hotair--2020-12-14--Apple CEO Tim Cook killed an Apple TV show about Gawker

Remember Gawker ?
The site was a kind of tabloid for the progressive elite .
Muckraking for the woke before woke was really a thing .
But the site was eventually sued out of existence by Hulk Hogan , aka Terry Bollea , after it published a sex tape of him .
There was no real reason to publish the tape .
It didn ’ t serve any journalistic purpose that wouldn ’ t have been served by describing what was on the tape .
But going too far was Gawker ’ s thing and in this case it turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lawsuit that finally ended Gawker was funded by another former target of the site , billionaire Peter Thiel .
Gawker had outed Thiel in 2007 and Thiel clearly never forgot it .
But he wasn ’ t the only person they outed .
Gawker was also the first site to openly identify Apple ’ s Tim Cook as gay back in 2008 .
Cook didn ’ t forget either , which is apparently why he recently killed a TV show about Gawker that was in development at Apple TV .
The show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was clearly about Gawker Media , the network of aggressive , transgressive blogs that created mischief and headaches for America ’ s powerful until its targets sued the company into oblivion in 2016 .
Two Gawker veterans sold the idea to Apple TV+ , the new streaming service : Cord Jefferson , who left the site for a career writing for TV , and Max Read , Gawker ’ s former editor in chief .
Apple hired two more former Gawker editors , Emma Carmichael and Leah Beckmann , as writers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people close to the production said .
Then , an Apple executive got an email from the company ’ s chief executive , Tim Cook .
Mr. Cook , according to two people briefed on the email , was surprised to learn that his company was making a show about Gawker , which had humiliated the company at various times and famously outed him , back in 2008 , as gay .
He expressed a distinctly negative view toward Gawker , the people said .
Apple proceeded to kill the project .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the market and the executive who brought it in , Layne Eskridge , has left the company .
Gawker , it seems , is making trouble again .
Tim Cook nuked this show from orbit , which is the sort of thing you can do when you ’ re the CEO of one of America ’ s largest companies .
Ben Smith ( author of the NY Times piece ) tries to suggest that this is some sort of worrying sign about corporate control of media : “ the chief executive of one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who testifies before Congress and negotiates with China , also decides what television shows get made.
” Well , yeah , he runs the company including the small part of it that makes TV shows .
Why would he fund a show lionizing a defunct news outlet that got involved in his personal life ?
And in Gawker ’ s case that ’ s not a minor side story unconnected to their broader significance .
It ’ s the thing they are remembered for .
Again , why would Apple want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why would anyone ?
In any case , the idea that CEOs of big companies are suddenly making decisions about what shows get made is just silly .
CEOs of big companies have always decided what shows get made and those decisions have never been above politics or apart from personal feelings .
Maybe what Smith objects to is that this is just a sideline for Tim Cook , a very small part of his day job .
The NY Times isn ’ t any different .
They ’ ll publish a mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stalin apologist Walter Duranty is a villain but they didn ’ t fund the film and it would be odd to expect them to do so .

Remember Gawker? The site was a kind of tabloid for the progressive elite. Muckraking for the woke before woke was really a thing. But the site was eventually sued out of existence by Hulk Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, after it published a sex tape of him. There was no real reason to publish the tape. It didn’t serve any journalistic purpose that wouldn’t have been served by describing what was on the tape. But going too far was Gawker’s thing and in this case it turned out to be a costly one.
The lawsuit that finally ended Gawker was funded by another former target of the site, billionaire Peter Thiel. Gawker had outed Thiel in 2007 and Thiel clearly never forgot it. But he wasn’t the only person they outed. Gawker was also the first site to openly identify Apple’s Tim Cook as gay back in 2008. Cook didn’t forget either, which is apparently why he recently killed a TV show about Gawker that was in development at Apple TV.
The show was called “Scraper,” but it was clearly about Gawker Media, the network of aggressive, transgressive blogs that created mischief and headaches for America’s powerful until its targets sued the company into oblivion in 2016. Two Gawker veterans sold the idea to Apple TV+, the new streaming service: Cord Jefferson, who left the site for a career writing for TV, and Max Read, Gawker’s former editor in chief. Apple hired two more former Gawker editors, Emma Carmichael and Leah Beckmann, as writers, and they had completed several episodes, people close to the production said. Then, an Apple executive got an email from the company’s chief executive, Tim Cook. Mr. Cook, according to two people briefed on the email, was surprised to learn that his company was making a show about Gawker, which had humiliated the company at various times and famously outed him, back in 2008, as gay. He expressed a distinctly negative view toward Gawker, the people said. Apple proceeded to kill the project. And now, the show is back on the market and the executive who brought it in, Layne Eskridge, has left the company. Gawker, it seems, is making trouble again.
Tim Cook nuked this show from orbit, which is the sort of thing you can do when you’re the CEO of one of America’s largest companies.
Ben Smith (author of the NY Times piece) tries to suggest that this is some sort of worrying sign about corporate control of media: “the chief executive of one of the biggest companies in the world, who testifies before Congress and negotiates with China, also decides what television shows get made.”
Well, yeah, he runs the company including the small part of it that makes TV shows. Why would he fund a show lionizing a defunct news outlet that got involved in his personal life? And in Gawker’s case that’s not a minor side story unconnected to their broader significance. It’s the thing they are remembered for. Again, why would Apple want to prop up Gawker’s corpse? Why would anyone?
In any case, the idea that CEOs of big companies are suddenly making decisions about what shows get made is just silly. CEOs of big companies have always decided what shows get made and those decisions have never been above politics or apart from personal feelings. Maybe what Smith objects to is that this is just a sideline for Tim Cook, a very small part of his day job.
The NY Times isn’t any different. They’ll publish a mostly positive review of a movie in which Stalin apologist Walter Duranty is a villain but they didn’t fund the film and it would be odd to expect them to do so.


hotair--2020-12-14--The reviews are in: Liberals criticize Dan Crenshaw's Georgia Re-Loaded political ad

Rep. Dan Crenshaw is working hard to help the run-off campaigns of Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
Holding the Senate in Republican control is a top priority , as it should be for any conservative American .
On Sunday a new “ re-loaded ” ad was posted on social media from Crenshaw and suddenly everyone ’ s a campaign ad critic .
You may have seen Crenshaw and five other Texas Republicans who ran for election to the House in November .
Crenshaw won his re-election bid and three of the five other Republican candidates won their races @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running to represent my own Congressional district , didn ’ t win . )
The six candidates came together and ran an ad , a joint effort , which drew attention , not just because this kind of joint campaigning doesn ’ t happen often , but also because the ad was fun to watch .
It was an action-filled ad , with some people dubbing the candidates as “ The Avengers ” .
It was received well by Republicans in Texas and mocked by those on the left , as you might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four minutes , more like an action movie ’ s trailer than a political ad .
Crenshaw released his ad to publicize a rally scheduled in Georgia next week for Senators Loeffler and Perdue run-off campaigns .
This time instead of a supporting cast , Crenshaw goes it alone .
He doesn ’ t remove his eyepatch and use his eye socket to interact with a smartphone via a tech implant but he does jump out of an airplane again .
He lands on a vehicle occupied by Antifa .
Yes , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to wonder why Antifa is patroling an open field in Georgia but never mind .
It ’ s meant as entertainment , not a serious political ad .
Just as the Texas ad did , it will get a lot of play on social media and Crenshaw will include it in television interviews which are good for publicizing the rally in Georgia on December 21 .
It ’ s advertising .
The ad includes Marcus Luttrell , a Navy SEAL veteran like Crenshaw , and Rep. Kevin Brady .
And , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a name from the days of Trump ’ s impeachment .
Let ’ s just say she ’ s not a Crenshaw fan .
What ’ s a dogpile of liberal critics without a Never Trump conservative to throw herself on , too ?
Meghan McCain responded by asking if the ad was really the best use of funds and providing the best message for the run-off races .
She sounded like a humorless scold but maybe it ’ s just from sleep deprivation – she does have a newborn baby .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ View will applaud her , though .
Never Trumpers like the video adventures of The Lincoln Project , you know .
Both Loeffler and Perdue can use help in Georgia .
The left is highly motivated and there are plenty of high-profile Democrats traveling to Georgia to campaign for the Democrats .
Corporate America is investing in run-off races , too .
In-person early voting begins today .
This is set to become the most expensive Senate campaigns ever .
The stakes are high .
Conservatives don ’ t want the agenda of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take over the Senate .
Crenshaw is bringing attention to a GOP rally .
Good for him .
Lighten up , libs .

