News: The media does its own Friday news dump

Saturday, February 6, 2021

The media does its own Friday news dump

Feb 06, 2021

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By Eugene Daniels

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DRIVING THE DAY

Usually it's government officials who unload bad news right before the weekend — colloquially known in the news biz as a Friday night news dump — a time when readers or viewers are checking out.

Yesterday, it was media outlets themselves doing the dumping:

— LOU DOBBS was ousted by Fox News, and DONALD TRUMP came out of hibernation to defend him.

— The NYT announced the exits of two prominent journalists: a top science reporter who used a racial epithet in front of high school kids, and a producer of its much-touted-then-largely-retracted podcast "Caliphate."

More below, but first a reflection after a week of QAnon politics in Congress …

My colleagues Ally Mutnick and Sarah Ferris penned a story this week about Democrats' efforts to define the GOP as the party of Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) and QAnon in the 2022 midterms.

The piece quoted DCCC Chair SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (D-N.Y.) saying of Republicans: "They can do QAnon, or they can do college-educated voters. They cannot do both." The remark generated a big response online, including one person who wrote on Twitter, "No @RepSeanMaloney please don't tie conspiracy mongering to education level. Plenty of smart, rational folks never finished high school. Plenty of deeply misguided conspiracy theorists have advanced degrees."

It raised an interesting question: Does Maloney's stereotype of QAnon supporters lacking a college education hold true?

The answer seems to be no. Our partners at Morning Consult have done some polling on this in a tracking poll. The most recent poll shows that people are actually more likely to believe claims made by QAnon are accurate the more educated they are.

Twenty-seven percent of people with a postgraduate degree responded that QAnon claims are either very accurate or somewhat accurate. That compared to 20% of those with a bachelor's degree and 14% of those with less than a college degree. The numbers were similar in Morning Consult's October poll.

So Maloney was probably wrong on the narrow question of whether Republicans will have to choose between QAnon and college-educated voters: The two aren't mutually exclusive.

That's not to suggest the Democrats' strategy is a losing one, though: QAnon is all over the news, but there's a "vast chasm between news coverage and polling data," according to Joe Uscinski, who studies conspiracy theories and why people believe in them for a living.

Public support for the QAnon movement remains "meager" across the board, according to the University of Miami professor, who reiterated the point in an interview.

The upshot: The price of House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY'S decision to rally behind Greene this week won't come due until November 2022. Education levels aside, if Democrats can make the GOP the party of QAnon in 2022, they may be on to something.

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Back to the media drama …

— "Fox News cancels Lou Dobbs' show; pro-Trump host not expected to be back on air," L.A. Times: "Fox News Media has canceled 'Lou Dobbs Tonight,' the program hosted by television's staunchest supporter of Donald Trump and of his assertions of voter fraud in the 2020 election … Starting next week, the program will be called 'Fox Business Tonight,' with rotating substitute hosts Jackie DeAngelis and David Asman, who filled in for Dobbs on Friday.

"Dobbs, 75, remains under contract at Fox News but he will in all likelihood not appear on the company's networks again. … [P]eople familiar with discussions say the decision to end Dobbs' program was under consideration before the legal issues with Smartmatic arose."

WaPo's @ErikWemple: "First reaction: Good on Fox News for getting rid of a programming liability. Second reaction: Nah, the network took this step after getting hammered in a 285-page complaint that lays bare Dobbs' promotion of the lie that the election was stolen from former President Trump." He was referring to Smartmatic's $2.7 billion lawsuit against the network, filed the day before, alleging false election reporting damaged the election tech company.

Trump broke his post-presidency silence to weigh in, saying in a statement: "Lou Dobbs is and was great. Nobody loves America more than Lou. He had a large and loyal following that will be watching closely for his next move, and that following includes me." (h/t Michael Grynbaum)

Meanwhile, over at the NYT, newsroom brass announced two high-profile journalists were leaving for past bad behavior: audio producer Andy Mills, who helped launch "The Daily," and Don McNeil, a star science reporter and leader of its Covid-19 coverage. "Mills and McNeil each survived the Times' initial probes into the issues surrounding them; the publisher parted ways with the men after internal and public criticism that the Times hadn't taken sufficient action," the WSJ writes.

