Below I publish TPM Reader WH‘s note. He’s also pretty high on President Biden’s speech. But he asks whether there’s any good rundown about what’s true and not true about vaccine preparation under Biden and Trump. Is it really true, as a number of publications like the Times have reported in recent days that the Biden administration is taking credit for a lot of great stuff Trump had underway? Or resorting to the devious trick of underpromising and overdelivering? (Yes, really.) Our team was actually pretty deep into the reporting on this story last year. So we are going to put that piece together. Look out for it. But I think I can preview that briefly.
Continue reading “It’s True. Trump Had No Plan to Vaccinate the Country”
NRSC Sends Scott To Make Nice With Trump After His Attack On GOP Fundraising Arm
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), met with ex-President Donald Trump on Thursday amid the former leader’s war on the NRSC and the GOP’s other top fundraising arms, according to Politico’s Playbook.
Continue reading “NRSC Sends Scott To Make Nice With Trump After His Attack On GOP Fundraising Arm”
Scaffolding Company’s Surreal Jan. 7 Inspection Shows Capitol Grandstands After Battle
I became aware this week of an astonishing historical document from… a scaffolding company. Continue reading “Scaffolding Company’s Surreal Jan. 7 Inspection Shows Capitol Grandstands After Battle”
Manhattan DA Who Leads Trump Criminal Probe Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection
Manhattan district attorney Cy Vance announced Friday he is not running for reelection, raising questions about who will be elected to take up the mantle of his office’s far-reaching criminal investigation into the former president and his company.
Continue reading “Manhattan DA Who Leads Trump Criminal Probe Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection”
Your Reactions
In our email correspondence over many years, TPM Reader AB has often been highly – to my mind often reflexively – critical of Democrats, even to the degree that it’s led to some exasperating clashes of opinion between the two of us. With that background I was very struck by his reaction to President Biden’s speech.
I thought it was the best presidential speech I have ever heard in my lifetime.
NY Lawmakers Approve Probe Into Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Cuomo
The New York State Assembly gave its Judiciary Committee the green light to investigate the growing allegations of sexual misconduct against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Thursday after the latest accusation was reported to law enforcement.
Continue reading “NY Lawmakers Approve Probe Into Sexual Misconduct Accusations Against Cuomo”
WSJ: Cuomo Aides Called Former Staffers To Discredit Sexual Harassment Accuser
Aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called former employees to glean information about potential conversations they had with Lindsey Boylan a former aide who first accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in December, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Continue reading “WSJ: Cuomo Aides Called Former Staffers To Discredit Sexual Harassment Accuser”
Report: Oath Keepers Top Target In DOJ Investigation Into Capitol Attack
The Oath Keepers, a far-right anti-government militia group, has reportedly become a major focus in the FBI’s probe into the deadly storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Continue reading “Report: Oath Keepers Top Target In DOJ Investigation Into Capitol Attack”
The President’s Address
I thought the President’s speech was very good. It was also very much Joe Biden. Obviously one couldn’t remotely imagine Donald Trump giving this speech. But I would have a hard time imagining Barack Obama giving it either. Obama’s would have been good too. But it would have been very different.
A few quick observations.
With ‘Independence’ From COVID In Sight, Biden Urges Americans To Do Their Part To Fight Pandemic
In his first primetime speech on Thursday night, President Biden acknowledged the losses the country is reeling from one year into the COVID-19 pandemic while expressing optimism about the steps his administration has taken to move the country towards a sense of normalcy. Continue reading “With ‘Independence’ From COVID In Sight, Biden Urges Americans To Do Their Part To Fight Pandemic”