Rep. Dan Crenshaw is working hard to help the run-off campaigns of Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. Holding the Senate in Republican control is a top priority, as it should be for any conservative American. On Sunday a new “re-loaded” ad was posted on social media from Crenshaw and suddenly everyone’s a campaign ad critic.
You may have seen Crenshaw and five other Texas Republicans who ran for election to the House in November. Crenshaw won his re-election bid and three of the five other Republican candidates won their races. (Wesley Hunt, the candidate running to represent my own Congressional district, didn’t win.) The six candidates came together and ran an ad, a joint effort, which drew attention, not just because this kind of joint campaigning doesn’t happen often, but also because the ad was fun to watch. It was an action-filled ad, with some people dubbing the candidates as “The Avengers”. It was received well by Republicans in Texas and mocked by those on the left, as you might expect. It was long, almost four minutes, more like an action movie’s trailer than a political ad.
Crenshaw released his ad to publicize a rally scheduled in Georgia next week for Senators Loeffler and Perdue run-off campaigns. This time instead of a supporting cast, Crenshaw goes it alone. He doesn’t remove his eyepatch and use his eye socket to interact with a smartphone via a tech implant but he does jump out of an airplane again. He lands on a vehicle occupied by Antifa.
Georgia Reloaded is here. The epic saga continues, this time in Georgia. Everything is on the line. Donate to the fight at https://t.co/2j2lVY8Ak7 pic.twitter.com/N5T4zqmdpc — Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) December 13, 2020
Yes, it’s hokey and over-the-top and you have to wonder why Antifa is patroling an open field in Georgia but never mind. It’s meant as entertainment, not a serious political ad. Just as the Texas ad did, it will get a lot of play on social media and Crenshaw will include it in television interviews which are good for publicizing the rally in Georgia on December 21. It’s advertising. The ad includes Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL veteran like Crenshaw, and Rep. Kevin Brady.
Disgraced California politician Katie Hill commented.
Congrats to @dancrenshawtx for convincing people to donate so he could make himself a star in the worst superhero movie that will thank God never be made https://t.co/DWCml56ESy — Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) December 14, 2020
And, so did the wife of Alexander Vindman, a name from the days of Trump’s impeachment. Let’s just say she’s not a Crenshaw fan.
Dan Crenshaw: A Legend in His Own Mind (and only there) https://t.co/miQGp013vE — Rachel Vindman (@natsechobbyist) December 14, 2020
What’s a dogpile of liberal critics without a Never Trump conservative to throw herself on, too? Meghan McCain responded by asking if the ad was really the best use of funds and providing the best message for the run-off races. She sounded like a humorless scold but maybe it’s just from sleep deprivation – she does have a newborn baby. I’m sure her co-workers on The View will applaud her, though. Never Trumpers like the video adventures of The Lincoln Project, you know.
Both Loeffler and Perdue can use help in Georgia. The left is highly motivated and there are plenty of high-profile Democrats traveling to Georgia to campaign for the Democrats. Corporate America is investing in run-off races, too. In-person early voting begins today. This is set to become the most expensive Senate campaigns ever.
On the GOP side, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman and Citadel’s Ken Griffin are among the top donors to a political action committee (PAC) linked to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings contributed $500,000 to a Democratic PAC, but the party is focusing more on small-donor support. Its online fundraising platform processed nearly $112 million in donations from Nov. 4 to Nov. 23 (the GOP equivalent processed $55.6 million).
The stakes are high. Conservatives don’t want the agenda of Chuck Schumer and the Democrat Party to take over the Senate. Crenshaw is bringing attention to a GOP rally. Good for him. Lighten up, libs.


hotair--2020-12-14--Smartmatic threatens to sue Fox News, Newsmax, OAN for defamation over election claims

I make no judgment about the specifics of their claims against the three networks , as I haven ’ t seen the allegedly defamatory reporting and Smartmatic doesn ’ t describe it in its press release .
Mediaite has a copy of the letter the company sent to Fox , flagging statements made on the network by Rudy Giuliani , Sidney Powell , and others .
But as a general matter , I think the logic of the “ Streisand effect ” that typically discourages defamation suits doesn ’ t apply to the current moment , where companies like Smartmatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demagogued by conspiracy theorists as culprits in systematic election fraud .
This isn ’ t a case of people being “ sloppy ” in their recitation of facts and injuring the companies ’ reputations .
It ’ s an out-and-out smear campaign aimed at shifting blame for Trump ’ s defeat from the president himself to villains various and sundry .
You can ’ t reason with that .
You can ’ t appeal to their decency by warning them that the smears are hurting real people , damaging their businesses and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear of being murdered .
The only thing that ’ s going to make smear merchants more circumspect about what they say is the prospect of a financial penalty .
Smartmatic seems to have belatedly arrived at that conclusion too .
According to Smartmatic ’ s demand letters , these organizations [ Fox , Newsmax , OAN ] could have easily discovered the falsity of the statements and implications made about Smartmatic by investigating their statements before publishing them to millions of viewers and readers .
Smartmatic had nothing to do with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private figures have alleged regarding the 2020 U.S. election .
Multiple fact-checkers have consistently debunked these false statements with stunning consistency and regularity .
“ They have no evidence to support their attacks on Smartmatic because there is no evidence .
This campaign was designed to defame Smartmatic and undermine legitimately conducted elections , ” said Antonio Mugica , CEO of Smartmatic .
“ Our efforts are more than just about Smartmatic or any other company .
This campaign is an attack on election systems and election workers in an effort to depress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the will of the voters , not just here , but in democracies around the world.
” … Smartmatic ’ s only involvement in the United States in the 2020 election was as the manufacturing partner , system integrator , and software developer for Los Angeles County ’ s publicly owned voting system .
They haven ’ t filed suit yet , just taken the first step of issuing formal demands for a retraction from each of the three networks .
I ’ m curious to see if they do the same with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as deep as News Corp ’ s but she ’ s the one who took these conspiracy theories mainstream .
She linked Dominion with Smartmatic and then linked them somehow to Venezuela and Hugo Chavez at the infamous press conference she gave with Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis last month even though there ’ s no relationship between the companies .
They ’ re actually competitors .
And as the press release notes , Smartmatic ’ s product was barely used in this year ’ s election .
As for why Smartmatic moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , the answer seems straightforward : The demagoguery aimed at the company by Trump fans across the country has begun to cost it business .
Some potential clients may not trust their software anymore , others may simply not want to be associated with a firm that ’ s been demonized by millions of people .
“ I don ’ t think there is one customer in the world that has not come back to us to tell us either that this is a problem and this could endanger our future relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this could endanger a potential new contract , ” said Smartmatic ’ s CEO , calling the threat to his company “ existential.
” Not all of the damage or potential damage done by the “ stop the steal ” hysteria is reputational .
Like various election officials in Georgia and Michigan , members of the electoral college are under police protection today so that no one tries to murder them for doing their jobs : In Michigan , Democratic electors have been promised police escorts from their cars into the State Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote for Joseph R. Biden Jr .
In Arizona , state officials are holding the vote at an undisclosed location for safety reasons , far from what is expected to be a heated hearing on election integrity issues that Republicans will conduct in the Statehouse .
Even in Delaware , the tiny , deeply Democratic home state of the president-elect , officials relocated their ceremony to a college gymnasium , a site considered to have better security and public health controls… “ Trump supporters did not get the same kind of vitriol in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Democratic elector from Wisconsin who will be casting his vote for Mr. Biden at the State Capitol in Madison .
“ This is some scary stuff , man , and this is not what America is supposed to be like.
” The Michigan legislature had to close its offices today because of “ credible threats of violence ” to the electors convening in the Senate chamber .
A popular take among the commentariat is that the electoral college vote will finally give some Republican politicians cover to acknowledge that Biden won , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I doubt we ’ ll ever hear Mitch McConnell say that Biden prevailed fair and square but we may get something out of him along the lines of “ The process has played out and it ’ s clear that Joe Biden will be inaugurated.
” But while the Republican establishment is reconciling itself to a Biden presidency ( publicly , I mean — they were already reconciled privately on November 4 ) , it may be that some small segment of Trump ’ s hardcore base is reconciling itself to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraught moment , one engineered by the president himself , and so there ’ s no reason to think Trump will say or do anything to make it less fraught .
On the contrary , once the electoral college seals the deal he ’ s apt to become even more “ erratic ” — to borrow a polite term often used to describe his afflictions — as he ’ s forced to cope with the reality of defeat .
I ’ ll leave you with this .

