Dr. Anthony Fauci fights diseases, and also Trump’s willful incompetence, but he hasn’t yet had to fight against internet horniness—until now.
The New York Post reports that Dr. Fauci not only has to contend with a large-scale pandemic, but a change.org petition urging People magazine to name him the “sexiest man alive.” As Sandra Martin, its progenitor, writes alongside her petition:
His comforting and intelligent demeanor has helped to lessen our national anxiety. He speaks truth to power, a strength few have at this time. His kind face and manner of speaking bring calm during the storm.
Martin has already garnered over 700 signatures. According to one user who signed the petition, “Nothing sexier than brains and disagreeing with Trump.” Another user confessed, “I’m signing because I’m a physician and saving lives of millions of Americans is always sexy.” I was curious what my fellow Jezebel staff thought about Fauci’s bid for sexiest pandemic doctor alive, and so I asked if they would. Most agreed that he should definitely not hold the title, while some—who chose to remain anonymous—argued they might “send a few sexts” to him. One staffer in particular told me: “I would give him a hero’s welcome.” Wish I could go back in time and forget I ever heard that! [NY Post]
In case you forgot, there’s currently an election happening. Too bad, though, because the DNC has (rightfully) postponed the presidential convention from July 13 until August 17. The good news is that I won’t have to think about the Democratic party’s many election failings for a few more months. The bad news is I definitely won’t be able to escape their many failings amid the pandemic.
Politico reports that coronavirus is the obvious reason for the delay, following “weeks of behind-the-scenes discussions with party leaders.” A postponement has seemed like the obvious and correct solution for awhile, but it wasn’t until Joe Biden stepped in to urge a delay yesterday that anyone actually crossed July 13 off the calendar. Politico also reports that the DNC is “not flush with cash,” meaning it’s broke as fuck, so it will opt out of any “lavish” ceremonies at August’s convention. Why a party supposedly representing the interests of everyday people would want to be “lavish” is puzzling, but it’s a small comfort to know the institution is as worried as everyone is about where its next paycheck will come from.
The downside, of course, to an August convention is its proximity to the Republican National Convention on August 24. But when has anything about this election been normal, or even very organized? Judging by the last six months, I’d say everything is going as expected! [Politico]
Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler’s $16 million quarantine blow-out looks amazing! Just this week, reports surfaced that Loeffler’s husband, New York Stock Exchange CEO Jeff Sprecher, bought shares in Dupont chemical, which produces medical supplies. You also may recall that in recent weeks, she sold off “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in shares after attending a closed-door briefing on coronavirus at the Senate. Question: How durable are blowouts in a class war?
- These unemployment numbers are totally fine, everything is generally very good, and there is probably nothing the 6.6 million people who filed for unemployment last week have to worry about. [NBC News]
- Trump still refuses to issue a national shutdown order. [AP]
- Oh, those stimulus checks? They’re probably going to take at least 20 weeks to show up in your mailbox. [CNN]
- From The Intercept: “As Philadelphia searches for a place to house its growing number of coronavirus patients, a millionaire health care and private equity executive is effectively holding a hospital he owns hostage— and is in line for a massive tax break under the coronavirus stimulus plan signed into law last week.” [The Intercept]
- Cuomo claims New York is rapidly running out of its ventilator stockpile. [The Hill]
- Surprise! Trump is using the pandemic as an excuse to axe necessary environmental policies delaying the complete obliteration of our atmosphere. [NBC News]
- Who holds an election while everyone is forced to stay home? Well, the Wisconsin governor! [Politico]
- Trump and Sessions are beefing. [New York Times]
- Here’s Elizabeth Warren doing her thing. [Twitter]