The Ledes

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (02-25-2025)

Some Good News, for a change: ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “Astronomers have been carefully watching 2024 YR4, a space rock with a heightened chance of hitting Earth in 2032. But fear not: NASA announced on Monday that it posed a threat no longer — the odds that the asteroid would smash into our planet have dropped to nearly zero.”

New York Times: “Eleven days after the pope was hospitalized, speculation is mounting and prayers for his recovery verge on a vigil.”

The Wires
powered by Surfing Waves
The Ledes

Monday, February 24, 2025

New York Times: “Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who leaped onto President John F. Kennedy’s limousine as it came under fire in Dallas and prevented a scrambling Jacqueline Kennedy from falling to the ground, died on Friday at his home in Belvedere, Calif. Mr. Hill, hailed for his bravery but long tormented by his inability to save the president’s life, was 93.”

New York Times: “Roberta Flack, the magnetic singer and pianist whose intimate blend of soul, jazz and folk made her one of the most popular artists of the 1970s, died on Monday in Manhattan. She was 88.”

New York Times: “Pope Francis is suffering from 'initial, mild kidney failure' in addition to the serious respiratory illness that has left the 88-year-old pontiff in critical condition in a Rome hospital, the Vatican said on Sunday. Describing a 'complex' clinical picture, the Vatican said that the kidney ailment was 'at present under control,' and that there had been no repeat of the respiratory crisis that the pope had experienced on Saturday. The pope was 'alert and well oriented,' the Vatican said, and he attended Mass in his suite along with the medical staff caring for him.”

Help!

To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.

Link Code:   <a href="URL">text</a>

OR here's a link generator. The one I had posted died, then Akhilleus found one, but it too bit the dust. He found yet another, which I've linked here, and as of September 23, 2024, it's working.

OR you can always just block, copy and paste to your comment the URL (Web address) of the page you want to link.

Note for Readers. It is not possible for commenters to "throw" their highlighted links to another window. But you can do that yourself. Right-click on the link and a drop-down box will give you choices as to where you want to open the link: in a new tab, new window or new private window.

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.

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....”

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

Page Links
Wednesday
Nov032010

The Commentariat -- November 4

Short of suicide, I don't really know what I'd have to do to convince you people that I'm not running. -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, once again denying he will run for President in 2012. CW: I think this tops the most famous refusal to run for President: If drafted, I will not run; if nominated, I will not accept; if elected, I will not serve. -- William Tecumseh Sherman (abbreviated)

Some likely Republican House committee chairmen. Rogues Gallery via Huffington Post.Josh Israel of the Center for Public Integrity: "The Republican takeover of Congress ... elevates up to 25 senior GOP lawmakers to the roles of committee chairs.... A Center for Public Integrity examination finds there are some common ties that bind the likely leaders of the 11 committees with the most domestic spending and policy clout. First, the top contenders are all men. Nearly all are white. Most have deep ties to the business community or the industries they will soon oversee. Some have former staffers who now work in the lobbying world and could seek influence before their committees. And many have gotten the lion’s share of their campaign monies the past two election cycles from special interest political action committees.

The Road Ahead. David Herszenhorn of the New York Times: "While divided government inevitably creates opportunities for compromise, the recent acrimony in Congress suggests that efforts to work together could just as easily collapse in a fusillade of angry floor speeches, filibusters by the Senate Republicans and veto threats by the White House." ...

... Gridlock. Naftali Bendavid & Janet Hook of the Wall Street Journal: "Come January, the House will be composed of an energized conservative Republican majority and a Democratic minority that has become more liberal. At the same time, a more closely divided Senate could make it harder to assemble the 60 votes needed to pass most bills." ...

Do the Math. Fareed Zakaria in Time: I would suggest three litmus tests to gauge whether the Republicans are serious about deficits: 1) Are they prepared to stop with the tax cuts? ... 2) Are they prepared to cut middle-class entitlements? ... 3) Are they ready to take on the Pentagon? ... These are not political statements. They are mathematical ones.

We've demonized taxes. We've created almost the idea that they're a metaphysical evil.... It's rank demagoguery. We should call it for what it is. If these [Republicans] were all put into a room on penalty of death to come up with how much they could cut, they couldn't come up with $50 billion, when the problem is $1.3 trillion. So to stand before the public and rub raw this antitax sentiment, the Republican Party, as much as it pains me to say this, should be ashamed of themselves. -- David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's first budget director.  Leslie Stahl interviews Stockman (video). Stahl's backstory is interesting, too (video).

Power Points. Jim Rutenberg & Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times: "How [the Republicans came back] is the story of one of the most remarkable Congressional campaigns in more than a half-century, characterized by careful plotting by Republicans, miscalculations by Democrats and a new political dynamic with forces out of both parties control. The unpredictable Tea Party movement, the torrent of corporate money from outside interests and an electorate with deep discontent helped shift the balance of power in Washington." ...

