Bloomberg Gives $5 Million to Pro-Cuomo Super PAC as Primary Nears
Three days after endorsing Andrew M. Cuomo for mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg put his money where his mouth is.
On Friday, Mr. Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor, gave $5 million to Fix the City, a super PAC that is supporting Mr. Cuomo's bid for mayor, according to a person familiar with the donation. That brings the PAC's haul to roughly $20 million. Even before this donation, it was the biggest super PAC in New York City history.
The new infusion of resources will amplify the PAC's ability to target Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist candidate now perceived as Mr. Cuomo's main target in the June 24 Democratic primary.
Before Mr. Bloomberg's donation, the PAC had raised roughly $15 million, according to a spokeswoman, and spent about $9 million, much of it on advertising seeking to draw a contrast between a purportedly can-do Mr. Cuomo, 67, and Mr. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens who is described in the ads as a 'risk.'
The donations came the day after an apparently draft piece of PAC campaign literature was leaked to a reporter showing an altered photo of Mr. Mamdani that made his beard appear thicker and darker, next to language suggesting he was anti-Jewish. The PAC said it rejected the proposed literature and that it was never sent out. Mr. Mamdani, who is a Muslim, described the literature as Islamophobic.
Mr. Bloomberg's donation will allow Mr. Cuomo's allies to flood the airwaves just as early voting begins on Saturday. Some of his rivals have super PACs, though none have raised anywhere close to even Mr. Bloomberg's individual contribution. New Yorkers for Lower Costs, a super PAC created to support Mr. Mamdani, has reported raising $400,000.
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CNET
10 minutes ago
- CNET
Stuck in the Job Search? Career Experts Share What Works in Today's Market
The job hunt isn't what it used to be. Experts share nine tips that can help you stand out to recruiters. Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNET Since getting laid off from a tech marketing role last November, Stephanie Wandell has applied to hundreds of jobs. She's heard back from only a handful of recruiters, without any offers. "I was a little bit naive going into it, thinking I could do what I always do and depend on applying to as many places as I can," said Wandell. "It became pretty clear that this time is different." Ask anyone who's unemployed and they'll tell you today's job market is more challenging than it used to be. In the past several months, my LinkedIn social feed has been a testament to that. Laid-off professionals share posts about their agonizing battles to find employment, with job searches stretching more than a year. Amid signs of an economic slowdown, companies are pulling back on hiring, leaving job seekers in the lurch. Facing fierce competition for a shrinking pool of open positions, candidates are trying to master new strategies to get past AI screeners into the hands of a human recruiter. Some wait months for a response, only to be ghosted by HR departments. Even if official unemployment figures appear relatively low, millions of Americans are wading through this emotional and financial roller coaster. The health of the job market is measured by people's ability to get a job, said Daniel Zhao, lead economist at the career and job search site Glassdoor. Hearing these experiences, I had a lot of questions. Is the job hunt miserable for everyone? Why are so many qualified and talented workers getting the silent treatment? How are folks using AI in their search? What is HR actually looking for? I spoke with several career specialists to gather the most straightforward advice for helping job seekers on their journey. I also compiled a list of free employment resources and upskilling platforms below. 1. Don't be generic Sending out hundreds of applications with the same resume might feel like the right approach but it's not the best use of your time. "We find many job seekers in the market haphazardly applying to any and/or all jobs instead of targeting relevant ones," said Chad Sowash of the Chad and Cheese Podcast, which covers recruitment technology, talent management and workforce economics. Instead of spending several hours applying to multiple jobs, use that time to tailor each resume toward the role you really want. Companies are becoming increasingly selective in their hiring practices so job seekers also need to be choosier about where they apply. "Not all positions and hiring companies will be a fit so don't try to be all things to all people," Sowash said. To narrow down your search, think about what you're looking for in terms of work environment and responsibilities, said Sam DeMase, career expert at ZipRecruiter. "Don't just throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks." Identify the value that makes you an exceptional candidate. "If your resume is very generic and doesn't speak to your specific superpowers, you're not going to get as many hits as you would with a hyper-tailored resume," DeMase said. 2. Optimize for the resume robot When you apply to a job online, your resume likely won't go straight to a recruiter or hiring manager. Nearly all Fortune 500 companies use an applicant tracking system, or ATS, to process applications and dismiss candidates automatically. As my CNET colleague pointed out in a 2023 story on resume robots, the ATS software scans applications for a specific percentage of matching keywords, typically 70% to 80%. If there's not a high match with the posting, your application probably won't make it to the next stage, regardless of your qualifications. To create an ATS-friendly resume, read the job description thoroughly and note particular keywords, phrases or skills. If the requirements accurately align with your qualifications, add them to your resume using the same language. That said, don't go overboard. While keywords are important, stuffing your resume with too many can read as unnatural. Jobscan, Skillsyncer and multiple other online platforms provide free resume scanning tools geared toward optimizing your application for ATS. Zhao said resume keyword optimization isn't about "beating" the computer. It's about making sure recruiters and hiring managers see your skills and experience. Once you have the right balance of keywords, simplify your formatting to make it clean and concise, which helps the ATS and recruiters review your resume. Avoid using fancy headers and footers, graphics or tables, which often get garbled by the computer software. 3. Act fast on job openings Set up multiple job alerts and be ready to act immediately on the openings you like the most. DeMase recommends being one of the first people to apply to the job posting so that your resume doesn't get pushed to a later round. "Unfortunately, these jobs are getting posted and have more than 100 applicants within 48 hours or sooner," said DeMase. If you have multiple versions of your resume ready, you can adapt quickly. Just because a posting is still up after several weeks doesn't mean the company is still reviewing applications or looking for new candidates. 4. Use AI with a personal touch In 2024, more than 50% of job seekers used AI to draft resumes and cover letters. While generative AI tools like ChatGPT can speed up the writing process, they tend to produce generic, impersonal content. "One of the issues I see with job seekers who overly rely on AI is that their application ends up looking like everybody else's who is using AI as well," said Zhao. To avoid the same formulaic responses, provide detailed prompts that emphasize the parts of your application that align with the job description and make your background and experience unique. For example, you can ask the chatbot to review your cover letter and suggest ways to make it more compelling based on your abilities and interests. "It's important for people to think about how their resume distinguishes them, how their skill set, even if it's nontraditional, might give them a different perspective than other people in the candidate pool," Zhao said. 5. Get your outreach going Even in today's digital age, networking remains incredibly powerful for landing a job, especially considering that many roles aren't advertised online but filled through referrals. If you're new to networking, start reaching out to the people around you: family and friends, alumni and former co-workers. Ask them if they know anyone in a career field that interests you or works at a company you're curious about. "Folks can go quiet after a layoff, because there's a deep sense of shame, particularly in our society, where so much of our identity is associated with our work and our productivity," said Lisa Countryman-Quiroz, CEO of JVS Bay Area, a workforce development nonprofit. "It's important to fight through that, tap into your network and let people know you're looking." Instead of just requesting a job or connection, actively engage in conversations, ask thoughtful questions, share your own insights and look for ways to offer value, said DeMase. Sending out a handful of personalized emails will get you farther than dozens of generic copy-and-paste notes. 6. Level up your skillset Showcasing competitive skills like data analysis, digital collaboration and AI tool expertise is crucial in today's job market. Instead of prioritizing traditional credentials like education, 76% of employers put greater value on actual work experience and demonstrated abilities, even if you're self-taught. "You can make yourself stand out by indicating the different things you've learned on your own and how that could apply to that employer," said Countryman-Quiroz. Free online courses, such as LinkedIn Learning or IBM SkillsBuild, can help you learn valuable skills or even obtain official certification. Local colleges and community centers frequently provide low-cost courses on anything from digital marketing to insurance licensing. If you've been unemployed for a long time, you can use courses and training to fill in the gaps on your resume, which shows that you're proactive and self-directed. 7. Prepare for ghosting For many, the toughest part of job hunting is never hearing back. Though being ghosted by an employer or recruiter can feel incredibly personal, it's not a reflection of your skills or qualifications. Research from LinkedIn found that almost 40% of candidates say they're applying to more jobs than ever and hearing back less. There are countless reasons why HR doesn't follow up: budget cuts, hiring freezes, internal shifts or too many applicants. You might never know the real reason. You can send a polite follow-up email to the hiring manager to demonstrate your continued interest, which may prompt them to respond. But try not to blame yourself or spend too much time dissecting why you didn't hear back. After being ghosted following multiple interviews, Wandell started The Job Ghosting Project, a list of anonymous stories from job seekers who've been ignored by companies. Within a week of posting the survey, Wandell received more than 500 submissions, with responses ranging from recent grads to high-level executives. "The goal is really just to document these patterns, validate the job seekers and push for accountability in the hiring process," said Wandell. 