THE DAILY NEWSLETTER - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 
New York Times bestselling authors Dan Abrams and David Fisher bring to life the incredible story of one of America’s most publicized — and most surprising — criminal trials in history. Pre-order Kennedy's Avenger today!

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Dan Bongino & Trey Gowdy

The new shows from former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) were ratings winners for Fox News over the weekend, as both shows dominated their timeslots on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Unfiltered with Dan Bongino debuted Saturday at 10 p.m., and brought in 1.75 million total viewers, and 307k in the valuable demographic of viewers age 25-54 – more total viewers and viewers in the demo than MSNBC and CNN combined– according to Nielsen data.

On CNN, the second hour of the special Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street was second, with 503k total viewers, and 103k in the demo. On MSNBC, American Voices with Alicia Menendez was third, with 429k, 75k in demo.

Fox News’ Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy also swept its timeslot, with 1.29 million total viewers (more than CNN and MSNBC combined) and 156k in the demo. CNN Newsroom was second, with 496k total viewers, and 89k in the demo. On MSNBC, American Voices with Alicia Menendez was third, with 466k total viewers, and 71k in the demo.

Fox’s weekend wins continued into Monday, though MSNBC still...

Get the rest, and all the latest ratings and insider news, via Mediaite+.

MEDIA LOSER:
Art Laffer

During a panel appearance with Austan Goolsbee on Tuesday about whether to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, conservative economist Art Laffer said that some workers just aren’t worth that much.

Fox News anchor Sandra Smith suggested that raising the minimum wage might cause companies to automate some of the jobs currently done by humans. She noted that there are currently 9.3 million job openings in the U.S., which has sparked fears of a worker shortage.

Smith cited the recent foray of McDonald’s into testing voice-ordering technology at 10 of its Chicago restaurants, where only one-fifth of orders need to be taken by humans, according to CEO Chris Kempczinski. He said the automated order-takers have an accuracy rate of about 85%.

Laffer responded by scoffing at the idea every worker should be making at least $15 an hour.

"These people aren’t worth $15 an hour in most cases," he actually said as a sentence on TV after a year of crisis in this country that included essential workers putting themselves at risk each day for minimum wage in some cases.

For the record, working 40 hours a week for a year for $15 an hour translates to an income of $31,200 before withholdings.

The A-Block

Republicans ‘Going Crazy on Twitter’

New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers characterized Republican critics of Vide President Kamala Harris as “going crazy on Twitter” over her remarks about visiting the US/Mexico border — but then asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki “Don’t they have a point?”

As VP Harris’ first foreign trip wound down Tuesday, Republican outrage over her comments about visiting the border — and those same Republicans’ months-long chorus of demanding that she do so — dominated Psaki’s press briefing.

After several questions on the topic, Ms. Rogers chimed in as well, telling Psaki “I just had another on the Vice President visiting the border or not visiting the border. Republicans and conservatives are, you know, going crazy on Twitter, sending pictures…”

“They’re worked up,” Psaki interrupted to agree. “I’ve seen it.”

“…sending videos of her interview with Lester Holt, you know, saying, ‘I’m not…’ — you know, ‘I’ve not been to Europe, either,'” Rogers continued.

She was referencing the vice president’s recent NBC News interview in which she said "we've been to the border" three times before Holt replied, "You haven't been to the border."

Rogers then asked if President Joe Biden thinks there’s “a scenario in which she should visit the border,” and whether “mounting criticism from conservatives” would be a factor in such a scenario.

“I mean, don’t they have a point that if she has this task in front of her, should she not see the — the end cause as well as the root cause of migration?” Rogers said.

Ms. Psaki did NOT believe they had a point.


In Other News...

One-THIRD of Republicans Think Trump Will Be Reinstated as President This Year

Meghan McCain Goes OFF on ABC's The Bachelor Over Diversity— ON ABC

Chris Harrison Reportedly Threatened to Spill ’20 Years of Dirt’ About The Bachelor Unless He Received a $25 Million Exit Payout

CHRISTOPHERCNN’s Brian Stelter Tells Jen Psaki He’s Not Sure #PsakiBombs Are ‘Good for the Country’ — Does He Have a Point?

HOWECritics Called Brian Stelter’s Psaki Interview Gooey, Fawning, Bootlicking, State TV — Do They Have a Point?

Must See Clip

MASSIVE BRAWL

An absolutely insane brawl broke out in the middle of a Bolivian parliament session Tuesday.

The fisticuffs broke out during a debate between members of the country’s ruling socialist party, Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), and the opposition party. Henry Montero, a member of the opposition, threw down with MAS representative Antonio Colque in a furious slugfest that featured roundhouse punches and lots of grappling.

Then they had recess. Naturally. 

Links We Like

New York Gave Every Detained Immigrant A Lawyer. It Could Serve As A National Model.
- Nicole Narea, Vox
The Media Must Do Better To Address Photojournalism’s Sexual Harassment Problem
- Alicia Vera, Washington Post
Bogus Social Media Outrage Is Making Authors Change Lines in Their Books Now
- Laura Miller, Slate
GOP Turning America Into a 'Democracy With Asterisks'
- Thomas Edsall, New York Times
Journalists: Don't Forgive Yourself So Much You Never Do Better Again
Caleb Howe, Twitter
Reading this online? Why not get it in your inbox? Sign up for the Mediaite Live from the Greenroom Newsletter today!
Twitter Twitter
Facebook Facebook
Instagram Instagram
Visit Mediaite Visit Mediaite
Copyright © 2018 Mediaite LLC All rights reserved.

Write to us:  tips@mediaite.com

Problems with these e-mails? Update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.