Latest news with #Kristof
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawrence O'Donnell Chokes Up When Detailing Harrowing Impact Of USAID Cuts
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell fought back tears on air as he attacked 'soulless, mindless' President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for slashing funding that has led to children dying. On Monday's 'The Last Word,' O'Donnell cited a New York Times column that explores the impact of the Trump administration's demolition of the U.S. Agency for International Development, an organization that in 2023 disbursed more than $43 billion for humanitarian aid, economic development and health programs around the world. The piece, by columnist Nicholas Kristof, referenced Evan Anzoo, a 5-year-old boy from South Sudan born with HIV. He was 'a child as precious as yours or mine,' Kristof wrote. The orphan was being kept alive by medicines that cost less than 12 cents per day, Kristof reported, funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR has been credited with saving more than 25 million lives since being launched by President George W. Bush. But PEPFAR has been a victim of Trump's deep cuts to overseas aid. By early March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the purge of the six-decade-old agency, wrote on social media that 83% of USAID programs had been cut. O'Donnell noted that Rubio had told Congress that 'no children are dying on my watch' as a result of the cuts. But Kristof suggested otherwise, reporting that Evan's condition weakened and he died from an opportunistic infection after his medications were cut. 'Evan died on [Rubio's] watch,' said O'Donnell, who soon started to choke up. 'Evans of all ages are dying on Marco Rubio's watch, and no one is counting. And so we don't know as of tonight whether it's tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Evans, but we know it will be.' O'Donnell moved on to a New York Times column headlined 'Elon Musk's Legacy is Disease, Starvation and Death,' which cites Boston University research detailing how Musk's cuts to USAID's budget have led to an estimated 300,000 deaths, most of whom are children. O'Donnell quoted a line from columnist Michelle Goldberg that argues, 'If there were justice in the world, Musk would never be able to repair his reputation, at least not without devoting the bulk of his fortune to easing the misery he's engendered.' The anchor then went on to compare Musk's butchering of the federal government with the humanitarian efforts of fellow billionaire Bill Gates, who has 'has devoted his life and his billions' to saving children in Africa. O'Donnell said this means Gates' verdict on the current richest person in the world is 'so important and powerful.' 'Bill Gates, the former richest person in the world, said, 'the picture of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not a pretty one,'' continued O'Donnell. He added, 'And the picture of the richest person in the world carrying around his drug box of ecstasy, Adderall, psychedelic mushrooms and then taking life-saving drugs away from the poorest people in the world is a picture only Donald Trump could have created.' O'Donnell ended with a brutal assessment of Musk and Trump as 'soulless, mindless entities.' Watch the attack on the Trump administration below. wow -- @Lawrence chokes up while talking about how the Trump administration is killing kids who relied on USAID to get life-saving medicine — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 3, 2025 I Am A USAID Worker Who Lost My Job. Here's What Trump And Musk Aren't Telling You About The Cuts. Ex-USAID Head Says America Will 'Pay The Price' From Musk, Trump Attacking Agency Secretary Of State Rubio Says Purge Of USAID Complete, Almost All Gone
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawrence O'Donnell Chokes Up When Detailing Harrowing Impact Of USAID Cuts
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell fought back tears on air as he attacked 'soulless, mindless' President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for slashing funding that has led to children dying. On Monday's 'The Last Word,' O'Donnell cited a New York Times column that explores the impact of the Trump administration's demolition of the U.S. Agency for International Development, an organization that in 2023 disbursed more than $43 billion for humanitarian aid, economic development and health programs around the world. The piece, by columnist Nicholas Kristof, referenced Evan Anzoo, a 5-year-old boy from South Sudan born with HIV. He was 'a child as precious as yours or mine,' Kristof wrote. The orphan was being kept alive by medicines that cost less than 12 cents per day, Kristof reported, funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR has been credited with saving more than 25 million lives since being launched by President George W. Bush. But PEPFAR has been a victim of Trump's deep cuts to overseas aid. By early March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the purge of the six-decade-old agency, wrote on social media that 83% of USAID programs had been cut. O'Donnell noted that Rubio had told Congress that 'no children are dying on my watch' as a result of the cuts. But Kristof suggested otherwise, reporting that Evan's condition weakened and he died from an opportunistic infection after his medications were cut. 'Evan died on [Rubio's] watch,' said O'Donnell, who soon started to choke up. 