8. Practice for interviews Interview prep goes beyond knowing your resume and the role. You'll need to show why you want this specific job with this specific employer. Start with research. Look at the company's recent news, press releases, social media and reviews. Understand their latest projects, challenges and competition. Use the STAR method. Break down each requirement in the job description and connect it to a specific example from your experience. Practice structuring your answers using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to demonstrate your impact in a clear and concise way. Practice, practice, practice. Say your interview answers out loud, not just in your head. If possible, do a practice interview with someone you trust and get honest feedback. That can help identify awkward phrasing and make you more confident during the real thing. Prepare questions for the interviewer. Asking thoughtful questions of the hiring team shows your engagement and understanding of the role/company. 9. Balance your job search It's common to feel discouraged, stressed and embarrassed when faced with rejection. "The job search is a slog and you have to make sure that you're doing it in a sustainable manner," said Zhao. "You can't just apply to 100 jobs every day because you'll burn yourself out." Set clear boundaries for your job-hunting hours, schedule regular breaks and set up informal meetings to network. Focus on having a support system in place, especially with other people looking for work. Being in a group with people in the same situation can really "diminish the shame that so many feel around not being employed," said Countryman-Quiroz. After joining a job-seeker support group during a previous layoff, Wandell started her own group this past year. It started with five people and it's now grown to 50 to 100 participants. "It's a space for people to vent but also to ask questions, network and brainstorm," said Wandell. Read more: Layoffs Are Happening. How to Prepare if You Think You Might Lose Your Job Free job search platforms and upskilling resources We compiled a list of resources to help sharpen your skills and streamline your search. General job boards Industry-specific/niche job boards InHerSight: Organization providing career advice and job matching specifically for women. Jobs in Logistics: Job search site for employment in logistics, supply chain, transportation, inventory management and more. The Mom Project: Resource community geared toward working mothers seeking out family-friendly companies. Recruit Military: A military-to-civilian recruiting company connecting military veterans, transitioning military service members and their spouses with employment opportunities. Remote Jobs: Site curated by remote work specialist Rowena Hennigan, providing resources for remote work openings. SchoolSpring: National job board for teachers and others in education. Superpath: Job board for content strategists, writers and freelance bloggers. Working Nomads: Job search site for global remote work tailored specifically toward digital working nomads. VC Job Boards: Curated list of job boards featuring venture capital positions. Workplace development nonprofits STRIVE: Offers tuition-free skills training, job readiness support and personal coaching for those seeking to improve their career prospects. NPower: Provides part-time tech skills training, including IT, cloud computing and cybersecurity, with opportunities for paid internships. Goodwill: Offers job training and employment services, career development and financial literacy programs, as well as job placement assistance. Year Up United: Focuses on helping low-income young adults gain IT and business skills through paid internships and job placement. Upskilling Coursera: Offers courses, certificates, and degrees from top universities and companies, covering subjects like computer science, business and data science. Udemy: A vast online marketplace for courses, with options ranging from health and fitness to IT and software, and more. LinkedIn Learning: Provides courses on business, creative, and technology skills, taught by industry experts. Skillshare: A community-based platform for creative and curious people, with classes in illustration, design, photography and more. edX: Offers university-level courses from various institutions, including MIT and Harvard, covering a range of topics. IBM SkillsBuild: Provides free access to learning materials and certifications in areas like cloud computing and AI. HubSpot Academy: Offers free courses and resources on marketing, sales and customer service. Google Skillshop: Provides free digital skills training through online learning platforms. Microsoft Learn: Offers free online training and certifications on Microsoft products. freeCodeCamp: A platform for learning web development through online courses. MIT OpenCourseWare: Provides access to free MIT course materials.
