Top Items:
Russell Berman / The Atlantic:
Is This the End? — The announcement seemed to catch everyone off guard: Early Thursday afternoon, the government told Americans that if they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, they did not need to wear a mask—indoors or outside, in groups small or large.
Discussion:
CNN, USA Today, Fox News, HotAir and Boston Herald
RELATED:
New York Times:
Hundreds of Epidemiologists Expected Mask-Wearing in Public for at Least a Year — The C.D.C. said Thursday that vaccinated Americans no longer needed masks in most places. Other disease experts recently had a different message: that masks were necessary in public.
Discussion:
Japan Times
New York Times:
Vaccinated Americans now may go without masks in most places, the C.D.C. said. — In a sharp turnabout from previous recommendations, federal health officials on Thursday advised that Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus may stop wearing masks or maintaining social distance …
Discussion:
HotAir, The Nevada Independent, Townhall, RedState, The CT Mirror, NPR, Snopes.com, Washingtonian, Mother Jones, ABC News, TheBlaze, Althouse, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Associated Press
Washington Post:
CDC says fully vaccinated Americans no longer need masks indoors or outdoors in most cases
CDC says fully vaccinated Americans no longer need masks indoors or outdoors in most cases
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The vaccination slowdown has slowed down
New York Times:
Activists and Ex-Spy Said to Have Plotted to Discredit Trump ‘Enemies’ in Government — The campaign included planned operations against President Trump's national security adviser at the time, H.R. McMaster, and F.B.I. employees, according to documents and interviews.
Discussion:
Gizmodo, Salon, The Intellectualist, The Hill, Digby's Hullabaloo, Occupy Democrats, Joe.My.God., Insider, Raw Story and littlegreenfootballs.com
RELATED:
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Spies Somehow Failed to Get Trump Officials to Call Him Stupid on Hidden Camera
Spies Somehow Failed to Get Trump Officials to Call Him Stupid on Hidden Camera
Discussion:
Raw Story
Associated Press:
Israel begins firing artillery and tank shells into Gaza — GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has begun firing artillery and tank shells into Gaza, and scores of families are fleeing their homes, Palestinian witnesses in the Gaza Strip said Thursday. — The use of artillery fire marks …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Israeli forces escalate campaign in Gaza with tanks, artillery, planes; Hamas launches rockets
Israeli forces escalate campaign in Gaza with tanks, artillery, planes; Hamas launches rockets
Jack Mirkinson / Discourse Blog:
Bari Weiss Mask Off
Bari Weiss Mask Off
Discussion:
Jewish Currents, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Insider
The Daily Beast:
Mehdi Hasan and Ayman Mohyeldin Are Doing Something Radical for Cable TV: Presenting the Palestinian Side
Mehdi Hasan and Ayman Mohyeldin Are Doing Something Radical for Cable TV: Presenting the Palestinian Side
Discussion:
Foreign Policy, Vox, Insider, Reuters and The Week
Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Why Hamas Starts Wars It Always Loses
Why Hamas Starts Wars It Always Loses
Discussion:
The Dispatch, New York Times, The Daily Wire and Algemeiner.com
Mother Jones:
Leaked Video: Dark Money Group Brags About Writing GOP Voter Suppression Bills Across the Country — In a private meeting last month with big-money donors, the head of a top conservative group boasted that her outfit had crafted the new voter suppression law in Georgia and was doing the same …
Luke Broadwater / New York Times:
Republicans Rewrite History of the Capitol Riot, Hampering an Inquiry — Republicans in Congress are insisting that any investigation into the Jan. 6 attack include an examination of left-wing violence. — WASHINGTON — Four months after supporters of President Donald J. Trump stormed …
Discussion:
American Greatness, HuffPost, KIFI-TV, Raw Story, Politico and The Uprising
RELATED:
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
John Boehner's Comeback Shows That Liz Cheney's Return Is Possible
John Boehner's Comeback Shows That Liz Cheney's Return Is Possible
Discussion:
The Editorial Board, The Economist, The Hill and LifeZette
Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Trump waves off ‘loser’ Cheney's vow to keep him out of office
Trump waves off ‘loser’ Cheney's vow to keep him out of office
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story, The Texas Tribune, Bloomberg, LifeZette, Vanity Fair and Breitbart
Bob Brigham / Raw Story:
Giuliani's son tells Russian state TV people don't want to live in America after FBI raided his dad — The son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani went on Russian TV to push conspiracy theories about the federal investigation of his father. — Andrew Giuliani accused the American government …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Be Worried — New polling suggests it's growing likely Republicans will retake the House in 2022. — Scott Rasmussen—the real Scott Rasmussen, whom you can follow here, not the people who run his old firm, Rasmussen Reports—has a new poll. On the generic ballot, 41 percent …
RELATED:
Scott MacFarlane / NBC4 Washington:
Former Staffer Sues US Congressman Alleging ‘Reckless’ Approach to COVID-19 — A former staffer is suing U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., accusing the congressman of taking a “reckless” approach to COVID-19, exposing his staff and himself to the virus. — The suit alleges the congressman …
Discussion:
NBC News, Joe.My.God., Raw Story, The Intellectualist, HuffPost and The Hill
Justin Rohrlich / The Daily Beast:
New Mask Guidance Is a Huge Gamble, Experts Say — Telling vaxxed people to ditch masks inside makes sense. But it fails to account for anti-vaxxers who won't be asked—much less able—to prove they got shots. — BEAST INSIDE — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) …
Discussion:
New York Post and Raw Story
U.S. Department of Justice:
Active Duty U.S. Marine Corps Officer Arrested for Assault on Federal Law Enforcement Officer During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach — Defendant, Stationed in Virginia, Defied, Pushed and Resisted Capitol Police to Help Other Rioters Break into the U.S. Capitol — Note: A full copy of the charging documents can be viewed here.
Discussion:
Marine Corps Times, Washington Post, Task & Purpose, NPR, The Daily Beast, CNN, The Daily Caller, Joe.My.God., Raw Story, Law & Crime, Forbes and CNBC
RELATED:
Alanna Durkin Richer / Associated Press:
Marine Corps officer arrested for assault in Jan. 6 riot
Marine Corps officer arrested for assault in Jan. 6 riot
Discussion:
USA Today, Politico, Mercury News and CBS News
Associated Press:
Inside one network cashing in on vaccine disinformation — The couple in the website videos could be hawking any number of products. — “You're going to love owning the platinum package,” Charlene Bollinger tells viewers, as a picture of a DVD set, booklets and other products flashes on screen.
Discussion:
Joe.My.God.
The Daily Caller:
EDITORIAL BOARD: The Intercept's Dirty Smear Job On Our Reporters Deserves A Response — Journalist Glenn Greenwald left The Intercept in late October of 2020 - and if Thursday's smear job on Daily Caller reporters is any indication, the publication has gone from journalism to activist garbage in just six short months.
Discussion:
The Intercept, Fox News and Mediaite
ABC News:
Most states have reopened. Here's where new COVID outbreaks happened. — Health experts say the data can help with future pandemic planning. — States across US ease COVID-19 restrictions … Bars, gyms and restaurants. Those were just a few settings health experts warned …
New York Times:
Another Group of Scientists Calls for Further Inquiry Into Origins of the Coronavirus — Researchers urge an open mind, saying lack of evidence leaves theories of natural spillover and laboratory leak both viable. — A group of 18 scientists stated Thursday in a letter published …
Discussion:
Reason
Bloomberg:
‘Covid Zero’ Havens Find Reopening Harder Than Taming Virus — Places aiming to eliminate virus lag as other countries reopen — Travel-reliant Hong Kong and Singapore face biggest drawbacks — A smattering of places, mainly across the Asia Pacific region, have seen breathtaking victories …
Discussion:
Japan Times
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Marjorie Taylor Greene's verbal assault on AOC reflects deranged anti-leftism — Opinion by — As you may have heard, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) verbally harassed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in the Capitol on Wednesday. According to Post reporters who witnessed the event …
Discussion:
Insider, Mediaite, Slate, Greensburg Tribune-Review, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, CNN, IJR, HotAir, Vanity Fair and Crooks and Liars
Washington Post:
Company: Ex-Trump lawyer raiding nonprofit for personal use — Former Trump attorney and self-proclaimed “Kraken releaser” Sidney Powell has told prospective donors that her group, Defending the Republic, is a legal defense fund to protect the integrity of U.S. elections.
Discussion:
Raw Story and Joe.My.God.
Ian Millhiser / Vox:
Joe Manchin's surprisingly bold proposal to fix America's voting rights problem — Manchin's idea won't fix America's democracy, but it could solve some pretty significant problems. — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been an endless source of frustration for his fellow Democrats.
Discussion:
Raw Story, HuffPost, Alpha News, The Mahablog, The Guardian and RedState
RELATED:
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Manchin Compromise Idea For Voting Rights Gets A Shot Across the Bow From Cornyn
Manchin Compromise Idea For Voting Rights Gets A Shot Across the Bow From Cornyn
Discussion:
Zandar Versus The Stupid, KIFI-TV, HuffPost, Daily Kos and Digby's Hullabaloo
David Harsanyi / National Review:
The Squad Is Rooting for Hamas — Ocasio-Cortez, usually a font of half-baked socialist economic ideas, now regularly offers thoughts on the Israeli-Palestinian situation to her 12 million Twitter followers. — Here is one: … First of all, there are no “expulsions of Palestinians.”
Discussion:
Axios, New York Post and BizPac Review
Matt Stieb / New York Magazine:
New York Yankees Somehow Have 8 COVID Cases in Vaccinated Staff — So far in their lukewarm start to the season, the New York Yankees have 19 wins, 16 losses, and eight confirmed coronavirus cases among vaccinated members of their coaching and support staff.
Discussion:
HotAir and InsideHook