After problems with "Caliphate" came to the fore, allegations of misconduct by Mills with women at his previous job surfaced. Read his resignation letter here

McNeil was forced out after The Daily Beast reported last week he allegedly used the n-word and made other offensive remarks during an educational trip with students to Peru in 2019.

"I should not have done that," McNeil confessed in a Friday email shared with Times staff, the Beast reports. "Originally, I thought the context in which I used this ugly word could be defended."

The site's editor-in-chief, Noah Shachtman, responded on Twitter: "Here's the crazy part. NYT brass have known all about star reporter Don McNeil's racist remarks for more than a year. They gave him a slap on the wrist for it. Things only changed when The Beast made those slurs public."

— In another Friday disclosure, the Lincoln Project saw another co-founder, Jennifer Horn, depart. She cited "the revelations that another co-founder, John Weaver, was accused of sending unsolicited and sexually provocative messages to young men," the Times reports.

But that's not the end of the story. "In a response, the Lincoln Project said that 48 hours ago, Ms. Horn requested 'an immediate "signing bonus" payment of $250,000 and a $40,000-per-month consulting contract,' and claimed that in December, she had 'demanded a board seat on the Lincoln Project, a television show, a podcast hosting assignment and a staff to manage these endeavors.'"

"These demands were unanimously rejected" and Horn's resignation was accepted, the groups said. Whew!

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NATURALLY — "Donald Trump's Business Sought A Stake In Parler Before He Would Join," BuzzFeed: "The Trump Organization negotiated on behalf of then-president Donald Trump to make Parler his primary social network, but it had a condition: an ownership stake in return for joining, according to documents and four people familiar with the conversations. The deal was never finalized, but legal experts said the discussions alone, which occurred while Trump was still in office, raise legal concerns with regards to anti-bribery laws."

BIDEN'S SATURDAY — President JOE BIDEN and VP KAMALA HARRIS have nothing on their public schedules.

HAPPENING WEDNESDAY — The second impeachment trial against Trump begins next week after he was impeached over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Join RACHAEL BADE on Wednesday at 9 a.m. to discuss the ins and outs of the historic proceedings with NORMAN EISEN, senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution and special counsel to House Judiciary Committee Democrats during the first Trump impeachment a year ago. Register and submit your questions here

TRACK FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: The Biden administration hit the ground running with a series of executive orders his first week in office and continues to outline priorities on key issues. What's coming down the pike? Find out in Transition Playbook, our scoop-filled newsletter tracking the policies, people and emerging power centers of the first 100 days of the new administration. Subscribe today.

PLAYBOOK READS

Marine One is pictured flying past the Washington Monument. | Getty Images

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Marine One flies past the Washington Monument on Friday as President Joe Biden heads home to Wilmington, Del., for the weekend. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

THE WHITE HOUSE

MINIMUM WAGE LATEST — "Biden casts doubt on $15 minimum wage hike in Covid relief package," by Marianne LeVine: "President Joe Biden expressed doubt that his push to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour would be included in a final coronavirus relief package.

"In an interview excerpt with CBS News' Norah O'Donnell released Friday, Biden predicted Senate rules would prevent the increase from going forward. 'My guess is it will not be in it,' he said. 'I don't think it is going to survive.'"

MORE FROM THE CBS INTERVIEW — "Biden says 'no need' for Trump to still receive intel briefings," CBS: "The president did not elaborate on his concerns about what might happen if Mr. Trump continues to receive the briefings, but questioned what value that could add for the country.

"'I'd rather not speculate out loud,' Mr. Biden said. 'I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?'"

— "A visual breakdown of Biden's barrage of executive actions in his first weeks," WaPo

— "After Years in Government, Biden Has a New Perk: Air Force One," NYT

CONGRESS

CNN with a stepback on the House GOP leader's standing after a trying several days: "McCarthy emerges with a tight grip on House Republicans after tumultuous week"

COVID RELIEF LATEST — "House clears way for massive coronavirus stimulus plan," by Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle: "House Democrats on Friday voted to adopt a final budget measure, setting off an approximately two-week sprint to draft a coronavirus relief bill that would mark President Joe Biden's first legislative win. … Democrats must pass the bill before March 14 to prevent some boosted jobless benefits from expiring."

