🥁 Axios PM: New McCarthy tape

Plus: Central Park is now a lab | Friday, April 22, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Morgan Stanley   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Apr 22, 2022 Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 537 words, a 2-minute read.     1 big thing: New McCarthy tape Via Twitter House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is surviving the audio revelation that he told colleagues then-President Trump ought to resign, then denied it. House Republicans, with the exception of Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, are mostly holding back from attacking McCarthy. Trump thinks the whole thing is funny, Axios' Jonathan Swan reports. He liked the original N.Y. Times story because he thought it made him look strong that McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have now changed their tune. Trump and McCarthy talked on the phone last night, The Washington Post reports. Trump loved McConnell reiterating to Swan that he would support Trump if he were the 2024 nominee. Book authors Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns released more McCarthy audio today to CNN, which they said was referencing Trump. "I've had it with this guy. What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that, and nobody should defend it," McCarthy said. Between the lines: GOP House aides say his bigger problem might not be what he said about Trump — but his reported comments that he wished Twitter kicked some far-right GOP House members off the platform, Swan tells me. McCarthy denied making those comments. Burns and Martin say they have it on tape. If the comments were made seriously, they would undermine his credibility on a top culture war issue for Republicans — going after Big Tech. Go deeper: "This Will Not Pass" publishes May 3.     2. "CNN minus" Illustration: Megan Robinson/Axios   Morale is hurting at CNN after the killing of CNN+, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer reports. What particularly rubbed people the wrong way was a Discovery executive referring to CNN+ as "CNN minus," a source told Axios. The big picture: Discovery executives had been publicly dropping hints for weeks ahead of the merger of CNN's parent WarnerMedia and Discovery that they were unsure of the business plan for CNN+. "I haven't gotten a business review on what CNN+ is going to be and how it's going to be offered," Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav told CNBC on Feb. 4. In the days following the merger, it became clear to CNN execs that Discovery execs were concerned about the app's costs and business plan. Go deeper.     A message from Morgan Stanley Earth Day 2022: Investing in our planet     Companies and investors are harnessing the scale of capital markets to help combat climate change and plastic waste while performing well financially, as new ideas from established and emerging sustainability leaders drive innovation. Learn more.     3. Catch up quick A worker cleans a statue of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin in St. Petersburg, Russia, for what would have been his 152nd birthday. Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky/AP Climate risk of Russia's invasion: Wildfires that spew emissions may burn out of control in Siberia because Russian military units that normally locate and fight them are in Ukraine. Go deeper. Reality check on tech decentralization: In 50 years, no tech decentralization movement has yet been able to prevent new Goliaths from emerging, Axios managing editor for tech Scott Rosenberg reports. White House national climate adviser Gina McCarthy is optimistic about enlisting Sen. Joe Manchin's help on a potential climate bill, she told me during an Axios event for Earth Day. Go deeper.     4. 🌎 Your favorite park is now a lab Photo: Mike Segar via Reuters   New York's Central Park is now a laboratory, using satellites and ground data to track climate change's effect on the park, Reuters reports. Goals include tracking carbon sequestration and seeing how much the park cools visitors and people nearby. Why it matters: "Cities are going to have to be part of the climate change solution," Yale geography and urbanization science professor Karen Seto said.     A message from Morgan Stanley Earth Day 2022: Investing in our planet     Companies and investors are harnessing the scale of capital markets to help combat climate change and plastic waste while performing well financially, as new ideas from established and emerging sustainability leaders drive innovation. Learn more.   Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   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: