memeorandum: Why the Anti-Anti-Trumpers Need Ron DeSantis (Nicholas Grossman/Bulwark+)

2:35 PM ET, April 24, 2023

Top Items:

Tucker Carlson is leaving Fox News — The bombastic host received the largest audience on the conservative network. — In a shocking announcement on Monday morning, the Fox News Channel announced that prime-time host Tucker Carlson is leaving the network.

Oliver Darcy / CNN:

Tucker Carlson out at Fox News — Fox News and Tucker Carlson, the right-wing extremist who hosted the network's highly rated 8pm hour, have severed ties, the network said in a stunning announcement Monday. — The announcement came one week after Fox News settled a monster defamation lawsuit …

Aidan McLaughlin / Mediaite:

BREAKING: Tucker Carlson OUT at Fox News in Shocking Ouster — Tucker Carlson, the top-rated host at Fox News, is exiting the network. — The abrupt departure of the controversial prime time figure comes a week after Fox News reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems …

Discussion: RedState, Breitbart, The American Spectator, IJR, The Post Millennial and Twitchy, more at Mediagazer »

Sara Fischer / Axios:

Tucker Carlson out at Fox News … - A slew of material was uncovered during pre-trial discovery implicated Carlson. … - A former Fox News producer Abby Grossberg, who is suing the network for allegedly trying to manipulate her testimony during pre-trial discovery for the Dominion case …

Discussion: Politico, The Daily Beast, Alternet.org, American Greatness, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Al Jazeera, ABC13 and The Hollywood Reporter

Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:

Tucker Carlson departs Fox News, pushed out by Rupert Murdoch — Tucker Carlson is leaving Fox News. — The network announced the departure of its top-rated and most provocative conservative prime-time host Monday with no explanation. His last show was Friday.

Discussion: Daily Mail, The Independent, Washington Post, The Wrap, Balloon Juice, BizPac Review and HuffPost

Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:

Tucker Carlson leaves Fox News in wake of Dominion defamation settlement — Fox News announced it parted ways with right wing host Tucker Carlson. His last program aired Friday. — The host is leaving Fox News days after the network reached a settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation lawsuit.

Discussion: The Hill, Insider, Quartz, Mock Paper Scissors, Jezebel and Talking Points Memo

Semafor:

Tucker Carlson has left Fox News — Tucker Carlson has left Fox News, the network that made him a right-wing political and media juggernaut. — Carlson's executive producer Justin Wells is also out at the network, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Discussion: Fox News, Media Matters for America, The Hill, Breitbart, One America News Network, Washington Press, Newsbusters, Raw Story, al.com, Adweek, Fortune, Deadline, IndieWire, Mother Jones, Daily Kos and TheBlaze

Rolling Stone:

Fox Staffers Celebrate Tucker's Departure: ‘Pure Joy’ — “I fear management will replace him with someone who is just like him, so there probably won't be any real change,” a producer warned of the shocking split — FOX NEWS AND Tucker Carlson have parted ways — effective immediately.

Discussion: Insider, Gizmodo, PoliticusUSA, Semafor, The Daily Caller and The Post Millennial

Bailey Lipschultz / Bloomberg:

Tucker Carlson's Fox News Exit Wipes Out $690 Million in Value — Tucker Carlson, one of the most popular Fox News prime-time hosts, was worth more than $690 million to the parent company. At least that is what trading in the stock indicates. — Shares of Fox Corp. sank as much as 5.4% Monday …

Discussion: Breitbart, The Hill, RedState, Raw Story and Forbes

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Fox News Breaks Up With Tucker Carlson In Exit Surprise

Discussion: NBC News, Talking Points Memo, National Review, The Wrap and The Daily Caller

Emily Shapiro / ABC News: Tucker Carlson out at Fox News

Sarah Rumpf / Mediaite:
‘It Was a Firing’: Tucker Carlson's Exit from Fox Was NOT Voluntary, Sources Say

Discussion: Chicago Sun Times, more at Mediagazer »

New York Times:

Don Lemon, CNN Star Anchor, to Leave the Network — Mr. Lemon, one of the network's most recognizable stars, had been under scrutiny since an uproar over on-air remarks he made about women and aging in February. — Don Lemon is out at CNN. — CNN said on Monday that it was parting ways with Mr. Lemon …

Zoe Tillman / Bloomberg:

Clarence Thomas's Billionaire Friend Did Have Business Before the Supreme Court — Justice Clarence Thomas said he was advised he didn't have to disclose private jet flights and luxury vacations paid for by billionaire Harlan Crow because, although a close friend, Crow “did not have business before the court.”

Discussion: Politico, NPR, Law Dork with Chris Geidner and Boston Herald

Dan Mangan / CNBC:

Sen. Wyden asks billionaire Harlan Crow for list of gifts to Supreme Court Justice Thomas — Sen. Ron Wyden asked GOP megadonor Harlan Crow for a complete list of gifts to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. — The Oregon Democrat also requested evidence that the billionaire Texas …

Discussion: Washington Post, The Hill, The Guardian, Joe.My.God. and Political Wire

James Downie / MSNBC:

Kevin McCarthy's clown car is headed right into a debt ceiling crisis — The House speaker's tenure has been a kaleidoscope of incompetence. — The clown car that has been Rep. Kevin McCarthy's speakership spluttered to a halting start over 15 long ballots in January and hasn't had a second of a smooth ride since.