— "Republican congressmen Louie Gohmert and Andrew Clyde fined $5,000 each for refusing to go through a new metal detector in the Capitol," Insider

— "We're going to have to do battle': CBC eyes ambitious policy agenda under Biden," by Maya King and Sarah Ferris: "The Congressional Black Caucus has reached what might be the apex of its power after 50 years in Washington — but it's also staring down its most daunting to-do list yet.

"Black lawmakers are entering the 117th Congress with an ambitious agenda they believe has a real chance under President Joe Biden. But even with Democrats in power, it won't guarantee an easy path for the CBC, which is under pressure to confront a series of crises: a pandemic that's hit Black communities hardest, long-stalled policing reform, and the most inequitable economy in generations."

AND WE HAVE A WINNER — "NY22: Tenney to be certified winner; Brindisi expected to appeal," Utica Observer-Dispatch: "Following an order to certify the results, Republican Claudia Tenney is set to be certified the victor in New York's 22nd Congressional District. The results in state Supreme Court Justice Scott DelConte's order give Tenney a lead of 109 votes."

PANDEMIC

TRACKER: The U.S. reported 3,543 Covid-19 deaths and 131,000 new coronavirus cases Friday.

SCOTUS WATCH — "Supreme Court lifts California worship bans prompted by coronavirus," by Josh Gerstein: "A splintered U.S. Supreme Court blocked California from enforcing coronavirus-related bans on indoor worship services, but declined to upset other state rules banning singing and chanting and limiting the number of worshipers.

"The ruling issued just before 11 p.m. ET Friday produced four separate statements by the justices … Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Friday night ruling: new Justice Amy Coney Barrett, whose conservative Catholic views drew suspicion from many liberals in advance of her confirmation last year, declined to grant the churches the most sweeping relief favored by her most conservative colleagues."

A message from the American Beverage Association:

Our plastic bottles are made to be remade. Help us get Every Bottle Back. EveryBottleBack.org

AMERICA AND THE WORLD

ANOTHER BIG YEMEN MOVE — "Biden will reverse Trump's decision to label Yemen's Houthis as terrorists," Vox: "According to three people familiar with the decision, the Biden administration will revoke the foreign terrorist organization designation — known as an FTO — from the rebel group as part of its new strategy to handle the Yemen war. Two of the sources said the State Department had formally notified Congress of its decision."

RINGING BEIJING: Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN has spoken to his Chinese counterpart, YANG JIECHI — a notable high-level contact with China, which the administration has largely been avoiding. "Secretary Blinken stressed the United States will continue to stand up for human rights and democratic values, including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and pressed China to join the international community in condemning the military coup in Burma," the department said in a statement. Oh, and Blinken also wished Yang a happy Lunar New Year.

Next up: Biden and XI JINPING? (h/t Nahal Toosi)

CLICKER — "The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics," edited by Matt Wuerker — 15 keepers

GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Ryan Lizza:

— "Reintroducing Sonia Sotomayor: What can the most liberal justice accomplish on the most conservative court in decades?" by Irin Carmon for New York mag

— "The Terrifying Warning Lurking in the Earth's Ancient Rock Record. Our climate models could be missing something big." by Peter Brannen for The Atlantic

— "He Wants to Save Classics From Whiteness. Can the Field Survive? Dan-el Padilla Peralta thinks classicists should knock ancient Greece and Rome off their pedestal — even if that means destroying their discipline." by Rachel Poser for NYT Mag

— "Our Illiberal Moment: The virtues that our political order requires are in decline," by Charles C. Cooke for National Review

— "The Lion, the Polygamist, and the Biofuel Scam: How a member of a breakaway Mormon sect teamed up with a Lambo-driving, hard-partying tycoon to bilk the government for hundreds of millions of dollars." by Vince Beiser for Wired

— "After the Crash, They Said I Was Fine. I Wasn't." by Erin Tierney for Outside

— "A managerial Mephistopheles': inside the mind of Jeff Bezos. The Amazon founder's relentless quest for 'customer ecstasy' made him one of the world's richest people – now he's looking to the unlimited resources of space. Is he the genius our age of consumerism deserves?" by Mark O'Connell for The Guardian

— "How Andrew Gillum's Marriage Survived a Night of Scandal," by Wesley Lowery for GQ's Modern Lovers issue: "The rising Democratic star was found in a Miami Beach hotel with a male sex worker and suspected drugs. To keep their marriage together, he and his wife, R. Jai, had to embrace a new dynamic of 'radical honesty' in their relationship."

