THE DAILY NEWSLETTER  - TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Adm Brett Giroir

Assistant Secretary for Health and White House Coronavirus testing czar Admiral Brett Giroir rebuffed the “everyone is lying” claim President Donald Trump promoted about the coronavirus.

In an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, Giroir was asked for his reaction to Trump’s retweet of former Love Connection host Chuck Woolery, who claimed that the CDC, media, doctors and more are all lying about the pandemic to hurt Trump.

“Look, we may occasionally make mistakes based on the information we have, but none of us lie. We are completely transparent with the American people,” said Adm Giroir. “We let the American people know what we know. Again, as new information comes, that may need to be changed because we’re learning every day. But nobody lies to the American people."

"We take that as really a sacred oath," he added, in really a terrific and inspiring appearance.

Giroir's pushback, along with CDC Director Robert Redfield continuing to urge Americans to wear masks, and Dr. Anthony Fauci refusing to be silenced, it seems that Americans can retain confidence in the Task Force leaders to fight Covid-19 despite Trump and his Wooleries.

And it seems clear Trump will let them, for now, even as he plays to his conspiracy theorist base with his tweets.

MEDIA LOSER:
Steve Guest

Republican National Committee rapid response director Steve Guest quickly backtracked after his online attack on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden backfired, prompting him to quickly delete both his bizarre original tweet and his vicious reply.

Guest apparently thought he could brand Biden as a hypocrite by tweeting out an image showing — in an obviously decades-old photo — him cuddling one of his sons who was wearing a Washington Redksins knit cap. The Washington football team just announced that it will soon drop the team’s name in the wake of the massive nationwide protests over racial injustice.

Hence, Guest attempted to tweak Biden, saying: “Hey Joe Biden, are you still a Redskins fan?”

Almost immediately, Twitter critics fired back at Guest for the self-inflicted wound of reminding voters that Biden is a loving father. Pundit Oliver Willis wrote he's "pretty convinced the gop rapid response director is a biden mole" in one example.

Others expressed their outrage. Rep. Eric Swalwell, to choose one, wrote that the GOP has "been reduced to cruelly attacking a father who has outlived half his children. When you post something like this, it’s time to ponder what circle of hell awaits you."

It was basically a disaster. The reaction here speaks for itself.
 

The A-Block

Weiss Out

Bari Weiss has resigned from The New York Times.

The opinion editor and writer published a lengthy resignation letter on her website — alleging bullying by colleagues at the paper for "Wrongthink" — after the news of her departure was first reported. It's a barn-burner.

Going Quietly

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined a growing chorus of alarm over the prospect of President Donald Trump’s potential resistance to a peaceful transition of power if he loses to former Vice President Joe Biden in November.

On Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, host Trevor Noah, Clinton said “Well, I think it is a fair point to raise as to whether or not, if he loses, he’s going to go quietly or not. And we have to be ready for that."

#Goyaway

Casey Harper, who works for Sinclair conservative pundit Eric Bolling has raised over $157,000 to purchase Goya Foods products, an effort to counter a boycott that began after Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue praised Trump.

"It boggles the mind."

Fox News politics editor Chris Stirewalt said Monday it “boggles the mind” that the Trump administration would be criticizing its own coronavirus task force top member Dr. Anthony Fauci.

"It just makes no sense," said the Fox News editor and commentator.

"We don’t endorse those words"

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson took a moment during his Monday night show to address the serious controversy over his now-former head writer, and yesterday's Green Room media loserBlake Neff.

“What Blake wrote anonymously was wrong. We don’t endorse those words. They have no connection to the show," said Carlson in his remarks about the incident. "But we should also point out to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young man that self-righteousness also has its costs."

"That’s not an apology at all"

CNN’s New Day laced into Carlson over that segment, which they called a “sham” response to "vile" content that "did bleed into" the show.

“The most notable thing missing was an actual apology to his audience that his show’s monologues have been written in part by someone who has been expressing the racist attitudes online," said CNN's Oliver Darcy, who originally brought the remarks to light.

“What he said last night was a sham,” said John Berman. “That was a sham. That’s not an apology at all. At all."

MSNBC's Chris Hayes, meanwhile, connects the dots.

Fox Sweeps Ratings Dayparts; MSNBC Edges CNN

Fox News swept the total day and primetime ratings on Friday, but in a surprise result, MSNBC edged out CNN in primetime in the coveted 25 – 54 age demographic.



Fox News won Friday between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., and MSNBC pulled in 332,000 in the demo. That was good enough to eke out a second-place finish over CNN. 

Get the numbers, and find out which were the top shows, via Mediaite+!

"This virus is tough but Texas is tougher”

Joe Biden on Tuesday gave CNN an exclusive first look at a new ad that made news, as anchor John Berman put it, not just for the ad itself, but for where it’s running: Texas.

"Kiss my ass”

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) straight up told people to “kiss my ass” if they continue to oppose reopening schools for what he says are political reasons.

The senator joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday night to discuss the news that numerous schools plan to continue with online learning in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Kennedy argued that “some people seem to be enjoying” the fact that America continues to face troubles because of the health crisis.

“Maybe they just hate America,” Kennedy said. “Maybe they just enjoy watching the world burn. I think some are liking the chaos because they think it gives them a political advantage.”

It was something.

 

Must See Clip

Your Phone Pic to Twitter to TikTok Back to Twitter Story of the Day (That Also Has a Noose and a Confederate Flag btw)

A social media clash over racist symbols played out in unusual fashion across multiple platforms, beginning with a Twitter user leaving a note on a Confederate flag-emblazoned pickup truck and gaining steam with the help of the guy whose “white power” video was retweeted by President Donald Trump.

A Twitter user named Chad who goes by the handle “Bazooka Tooth | BLM” spotted the truck and left a scrawled-in-ballpoint eff-you note on the windshield. 

Oh Yes, There Is So Much More, Including a NUTS Vid

Links We Like

Biden is advertising in Texas. That’s ominous for Trump.
- via The Plum Line
Paper of record fails to probe details of death caused by an alleged Covid party.
- via Patterico
Kanye West and the media are once again playing a dangerous game.
- via Vulture
Joe Biden is promising progressive policies. Who’s going to hold him to it?
- via Mother Jones
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