... Kim Geiger in the Los Angeles Times: "In a number of key races around the country, aggressive and meticulously targeted spending by independent conservative groups appears to have helped produce dramatic results for Republicans." ...

... AND Dave Weigel in Slate notes that Haley Barbour & the Republican Governsors Association didn't have a particulary good night: "In 1994, the GOP netted 12 governorships. This year it netted 5, and outside -- arguably -- of Florida, I don't see any upsets."

Hoover's Last Election? Ira Stoll: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) says President Obama is "'guilty of political malpractice in the first degree,' both for allowing himself to be negotiated into a stimulus that was 'far too small' and too tilted toward unstimulative tax cuts, and also for his 'extended use of Hooverite rhetoric to assure people that the economy is improving when it obviously isn't improving.'"

Diane Sawyer of ABC News interviews Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

While our new majority will serve as your voice in the people's House, we must remember it's the president who sets the agenda for our government. -- Speaker-Apparent John Boehner, in his victory speech

I'd like Boehner to show us where in the Constitution it says that the president sets the agenda for the government. -- Ezra Klein

Alexandra Moe of NBC: "... just 32% of all Tea Party candidates who ran for Congress won and 61.4% lost this election. A few races remain too close to call." CW: the tea party Senate candidates were much more successful than were the House candidates. The secret slush funders threw most of their huge wads of cash into Senate races, especially those races where the tea party backed the candidate. What does this tell you?

If you think what happened in Delaware is ‘a win’ for the Republican Party then we don’t have a snowball’s chance to win the White House. -- Sen. Lindsay Graham

We did not nominate our strongest candidates. -- Former Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott

Tea Party Identity Crisis. Amy Gardner & David Fahrenthold of the Washington Post: "... how [will]  incoming House members and senators who prevailed Tuesday under the tea party banner ... make the transition from outside the Republican Party to inside, from criticizing policy to making it, and from opposing the government to being part of it"?

Let the Bickering Begin. Jonathan Martin & Manu Raju of Politico: "Long-simmering tensions within the Republican Party spilled into public view Wednesday as the pragmatic and conservative wings of the GOP blamed each other in blunt terms for the party’s failure to capture the Senate." South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who was the prime mover behind tea party candidates, was the object of  his colleagues' scorn. "DeMint’s actions have enraged many Republican senators, aides and consultants, many of whom were exchanging cutting emails about him late Tuesday and early Wednesday as it became clear the party would fall short in the Senate."

Ooh! Rancor on the Right even among the Supremes? In hearing the case of Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants:

I think what Justice Scalia wants to know is what James Madison thought about video games. Did he enjoy them? -- Justice Samuel "Not-True" Alito

Sandhya Somashekhar of the Washington Post: "... Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) appeared to be on the verge of making history as the first successful write-in candidate for Senate in more than 50 years.... A Murkowski victory would be a remarkable turnaround for an incumbent who had been disowned by her party, and signaled the limitations of novice tea party candidacies."

Matt Yglesias: President Obama should "move to the White House." He should quit trying to legislate -- leave that to Harry Reid -- and should start spending his precious time doing what the President & executive brance are supposed to do.

Dana Milbank criticizes President Obama for his failure to show contrition at his press conference yesterday. "His closest admission to a failure of substance was that he failed in his pledge to 'change how business is done in Washington.' He explained: 'We were in such a hurry to get things done that we didn't change how things got done.'" CW: I applaud the President for appearing to stand up for Democratic principles.

In a Washington Post op-ed, Ben Bernanke explains why the Fed will purchase $600 billion additional long-term securities. ...

... Paul Krugman on yesterday's Fed "action": " In short: meh."And here's the New York Times story on the  Fed's move.

Kanye West Always Upsets People. I faced a lot of criticism as President. I didn't like hearing people claim that I lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction or cut taxes to benefit the rich. But the suggestion that I was racist because of the response to Katrina represented an all time low. -- George W. Bush, on Kanye West's saying, George Bush doesn't care about black people. Via the Hollywood Reporter

"Damn Right." The ever-deliberative & cautious George W. Bush takes his time in deciding whether waterboarding is a legal, ethical & effective means of interrogating suspected enemy combatants. Jeffrey Smith of the Washington Post: "In his book, titled 'Decision Points,' Bush recounts being asked by the CIA whether it could proceed with waterboarding [Khalid Sheik] Mohammed, who Bush said was suspected of knowing about still-pending terrorist plots against the United States. Bush writes that his reply was 'Damn right' and states that he would make the same decision again to save lives, according to a someone close to Bush who has read the book."

Comments Off