I make no judgment about the specifics of their claims against the three networks, as I haven’t seen the allegedly defamatory reporting and Smartmatic doesn’t describe it in its press release. Mediaite has a copy of the letter the company sent to Fox, flagging statements made on the network by Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and others.
But as a general matter, I think the logic of the “Streisand effect” that typically discourages defamation suits doesn’t apply to the current moment, where companies like Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems are being ruthlessly demagogued by conspiracy theorists as culprits in systematic election fraud. This isn’t a case of people being “sloppy” in their recitation of facts and injuring the companies’ reputations. It’s an out-and-out smear campaign aimed at shifting blame for Trump’s defeat from the president himself to villains various and sundry.
You can’t reason with that. You can’t appeal to their decency by warning them that the smears are hurting real people, damaging their businesses and even forcing some to go into hiding for fear of being murdered. The only thing that’s going to make smear merchants more circumspect about what they say is the prospect of a financial penalty. Smartmatic seems to have belatedly arrived at that conclusion too.
According to Smartmatic’s demand letters, these organizations [Fox, Newsmax, OAN] could have easily discovered the falsity of the statements and implications made about Smartmatic by investigating their statements before publishing them to millions of viewers and readers. Smartmatic had nothing to do with the “controversies” that certain public and private figures have alleged regarding the 2020 U.S. election. Multiple fact-checkers have consistently debunked these false statements with stunning consistency and regularity. “They have no evidence to support their attacks on Smartmatic because there is no evidence. This campaign was designed to defame Smartmatic and undermine legitimately conducted elections,” said Antonio Mugica, CEO of Smartmatic. “Our efforts are more than just about Smartmatic or any other company. This campaign is an attack on election systems and election workers in an effort to depress confidence in future elections and potentially counter the will of the voters, not just here, but in democracies around the world.”… Smartmatic’s only involvement in the United States in the 2020 election was as the manufacturing partner, system integrator, and software developer for Los Angeles County’s publicly owned voting system.
They haven’t filed suit yet, just taken the first step of issuing formal demands for a retraction from each of the three networks. I’m curious to see if they do the same with Powell. Her pockets may not be as deep as News Corp’s but she’s the one who took these conspiracy theories mainstream. She linked Dominion with Smartmatic and then linked them somehow to Venezuela and Hugo Chavez at the infamous press conference she gave with Rudy Giuliani and Jenna Ellis last month even though there’s no relationship between the companies. They’re actually competitors. And as the press release notes, Smartmatic’s product was barely used in this year’s election.
As for why Smartmatic moved ahead against Fox News et al. today, the answer seems straightforward: The demagoguery aimed at the company by Trump fans across the country has begun to cost it business. Some potential clients may not trust their software anymore, others may simply not want to be associated with a firm that’s been demonized by millions of people. “I don’t think there is one customer in the world that has not come back to us to tell us either that this is a problem and this could endanger our future relationship – for existing customers – or that this could endanger a potential new contract,” said Smartmatic’s CEO, calling the threat to his company “existential.”
Not all of the damage or potential damage done by the “stop the steal” hysteria is reputational. Like various election officials in Georgia and Michigan, members of the electoral college are under police protection today so that no one tries to murder them for doing their jobs:
In Michigan, Democratic electors have been promised police escorts from their cars into the State Capitol, where on Monday they will formally vote for Joseph R. Biden Jr. In Arizona, state officials are holding the vote at an undisclosed location for safety reasons, far from what is expected to be a heated hearing on election integrity issues that Republicans will conduct in the Statehouse. Even in Delaware, the tiny, deeply Democratic home state of the president-elect, officials relocated their ceremony to a college gymnasium, a site considered to have better security and public health controls… “Trump supporters did not get the same kind of vitriol in 2016,” said Khary Penebaker, a Democratic elector from Wisconsin who will be casting his vote for Mr. Biden at the State Capitol in Madison. “This is some scary stuff, man, and this is not what America is supposed to be like.”
The Michigan legislature had to close its offices today because of “credible threats of violence” to the electors convening in the Senate chamber. A popular take among the commentariat is that the electoral college vote will finally give some Republican politicians cover to acknowledge that Biden won, which is probably true — sort of. I doubt we’ll ever hear Mitch McConnell say that Biden prevailed fair and square but we may get something out of him along the lines of “The process has played out and it’s clear that Joe Biden will be inaugurated.” But while the Republican establishment is reconciling itself to a Biden presidency (publicly, I mean — they were already reconciled privately on November 4), it may be that some small segment of Trump’s hardcore base is reconciling itself to other approaches. We’re at a fraught moment, one engineered by the president himself, and so there’s no reason to think Trump will say or do anything to make it less fraught. On the contrary, once the electoral college seals the deal he’s apt to become even more “erratic” — to borrow a polite term often used to describe his afflictions — as he’s forced to cope with the reality of defeat.
I’ll leave you with this.


hotair--2020-12-14--Here we go: New York nurse becomes one of the first Americans to be vaccinated for COVID-19

What a moment .
I ’ m not sure how she and the doctor who administered the vaccine were chosen for this photo op , whether it was luck of the draw or political , but it ’ s either fortunate or wise that both are black .
African-Americans are notably more reluctant to get the vaccine than other racial groups , with just 42 percent willing to do so according to a Pew poll taken this month .
No other racial group was below 61 percent .
The more black Americans become the public face of the vaccination process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community will be .
Watch , then read on .
Enthusiasm for getting the vaccine has been climbing since the election as we ’ ve gotten closer to actual delivery and as fears that the process was politicized have receded .
Today an ABC poll found the highest level of support for the vaccine yet ( as far as I ’ m aware , at least ) , with 84 percent willing to get it — eventually .
More than eight in 10 Americans say they would receive the vaccine , with 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as it ’ s available to them and 44 % saying they would wait a bit before getting it… Partisanship also plays a role in influencing the public ’ s outlook on a vaccine .
Republicans ( 26 % ) are more than four times as likely as Democrats ( 6 % ) and nearly twice as likely as independents ( 14 % ) to say they would never get the coronavirus vaccine .
Nearly twice as many Democrats ( 49 % ) say they are willing to get the vaccine immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Just over four in 10 independents ( 42 % ) say the same .
But the possibility of getting vaccinated in the future breaks through party lines .
An equal 45 % of Democrats , Republicans , and independents said they would first wait before getting a vaccine .
I understand the “ wait and see ” approach to getting the shot in theory , but not in practice .
Every one of us apart from doctors and nursing-home residents will have no choice but to wait and see this month how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
By the time your own demographic group is eligible for the shot in February or March , what ’ ll be left to “ wait and see ” about ?
The country ’ s most well-known doctor will be getting vaccinated publicly soon , which is also wise as a way to encourage public acceptance .
If a 79-year-old is willing to put his money where his mouth is , everyone should feel safe getting it : Karen wrote this morning that Trump and other top officials are also in line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that news among the chatterati has forced an uncharacteristic change of heart : Trump and Pence should do it this week , on camera .
Trump doesn ’ t need it urgently because he ’ s recovered from COVID , but as you can see from the ABC excerpt , Republicans are more standoffish about the vaccine than Democrats are .
He should set an example .
And as the commander-in-chief , the country has an interest in protecting his health .
The same goes for Biden , who ’ s approaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of service ahead of him .
It ’ s a minor miracle that he hasn ’ t been infected already during his sporadic public appearances .
He and Harris should be vaccinated immediately — and odds are that they will be : As for supply issues , there was good news on Friday night that got swallowed up by the Supreme Court ’ s decision in the Texas lawsuit .
The feds have already exercised their option to buy another 100 million doses from Moderna after the initial 100 million doses are delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchased by the U.S. government , approximately 20 million doses will be delivered by the end of December 2020 and the balance will be delivered in the first quarter of 2021 .
Today ’ s new order of 100 million doses will be delivered in the second quarter of 2021 .
These deliveries are subject , in each case , to receipt of an Emergency Use Authorization ( EUA ) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) for the vaccine .
Under the terms of the agreement , Moderna will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S.-based manufacturing infrastructure to supply mRNA-1273 to the U.S. government .
As part of Operation Warp Speed , the U.S. government has the option to purchase up to an additional 300 million doses of mRNA-1273 from Moderna .
The Company expects the U.S. government will provide the vaccine to Americans at no cost as previously announced… “ Securing another 100 million doses from Moderna by June 2021 further expands our supply of doses across the Operation Warp Speed portfolio of vaccines , ” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar .
“ This new federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will have enough supply to vaccinate all Americans who want it by the second quarter of 2021.
” Last week the Times reported that the feds had inexplicably passed on an offer to buy more than 100 million doses of Pfizer ’ s vaccine , creating a risk of a shortage here since Pfizer has international orders to fulfill too .
We risk having to go to the back of the line for our next batch once the initial 100-million order is delivered .
A week later , there ’ s still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s administration passed on exercising an option to order more knowing that Pfizer ’ s product is safe and highly effective , but the fact that they have an option to purchase up to 400 million more doses from Moderna surely has something to do with it .
Moderna ’ s vaccine doesn ’ t require the same finicky “ deep freeze ” transport conditions that Pfizer ’ s vaccine does , remember .
And there are other vaccines still in the pipeline which may prove just as effective as Moderna ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even easier to deliver .
For instance , Johnson & Johnson ’ s vaccine is a one-shot process , not two .
I think the feds took a calculated gamble that they ’ ll have better options than Pfizer soon-ish , and even if they don ’ t they have Moderna as a backstop to supply more than two-thirds of the population with doses — eventually .
The wrinkle in the announcement on Friday was that Moderna doesn ’ t expect to deliver its second batch of 100 million shots until the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean anywhere from April to June .
If none of the other vaccines in trials right now pan out — or if they suffer dismaying hiccups while being tested — that means we ’ ll have to make do with the initial round of 100 million doses each from Pfizer and Moderna potentially until summer .
I ’ ll leave you with this fun Twitter thread from last week .
It qualifies as only a half-joke , not a proper joke , because our culture is exceedingly stupid and petty .

