Media Matters

* “A deception.” That’s how freedom of the press was characterized by Vladimir Lenin. Those in 21st century agreement are not all Communists.

* We all get the problematic logistics that impact newspaper deadlines these days. But it still seems weird to not have a Sunday newspaper account of a Saturday night Lightning game played in downtown Tampa—not in some western time zone.

* “Proposals for regulating social media merit rigorous public scrutiny. But what recent events have demonstrated is that policymakers’ traditional hands-off posture is no longer defensible. … Because the economic incentives of companies in digital markets differ so sharply from those of older businesses, traditional anti-trust measures won’t curb those abuses.”–Robert H. Frank, Cornell University emeritus professor of economics.

Trumpster Diving

* This just in. Donald Trump has requested a mail-in ballot for a South Florida municipal election. So much for election-fraud claims—unless someone wants to take issue with that EKG signature

* So Sen. Rick Scott made a pilgrimage to MAGA-a-Lagoon. No surprise, as he had doubled down on his Trump fealty with strong support for overturning the 2020 election results to favor Trump’s voter-fraud claims. But now Scott, who’s quite familiar with fraud, leads–as it were–the establishment-friendly National Republican Senatorial Committee that prioritizes the re-election of GOPster incumbents. Can only wonder how the Trump-Scott chat went in regards to Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who’s on the ballot next year. She voted to convict Trump during his impeachment trial.

* “A united Republican Party—led by Trump or someone like him—is the greatest threat to freedom and democracy that America faces.”–Chris Vance, former chairman of the Washington state Republican Party.

* “Trump’s seizure of the Party’s leadership seemed a stunning achievement at first, but with time it seems more reasonable to ponder how he could possibly have failed. There were many pre-existing conditions, and Trump took advantage of them.”–Jelani Cobb, the New Yorker.

* How embarrassing that Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene hasn’t embarrassed all Republicans, especially Party leadership, for her odious, conspiracy-laced, performance politics that have included anti-Semitic and Islamophobic commentary.

* Speaking of embarrassments, we’ve been reminded again that the Capitol insurrection was watched by more than alarmed Americans. It was seen by the international community, including the autocratic likes of Vladimir Putin. The Russian authoritarian, whose government has interfered with American elections, was threading the disingenuous needle with his recent take on that Capitol siege. “Will all these internal controversies end there or not? rhetorically asked Putin with a likely smirk. “We do not know, but we want it to end, because we are interested in stable relations with all our main partners.” Sounds–intentionally–like a familiar American quote on unstable governments with third world issues and optics.

* Disappointing to read former Gov. Bob Martinez’s no comment in that Tampa Bay Times interview that asked his take on the Republican Party and former President Trump.

Florida

* Legislative priorities: Voter-and-free-speech suppression and this state’s dysfunctional unemployment system underscore an ironic, frustrating reality: A number of the wrong people are still employed.

* No surprise that Hyatt officials complained that a number of CPAC attendees in Orlando responded with “hostility” when asked to mask up and socially distance.

Irish Prudence

When your surname is O’Neill, St. Patrick’s Day is like no other. And if your wedding anniversary is March 17, as ours is, all the more so. Only one downside, my wife Laraine and I don’t typically—even before the pandemic—go out for the evening on that special occasion. That’s when all the amateur Micks are out in full force celebrating the Guinness god of inebriation. But March 18 is still as special as ever.

Sports Shorts

* “It’s a great feeling when you get a Gordie Howe hat trick.” That was Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak after having a goal, an assist and a fight in a Bolt’s win against the, appropriately enough, Detroit Red Wings.

* “Nobody has more talent and skill than the Tampa Bay Lightning.”–That was ESPN hockey analyst—and former Bolts’ head coach—Barry Melrose.

* The upcoming NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be missing something more than packed arenas. Neither Duke nor Kentucky will be part of it.

Quoteworthy

* “We know the end before we consider the beginning, and we can never wholly recapture what it was to know the beginning only.”–English historian C.V. Wedgwood.

* “Very, very concerning. If Brazil is not serious, it will continue to affect the whole neighborhood and beyond. This is not just about Brazil.”–Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the W.H.O. Brazilians are dying in record numbers, and the vaccine campaign has been chaotic.

* “Modern socialism.” That’s how PR-savvy China President Xi Jinping promotes China’s brand of communism to the world’s emerging economies.

* “Just as Biden and his aides decided to err on the side of doing too much rather than too little on COVID-19 relief, they should go big on the border. … It is nothing less than our duty to love and care for (children) as if they were our own.”–Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.

* “Within the legal mainstream.”–How Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell characterized the views of recently confirmed Attorney General Merrick Garland.

* “Women have the right to come forward and be heard. But I still want to be clear … I did not do what has been alleged.”–New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in claiming that he has become a victim of “cancel culture.”

* “When everybody has their own truth, and no two truths look alike, we will become—and we are becoming—a society unable to effectively mobilize itself, even to save its own life.”–Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald.

* “The underlying theme of the racial discourse today is that whites are losing control of the narrative. If a black woman can produce an heir to the British throne, what’s next?”–Nathalie Baptiste, Mother Jones.

* “Try to imagine what 2020 would have been like without Google, Amazon, Zoom, Slack or any other online service. It’s pretty terrifying.”–Noah Smith, Bloomberg.

