Category: Opinion

The White House defended President Biden’s comment saying that a “vast majority” of law enforcement officers were “decent, honorable people” after the death of two FBI agents earlier this week.

Sitting behind his desk at the White House Biden said, “They put their lives on the line and it’s a hell of a price to pay. And every single day… by and large the vast, vast majority of these men and women are decent, honorable people who put themselves on the line. We owe them.”

Fox News’ Kristin Fisher asked White Houe press secretary Jen Psaki what Biden meant by that.

“That is exactly what he meant,” Psaki responded shortly.

Psaki was asked later in the briefing about the president’s remark. She responded that many law enforcement officers “have been criticized, some have been threatened, the roles they’re playing questioned.”

She added, “He wanted to reiterate his support for the important work they do.”

While not completely inaccurate, the “vast majority” comment in the context of agents losing their lives rubbed some people the wrong way.

Former FBI special agent in charge Andrew Arena said the tragedy was one of the bloodiest days in FBI history.

“I find it a little offensive, especially with what happened in Miami yesterday. These men and women put their lives on the line every day,” said Arena. “So I think it’s more than a vast majority.”

Arena wanted to give Biden the benefit of the doubt by thinking it was just an oversight or that he mispoke.

“When an agent goes down like this, in this case multiple agents, it’s certainly a very sensitive time,” he said. “Poor choice of words.”

During former President Donald Trump’s term, he prophesied that when he left the White House, network viewers would too. He warned them their ratings “will dry up and be gone.”

Trump tweeted back in July 2018:

The Fake News Media is going CRAZY! They are totally unhinged and in many ways, after witnessing first hand the damage they do to so many innocent and decent people, I enjoy watching. In 7 years, when I am no longer in office, their ratings will dry up and they will be gone!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018

As it turns out, he was right!

Since Joe Biden was inaugurated, viewership for CNN is down 44% practically overnight and MSNBC viewership is down 20%.

Variety reported via HotAir:

While January 2021 will go down in the ratings record books for CNN, the last week of the month may offer a portent of what the post-Trump era will be like for the network.

In the first week of the Biden administration, the AT&T-owned news channel saw the audiences that had been flooding into primetime recently drop precipitously on Jan. 25-29 compared with the highs of previous weeks. Meanwhile, rival Fox News Channel saw its own ratings only dip slightly after weeks of registering its own sharp declines.

Another network that has been characterized as left-leaning, MSNBC, has also seen significant declines but nowhere near as steep as what has hit CNN: Variety Intelligence Platform’s analysis of the viewership data across two key metrics—the target news demographic for people ages 25-54, and the total audience watching—shows that CNN ended the final week of January with ratings dropping roughly 44% for total audience versus the prior week across all three hours of primetime.

While it’s too early to conclude any longer-term direction for news ratings after just one week, the downturn could be interpreted as an indicator of what many industry observers had anticipated: With Biden in the White House, networks that have spent the last four years railing consistently against Trump have lost the main attraction that energized their audience bases, making it difficult to hold onto the elevated viewing levels.

With it still being so early in the Biden presidency it’s almost certain that views and ratings for fake news networks will continue to plummet.

Reporters can be rude and annoying, sure. Sometimes they even need to be reminded of their place in the political world, especially if they do not report the truth. However, to go as far as to compare them to patients in an insane asylum is just nutty.

However, that is exactly what White House press secretary Jen Psaki thinks of them. She admitted that she treats White House reporters as if she was an orderly in an asylum.

“[W]hen reporters are getting really loud, or they’re starting to ask crazy questions, I just slow down my pace, and I talk very quietly, and I treat them like I’m an orderly sometimes in an insane asylum,” she said during an interview on Saturday with National Public Radio (NPR).

“Not that they’re people in an insane asylum,” Psaki continued. “But, sometimes, that’s all you have to do to cool yourself down inside.”

She added, “[W]hen I am not going to tell them anymore, I say, I don’t have anything more for you on that. So that’s my tip. Use it with boyfriends, whatever. That’s fine.”

“Whenever I’m having a low day, I kind of — I have from time to time pulled up that picture of Sean Spicer — the video of him shimmying in that shirt,” Psaki also said, making a joke about the former White House press secretary. “It’s nothing personal. I don’t wish him ill. But that shirt was pretty amazing.”

White House Secretary Jen Psaki is being called upon to “immediately apologize” by a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Alabama Representative Mike Rogers was extremely offended by Psaki’s response to a Space Force question during a press briefing.

Also Jen Psaki: "Wow, Space Force– it's the plane of today." pic.twitter.com/hiadBB7ydz

— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) February 3, 2021

“Wow. Space Force. It’s the plane of today,” Psaki said, appearing to compare the question to one posed by a reporter two weeks ago, asking about Air Force One’s color scheme.

“It is an interesting question,” she said after the reporter pushed back on the validity of the question. “I am happy to check with our Space Force point of contact. I’m not sure who that is. I will find out and see if we have any update on that.”

