Quote of the Day: California's Long Record of Resilience Is About to Be Tested, Signs Indicate
'It's not helpless, but it is Sisyphean.'
DONNA DOJARSKY, a longtime civic leader and Democratic activist in California, a state that some officials say is facing an unprecedented confluence of forces that will test its record of enduring catastrophes, natural and otherwise.
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New York Post
29 minutes ago
- New York Post
Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani's posture reveals how Dems really felt during tense NYC mayoral debate showdown: experts
Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo dodging an onslaught of jabs and socialist state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani trying to snag a viral breakout moment were among the standouts from New York City's mayoral Democratic primary debate. Body language experts weighed in after the Democratic candidates sparred against each other Wednesday in the first debate of the 2025 primary election — as they jostled to outshine in each other in an already overcrowded race. Here's what they had to say of the top moments: Advertisement 5 The Democratic candidates for New York City mayor participating in a debate on June 4, 2025. Pool/ABACA/Shutterstock A rapidly blinking Cuomo Despite being the front-runner, Cuomo's body language clearly shifted as the NBC-Politico debate wore on as he was relentlessly attacked by his fellow candidates over more than two hours. The former governor, 67, dramatically increased his blinking when peppered with questions about his handling of COVID nursing home deaths and the sexual harassment scandal that led to his resignation, according to Washington DC-based body language expert Christopher Ulrich. Advertisement 'Initially confident and expressive, Cuomo's posture changed over time — particularly when he was under attack,' Ulrich said. 5 Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo looked uncomfortable as the attacks from other candidates continued, body language experts told The Post. 'We also saw an increase in blink rate when asked questions about COVID-19 nursing home deaths and sexual harassment.' The behavior, the expert noted, was a clear sign of 'increased psychological discomfort.' Hand in his pocket Advertisement Cuomo was also repeatedly spotted with his hand in his pocket as the going got tough, according to experts. 'While under verbal attack from the rest of the candidates, we see Cuomo keep his hand in his pocket, a self-soothing or protective gesture that often signals discomfort,' Ulrich said. At various points, Cuomo could be seen staring down at his podium as the attacks continued. 5 Cuomo kept on putting his hand in his pocket throughout the debate. NBC / YouTube Advertisement 'These unrelenting jabs, that obviously hit his sore spots, ultimately resulted in Cuomo looking down at his podium more than he looked up at the other candidates, the hosts or the camera,' brain and body language expert and psychiatrist Carole Lieberman said. 'To remove himself from the hostility directed at him, he began writing something and concentrated on it, so as not to be disturbed.' In search of a viral moment Mamdani, the 33-year-old socialist Queens Assemblyman, repeatedly used wild hand gestures in an apparent bid to steal the spotlight from Cuomo, the experts said. '[He] employed numerous attacks, including references to Cuomo's donors and the COVID report, to try to contrast and achieve one of those viral moments,' Ulrich said, adding that he often gestured toward Cuomo when delivering the attacks. 5 Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani used wild hand gestures to stand out during his clashes with Cuomo, experts say. Lieberman noted that Mamdani — who has zeroed in on young, white, ultra-left New Yorkers during his campaign — often used 'sensational, dramatic language' on stage at 30 Rockefeller Center. 'He is the wild card in the race, as his hand gestures, pointing in all directions, underscored,' she said. 'He was the most animated and determined to outshine Cuomo.' A statesmanlike performance A fired up Rev. Michael Blake came off as 'very stately' — even as the former Obama administration official consistently hammered Cuomo on stage, Lieberman said. Advertisement Ulrich added that Blake, a former Bronx Assembly member, tried to command attention with his Cuomo onslaught. 5 Rev. Michael Blake appeared 'stately' as he stood up to Cuomo. 'Mr. Blake stood out in some of the key moments by demanding Cuomo clarify several of his answers,' he said. 'Reporters often picked up on those demands and would repeat Blakes's clarifying questions. 'By interjecting assertively and keeping others quiet, Blake commanded attention. This approach mirrored techniques used by Trump in the 2016 Republican primary debates,' Ulrich said.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former FCC Commissioner Warns Paramount Will Be ‘Melting Ice Cube' if Skydance Deal Collapses
Former FCC Commissioner and Cooley LLP Partner Rob McDowell warned on Thursday that Paramount Global will be a 'melting ice cube' if its pending $8 billion merger with Skydance Media fails to close. The media giant's executives have said that the deal, which is currently awaiting regulatory approval from the FCC due a required transfer of broadcast licenses, is expected to close in the first half of 2025. But LightShed Partners analyst Rich Greenfield recently said he is 'increasingly concerned' the deal could collapse as Paramount is 'paralyzed by legal fears' surrounding President Donald Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against CBS and '60 Minutes' over an Oct. 7 interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Settlement talks between Paramount and Trump have prompted warnings from both members of Congress and the California State Senate that doing so to secure regulatory approval of the Skydance deal could potentially constitute a violation of federal anti-bribery laws. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump recently shot down Paramount's offer to settle the lawsuit for $15 million, with the president aiming to get at least $25 million and an apology. 'Obviously, as I read in the newspapers, there are some political elements surrounding that deal,' McDowell said during a session at Gabelli Funds' 17th Annual Media & Sports Symposium in New York. 'We'll see how all that plays out, and also the patience of Skydance. How patient are they going to be? If this is not the deal for Paramount, then it's a melting ice cube. What would be the next price? Who would be the next buyer?' The FCC typically approves or denies transactions within 180 days. However, Greenfield pointed out that it is a guide and not a rule in terms of decision-making and that there's no 'forcing function' for the agency to act. 'We believe it is unlikely the FCC will weigh in until the current Trump/CBS lawsuit is resolved,' he wrote on Tuesday. Though the five-member regulatory body will be down to just two members following the departures of Democratic member Geoffrey Starks and Republican member Nathan Simington, McDowell said that the Paramount-Skydance deal can still be approved as a 'bureau action.' 