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The Ledes

Monday, February 24, 2025

New York Times: “Pope Francis is suffering from 'initial, mild kidney failure' in addition to the serious respiratory illness that has left the 88-year-old pontiff in critical condition in a Rome hospital, the Vatican said on Sunday.

Describing a “complex” clinical picture, the Vatican said that the kidney ailment was 'at present under control,' and that there had been no repeat of the respiratory crisis that the pope had experienced on Saturday. The pope was 'alert and well oriented,' the Vatican said, and he attended Mass in his suite along with the medical staff caring for him.”

The Wires

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Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful.

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

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

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

New York Times: “The president of MSNBC, Rashida Jones, is stepping down from that position, the company said on Tuesday, a major change at the news network just days before ... Donald J. Trump takes office. Rebecca Kutler, senior vice president for content strategy at MSNBC, will succeed Ms. Jones as interim president, effective immediately. Ms. Jones will stay on in an advisory role through March.... MSNBC is among a bundle of cable channels that its parent company, Comcast, is planning to spin out later this year into a new company.” ~~~

~~~ MSNBC: “On Monday, Jan. 20, MSNBC will present wall-to-wall coverage of the inauguration of ... Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance and will kick off special programming for the first 100 days of the new Trump administration.... On the heels of her field reporting during the last 100 days of the 2024 presidential campaign, Alex Wagner will travel the country to follow the biggest stories as they develop in real-time during Trump’s first 100 days in office, reporting on the impact of his early promises and policies on the electorate for 'Trumpland: The First 100 Days.'... During the first 100 days, Rachel Maddow will bring her signature voice and distinct perspective to the anchor desk every weeknight at 9 p.m. ET, offering viewers in-depth analysis of the key issues facing the country at the outset of Trump’s second term. After April 30, 'The Rachel Maddow Show' will return to its regular schedule of Mondays at 9 p.m. ET and Wagner will return to anchoring 'Alex Wagner Tonight' Tuesday through Friday.”

Page Links

Arizona

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AP, November 12: "A measure that would legalize medical marijuana in Arizona pulled ahead for the first time Friday, with both supporters and opponents saying they believed the proposal that went before voters on Election Day would pass."

Epoch Times: "Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, won in Arizona’s 3rd congressional district on Tuesday."

NBC News projects that Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer will retain her governorship.

CBS News projects that Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain will retain his Senate seat.

"The Man Who Never Was." Todd Purdum in Vanity Fair: "Desperate to keep his Senate seat, John McCain repudiated his record, his principles, and even his maverick reputation, entrenching himself as the anti-Obama. Which raises the issue of whether the leader so many Americans admired—and so many journalists covered—ever truly existed."

Jason Linkins (October 5) has a pretty funny, & accurate, take on the candidacy of Ben Quayle.

Democratic Congressional candidate John Hulburd v. Republican Ben Quayle & TheDirty.com:

New York Times, September 13: Steve May, a Republican "former legislator who recruited several drifters to run for office as Green Party candidates has canceled his own run for the State House.... Besides facing an uproar over his recruitment efforts, he was criticized in the news media for having been arrested on charges of driving under the influence." His name & those of his drifter buddies will remain on the November ballot.

The New York Times picks up on this Arizona Republic story about the Arizona Republican party's "recruiting" sham candidates to run on the Green party slot with the idea the Green "candidates" will siphon votes from Democrats. The Times reports that among their "recruits" are homeless men. The Democratic party of Arizona has launched complaints with federal, state & local agencies.

Governor Headless. AP, September 4: Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer finally admits she "misspoke" about headless bodies turning up in the desert: "That was an error, if I said that."

Gail Collins reports, "In her postdebate repair effort, Brewer told a radio interviewer that 'the bottom line is that there have been beheadings in the border region in Mexico.'” But later on Friday, the AP reports that Brewer did an about-face: "That was an error, if I said that."

No More Debates. The Arizona Star: "Incumbent Republican Jan Brewer said Thursday she has no intention of participating in any more events with Democrat Terry Goddard. She said the only reason she debated him on Wednesday is she had to to qualify for more than $1.7 million in public funds for her campaign."

In what was supposed to be her opening statement in a debate with her Democratic opponent Terry Goddard, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, freezes up:

... Brewer then refuses to answer questions about her false claims that police have found "headless bodies" in the desert:

Here's Gov. Headless making her beheading claims on Fox "News":

So first, she said, repeatedly, there were headless bodies in the desert, then she wouldn't say, the she said there were, then she said there weren't:

Running on Fear. Rachel Maddow reports on Queen Jan's fake campaign, her cozy relationship with a private prison company that benefits from the anti-immigration law, & her retribution againt a local CBS affiliate that has investigated that connection:

