Elaina Plott is a young reporter from Alabama with skills beyond her years.

She now covers politics for The New York Times, after working for The Atlantic and other magazines. Often her work brings her back to the South, where she has written about everything from how our gun culture affected her in a personal way to how a Louisiana community was surprised to find out the reality of the coronavirus.

Plott threads the needle of writing about hard truths with compassion for everyone trying to sort them out.

Let's keep the conversation going. Who do you want to hear from next on the SouthBound podcast?

Submit your idea in the box below. You can also send a tweet to@tommytomlinsonor@wfae, and email me atttomlinson@wfae.org.

Show notes:

New episodes ofSouthBound come out every other Wednesday. Subscribe:

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SouthBound is a production of WFAE. Our host is Tommy Tomlinson. Our audience engagement manager is Joni Deutsch, and our main theme comes from Josh Turner.

Read this article:

SouthBound: Elaina Plott On Covering Politics, Writing With Compassion, And The Bullet In Her Arm - WFAE

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Posted: Mar 25, 2020 7:35 PM

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

If, as the evidence suggests, the Chinese virus is enormously dangerous to people with certain medical conditions and those over 70 years old, but a much smaller danger to those under 70, then shutting down the entire country indefinitely is probably a bad idea.

But even when the time is right -- by Easter, June or the fall -- there will be no one to stop the quarantine because the media will continue to hype every coronavirus death, as if these are the only deaths that count and the only deaths that were preventable.

What mayor, governor or president will be willing to take the blame for causing a coronavirus death?

Well get no BREAKING NEWS alerts for the regular flu deaths (so far this season, more than 23,000, compared to 533 from the coronavirus).

Nor for the more than 3,000 people who die every day of heart disease or cancer. No alerts for the hundreds who die each day from car accidents, illegal aliens and suicide.

Only coronavirus deaths are considered newsworthy.

Were told by the Quarantine Everybody crowd: Listen to the scientists! Unfortunately, most of the scientists they present to us are lawyers. (How did Robert Reich, Donna Shalala and Ron Klain become medical professionals?)

Also, the scientists disagree.

Just as, I assume, they did in 1976, when epidemiologists warned of another 1918 Spanish flu pandemic after a few young Army recruits died of swine flu at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Eight months later, the federal government launched a mandatory swine flu vaccination program.

About a quarter of the country was vaccinated before the program was abruptly shut down. No pandemic had materialized. The virus infected a few people, then vanished. But directly as a result of receiving the vaccine, dozens of Americans died and several hundred acquired Guillain-Barre syndrome.

The scientists also disagreed in the 1980s, when the media and government went into overdrive to scare us all about AIDS. (1985 Life magazine cover: "NOW, NO ONE IS SAFE FROM AIDS.)

Surgeon General C. Everett Koop -- as revered by the media then as Anthony Fauci is today -- lied about the disease, insisting that [h]eterosexual persons are increasingly at risk.

Speaking of which, heres liberal Fauci on AIDS back in 1983, when he was with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, but not yet its director: "As the months go by, we see more and more groups. AIDS is creeping out of well-defined epidemiological confines. (It didnt.)

In 1987, Fauci warned that French kissing might transmit the AIDS virus, saying, Health officials have to presume that it is possible to transmit the virus by exchange of saliva in deep kissing. That presumption is made to be extra safe."

By 1992, after a decade-long epidemic with more than a million infections, the Centers for Disease Control could find only 2,391 cases of AIDS transmission by white heterosexuals -- and that included hemophiliacs and blood transfusion patients. (White because AIDS cases among Haitian and African immigrants had a variety of causes.)

But teenagers and sorority girls had to spend years being frightened of kissing lest they catch the AIDS virus, just as today theyre afraid of leaving their homes to avoid a virus that, in Italy, has killed no one under 30 years old and precious few under 50.

We have to be extra safe.

Both the No French Kissing rule and Quarantine Everybody rule are perfectly rational positions for an epidemiologist to take. Thats why we need to listen to people other than epidemiologists.

How about the doctors who keep pointing out that the coronavirus is mainly a problem for people over 70 and those with specific health problems? (See here, here, and here.)

The president should listen to experts in other fields, too. A country is more than an economy, but its also more than a virus.

If we listened only to emergency room doctors, we might come away convinced that we have to completely ban cars, alcohol and gummy bears. (Dont ask.) While taking a torts class in law school, I was afraid to sit under a chandelier, order a flaming dessert or stand at a train stop.

Playwright Arthur Miller once told a story about a geologist who remarked that life was possible even in the vast American desert. All you needed was water, he said, and the largest reservoir on the globe was located right under the Rockies.

But how would he get it?

Simple -- drop a couple of atomic bombs.

But what about the fallout?

"Oh," said the geologist, "that's not my field."

Today, the epidemiologists are prepared to nuke the entire American economy to kill a virus.

What about the jobs, the suicides, the heart attacks, the lost careers, the destruction of Americas wealth?

Oh, that's not my field.

Get The Hell Off The Beaches: Florida Governor Issues Statewide Stay-at-Home Order

Matt Vespa

Read more:

How Do We Flatten the Curve on Panic? - Townhall

Ann Coulter revealed details of how she was banned and subsequently unbanned from Fox News Channel in a Wednesday-aired interview on SiriusXMs Breitbart News Daily with host Alex Marlow.

Marlow drew on a recently published New Yorker column referencing Coulters recollection of a conversation she had with President Donald Trump regarding the aforementioned banning.

There was a great anecdote in there where you were banned from Fox and then Trump got you unbanned instantly, said Marlow. That was pretty funny.

LISTEN:

Coulter noticed the anecdote as shared by Anntensity, a fan profile on Twitter dedicated to her.

Coulter replied:

I saw that. It was tweeted on Anntensity, a fantastic Ann fan Twitter site. And only as a point of pride I would like to point out that technically it was during the transition I was telling I was begging the president to hire Kris Kobach at HHS. He said, Murdoch is calling me every day, Im only saying this because its out now, anyway Murdochs calling me every day, and I said, Yeah, he opposed you during the campaign and got me banned from Fox when I supported you. Look, Im giving up my career to get you in the White House. Please, just hire Kris Kobach, and he said, Oh, wait. Youre not allowed on Fox? Want me to call Murdoch?And as a point of pride, Id like to say that I said, No. No, Mr. President-elect. All I care about is that you hire Kris Kobach. Were trying to save the country, here.

