| | MEDIA WINNER: Jake Tapper On Sunday night, CNN hosted a rare occurrence: a political debate with no in-person audience. In fact, anchor and debate moderator Jake Tapper said on Monday that they think this was the first since Al Gore debated Bill Bradley back in the 2000 primary. It paid off for the network and for Tapper. Ratings for the primary debates have been up and down. Just a few weeks ago, during arguably the peak of the primary race, NBC News drew a record 19.6 million viewers with a Wednesday debate, a far cry from a low 4 million for CNN back in December. On a Sunday, with no audience, and during the coronavirus news, last night's debate pulled over 10 million viewers to the simulcast for CNN and Univision. On CNN, 9.89 million tuned in overall, while 3.4 million viewers fell into the advertiser-coveted 25-54 age demo. A further 848,000 tuned in to the debate at Univision, with 344,000 in the demo. And it scored a lot of positive press and reviews to boot. Daily Beast editor Noah Shachtman called it "arguably the best" of the cycle, for example. Not to mention producing key moments and the laying down of markers, as debates do. It was a well done debate, under very unique circumstances, that didn't turn out awkward (as it easily could have), and the praise for Tapper in particular, as well as co-moderators Dana Bash and Ilia Calderón, make it a solid media win. 6.5.0 |
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| MEDIA LOSER: David Clarke Former Milwaukee county sheriff, 2016 Republican convention speaker, and ex-Fox News regular David Clarke went on a wild Twitter spree on Sunday over the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Clarke is a sort-of-pundit and contributor to Townhall.com who was considered for posts in the Trump administration, to include at Homeland Security. Clarke wrote a series of unhinged tweets, complete with mixed capitalization, that drew a deluge of criticism on Sunday night. A sample: “GO INTO THE STREETS FOLKS," wrote Clarke in caps. "STAY IN THE STREETS. END GOVERNEMNT CONTROL OVER OUR LIVES.” "The left tries shut anybody down who is not panicking over this FLU," he wrote in another tweet. He even suggested that George Soros was somehow behind the outbreak. The tweets came, of course, while the CDC is urging the halt of gatherings of more than 50 people. NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauc has called on Americans to do “whatever it takes” to stop congregating in restaurants and bars. Just today at President Trump's presser and update, task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx told Americans to stay home and limit gatherings to "under 10 people" even at home. Among the many calling him out, perhaps CNN's Andrew Kaczynski summarized it best. "This is extremely dangerous," he said. It is. And a clear media loser moment. 6.5.0 |
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| Stay Home, Limit Gatherings, Be Smart That was the word from the latest press briefing held by President Donald Trump and key members of the Covid-19 coronavirus task force. Millennials are the "core group" to combat the virus, said Dr. Deborah Birx at the briefing, citing their expertise at being social without being face-to-face. "We're asking all of them to hold their gatherings to under 10 people. Not just in bars and restaurants, but in homes." "We really want people to be separated at this time," said Birx. "To be able to address this virus comprehensively, that we cannot see, for which we don't have a vaccine or a therapeutic, the only thing we have right now is the amazing ingenuity and compassion of the American people." The president reiterated the point during the press Q&A. He also said the fight against the spread of Covid-19 could last into July or August, or even later. But enough about you... Reaching for a positive (for himself) at that press briefing, Trump did say he thinks his administration's response to the pandemic to date has been a 10 out of 10. A Fox Business guest went even further in rating the response earlier in the day. My goodness, me The Dow was a bloodbath this morning. That's not our word, that's the word used by Fox Business host Stuart Varney. In fact, all the networks had their moment of shock and alarm over the events in the stock market on Monday. Varney even said he thinks "we're in a recession right now" as the markets tanked. On CNN, Poppy Harlow confronted White House National Trade Council Director Peter Navarro about the crashing markets, and people "freaking out," and it got heated. Also on CNN, former Trump economic adviser Kevin Hassett put the odds of a global recession at "close to 100 percent." On the subject of money Republican Sen. Mitt Romney called for “urgent” measures to fight against the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, including floating the idea of distributing a one-time payment of $1,000 to every American adult. And the idea is gaining steam. Wait, what kind of law? On the matter of the infamous Marshall... Covid-19/Coronavirus Impeachment lawyer Daniel Goldman has Covid-19, but it wasn't easy for him to find that out. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closing of Canada's borders to all but Canadian citizens and Americans. Actor Idris Elba has tested positive for Covid-19, urges everyone to "stay home, people." MGM is temporarily closing their Vegas hotels and casinos. NYC press conference on measures to control virus got testy. 6.5.0 |
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PENGUINS ON A FIELD TRIP "Some of the penguins went on a field trip to meet other animals," wrote Shedd Aquarium on Twitter. "Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising! The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor." If that isn't enough of a teaser to get you to watch this video of a penguin visiting the other exhibits at its aquarium, then perhaps you will be more enticed by us reminding you that this is a video of a penguin visiting the other exhibits at the aquarium!! Click here to watch the penguin. We should mention to you that this video features a penguin on a field trip, so hurry up and watch the penguin! |
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