CNN
18 minutes ago
- CNN
As the Army celebrates its 250th birthday, officials say the military's apolitical nature is at risk
As the US Army prepares for its 250th birthday celebration with a major parade of military hardware in Washington, DC, which just happens to coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday, former officials are growing increasingly concerned about how the military is being pulled into the political arena, multiple former and current officials told CNN. The parade, which will feature several million pounds of military hardware including tanks, Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, and culminate in a speech from Trump, comes at a tense moment. This week, roughly 4,000 National Guardsmen were mobilized in Los Angeles, along with a full battalion of US Marines in response to civil unrest. Thousands of National Guardsmen have also been mobilized in Texas. And on Tuesday, uniformed US soldiers were seen on-camera cheering the president as he delivered a political speech at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, reminiscent of those he delivered on the campaign trail – an event which serves as a microcosm of the concerns around a larger trend of the politicization of the military. Current and former military officials told CNN that the event at Fort Bragg is being viewed within some corners of the Army as a public relations fail, since the military has strict regulations regarding political activity and is typically hyper-sensitive to any perception it is taking a political stance. Multiple officials said the Army had little control over the event; once the president is involved, they said, the White House takes over. And a defense official with direct knowledge of the event emphasized it was not the Army's intention for the troops to appear political. Sometimes, they said, the situation is out of their hands. 'I would say I never want to see a political piece of paraphernalia on a military installation, period,' the official said, adding that it's 'not the military that's trying to be political, it's people trying to use the military – which tends to poll very positively – for political gain.' Current and former officials speaking to CNN had varied levels of concern regarding the trajectory the military is on in regard to being seen as political. Some, for example, maintained that Saturday's parade was about celebrating the Army, while others acknowledged heartburn among leaders that while the Army may see it as celebrating the service, the public could associate the parade, which has been a goal of Trump's since his first term, with a celebration of his presidency. One current defense official remarked that it's not so much a matter of reminding soldiers what their 'left and right limits' are with political activity, because 'we don't know what the left and right limits even are, anymore.' 'The actions that were once rightfully criticized or rightfully labeled as partisan activity, or not appropriate, are now celebrated,' the official said. The official also pointed to multiple instances in the Biden administration and under Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that they felt were political, emphasizing that the issue of politicizing the military has been building for years. Indeed, there have been a number of political events or social media posts over the last several years involving the military and service members that have drawn criticism. In 2022, President Joe Biden was criticized for having two Marines flank him during a speech in Philadelphia, in which he spoke about the threats to 'equality and democracy' posed by former President Donald Trump. Various political hopefuls have released campaign imagery and videos that appear to violate DOD policy. In 2020, the Army Reserve said it would discipline the supervisor of two Army Reserve soldiers who appeared in uniform during a Democratic National Convention video. Trump's address at Fort Bragg this week was far from the first time a political leader from any party has delivered a speech to or around US service members, but many officials who spoke to CNN were struck by the outwardly partisan behavior of many of the soldiers on-camera behind Trump. The Pentagon has strict regulations for political activity in uniform, stating that active-duty service members 'will not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel will avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DOD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign or cause.' On Tuesday, the soldiers at Fort Bragg booed and cheered along with Trump's remarks, booing the media, former President Joe Biden, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Social media posts from the event on Tuesday viewed by CNN also showed photos of 'Make America Great Again' hats and necklaces being sold by vendors, and in some photos, soldiers donned the gear while in uniform. The same official said the soldiers, many of them young and relatively inexperienced, were caught up in the moment – enjoying the day of celebration and excited to be so close to the commander in chief – and that there were people in the crowd trying to get the soldiers to cheer at certain moments of Trump's speech. Col. Mary Ricks, spokeswoman for the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, said in a statement that the event 'was planned in cooperation with America 250, a nonpartisan organization created to support the U.S. Semi quincentennial Commission established by Congress in 2016.' 