Coulter then revealed, It was later when I found out it wasnt Murdoch, at all. It was always Hannity. Turns out it wasnt Murdoch, at all. So I guess he called Hannity.

[Former] Goldman Sachs employees have served Trump so well, mused Coulter sarcastically. Its great that Gary Cohn leaked that thing this week about how Trump ordered him to crush some merger because CNN has been bad to him. Yeah, that was fantastic. It was great that you brought in Gary Cohn. Who wouldve thought that hed be a traitor, Mr. President?

It looks really, really bad, said Coulter of claims that Trump directed former White House economic adviser Gary Cohn to block a merger between AT&T and Time Warner: It may not be against the law, but that looks bad if true.

Who did that [allegation] come from? added Coulter, speculating that Cohn shared the aforementioned allegation with the New Yorker. Just the most loyal person you will ever find: Gary Cohn from Goldman Sachs. Another great hire by Jared, she quipped.

President Kushner, joked Coulter along with other members of Trumps family had brought in all the Never Trumpers, and the RNC; the precise people he was running against in order to win the nomination.

Breitbart News Daily broadcasts live on SiriusXM Patriot 125 weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

Follow Robert Kraychik onTwitter.

.

Continued here:

Ann Coulter Tells True Story of Being Banned from Fox News

The White House press briefing room this week implemented a temporary seating chart to accommodate the Center for Disease Control and Preventionss social distancing guidelines, but Donald Trumps staff still managed to carve out space for One America News Network, the far-right network known for its pro-Trump content. And on Thursday, that networks correspondent, Chanel Rion used her hard-hitting journalistic chops to ask the president whether he considers the term Chinese food racist, and rant against the left-wing media that consistently [sides] with foreign state propaganda just to oppose Trump.

No summary can do Rions question justice, so here she is in her own words:

Do you consider the term Chinese food racist, because its food that originated from China? And on that note, major left-wing media even in this room have teamed up with Chinese Communist Party narratives, and they are claiming you are racist.

Is it alarming that major media players, just to oppose you, are consistently siding with foreign state propaganda, Islamic radicals and Latin gangs and cartels? And they work right here out of the White House with you and your team!

Trump takes question from far-right OAN personality who asks if term Chinese food is racist, mocking those who take offense to him calling COVID-19 a Chinese virus.

She claims the media is using Chinese communist party narratives.

Trump responds by basheing the press. pic.twitter.com/LknQJ9iQX1

Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 19, 2020

Trump, of course, used that remarkable setup to complain about the dishonest media (blah blah blah, weve heard this tune before). As he finished, Rion replied, More than dishonest! Theyre siding with state propaganda!

Members of the press were largely unimpressed with Rions superb contribution to journalistic inquiry. Below is a sample of tweets:

To put a finer point on it the woman from OAN teed up that rant by comparing this to Chinese food. Until today I thought nothing surprised me anymore and Im speechless. https://t.co/7yXMByJ9Ql

Elise Labott (@EliseLabott) March 19, 2020

OAN is not a news organization. Theyre a media arm of the Trump administration and the Trump campaign. Not complicated.

Isaac Saul (@Ike_Saul) March 19, 2020

The OAN personality who asked this question is the same OAN personality who traveled with @RudyGiuliani to Europe and peddled Ukraine conspiracy theories.

Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 19, 2020

Were in a pandemic and Trump is bashing the corrupt and fake news after a sympathetic OAN reporter asserts that left-wing news media in the room are pushing Chinese communist party narratives. These briefings are increasingly useless.

Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) March 19, 2020

OAN is not journalism; its propaganda. The fact they have White House credentials is an insult, and this incredibly offensive question illustrated why. https://t.co/tRLStHKG2a

Kristen M. Clark (@ByKristenMClark) March 19, 2020

OAN is not legitimate news. Its a Trump administration PR arm.

Jeaa (@jeannathomas) March 19, 2020

Trump and OAN turning this Covid-19 press conference into a PSA against journalism is nauseating.

Hal Rudnick (@halrudnick) March 19, 2020

OAN. Thank you, you treat me very nicely, says Trump as she alleges U.S. reporters are teaming up with the Chinese Community Party to smear the president or something, I stopped paying attention.

Jay Willis (@jaywillis) March 19, 2020

Chanel is the idiot who just asked the question for OAN at the White House presser https://t.co/zRbYYAbA7f

Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) March 19, 2020

OAN lady could ask him about the moon landing and hed start with many people are saying it didnt happen

superchunk (@superchunk) March 19, 2020

A reporter from OAN at this Trump presser is asking a question using rightwing talking points, and you can literally see other journalists in the shot barely keeping themselves from rolling their eyes.

Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) March 19, 2020

What is an OAN and how did this idiot get a press credential? pic.twitter.com/dTiuHui8So

Jamie OGrady (@JamieOGrady) March 19, 2020

this OAN woman is an Uncle Tom

David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) March 19, 2020

OANs questions during the presser are embarrassing even by conservative standards

johnknefel (@johnknefel) March 19, 2020

OAN goes full Q in the briefing room

Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) March 19, 2020

But it wasnt all bad. At least Ann Coulter liked her:

LOVE the question from the cute OAN gal!

Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) March 19, 2020

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Its through the generosity of our supporters that were able to share with you all the underreported news you need to know. Independent journalism is increasingly imperiled; ads alone cant pay our bills. AlterNet counts on readers like you to support our coverage. Did you enjoy content from David Cay Johnston, Common Dreams, Raw Story and Robert Reich? Opinion from Salon and Jim Hightower? Analysis by The Conversation? Then join the hundreds of readers who have supported AlterNet this year.

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See the rest here:

OAN correspondent goes full Q in the briefing room tells Trump the media has teamed up with foreign state propaganda - AlterNet

Chick-fil-A welcomed hundreds of new customers during its grand opening Thursday.

The fast food chain began serving hungry, new customers bright and early at 6:30 a.m. through its drive-thru window only, due to statewide health department restrictions in relation to the coronavirus.

Joe Bell, spokesman for Cafaro Co., the malls parent company, said the opening marks one of 18 restaurants and eateries at the Ohio Valley Mall that will continue to serve food via carry-out or delivery.

Chick-fil-A Business Manager Hannah Yount said more than 350 people had driven through the drive-thru before noon on the opening day.

We have been pretty steady all day so far. Its been a great turnout, she said.

Employees were busy working in the midst of a lunch rush, she said.

Were cranking through it, she added.

The eatery is famous for serving a variety of chicken entrees including breakfast, lunch and dinner options and has stores across the country.

