If irony were a psychoactive compound, the amount produced by Andrew Cuomo’s departure from office last August would’ve been enough to cause a rash of fatal overdoses.
The last paragraph should be a wake-up call for the people in the media who probably feel the same way you do but are too scared to rock the boat. If not now, when?
And your excellent, diligent research is yet more confirmation of two things: not only is supposedly serious journalism not only made possible by legacy organs with vast sums and resources available to them, but these things often _preclude_ actual journalism being done. Hence they're a magnet for spineless weasels. (Are weasels magnetic? Not sure where my metaphor is going but the key point is that the Gray Lady was nowhere to be seen when all this started, and anyone with sufficient curiosity to look into this will be, to put it mildly, reluctant to do so in public.)
That is true, but most folks in media don't differentiate between standing for a principle and using whatever principles are handy to defend a guy they like. We didn't need to believe Tara Reade when Biden was running against Trump.
Most pathetic to me is that it doesn't seem to matter how much the public is f*cked over by a politician all that matters is their personal interaction. That's not to trivialize actual abusers but the tactic is disgusting. Elliott Spitzer was taken out to protect corp criminals by fake morality campaign for paying a sex worker and Anthony Weiner for sexting.
Again not to defend those actions but they are the sole mechanism used to remove 'public servants' from their jobs where their work has plenty to out them as dirtbags. It's the most shameful condemnation of media who can't or won't hold them to account for f*cking the public, which in the end manipulates the public for page views not to hold politicians accountable for job performance.
Agreed but I try to avoid the left-right designations and try to see it through the lens of corporatist v populist. If you look at polls for policies like universal health care with over 85% public support and bipartisan opposition we see clearly it's us v them as in the elite against the masses. The left right argument just shifts blame from the cabal in charge to our fellow citizens and that perpetuates the problems. l/s
The impression I've gotten of Cuomo is that he's an arrogant jackass bully and a two-faced hypocritical serial liar - in other words, a run-of-the-mill politician.
The whole thing just keeps getting weirder. The misdemeanor complaint was filed by the Sheriff, not the DA. In fact, it was filed without the DA's knowledge, despite the fact the DA will be responsible for prosecuting the case. Apparently this is allowed in NY for misdemeanors. IMO this is terrible law. It should never be the police agency - in this case the Sheriff - that decides whether to prosecute. Not every potential criminal charge is filed. It is up to an elected local prosecutor to decide whether to prosecute cases. That's why everywhere at the state and local level we elect the DA and city attorneys. Then if the public doesn't like the way the job is being done you can toss the bums out. So now the Albany DA has been stuck with a case filed by an apparently politicized Sheriff, without the victims consent. If I were the DA I'd dismiss the case now, without prejudice, and conduct my own investigation and analysis in my own time and manner.
To me, Cuomo’s fall looked like a hit job. But why? Why would Dems torpedo one of their own? Then we got his fascist replacement. They lefty authoritarians have a deep bench in NY. But still, why did he have to go? If it’s not simply a matter of having a more reliable commissar in office then I can only think that there is something about Cuomo that we don’t know yet
As damning as Michael’s reporting might be, assuming it holds up, here’s the fact:
Cuomo should have been forced out of office much earlier over the nursing-home scandal. Gallons of blood poured off his hands thanks to the requirement that nursing homes take in, or take back, Covid-infected residents.
Even at the time, this was known to be a deadly decision. Cuomo could have stopped it; he didn’t. The media knew this was likely to happen; it remained silent. This was an epic failure of catastrophic proportions, and no one cared.
Read the AGs report on the nursing homes. I think it's actually quite fair and bears out what I saw in my own area and life. 95% of the nursing homes already had infections before anyone returned, or were let in, from the hospitals. That was the tragedy; because NYS went first we didn't even know Covid was here for a month or two and that's all it took to spread. Then, because we were first, we didn't know how to treat it. Look at the stats; the mortality rates were much higher in NYS and other states that had Covid hit them first. I think Cuomo could have rescinded the order a couple of weeks before he actually did when the cases were going down and I don't know why he didn't but the AG report estimated that 2-300 deaths were caused by return hospitalization infections. Read the whole report.
The employees brought Covid to the nursing homes. The patients ended up in hospital when hospital said they need to make beds available the nursing homes director of nusing at nursing homes should have setup isolation wards rooms. Before discharge from Hospital every family was notified they were being sent back. The families could have come claimed them not one did
Is that pronounced: La-tit-i-a? Something about the way Michael wrote about her, it just seems that's what it must be.
Reminds me of what happened to Al Franken who at one time was very good at asking important questions of witnesses before his senate committees. Now the media has to rely on Rand Paul to say something inane or AOC (or Bernie) to make a statement she will never back up. We're left wondering what happened to the Democratic Party and realizing to our horror that Obama really is laughing at us, not even trying to cover the contempt he feels for "suckers", when he gets up to speak.
What about the female state trooper that Cuomo inappropriately touched? If Cuomo had kept his hands and lips off unwelcoming women, he would still be Governor. He’s a handsy creep. Did you notice that Cuomo’s affected female aides looked like Charlie’s Angels? Hmm…notice the patterns? Did you see that New York Post cover where Cuomo has a cringing young woman’s face in his hands and his bottom lip is tucked under his teeth? That is his pattern of behavior, he’s a creep.
I thought the failure to hold Cuomo accountable for executive decisions that apparently sent Covid patients to nursing homes that were unprepared for them (but probably happy to have the business) , costing the lives of perhaps thousands of people, was the most grievous journalistic failure. I believe Cuomo also shielded those nursing homes by executive order from any malfeasance on that account. I would like to see a journalist of Michael Tracey's caliber, or of any caliber, do a deep investigative piece on that issue to determine what really happened and who is to blame.
"— you should still be extremely alarmed by the media’s complacency on this story for about 100 different reasons."
Why would anyone with even a passing familiarity with corporate media be alarmed at all? We are in an era of "my truth" and "feelings" and that 'victims' are impervious to criticism. The disgusting corporate media do what benefits their masters, nothing more, nothing less. The "official story" is ridiculous at best, opposite the truth at worst. Look at the 'official' story of everything from JFK jr's death to 911 to OKC to the internecine political shenanigans MTracey details above.
Your kneejerk reflex to call this, or me, a "conspiracy theorist" is why they always win.
Remember, a passport of one of the hijackers fluttered to the feet, helping the investigation move forward. CNN dutifully reported it.
Only a democrat could get away with something as blatantly unethical as both Cuomo and James have done. This is what these people think "democracy" and the "rule of law" is, apparently.
Great writing as usual, my favorite was “who should have never been allowed within 50 yards of him without a lawyer and a priest present.”
The last paragraph should be a wake-up call for the people in the media who probably feel the same way you do but are too scared to rock the boat. If not now, when?
And your excellent, diligent research is yet more confirmation of two things: not only is supposedly serious journalism not only made possible by legacy organs with vast sums and resources available to them, but these things often _preclude_ actual journalism being done. Hence they're a magnet for spineless weasels. (Are weasels magnetic? Not sure where my metaphor is going but the key point is that the Gray Lady was nowhere to be seen when all this started, and anyone with sufficient curiosity to look into this will be, to put it mildly, reluctant to do so in public.)
Damn this was good, MT.
1. I agree with MT regarding Cuomo.
2. I also feel like MT finds the most unpopular, universally condemned thing or person in our discourse to get behind.
It should be pretty obvious that he's not "getting behind" Cuomo. A look through his Twitter during COVID should prove that beyond doubt.
If the "thing" is instead anything resembling due process and separation of powers, yeah, those are pretty unpopular, true.
That is true, but most folks in media don't differentiate between standing for a principle and using whatever principles are handy to defend a guy they like. We didn't need to believe Tara Reade when Biden was running against Trump.
Cuomo may be an utterly loathsome excuse for a human being, but justice is always worth fighting for. This is part of the fight.
Most pathetic to me is that it doesn't seem to matter how much the public is f*cked over by a politician all that matters is their personal interaction. That's not to trivialize actual abusers but the tactic is disgusting. Elliott Spitzer was taken out to protect corp criminals by fake morality campaign for paying a sex worker and Anthony Weiner for sexting.
Again not to defend those actions but they are the sole mechanism used to remove 'public servants' from their jobs where their work has plenty to out them as dirtbags. It's the most shameful condemnation of media who can't or won't hold them to account for f*cking the public, which in the end manipulates the public for page views not to hold politicians accountable for job performance.
Agreed but I try to avoid the left-right designations and try to see it through the lens of corporatist v populist. If you look at polls for policies like universal health care with over 85% public support and bipartisan opposition we see clearly it's us v them as in the elite against the masses. The left right argument just shifts blame from the cabal in charge to our fellow citizens and that perpetuates the problems. l/s
The impression I've gotten of Cuomo is that he's an arrogant jackass bully and a two-faced hypocritical serial liar - in other words, a run-of-the-mill politician.
Seems like James should fit right in.
Here’s the latest:
https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2021/11/05/district-attorney-says-cuomo-criminal-complaint-potentially-defective-1392346
I despise Cuomo but believe in due process. James should be disbarred.