'Evans of all ages are dying on Marco Rubio's watch, and no one is counting. And so we don't know as of tonight whether it's tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Evans, but we know it will be.' O'Donnell moved on to a New York Times column headlined 'Elon Musk's Legacy is Disease, Starvation and Death,' which cites Boston University research detailing how Musk's cuts to USAID's budget have led to an estimated 300,000 deaths, most of whom are children. O'Donnell quoted a line from columnist Michelle Goldberg that argues, 'If there were justice in the world, Musk would never be able to repair his reputation, at least not without devoting the bulk of his fortune to easing the misery he's engendered.' The anchor then went on to compare Musk's butchering of the federal government with the humanitarian efforts of fellow billionaire Bill Gates, who has 'has devoted his life and his billions' to saving children in Africa. O'Donnell said this means Gates' verdict on the current richest person in the world is 'so important and powerful.' 'Bill Gates, the former richest person in the world, said, 'the picture of the world's richest man killing the world's poorest children is not a pretty one,'' continued O'Donnell. He added, 'And the picture of the richest person in the world carrying around his drug box of ecstasy, Adderall, psychedelic mushrooms and then taking life-saving drugs away from the poorest people in the world is a picture only Donald Trump could have created.' O'Donnell ended with a brutal assessment of Musk and Trump as 'soulless, mindless entities.' Watch the attack on the Trump administration below. I Am A USAID Worker Who Lost My Job. Here's What Trump And Musk Aren't Telling You About The Cuts. Ex-USAID Head Says America Will 'Pay The Price' From Musk, Trump Attacking Agency Secretary Of State Rubio Says Purge Of USAID Complete, Almost All Gone
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Five mainstream media figures who ran for office as Democrats
Political reporter Hanna Trudo is considering running for Congress in New Hampshire as a Democrat. If she did take the plunge, it would make her the latest mainstream media figure to seek office on the Democratic ticket. Here are five other mainstream media figures who campaigned as Democrats for office, or at least made an attempt. CNN political analyst John Avlon announced last year that he would leave the network to defeat Donald Trump and "his MAGA minions" by running for Congress as a Democrat in New York's First Congressional District in Long Island. "Right now, our democracy is in danger. This election is not a drill," Avlon warned at the time. Journalist Turned Potential House Candidate Says Fellow Democrats 'Keep Losing' By Failing Working Class While he went on to capture the Democratic nomination, he lost the general election to Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., by more than 10 points. Read On The Fox News App Avlon, the former editor of the liberal Daily Beast, was known for hosting a "Reality Check" segment on CNN that skewed heavily to the left. Former CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera made an ill-fated Democratic primary challenge in 2020 to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in New York's 14th Congressional District. Running as a more moderate candidate who opposed the Green New Deal and universal health care, she was routed by the far-left Ocasio-Cortez in the primary, getting just 18.2 percent of the vote. Caruso-Cabrera spent more than 20 years with CNBC, serving as the financial network's chief financial correspondent as well as co-anchor of "Power Lunch." She also lost her bid for the Democratic nomination for New York comptroller in 2021. Aoc's Constituents Weigh In On Presidential Run, Recall Her Stunning 2018 Political Upset Ocasio-Cortez upset longtime Rep. Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary in 2018 before cruising to victory in the deep-blue district that November. She's now one of the leaders of the Democratic Party and is even rumored as a 2028 presidential candidate despite being only 35. Longtime New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof briefly left the newspaper in 2021 after a 37-year run to run for Oregon governor on the Democratic ticket. "I am confident we can do better as a state. I do think that's going to require vision and leadership and sending a different kind of leader to Salem," he told a local outlet at the time. Unfortunately for him, his New York ties wound up haunting his candidacy. Kristof was deemed ineligible early in 2022 after the state Supreme Court ruled he didn't meet Oregon's three-year residency retirement. Kristof had voted in New York in 2020, calling his ability to meet the requirement into question before the Supreme Court's decision ensured he wouldn't make the ballot. Trump Surprises 104-Year-old Wwii Veteran With Birthday Message After Viral Tiktok Invite Kristof returned to the Times later in 2022 and has been there ever since. Former ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd long claimed to be an independent, but the mask came off officially in 2021 when he briefly ran for Texas lieutenant governor as a Democrat. Dowd, a straight, White, male Christian, wrote in 2018 that straight, White, male Christians should not pursue power in order to make space for minorities. "I would humbly suggest that we as White male Christians take it upon ourselves to step back and give more people who don't look like us access to the levers of power," he wrote, adding, "As a White male Christian in America, I am part of a dwindling subset that has held the levers of power politically and economically in nearly every field for the entire history of the United States." Dowd's run in an attempt to oust Republican Dan Patrick didn't last long. He dropped out after less than three months, saying enough diverse candidates had emerged on the Democratic side that he should step aside. Democrat Mike Collier ultimately lost the