— "To Try a President: Should Richard Nixon have faced criminal prosecution? A never-before-published article from 1974, written by a leading legal scholar, offers answers that speak to the present," by the late Harry Kalven Jr., with an introduction by his son, Jamie, for The Atlantic

TUNE IN TO NEW EPISODE OF GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe for Season Two, available now.

PLAYBOOKERS

BIG NEWS FOR THE D.C. BUSINESS LOBBY — "Thomas Donohue to leave U.S. Chamber of Commerce," Axios: "Board leadership at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is close to naming Thomas Donohue's successor, and is expected to appoint Suzanne Clark as its next leader … As CEO, Donohue, 83, built the chamber into a political powerhouse that supports pro-business policies, contributes huge sums largely to Republicans and promises to give its international and domestic members a voice in Washington."

MEDIAWATCH — USA Today announced several moves at the top of the newsroom: Kristen Go as executive editor for news and initiatives, Kristen DelGuzzi as managing editor for opinion, Michelle Maltais as managing editor for consumer news and Caren Bohan as managing editor for politics and Washington. More

TRANSITIONS — Bonnie LePard is joining the National Institute for Civil Discourse as deputy director. She most recently has been a historic preservation attorney in private practice, and is married to White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed. … Alisa Maso is joining Lilly and Company in Dallas. She most recently was chief of staff at the Alpine Group.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Lauren Effron, senior digital producer for ABC News, and Tad Greenleaf, an administrative assistant for Apple, welcomed Samuel Graham Greenleaf on Tuesday morning, at the tail end of the massive snowstorm in New York City. Pic … Another pic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Tom Brokaw … C. Boyden Gray … Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) … WSJ's Jerry Seib … Chris Slevin, deputy director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs … Mike Schmuhl … Fox News' Kevin Corke … WaPo's Jenna Johnson … Michael Pollan … ABC News' Amy Robach … GMMB's Annie Burns … Jacquie Bloom … AP's Marina Villeneuve … Richard Cohen (8-0) … CBS News' Fernando Suarez … POLITICO's Alina Strileckis … E&E's Collins Chinyanta … Alexa Cassanos … Todd Abrajano … Clay Helton … BBC's Jeremy Bowen … Ken Lisaius … Eric Weiner … DNC's Daniel Wessel … Evan Wessel … MSNBC's Tiffany Cross … Amanda Fuchs Miller, president of Seventh Street Strategies (5-0) … New Jersey state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg … Roger Ekirch … Axl Rose

THE SHOWS (Full Sunday show listings here):

CNN	"State of the Union": Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen … Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) … Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) … Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).
FOX	"Fox News Sunday": Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) … Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) … Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) Panel: Karl Rove, Catherine Lucey and Juan Williams.
NBC	"Meet the Press": Anthony Fauci … Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) … Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Panel: David French, María Teresa Kumar, Anna Palmer and Michael Steele.
Gray TV	"Full Court Press": Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) … Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) … Jared Bernstein.
CBS	"Face the Nation": Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen … Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) … Maria Van Kerkhoven … Scott Gottlieb … James Brown.
ABC	"This Week": Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg … Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). Panel: Chris Christie, Rahm Emanuel, Sarah Isgur and Christina Greer.
MSNBC	"The Sunday Show": Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) … Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) … Donna Edwards … Tampa Mayor Jane Castor … Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) … Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) … Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) … Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).
CNN	"Inside Politics": Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) … Kaitlan Collins, Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Nela Richardson … Kaitlan Collins and Astead Herndon … Ashish Jha and Megan Ranney.

Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? A lead on the next big media figure who'll be sacked? Drop us a line at playbook@politico.com or individually: Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Ryan Lizza, Tara Palmeri.

Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Mike Zapler and producers Allie Bice, Eli Okun and Garrett Ross.

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Together, we're:
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