Day 28: A press conference

So, today was dominated by a press conference. Here's what the press thought of it.

• Title story
• The conference was ostensibly to announce the new pick for the Secretary of Labor. They never really got there. For the most part, Trump ranted against the press, and told people asking about antisemitism to be quiet. The whole thing was off-the-cuff: unhinged and incoherent, in typical Trump style. I appreciate Shakesville's take on this: "That press conference was an exhibition of abuse. Bigotry, insults, gaslighting, lies, manipulation, threats, self-aggrandizing, silencing." Here's my favorite coverage. [Transcript]
• Harward, the new pick for the National Security Advisor, turned down the offer of the post.
• Continuing to up the ante, ICE is now targetting churches providing services to the homeless. I am furious at the level of debasement that this federal agency is lowering itself to in the name of serving the "President".
• Trump is upset with the leaks, so he's getting a friend to come and review all the intelligence agencies to make them stop. The agencies are, of course, terrified that their independence and effectiveness will be curtailed (so that they don't find out what Trump is up to). The autocracy grows.
• Alexander Acosta is the new nominee for Secretary of Labor. He has a history of suppressing the vote (or trying to) and shady hiring practices. What, did you expect better?
• Republicans want to gut the endangered species act, because it gets in the way of mining companies from "making jobs". Just like I'd like to gut the Republican party, because it gets in the way of making people's live's better. Note their primary complaint: of the 1600 species added to the list, only ~70 have ever been removed. This is because it's hard to bring a species back from the brink of extinction, numskulls!
• Republicans have stopped holding town-hall events, because they're scared of being challenged.
• Republicans are acting as the rear guard for the administration: an investigation into leaks has been requested, but one into Flynn's actions is deemed unnecessary given his resignation.
• Of course, the Justice Department isn't going to pursue charges against Flynn.

What wonderful times we live in, folks!