race by 10 points to Patrick. Trump Says Comey Knew 'Assassination' Meaning Behind Deleted Social Media Post Dowd spent 13 years at ABC News as a political analyst before leaving in early 2021, where his "independent" claims were often criticized given his obvious preference for Democrats. Dowd, who served as chief strategist for George W. Bush's 2004 re-election, left the Republican Party during Bush's second term over his disillusionment with the GOP. Dylan Ratigan, a former CNBC journalist who went on to host an eponymous show for MSNBC, mounted a run for the Democratic nomination in New York's 21st Congressional District in 2018. Ratigan didn't come close, finishing far behind winner Tedra Cobb, who went on to lose the general election to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. Of course, going from a journalism background to a political campaign isn't solely the domain of Democrats. Republican Kari Lake, who now serves in the Trump administration, was a news anchor in Phoenix before making unsuccessful runs in Arizona for governor and U.S. Senate in 2022 and article source: Five mainstream media figures who ran for office as Democrats
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Opinion: Keep firing at the pornography industry
In a blistering column last week, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof exposed the cavalier attitude employees at porn companies have about videos featuring children. His reporting centered on the vilest form of evil afflicting this visual cancer on society, concluding that various 'tube' sites on the internet carry hundreds of thousands of videos with children as the main subjects. He interviewed a victim who, at age 15, had been unwittingly drugged at a stranger's house and sexually abused while being filmed. The resulting trauma she endured was staggering, as were her relentless efforts to have the images removed. 'I am sharing my story because I want there to be laws and safeguards in place to prevent this from happening to anyone else,' she told Kristof. Indeed, modern society owes her that for allowing such things to happen. Images of child pornography are illegal under federal law. And so it's encouraging to see Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, sponsoring the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, which would establish a uniform definition of obscenity under the Communications Act of 1934 that would be enforced across state lines. The bill is meant to make it easier to protect children from being exposed to pornography, which is another side to the problem about which Kristof wrote. Any movement against this relentless monster should be seen as good. Confusion and unclear definitions 'have allowed extreme pornography to saturate American society and reach countless children,' Lee said in a statement. 'Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted.' Whether the focus is on children who become exposed to pornography or those who become subjects of it, the concern is similar. Regularly viewing such things leads to a host of problems, and it is becoming endemic. An essay published on noted that the porn industry today generates more income each year than the revenues of the NFL, NBA and MLB combined. 'Every second, $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography,' it said. Studies have shown how pornography desensitizes viewers, leading to addictive behavior as they consume more in order to achieve the desired stimulus. A behavioral study published by the National Institutes of Health concluded, 'In all facets of the users' lives, negative consequences (from pornography) were seen. Due to the explosion of new technologies, online pornography has risen to an alarming level, which has very injurious effects on societies and individuals. Therefore, it is high time to get rid of this addiction to protect our lives from its harmful effects.' Two years ago, the Deseret News reported on a survey by Common Sense Media that found more than half of children had watched pornography online by age 13. Getting rid of it entirely runs headlong into First Amendment issues, but Congress can act to better protect children. Nine years ago, Utah lawmakers passed a resolution declaring pornography a public health hazard and calling for research, public education, prevention and policy changes. But Washington can do much more than any state to attack the problem. As the Deseret News reported, Lee's bill would amend the definition of obscenity to be more explicit and direct. It also would delete language in the current law that prohibits such content only if there is proof of 'abusing, threatening, or harassing a person.' Law enforcement would have more power to keep obscene content from being transmitted across state lines — a challenge in the internet age but an absolute necessity for effectiveness. Earlier this year, Lee also introduced the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act. That would require strengthened age verification technology on pornography websites. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, is a co-sponsor. Unfortunately, pornography has gained a foothold of acceptance in American culture. About 60% of men and 40% of women have viewed it, according to In addition, the website reports that 51% do not believe watching pornography is wrong. However, 84% of American adults say child pornography is morally wrong and should be illegal. Logically, it makes little sense to believe that celebrating an 18th birthday should automatically make such a thing proper entertainment, but that is a bigger battle. Meanwhile, we hope bills such as these can begin to put a dent in a growing industry that does tremendous harm to the most vulnerable among us.
