Which of these is most difficult:
A. Putting the toothpaste back in the tube.
B. Getting the genie back in the bottle.
C. Un-ringing the bell.
D. Un-scrambling an egg.
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Throughout my journalism career, I’ve been asked countless times about various news developments, “How surprised are you that X?”
99% of the time, I start my answer with, “Nothing really surprises me….”
But we are right in the midst of a news cycle of genuine astonishment, amazement, wonder, disbelief, and shock (Thank you, Microsoft Word Thesaurus!).
Here is what is making me dazed and confused.
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* This is a move as big as all Texas and potentially as historically foolish as drafting Kenny Green ahead of Karl Malone:
Mayors and county judges in some of Texas’ largest urban areas criticized Gov. Greg Abbott over his decision to lift the statewide face mask mandate next week, saying it contradicts health officials’ advice as infections continue to spread throughout the state, which averaged over 200 reported deaths a day over the last week.
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, a fellow Republican, called Abbott’s order “premature” and asked him to allow more people to get the vaccine.
“I am calling on Gov. Abbott to open up additional vaccine tier categories so that more people are eligible to get a vaccine if they want one,” Price said in a statement. “As the state’s directive has changed, so must our response. Now, more than ever, vaccines and testing must be readily available….”
But officials lambasted the latest order because it does not allow local leaders to enforce their own mask mandates. The latest order also removes a previous option available to local leaders: compel businesses to require that customers wear face masks. (Texas Tribune)
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* President Biden’s Tuesday declaration that the U.S. will have sufficient vaccine supply for every adult American by the end of May.
Sort of makes you wonder, uhm, why Texas isn’t waiting until April to lift all the restrictions (which, per my calendar, is not that far away…).
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* A Biden administration trying to limit the political fallout of the withdraw of the nomination of Neera Tanden to head OMB did not have a replacement pick at the ready, which by the Rules of Washington extends and heightens the period of peril the White House now faces. By failing to turn the page to a new character, Ron Klain finds himself still living in a dangerous chapter.
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* Pretty inexplicable that South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune hung his friend and fellow Senator Lisa Murkowski so completely out to dry with comments suggesting she was out of step with the prevailing anti-quid-pro-quo culture:
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For those jaded many who think they’ve seen it all when it comes to the buckraking of political consultants, you will not believe this Washington Post story about online fundraising strategists who make millions (and up to 70% of the total take!) of what is raised by creating viral moments that spur a gusher of contributions. As essential a gee-whiz read as you will ever find.
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* Amazing that 38% of New York’s registered voters approve of the job Andrew Cuomo is doing, per a new Emerson poll.
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A tragic, fatal SUV crash in California just north of the Mexican border killed 13 of the souls in a vehicle carrying 25 people. It is easy to imagine the circumstances in which a lot of people would be crammed in for a drive, but more than two dozen is beyond my comprehension.
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Whenever someone you know has passed away, there is the human tendency to be incredulous that this planet now exists and goes forward without them on it.
For those who had the pleasure of meeting the great Vernon Jordan, that feeling is extremely pronounced today.
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Get yourself more surprises 24/7 on the website that is always chronicling the wide world of news — Walking Duck.