I think we can all agree there was no shortage of breaking news this week. Whether it was the firing of Anthony Scaramucci, Stephen Miller’s annihilation of Jim Acosta on immigration, or telephone transcripts leaked from the White House, it’s been a busy week in Washington. Despite the abundance of newsworthy stories, there were a number of other headlines this week that seemed … well, slightly obvious.
1. “James Comey Has A Book Deal, Publication Set For Next Spring” (Associated Press)
A blind man could have seen this coming. According to the article, “Comey is writing a book about leadership and decision making that will draw upon his career in government.” The book will largely focus on his (wait for it) “handling of the bureau’s probe into Hillary Clinton’s private email server to allegations of ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.”
Although I anticipated this, I do find it odd that the former FBI Director, a man charged with protecting state secrets, is now in the midst of writing a tell-all book.
2. “President Donald Trump Says He Won’t Stay Off Social Media“ (Associated Press)
Stop the presses! This article was inspired by a Trump tweet (go figure) that reassured the free world that their daily dose of presidential entertainment would continue indefinitely. The tweet reads, “Only the Fake News Media and Trump enemies want me to stop using Social Media (110 million people). Only way for me to get the truth out!”
The tweet was apparently enough to warrant an entire article.
3. “States That Punish Pregnant Women For Drinking Are More Likely To Restrict Reproductive Rights” (Slate)
Huh … It’s almost like those states don’t want you to maim and murder babies. This is a great reminder that Slate can always be counted on to provide crack journalism. Is that a Pulitzer Prize I see in your future?
4. “MSNBC Host Seems Surprised The Majority Of Americans Want Immigrants To Learn English“(Townhall)
This was actually an interesting read. The article focuses on a tweet from Christopher Hayes, who is apparently perplexed by data showing Americans prefer that their neighbors speak English. Hayes tweeted, “Very interesting data in here. Among them: “learn English!” Is an overwhelmingly popular position across both parties.”
The data he references came from a recent New York Times article that explored American identity. The story cites research from The Democracy Fund, which found that an overwhelming majority of Republicans and Democrats (95% and 75%, respectively) believe the ability to speak English is important in the U.S.
Hayes may be surprised by this revelation, but his shout into the mainstream media’s echo chamber came as no surprise to me. To borrow Stephen Miller’s words, “Mr. Hayes’, your cosmopolitan is showing.”
With constant palace intrigue at the White House, the ineptitude of Congress continually on display, and new developments surrounding Robert Mueller’s Special Council breaking daily, I’m sure there will be ample sources of riveting news in the coming week. Every once in a while though, it’s nice to find the headlines that tell you exactly what you already know.
Tyler Dahnke is a father, husband and wine enthusiast who’s doing his best to make sense of today’s insane political landscape. You can follow him on Twitter @tylerdahnke.