“It’s concerning to see the Biden administration’s press secretary blatantly diminish an entire branch of our military as the punchline of a joke, which I’m sure China would find funny,” Rogers said in a statement.

“The Space Force was passed with near unanimous support in Congress, the same type of ‘unity’ President Biden is supposedly working towards,” he added. “Jen Psaki needs to immediately apologize to the men and women of the Space Force for this disgraceful comment.”

Biden has not publically commented on the newest military force that was formed during the Trump administration. But several lawmakers see Space Force as a continuation of the U.S.’s efforts to combat China’s growing presence.

“While the Biden Administration continues to think about whether or not the [Chinese Communist Party] is a threat, China is working overtime to become the dominant force in space,” Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., one of the founding members of the House Space Force Caucus, said Tuesday.

“We need the professionals [at Space Force] to keep American’s safe,” he added.

While the Biden Administration continues to think about whether or not the #CCP is a threat, China is working overtime to become the dominant force in space.

We need the professionals, @SpaceForceDoD, to keep American’s safe. https://t.co/K3S5dqWujg

— Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) February 2, 2021

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News for comment, but Psaki took to twitter to note the “important work” of Space Force, though the White House press secretary did not include an apology.

“We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work,” she said.

We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work.

— Karine Jean-Pierre Archived (@PressSec46) February 3, 2021

Though Space Force was founded and passed on a bipartisan basis, the newest military branch has recently been seen as a partisan talking point, as former President Trump frequently applauded efforts in pushing through the specialized force during campaign rallies and events last year.

Senator Mitt Romney said that it would be best for his party to distance themselves from lawmakers like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene as GOP leaders are forced by their Senate colleagues to figure out a way to deal with the intrepid newbie congresswoman.

“I think we should have nothing to do with Marjorie Taylor Greene, and think we should repudiate the things she said and move away from her,” said Romney.

“Our big tent is not large enough to both accommodate conservatives and kooks,” he added. “It’s important for us to separate ourselves from the people that are the wacky weeds.”

In the past Greene, a Trump loyalist has expressed her support for QAnon which causes problems for a party trying to distance itself from the former president’s unproven claims of election fraud and the Capitol attacks on January 6.

The Georgia Representative disavowed the QAnon last summer but old social media posts suggest that she alleged that the Parkland School shooting in 2018 that killed 17 students was “staged” and the September 11 attacks were a hoax. There were also several posts she “liked” that called for violence against prominent Democrats, including Houses Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Earlier this week Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the congresswoman without directly addressing her saying that “loony lies and conspiracy theories” are a “cancer for the Republican Party and our country.”

Greene responded to McConnell’s comments on Twitter saying, “The real cancer for the Republican Party is weak Republicans who only know how to loses gracefully. This is why we are losing our country.”

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy said he finds Greene’s social media posts “deeply disturbing” and he plans on having a discussion with her about it.

Senator Joni Ernst does not want Greene to be the “face” of the GOP but when asked if she should be stripped of her title Ernst said, “That’s up to the House.”

So far President Joe Biden’s main objective driving his agenda is the climate which makes his green industry campaign donors very happy.

With less than a month under his belt, Biden has already shut down works on the Keystone XL pipeline and put a ban on future gas and oil leases on federal land, a move that administration officials and Cabinet nominees agree should yield significant economic impacts.

“Today is ‘Climate Day’ at the White House and – which means that today is ‘Jobs Day’ at the White House,” Biden announced before signing climate-related executive actions. “We’re talking about American innovation, American products, American labor.”

The green industry is heavily supported by government-awarded funds and with Biden making promises to reward them for their contributions the industry shelled out over $11 million in donations last year.

Biden’s campaign alone received more than $3 million raised by Clean Energy for Biden, which refers to itself as “a network of clean economy business leaders and advocates” that aimed to get Biden elected and “advance policies, technologies, and investment to address the climate challenge.”

When it comes to the states that would be affected by the ban on gas and oil leases, something that Energy Secretary nominee Jennifer Granholm said is “we’re going to have to work on together to ensure that people remain employed.”

According to Senator Bill Cassidy, it could take years for new jobs to become available and that is a “cold comfort” to workers who just lost their jobs and would have to wait years to get a different job in a new location requiring new training.

National Climate Advisor for President Biden, Gina McCarthy, argues that climate change, a main priority for the administration, is also a racial justice problem.

McCarthy made a video addressing the intersectionality of climate change explaining that the issue “exacerbates the challenges in the communities that have been left behind.”

“It goes after the very same communities that pollution has held back and racism has held back,” McCarthy added. “Climate justice is about equal rights.”

McCarthy claims that the most vulnerable communities are the poorest ones or ones that have not been invested in and feel all the negative effects of the climate crisis.

“Cancer ally,” for example, is a stretch of chemical industrial plants in Lousiana that distribute dangerous air pollution surrounded by minority and poor communities.