What a moment. I’m not sure how she and the doctor who administered the vaccine were chosen for this photo op, whether it was luck of the draw or political, but it’s either fortunate or wise that both are black. African-Americans are notably more reluctant to get the vaccine than other racial groups, with just 42 percent willing to do so according to a Pew poll taken this month. No other racial group was below 61 percent. The more black Americans become the public face of the vaccination process, hopefully the less reluctant the broader community will be. Watch, then read on.
BREAKING: Critical care nurse in New York is among first in US to receive a coronavirus vaccine: "We all need to do our parts to put an end to the pandemic." pic.twitter.com/kGUI8o9h63 — NBC News (@NBCNews) December 14, 2020
Enthusiasm for getting the vaccine has been climbing since the election as we’ve gotten closer to actual delivery and as fears that the process was politicized have receded. Today an ABC poll found the highest level of support for the vaccine yet (as far as I’m aware, at least), with 84 percent willing to get it — eventually.
More than eight in 10 Americans say they would receive the vaccine, with 40% saying they would take it as soon as it’s available to them and 44% saying they would wait a bit before getting it… Partisanship also plays a role in influencing the public’s outlook on a vaccine. Republicans (26%) are more than four times as likely as Democrats (6%) and nearly twice as likely as independents (14%) to say they would never get the coronavirus vaccine. Nearly twice as many Democrats (49%) say they are willing to get the vaccine immediately as Republicans (28%). Just over four in 10 independents (42%) say the same. But the possibility of getting vaccinated in the future breaks through party lines. An equal 45% of Democrats, Republicans, and independents said they would first wait before getting a vaccine.
I understand the “wait and see” approach to getting the shot in theory, but not in practice. Every one of us apart from doctors and nursing-home residents will have no choice but to wait and see this month how the first few million recipients cope with the vaccine. By the time your own demographic group is eligible for the shot in February or March, what’ll be left to “wait and see” about?
The country’s most well-known doctor will be getting vaccinated publicly soon, which is also wise as a way to encourage public acceptance. If a 79-year-old is willing to put his money where his mouth is, everyone should feel safe getting it:
Dr. Fauci tells @HallieJackson he will get vaccinated for COVID publicly, perhaps even in the next week or two: "as soon as my turn comes up, which likely would be very soon" @MSNBC — Monica Alba (@albamonica) December 14, 2020
Karen wrote this morning that Trump and other top officials are also in line to get vaccinated soon but the backlash to that news among the chatterati has forced an uncharacteristic change of heart:
https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1338325735778476035
Trump and Pence should do it this week, on camera. Trump doesn’t need it urgently because he’s recovered from COVID, but as you can see from the ABC excerpt, Republicans are more standoffish about the vaccine than Democrats are. He should set an example. And as the commander-in-chief, the country has an interest in protecting his health. The same goes for Biden, who’s approaching 80 and who still has four years of service ahead of him. It’s a minor miracle that he hasn’t been infected already during his sporadic public appearances. He and Harris should be vaccinated immediately — and odds are that they will be:
More on who will be getting the vaccine and when — a transition official says @JoeBiden will consult with Dr. Fauci about when to take the vaccine — and plans to take it publicly when Fauci recommends he do so. — Annie Karni (@anniekarni) December 14, 2020
As for supply issues, there was good news on Friday night that got swallowed up by the Supreme Court’s decision in the Texas lawsuit. The feds have already exercised their option to buy another 100 million doses from Moderna after the initial 100 million doses are delivered:
Of the first 100 million doses purchased by the U.S. government, approximately 20 million doses will be delivered by the end of December 2020 and the balance will be delivered in the first quarter of 2021. Today’s new order of 100 million doses will be delivered in the second quarter of 2021. These deliveries are subject, in each case, to receipt of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the vaccine. Under the terms of the agreement, Moderna will continue to leverage the Company’s U.S.-based manufacturing infrastructure to supply mRNA-1273 to the U.S. government. As part of Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government has the option to purchase up to an additional 300 million doses of mRNA-1273 from Moderna. The Company expects the U.S. government will provide the vaccine to Americans at no cost as previously announced… “Securing another 100 million doses from Moderna by June 2021 further expands our supply of doses across the Operation Warp Speed portfolio of vaccines,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “This new federal purchase can give Americans even greater confidence we will have enough supply to vaccinate all Americans who want it by the second quarter of 2021.”
Last week the Times reported that the feds had inexplicably passed on an offer to buy more than 100 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, creating a risk of a shortage here since Pfizer has international orders to fulfill too. We risk having to go to the back of the line for our next batch once the initial 100-million order is delivered. A week later, there’s still no good explanation for why Trump’s administration passed on exercising an option to order more knowing that Pfizer’s product is safe and highly effective, but the fact that they have an option to purchase up to 400 million more doses from Moderna surely has something to do with it. Moderna’s vaccine doesn’t require the same finicky “deep freeze” transport conditions that Pfizer’s vaccine does, remember. And there are other vaccines still in the pipeline which may prove just as effective as Moderna’s and Pfizer’s and may be even easier to deliver. For instance, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is a one-shot process, not two.
I think the feds took a calculated gamble that they’ll have better options than Pfizer soon-ish, and even if they don’t they have Moderna as a backstop to supply more than two-thirds of the population with doses — eventually. The wrinkle in the announcement on Friday was that Moderna doesn’t expect to deliver its second batch of 100 million shots until the second quarter of next year, which could mean anywhere from April to June. If none of the other vaccines in trials right now pan out — or if they suffer dismaying hiccups while being tested — that means we’ll have to make do with the initial round of 100 million doses each from Pfizer and Moderna potentially until summer.
I’ll leave you with this fun Twitter thread from last week. It qualifies as only a half-joke, not a proper joke, because our culture is exceedingly stupid and petty.
Get the new Biden admin to endorse the Moderna vaccine as the best one according to Science and the Experts™. Let Gates and Soros team up to underwrite vaccine distribution. Let Gal Gadot lead a celebrity music video featuring them all getting the Moderna vaccine. — Jon Askonas (@JonAskonas) December 9, 2020
Get Trump to go on Hannity for them both to take the Pfizer vaccine together. Have Pfizer vaccination booths at Trump rallies. Overnight, America would race towards herd immunity as everyone asserts membership in the Red tribe and the Blue tribe/reshapes their worldview. — Jon Askonas (@JonAskonas) December 9, 2020


hotair--2020-12-14--Cleveland Indians surrender on name change

First , we had the arrival of the “ Washington Football Team.
” Are we now about to see the birth of the “ Cleveland Baseball Team , ” or will they actually manage to come up with a permanent name and a new mascot ?
We should know soon enough because the Cleveland , Ohio franchise announced that they will be doing away with the “ Indians ” name they ’ ve had for more than a century .
And like virtually everything else in the current era , it ’ s all about the racism .
The Cleveland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to a report .
Following in the footsteps of the Washington Football Team , Cleveland will remove the “ Indians ” moniker many consider racist , the New York Times reported .
The 105-year-old nickname has long-drawn ire from Native American groups and fans , and that only grew with the US in the midst of a reckoning on racism and social injustice .
During the summer , the Washington Football Team removed its nickname , the Redskins , after facing pressure from sponsors and similar protests .
The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without any additional details .
With no word on what the new team name and logo will be , fans are left wondering .
It ’ s not clear whether the team ’ s owners did this without having a replacement name in mind or if they ’ ve settled on something but just weren ’ t ready to reveal it yet .
The latter possibility doesn ’ t make much sense , though .
If you already know what the new name is going to be , why not start the rebranding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the change ?
If we assume that a new name hasn ’ t been selected yet , I would offer a suggestion .
Some of the die-hard fans are obviously going to be upset over this , so why not bring them into the process as a sort of olive branch ?
Perhaps they could open up their website for public comment and take suggestions from the locals .
Then the list could be narrowed down to a few final contenders and they could allow fans to vote on the name online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of narrowing down the list would avoid having all of the jokers out there trying to mess it up .
If you don ’ t take steps like that these days , the team would almost certainly wind up being named the Cleveland Basebally McBasebalfaces .
Having never lived in Ohio , I really don ’ t have a horse in this race , but I could offer a couple of suggestions .
If they wanted to keep the same theme , perhaps they could adopt a name such as the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the indigenous groups native to the area , assuming tribal leaders signed off on it .
Or even the “ Cleveland Eels ” in recognition of the Eel River Tribe .
That would at least make it a bit easier to come up with a mascot and a logo without offending anyone .
( Perish the thought . )
In any event , the last major league sports team on the chopping block at this point is probably the Atlanta Braves .
How long will it be before they cave in ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be all that long .

First, we had the arrival of the “Washington Football Team.” Are we now about to see the birth of the “Cleveland Baseball Team,” or will they actually manage to come up with a permanent name and a new mascot? We should know soon enough because the Cleveland, Ohio franchise announced that they will be doing away with the “Indians” name they’ve had for more than a century. And like virtually everything else in the current era, it’s all about the racism.
The Cleveland Indians are dropping their controversial nickname, according to a report. Following in the footsteps of the Washington Football Team, Cleveland will remove the “Indians” moniker many consider racist, the New York Times reported. The 105-year-old nickname has long-drawn ire from Native American groups and fans, and that only grew with the US in the midst of a reckoning on racism and social injustice. During the summer, the Washington Football Team removed its nickname, the Redskins, after facing pressure from sponsors and similar protests.
The New York Times also reported on this story, but without any additional details.
With no word on what the new team name and logo will be, fans are left wondering. It’s not clear whether the team’s owners did this without having a replacement name in mind or if they’ve settled on something but just weren’t ready to reveal it yet. The latter possibility doesn’t make much sense, though. If you already know what the new name is going to be, why not start the rebranding immediately so the fans can get used to the change?
If we assume that a new name hasn’t been selected yet, I would offer a suggestion. Some of the die-hard fans are obviously going to be upset over this, so why not bring them into the process as a sort of olive branch? Perhaps they could open up their website for public comment and take suggestions from the locals. Then the list could be narrowed down to a few final contenders and they could allow fans to vote on the name online.
Putting a managerial break in the process of narrowing down the list would avoid having all of the jokers out there trying to mess it up. If you don’t take steps like that these days, the team would almost certainly wind up being named the Cleveland Basebally McBasebalfaces.
Having never lived in Ohio, I really don’t have a horse in this race, but I could offer a couple of suggestions. If they wanted to keep the same theme, perhaps they could adopt a name such as the “Shawnees” in honor of one of the indigenous groups native to the area, assuming tribal leaders signed off on it. Or even the “Cleveland Eels” in recognition of the Eel River Tribe. That would at least make it a bit easier to come up with a mascot and a logo without offending anyone. (Perish the thought.)
In any event, the last major league sports team on the chopping block at this point is probably the Atlanta Braves. How long will it be before they cave in? I’m guessing it won’t be all that long.