CNBC
30-04-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Here's what experts say about selling gold jewelry for cash
Gold prices have been on a tear, and with that comes an opportunity, at least for anyone with estate jewelry tucked away. "We're seeing an increasing number of people — mostly regular individuals and families, not investors — selling or melting old jewelry to access quick cash while the market is strong," said Tim Schmidt, the founder of Gold IRA Custodians, an online resource for buying gold. "For some, it's a way to cover urgent expenses; for others, it's an opportunity to capitalize on long-forgotten pieces that have suddenly become far more valuable than they were just months ago," Schmidt said. More from Personal Finance:International vs. U.S. stocks: what experts are sayingTrump-fueled backlash 'intensified' flight from ESG fundsWhat typically happens to stocks after high volatility The recent surge in gold prices is pushing more people to consider unloading their family heirlooms and other valuables, which can be melted for cash, according to Schmidt. Spot gold prices hit an all-time high above $3,500 per ounce last week. The record follows a barrage of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump in April, fueling concern that a global trade war will push the U.S. economy into recession. One year ago, prices were about $2,200 to $2,300 an ounce. As of Wednesday morning, gold futures prices were up about 23% year-to-date and 36% higher compared to the price a year ago. "Gold tends to trade on fear, and we have a lot of fear in the markets right now," said Kathy Kristof, a personal finance expert and founder of "If you can find a moment when people are the most fearful, that's an ideal time to sell your gold," she said. "Strike while the iron is hot." Many consumers who hold physical gold — such as higher-karat jewelry, bars and coins — view it as "financial insurance," said Jordan Roy-Byrne, founder of The Daily Gold, an online resource for gold, silver and mining stocks. "Gold is reassuring," Schmidt explained. "It offers something tangible, dependable, and easily liquidated when times get tough." One downside of selling physical gold is traditionally high trading costs — and those costs are typically not transparent, Kristof said. Consumers should check the spot price of gold online before hawking their gold at a pawn shop or online marketplace like Alloy or Express Gold Cash, Kristof said. Sellers can use the spot price to get a rough sense of what their gold is worth, if they know its weight and purity, to sense if they're being ripped off, Kristof said. (Keep in mind: 24-karat gold is pure gold; an 18-karat piece is 75% gold and 25% other metals.) "Do the math before you even go," she said. "Fools get creamed." Price comparisons and deal shopping are "always wise" moves for consumers, Kristof added. "It is a competitive marketplace," she said. "You can get a better deal." Some experts say prices may have topped out, but others think there is still room to run. "My view is that gold hit an interim peak, which should hold up at least into the fall," Roy-Byrne said. Ultimately, it's impossible to know what the future holds. Consumers should assess if they made a good return on investment, and if the risk of holding and hoping for a better profit "is wise or foolish," Kristof said. One cautionary note: Sellers may pay a higher tax rate on their gold profits than they may otherwise think. That's because the Internal Revenue Service would likely consider physical gold like jewelry, coins or bars to be a "collectible," for tax purposes, explained Troy Lewis, a certified public accountant and professor of accounting and tax at Brigham Young University. Federal long-term capital gains taxes on collectibles can go as high as 28%, while those on other assets like stocks and real estate can reach 20%. Schmidt recommends proceeding "thoughtfully" before selling or melting down gold jewelry. "It can be a smart move for those needing immediate funds, but not every piece should be melted down," he said. "Items with historical or artistic value, like family heirlooms or antique jewelry, may be worth more in their original form than as melted metal." Schmidt recommends consulting with a reputable jeweler or appraiser before selling as well as considering the cost of cashing out. "Gold may be in high demand, but once a unique piece is melted, its original value is lost forever," he said.
