Your First Look at Today's Top Stories - Daybreak Insider

Having trouble viewing this email? View the web version.

Sponsored By

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Subscribe for free to the Daybreak Insider Podcast, and hear the latest reporting and analysis on these stories and more every weekday morning. Click here to subscribe.

Biden on Omicron: We Were Prepared/We Didn’t See it Coming

From the story: Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic — and 11 months and a day since he took office — President Biden insisted, “I don’t think anybody anticipated” the dramatic surge in the more infectious Omicron variant amid criticism of his response as lagging. “It all started all of a sudden,” Biden claimed Tuesday when pressed by reporters on his administration’s sluggish response to nationwide coronavirus testing shortages. But moments later, Biden contradicted that claim, saying he did foresee the looming test shortage and that he had been working on a still-vague plan to distribute 500 million rapid tests to Americans by mail. “I knew that was coming,” he followed up — even though the details of that plan remained undecided Tuesday (NY Post). From Rich Lowry: Biden: It’s not a failure that we don’t have more tests—because this covid surge came on so fast… Does that make any sense? Would anyone accept that explanation from Trump? (Twitter). From Tom Cotton: The Biden Administration had time to write a whole-of-government 42-page “national gender strategy.” But they didn’t have time to work on increasing test availability until now? (Twitter). From the Wall Street Journal: At long last, a sense of reality seems to be settling in at the White House that we will have to live with Covid-19, even if President Biden didn’t say so explicitly in his speech Tuesday. He can’t “shut down the virus” as he claimed in the campaign. But at least he isn’t shutting down the economy or schools. Mr. Biden was at pains to say Tuesday that this is no time to panic, even as the Omicron variant spreads. He advised Americans not to abandon their holiday plans if they’re vaccinated, though he repeated his dire warning about the unvaccinated. He even offered a grace note to Donald Trump for producing the vaccines, which must be a first (WSJ).

Dr. Francis Collins Doubles Down on Calling Other Epidemiologists 'Fringe'

From the story: National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins stood by his email referring to the authors of The Great Barrington Declaration as “fringe epidemiologists,” despite credentials from Oxford, Harvard, and Stanford. The Oct. 4, 2020 declaration called for Focused Protection instead of lockdown policies, which the authors argued lead to “devastating effects on short and long-term public health.” In an email to Dr. Anthony Fauci and others at NIH, Collins said “there needs to be a quick and devastating published take down of its premises.” On “Fox News Sunday,” Bret Baier asked him about that email and if he stood by it. Not only did he double down on calling the authors “fringe epidemiologists who really did not have the credentials to be making such a grand sweeping statement,” he said “hundreds of thousands of people would have died if we followed that strategy” (Townhall). From Dr. Jay Bhattacharya: On TV today Francis Collins doubled down on his lies and propaganda attack and on the Great Barrington Declaration (Twitter). From the Wall Street Journal: In public, Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins urge Americans to “follow the science.” In private, the two sainted public-health officials schemed to quash dissenting views from top scientists. That’s the troubling but fair conclusion from emails obtained recently via the Freedom of Information Act by the American Institute for Economic Research (WSJ).

After Sparring with the Police, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Asks Federal Government to Help Fight Crime

From the story: Mayor Lori Lightfoot is requesting that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland send more federal resources to Chicago to help combat the surging crime and gun violence. Lightfoot made three specific requests of Garland. One being that he send ATF agents to Chicago for six months in order to “increase the number of gun investigations and gun seizures.” Secondly, Lightfoot is requesting more federal prosecutors be sent to the city in order to handle new crime cases that will be generated by the federal government also sending more ATF agents to work on investigations. Thirdly, Lightfoot wants Garland to send additional federal marshals to Chicago to help the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and Chicago Police Department with tracking down thousands of individuals wanted on warrants (Fox32). From Fox News: The plea comes as the number of shooting victims in Chicago this year — as of this past Sunday — was at 4,270, compared to 3,930 in 2020, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing police statistics. Homicides have risen to 783, up from the 749 recorded during the same time period in 2020, the newspaper also said (Fox News).

Delta Asks CDC to Shorten Covid Isolation Period

From the story: Delta Air Lines’ CEO has asked the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to consider cutting its recommended isolation period for vaccinated people who get breakthrough COVID-19 infections from 10 days to five days. “Our employees represent an essential workforce to enable Americans who need to travel domestically and internationally,” CEO Ed Bastian wrote to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. Delta’s chief health officer, Carlos del Rio, and medical adviser, Henry Ting, also signed the letter. “With the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the 10-day isolation for those who are fully vaccinated may significantly impact our workforce and operations,” they added.

Business Insider

The Prisoners Freed Over Covid Concerns Do Not Need to Report Back

From The New York Post: Thousands of federal inmates who were freed to curb the spread of COVID-19 will not have to return to prison when the health emergency ends, Justice Department officials announced. The move reverses a January order issued by the previous Trump administration and affects nearly 5,000 convicts who will now be allowed to remain out of jail on home confinement (The New York Post). From AG Merrick Garland: “Thousands of people on home confinement have reconnected with their families, have found gainful employment, and have followed the rules. In light of today’s Office of Legal Counsel opinion, I have directed that the Department engage in a rulemaking process to ensure that the Department lives up to the letter and the spirit of the CARES Act. We will exercise our authority so that those who have made rehabilitative progress and complied with the conditions of home confinement, and who in the interests of justice should be given an opportunity to continue transitioning back to society, are not unnecessarily returned to prison” (The DOJ). From The Washington Post: Emily Singer, press secretary of Democracy Forward, called the Justice ruling “excellent news for thousands of people and families to get before the holidays” (The Washington Post).

The United States Had the Lowest Annual Population Growth on Record

America’s population grew 0.1% this year, the lowest rate on record, according to Census Bureau figures released Tuesday that show how the pandemic is changing the country’s demographic contours.

The Wall Street Journal

Evangelical Lutheran Church Suspends First Transgender Bishop

I know, you are quite surprised… From the story: A group promoting LGBTQ clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has suspended its first transgender bishop over allegations of “racist words and actions” involving the bishop’s church area and the “Latinx community” in Stockton, California.

Washington Times

Controversial Hot New Toy for Kids Comes with Book of Spells

From the story: The Magic Mixies Magical Misting Cauldron is essentially a stuffed animal with a gimmick attached. Promotional copy encourages kids to “mix your potion and make your pet!” This interactive toy comes with a plastic cauldron, “magical” ingredients, and a book of spells that help children “create” their stuffed animal from scratch.

Daily Wire

New York City to Pay People to Get Booster

The panic continues.

MSN

10.

DC Public Librarian Had Kids Reenact Holocaust

From the story: Kimberlynn Jurkowski was placed on leave this week after parents complained to Watkins Elementary School that she made students role-play the Holocaust, assigning students to be Jews and pretend to die in gas chambers and dig mass graves, according to the Washington Post. One student was assigned to be Adolf Hitler, who carried out the Holocaust, Jurkowski told the students, “because the Jews ruined Christmas.”

Free Beacon