THE DAILY NEWSLETTER - FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2021

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
The New York Times

The New York Times has been at the forefront of the coverage regarding Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D-NY) various scandals -- as is befitting a newspaper headquartered in his state -- including breaking several of the top stories.

The Gray Lady continued their winning streak Friday, when the paper posted audio proving that Cuomo's office had lied when they denied claims that he had threatened to compare an adversary to a "child rapist."

In February, the Times had reported that Cuomo had a hostile reaction when told by a leader of the Working Families Party that the party would endorse him in the general election because he was better than a Republican.

This week, Times reporter Michael Barbaro brought the receipts, releasing a recording of Cuomo's call with the party leader. “If you ever say, ‘Well he’s better than a Republican’ again, then I’m going to say, ‘You’re better than a child rapist,’” the governor can be heard saying. “How about that?”

That's a terrible and unethical accusation to make falsely, and it's one more strike against a governor already fending off allegations of bullying. Bonus points to the Times for supporting their reporter Rachel Abrams after OAN doxxed her, posting her email and cell phone number, and urging their viewers to contact her.

MEDIA LOSER:
Jim Cramer

Young Goldman Sachs associates are complaining about grueling work conditions, but one prominent alum of the financial behemoth has little sympathy. 

CNBC's Jim Cramer -- who worked at Goldman in the 1980s -- erupted in a rage on Friday's Squawk Box, belittling the analysts for complaining about inhumane working conditions, deteriorating mental health, and high levels of stress.

One issue in particular that drew Cramer's ire was the analysts' "ridiculous" complaint that they were only able to sleep 5 hours a night, sneering that they didn't even need that much, and the long hours were part of the deal

“Give me a break!" Cramer exclaimed. "You go to Goldman Sachs because of the deal you make! You can make the money, and then you can do something great. Five hours, that’s all they get to sleep, that was pathetic! They should not be sleeping five hours!”

It's true that Goldman pays their people very generously, but the details from their internal survey were highly troubling. Cramer is literally cheering for an employment system that is endangering the physical and mental health of their employees. From his own telling, he personally relished hazing young analysts. "SHAME," indeed. 

The A-Block

You win some, you lose some. 

No sane person ever said that being President of the United States was easy, and while President Joe Biden has had some successes lately, he's also had some troubles. 

He's getting criticized for not holding press conferences, with the White House Press Corps pointing out that Press Secretary Jen Psaki is not a substitute for the commander in chief himself. 

Biden's stumble on the stairs while boarding Air Force One on Friday was an immediately viral moment. And the people on the internet had opinions about it. And, oops, he referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as "President Harris." People on the internet had thoughts about that, too. 

The White House is also facing criticism for a harsh crackdown on staffers who reported prior use of marijuana, a move some viewed as hypocritical. 

The first meeting between Biden's Secretary of State and Chinese officials was widely described as a "meltdown."

On the plus side, Biden's approval rating is up 9 points after the stimulus bill passed (and dropped money in millions of Americans' bank accounts). And the vaccine rollout continues...

At least Biden's doing better than his predecessor -- or at least the wax version of him. A wax museum in San Antonio, Tex. had to put their doppelgänger of former President Donald Trump in storage because visitors kept "pummeling" him. 



In Other News...

Jonathan Swan Calls Out Ouster of Teen Vogue EIC Alexi McCammond: 'What Are We Doing? She Was 17 Years Old?'

Rep. Chip Roy Walks Back ‘Rope’ and ‘Tree’ Comments: No, He Does Not Support Lynching or Vigilante Justice

George W. Bush Laments Capitol Insurrection in Rare Interview: ‘I Was Sick to My Stomach’

• Study Shows Trump ‘Chinese Virus’ Tweet Spurred Increased Use of Racist Anti-Asian Hashtags
 

Must See Clip

Up in smoke

Fox News host Sean Hannity was caught vaping on-air when his show Hannity returned from commercial break Thursday night.

Hannity could be seen wearing reading glasses and quickly removed the vape from his mouth. A barely audible stage whisper of "Sean! Sean!" got his attention as he quickly reapplied his earpiece with a quick "Uh-Oh!"

Watch the humorous moment -- and Laura Ingraham having a little laugh at Hannity's expense -- here.

Links We Like

The Cops Who Drew Guns and Forced an Innocent Family To Lie on the Pavement Were Dismayed by the Angry Response
- Jacob Sullum, Reason
America’s Covid Swab Supply Depends on Two Cousins Who Hate Each Other
- via Bloomberg Businessweek
COVID-Vaccine Health Risks: What You Should Know
- Jim Geraghty, National Review
Conservative Fanboys: The conservative cinematic universe is folding in on itself.
- The Bulwark
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