'The Army remains committed to its core values and apolitical service to the nation,' Ricks said. Still, current and former officials voiced concern that the event could contribute to damaging public trust in the military as an institution, which is crucial to military leaders; it feeds into their ability to recruit new service members, and to get funding for various efforts and projects. 'It's a slippery slope when you use very aggressive rhetoric against a political opponent and use the backdrop of military personnel …. using them as a validation for your political agenda, that's where people get upset,' a former senior Defense Department official said. Trump's speech at Fort Bragg came just a couple of weeks after he delivered the commencement address at the US Military Academy at West Point, wearing a bright red MAGA hat amid the sea of grey and white West Point uniforms. One recently retired Army general officer told CNN that the West Point and Fort Bragg addresses show 'a complete disregard for the centuries old civ-mil non-partisan interaction with the military.' The former senior DOD official told CNN that while Trump's language at Fort Bragg was more aggressive against his political opponents than other presidents have done, political leaders have 'always pushed their agendas in front of the troops.' 'It always made us a little anxious,' the official said, 'but they all do it.' 'Should the Army put out something that says hey, we maintain order and discipline, and in according with regulation X, we refrain from blah blah blah? Yeah,' a defense official said. 'We should. But we aren't going to.'
Fox News
22 minutes ago
- Fox News
Media personalities who faced consequences for problematic remarks, from Terry Moran to Don Lemon
ABC News dismissed veteran correspondent Terry Moran on Tuesday for violating network policies with an opinionated social media post, but he was hardly the first journalist to land in hot water over controversial rhetoric. While Moran's controversial comments came on X, other pundits have been suspended or worse for problematic on-air comments. News personalities have been scolded for everything from insensitive comments about women to shocking remarks about the Holocaust. Here are some of the more high-profile examples in recent memory: The longtime ABC News correspondent was let go Tuesday over his now-deleted X post attacking President Donald Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller. Moran, who had been with the network for 28 years, was shown the door just before his contract with the network was set to expire on Friday. He was initially suspended after ABC News executives woke up to the viral backlash that he caused by offering personal thoughts on Miller and Trump, who he interviewed in the Oval Office in April. "The thing about Stephen Miller is not that he is the brains behind Trumpism," Moran began his post. "Yes, he is one of the people who conceptualizes the impulses of the Trumpist movement and translates them into policy. But that's not what's interesting about Miller. It's not brains. It's bile." "Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He's a world-class hater," Moran wrote. "You can see this just by looking at him because you can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate." Moran also went on to call Trump a "world-class hater" in the post but added that "his hatred [is] only a means to an end, and that end [is] his own glorification. That's his spiritual nourishment." An ABC News insider told Fox News Digital that Moran was well-liked internally but the Disney-owned network was left with "no alternative" but to terminate him. The former NBC News reporter repeatedly and openly criticized Elon Musk and his handling of Twitter, raising questions about whether Collins could report impartially on the topic before he was temporarily banned from covering the billionaire in 2022. Collins, who covered "disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News," did not try to hide his left-wing political leanings, often firing off liberal missives on social media while a reporter. During his time at NBC, Collins regularly disparaged Musk's takeover of Twitter, now known as X. Collins once tweeted that Musk "is now learning the hard way what information researchers have known for decades: Everybody's pro-free speech. No s--t. Also, when you run a for-profit company, you will meet your line eventually." Collins once snarked, "Elon, have you ever considered that maybe people just disagree with you and you've been living in a particularly well-sealed