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News Round-Up: February 6, 2017

Some news items you may have missed:

• It’s a grey day here in Las Vegas, but Eliad Cohen and friends have clearly found the sun in Playa del Carmen.

• White House press secretary Sean Spicer thinks Melissa McCarthy’s impression of him this past weekend on “Saturday Night Live” was a little over the top. Missing the point there, Sparky. Satire works best when it’s “over the top.”

• According to the New York Times, President Trump often spends evenings watching cable news shows in his bathrobe, and wandering around his new abode.

• Last night’s historic overtime Super Bowl game pulled in 113.7 million viewers.

• The U.S. Supreme Court will hear transgender student Gavin Grimm’s case on March 28.

• Elton John says Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl performance was “the most spectacular performance ever seen during Super Bowl half time.” Watch the video below if you missed it!

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Trump: “Dishonest Press” Isn’t Reporting Terrorist Attacks

President Trump, speaking to the U.S. Central Command today, attacked the media yet again. This time, he made the extraordinary claim that the media is intentionally covering up terrorist attacks around the world.

“You’ve seen what happened in Paris, and Nice. All over Europe, it’s happening,” he said to the military leaders. “It’s gotten to a point where it’s not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn’t want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that.”

I’m not sure what the goal would be for the media to NOT cover a terrorist attack…?

This would seem to underline a new narrative coming out of the White House. Last week, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told MSNBC host Chris Matthews, “I bet it’s brand-new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre,” she said. “Most people don’t know that because it didn’t get covered.”

Of course, it is true the media didn’t cover the “Bowling Green Massacre.” Since it never happened…

Watch Trump’s comments below:

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The Super Bowl Commercial FOX TV Didn’t Want You To See

This is truly the Super Bowl commercial FOX TV didn’t want you to see.

While the first half of this spot by 84 Lumber, debuted during the Super Bowl last night, viewers were urged to see the second half online. Titled, “The Entire Journey,” the commercial chronicles a mother and daughter’s symbolic migrant journey towards becoming legal American citizens.

FOX TV apparently told 84 Lumber the image of an actual wall was too controversial for their viewers.

I really encourage you to watch the full 5 minute video. The tag line at the end hits it.

If this doesn’t affect you, it probably says something about your perspective on the world.

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Trump Angry Over Low Approval Numbers

President Trump took to Twitter this morning to rant about so-called “fake news” and “negative polls:”

It seems the president isn’t interested in any opinions that oppose his own. And the “call my own shots” comment would seem to be related to recent reports (like a big TIME Magazine cover story) that White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has been directing Trump’s activities behind the scenes.

The latest CNN/ORC poll shows the president continues to be mired in low approval numbers. From job approval (44% approve, 53% disapprove) to his executive order on immigration (47% approve, 53% oppose).

Additionally, he compares unfavorably to his predecessors in terms of approval at this point in a presidential term.

More from CNN:

Trump’s tweet seemed to be motivated by a Monday morning segment on CNN’s “New Day.” (The president frequently watches cable news in the morning.)

At 6:31 a.m. ET, CNN political director David Chalian showed CNN/ORC’s latest poll results, starting with 44% approval and 53% disapproval of Trump’s job performance.

Then he said, “What about that travel ban policy? How’s the country reacting to that? A majority are opposed. Slim majority. 53% of Americans oppose the travel ban, 47% in favor.”

Trump’s tweet provoked widespread criticism on Monday morning. “This is bizarre behavior. Something is not right,” Joaquin Castro, a Democratic congressman from Texas, responded.

Another vocal Trump critic, the activist Deray McKesson, tweeted, “‘Negative news = fake news’ is the beginning of tyranny.”

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Almost 100 Major Tech Companies File Briefs Opposing Trump’s Travel Ban

As the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals awaits arguments regarding Donald Trump’s immigration executive order, almost 100 major tech companies have filed friend-of-the-court briefs against the travel ban.

Twitter, Uber, Google and Apple were among 97 companies to file a friend-of-the-court brief early on Monday with a federal appeals court hearing challenges to President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration.

“The order effects a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States, and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies,” the amicus curiae brief, filed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, read. “It hinders the ability of American companies to attract great talent; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international market- place; and gives global enterprises a new, significant incentive to build operations—and hire new employees—outside the United States.”

The brief also calls the order “a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system” and argues that it violates 1965 immigration legislation, signed into law by former President Lyndon Johnson, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of national origin when granting asylum to foreign travelers.

An estimated 37.4 percent of Silicon Valley employees are foreign born, according to the 2016 Silicon Valley Index (PDF) released by think tank Joint Venture.

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Radio Show: This Week In LGBT News With Political Activist Aaron Baldwin

LGBT political activist Aaron Baldwin shares his thoughts Donald Trump’s first weeks as president, including:

• The mixed signals from the Trump administration about LGBT rights/protections

• Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner – LGBT White House allies?

• The disastrous rollout of President Trump’s immigration policy, from airport protests to a federal judge blocking implementation of the executive order

• Trump’s allegations of widespread voter fraud and what it might mean to the country

• Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ nomination may be in peril

Hit the play button below!

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Viral: “How New Yorkers Deal With Swastikas On The Subway”

Going viral across social media today. Shared over 256,000 times on Facebook alone.

From Gregory Locke:

I got on the subway in Manhattan on Saturday night, February 4, only to find a Swastika on every advertisement and every window. The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do.

One guy got up and said, “Hand sanitizer gets rid of Sharpie. We need alcohol.” He found some tissues and got to work.

I’ve never seen so many people simultaneously reach into their bags and pockets looking for tissues and Purell.

Within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone.

Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017.

“I guess this is Trump’s America,” said one passenger.

No sir, it’s not. Not tonight and not ever. Not as long as stubborn New Yorkers have anything to say about it.

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Trump Compares US To Russia: “You Think Our Country’s So Innocent?”

In an interview with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly set to air today on FOX before the Super Bowl, President Trump was asked about his views on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At one point, as Trump says that he respects the Russian president, O’Reilly interjects “But Putin’s a killer.”

“There are a lot of killers. There are a lot of killers. What, you think our country is so innocent? ” replied Trump.