hotair--2020-12-14--Bill Gates "sadly" says businesses will have to shut down again for coming wave of coronavirus cases

Bill Gates sat down for an interview with CNN ’ s Jake Tapper and the topic was the coronavirus pandemic .
The billionaire spoke about the severity of the coming winter wave of coronavirus outbreaks .
When asked by Tapper if shutdowns should be put in place again , he was in favor of it .
“ Sadly , that ’ s appropriate.
” Tapper began by asking if governors who have been hesitant to shut down businesses again should do so since the prediction is that the coming wave of the virus will be the worst one yet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks is an easy way for everyone to fight the spread .
Then Gates specifically chose restaurants and bars as examples of businesses that should shut down for four to six months .
Jake Tapper just sat there and allowed Gates to opine without any pushback at all .
I guess it ’ s easy for a billionaire to say that the owners of bars and restaurants should suffer in order to curb the spread of the virus .
It ’ s no skin off his nose .
My question is this – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert on the coronavirus ?
Why should anyone be taking advice from him ?
Sure , he donates a lot of money to health care charities and organizations but the last time I checked , he ’ s not a doctor , a researcher , or even a professor in any medical field .
Yet , CNN and other news outlets frequently ask Gates for his opinion on health care issues .
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does work on a global scale and that ’ s commendable .
It has donated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Forbes .
But , Gates isn ’ t a medical expert .
The liberal cable hosts never question his reasoning , he ’ s fawned over by them .
Tapper is no different than the rest of them .
This behavior is actually quite cringeworthy .
Gates criticizes President Trump ’ s executive order that brings his America First stance to coronavirus vaccine distribution .
He rightly wants Americans to be given access to vaccines before the U.S. ships them overseas for other countries to use .
It is Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is his priority , as it should be .
Gates is a globalist , though , and implies it is selfish to think this way .
He sprinkles in a little hyperbole as he says the executive order mandates that there is to be no sharing of the vaccine until “ every ” American is vaccinated .
Fact check : False .
Tapper asked when Gates thinks we will get back to some form of normal life .
Gates predicts that may be late summer .
What wasn ’ t asked by Tapper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to get back to normal life if they continue to face random shut down orders for up to six months at a time .
How do they feed their families and pay their mortgages ?
That is normal life for non-billionaires .
They just want to work and keep their employees working , too .
He said the next four to six months “ really call on us to do our best , because we can see that this will end and you don ’ t want somebody that you love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus.
” Gates was asked when he believes the U.S. will regain some sense of pre-coronavirus life , and he said by late summer , the U.S. will be closer to normal than at the moment .
“ But even through early 2022 , unless we help other countries get rid of this disease , and we get high vaccination rates in our country , the risk of reintroduction will be there and , of course , the global economy will be slowed down , which hurts America economically in a pretty dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t live in a vacuum but to tie in some kind of virtue-shaming about global sharing of the coronavirus vaccines is not helpful , certainly at this point when the vaccines are only now becoming available .
Gates sounds like an out-of-touch billionaire and Jake Tapper doesn ’ t seem to understand that , either .
He ’ s willing to go along to fit in with the swampy crowd .

Bill Gates sat down for an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper and the topic was the coronavirus pandemic. The billionaire spoke about the severity of the coming winter wave of coronavirus outbreaks. When asked by Tapper if shutdowns should be put in place again, he was in favor of it. “Sadly, that’s appropriate.”
Tapper began by asking if governors who have been hesitant to shut down businesses again should do so since the prediction is that the coming wave of the virus will be the worst one yet. Gates began by saying that wearing face masks is an easy way for everyone to fight the spread. Then Gates specifically chose restaurants and bars as examples of businesses that should shut down for four to six months. Jake Tapper just sat there and allowed Gates to opine without any pushback at all. I guess it’s easy for a billionaire to say that the owners of bars and restaurants should suffer in order to curb the spread of the virus. It’s no skin off his nose.
A billionaire tells @jaketapper we should keep closing down businesses. He goes unchallenged. 2 people who will still eat well no matter, who will continue to be rich, who can survive an extended lockdown and still eat steak and drink fine wine. This is a heartless conversation. pic.twitter.com/R6b6AbAxZ9 — DaybreakInsider (@DaybreakInsider) December 13, 2020
My question is this – who decided that Bill Gates is an expert on the coronavirus? Why should anyone be taking advice from him? Sure, he donates a lot of money to health care charities and organizations but the last time I checked, he’s not a doctor, a researcher, or even a professor in any medical field. Yet, CNN and other news outlets frequently ask Gates for his opinion on health care issues. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation does work on a global scale and that’s commendable. It has donated $1.75 billion toward coronavirus research, according to Forbes. But, Gates isn’t a medical expert. The liberal cable hosts never question his reasoning, he’s fawned over by them. Tapper is no different than the rest of them. This behavior is actually quite cringeworthy.
Even if you agree with the message – I don't — the optics of the world's richest (or second or third richest, whatever) man telling other people to shut down their businesses for half a year are about as bad as it gets. https://t.co/T5Rd4yWPGn — Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) December 13, 2020
Gates criticizes President Trump’s executive order that brings his America First stance to coronavirus vaccine distribution. He rightly wants Americans to be given access to vaccines before the U.S. ships them overseas for other countries to use. It is Trump’s job to protect Americans, it is his priority, as it should be. Gates is a globalist, though, and implies it is selfish to think this way. He sprinkles in a little hyperbole as he says the executive order mandates that there is to be no sharing of the vaccine until “every” American is vaccinated. Fact check: False.
Tapper asked when Gates thinks we will get back to some form of normal life. Gates predicts that may be late summer. What wasn’t asked by Tapper is how small business owners will ever be able to get back to normal life if they continue to face random shut down orders for up to six months at a time. How do they feed their families and pay their mortgages? That is normal life for non-billionaires. They just want to work and keep their employees working, too.
He said the next four to six months “really call on us to do our best, because we can see that this will end and you don’t want somebody that you love to be the last to die from coronavirus.” Gates was asked when he believes the U.S. will regain some sense of pre-coronavirus life, and he said by late summer, the U.S. will be closer to normal than at the moment. “But even through early 2022, unless we help other countries get rid of this disease, and we get high vaccination rates in our country, the risk of reintroduction will be there and, of course, the global economy will be slowed down, which hurts America economically in a pretty dramatic way,” he said.
We don’t live in a vacuum but to tie in some kind of virtue-shaming about global sharing of the coronavirus vaccines is not helpful, certainly at this point when the vaccines are only now becoming available. Gates sounds like an out-of-touch billionaire and Jake Tapper doesn’t seem to understand that, either. He’s willing to go along to fit in with the swampy crowd.


hotair--2020-12-14--Tulsi Gabbard fires a shot across the bow on transgender issues before leaving Congress

Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard opted not to run for reelection when she launched her ill-fated bid for her party ’ s presidential nomination in 2019 .
Having flopped in that effort , she ’ s about to leave office , but before she cleans out her desk she ’ s making one last pitch to pass a law that has the progressive wing of the Democrats up in arms .
She is the co-sponsor of a bill named the Protect Women ’ s Sports Act .
This legislation , if enacted , would bolster Title IX protections for girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports by preventing males who “ identify ” as females from competing against true , biological females .
The blowback from liberal activists was swift and loud .
( NY Post ) A number of people called Gabbard , who leaves Congress this month , “ transphobic ” and a “ right wing s—t heel ” on Twitter , among other invectives .
“ I welcome real criticism and debate , ” Gabbard ( D-Hawaii ) told The Post Saturday .
“ But my so-called critics don ’ t want to debate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in smears and slurs and name-calling and innuendo.
” Gabbard , 39 , who decided to leave Congress last year to focus on her failed presidential bid , said she is “ maximizing ” the time she has left in office and said she fears for the U.S. “ Identity politics is having an incredibly destructive effect on our country rather than recognizing what connects all Americans , ” she said .
“ It ’ s being done to help people and parties get in power and stay in power by pitting individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Title IX bill and blasting the identity politics that basically define the Democratic Party today , Gabbard introduced a second bill designed to protect the lives of babies who survive attempted abortions .
Hold on a second… which party ’ s nomination was she seeking again ?
She posted a video to her Twitter account explaining her reasons for crafting the Title IX bill .
Gabbard has obviously ticked off nearly everyone in her own party .
One trans activist labeled her as “ blatantly transphobic ” on social media .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter over the second bill , calling it “ redundant ” and claiming that it “ criminalizes doctors , vilifies women , and fear-mongers about abortion.
” Sadly , both of these bills appear to be doomed in the House of Representatives as long as Nancy Pelosi is still holding the gavel .
And even if they weren ’ t , there is basically zero chance that Joe Biden would sign either of them if they didn ’ t pass before Donald Trump leaves office .
In some ways , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the will to oppose either piece of legislation .
They were supposed the be the party of feminism and equal rights for women and girls , weren ’ t they ?
But if that ’ s the case , why in the world would they support a system where actual girls are completely dominated and shut out of competitive sports and the opportunity to earn college scholarships by “ girls with testicles ” as we saw happening in Connecticut ?
Even more to the point , we all understand that the Democrats are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to and including the scheduled date of delivery .
But once a baby is delivered and outside of the mother ’ s body , even if the birth took place during an attempt at abortion , who in their right mind could stand up and vote against a bill saying that you ’ re not allowed to kill the baby ?
Because that ’ s no longer an abortion .
That ’ s just murder , plain and simple .
How do you vote against such a bill and go back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I get the sense that Gabbard might not have introduced either of these bills if she were sticking around in Congress and would have to stand for reelection in 2022 .
She clearly foresaw the backlash that would be coming from her own party and was prepared for it , but only because she ’ s on her way out the door and no longer has to kowtow to Democratic dogma .
Perhaps she missed her calling and should have been running as a moderate Republican all of this time ?
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll simply thank her for her military service and these two legislative parting gifts and wish her well in the next phase of her career .

Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard opted not to run for reelection when she launched her ill-fated bid for her party’s presidential nomination in 2019. Having flopped in that effort, she’s about to leave office, but before she cleans out her desk she’s making one last pitch to pass a law that has the progressive wing of the Democrats up in arms. She is the co-sponsor of a bill named the Protect Women’s Sports Act. This legislation, if enacted, would bolster Title IX protections for girls and women in high school and college sports by preventing males who “identify” as females from competing against true, biological females. The blowback from liberal activists was swift and loud. (NY Post)
A number of people called Gabbard, who leaves Congress this month, “transphobic” and a “right wing s—t heel” on Twitter, among other invectives. “I welcome real criticism and debate,” Gabbard (D-Hawaii) told The Post Saturday. “But my so-called critics don’t want to debate the issues. They just want to engage in smears and slurs and name-calling and innuendo.” Gabbard, 39, who decided to leave Congress last year to focus on her failed presidential bid, said she is “maximizing” the time she has left in office and said she fears for the U.S. “Identity politics is having an incredibly destructive effect on our country rather than recognizing what connects all Americans,” she said. “It’s being done to help people and parties get in power and stay in power by pitting individual Americans against each other.”
In addition to the Title IX bill and blasting the identity politics that basically define the Democratic Party today, Gabbard introduced a second bill designed to protect the lives of babies who survive attempted abortions. Hold on a second… which party’s nomination was she seeking again?
She posted a video to her Twitter account explaining her reasons for crafting the Title IX bill.
Title IX is a historic law that positively changed everything for women & girls. This video explains how, and why I introduced the Protect Women’s Sports Act – to clarify, uphold & strengthen the original intent of Title IX, ensuring a level playing field for girls & women. pic.twitter.com/B0647yCGmW — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) December 13, 2020
Gabbard has obviously ticked off nearly everyone in her own party. One trans activist labeled her as “blatantly transphobic” on social media. A second pro-abortion critic attacked Gabbard on Twitter over the second bill, calling it “redundant” and claiming that it “criminalizes doctors, vilifies women, and fear-mongers about abortion.”
Sadly, both of these bills appear to be doomed in the House of Representatives as long as Nancy Pelosi is still holding the gavel. And even if they weren’t, there is basically zero chance that Joe Biden would sign either of them if they didn’t pass before Donald Trump leaves office.
In some ways, it’s kind of amazing that Democrats can muster the will to oppose either piece of legislation. They were supposed the be the party of feminism and equal rights for women and girls, weren’t they? But if that’s the case, why in the world would they support a system where actual girls are completely dominated and shut out of competitive sports and the opportunity to earn college scholarships by “girls with testicles” as we saw happening in Connecticut? Even more to the point, we all understand that the Democrats are the party that supports abortion on demand up to and including the scheduled date of delivery. But once a baby is delivered and outside of the mother’s body, even if the birth took place during an attempt at abortion, who in their right mind could stand up and vote against a bill saying that you’re not allowed to kill the baby? Because that’s no longer an abortion. That’s just murder, plain and simple. How do you vote against such a bill and go back to look your constituents in the eye?
I get the sense that Gabbard might not have introduced either of these bills if she were sticking around in Congress and would have to stand for reelection in 2022. She clearly foresaw the backlash that would be coming from her own party and was prepared for it, but only because she’s on her way out the door and no longer has to kowtow to Democratic dogma. Perhaps she missed her calling and should have been running as a moderate Republican all of this time? It’s hard to say, but I’ll simply thank her for her military service and these two legislative parting gifts and wish her well in the next phase of her career.


hotair--2020-12-14--Trump, top government officials will be offered coronavirus vaccine this week

President Trump and top U.S. officials in all three branches of government will be offered the coronavirus vaccine this week .
The purpose of this plan is to ensure continuity in government amid the pandemic .
The vaccination effort may begin as early as today with administering the shots to top personnel deemed essential .
This will be spread out over ten days in order to prevent all of them from experiencing potential side effects at the same time .
Public health experts are advising top government officials to take the vaccinations in order to help in the efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The hope is that people will see the president or other familiar public figures receive the shot and it will ease the fears of the general population .
Career national security staff are also recommending that top officials jump the line and receive some of the first vaccines .
Public health officials are warning that skepticism of taking the vaccine may prevent a significant number of Americans from taking the vaccine .
Without that , herd immunity will not be achieved .
The first people to be offered the vaccines will be health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many groups are jockeying to be among those at the head of the line , such as teachers , airline industry workers , and workers in meatpacking plants .
Walgreens and CVS expect to administer the first Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccines to residents of long-term U.S. nursing homes on December 21 .
Moderna vaccines should be available the following week .
Chris Cox , senior vice president at CVS Health said that the delay allows time for the company to review information documents about the vaccine and get waivers from the nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states have opted for the Moderna vaccine and the earliest CVS can administer it is December 28 .
CVS and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc , which run the nation ’ s largest pharmacy chains but also offer other offsite pharmacy services , have an agreement with the federal government to vaccinate nursing home residents across the country through a voluntary program .
Cox said he believed all states had opted into the federal program , and CVS Pharmacy said more than 40,000 long-term care facilities had selected it as their COVID-19 vaccination provider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the company has 10,000 health care professionals ready to administer the shots in nursing homes and assisted living centers .
The vaccines will be free .
In October the federal government struck a deal with CVS and Walgreens to administer the coronavirus vaccinations at long-term care facilities across the country .
The decision of who will be given the shots first will be left up to states and jurisdictions .
CVS Health Chief Executive Larry Merlo said the company is ready to administer “ vaccines into the arms of some of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 hours upon receiving its share of Covid-19 vaccines .
“ We ’ re ready to go .
We ’ re in great shape and as I mentioned , people are excited to be an important part of this solution , ” Merlo said Thursday in an interview on CNBC ’ s “ Squawk Box.
” Merlo expressed confidence that residents in long term care facilities will be vaccinated before Christmas .
Over 40,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S. have selected CVS to administer vaccinations at their long-term care facilities .
Walgreens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care facilities nationwide .
It makes sense that the most vulnerable receive the shots first .
For those who squawk about President Trump and top officials getting the vaccine first , it is important to remember that the country ’ s top leadership has to be protected as best as possible for government continuity .
And , Trump is good at putting on a White House event – he should take advantage of that and receive a shot on camera .
He and Vice-President Pence can lead by example .

