THE DAILY NEWSLETTER  - TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2020 🥳

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Sean Hannity

Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity is not at all happy with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s leadership on the coronavirus pandemic. Like many other conservative commentators, he has been extremely critical of her lockdown measures, and broadly has joined other conservative pundits in supporting a swift reopening of the economy.

But he broke from type, on Monday night, when he had some words of criticism and rebuke for the armed groups who have gathered to protest Whitmer and the lockdowns. 

"Show of force is dangerous. That puts our police at risk," said Hannity. "And by the way, your message will never be heard, whoever you people are. No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with a show of force."

That take may be a surprise to you, and it was definitely a surprise to nonplussed guest Dan Bongino.

It's not easy to take a principled stand to the consternation of one's base. It's praiseworthy when someone does.
MEDIA LOSER:
Andy Lack

NBCUniversal announced in a press release on Monday that Andrew Lack is stepping down and would “transition out” from the company at the end of May as part of an organizational restructure.

During his tenure at NBC News, Lack faced criticism for the network’s handling of  Ronan Farrow’s reporting on sexual assault allegations against convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

Farrow alleged that Lack, among other executives, attempted to kill his reporting on Weinstein and that Lack himself “preyed on female underlings and pursued sexual relationships with them” — claims Lack denied.

Moreover, the Daily Beast reports his exit, coming well ahead of his expected retirement after the election, was met with relief by his subordinates.

"Good riddance to Andy,” one staffer is quoted as saying. It's also bad news for Lack's deputy, Noah Oppenheim

Lack's abrupt early departure lead to some rather better news for his replacementCesar Conde. 

The A-Block

It's Morning in America

Good morning! It's not just morning for our new a.m. schedule, but it's morning on Twitter, too, and President Donald Trump was mourning a new "Mourning" ad on Twitter.

You can see the ad below in our Must See Clips section, along with the Trump campaign's latest ad, which has CNN angry. So ... quite a morning for mornings! 

The President's 1 a.m. rage was directed at George Conway, whom he called "moonface" for some reason.

And moonf...err, Conway responded, calling Trump a "moron."


Coronavirus

The academic group frequently cited by the White House coronavirus task force for official estimates of coronavirus cases and fatalities radically changed its numbers on Monday, nearly doubling its projected final death toll for the first wave of the Covid-19 outbreak to 135,000.

CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta said on Monday that American deaths linked to the coronavirus could exceed 3,000 daily by mid-summer, stating that the shutdowns aimed at reducing the spread of the virus failed to create a “back end” to the infection curve.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has a question to ponder in calculating when to reopen: “how many deaths and how much suffering are you willing to accept?

Pulitzer Prize

The 2020 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced Monday afternoon with 15 winners in journalism and seven in book, drama, and music.

Here is the list of winners...including the controversial ones.

'Like a slap in the face'

Former First Lady Michelle Obama remains upset that the winning coalition her husband put together in the 2008 and 2012 elections did not turn out in sufficient numbers to help Hillary Clinton defeat Donald Trump in 2016.

'I won’t forget it'

CNN’s Chris Cuomo effusively thanked Dr. Anthony Fauci last night for his attention during the anchor’s recent bout with the coronavirus, and went on to extend those thanks to “our leader” and the entire Trump administration for their concern over his ordeal.

Desperate housewife references

In an Oval Office interview with the New York Post Monday, Trump went after CBS White House correspondents Weijia Jiang and Paula Reid — both of whom he’s previously berated in the briefing room.

“It wasn’t Donna Reed, I can tell you that,” Trump said — lamenting what he deems to be the journalists’ dissimilarity to the actress who starred as a housewife in an eponymous sitcom decades ago.

China

Media critics “go crazy” over any discussion of how the coronavirus originated in China, CNBC host Joe Kernen said in a Tuesday interview with Sen. Tom Cotton, because it “ruins their whole narrative.”

“I can’t believe the type of hoopla I see even when we discuss it. To a certain contingency, they claim that it’s a try to, I guess, cast blame aside from the Trump administration,” the CNBC host said to the Republican senator.

Murder Hornet sting test

You've heard about the Murder Hornets, now you can watch as a YouTube genius gets stung by one on purpose.

This .... this does not look fun.

Must-See Clips

Dueling Ads

You heard about the ads above, now watch them here.

The Trump Campaign has released a new 60-second political ad that paints President Trump as a competent leader who is successfully navigating the country through the coronavirus pandemic.

The ad features the line “This November the greatest comeback story is written” and
highlights “attacks” on Trump by the media.

Conversely, group of notable Republicans dedicated to the ouster of President Trump has put out their own ad,  damning political ad that hits the White House handling of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The political spot plays off the famous Ronald Reagan ad from 1984 that opened “It’s morning in America,”
though this 2020 version takes a much darker tone



By the way, CNN sent the Trump campaign a cease-and-desist letter over the Comeback ad for what they call “false, misleading, and deceptive” use of CNN footage.

 

Links We Like

Sorry Max Boot, But China in 2020 is not Kansas in 1918
via National Review
Here’s what Congress must get right in the next coronavirus aid package
- via Dallas Morning News

Tara Reade and the #MeToo Trap: Don't Compare Biden to Kavanaugh
- via The New York Times
Here are just a few reasons that people will die if the economy is not reopened soon
- via The Blaze
Trump cheers on governors as they ignore White House guidelines to reopen
- via Washington Post
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