This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.
Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon Retain Same Lawyer
Ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson and ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon both left their networks on Monday and according to various reports, have just hired the same powerhouse lawyer. While neither host has announced any official lawsuit, the litigator they’ve hired — Bryan Freedman — has a record of helping TV hosts secure millions from their old networks. Freedman’s other clientele include Vin Diesel, Quentin Tarantino, and Mariah Carey.
Biden 2024
President Biden made it official early Tuesday: He will run for re-election in 2024. He made the announcement in a video shot earlier this month at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, vacation home.
Biden has widely been expected to announce the bid, despite a rocky first term, approval ratings stuck in the low 40% range, and his age — he would be 82 at the start of a second term. Now, even some senior Democrats are warning that Biden’s age will be an issue in this election. Here’s Representative James Clyburn:
Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn says "we cannot pretend" Biden's age "is not on people's minds," so Biden needs to "show the energy that he's been showing over the past several months…"
What "energy"? pic.twitter.com/nELKUXC1jI
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 25, 2023
White House Will Veto McCarthy’s Debt Limit Plan
The White House said Tuesday that it “strongly opposes” the Limit, Save, Grow Act put forth by House Republicans, saying the president would veto it if it were to land on his desk. The plan — which was unveiled last week — represents the GOP’s opening bid to President Biden in negotiations over addressing the debt limit. The proposal seeks to rescind unspent COVID funds, and among other things, institute stricter work requirements for social programs. So far, the president has said he will not negotiate.
WHO Warning About Sudanese Biolabs
The World Health Organization is warning that fighters in Sudan have taken control of a biolab full of dangerous virus samples. Nima Saeed Abid, the WHO’s representative in Sudan, told reporters Tuesday evening, “There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab.”
The WHO has not said whether the Sudanese Army or rebels are currently occupying the lab in question. Abid revealed that “the fighters kicked out all the technicians from the lab … which is completely under the control of one of the fighting parties as a military base,” saying that it is now “extremely, extremely dangerous.”
Currently, both sides in the conflict have agreed to a 72-hour truce that began Tuesday at midnight, orchestrated by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Ukraine Counteroffensive Begins, Report Says
A new report claims that Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive against Russia has begun, though it’s not in full force yet. According to Newsmax, Ukrainian troops entered the Russian-occupied region of Kherson Sunday morning. Now, Ukrainians are in a holding position across the eastern side of the Dnieper River. Experts suspect that the goal of this massive movement of troops and weapons is to disrupt Russia’s control of the Crimean peninsula. It’s unclear when those troops will advance further.
Jury Selection In Trump Battery & Defamation Case
Jury selection began Tuesday for a trial over E. Jean Carroll’s claim that Trump raped her nearly three decades ago in a department store dressing room.
Carroll claims this happened in the early ’90s, while former President Trump has long denied it ever happened. Since this is a civil case, there is no threat of jail time for Trump, but it comes on the heels of a Manhattan indictment for alleged hush money payments to a porn star, as well as a potential indictment later this summer over election fraud claims. Last week, a judge denied Trump’s request to have Carroll’s civil case delayed.
Bud Light Sales Tank
And, Bud Light’s sales have plummeted since the beer brand’s marketing partnership with trans-identifying influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Bud Light sales fell 17% in dollars and 21% in volume in the week that ended April 15, according to the latest sales data from NielsenIQ and Bump Williams Consulting. Insights Express, a beer-focused newsletter, called the numbers “staggering” and the situation “extremely difficult” for Anheuser Busch, the Bud Light brand, and AB distributors. On April 1, Mulvaney, who is male but identifies as a woman, posted a video to Instagram promoting the partnership with Bud Light. Since then, at least two high-ranking employees at the beer company have been placed on leave as Bud Light undergoes “internal changes.”
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