The whole thing just keeps getting weirder. The misdemeanor complaint was filed by the Sheriff, not the DA. In fact, it was filed without the DA's knowledge, despite the fact the DA will be responsible for prosecuting the case. Apparently this is allowed in NY for misdemeanors. IMO this is terrible law. It should never be the police agency - in this case the Sheriff - that decides whether to prosecute. Not every potential criminal charge is filed. It is up to an elected local prosecutor to decide whether to prosecute cases. That's why everywhere at the state and local level we elect the DA and city attorneys. Then if the public doesn't like the way the job is being done you can toss the bums out. So now the Albany DA has been stuck with a case filed by an apparently politicized Sheriff, without the victims consent. If I were the DA I'd dismiss the case now, without prejudice, and conduct my own investigation and analysis in my own time and manner.
To me, Cuomo’s fall looked like a hit job. But why? Why would Dems torpedo one of their own? Then we got his fascist replacement. They lefty authoritarians have a deep bench in NY. But still, why did he have to go? If it’s not simply a matter of having a more reliable commissar in office then I can only think that there is something about Cuomo that we don’t know yet
As damning as Michael’s reporting might be, assuming it holds up, here’s the fact:
Cuomo should have been forced out of office much earlier over the nursing-home scandal. Gallons of blood poured off his hands thanks to the requirement that nursing homes take in, or take back, Covid-infected residents.
Even at the time, this was known to be a deadly decision. Cuomo could have stopped it; he didn’t. The media knew this was likely to happen; it remained silent. This was an epic failure of catastrophic proportions, and no one cared.
Read the AGs report on the nursing homes. I think it's actually quite fair and bears out what I saw in my own area and life. 95% of the nursing homes already had infections before anyone returned, or were let in, from the hospitals. That was the tragedy; because NYS went first we didn't even know Covid was here for a month or two and that's all it took to spread. Then, because we were first, we didn't know how to treat it. Look at the stats; the mortality rates were much higher in NYS and other states that had Covid hit them first. I think Cuomo could have rescinded the order a couple of weeks before he actually did when the cases were going down and I don't know why he didn't but the AG report estimated that 2-300 deaths were caused by return hospitalization infections. Read the whole report.
The employees brought Covid to the nursing homes. The patients ended up in hospital when hospital said they need to make beds available the nursing homes director of nusing at nursing homes should have setup isolation wards rooms. Before discharge from Hospital every family was notified they were being sent back. The families could have come claimed them not one did
Is that pronounced: La-tit-i-a? Something about the way Michael wrote about her, it just seems that's what it must be.
Reminds me of what happened to Al Franken who at one time was very good at asking important questions of witnesses before his senate committees. Now the media has to rely on Rand Paul to say something inane or AOC (or Bernie) to make a statement she will never back up. We're left wondering what happened to the Democratic Party and realizing to our horror that Obama really is laughing at us, not even trying to cover the contempt he feels for "suckers", when he gets up to speak.
What about the female state trooper that Cuomo inappropriately touched? If Cuomo had kept his hands and lips off unwelcoming women, he would still be Governor. He’s a handsy creep. Did you notice that Cuomo’s affected female aides looked like Charlie’s Angels? Hmm…notice the patterns? Did you see that New York Post cover where Cuomo has a cringing young woman’s face in his hands and his bottom lip is tucked under his teeth? That is his pattern of behavior, he’s a creep.
I thought the failure to hold Cuomo accountable for executive decisions that apparently sent Covid patients to nursing homes that were unprepared for them (but probably happy to have the business) , costing the lives of perhaps thousands of people, was the most grievous journalistic failure. I believe Cuomo also shielded those nursing homes by executive order from any malfeasance on that account. I would like to see a journalist of Michael Tracey's caliber, or of any caliber, do a deep investigative piece on that issue to determine what really happened and who is to blame.
In defense of Dr. Fauci
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lex-fridman-podcast/id1434243584?i=1000540919852
#238 – Francis Collins: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Lex Fridman Podcast
This sounded like a season of Game of Thrones. With bad costumes.
"— you should still be extremely alarmed by the media’s complacency on this story for about 100 different reasons."
Why would anyone with even a passing familiarity with corporate media be alarmed at all? We are in an era of "my truth" and "feelings" and that 'victims' are impervious to criticism. The disgusting corporate media do what benefits their masters, nothing more, nothing less. The "official story" is ridiculous at best, opposite the truth at worst. Look at the 'official' story of everything from JFK jr's death to 911 to OKC to the internecine political shenanigans MTracey details above.
Your kneejerk reflex to call this, or me, a "conspiracy theorist" is why they always win.
Remember, a passport of one of the hijackers fluttered to the feet, helping the investigation move forward. CNN dutifully reported it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVpwGr8hu0Q
Only a democrat could get away with something as blatantly unethical as both Cuomo and James have done. This is what these people think "democracy" and the "rule of law" is, apparently.