The Intelligencer/ Wheeling News-Register

As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread across the country, local organizations are reaching out to make sure Weirton residents dont go without.

Numerous local organizations and churches are pulling together to ensure our citizens have food, Mayor Harold Miller said on Thursday.

According to information provided by the mayor, the Weirton Christian Center and Table of Hope will be distributing take-home meals on select days, while food banks will be available through the Salvation Army, Community Bread Basket, Family Resource Center and First United Methodist Church.

The Weirton Christian Center, located at 117 Ivy St., will be providing take-home meals for children between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those interested are asked to go to the back of the building for the meal.

Table of Hope, located at 3301 West St., will provide take-out meals between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays.

The Brooke County Commission, Tuesday, discussed local response to the COVID-19 coronavirus and voiced support for the proposed development of a statistical port district in the area.

Mike Bolen, administrator of the countys health department, told the commissioners, Were in the prevention stage right now and we want to keep it that way as much as possible. We want to keep it from spreading.

He said medical researchers are still learning about the disease and health officials are updating public guidelines as they know more.

Were doing the things we know work for now. Social distancing works, Bolen said.

If you look at the state of West Virginia, were not spring chickens, he said, noting the state has a high percentage of senior citizens.

Public health officials have said the disease presents the greatest risk to the elderly and people with chronic health conditions.

If we dont do anything, we have a very vulnerable population and we could overtax our healthcare system and emergency responders very quickly, Bolen said.

On Thursday the Randolph County Commission unanimously denied the City of Elkins request to annex three properties by minor boundary adjustment.

During Thursdays commission meeting, officials said the request was denied due to legislative changes in West Virginia code 8-6-5(d), as was recommended by Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Parker.

Prior to voting, Randolph County Commissioner Mark Scott stated, There are some concerns that the city has about us taking an action on this plan, and weve sought the advice of our prosecutor. He came back to us and said subsequent to the request that was made on Feb. 6, the state legislature made a change to the law, which says that in order for a minor boundary adjustment to be done by a city, they have to get the approval of 100% of the stakeholders that are involved in that annexation.

With the three that were presented to us, that means that they would have to go to the property owners of all three of those properties, get their approval and then apply for us to approve the annexation, Scott said.

Davis & Elkins College pre-service teachers gained classroom experience and helped Elkins Middle School students learn more about digital citizenship in connection with social media.

Over a two-day period in February, 22 D&E students instructed courses for all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Elkins Middle School. Digital citizenship focuses on teaching respect, responsibility, social etiquette and how the misuse of social media can lead to problems with the law, school and the workplace. The project coordinates with the curriculum in D&Es EDUC 120 Education Technology course taught by D&E instructor of education Danielle Riggins.

Vincent Kitch has been hired as the new director of Arts and Cultural Development, according to a release from the city of Morgantown.

Kitch was selected out of a pool of 112 candidates. With more than 20 years of experience in government-based arts administration, Kitch has served as the director of cultural services for the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, and as the cultural arts manager for the city of Carlsbad, California. Kitch holds a Master of Music from Illinois State University and has certification from the Harvard University Senior Executives in State and Local Government Executive Education Program.

I am excited to have Vincent join the citys team and to become a leader within the community for arts and cultural affairs, said Morgantown Assistant City Manager Emily Muzzarelli. His experience in municipal arts administration and management will be a great addition to the areas existing arts groups.

Kitch currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, and will be relocating to Morgantown in the coming weeks. His expected start date is April 6.

It was business as usual in the Berkeley County Council chambers Thursday morning as council members approved the airport ordinance and provided updates on the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic.

What was an ongoing matter beginning in the latter half of 2019, the council discussed and ultimately unanimously adopted an updated Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport Authority runway protection zone ordinance.

The ordinance protects both the airport and community to ensure proper space is allowed around the runway, as well as prohibits the height of structures built near the runway.

Heather Williams, planning director, had previously provided council members with packets of the original ordinance adopted in 2004 and updates to the ordinance that were discussed by the planning commission over the last few weeks.

Williams also provided maps and overlays showcasing the zone boundary surrounding the airport runway and added the materials would be available to the public on the countys website in the near future.

When he took the position of chief of police for the Martinsburg Police Department in 2015, Maury Richards said he wanted to tackle the citys drug problem and make downtown a safe place to be. A goal that he has accomplished, Richards is now resigning from the position.

In October 2015, Richards took the oath of office surrounded by family, friends and supporters after recently moving to his Martinsburg home.

The 24-year veteran of the Chicago police force was selected from 39 applicants from across the country, including two members of the Martinsburg police force. He replaced Kevin Miller as chief of police.

Beginning in 2006, Richards served as the lieutenant of police for Chicagos 4th District, which is South Chicago. As watch commander, he performed the function of captain, supervising 120 officers and directing all district operations and personnel.

Once in office, Richards tackled these issues head on. He also has been a proponent of prevention and treatment, as well as incarceration in some cases.

During his tenure at MPD, the department has had success with its Drug House Ordinance, Operation Spring Cleaning and the Martinsburg Initiative.

With thousands of bills sent out to addresses throughout the county, Public Service Stormwater District officials offered an update on the controversial stormwater management fee approved and implemented in the latter half of 2019.

Greg Rhoe, president of the Stormwater Management Board, offered councilmembers and the community an update on the continuing status of the recently implemented stormwater management fee Thursday, a fee that has seen its fair share of backlash since it was approved last year.

The implementation of the fee had a lot of moving parts because of the expanded customer base that we ended up billing those that the sewer or water district did not previously have information on, Rhoe said. We have billed about 38,000 clients; roughly 22,000 on water and sewer and roughly 15,700 non-water and non-sewer customers comes out to a gross billing of $1,540,000, but that doesnt show collectability. We anticipate receiving roughly $1.3 million back, which is right around where we need to be according to MS4 guidelines.

The Beckley Area Foundation has established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which will provide resources to local nonprofit organizations working to provide aid to those impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Donations to CERF will support emergency needs identified by our nonprofit partners in human services, health, housing and education, and will make grants to nonprofits providing aid to impacted individuals and families in Raleigh County.

CERF is designed to complement the work of local public health, nonprofit and government entities and to expand local capacity to support individuals and families experiencing hardship because of the outbreak and related closures and disruptions.

Foundation leaders will be closely monitoring how the coronavirus impacts the community and will deploy financial resources to best meet evolving needs.

