obama delivered at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. That same week, Trump's focus on Obama's birthplace was defused by the release of Obama's long-form birth certificate.

... AND from Public Policy Polling: "Donald Trump has had one of the quickest rises and falls in the history of Presidential politics. Last month we found him leading the Republican field with 26%. In the space of just four weeks he's dropped all the way down to 8%, putting him in a tie for fifth place with Ron Paul."

* Where facts never intrude & consistency is just a hobgoblin.

News Ledes

President Obama speaks about immigration reform in El Paso, Texas:

ABC News: "Pakistani officials said today they're interested in studying the remains of the U.S.'s secret stealth-modified helicopter abandoned during the Navy SEAL raid of Osama bin Laden's compound, and suggested the Chinese are as well. The U.S. has already asked the Pakistanis for the helicopter wreckage back, but one Pakistani official told ABC News the Chinese were also 'very interested' in seeing the remains. Another official said, 'We might let them [the Chinese] take a look.'" ...

... ABC News: "One of Osama bin Laden's sons went missing in the midst of the Navy SEAL raid that took the life of the al Qaeda leader more than a week ago, Pakistani security officials told ABC News today. The officials said bin Laden's three wives, who are all in Pakistani custody, said that one of bin Laden's sons has not been seen since the raid. The son was not identified, but Pakistani investigators agreed that it appeared someone was missing from the sprawling compound, the officials said. Later, however, one U.S. official said there was no evidence anyone was missing from the compound...."

CNN: "Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee, as well as those in the equivalent House committees, will be allowed to view the photographs taken of Osama bin Laden after he was killed...."

President Obama spoke at two DNC fundraisers in Austin, Texas, this evening.

President Obama spoke about fixing the immigration system in El Paso, Texas, this afternoon. Washington Post story here. Update: see video above. El Paso Times story here.

New York Times: "Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it would buy Skype Global for $8.5 billion in cash, in its largest acquisition ever. In Skype, Microsoft is buying the leader in Internet voice and video communications, with 107 million users per month connected for more than 100 minutes a month on average."

Washington Post: "The public outing of the CIA station chief here threatened on Monday to deepen the rift between the United States and Pakistan, with U.S. officials saying they believed the disclosure had been made deliberately by Pakistan’s main spy agency."

New York Times: "Rebel fighters made significant gains Monday against forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in both the western and eastern areas of the country, in the first faint signs that NATO airstrikes may be starting to strain the government forces."

The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal: "As the Mississippi River continued carrying near-record amounts of water past Memphis, draining storm-drenched lands stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians, officials combined messages of reassurance and caution.... The river finally crests in Memphis today at about 48 feet -- a full 14 feet above Memphis' flood stage. The pressure will continue for weeks -- the river could stay at or near crest for more than a week and it may be June before it falls below 40 feet, still well above the 34-foot flood stage."

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