🥁 Axios PM: Trump talks vax

Pictured: Rappelling Santas | Thursday, December 23, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Facebook   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Dec 23, 2021 Happy Thursday before Christmas. Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — 499 words, a 2-minute read.     1 big thing: Ex-officer guilty in death of Daunte Wright After the verdict, the scene outside the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. Photo: Adam Bettcher/Reuters Former suburban Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter was found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop last April. The shooting, which came during the Derek Chauvin murder trial, sparked days of protests in the suburb, Brooklyn Center, report Nick Halter and Torey Van Oot of Axios Twin Cities. Afterward, city leaders pledged significant police reforms. Backstory: Potter and another officer pulled over Wright, who was Black, in Brooklyn Center on April 11 for a hanging air freshener and expired vehicle registration, according to a court filing. Potter, who is white, shot and killed Wright while attempting to take him into custody over a separate, active arrest warrant. Police and Potter's attorney have said the 26-year veteran inadvertently pulled out her gun instead of a Taser after Wright tried to flee. Body camera footage shows Potter yell "Taser" just before the shooting and tell officers right after: "S--t! I just shot him. ... I grabbed the wrong f-----g gun." Keep reading ... Key moments in the case ... Sign up for Axios Twin Cities.     2. Trump: "If you take the vaccine, you're protected" Graphic: The Daily Wire After allowing vaccine opposition to soar among his supporters, former President Trump defended COVID shots twice this week. Why it matters: Red states have lagged in vaccine adoption, and counties carried by Trump have notably lower vaccination rates than those carried by President Biden. Between the lines: Trump is realizing belatedly that he could have taken more credit for the miracle of swift, effective COVID vaccines, which ramped up under his Operation Warp Speed. Instead, he got vaccinated quietly before leaving the White House. His vice president, Mike Pence, got the jab on camera. Word of Trump's shot came out over a month after he left office. Trump revealed Sunday, while appearing with Bill O'Reilly, that he'd been boosted. The crowd of Trump supporters booed. Then yesterday, Trump promoted the vaccine during an interview with conservative star Candace Owens for The Daily Wire: I came up with three vaccines — all are very, very good. I came up with three of them in less than nine months. Owens replied: "And yet more people have died under COVID this year, by the way, under Joe Biden than under you." Trump pushed back: "Oh, no. The vaccine worked. But some people aren't taking it. The ones that get very sick and go to the hospital are the ones that don't take the vaccine. But it's still their choice."     A message from Facebook Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations, including Section 230     Aaron is one of 40,000 people working on safety and security issues at Facebook. Hear more from Aaron on why Facebook supports updating regulations on the internet's most pressing challenges, including reforming Section 230 to set clear guidelines for all large tech companies.     3. Catch up quick 🦠 Now there are two: The FDA authorized an antiviral pill from Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to treat people at high risk of COVID complications. The agency approved Pfizer's pill yesterday. 📚 RIP Joan Didion: The legendary author, journalist and novelist died at 87 at her home in Manhattan. She was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Read her obituary.     4. Parting shot: Rappelling Santas Photo: Borut Zivulovic/Reuters   Santas rappel past patients' windows yesterday at a pediatric clinic in Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia.     A message from Facebook Facebook is committed to your safety and security online     We've invested more than $13 billion in teams and technology to stop bad actors and remove illicit content. Since July, we've taken action on: 1.8 billion fake accounts. 26.6 million violent and graphic posts. 9.8 million terrorism-related posts. Find out how we're working to enhance safety.   Like this email style and format? Bring the strength of Smart Brevity® to your team — more effective communications, powered by Axios HQ.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: