Breaking: Washington Post names @SallyBuzbee of the Associated Press as new executive editor, succeeding Marty Baron. Buzbee is the first woman appointed to the top newsroom job in Post’s 144-year history. Story by me: washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/medi…
A footnote: Women are now in charge of the newsrooms at the Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, NPR, MSNBC, Reuters, Financial Times, Guardian and the Economist. The fact that this is not a big deal is kind of a big deal.
New: Michael Pack, the Trump appointee who has attempted to reshape @VOANews and other government-funded international news agencies, causing turmoil and controversy in the process, will resign at 2 pm, per sources. Biden was expected to fire him.
Pack’s resignation letter: “The new president has requested my resignation.”
Note: Recounts unlikely to help Trump. Avg. swing in 27 statewide recounts (2000-15) was 282 votes. Biggest: Gore cut 1,247 votes from Bush’s lead in FLA in 2000, still lost google.com/amp/s/fivethir…
So Trump will have to *prove* tens of thousands of votes were fraudulently switched or recorded in four states, a massive and unprecedented conspiracy given decentralized election system. AND he will need to flip a fifth state to get to 270. Tall order.
Further, he would have to provide evidence that this conspiracy was carried out under states run by Dem governors (PA, NV) and GOP governors (AZ and GA) and in states with legislatures controlled by Dems (NV) and by GOP (PA, GA and AZ). Very tall order.
First, the White House briefings *are* widely watched, relatively speaking. Highest figure here is ~12.4 million viewers across all three cable news networks (the broadcast networks have been showing bits and pieces live and aren’t included here).
The next question is: Compared to what? Yes, the collective audience (12.4 million) rivals “Monday Night Football.” But “MNF” airs in “normal” times. These aren’t “normal” times.
Feb. 2: “We pretty much shut it down coming in from China...so, we’re going to see what happens, but we did shut it down, yes.” More...
Feb. 14: “There’s a theory that, in April, when it gets warm — historically, that has been able to kill the virus. So we don’t know yet; we’re not sure yet.” (Warmer weather doesn’t “kill” a virus).
Feb. 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA...
...Stock Market starting to look very good to me!”
Feb. 25: “ Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is complaining, for publicity purposes only, that I should be asking for more money than $2.5 Billion to prepare forCoronavirus.“ (Congress approved $8.3 billion on March 4).