Media top headlines January 18
In media news today, CNN’s Paul Begala says Democrats don’t have ‘bad leaders,’ they have ‘bad followers,’ CDC Director Rochelle Walensky admits to poor messaging on COVID guidance, and Spotify remains silent after Joe Rogan critics call for change to prevent COVID ‘misinformation.’
Democratic Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas accused Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R., of referring to historically Black colleges in the state as the "entertainment industry," although Youngkin didn't say that during his address Monday to the General Assembly.
"HOW DARE YOU," she tweeted. "HBCU STUDENTS ARE NOT THE "ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. As a graduate of Norfolk State I can not believe this came out of the mouth of a Virginia Governor. @GovernorVA owes us an apology immediately."
Lucas, the president pro tempore of the state Senate, later added: "We are not your minstrel show @GovernorVA. Time for you to learn how to be a Governor for ALL of Virginia!"
The video of Youngkin's address to the Joint Assembly on Monday, where he discussed the development of Virginia’s higher education and suggested partnerships with schools in various concentrations, didn't back up her words.
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"We’re going to build partnerships between the commonwealth and our great universities," he said. "It could be an entrepreneurship or entertainment industry focused-school partnering with one of our amazing historically Black colleges and universities."
Virginia state Senator Louise L. Lucas(D-18) at work in the statehouse, on February, 20, 2019 in Richmond, VA. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Lucas claimed in a follow-up tweet that she reviewed Youngkin's prepared statement in which his comments on the matter were not included, and shared how she was "extremely disturbed" by his remarks.
"@GovernorVA I will take you anytime to my alma mater Norfolk State so you can understand why this is so disturbing and insulting," she wrote.
Twitter blew up with backlash to Lucas’ misinterpretation of the governor’s speech, dragging her for poor listening skills and political manipulation. Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway chided Lucas "not to tweet things that make no sense."
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Parents Defending Education vice president Asra Nomani tweeted that Virginia Democrats are "embarrassing themselves to Virginians as the #Resistance."
Congressional candidate Robby Starbuck said Virginia Democrats are "struggling" to find ways to attack Youngkin and called Lucas’ hysteria "just hilarious."
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Other Twitter users scorned Lucas for her translation being "not even remotely close" to what was actually said.
Lucas appears to be enjoying her reputation as a political foe of Youngkin, retweeting a Richmond.com article declaring her the state's "newest social-media star" that fawned over her "recent Twitter gems." The story did note new Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears also enjoys a prominent social media following.
The Washington Post reported on Lucas' tweets attacking Youngkin but didn't fact-check them, writing she "blasted Youngkin on Twitter for his suggestion that charter schools could partner with universities in specialized areas."
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