2021’s Congressional Clusterfu*k barrels to a close as the House reveals new details about the right-wing plot to destroy democracy while the Senate tries to save it with a last-minute attempt to pass voting rights legislation. Then, former Biden Senior Covid Advisor Andy Slavitt joins to talk about how we can prepare for the Omicron wave, and Dan and Jon discuss the media’s role in defending democracy.

Show Notes 

The end of the year that wouldn’t end 

• January 6th Committee tweet 
• CNN: Here’s how Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham finally addressed news of their January 6 text messages 
• CNN: ‘They’re flat-out lying’: Don Lemon hammers Fox News hosts over Jan. 6 texts 
• Fox: Sean Hannity on release of Jan. 6 text message to Mark Meadows: A weak attempt by Liz Cheney to smear me 
• Playbook: A junkie’s guide to the 2022 midterms 
• Politico: The House has held Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. He’s the second official who could face charges over his refusal to cooperate with the Jan. 6 Panel. 
• CNN: Cheney reveals multiple Fox News hosts texted Meadows Jan. 6 
• Daily Beast: Don Jr. & Fox Stars Begged Meadows: Get Trump to Stop Capitol Riot 
• NYT: Marginalized by Her Party, Cheney Takes Center Stage in Jan. 6 Inquiry 
• Punchbowl: Stay or leave: What will Schumer do? 
• Playbook: A junkie’s guide to the 2022 midterms 
• CNN’S Manu Raju thread 
•  NBC’s Sahil Kapur tweet 
• The Hill: Democrats push Manchin on ‘nuclear option’ for voting rights  
• WaPo: Opinion: Build Back Better would make Biden’s annus horribilis even worse 
• CNN: Biden set to surpass Trump in first-year judicial nominees; a window into a major Democratic push 
• The Atlantic: Joe Biden’s Year Was Ruined. Whose Fault Is That? 
• LAT: Biden sticks to his Year One plan, but larger goals remain unmet 
• WaPo: One year of ‘President Manchin’: For the Democratic agenda, all roads go through West Virginia
•  Politico: Senate Dems’ choice: Election reform first, or Biden’s megabill? 
• WaPo: The filibuster debate is (maybe) coming to a head on voting rights. Here’s what could happen. 
• Brennan Center for Justice: Voting Rights Deserve a Majority Vote, Too

Omicron on the rise 

• CNN: The latest on the coronavirus pandemic and the Omicron variant
• NYT: Booster doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are likely to offer substantial protection from Omicron, Fauci says
• NYT: Coronavirus Cases Are Rising Among Children in South African Hospitals
• TodayShow: When will kids under 5 be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
• Tweet: @ryanstruyk
• WaPo: Omicron spreading rapidly in U.S. and could bring punishing wave as soon as January, CDC warns
• WaPo: Omicron variant more resistant to vaccine but causes less severe covid, major South African study concludes

Media rants 

• Politico Playbook: What the left doesn’t get about the media 
• Brian Schatz Tweet
• NYT: America’s Anti-Democratic Movement
• CNN: Democratic governors worry about threat to democracy but don’t see it as a winning message for 2022
• WaPo: The media treats Biden as badly as — or worse than — Trump. Here’s proof.
• Politico: Kamala Harris is Bluetooth-phobic
• CNN: Harris calls out ‘ridiculous’ press coverage of her Paris trip but avoids questions on recent staff exits
• LA Times: Column: Biden’s in deep trouble. He can still bounce back
• CNN: What the heck is going on with Kamala Harris?
• BBC: Joe Biden presidency: Five huge challenges looming
• US News: Americans Sour on Biden, Economy
• The Hill: Kamala Harris — a 2024 problem for Biden and the Democrats

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