Unfortunately, these communities usually have fewer resources to fight the effects of climate change, such as being able to afford items like air conditioners to stay cool during heatwaves.

According to McCarthy, promoting clean energy initiatives will widely benefit U.S. economic growth by creating better jobs, as well as union jobs.

Biden has made it clear during the first few weeks of his presidency that the climate crisis will be the main focus for his administration.

The president has already taken action by reversing some of former President Trump’s orders including the decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization.

Reports from maritime security firms say a suspicious object has been discovered on the hull of an oil tanker located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iraq.

According to the firms, Ambrey Intelligence and Dryad Global, officials are concerned it could be a limpet mine on the MT Pola, even though the Liberian-flagged tanker received some assistance in the Persian Gulf off Basra on Thursday.

The two firms confirmed that investigations are ongoing.

The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations, an organization that operates under the British royal navy, stated it is “aware of an ongoing situation” in the area, but did not give any more details.

The United States Navy’s 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast where the oil tanker is located, has not yet made any statements on the situation.

The incident comes at a time when tensions are at their highest between Iran and the United States. Back in 2019, the U.S. accused Iran of being behind several limpet mine attacks on oil tankers close to the Strait of Hormuz which is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 percent of all of the world’s oil passes. Iran officials deny having any involvement.

Senator Bernie Sanders considered President Biden’s pledge for “unity” for about two minutes until he decided to push the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill without the support of Republicans.

The incoming chair of the Senate Budget Committee appears to have forgotten all about the Democratic Party’s vow of Congressional bipartisanship during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

Co-anchor Martha Raddatz questioned Sanders’ support for a legislative process called “reconciliation” which would push the bill through Congress if Republicans refuse the proposal.

“We all want bipartisanship and I think you’re gonna see more of it as we move down the pike,” he said, “We all look forward to working with Republicans. But right now, this country faces an unprecedented set of crises.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “I don’t care what anybody says. We have got to deal with this pandemic… if Republicans want to work with us, they have better ideas on how to address those crises, that’s great. But to be honest with you, I have not yet heard that.” https://t.co/eM1xLScCMr pic.twitter.com/pbAnK7lQfa

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) January 31, 2021

“We have got to act and we have to act now,” Sanders added. “I don’t care what anybody says. We have got to deal with this pandemic… if Republicans want to work with us, they have better ideas on how to address those crises, that’s great. But to be honest with you, I have not yet heard that.”

Sanders said he has confidence that Democrats will gain the votes needed to pass the bill using the reconciliation process.

“All of us will have differences of opinions, this is a 1.9 trillion dollar bill, I have differences and concerns about this bill,” said the Vermont senator, “but at the end of the day we are going to support the President of the United States.”

Sanders’ comments come shortly after ten Republican senators proposed their own $600 million relief package over the weekend.

“The President’s team did not reach out to anybody in our group, either Democrat or Republican when they fashioned their proposal,” said Senator Bill Cassidy.

“So if you want unity, if you want bipartisanship, you ought to start with a group that’s shown it’s willing to work together for a common solution,” he added. “They did not.”

Biden assured his proposal would expedite the nation’s COVID vaccination program, boost coronavirus testing capacity leading to the reopening of businesses and schools and provide for $1,400 stimulus checks for most Americans.

President Joe Biden is reportedly assigning the departing head of Washington state’s Employment Security Department, Suzi LeVine, to a federal agency office that assists in processing unemployment claims.

This transition comes during an unemployment fraud scam at LeVine’s state-level department that cost Washington state over $600 million.

The fraudulent claims were believed to have been connected to a massive Nigerian scam ring using stolen identities from prior data breaches, such as the 2017 Equifax breach. There have been over 122,000 fraudulent claims discovered in Washington so far.

According to the Secret Service, Washington was the main target of the scam, though several other states fell victim to the scandal also. California lost over $11 billion in its own unemployment scandal with possibly another $20 billion in losses still being investigated.

LeVine’s new job would put her front and center of President Biden’s economic recovery plan as the interim assistant secretary of the Employment and Training Administration.

It is unknown if LeVine will ever drop the “interim” part of her title, but she must first be confirmed by the Senate to transition into the new permanent role.

Several concerns about LeVine’s record could arise including a state audit faulting the ESD under her for failing to fix a software weakness that led to the massive unemployment fraud.

After announcing the devastating blow to the state’s finances LeVine said that officials were working hard to recover as much of the money as possible and the state had already taken the steps necessary to prevent future fraudulent claims.

“We do have definitive proof that the countermeasures we have put in place are working,” LeVine explained. “We have successfully prevented hundreds of millions of additional dollars from going out to these criminals and prevented thousands of fraudulent claims from being filed.”

The state, working with federal law enforcement and several financial institutions, was able to recover $357 million leaving a net loss of $243 million. Officials will continue their efforts to recover more of the money.qaZ