Thursday Short Cuts
Notable quotables from Emma McKeon, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, and more.
Insight
“The man who craves disciples and wants followers is always more or less of a charlatan. The man of genuine worth and insight wants to be himself; and he wants others to be themselves, also.” —Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915)
For the Record
“The exposure of [Libs of TikTok] isn’t journalism; it’s pure intimidation. They’re threatened by her effectiveness, so they hope to silence her by making her too afraid to continue. They want to raise the cost of doing her work so high that she has no choice but to quit. But I think they’ll be surprised by her resolve. She’s afraid, as anyone would be in these circumstances, but she’s also determined to not be bullied, threatened, or harassed into silence. That takes remarkable courage that few people possess. I think they’ll also be surprised by the support she receives. I want them to know that she won’t be canceled from her job because this is her job now. I’ve worked out a deal with her that will turn her heroic, high-risk work into a career. They may have exposed her, but they’ll never stop her. Long live @libsoftiktok.” —Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillion
Upright
“I personally wouldn’t want to be racing against someone who is biologically a male, so that’s a concern. … You don’t want to have females racing against swimmers who are biologically male because it’s just not fair.” —Australian Olympian Emma McKeon
“I think the problem with modern journalism is there might be some downsides to having the absolute worst people in society determine what everyone needs to know.” —Frank J. Fleming
“The woke mind virus is making Netflix unwatchable.” —Elon Musk
“A social media platform’s policies are good if the most extreme 10% on left and right are equally unhappy.” —Elon Musk
“I’m not a Republican, but the fact that supporting free speech in 2022 forces people to assume you are one is making the option look attractive.” —Scott Adams
Theater of the Absurd
“The notion that conservatives are marginalized or ‘canceled’ by social media companies has always had an odd ring, given that conservative pundits and politicians … are notably prolific and enjoy high levels of engagement on the major platforms. … Even anecdotal evidence of supposed bias tends to evaporate under close examination. … Republicans are repeating the unfounded claim in an attempt to taint not just the platforms, but Democrats as well.” —NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights deputy director Paul M. Barrett
The BIG Lies
“This idea that people want to make little white children feel oppressed is a fallacy. It’s a manufactured outrage. And it's being used by some to erase the teaching of history.” —CNN’s Ana Navarro
“I had the great pleasure of being listed as the poorest man in Congress for 36 years. I still had making a helluva lot more money than anybody else because I was getting a senator’s salary. No kidding. I didn’t think you should make money while you’re in office.” —Joe Biden
Double Standards
“The President needs to stop blaming others and do his job.” —Joe Biden, April 20, 2020
“I know that families are still struggling with higher prices. I grew up in a family where if the price of gas went up, we felt it. Let’s be absolutely clear about why prices are high right now: COVID and Vladimir Putin.” —Joe Biden, April 20, 2022
Thanks, Captain Obvious
“Shanghai’s Low Covid Death Toll Revives Questions About China’s Numbers.” —The New York Times
And Last…
“At this point, putting on a mask feels like catering to someone else’s hypochondria.” —Jim Geraghty
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