News Editor’s Roundup: Manchin Comes Out against H.R. 1.

BY JACK CROWE

June 07, 2021

Good morning and welcome to the News Editor's Roundup, a weekly newsletter that will ensure you're up to date on the developments in politics, business, and culture that will shape the week's news cycle — as well as those that might escape mainstream attention.

Manchin Comes Out against H.R. 1., Says Partisan Voting Legislation 'Will Destroy' U.S. Democracy

Senator Joe Manchin (D., W. Va.) said Sunday that he will vote against Democrats' "For the People Act" and will also oppose weakening or eliminating the filibuster as he believes partisan voting legislation "will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy."

Manchin's comments came in an op-ed he penned for the Charleston Gazette-Mail that was published on Sunday.

"Unfortunately, we now are witnessing that the fundamental right to vote has itself become overtly politicized," writes Manchin, who previously served as West Virginia's secretary of state.

"Today's debate about how to best protect our right to vote and to hold elections, however, is not about finding common ground, but seeking partisan advantage. Whether it is state laws that seek to needlessly restrict voting or politicians who ignore the need to secure our elections, partisan policymaking won't instill confidence in our democracy — it will destroy it."

Cheney Compares Trump's Election Claims to Chinese Communist Party Rhetoric

Representative Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.) recently compared Donald Trump's false election claims to the rhetoric of the Chinese Communist Party, calling the former president's mistruths "very dangerous and damaging."

"When you listen to Donald Trump talk now, when you hear the language he's using now, it is essentially the same things that the Chinese Communist Party, for example, says about the United States and our democracy," Cheney said during an episode of The Axe Files podcast released on Monday.

"When he says that our system doesn't work … when he suggests that it's, you know, incapable of conveying the will of the people, you know, that somehow it's failed — those are the same things that the Chinese government says about us," Cheney added. "It's very dangerous and damaging … and it's not true."

Psychiatrist Described 'Fantasies' of Murdering White People in Yale Lecture

A psychiatrist delivered a lecture at Yale University's Child Study Center in which she described her "fantasies" of murdering white people, a recording of which was posted on Substack by journalist Katie Herzog.

The lecture, entitled "The Psychopathic Problem of the White Mind," was delivered on April 6 via Zoom. A flier for the lecture described its "learning objectives" as understanding "how white people are psychologically dependent on black rage."

"I had fantasies of unloading a revolver into the head of any white person that got in my way, burying their body, and wiping my bloody hands as I walked away relatively guiltless with a bounce in my step. Like I did the world a f***ing favor," the lecturer, Dr. Aruna Khilanani, said at one point in the talk.

Microsoft Search Engine Bing Temporarily Censors Tiananmen Square 'Tank Man' Photo

Microsoft's search engine Bing temporarily blocked searches for the famous image of a man standing in front of a column of tanks at Tiananmen Square in 1989, in a move the company said was made in error.

The action came on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, during which Chinese soldiers gunned down students and other pro-democracy protesters. Bing users searching for "tank man," the image of a protester standing in front of a line of tanks, reported that the search turned up zero results in Bing's images and videos tabs, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"This is due to an accidental human error and we are actively working to resolve this," Microsoft said in a statement on Friday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom Reneges on Surrendering Emergency Powers

During a vaccine lottery event Friday, Democratic California governor Gavin Newsom reneged on his promise to lift the state's emergency declaration after June 15, allowing him to retain the powers to mandate sweeping COVID restrictions.

"The one thing I am certain of is: There's uncertainty in the future," said Newsom. "The emergency remains in effect after June 15."

When asked for his justification for backtracking on his pledge to Californians, the governor responded, "Because we're still in a state of emergency. This disease is still in effect. It is not taking the summer off."

DeSantis Blasts Fauci for 'Fly by the Seat of Your Pants Guidance' after COVID Email Release

During a press briefing Friday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R.) slammed the U.S. government agencies and individuals responsible for managing the COVID pandemic, namely Dr. Anthony Fauci, for issuing contradictory guidance that wasn't supported by scientific evidence.

A trove of Fauci's email correspondence from the last year was recently released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In one email, Fauci admitted the dubious efficacy of mask-wearing for protecting against COVID infection, despite publicly imploring Americans to wear face coverings in most venues and settings for the better part of the year.

"I think now with Fauci's emails . . . it's pretty clear that a lot of this stuff was fly by the seat of your pants guidance. This was not based on hard data," DeSantis stated.

Trump on COVID Lab-Leak Hypothesis: 'China Must Pay'

During the 2021 North Carolina GOP state convention, former President Donald Trump condemned China as the culprit that unleashed the deadly coronavirus on the globe, ravaging populations and economies.

Trump referenced the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its record of deception and dishonesty, noting that he believes the state bears responsibility for inflicting damage and destruction on the world via COVID. "We need to declare in one unified voice that China must pay," Trump said.

The former president also slammed Dr. Fauci for his contradictory health guidance over the past year, claiming that he erred on multiple predictions and recommended protocols.

"He's been wrong on almost every issue, and he was wrong on Wuhan and the lab also," Trump remarked.

Atlantic Writer Calls Manchin a 'Power Hungry White Dude'

Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and ex-ESPN anchor, called Senator Joe Manchin a "power-hungry white dude" on Saturday after the moderate Democrat came out against his party's sweeping voter rights legislation.

Democrats have claimed their "For the People Act" is necessary in light of Republicans' "assault" on voter rights. However, writing in an essay for the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Manchin said he would vote against the bill over concern that any partisan voting legislation "will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy."

On Twitter, Hill retweeted an Associated Press article on Manchin's comments and wrote that his decision is "so on brand for this country."

"Record number of black voters show up to save this democracy, only for white supremacy to be upheld by a cowardly, power-hungry white dude. @Sen_JoeManchin is a clown," she wrote.

Trump Says It's 'Too Soon to Tell' if Pence Would Be Potential 2024 Running Mate

Former president Donald Trump on Saturday said it is "too soon to tell" if he would invite former vice president Mike Pence to be his running mate if he launches a 2024 presidential campaign.

"Well I don't know, it's really too soon to tell. But certainly we had a very good relationship I was disappointed with Mike on one thing as he understands and some other people understand, but overall, I had a very good relationship with Mike and he's a very fine person and a fine man," Trump said In an interview with Fox News after delivering a speech at the North Carolina GOP state convention.