* “When will this ($27 trillion) national debt, financed by the Chinese and others by the purchase of our securities, matter? … The national debt issue is alarming.”–Alex Sanchez, president and CEO of the Florida Bankers Association.

* “2020 was an anomaly. We’re going to get our work done, so it doesn’t happen again. Part of the problem the Party has had in Florida is that we have never built a real sustainable, grassroots, statewide, year-round organization.”–Florida Democratic Party chairman Manny Diaz.

* “If you look at South Florida right now, this place is booming. Los Angeles isn’t booming. New York City isn’t booming.”–Gov. Rick DeSantis.

* “Unfortunately, we’re getting too many people looking to get loose. Letting loose is precisely what we don’t want.”–Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.

* “The partnership is now an organization of some influence in the community, and I’m very proud of that.”–Rick Homans, who is stepping down as president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership.

* “During the pandemic, we have really taken so many steps to ensure that our development has not only continued, but increased in our community.”–Mayor Jane Castor. Tampa recorded $4.5 billion in permitted construction in 2020; it was $3.1 billion in 2019.

Bloody Sunday Order

* No better time for President Joe Biden to issue an executive order promoting voting rights than the (56th) anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” It was accompanied by a direct presidential message to voter-suppressing politicians that cuts to the democratic quick: “If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.” John Lewis couldn’t have said it better.

* Granted the rescue package had some debatable inclusions. Necessary minimum wage increases can be done separately, and there’s nothing wrong with applying reasonable means tests for benefits. But it’s beyond disappointing and disillusioning that no Congressional Republican could sign on to the stimulus package.

* “It’s a big (stimulus) package, but I think that we need to go big now, and that we can afford to go big. … I’m hopeful that, next year, with a package of this size, we can be back at full employment.”–Treasury Secretary—and former Federal Reserve chair—Janet Yellen.

COVID Bits

#AloneTogether

* The U.S. isn’t allowing locally made vaccines to be exported—and, yes, that includes Canada and Mexico.

* The FDA has approved an at-home test for coronavirus. The Quidel QuickVue Test is a nasal-swab test that can be self-administered by anyone over 14—or performed by a parent on anyone over 8.

* 329,000: the number of jobs added nationally in February. In January, it was 166,000. In December, 306,000 jobs were lost.

* As of Monday (March 15), any Floridian 60 and older will be eligible for vaccination.

* While restaurants have taken a big lockdown hit, it has been a sales booster for Publix. The grocer reported sales of $44.9 billion for the fiscal year—a 17.7 percent increase from the previous year.

* “We are in an oasis of freedom in a nation that’s suffering from the yoke of oppressive lockdowns.”–Gov. Ron DeSantis. But if he’s wrong, the yoke’s on us.

* USF plans a full return to campus this fall, resuming in-person classes and activities.

* Forecasts show extremely high levels of pollen in the coming weeks. Yet another reason to mask up.

* Official numbers–about 50–indicate that the Super Bowl was no super spreader. Unofficial, actual numbers would be higher—but no game changer.

* Definition of evil: Those behind fake medical-grade masks, coronavirus tests and vaccines.

* If rivals Merck & Co. and Johnson & Johnson can collaborate on a vaccine, maybe Democrats and Republicans can cooperate on a pandemic package and voting rights legislation.

* “Got my second shot. Go get yours.”–O.J. Simpson (73).

Media Matters

* The over-hyped, Oprah Winfrey interview with Harry and Meghan arguably under-delivered for a lot of those 17.1 million viewers. Some called it a “whine-a-thon” for the couple who fled toxic tabloids and a lack of security. The CBS interview referenced racism as well as bullying by “The Firm” and revealed “suicidal thoughts” by the Duchess of Sussex. But credibility was undermined early when Meghan Markle indicated she had gone into the marriage with Prince Harry “naively.” She did no research on the monarchy and knew next to nothing about the history and customs ofBuckingham Palace and the Royal Family. Seemingly, she didn’t even see “The Crown.” Tabloid readers familiar with “Hurricane Meghan,” “Megxile” and “Megxit” knew far more than she did. She likely prepped better for her role in “Suits.”

But we did learn a couple of things. Oprah doesn’t always prepare well—and, no, there were no restrictions on her questions–Meghan is pregnant with a girl, and as a 13-year-old in Los Angeles, she once worked at “Humphrey Yogart.” Future episodes of “The Crown,” often an exercise in royal intrigue and gossip, might indicate a fast-forwarding to get to the royal fairy tale that never was. Camilla who?

* Owing to freefalling revenues, the Tampa Bay Times has closed its St. Petersburg printing plant on 34th Street and is putting it and its 27 acres up for sale. Printing will now relocate to Lakeland. But a shout-out to the Times for last Sunday’s Floridian cover story that featured many of the longtime staffers. It was a tribute to those who made it happen over the bygone, pre-digital years. For them, it’s a keeper, even if the plant and their jobs aren’t.

* Shouldn’t it be Fox “News”?

* “We deify people too quickly, and we demonize people too quickly.”–Frank Bruni, New York Times.

Florida

* Gov. Ron DeSantis recently held a COVID media event in Little Havana. He announced vaccines were on the way solely for the Cuban veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion. Alas, there is obviously no vaccine for unconscionable, political pandering.

* Read my lips: “Open up.” Imagine ordering all businesses in Florida to open while not allowing the Capitol to welcome visitors.