President Trump and top U.S. officials in all three branches of government will be offered the coronavirus vaccine this week. The purpose of this plan is to ensure continuity in government amid the pandemic.
The vaccination effort may begin as early as today with administering the shots to top personnel deemed essential. This will be spread out over ten days in order to prevent all of them from experiencing potential side effects at the same time. Public health experts are advising top government officials to take the vaccinations in order to help in the efforts to persuade Americans to get vaccinated themselves. The hope is that people will see the president or other familiar public figures receive the shot and it will ease the fears of the general population. Career national security staff are also recommending that top officials jump the line and receive some of the first vaccines.
National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot confirmed the plan in a statement late Sunday. “The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government on the advice of public health professionals and national security leadership,” Ullyot said.
Public health officials are warning that skepticism of taking the vaccine may prevent a significant number of Americans from taking the vaccine. Without that, herd immunity will not be achieved. The first people to be offered the vaccines will be health care workers and residents of care homes. Many groups are jockeying to be among those at the head of the line, such as teachers, airline industry workers, and workers in meatpacking plants.
Walgreens and CVS expect to administer the first Pfizer Inc COVID-19 vaccines to residents of long-term U.S. nursing homes on December 21. Moderna vaccines should be available the following week. Chris Cox, senior vice president at CVS Health said that the delay allows time for the company to review information documents about the vaccine and get waivers from the nursing home residents and their families. Some states have opted for the Moderna vaccine and the earliest CVS can administer it is December 28.
CVS and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, which run the nation’s largest pharmacy chains but also offer other offsite pharmacy services, have an agreement with the federal government to vaccinate nursing home residents across the country through a voluntary program. Cox said he believed all states had opted into the federal program, and CVS Pharmacy said more than 40,000 long-term care facilities had selected it as their COVID-19 vaccination provider.
CVS Chief Executive Larry Merlo said that the company has 10,000 health care professionals ready to administer the shots in nursing homes and assisted living centers. The vaccines will be free. In October the federal government struck a deal with CVS and Walgreens to administer the coronavirus vaccinations at long-term care facilities across the country. The decision of who will be given the shots first will be left up to states and jurisdictions.
CVS Health Chief Executive Larry Merlo said the company is ready to administer “vaccines into the arms of some of our most vulnerable populations” within 24 to 48 hours upon receiving its share of Covid-19 vaccines. “We’re ready to go. We’re in great shape and as I mentioned, people are excited to be an important part of this solution,” Merlo said Thursday in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
Merlo expressed confidence that residents in long term care facilities will be vaccinated before Christmas. Over 40,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S. have selected CVS to administer vaccinations at their long-term care facilities. Walgreens has been selected by about 30,000 long-term care facilities nationwide.
It makes sense that the most vulnerable receive the shots first. For those who squawk about President Trump and top officials getting the vaccine first, it is important to remember that the country’s top leadership has to be protected as best as possible for government continuity. And, Trump is good at putting on a White House event – he should take advantage of that and receive a shot on camera. He and Vice-President Pence can lead by example.


hotair--2020-12-15--NYC seeks to bar police from any interaction with homeless

Having already slashed the budget for the NYPD , the City Council in the Big Apple is looking to enact even more restrictions on the actions of the police department .
Multiple members of the Council have drafted a bill that would bar the police from any interaction with homeless individuals on the streets .
That would include both responding to complaints about possible criminal behavior and outreach efforts where officers attempt to get the homeless into shelters .
To say this is going too far is an understatement .
Even the notoriously liberal Mayor is opposed to the measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be prohibited from conducting any outreach to New York ’ s homeless under a new bill before the City Council , handcuffing cops from protecting municipal workers on the frontlines of the crisis — a move opposed by police unions and Mayor Bill de Blasio .
“ Experiencing homelessness on the street or on the subway is not a crime , ” insisted Councilman Stephen Levin ( D-Brooklyn ) during a Monday hearing of the council ’ s general welfare committee .
“ I hope that this bill will ensure that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involvement of police in these interactions.
” Levin , who reps areas including Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg , is co-sponsoring the bill along with Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal , a Democrat representing Manhattan ’ s Upper West Side .
The insinuation in this bill is obvious .
The liberals on the Council who have been pushing to defund , if not entirely abolish the police are suggesting that the cops can ’ t be trusted to deal with the homeless or are somehow looking to abuse them .
This flies in the face of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city ’ s Department of Homeless Services has routinely partnered with the NYPD and relied on them to provide officers to accompany workers when engaging the homeless .
This is done not only to ensure that help is provided to the homeless but to protect the workers in case any of the people they are trying to help become violent , as often happens when they are engaging with people having mental health issues .
The situation was already deteriorating over the summer .
When the defund the police movement succeeded in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police budget , the cuts included the elimination of the entire budget for the NYPD ’ s Homeless Outreach Unit .
That department had to do the lion ’ s share of the work in assisting the Department of Homeless Services .
Once it was eliminated , officers had to be pulled off the beat to respond to those situations , some of them not having all of the training provided to members of the outreach unit .
The results of those changes came quickly .
June was the last month that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handled 79 cases of calls involving homeless individuals either in need of aid or causing trouble .
In July , with the unit having been disbanded , the number of calls shot up to more than 300 .
The City Council responded by chastising the Department of Homeless Services for not responding quickly enough , despite having canceled one of their primary resources .
But between July and now , at least there were some cops available to help .
If this new bill is passed into law , the police will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained officers available .
All of this is taking place just as the city braces for what is predicted to be the first major snowstorm of the season .
So if you happen to be in Gotham this winter and either see a homeless person who looks like they are in need of shelter or one who is harassing you or other pedestrians , don ’ t bother calling the cops .
If this measure becomes law , they ’ re not going to respond .

Having already slashed the budget for the NYPD, the City Council in the Big Apple is looking to enact even more restrictions on the actions of the police department. Multiple members of the Council have drafted a bill that would bar the police from any interaction with homeless individuals on the streets. That would include both responding to complaints about possible criminal behavior and outreach efforts where officers attempt to get the homeless into shelters. To say this is going too far is an understatement. Even the notoriously liberal Mayor is opposed to the measure. (NY Post)
The NYPD would be prohibited from conducting any outreach to New York’s homeless under a new bill before the City Council, handcuffing cops from protecting municipal workers on the frontlines of the crisis — a move opposed by police unions and Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Experiencing homelessness on the street or on the subway is not a crime,” insisted Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn) during a Monday hearing of the council’s general welfare committee. “I hope that this bill will ensure that there is less harm done by limiting the involvement of police in these interactions.” Levin, who reps areas including Downtown Brooklyn and Williamsburg, is co-sponsoring the bill along with Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, a Democrat representing Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
The insinuation in this bill is obvious. The liberals on the Council who have been pushing to defund, if not entirely abolish the police are suggesting that the cops can’t be trusted to deal with the homeless or are somehow looking to abuse them. This flies in the face of the reality on the streets, where the city’s Department of Homeless Services has routinely partnered with the NYPD and relied on them to provide officers to accompany workers when engaging the homeless. This is done not only to ensure that help is provided to the homeless but to protect the workers in case any of the people they are trying to help become violent, as often happens when they are engaging with people having mental health issues.
The situation was already deteriorating over the summer. When the defund the police movement succeeded in getting a billion dollars slashed from the police budget, the cuts included the elimination of the entire budget for the NYPD’s Homeless Outreach Unit. That department had to do the lion’s share of the work in assisting the Department of Homeless Services. Once it was eliminated, officers had to be pulled off the beat to respond to those situations, some of them not having all of the training provided to members of the outreach unit.
The results of those changes came quickly. June was the last month that the outreach unit was in operation and they handled 79 cases of calls involving homeless individuals either in need of aid or causing trouble. In July, with the unit having been disbanded, the number of calls shot up to more than 300. The City Council responded by chastising the Department of Homeless Services for not responding quickly enough, despite having canceled one of their primary resources.
But between July and now, at least there were some cops available to help. If this new bill is passed into law, the police will be forbidden to intercede even if there are trained officers available. All of this is taking place just as the city braces for what is predicted to be the first major snowstorm of the season. So if you happen to be in Gotham this winter and either see a homeless person who looks like they are in need of shelter or one who is harassing you or other pedestrians, don’t bother calling the cops. If this measure becomes law, they’re not going to respond.


hotair--2020-12-14--Stacey Abrams named to preside over Georgia electors meeting

The State of Georgia certified Joe Biden as its presidential election winner .
Today the state ’ s Democrat Party electors met and Stacey Abrams was elected as the presiding officer of its meeting .
The irony of that is not lost on those of us who remember that Stacey Abrams has still not conceded to Governor Kemp from her defeat in 2018 .
It ’ s all very 2020 .
Abrams introduced the “ Dean of the House ” , Calvin Smyre to deliver an opening prayer for the meeting .
He began first with some partisan remarks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in past years .
Bill Clinton was the last Democrat presidential candidate to win Georgia in 1992 , before the prayer .
As of 2020 , he is the longest-serving member of the Georgia Legislature .
Georgia ’ s electors met in Atlanta to vote twice by paper ballot — first for president , then for vice president .
Stacey Abrams is receiving a lot of credit for turning Georgia into a blue state in the presidential election .
After losing to Governor Kemp in 2018 , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that promotes voter ’ s rights and participation .
She calls the State of Georgia a part of national change .
Abrams was turned into a celebrity by the left when she ran for governor and she harnessed that public admiration into grassroots activity .
She has turned her attention to the run-off races for the U.S. Senate in Georgia .
She told “ CBS This Morning ” on Monday that early voting shows an upward trend for the Democratic challengers .
“ This is a state that is almost evenly divided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer than 12,000 votes .
But what ’ s at stake isn ’ t divisive , what ’ s at stake is relief for our communities .
, ” she said .
Abrams said that 1.2 million Georgians have requested absentee ballots .
Of that 1.2 million , she said 85,000 of those applications for mail-in ballots come from voters who didn ’ t cast ballots in November .
“ They are disproportionately voters between the ages of 18 and 29 and disproportionately people of color.
” Despite continued cries of voter suppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the likes of Abrams and her organization , a record number of Georgians voted in the November election – over 5 million people .
The presidential election was decided by only 12,000 votes .
It is anticipated that the run-off races will also be very close .
Conservative radio host and Georgia resident Erick Erickson spoke about the run-off races today , the first day of in-person early voting in Georgia .
He thinks that early signs point to a strong showing from Republicans and Independents coming out to vote to save the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not conceded the 2018 election – Democrats like to balk at the fact that President Trump has not conceded the November election to Joe Biden .
Abrams told a whopper during her interview with CBS This Morning on Monday .
She didn ’ t contest that election for herself , you know .
It was for the voters .
In 2018 , Abrams ran for governor in Georgia against Republican Brian Kemp .
She lost by 55,000 votes and never conceded the race .
Some Republicans have likened her refusal to concede @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concede — a comparison Abrams rejected .
“ I never contested the election to make myself the governor , ” she said .
“ I contested the election to make certain every vote was counted and every voter was heard.
” Yeah , right .
Democrats now critical of Trump , calling him a sore loser , supported Abrams in 2018 and certainly have not insisted she concede since then .
So far she isn ’ t saying if she ’ ll run again for governor .
My money is on a future @ @ @

