‘An unexpected fascist uncoupling.’ Speculating on how Fox will replace the ousted Tucker Carlson, columnist Rex Huppke suggests maybe “one full hour of ads for Carlson’s almost-bound-to-happen GOP presidential primary run. (He’s Donald Trump without the legal problems, Ron DeSantis with communication skills. Why wouldn’t he run?)”
■ Politico’s Jack Shafer: Doesn’t matter who replaces Carlson; Fox was designed so that no one is irreplaceable.
■ Rolling Stone reports “pure joy” among Fox staffers.
■ Big question of the day: What becomes of the 40,000 hours of Jan. 6 surveillance footage that feckless House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave Carlson?
■ Discourse columnist Rafi Schwartz summarizes Carlson’s legacy: “If there was a grifter to platform, or a Mexican to lie about, or a white nationalist to endorse, Tucker was there.”
■ Popular Information’s Judd Legum: “Whatever the reason Fox News cut ties with Tucker Carlson, it was not a moral stance. That ship sailed long ago.”
■ Regardless, Media critic Tom Jones writes, it’s “a good thing.”
■ PolitiFact reviews some of Carlson’s most consequential whoppers.
■ Daily Show guest host Desi Lydic sees a lesson in Carlson’s fall: “If you try to topple America’s democracy, you can stay on TV for two more years and that’s it!”
■ The New York Times rounds up other late-night reaction.
Other TV defenestrations in the news.
■ Don Lemon says CNN fired him; the channel says they’ve “parted ways.”
■ His cohosts wished him well this morning, adding that they’re “really proud of this show.”
■ The investigation that forced out NBCUniversal’s CEO arose from his relationship with a CNBC correspondent who accused him of sexual harassment.
Biden’s back. With a three-minute video entitled “Freedom,” the president’s declared his candidacy for reelection.
■ Illinoisans will hold top roles in the campaign.
■ Huppke again: “His most likely opponent will be 78 by the time the 2024 election rolls around. It appears we are a country for old men.”
■ And, yes, Kamala Harris will again be his running mate …
■ … setting the stage for a rematch between Biden and Donald Trump …
■ A Georgia district attorney is advising law enforcement to brace for “a significant public reaction” when she announces this summer whether Trump will face charges for interference in the 2020 election.
Foxx watch. Cook County’s embattled state’s attorney reportedly was planning to announce her decision not to seek reelection.
■ She was set to speak to the City Club at noon.
‘Why Supreme Court justices act like there isn’t a real check on them.’ MSNBC blogger Jordan Rubin calls out Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin—chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee—for shrugging off responsibility in questions about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ financial dealings.
■ A Sun-Times editorial: “Durbin is likely right that Thomas won’t respond to an invite. … Invite him anyway. And make his declination part of the rapidly growing record against him.” (Cartoon: Excerpt from Brian McFadden’s “Judiciary Committee Arsenal.”)
■ Bloomberg: Although Thomas’ billionaire pal Harlan Crow said the Supreme Court has never taken up cases that affect him … er, not so.
‘It’s really tragic.’ Preservationists are mourning demolition of one of the first homes built in Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871.
■ The property’s owned by a co-founder of @properties.
‘Conscience of the world.’ That’s The Associated Press’ description of actor, singer and civil rights leader Harry Belafonte, dead at 96.
■ He played a starring role in the 1966 Chicago Freedom Movement (2002 link).
■ Here’s an hour-long video of “An Evening with Harry Belafonte” at Chicago’s Art Institute in 2000.
‘If you had the fall booster, you’re in pretty good shape.’ But Your Local Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina recommends those over 65 without comorbidities time their next COVID-19 booster shots for maximum protection: “For example, four weeks before a really big event you don’t want to miss, like a wedding, get a booster.”
■ The good news, she says, is that the virus’ concentration in wastewater is nosediving.
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