Individuals, corporations, donor advisors and private foundations are encouraged to join BAF in these efforts by making a gift to CERF. All gifts are tax-deductible and will be used to support local nonprofit organizations.

While restaurants and facilities like gyms in West Virginia and Ohio have been ordered to close, other establishments continue to assess the best way to do business amid the coronavirus pandemic.

For the Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley ReStore in Vienna, that means not doing business at all right now.

ReStore Director Ben Bradley said they had been monitoring the situation and decided to close Wednesday based on the latest guidance from Habitat for Humanity International. Hes hoping it will only last for the 15-day period recently discussed by President Donald Trump but said its too early to set a date to reopen again.

Its just so difficult to plan from one day to the next when the information is changing so rapidly, Bradley said.

The decision was made after weighing factors that include the health and safety of employees and the community, as well as the economic health of those groups, Bradley said. ReStores 12 employees will be paid through the current pay period, which ends a week from today, he said. After that, the situation will be re-evaluated.

Donations will not be accepted during the closure, but Bradley said theyll need them once the ReStore is able to reopen.

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

The Wood County Board of Education held its first virtual meeting Thursday, receiving an update on the pandemic which made the remote meeting necessary.

Board members joined Wood County Schools Superintendent Will Hosaflook on a video call Thursday evening to discuss COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, which in recent weeks has shut down schools, businesses and social gatherings throughout the United States and worldwide.

West Virginia was the last state to have a confirmed case of coronavirus, which led to more strict regulations including shutting down public schools and limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Thursdays meeting was broadcast through Wood County Schools new Innovate site at http://www.wcsinnovate.com and the MicrosoftTeams app.

We thought it was important to touch base with the board, said board President Rick Olcott. More than 45 people, including the five board members and Hosaflook, joined Thursdays online meeting.

Hosaflook updated the school board on actions taken since last weeks announcement by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice to shut down schools statewide. Hosaflook said the districts priority has been to ensure students are fed and educated during the shutdown.

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Airport Manager Glen Kelly says the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport has yet to see any negative impact from the COVID-19 situation.

The practice of sanitizing all primary contact surfaces started in January when the virus became more widespread around the world, Kelly said.

Uniforms also are washed on site so employees dont have to take them home.

Weve been very diligent on trying to stay ahead of the curve, he said.

The airport is still operating with its usual staff and under regular protocols.

Fuel sales are still up from previous years and have not been affected. Fuel sales and rentals are a majority of the revenue for the airport.

(We are) very happy the fuel sales are still there, Kelly said.

Contour Airlines is continuing to offer flights. Kelly said they are still seeing traffic from commercial flights.

The airline was running at the same capacity but Monday they started to see a market decrease on outbound enplanements.

Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Despite a likely pending spike in coronavirus claims and the collapse of the stock market, the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency remains in good financial health, members of the PEIA Finance Board were advised Thursday.

PEIA financial officers are projecting a spike in costs for COVID-19 testing and medical care for PEIA insurees likely will be offset by a drop-off in elective procedures during the pandemic.

We will see spiked utilization of services with the pandemic, but we also will see a decline in elective services, Jason Haught, PEIAs chief financial officer, told the board.

Not only do we think members are going to stay away from health-care providers for elective procedures, some facilities are completely disallowing elective procedures.

Meanwhile, through January, PEIA was on track to finish the 2019-20 budget year with a $264.5 million balance, as medical and pharmaceutical claims have come in below estimates so far, Haught said.

Charleston Gazette-Mail

More here:

Across the State - WV News

CHARLESTON Gov. Jim Justice in a public address Saturday warned that the state could end up in the same situation as New York City if directives to prevent the spread of the coronavirus known as COVID-19 are not followed.

Justice said he would not shut down the entire state now, and asked instead for all residents to bear down and buckle up to follow directives to stay home when possible, wash hands thoroughly and often and keep hands away from the face.

An additional four cases of COVID-19 disease were confirmed in the stateSaturday, bringing the total to 12. Marshall County had its first two cases Saturday, and Kanawha County and Mercer County had one additional case each.

There are now two cases each in Jefferson, Marshall, Mercer, Kanawha and Tucker counties and one each in Jackson and Monongalia, according to the state Department of Health and Human Resources.

As of Saturday evening, 397 state residents had been tested for COVID-19, with 385 negatives and one test pending at the state lab. The 397 total includes tests from the states public health lab, commercial labs and hospitals, according to the DHHR.

Also Saturday, the West Virginia Supreme Court's administrative branch, which oversees the state's circuit court system, released a statement saying one of the positive cases in Kanawha County involved a court worker, who has been hospitalized.

In his public address, the governor sounded a note of urgency.

I hate to alarm you in any way, shape or form or fashion," Justice said, "but weve got to move and weve got to move right now to save additional lives. If you look at where New York is today, think about where New York was roughly 10 days ago.

Justice compared the number of coronavirus infections in New York City to the number in West Virginia and said, as a percentage of the total population, the state today is in about the same situation as New York City was 10 days ago.

There was a wave coming, a potential wave that could be absolutely so destructive its unbelievable. Youre seeing it in New York. Youre seeing it tonight. Youre seeing panic. Youre seeing a situation where there could very well be thousands die, the governor said. Think where we could end up 10 days from today.

Justice was joined by Dr. Clay Marsh, vice president and dean of WVU Health Sciences, who praised the aggressive preventive actions that West Virginia has taken.

New York City did not, and now theyre underwater. And we know with information from China, which weve learned from, that once were underwater, it takes about two weeks to recover in any way, Marsh said. We have a real opportunity, but that opportunity is time-limited.

Justice said West Virginians have the power to stop the spread of the disease.

This terrible monster has got to have the ability to jump from person to person, and if it doesnt it dies, and it dies very quickly. And as we stay apart and the numbers flatten out, then our health-care systems can take care of us and can take care of each and every one of us in a way that keeps us somewhat safe, Justice said. The numbers dont skyrocket.

According to Justice, about 60% of state residents are doing what they need to do to slow the spread of COVID-19, but 40% have failed to recognize the danger faced in a state with a comparatively large population at higher risk of severe complications from the virus, including the elderly and people with chronic health conditions.

Justice also took time to praise the individuals who are doing their part, including seniors who are staying home, grocery store workers who staying on the job,health-care workers who are risking their own health to take care of others, as well as the West Virginia National Guard, school systems and counties that are feeding 200,000 kids who are not in schools.

The governor renewed his promise that the federal and state governments will step up to make businesses and citizens as whole as they can be economically.