Arizona Republic, August 31: "The state Democratic Party is alleging possible voter fraud in what it called a scheme to undermine its candidates by recruiting "sham" Green Party hopefuls....

Marc Lacey of the New York Times profiles Ben Quayle. Jon Hulburd, Quayle's Democratic opponent, who has an uphill battle in a "safe" Republican district, said of the race, "This election is now between Jon Hulburd and Brock Landers,” referring to Quayle's porn star nom de plume.

AP: in Arizona, Ben Quayle, Son of Dan, won his congressional primary race in a heavily Republican district. CW: still the general election could be fun.

Today, the Republican party of Arizona nominated for Senate JD Hayworth in the shell of a politician that was once John McCain. The complete takeover of the Republican party by the Tea Party has included taking over the soul of a Senator who was once the face of comprehensive immigration reform and who now would just build the ‘danged fence;’ a man who once reveled in being a maverick and who now is a rubber stamp for the extreme rightwing; a man whose name was synonymous with campaign finance reform and who now barely registers a notice when the law that bears his name was gutted by the Supreme Court to favor corporate America. So, we congratulate JD Hayworth on his nomination tonight. -- Hari Sevugen, DNC National Press Secretary

AP: "U.S. Sen. John McCain has defeated conservative challenger J.D. Hayworth in the Republican primary in his bid for a fifth term."

AP: "Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer is headed to the general election after handily winning a GOP primary marked by a surge in her popularity after she signed a tough law targeting illegal immigration."

AP: "Gov. Jan Brewer faces a little-known moderate Tuesday in a Republican primary election contest in that saw her prospects boosted by her signing of a controversial law targeting illegal immigration. Meanwhile, Attorney General Terry Goddard is unopposed for the Democratic nomination."

Marc Lacey of the New York Times on John McCain's primary campaign: "The question now is whether Mr. McCain’s sharp shift to the right during the campaign — the onetime maverick declared at one point that he no longer wanted anything to do with that label — will ultimately come back to haunt him and perhaps tarnish his legacy as a pragmatist willing to reach across the aisle."

CW: I'm no fan of Mark Halperin's or Chris Matthew's, but when they're knocking John McCain, I'm flexible:

I’m a tall drink of water who is easy on the eyes. Plus, my moral compass is so broken I can barely find the parking lot. Long story short, on a scale of 1-to-10, I’m awesome. -- Ben Quayle, Arizona Congressional family-values candidate (& Son of Dan), using the pseudonym "Brock Landers," a character in a porn film, on the DirtyScottsdale.com Website ...

... Anyway, after concluding that sipping mint juleps dockside had been replaced with taking body shots off of scantily clad ladies, it was time to lose my yachting attire–and that’s when things started to get interesting. -- Ben Quayle, as Brock Landers, on a day at the lake

Another Republican Demonstrates How Not to Handle an Embarrassing Revelation. Rachel Slajda of Talking Points Memo: after the owner of a somewhat raunchy website outed family values Congressional candidate Ben Quayle as a writer for and "one of the original creators of the site," Quayle first denied it, later admitted he knew the site's founder, still later said he had written "two, possibly three" posts. ...

... The Arizona Capitol Times has more. Quayle categorically denied he wrote under the pseudonym "Brock Landers," the name of a porn-film character, but seems to have backed off that denial, too. ...

... TheDirty.com Webmaster Nik Ritchie (surprisingly, not his real name) posts Quayle's literary efforts in a post called "Ben Quayle is Brock Landers."

... Update: So now the whiney boy awesome dude tells Politico his political enemies are trying to "assassinate my character." CW; why would they, Mr. Easy-on-the-Eyes, when you're killing yourself with a thousands cuts?

ABC News: is Ben Quayle a chip off the old block- potatoe-head?

This is nauseating: Dan Quayle's son Ben is running for Congress.

... Update: this ad has been subscriber-firewalled. That's okay; the parody below is even funnier.

... BUT this is funny: Andy Cobb of Second City wants Ben's old job, whatever it is:

GQ artwork.Robert Draper has an excellent, long piece in GQ about the Arizona Republican primary battle between Sen. John McCain & former Rep. J. D. Hayworth. Draper & his subjects employs such images as "like a buzzard on desert carrion," "a mosquito at a nudist colony," & "going batshit about the border."

New York Times, July 17: Arizona Republican primary candidates John McCain, J. D. Hayworth & tea partier Jim Deakin faced off in a nasty debate. The Arizona Republic story is here.

AP: Scott Rothstein, "a now-disbarred Florida lawyer who admitted to orchestrating a huge Ponzi scheme, gave more than $180,000 to Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign contributions that McCain's Senate rival [J. D. Hayworth] is now making an issue in their competitive primary.... Rothstein was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years in prison after he confessed to running a $1.2 billion fraud using faked legal settlements."

Los Angeles Times: "Late Friday night as the Memorial Day weekend began, Arizona's Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, in effect, suspended the state's Democratic attorney general from defending the new law in upcoming legal challenges." The AG, Terry Goddard, is also running for governor & likely will be Brewer's opponent. He opposes the immigration legislation.

Public Policy Polling: "The Governor's race in Arizona continues to shape up as a rare opportunity for Democrats this year to pick up a major office they don't already have control of."