THE DAILY NEWSLETTER  - TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021  

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Gabriel Sterling

Gabriel Sterling, Georgia’s voting system implementation manager, went down the list of President Donald Trump’s baseless election fraud claims, dismantling each one after accusing the president’s team of “intentionally” misleading American voters and politicians.

Sterling made his comments at Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s (R) Monday press conference, which was held following the leak of his stunning call with the president. 

Sterling first pleaded with Georgia voters, asking them to turn out and vote during the Senate election despite the president’s false voter fraud claims.

“I’m not acknowledging there was massive voter fraud because there wasn’t,” Sterling said. “But if you believe in your heart of hearts that there was, the best thing for you to do is to turn out and vote and make it harder for them to steal.”

In the somewhat stunning presser, Sterling went off at length, in detail, and to devastating effect.

Still, on Tuesday, less than a full day after raging at Republicans for pushing conspiracy theories, Sterling endorsed the two highest-profile politicians in the state who have given such claims oxygen.

“[A]s much as this may disappoint some, please join me in voting for Senators Perdue and Loeffler,” Sterling wrote. “A divided government will serve Americans best right now.”

The debunking was called for and welcome. And maybe even a little better having come from someone voting Republican.

MEDIA LOSER:
Sandra Smith

Fox News anchor Sandra Smith pressed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger about the decision to leak his call with President Donald Trump.

Like, REALLY pressed him. 

“It would sound to the casual observer that you’re getting very political in nature, in what appears to be an attack on the president,” Smith said, dancing close to calling it a "grudge" as Fox's Martha MacCallum did on Monday.

Raffensperger said Trump spreading misinformation about the call and the election justified releasing the call, which the president had already spoken about publicly.

“You have gone on the record saying that you believe that your numbers will be supported in the court of law,” Smith followed up. “So why did you go the avenue of leaking a phone call with the president. I mean, don’t you worry about the precedent that sets?”

Raffensperger pointed out that Trump actually broke news of the call in a Sunday tweet, falsely claiming that the elections chief was “unwilling, or unable” to answer questions regarding the election.

After some discussion, Smith escalated her characterization dramatically.

“Why put into jeopardy our country by leaking a phone call of that nature and not just let your numbers and your facts play out in a court of law?” she said.

“I don’t understand how the truth would ever jeopardize the country,” Raffensperger replied.

Join the club.

The A-Block

Getting Penced

After four years of unwavering devotion to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence might find himself “under the bus” if he ignores pressure from the president to “reject” the Electoral College vote.

“The Vice President has the power to reject fraudulently chosen electors,” Trump wrote in an entirely false Tuesday tweet.

Trump’s tweet followed a similar threat he made to Pence during his speech at a Georgia senate campaign rally on Monday.

“I hope Mike Pence comes through for us, I have to tell you,” Trump said. “I hope that our great vice president, our great vice president comes through for us. He’s a great guy. Of course, if he doesn’t come through, I won’t like him quite as much.”

Amused by the idea that Pence could become Trump’s latest enemy after four years of devotion, pundits took to Twitter to react to the news.

Also on cable

It wasn't just Twitter. On CNN the Pence-iveness came between Alisyn Camerota and John Berman.

Can Pence actually DO anything?

Trump may believe that Pence has the power to thwart the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, but does he really?

‘Could Be a Civil War, You Never Know’

Trump supporters in Georgia really don't believe Trump lost. Really.

No, like, SERIOUSLY.

‘Antifa Scumbags’

Senator Josh Hawley called out “Antifa scumbags” whom he said threatened his family during a protest over his plan to object when Congress certifies Joe Biden’s 2020 victory.

“Tonight while I was in Missouri, Antifa scumbags came to our place in DC and threatened my wife and newborn daughter, who can’t travel,” Hawley said last night. “They screamed threats, vandalized, and tried to pound open our door. Let me be clear: My family & I will not be intimidated by leftwing violence.”

On Tuesday, video of the incident came out online.

'They were demented'

Conservative stalwart George Will called out Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, saying they were much worse than the “demented” JFK assassination conspiracy theorists.

McCain is Back on The View

“You missed me so much, Joy!” Meghan McCain fired back, tongue-in-cheek, to Joy Behar in a Tuesday battle. “You missed me so much when I was on maternity leave! You missed fighting with me.”

“I did not,” Behar said, shaking her head. “I did not miss you. Zero.”

McCain appeared stunned by the comment.

“Oh my God!” McCain said. “You know what, that’s so nasty! That’s so nasty! I was teasing because you said something rude. Like, really?”

It was quite a show.

Must See Clip

Coup retort.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris had a short yet emphatic response when asked if she believes Republicans are attempting a “coup” by plotting to reject President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Donald Trump when those results are certified on Jan. 6th.

Spoiler: Her answer is accurate.

Links We Like

Who Will Decide the Georgia Election?
- Christina Cauterucci, Slate
Why anyone could win Georgia’s runoff elections, according to the polls
- Sean Collins, Vox

There are no facts. Only the grift.
- Charlie Sykes, The Bulwark

MAGA activists plot revenge on Republican ‘traitors’
- Tina Nguyen, Politico
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