The State of Georgia certified Joe Biden as its presidential election winner. Today the state’s Democrat Party electors met and Stacey Abrams was elected as the presiding officer of its meeting. The irony of that is not lost on those of us who remember that Stacey Abrams has still not conceded to Governor Kemp from her defeat in 2018. It’s all very 2020.
Abrams introduced the “Dean of the House”, Calvin Smyre to deliver an opening prayer for the meeting. He began first with some partisan remarks, recalling casting votes as an elector for Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in past years. Bill Clinton was the last Democrat presidential candidate to win Georgia in 1992, before the prayer. As of 2020, he is the longest-serving member of the Georgia Legislature.
Georgia’s electors met in Atlanta to vote twice by paper ballot — first for president, then for vice president. Stacey Abrams is receiving a lot of credit for turning Georgia into a blue state in the presidential election. After losing to Governor Kemp in 2018, she founded Fair Fight, a grassroots nonprofit organization that promotes voter’s rights and participation. She calls the State of Georgia a part of national change. Abrams was turned into a celebrity by the left when she ran for governor and she harnessed that public admiration into grassroots activity.
She has turned her attention to the run-off races for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.
She told “CBS This Morning” on Monday that early voting shows an upward trend for the Democratic challengers. “This is a state that is almost evenly divided. The presidential election was decided by fewer than 12,000 votes. But what’s at stake isn’t divisive, what’s at stake is relief for our communities. ,” she said. Abrams said that 1.2 million Georgians have requested absentee ballots. Of that 1.2 million, she said 85,000 of those applications for mail-in ballots come from voters who didn’t cast ballots in November. “They are disproportionately voters between the ages of 18 and 29 and disproportionately people of color.”
Despite continued cries of voter suppression and victimization around voting in Georgia by the likes of Abrams and her organization, a record number of Georgians voted in the November election – over 5 million people. The presidential election was decided by only 12,000 votes. It is anticipated that the run-off races will also be very close. Conservative radio host and Georgia resident Erick Erickson spoke about the run-off races today, the first day of in-person early voting in Georgia. He thinks that early signs point to a strong showing from Republicans and Independents coming out to vote to save the Senate.
Early voting begins today in Georgia. Here's where things stand. pic.twitter.com/FbGvtYLuWE — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) December 14, 2020
About the irony that Abrams has not conceded the 2018 election – Democrats like to balk at the fact that President Trump has not conceded the November election to Joe Biden. Abrams told a whopper during her interview with CBS This Morning on Monday. She didn’t contest that election for herself, you know. It was for the voters.
In 2018, Abrams ran for governor in Georgia against Republican Brian Kemp. She lost by 55,000 votes and never conceded the race. Some Republicans have likened her refusal to concede to President Trump’s refusal to concede — a comparison Abrams rejected. “I never contested the election to make myself the governor,” she said. “I contested the election to make certain every vote was counted and every voter was heard.”
Yeah, right. Democrats now critical of Trump, calling him a sore loser, supported Abrams in 2018 and certainly have not insisted she concede since then. So far she isn’t saying if she’ll run again for governor. My money is on a future presidential run.


hotair--2020-12-15--Clean up on aisle 3: Debra Messing tweets wish that Trump is "most popular boyfriend in prison"

Actress Debra Messing is busy cleaning up a mess of her own making on social media .
Her case of Trump Derangement Syndrome continues to poison her mind and nothing proves that more than her presence on social media .
Her latest controversial tweet managed to anger both Trump supporters and his critics .
It ’ s hard maintaining her woke cred , apparently .
Last week , Messing posted on Twitter that she hoped Trump would be the “ most popular boyfriend ” in prison .
She ’ s convinced that is the fate of Trump – he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sent off to spend the rest of his life in prison .
She didn ’ t , however , say which exact law or laws he has broken .
Her violent , vile tweet against Trump even offended almost everyone .
She ’ s not accustomed to being attacked from her own side of the aisle .
In a tweet last week , Messing responded to a note from World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praising German Chancellor Angela Merkel for urging Germans to stay home amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she exclaimed .
“ [ Donald Trump ] , you are weak , scared , stupid , inept , negligent , vindictive , narcissistic , criminal , ” she added .
“ I hope you live a long life in prison where you become the most popular boyfriend to the all inmates.
” Gay fans , as well as others , wanted to know why she ’ s suddenly so homophobic .
On Monday , Messing tried to clean up her mess but it wasn ’ t as easy to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be .
Liberal celebs are used to saying whatever they want without suffering consequences .
She began the tweet by stating : “ Let me be clear : I said nothing about LGBTQI/queer LOVE.
” She deleted the first tweet , by the way .
Debra Messing said on Monday she hoped Donald Trump would be raped in prison , appearing to double down on a tweet last week in which she said she wanted Trump to be the “ most popular boyfriend ” to all the other prison inmates .
“ Rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has perpetrated violence on hundreds of millions of people .
My hope is ( and this is the first time in my life ) that the tables are turned and he is the victim of perpetrators , ” Messing tweeted on Monday .
What did I miss ?
What violence on “ hundreds of millions of people ” has Trump perpetrated ?
Seriously , the woman sounds delusional .
She went on to say , ‘ It is not my proudest moment , but 45 [ Trump ] has victimized 100s of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tables turned on him .
I apologize for the offensive way I did it.
’ Oof .
It ’ s hard to imagine such a despicable thought would be justified yet Messing tried .
People noticed there really isn ’ t much distinction between the first tweet and the second attempt to clarify it .
Indeed .
When they say insane things , it ’ s ok. Wishing violence on another person , including the president , is not acceptable .
Imagine what her reaction would be if the same was tweeted about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushback she is receiving .

Actress Debra Messing is busy cleaning up a mess of her own making on social media. Her case of Trump Derangement Syndrome continues to poison her mind and nothing proves that more than her presence on social media. Her latest controversial tweet managed to anger both Trump supporters and his critics. It’s hard maintaining her woke cred, apparently.
Last week, Messing posted on Twitter that she hoped Trump would be the “most popular boyfriend” in prison. She’s convinced that is the fate of Trump – he’ll be convicted of some crime and be sent off to spend the rest of his life in prison. She didn’t, however, say which exact law or laws he has broken. Her violent, vile tweet against Trump even offended almost everyone. She’s not accustomed to being attacked from her own side of the aisle.
In a tweet last week, Messing responded to a note from World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praising German Chancellor Angela Merkel for urging Germans to stay home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “AMERICA. THIS is a LEADER,” she exclaimed. “[Donald Trump], you are weak, scared, stupid, inept, negligent, vindictive, narcissistic, criminal,” she added. “I hope you live a long life in prison where you become the most popular boyfriend to the all inmates.”
Gay fans, as well as others, wanted to know why she’s suddenly so homophobic.
Love you Deb but please don't bring gay sex into the equation as something derogatory. — jeffie zitofsky (@jeffyz) December 10, 2020
https://twitter.com/kippbradley/status/1337904248605061120
On Monday, Messing tried to clean up her mess but it wasn’t as easy to do as I imagine she figured it would be. Liberal celebs are used to saying whatever they want without suffering consequences. She began the tweet by stating: “Let me be clear: I said nothing about LGBTQI/queer LOVE.” She deleted the first tweet, by the way.
Debra Messing said on Monday she hoped Donald Trump would be raped in prison, appearing to double down on a tweet last week in which she said she wanted Trump to be the “most popular boyfriend” to all the other prison inmates. “Rape is an act of violence. Trump has perpetrated violence on hundreds of millions of people. My hope is (and this is the first time in my life) that the tables are turned and he is the victim of perpetrators,” Messing tweeted on Monday.
What did I miss? What violence on “hundreds of millions of people” has Trump perpetrated? Seriously, the woman sounds delusional. She went on to say, ‘It is not my proudest moment, but 45 [Trump] has victimized 100s of millions of ppl; I had wished the tables turned on him. I apologize for the offensive way I did it.’ Oof. It’s hard to imagine such a despicable thought would be justified yet Messing tried.
People noticed there really isn’t much distinction between the first tweet and the second attempt to clarify it.
This is just the same thing you said before. Like, exactly the same thing. Which is to say you’re still holding the president gets prison raped. https://t.co/AgSkCvyzP7 — Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) December 15, 2020
Is it possible that many Hollywood celebrities don't own mirrors that would allow them to see their own insane and intolerant reaction to a man who they believe is insane and intolerant? — Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) December 15, 2020
Indeed. When they say insane things, it’s ok. Wishing violence on another person, including the president, is not acceptable. Imagine what her reaction would be if the same was tweeted about Joe Biden. She deserves all the pushback she is receiving.