'The conventional thinking, which is inaccurate, is that you need commission votes for high-profile mergers. Only if there's something 'new or novel',' McDowell explained. 'The Skydance proposal is a simple transfer of control of licenses. They're not already a broadcaster, they aren't other issues at play. So, it should be approved on bureau action so that's something that you do not need an FCC vote of the commissioners to get done.' FCC chairman Brendan Carr has argued that the settlement talks with Trump are unrelated to the agency's review of the Skydance deal. But he has warned that 'all options remain on the table' in the agency's ongoing investigation into allegations of 'news distortion,' including potentially revoking CBS' broadcast license if the network is found to have violated the agency's public interest standard. As part of that investigation, CBS News turned over transcripts and video footage from the Harris interview. The Skydance deal recently triggered its first automatic 90-day extension after failing to close by April 7. If the deal is not closed by July 6, the deadline will be automatically pushed another 90 days to Oct. 4. After that, if the deal is still not closed, Skydance and Paramount will have the option of terminating the deal. Despite the uncertainty for Paramount, McDowell was optimistic that the FCC may be more favorable to M&A in the media sector and that there will be 'pent-up demand' in areas like local broadcasting. 'The Big X factor, just to talk about the elephant in the room, is the Trump factor,' he said. 'But I think as a general matter, especially with traditional media, I think the FCC is going to be a little bit more laissez-faire and allow different experimentation and combinations.' The post Former FCC Commissioner Warns Paramount Will Be 'Melting Ice Cube' if Skydance Deal Collapses appeared first on TheWrap. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump suggests Biden aides acted without then-president's knowledge — but says he has no evidence
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump alleged Thursday that officials in Joe Biden 's administration might have in effect forged their boss's signature and taken broad actions he wasn't aware of — while acknowledging he had no evidence that actually happened. Meeting in the Oval Office with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz , Trump repeated his long-standing allegations that the Biden White House relied on an autopen to sign presidential pardons, executive orders and other key documents, and said that cast doubt on their validity. 'Essentially, whoever used the autopen was the president,' Trump said. 'And that is wrong. It's illegal, it's so bad and it's so disrespectful to our country.' Trump went on to suggest that rogue elements within Biden's administration were faking his signature and governing without his knowledge, pushing the administration farther to the left than the president himself would have gone. 'He didn't have much of an idea what was going on,' Trump said. But pressed by reporters on whether he had evidence of specific items that were signed without Biden's knowledge, or by others in the administration acting illegally, Trump responded, 'No. But I've uncovered, you know, the human mind.' He referenced the disastrous debate performance that forced Biden to abandon his reelection bid last summer and said, 'I was in a debate with the human mind and I didn't think he knew what the hell he was doing.' Biden, in a statement Wednesday night, rejected any suggestion actions were taken without his knowledge, saying, 'Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false.' That came after Trump directed his administration to investigate Biden's actions as president, alleging aides masked his predecessor's 'cognitive decline' and suggesting that the use of the autopen undermines scores of his actions. The president directed Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington to handle the investigation, a significant escalation in Trump's targeting of political adversaries that could lay the groundwork for arguments by Republicans that a range of Biden's actions as president were invalid. The Justice Department under Democratic and Republican administrations has recognized the use of an autopen to sign legislation and issue pardons for decades. Also, the president's absolute pardon power is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Trump's intensifying allegations against Biden reflect his fixation with his predecessor, who defeated him in 2020 . Trump never conceded the 2020 election and continues to falsely claim it was rigged against him. Even on Thursday, Trump invoked his allegations about the 2020 election. Trump frequently suggests that Biden was wrong to use an autopen, a mechanical device that replicates a person's authentic signature. Trump said Thursday that he himself had used it, including as a way to save time when signing large numbers of letters from young people. Still, he argued that Biden's use of it constituted 'the biggest scandal, maybe in the last hundred years in this country.' Biden issued pardons for his two brothers and his sister shortly before leaving office in January, hoping to shield them from potential prosecution under Trump, who had promised retribution during last year's campaign. Other pardon recipients included members of a congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trump often suggests that his political opponents should be investigated, and he has directed the Justice Department to look into people who have angered him over the years. They include Chris Krebs, a former cybersecurity official who disputed Trump's claims of a stolen election in 2020, and Miles Taylor, a former Department of Homeland Security official who wrote an anonymous op-ed sharply critical of the president in 2018. Meanwhile, House Oversight Chairman James Comer of Kentucky, a Republican, requested transcribed interviews with five Biden aides, alleging they had participated in a 'cover-up' that amounted to 'one of the greatest scandals in our nation's history.' 'These five former senior advisors were eyewitnesses to President Biden's condition and operations within the Biden White House,' Comer said in a statement. 'They must appear before the House Oversight Committee and provide truthful answers about President Biden's cognitive state and who was calling the shots.' Comer also reiterated his call for Biden's physician, Kevin O'Connor, and other former senior White House aides to appear before the committee. He warned subpoenas would be issued this week if they refuse to schedule voluntary interviews. Rep. Brandon Gill, a freshman Republican from Texas, said 'the American people didn't elect a bureaucracy to run the country.' He added, 'I think that the American people deserve to know the truth and they want to know the truth of what happened.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