bubble of money-chasing Yes Men until very recently?" Collins left NBC News and is now CEO of The Onion. In an interview last month with Vanity Fair, Collins said he was suspended for "being too mean to Elon Musk." "After that, I realized my time on this peacock is short. When I saw The Onion was for sale, I realized that maybe I didn't have to live my entire life in this doldrumescent hell. I started chasing this thing, and we really did save it from what we would now call AI death. Or the throes of a decabillionaire who is worried about white genocide," he said. CNN fired Don Lemon in 2023 after the anchor caused constant headaches for network executives with his rhetoric. Lemon found himself in hot water two months before he was shown the door by saying Nikki Haley was past her "prime" at age 51, citing Google as his source while stunning his female co-anchors in the process. Lemon offered a mea culpa during the network's editorial call the next day, but female colleagues weren't pleased. Colleagues were further enraged when Lemon was spotted at Miami Beach after the insensitive remarks about Haley. Lemon was then ordered to take "formal training," but his time at the network was already coming to an end. Lemon's "prime" comments were universally panned and not just by conservatives, receiving mockery from Biden spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre during a White House briefing and even making its way to this year's Oscars ceremony. Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh told women in Hollywood, "Don't let anybody tell you, you are ever past your prime." Those remarks were hardly the first time Lemon's on-air rhetoric sparked backlash among female viewers. In 2014, he infamously asked a Bill Cosby accuser why she didn't simply bite his penis to prevent an alleged rape. In 2022, he asked CNN analyst S.E. Cupp if she was suffering from "mommy brain" after she lost her train of thought during a panel discussion. Later that year, Lemon clashed with his female "CNN This Morning" co-hosts while arguing that male athletes make more money than women because "people are more interested in the men." During his time at CNN, Lemon also compared Trump supporters to Ku Klux Klan members, defended Antifa, and fumed over people unvaccinated against coronavirus "taking up the space" in hospitals, among other news-making moments. Whoopi Goldberg was suspended in 2022 for controversial remarks about the Holocaust on ABC News' "The View." Goldberg, who differs from others because she is a talk show host as opposed to a true journalist, went viral when she argued that the Holocaust "isn't about race," stunning her colleagues at the table. "What is it about?" co-host Joy Behar asked. "It's about man's inhumanity to man, that's what it's about," Goldberg said. "But it's about a White supremacist going after Jews and Gypsies," guest co-host Ana Navarro said as Goldberg attempted to speak over her. "But these are two White groups of people," Goldberg said as her colleagues disagreed. Jewish groups condemned the comments, accusing Goldberg of minimizing Jewish suffering. She attempted to explain her remarks during her appearance on "The Late Show," suggesting she never meant to offend anyone. "I think of race as being something that I can see," Goldberg told Stephen Colbert. "You couldn't tell who was Jewish. They had to delve deeply to figure it out… My point is, they had to do the work," she continued. "I don't want to fake apologize… I'm very upset that people misunderstood what I was saying." ABC News suspended Goldberg for two weeks, saying she needed to take time to "reflect and learn about the impact of her comments." Behar also faced significant backlash for 2018 comments that mocked then-Vice President Mike Pence's Christian faith. "The View" panel first criticized Pence's faith when co-host Sunny Hostin said, "I don't know that I want my vice president, um — speaking in tongues and having Jesus speak to him." Behar chimed in, adding that hearing from Jesus is actually called "mental illness." She eventually apologized. British journalist Martin Bashir left MSNBC in 2013 after sparking widespread controversy for suggesting that someone should defecate in former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's mouth. While he apologized the following week, the damage was done. Bashir initially took off two weeks for what was billed as a vacation, and MSNBC took heat for failing to act against him. He left the network upon his return after a meeting with then-MSNBC president Phil Griffin. "I have tendered my resignation. It is my sincere hope that all of my colleagues, at this special network, will be allowed to focus on the issues that matter without the distraction of myself or my ill-judged comments," Bashir said. "I deeply regret what was said, will endeavor to work hard at making constructive contributions in the future and will always have a deep appreciation for our viewers – who are the smartest, most compassionate and discerning of all television audiences."