Staff Writer JoAnn Snoderly can be reached at 304-626-1445, by email at jsnoderly@theet.com or on Twitter at @JoAnnSnoderly.

Excerpt from:

'Bear down and buckle up': Governor urges West Virginians to take action against COVID-19 - WV News

The post-2016 meltdown of former Republican consultant Rick Wilson would be insignificant, were it not for the fact that CNN and MSNBC routinely lend him their credibility.

That is, if you go so far as to call it credibility.

Wilson, on Wednesday, tweeted #BeInfected in response to a public service announcement on the coronavirus featuring first lady Melania Trump. Some people thought Wilson, who also often appears on HBOs Real Time, was suggesting that he hopes the first lady contracts the deadly virus. I don't think thats what he was doing, but no serious person whos familiar with Wilson doubts that its something he would do.

Wilson is a disreputable person. He says distasteful things all the time. Why do CNN and MSNBC let him do it on their airtime?

Just a few weeks ago, Wilson was invited on Don Lemons CNN program, during which he proceeded to mock President Trump voters using a Southern accent as the credulous boom rube demo repulsed by your geography and your maps and your spelling.

In August 2019, he accused Trump of inspiring gun violence. When he triggers somebody, they pull a trigger," Wilson said. The only recent shooting demonstrably related to partisan politics was the one in 2017, in which a Bernie Sanders supporter nearly killed Republican Rep. Steve Scalise and tried to kill a score of other Republican lawmakers.

The 2016 presidential campaign was an especially ripe time for Wilsons brand of commentary. On Twitter, he asked conservative author Ann Coulter, Does Trump pay you more for anal? He also actively fanned a rumor about some video recording that would have implicated one of the Republican presidential candidates in a scandal. (Wilson vehemently opposed Ted Cruz's presidential campaign).

This is the person whom MSNBC and CNN so value as to make him a regular guest, raising his profile and all of the gross things about him.

Dont waste the outrage on Wilson. Instead, ask CNN and MSNBC why they further ruin their reputations by having him on.

Read the original:

Rick Wilson is further damaging what's left of CNN's and MSNBC's credibility - Washington Examiner

With the 2020 Census beginning in just a few weeks, hundreds of workers are still needed in Marion County.

Census officials said that just over 900 short-term, part-time workers are needed for the job, and only about 400 of those positions having been filled as of press time. Dreama Pritt, media specialist for the Census Bureau in West Virginia, said the county still has a great need in that area.

Marion County is one of the counties where we need a few more applications, so were giving people the opportunity to do that, Pritt said. Its a great part-time job with flexible hours. You get paid mileage, and here in Marion County, you get paid $17 per hour, so thats a pretty good deal.

The bureau held a hiring event at the Marion County Board of Education last week in hopes to raise the number of workers, although many more are still needed.

For the first time ever, citizens can now complete their census forms online or over the phone, but the need for door-to-door workers is as important as ever, according to Brett White, executive director of the United Way of Marion and Taylor Counties.

Without the people being able to go door-to-door, it leaves a huge gap in the census, White said. It starts with the people who fill it out online and the people who return it through the mail. But for every person who didnt do it through one of those two, we have to go visit their homes. Thats why the numerators become such a crucial part of it. They have to go visit every home that hasnt filled out the form to try to keep our numbers accurate and counted.

Pritt said taking part in the census, which takes place nationwide at the start of every decade, is an important part of ones responsibilities as an American citizen, and the numbers mean much more than most people realize.

The census is mandated by the Constitution, which says that every 10 years, we will count every person who lives in the United States, Pritt said.

It affects so many things. Every part of your life is touched by census numbers from roads and schools and hospitals to nonprofit grants and political redistricting and the local, state and federal levels.

Its so important. Our main goal as the Census Bureau is to count everyone once, only once and at the right place. There are $675 billion annually of federal monies that are distributed entirely based on census numbers, so if you miss just one person, its a significant impact to the community, Pritt said.

White shared her sentiment.

It derives over $6 billion of funding that comes into West Virginia, White said. Without an accurate count, we lose money for daycares, libraries and highways. Every aspect of our lives is tied to census numbers. Our representation in Washington is tied to the census, so were already on the cusp of losing a House seat. If our census numbers are inaccurate and go down, we could lose a member of Congress. People dont realize that its tied to everything the government brings back into West Virginia.

Both Pritt and White encouraged those willing and able to reach out to the bureau to apply for a position, saying that not only is the work done on ones own terms, but its crucial to helping ones community.

Its a fantastic opportunity if youre looking for part-time, short-term work, White said. Its a great opportunity to work your own hours. You get to work by yourself and youll be doing a lot of traveling. Its just a great opportunity to do something larger while also have an employment option.

Fairmont News Editor John Mark Shaver can be reached at 304-844-8485 or jshaver@theet.com.

Fairmont News Editor John Mark Shaver can be reached at 304-844-8485 or jshaver@theet.com.

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Marion Co. WV, still in great need of census workers - WV News

South Korean soldiers in protective gears sanitize shacks at Guryong village in Seoul, South Korea, March 3, 2020. (Heo Ran/Reuters)

On the menu today: how the coronavirus is both more deadly and more contagious than the seasonal flu, wondering about the track record of old warhorse presidential candidates, and Mike Bloomberg breaks some more promises.

Why We Fear the Coronavirus More Than the Seasonal Flu

There have only been [insert current number here] coronavirus cases, way fewer cases and deaths than the flu!

As mentioned a few days ago, the term going viral means something that spreads rapidly through a population by being frequently shared with a number of individuals. This means numbers dont grow steadily and gradually. They grow quickly and exponentially.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the coronavirus primarily spreads when someone coughs or sneezes and the droplets get on someone else. The secondary way of spreading is by touching contaminated surfaces or objects.

There is some research from Chinese epidemiologists indicating that the virus may spread much easier than originally thought:

The coronavirus that causes Covid-19 can linger in the air for at least 30 minutes and travel up to 4.5 metres further than the safe distance advised by health authorities around the world, according to a study by a team of Chinese government epidemiologists.

The researchers also found that it can last for days on a surface where respiratory droplets land, raising the risk of transmission if unsuspecting people touch it and then rub their face.

The length of time it lasts on the surface depends on factors such as temperature and the type of surface, for example at around 37C (98F), it can survive for two to three days on glass, fabric, metal, plastic or paper.