Discussion: The Editorial Board and Raw Story

Punchbowl News:
McCarthy's gigantic week

Discussion: Politico, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, RedState and Reuters

Carol E. Lee / NBC News:

Susan Rice to step down as Biden's domestic policy chief — Rice's departure next month will bring to a close her prolific, wide-ranging and at times controversial tenure. — President Joe Biden's domestic policy adviser, Susan Rice, is stepping down from her post next month …

Discussion: Reuters, Washington Free Beacon, New York Times, Politico, Breitbart, New York Post, The Hill, Washington Post, CBS News, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Twitchy and Eschaton

Kierra Frazier / Politico:
Susan Rice to step down as domestic policy adviser

Discussion: The White House, Axios, Bloomberg, Associated Press, acecomments.mu.nu, Washington Examiner, UPI, Forbes, RedState, Washington Times, Just The News, The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit

Nicholas Grossman / Bulwark+:

Why the Anti-Anti-Trumpers Need Ron DeSantis — IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT Ron DeSantis looked like Donald Trump's heir apparent—beloved by the base, but with mainstream appeal, basically “Trump without the baggage.” Now the narrative has flipped. DeSantis is struggling: Back in January …

Discussion: VICE, Wall Street Journal, Alternet.org, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, Florida Politics and Digby's Hullabaloo

Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:
Why Trump Is Beating DeSantis Among D.C. Republicans

Discussion: Associated Press, RedState, FiveThirtyEight, Joe.My.God., Summit News, The Gateway Pundit and Digby's Hullabaloo

Karol Markowicz / New York Post:
Trump's insane lies on DeSantis trash successful conservative policies

Discussion: NBC News, Raw Story, Instapundit, HotAir and Breitbart

Washington Post:

At U.S. behest, Ukraine held off anniversary attacks on Russia — Kyiv's head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, planned bold strikes deep behind enemy lines that unnerved officials in Washington — In February, with the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine days away …

Discussion: The Hill, Human Events and Fox News

Wall Street Journal:
Iran Ships Ammunition to Russia by Caspian Sea to Aid Invasion of Ukraine

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Daily Caller and Bloomberg

John Wagner / Washington Post:

Hunter Biden lawyer seeks ethics probe of Greene for ‘verbal abuses’ — A lawyer for Hunter Biden called Monday for a congressional ethics investigation into the behavior of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), alleging that she has repeatedly directed “unmoored verbal abuses” at the president's son …

Discussion: Associated Press, New York Post, Bloomberg, The Hill, Washington Times, Washington Press, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, Forbes, Raw Story, The Daily Caller and Twitchy

Sarah Fitzpatrick / NBC News:
Hunter Biden legal team wants Treasury to investigate ex-Trump aide and wants Congress to take action against MTG

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Just The News and Althouse

Kit O'Connell / The Texas Observer:

Ag Commissioner Sid Miller's New Transphobic Dress Code — Transgender and gender nonconforming employees of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) received an unwelcome surprise last Monday: a new dress code that continues Governor Greg Abbott's campaign of anti-LGBTQ+ oppression.

Ben Smith / Semafor:

It's back to the future for a diminished digital news business — What year is it? Consider the following: — The Drudge Report is the biggest political website in the country. — Jonah Peretti, a digital media entrepreneur, is focused on building the homepage traffic of HuffPost.

Washington Post:

Democrats reluctant about Biden 2024, but they see no other choice — They are lukewarm about picking Biden as their nominee, but many believe he may be the best hope of preventing a second Trump term and fighting extremism — The leftover pizza was divvied up, the Girl Scout cookies had been exchanged …

Discussion: New York Times, NBC News, Associated Press, Mediaite, Reuters, New Republic, Talking Points Memo, El País, Summit News, Wide World of News, HuffPost, Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

Proud Boys saw themselves as 'Trump's army,' U.S. says in trial closings — Closing arguments are underway in the seditious conspiracy trial of five Proud Boys leaders accused of spearheading the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — The far-right Proud Boys saw themselves …

Discussion: Politico, ABC News, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, CBS News, CBS News, Iowa Starting Line, Fox News and Joe.My.God.

Politico:

'Nobody knows when it's going to happen': Wall Street wakes up to default threat. — The government has until the summer to strike a deal. — NEW YORK — For months, Wall Street has barely focused on the possibility that the government might default on its debt. It's paying attention now.

Discussion: New York Times and Digby's Hullabaloo

Christopher Cadelago / Politico:

Eleni Kounalakis first to launch campaign for California governor in 2026 — The state's lieutenant governor has assembled an A-team of political strategists and fundraisers for her run. — SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis on Monday launched her campaign to become …

Discussion: Raleigh News & Observer and Sacramento Bee

Judd Legum / Popular Information:

Florida school district bans dozens of books based on proposed bill — Schools in Clay County, Florida, are withholding dozens of books from students, citing legislation that has been proposed but not approved by the state legislature or signed into law. — In a spreadsheet published …

Discussion: National Review

Jordain Carney / Politico:

House GOP warns FBI to stay out of controversial surveillance talks — The bureau is at the heart of a fight over a controversial surveillance program. But its toxic relationship with the House GOP means it has to stay far away from reauthorization talks.

Discussion: Raw Story

John McCormick / Wall Street Journal:

Nikki Haley's Corporate-Board Slot Delivers Stock Windfall Amid 2024 GOP Bid — Decision to stay in post differs from past choices by Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush — Nikki Haley received stock options worth close to $300,000 roughly six weeks after jumping into the 2024 presidential race as part …

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Joe.My.God.

Robert Greenall / BBC:

China disowns ambassador's remarks questioning Ukrainian independence — China has distanced itself from the remarks of one of its envoys who questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet countries. — Paris ambassador Lu Shaye's comments last week caused widespread outrage, leading on calls to Beijing to clarify.