This research is fascinating and ominous. On January 22, an infected passenger boarded a fully booked long-distance coach and settled down on the second row from the back. He stayed on the bus for four hours and the windows remained closed. Reviewing security camera footage, the researchers found the passenger did not interact with anyone else. The person next to him was not infected, but he did infect two people behind him, one person three rows ahead of him, four people who were six to seven rows ahead of him, and one person who got on the bus after the initial passenger disembarked.

Scientists are still getting a handle on how contagious the coronavirus is, but the current estimate of the R0 (reproduction number) is between 2 and 2.5 meaning that the average infected person spreads it to two or two-and-a-half people. For the seasonal flu, the R0 is about 1.3 people.

Coronavirus cases in the United States and broader world are not going to stay level; they may eventually level off, but we are probably a ways away from anything resembling herd immunity that is, when a significant enough portion of a population is immune to a disease, making it more difficult for a disease to spread. In the absence of dramatic steps to reduce peoples interaction with each other, the number of cases will continue to increase.

Scientists are still calculating the death rate from the coronavirus, and the death rate is probably going to continue to vary from country to country depending upon the countrys quality of medical care and preparedness. But it is already clear that the coronavirus is much more deadly than the usual seasonal flu.

The CDCs current estimate of the death rate for the flu in the 20182019 flu season is 35.5 million cases, and about 34,000 deaths. That is a death rate just shy of 0.1 percent, or one out of every 1,044 people.

Many doctors and public-health officials strongly suspect that there are a lot of Americans walking around who have already caught the coronavirus and are asymptomatic and they either will not show symptoms, or they will suffer such mild symptoms that they wont even realize they have it. As of this writing, the United States has 729 cases and 26 deaths. That comes out to a 3.5 percent death rate. Thats 35 out of 1,000 people.

Because there are people walking around who have it and who arent tested, it is possible that when all is said and done, the U.S. death rate will be significantly lower. But any way you slice it, the death rate for the coronavirus is significantly higher than the death rate for the seasonal flu. And with both coronavirus and seasonal flu, those most at risk are the elderly and the immunocompromised.

There is an odd tone to some of the commentary around the virus. Ann Coulter declares, Average age of the coronavirus dead in Italy (the country theyre using to scare Americans since its European): 81.

What the hell is this, Logans Run? I guess your perspective on the coronavirus being particularly dangerous to octogenarians depends upon how many people you know who are in their eighties or approaching it. Weve got about 13 million Americans over age 80. About 1.5 million Floridians are in their eighties. Sure, a death toll among the elderly, who have hopefully lived full lives, is somewhat less tragic than a virus that cuts people down in their prime or children. But that doesnt make it any less sad or worth attempting to prevent or mitigate. A virus that has even a 2 percent death toll among elderly Americans is going to mean a lot of funerals.

But wait, theres another factor to take into account. It is surprisingly difficult to get a reliable and recent figure for the number of Americans who are immunodeficient, immunocompromised, or otherwise have immune systems that wouldnt be able to fight off the coronavirus. A 2008 estimate puts it at ten million Americans and thats only counting those with HIV/AIDS (diagnosed and undiagnosed), organ transplant recipients, and cancer patients.

Secondly, the elderly and immunocompromised who are infected but survive are going to use up a lot of beds and time in intensive care units, and that will have far-reaching effects for those who are well under age 80. As Christopher Mims puts it, If we dont collectively slow the rate of spread of this virus, what he called suppression, it endangers everyone else because of the capacity crunch: People who need surgery. People who have accidents. Cancer patients. Everyone who would normally use our healthcare system. Every resource put towards controlling coronavirus is a resource that cant be used towards other health problems.

Some good news is that South Korean health officials have found that so far, only about 10 percent of coronavirus patients required hospitalization, while the rest had strong enough immune systems to fight the virus on their own.

When people ask, Why isnt there this kind of panic over the seasonal flu? the answer is, Because the coronavirus is both more deadly and more contagious than the seasonal flu. As noted above, the death rate for the seasonal flu is one in a thousand; the current coronavirus figure is roughly 35 in a thousand. Even if thats elevated because were not testing enough, if the figure is cut in half, youre at 17 in a thousand or nearly one out of every fifty.

For what its worth, the death rate in Italy is currently at 5 percent one in 20!

Italy is more or less in lockdown. Japan is preparing steps to instruct residents to remain indoors. Major countries do not shut down their populations because of media hype or a desire to make the American president look bad.

This is why we have to flatten the curve. We ordinary citizens have to take those basic steps of washing hands frequently and avoiding big gatherings, to reduce the rate of increase in cases, delay the peak of cases, and ensure that the hospital systems dont get overwhelmed.

The number of people who are currently insisting that preparedness is panic is amazing. None of us want a public-health disaster, but part of being responsible is being ready for the worst-case scenarios and taking action to ensure the worst-case scenarios dont come to pass. We have a lot of mayors of Amity and Chip Dillers among us.

If You Need to Beat an Incumbent, Is an Old War Horse Candidate the Best Choice?

An astute observation from Dan McLaughlin: Parties looking to unseat an incumbent have settled before on Biden-style old warhorse candidates, and lost. John Kerry in 2004, Bob Dole in 1996, and Walter Mondale in 1984 are the classic examples of this type of campaign. Adlai Stevenson in 1956 and Tom Dewey in 1948 were rerun candidates who lost to an incumbent, as was Bryan in 1900. John McCain in 2008 and Hubert Humphrey in 1968 were both old warhorses who failed to hold the White House a third time for their parties. The most encouraging parallels for Biden in modern elections would be the two former vice presidents to win the big job: George H. W. Bush in 1988 and Richard Nixon in 1968. The 1988 election, however, was a choice for continuity.

Yesterday I noticed that Biden campaign sources were mentioning both Senator Elizabeth Warren and Jamie Dimon, the chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, as a potential Treasury Secretary. Those two dont agree on much in economic policy. The fact that Biden could conceivably pick either suggests his economic policies are currently something of a blank slate, to be decided, or at least forged in greater detail, later.

The nomination of Biden represents the Democrats preferring to not have to choose a particular ideological or policy path.

Bloomberg: Hey, Never Mind about Those Guarantees I Made

Mike Bloomberg may never be president, but he can break promises like one: Mike Bloombergs shuttered presidential campaign is dismissing staffers across the country and inviting them to reapply for jobs on his new independent committee despite extending guarantees of being paid through the November election when they were hired. The consolation prize: They get to keep their Bloomberg-issued iPhones and MacBooks.

This is not surprising Bloomberg just wasnt going to need all of these people for his post-campaign Elect the Democrat effort. Judging from their own stories about their work ethic, he was wasting his money on them anyway.

ADDENDUM: Yesterday I chatted about coronavirus, the giant stock market drop, and the state of the presidential race with Brady Leonard.

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Yes, Coronavirus Is Worse Than the Flu - National Review

When I first heard that Michelle Malkin was going to speak to a bunch of anti-Semitic, racist, and homophobic groypers, I thought (1) Oh, thats where shes been and (2) What happened to her? So I did some digging and what I found was even more disturbing than you might have guessed.

Those who have followed Malkin over the years know that she has always beenhow to put this politelyan immigration restrictionist. Though maybe thats too polite, since over the years shes championed not only racial profiling, but roundups of minorities, too. In 2004, she wrote a book titled In Defense of Internment. One of the websites she founded, Hot Air, thrived touting her anti-immigration cause through the mid-2000s and she considers the defeat of the McCain-Kennedy 2006 amnesty bill one of her great accomplishments. During those years, Malkin was put on a pedestal by mainstream conservative organizations such as CPAC, Regnery Publishing, and the Young Americas Foundation as a leading voice for the movement. She had a Fox News contract and appeared on the networks highest-rated shows.

And she now seems to have turned her back on all of that in order to link arms with the most vocal elements of the white nationalist movement. Oh, Im sorry. They insist on being called America Firsters. Same difference.

If the name Nick Fuentes sounds unfamiliar to you, consider yourself lucky. Think of him as a younger, Catholic fundamentalist version of Milo Yiannopoulos. Only more militant and irresponsible. The only reason to mention Fuentes is that he turns out to have been a key figure in Malkins spiral into the world of online extremism.

While Yiannopoulos paraded around in flamboyant costumes, Fuentes marched alongside aspiring Nazis in the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville and praised it as a tidal wave of white identity. Yiannopoulos mocked the mainstream media. Fuentes has said, I want the people to run CNN to be arrested and deported or hanged. Where Milo tried to be droll, Fuentes doesnt really do jokes, aside from making anti-Semitic noises about how long it takes to bake cookies in the oven because look how it triggers people who think the Holocaust was a bad thing.

You get the gist, Milo turns out to have just been a gateway drug to Fuentesism because the alt-rights red pills come in different strengths and flavors.

Fuentes and his followers loathe what they call Conservative Inc.a group of fake conservative establishmentarians who are insufficiently observant of traditional values. One of those values is severely restrictionist immigration policy, which at some point, began to tickle Malkins ears. So, too, has she adopted the anti-Conservative Inc. language, even though her entire career had beenif we are being honesta product of the actual Conservative Inc. Which is to say, CPAC, Regnery, YAF, Fox, and all the rest.

Malkins break with this main body of movement conservatism came last fall, amid a series of competing lectures on college campuses delivered by Malkin, Turning Point USAs Charlie Kirk, and the Daily Wires Ben Shapiro. During that time Fuentes and his followerswho see Kirk and Shapiro as avatars for Conservative Inc.began plotting ways to attend the events and embarrass them.

These followers of Fuentes werent students looking for a vigorous policy debate over green cards. Shapiros speaking schedule, for example, was posted on the neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer, and circulated among white nationalists. The motivation was sinister and the goal was disruption.

Strangely, as they started harassing Kirk, Shapiro, and Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw at various events, Malkin began giving cover to Fuentes and his groypers, tracking the drama on her Twitter account and in her syndicated column. She was quick to adopt their lingo, too. Cringe.

Then, on November 7, it was apparent that Shapiro, who happens to be an Orthodox Jew, felt compelled to say something about the anti-Semites who were trying to hijack the conservative mantle.

Hiding behind the lulz, Fuentes had recorded himself playing Grand Theft Auto and chasing down an Orthodox Jewish man wearing a business suit. He laughed about killing Ben Shapiro. In other videos criticizing Shapiro, Fuentes fondled a switchblade, opening and closing it dramatically, and flourishing it to emphasize his points. Needless to say, hostile signals were being sent. Only a very unwell person would find them funny.

In a YAF-sponsored speech at Stanford University, Shapiro devoted his remarks to condemning the alt-right, saying its members were playing a dangerous game. At one point he was booed. I have one question, Shapiro asked. Are you protesting the part where Im condemning the Nazis? You hear what Im doing right now. Do you have ears? Im literally condemning Nazis and youre telling me to leave. Do you hear yourselves?

Which is what finally sent Malkin over the edge. In the days after Shapiros speech, Malkin ran to the defense of the groypers. She used a November 14 YAF-sponsored speech of her own at UCLA, which she titled The Torch Is Being Passed, to burn every last bridge with her former friends and supporters.

She began by saying that usually her YAF speeches are intended to show how wrong or evil Democrats are, but that that evening she would be speaking to America First conservatives.

She criticized Shapiro for denigrating an entire movement of young men who watch a YouTuber named Nick Fuentes and said, Heres my message to the new generation of America Firsters exposing the big lies of the anti-American open borders establishment and its controlled opposition operatives: If I was your mom, Id be proud as hell.

Malkin went on to express solidarity with Fuentes, as well as the Proud Boys, Laura Loomer, and Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King (who was stripped of committee assignments by his fellow House Republicans for making racist remarks in January 2019).

This was too much even for YAF. Malkin had used her YAF-sponsored UCLA event to attack YAFs most in-demand speaker and to stand with bigots. YAF severed ties with her on November 18, issuing a statement that said, Immigration is a vital issue that deserves robust debate. But there is no room in mainstream conservatism or at YAF for holocaust deniers, white nationalists, street brawlers, or racists.

Later that week organizers at Bentley University in Massachusetts, who had planned to host an event promoting Malkins book Open Borders, Inc., canceled their event. Malkin went apoplectic. She tweeted and tweeted, doubling down on her new alliance. In one radio interview, she called for a widening of the Overton window and said that these are good kids who didnt deserve to be spurned.

She wrote a column titled Cancel Culture Hypocrites on the Left and Right in which she blasted the Keepers of the Gate who called on me to be de-platformed and cast out of the conservative mainstream.

I cancel you, she huffed.

All of that transpired during the fall of 2019. Last month, Malkins wayward progression continued. For years she had been a star at CPAC. But on February 28, instead of going to CPAC, where she was now banned from the stage, Malkin stood before a crowd at a new event organized by Fuentes. In that speech, she opened her remarks by saying, Thank you. Thank you. Mommys in the house.

It seemed a little odd that Malkin would again describe herself as a mom to these bigots. But it turns out that her imagery was deliberate. This is Malkins new identity: Mother of groypers.

In her speech, she addressed accusations of anti-Semitism with the same sort of mocking I talked about it, but didnt say ittone that is so common on the alt-right:

Already right out of the gate, before I even knew who Nick Fuentes was, before I knew who Groypers were, I was being tarred as an anti-Semite. Its become a useless, meaningless term and everybody knows it. And thats why theyre so desperate to tar all of us as that. Its anti-Semitic to mention George Soros billions. Its anti-Semitic to criticize the Anti-Defamation League. Its anti-Semitic to question whatever the precise number is of people who perished in World War II. It is anti-Semitic for me, being married to a 100 percent Ashkenazi Jew, to question dual loyalties of people who are working here as agents of a foreign country.

Oh, and it is an unacceptably anti-Semitic to point out the rank hypocrisy of people who are fiercely protective of an ethno-state and an immigration enforcement system that workswho turn around and call those of us who believe, whatever our backgrounds are, who only have one homeland that theyve ever known, to call uswhat is it now?white majoritarianism I believe is the term. Thats me. Thank you.

Moreover, Malkin sees herself following in the footsteps of one of her matriarchal heroines. There was a time when CPAC did at least give the grassroots nationalists a seat at the table, Malkin said. And Ill never forget this, because this was a very pivotal moment for me in my young career. Seventeen years ago, when I had the privilege of teaming up with the original Godmother of America First, the Catholic author, lawyer, and social conservative, mom of six and grandmother of 16, Phyllis Schlafly.

Today, Malkin seems to see herself as the figure to bridge the gap between Schlafly and the groypers. She spoke affectionately about the affinity she has for kids who do video from their basement, given her past experience developing online videos for Hot Air. Then, she turned serious and returned to the torch theme of her UCLA speech:

I really do believe that my role as a mother informs the choices that I have made and at some point, there will be a passing of the torch. I will not be doing what Ive done for 25 plus years. I had always woken up, especially in the last couple of years, thinking before I knew all of you, that I would have to do it until I was 70 or 80 or 90 because there was no one else to take up the legacy. I feel very confident that you, the Light Brigade, the America First Brigade, are well positioned to do what so few other grassroots revolts and rebellions have succeeded in doing. I believe in you. I honor your charge. I honor your mission. You may not have finances, but you have faith in this country and you have many more friends than you know.

The Daily Stormers Andrew Anglin described Malkins speech as beautiful.

In that same speech Malkin helpfully talked about others she considers part of the family. Among them were Fuentes, Yiannopoulos, Identity Evropa director Patrick Casey, VDARE president Peter Brimelow, VDARE writer (and former National Review writer) John Derbyshire, National Review contributing editor Dinesh DSouza, Ann Coulter, the Canadian white nationalist Faith Goldy, Frank Gaffney, and Pamela Geller. (Not all of them were thrilled by the honor. Geller posted the video of Malkins speech, calling it unconscionable and breathtakingand linked to an open letter posted on Robert Spencers Jihad Watch website asking Malkin to rethink her defense of a Jew-hater and Holocaust-denier.)

The great irony is that even now, Malkin still has friends in Conservative, Inc.

The Trump administrations senior official performing the duties of the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ken Cuccinelli, gave Malkin a shoutout from the same CPAC stage she was banned from. Although many outlets, such as National Review and the Daily Wire, stopped carrying her syndicated columns, the Salem Media-owned Townhall.com still does. (When I emailed a Townhall.com executive asking why the site continued to publish her column, I received no reply.)

And Malkins columns continue to be carried by Creators Syndicate, which has placed more than 1,500 of her columns over various outlets over the last 20 yearsa record Malkin celebrates.

In fairness, its difficult to tell which newspapers are actually carrying her Creators column these days. A Lexis-Nexis search of her recent columns turned up only a handful of regional print publications, several of which are based in Louisiana, that run her.

When I reached out to Malkin to ask where her columns are now published she said I should contact Creators Syndicate. She added:

I look forward to your morally courageous call to continue lying, purging, and gatekeeping in the name of responsible conservative journalism. LOL

(After receiving no response from Creators, I circled back to Malkin to ask if she had a specific point of contact she would like me to use. She declined, and thenshe took to Twitter to say Creators Syndicate has proudly stood by her for 20 years and to tell her followers I was trying to cancel her. Rasmussen Reports tweeted it was proud to carry her columns every week.)

From the outside, it can certainly look as though Malkin tanked her career and is on the way to days filled with crocheting, hot yoga, and pickleball. But, her fierce commitment to this new crowd seems like something more, though.

So, why does the Joker smile?

Malkin is, if nothing else, a successful businesswoman. In 2006, as the blog revolution was remaking digital journalism, Malkin founded Hot Air. Four years later, she sold the enterprise to Salem Communications, a conservative media company. As the social and mobile revolutions sped up in the early 2010s, Malkin saw another opportunity, and founded the site Twitchy.com, which aggregates Tweets on a blog-style platform. A year later she sold this enterprise to Salem as well.

Its possible, of course, that by embracing the groypers, Malkin is just finally deciding to let her freak flag fly. Or its possible that her new views really do differ in kind from her old viewsthat some precipitating event changed her basic outlook on the world.

But it seems just as possible that Malkin may be positioning to build a new platform. The old trifecta of column writing, dead-tree book publishing, and cable news contracts is a dying model and whatever else you want to say about Malkin, shes always been entrepreneurial.

Lots of people seem to think that the alt-right is a phenomenon that will disappear when the Trump administration ends. It seems equally likely that the alt-right is waiting to be monetized by someone able to look past the bigotry and see it as an asset ready to be put to work. Why couldnt Alt-Right, Inc. be the new Conservative, Inc.?

If so, then it makes sense that Malkin is courting Fuentes and his young, loyal audience. Especially if they are all cancelled and cant find any other basement to dwell in. Because it sure seems like Mommy wants to give them a home.

Correction, 3/9/20, 8:01 a.m.: The article originally identified the head of the blog Jihad Watch as Richard Spencer. Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch.

Correction, 3/9/20 1:20 p.m.:A previous version of this article mistakenly identified Ken Cuccinelli as the acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, rather than as the senior official performing the duties of the director.

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Michelle Malkin: Mother of Groypers - The Bulwark